ATHENS (AP) ― Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has called an emergency cabinet meeting for Thursday as his governing Socialist lawmakers revolt against a referendum plan.A statement from Papandreou’s office says the meeting will be held at noon and comes after Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos broke ranks with the prime minister on the referendum proposal.Earlier Thursday, Socialist lawmaker Eva Kaili also said she would not support the government in Friday’s confidence vote.Kaili urged

MACAU (AFP) ― In a big, garishly decorated room, dealers deftly lay out cards for baccarat while an eager crowd watches a roulette wheel spin. But the money changing hands is fake, while the punters are scribbling down notes on casino mathematics, because this isn’t a casino but a classroom.Thousands of students aged from 18 upwards pass through the mock casino run by the Macau Polytechnic Institute each year, training to work in the enormous gambling venues that dominate the world’s biggest gam

BRUSSELS (AP) ― Eurozone leaders have insisted for months that there is no Plan B ― the currency bloc simply will not break up. But now that their grand strategy to save the 17-nation currency, hatched just a week ago, is in jeopardy, they had better start working on one.The trouble is their options are limited. If Greek voters reject the deal negotiated last week in Brussels, Greece could have to leave the euro, whether or not its European partners are ready for the devastating consequences of

Netanyahu says a nuclear-armed Tehran would pose ‘dire threat’ to the world JERUSALEM (AP) -- An Israeli official said Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to persuade his Cabinet to authorize a military strike against Iran‘s suspected nuclear weapons program _ a discussion that comes as Israel successfully tests a missile believed capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to Iran.It remained unclear whether Israel was genuinely poised to strike or if it was saber-rattling to p

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) -- More than two months after the fall of Tripoli, Libya‘s new leaders are still struggling to secure massive weapons depots, stop the smuggling of munitions out of the country and disarm thousands of fighters who brought down Moammar Gadhafi’s regime.The international community has offered to help, but also expects Libyans to step up. However, the interim leadership _ in limbo until the formation of a new government mid-month _ may not be up to the task. Libya‘s temporary le

WASHINGTON (AP) ― The sexual harassment scandal surrounding Herman Cain, a leading Republican presidential candidate, deepened Wednesday as another woman accused him of inappropriate behavior when he headed a restaurant industry lobbying group in the 1990s.The woman’s account, told to the Associated Press, came as Cain tried unsuccessfully to divert attention from the controversy, responding testily to reporters who had pressed him about the original accusations.The scandal has jolted the contes

Anti-wall street protesters shutdown Oakland portOAKLAND, California (AP) -- Occupy Wall Street protesters declared victory after thousands of demonstrators shut down one of the nation’s busiest shipping ports, escalating a movement whose tactics had largely been limited to marches, rallies and tent encampments since it began in September.As a voice over a bullhorn said “The night is not over, yet,” protest organizers told demonstrators to head back to the downtown plaza where the Oakland moveme

CANNES, France (AP) _ European leaders heaped pressure on Greece over its decision to hold a referendum on its latest bailout deal, calling it a vote on whether it wants to stay in the eurozone and vowing Athens would not get new rescue loans until the result was in.The acknowledgment that the vote

ATHENS (AP) ― Greece’s prime minister held firm early Wednesday to his shock decision to call for a referendum on a hard-fought European debt deal, despite anger from abroad, market turmoil across the world and dissent from within his own party.George Papandreou’s government still faced a battle for survival, with a vote of confidence scheduled for Friday and a grilling from frustrated European leaders expected later in the day ahead of the Group of 20 summit in the French Riviera.After a grueli