Parade proceeds amid tension over gay rights

New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio was to become the first mayor in decades on Monday to miss the city's traditional St. Patrick's Day parade over a dispute involving whether march participants can carry pro-gay signs. But Ireland's prime minister said he'll join the procession because the holiday is about "Irishness and not about sexuality".

Toyota halts work at 2 plants in India

Toyota said on Monday it has suspended production at its two Indian auto assembly plants in response to threats against management and "deliberate" assembly-line stoppages, as efforts to hammer out a labor deal failed.

Ukraine to deploy troops to prep for possible clash

The Ukrainian parliament endorsed a plan on Monday to mobilize 40,000 reservists amid reports of what a senior official described as further incursions in the country.

Beijing blasts Philippines' 'provocative moves' on reef

Beijing said on Monday it was "startled" by Manila's recent statement that it would use a warship grounded in Chinese territory as "a permanent Philippine government installation".

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Smog triggers vehicle use limits

The French government will introduce alternate driving days in Paris on Monday for the first time in nearly two decades to tackle dangerous levels of air pollution in the city.

Shipwreck survivor meets dead mate's kin

The Salvadoran castaway who said he survived more than a year at sea had a tearful meeting on Saturday with the family of his shipmate who did not make it home.

Venezuela calls on US to join 'peace commission'

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro urged Washington on Saturday to join a "high-level commission" to promote peace after more than a month of deadly anti-government demonstrations.

US troops won't be needed at end of year, Karzai says

In his final address to Afghanistan's National Assembly on Saturday, President Hamid Karzai told the United States its troops can leave at the end of the year because his military, which already protects 93 percent of the country, was ready to take over entirely.

Syrian forces capture rebel stronghold near Lebanese border

Government forces backed by Hezbollah fighters took full control of the Syrian town of Yabroud on Sunday after driving out rebel fighters, according to Syrian state media.

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Ethnic Russians confident in referendum

Crimeans took to the polls on Sunday for a referendum on breaking away from Ukraine and joining Russia, part of a Cold War-style security crisis on Europe's eastern frontier that began with the toppling of Ukraine's central government at the end of February.