Political Turmoil | featured news

Venezuela awoke to political turmoil Monday after Hugo Chavez's chosen successor, Nicolas Maduro, won the country’s presidential election by such a tight margin that his rival demanded a recount. The country, already shaken by the death from cancer of its dominating leader, faces uncertainty after Maduro secured 50.7 percent of the votes in Sunday's election, compared with 49.1 percent for Henrique Capriles -- a difference of just 235,000 ballots.

Greece's center-right New Democracy party looks set to get the first chance to form a new government Monday, but party leader Antonis Samaras will have a complicated task after an election where angry voters punished politicians for backing harsh government budget cuts.

The British businessman whose murder has sparked political upheaval in China was poisoned after he threatened to expose a plan by a Chinese leader's wife to move money abroad, two sources with knowledge of the police investigation said.

Supporters of the Maldives' former president rioted Wednesday as the country's new leader appealed for an end to the political turmoil in this Indian Ocean nation.

Alassane Ouattara has been inaugurated as Ivory Coast's president after months of violence and political turmoil.

Islamic militants seized control of a weapons factory and a nearby town in Yemen's south Sunday, said a witness and security officials, as political turmoil around the country causes security to unravel.

Haitians will choose between a former first lady and a popular musician Sunday in a pivotal presidential runoff vote for a nation still recovering from a devastating earthquake and political turmoil.

Defying a government ban on all kinds of public demonstrations, a group is planning a "Day of Rage" protests Friday in Saudi Arabia.

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said Thursday that the better-equipped forces of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi will over the long term prevail.

Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi's speech appears to put to rest rumors reported in some international media that the 68-year-old leader had been considering stepping down.In a defiant speech broadcast early Wednesday, Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi derided opponents who have seized the eastern half of the country as "traitors" and blamed foreigners and Al Qaeda for perpetrating the unrest roiling the North African state he has ruled for more than four decades.