Greece’s radical leftist leader spurned an invitation from the president for a final round of coalition talks on Monday, all but ensuring a new election that he is poised to win.
Greece’s political landscape has been in disarray for a week since an inconclusive election left parliament divided between supporters and opponents of the 130 billion euro ($168.3 billion) EU/IMF bailout, with neither side able to form a government.
Government officials have warned that Greece could run out of cash as early as the end of June if it does not have …

MOSCOW – Vladimir Putin appeared to shed tears of joy the night he won back the presidency in March. After less than a week in office, he may be tempted to shed some in frustration.
Since his inauguration on Monday, the man whose 2000-2008 presidency was characterized by steely control and a cowed opposition has faced a wave of confrontations and misfortunes.
Opposition activists, energized by this winter’s unprecedented wave of massive protest rallies and angered by Putin’s March 4 re-election, which they claim was riddled with vote fraud, are showing …

ATHENS — Greek socialists ploughed ahead Friday with talks to form a coalition government, citing some progress after indecisive weekend polls.
Liberal daily Kathimerini spoke of a “slim opportunity” and pro-socialist Ethnos said a “step forward” had been made after socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos on Thursday won the conditional support of the small Democratic Left (Dimar) party in negotiations to form a cabinet.
The stalemate in Greece has raised fears of political chaos that could kill off reforms and eventually force the debt-laden nation to leave the eurozone.
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble …

MOSCOW — The wreckage of a demonstration airplane for a Russian-made passenger jet that vanished on Wednesday during a 50-minute flight over Indonesia was found on Thursday on the side of a mountain volcano shrouded in mist.
There were no signs of survivors among the 50 people, including crew members, journalists and airline representatives, aboard the plane, the Sukhoi Superjet 100, a spokesman for Indonesia’s Search and Rescue National Agency told The Associated Press.
In a televised address on Thursday, the Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, said investigators were on their way …

French President-elect Francois Hollande threw himself into his new job on May 9, focusing on Europe’s debt crisis and studying up for international summits.
Hollande, who was elected on May 6, has never held a ministerial post and is largely an unknown outside France. Even inside the country, many are wondering what kind of leader he will be — especially since he is now regarded as a key figure in the move to ease Europe from its strict austerity path.
First up on his European agenda was a meeting on May 9 …