Chisinau – Active campaigning came to a halt in Moldova on Saturday, as the former Soviet republic prepared to elect a new parliament. The streets of the capital Chisinau were free of electioneering Saturday morning, as a nationwide last-day ban on election advertising went into effect. The poll-leading Communists ended …

Slovaks are voting Saturday in a presidential run-off election between the popular incumbent and a strong opposition challenger. President Ivan Gasparovic won nearly 47 percent of vote in the first round of elections last month. He now faces the top opposition candidate, sociologist and former social affairs minister Iveta Radicova, …

President Barack Obama hailed “strong and unanimous support” from NATO allies on Saturday for his stepped-up anti-terror strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan and welcomed their “down payment” promises of 5,000 fresh forces. The allies rebuffed U.S. appeals for more combat forces to join the war, but the backing Obama did …