· Woods climbs into contention at Pebble Beach - AFP

AFP

Woods climbs into contention at Pebble Beach AFP PEBBLE BEACH, California — Tiger Woods, who is seeking his first win on the PGA Tour in over two years, vastly improved his putting in the third round to vault to near the top of the leaderboard at Pebble Beach. Woods shot a five-under par 67 on the ... and more »

· Palin: let Republican presidential hopefuls fight on - AFP

AFP

Palin: let Republican presidential hopefuls fight on AFP WASHINGTON — Firebrand Sarah Palin told conservatives Saturday not to settle quickly on a Republican presidential nominee, but to let the candidates fight it out longer on the campaign trail. Palin, in a speech at a three-day conference of ... and more »

· Venezuela's Chavez faces challenge as opposition votes - AFP

AFP

Venezuela's Chavez faces challenge as opposition votes AFP CARACAS — Venezuelan opposition parties are holding their first primary on Sunday to pick a unity candidate to battle ailing President Hugo Chavez, in power for more than a decade, in an October vote. Five candidates are running in the opposition ... and more »

· Some Brazilian police cancel strike, others press on - AFP

AFP

Some Brazilian police cancel strike, others press on AFP RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian authorities claimed Saturday to have broken up strikes by police in two states after arresting labor leaders, but other police and firefighters had not quit their protest over pay. About 9000 civilian police in Rio de ... and more »

· US union chief promises direct action - AFP

AFP

US union chief promises direct action AFP FLINT, Michigan — Just as in the sit-down strike of the 1930s, the United Auto Workers is preparing to join other unions and activists in more non-violent protests against what UAW president Bob King described on Friday as a framework of right-wing ... and more »

· Romney wins conservative straw poll: media reports - AFP

AFP

Romney wins conservative straw poll: media reports AFP WASHINGTON — Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney won a straw poll at a major conference of conservatives here, with 38 percent of the vote, in a boost for his White House bid, US media reported. Former senator Rick Santorum came in second with 31 ... and more »

· Europeans protest controversial Internet pact - AFP

AFP

Europeans protest controversial Internet pact AFP BERLIN — Tens of thousands of people marched in protests in more than a dozen European cities Saturday against a controversial anti-online piracy pact that critics say could curtail Internet freedom. Some 41000 people rallied in Germany, ... and more »

· USA dump out Federer's Swiss, Spain cruise in Davis Cup - AFP

AFP

USA dump out Federer's Swiss, Spain cruise in Davis Cup AFP PARIS — Roger Federer's miserable return to Davis Cup first-round duty after an eight-year absence was completed on Saturday when the United States knocked out Switzerland to reach the quarter-finals. Having lost his first singles match in the ... and more »

· Bahrain expels activists ahead of protests anniversary - AFP

AFP

Bahrain expels activists ahead of protests anniversary AFP DUBAI — Bahrain said on Saturday it had expelled two human rights activists who had arrived in the Gulf kingdom from abroad for "illegal" activities, ahead of Tuesday's anniversary of the outbreak of Shiite-led protests. The authorities said the two ... and more »

· Iran to present nuclear projects 'in days' - AFP

AFP	Iran to present nuclear projects 'in days' AFP TEHRAN — A defiant Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed Saturday to inaugurate "important nuclear projects" within days and lashed out at Israel, saying the "story" of the Holocaust underpinning its existence had been "smashed". and more »