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TOP STORIES
Islamic State seizes ancient Palmyra city from Syrian forces
BEIRUT - Islamic State insurgents storm the historic Syrian city of Palmyra, fighting off pro-government forces who withdrew after evacuating most of the civilian population, state television says. (MIDEAST-CRISIS/SYRIA-NORTHEAST (UPDATE 6), moved, by Sylvia Westall and Tom Perry, 555 words)
- MIDEAST-CRISIS/SYRIA-UNESCO, moved, 125 words
Bin Laden fixated on attacking U.S. interests -documents
WASHINGTON - Osama bin Laden was fixated on attacking U.S. targets and pressured al Qaeda groups to heal local rivalries and focus on that cause, according to documents the United States says were seized in his hideout in Pakistan. (USA-SECURITY/BINLADEN (UPDATE 3), moved, by Mark Hosenball, 715 words)
- USA-SECURITY/BINLADEN-SON, moved, by Mark Hosenball, 390 words
Global banks admit guilt in forex probe, fined nearly $6 bln
NEW YORK/LONDON - Four major banks plead guilty to trying to manipulate foreign exchange rates and, with two others, are fined nearly $6 billion in another settlement in a global probe into the $5 trillion-a-day market. (BANKS-FOREX/SETTLEMENT (WRAPUP 7, PICTURES), moved, by Karen Freifeld, David Henry and Steve Slater, 1,130 words)
- BANKS-FOREX/SETTLEMENT-WAIVERS (UPDATE 2), moved, by David Henry and Sarah N. Lynch, 365 words
- BANKS-FOREX/SETTLEMENT-TRADERS, moved, by Kirstin Ridley, 510 words
Greece says it will default in June without aid from lenders
ATHENS - Greece will not be able to make a payment to the International Monetary Fund due on June 5 unless foreign lenders provide more aid, a senior ruling party lawmaker says, the latest warning from Athens that it is on the verge of default. (EUROZONE-GREECE/ (WRAPUP 2), moved, by Renee Maltezou and Lefteris Papadimas, 900 words)
ASIA
Malaysia, Indonesia to let "boat people" come ashore temporarily
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia and Indonesia say they will offer shelter to 7,000 "boat people" adrift at sea in rickety boats but make clear their assistance is temporary and they will take no more. (ASIA-MIGRANTS/(WRAPUP 5, PICTURES, TV), moved, by Praveen Menon, 760 words)
- ASIA-MIGRANTS/ROHINGYA (PICTURES, TV), moved, by Antoni Slodkowski, 815 words
MIDDLE EAST
Iran's Khamenei rules out interviews with nuclear scientists
ANKARA - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says Tehran will not accept "unreasonable demands" by world powers over its disputed nuclear program and rules out letting inspectors interview its atomic scientists. (IRAN-NUCLEAR/KHAMENEI (UPDATE 4), moved, by Parisa Hafezi, 580 words)
U.N. announces Yemen talks, Iran to allow ship inspection
UNITED NATIONS/DUBAI - U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon announces talks in Geneva on May 28 between warring Yemeni parties to end more than seven weeks of war, as Iran agrees for international inspections of an aid ship sailing to Yemen. (YEMEN-SECURITY/ (UPDATE 3, PICTURES, TV), moved, by Louis Charbonneau and Sam Wilkin, 760 words)
Islamic State's Egypt affiliate urges attacks on judges -recording
CAIRO - Islamic State's Egypt affiliate urges followers to attack judges, declaring a new front in an Islamist militant insurgency in the world's most populous Arab state. (EGYPT-JUDGES/MILITANTS (UPDATE 3), moved, by Michael Georgy and Stephen Kalin, 600 words)
UNITED STATES
Takata to boost production of replacement air bag inflators
DETROIT - Takata Corp's record U.S. recall of potentially deadly air bag inflators could take years to complete, industry experts and safety advocates say, as automakers scramble to line up replacement parts, some not from Takata. (AUTOS-TAKATA/RECALL (UPDATE 4, PICTURES), moved, by Ben Klayman, 690 words)
Crews work to clean California beach fouled by oil pipeline spill
GOLETA, Calif. - Cleanup crews fan out across an oil-fouled California beach to scoop up gobs of petroleum spewed from a ruptured pipeline in the largest oil spill to hit the pristine but energy-rich Santa Barbara coastline in nearly two decades. (USA CALIFORNIA/OILSPILL (UPDATE 1, PICTURES, TV), moved, by Alan Devall, 590 words)
China may have edge in race to build California's bullet train
SAN FRANCISCO - Chinese state firms are poised to be strong contenders in the race to make high-speed trains that will sprint between Los Angeles and San Francisco, part of a $68 billion project to bring the service to the United States for the first time. (CALIFORNIA-RAIL/CHINA (PICTURES), expect by 0600 GMT/1 AM ET, by Robin Respaut and Rory Carroll, 900 words)
EUROPE
UK's Cameron to unveil immigration crackdown on eve of EU meeting
LONDON - British Prime Minister David Cameron will unveil what aides call a "far-reaching" immigration crackdown on Thursday on the eve of a European Union summit that he will use to tentatively start renegotiating Britain's ties with the bloc. (BRITAIN-POLITICS/EU, moved, by Andrew Osborn, 420 words)
AMERICAS
U.S.-Cuba talks resume on re-establishing diplomatic relations
WASHINGTON - A new U.S. embassy in Havana is likely to operate with controls on staff travel and other restrictions similar to those on American diplomats in other countries with authoritarian governments, Washington's chief Cuba negotiator said on Wednesday. (CUBA-USA/ (PICTURES), moved, by Patricia Zengerle and Lesley Wroughton, 400 words)
Venezuelan officials accused by U.S. sue opposition leader
CARACAS - Venezuelan officials targeted by the United States sanctions are suing opposition leader Henrique Capriles for labeling them corrupt in the latest knock-on effect of Washington's moves against the OPEC member's rulers, a minister says. (VENEZUELA-USA/CAPRILES, moved, by Andrew Cawthorne, 410 words)
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Talk show host David Letterman bids farewell on 'Late Show'
NEW YORK - Comedian David Letterman will sign off for last time on CBS's "Late Show," concluding 33-year career on late-night television with show that promises to be full of surprises, run across stage and his final Top Ten List. (TELEVISION-DAVIDLETTERMAN/ (UPDATE 1, PICTURES, TV), expect by 0345 GMT/11.45 PM ET, by Patricia Reaney, 400 words)
- PEOPLE-BBKING/, moved, by Bryn Stole, 320 words
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