WORLD

A legislator quit Canada's main opposition New Democrats on Tuesday, adding to the problems of a left-leaning party that has failed to impress since a record-breaking performance in the May 2011 election.

Mitt Romney is poised for a big win at the New Hampshire 2012 primary. But if he takes the Republican nomination from Ron Paul, Paul's supporters won't be toeing the party line. Numerous voters and supporters are planning on writing in Paul's name on the ballot in November if he fails to secure the GOP nomination.

Rick Santorum, presidential candidate and internet meme, is now offering Santorum 2012 sweater vests to Americans who donate more than $100 to his campaign by tomorrow. Don't let sleeves slow you down - donate today! reads the GOP hopeful's website.

Zardari, the widow of Bhutto, was accused of money-laundering in Switzerland.

With voting underway in the second contest of the 2012 Republican primary season, Mitt Romney is expected to win easily -- but interviews with voters in New Hampshire's largest city show that his opponents are making headway, especially among people whose primary concern is not the economy.

French footballer Eric Cantona said on Tuesday that he had launched a bid to join the 2012 presidential race. If serious (which it isn't) he would compete against incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy and Socialist candidate Francois Hollande in April.

Jacob Lew, a former Citigroup executive, reportedly received a $900,000 bonus from the company after it took $45 billion in taxpayer bailout funds in 2008.

CNN reporter does not seem to have an amicable relationship with Republican candidate Ron Paul and his campaign staff.

Two foreign citizens who reside legally in the U.S. failed in their attempt to overturn a ban on political spending from non-citizens on free speech grounds.

A mosque and an Islamic school were set on fire in Benin City, Nigeria this week. Christians and Muslims -- traditionally at odds in Nigeria -- are increasingly antagonistic and these retaliatory attacks are a bad sign of what could be to come.

Girl Scout Cookies season has arrived. Despite the popularity of classic Thin Mints and Samoas, a new cookie, Savannah Smiles, has joined the ranks in 2012 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Scouts. Where can you buy Savannah Smiles and other Girl Scout Cookies in 2012?

If the current Republican primary has taught us anything, having rich supporters with high incomes has become the difference between first and fifth place. Thank the Supreme Court. Its controversial Citizens United decision has prolonged the shelf life of candidates that once would have been long dead. Ask Newt Gingrich.

Gantz suggested that he expected Assad to be removed from power.

European shares hit a one-week closing high on Tuesday after encouraging comments from some leading U.S. companies and hopes for more policy easing in China gave cyclical stocks a boost, with autos and miners among the top sectoral gainers.

Slate's XX Factor blasted New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Monday for what write Torie Bosch dubbed an offensive oral sex joke.

Proceeds from the offering will apparently be used to upgrade technology and improve online services.

Regarding its banking system, the United States has now experienced its third generation of "heads the banks win, tails the taxpayer and the public loses.” Is there a better way? Is it possible to create a bank that serves the people of the United States?

Dictator buddies President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran and Hugo Chavez of Venezuela met to discuss serious matters on Monday, but they lightened up the conversation with jokes about having a “big atomic bomb” at their disposal.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad started his four-nation Latin American tour Sunday with a pit stop in Venezuela for a powwow with his ally, President Hugo Chavez, who defended his counterpart by saying Iran is facing U.S. warmongering threats amid tensions over its nuclear program.

The New Hampshire Primary of 2012 is today. Voting will be open until 8 p.m. ET in the Granite State, although many precincts close their polls earlier.

A GOP candidate has finally received a Palin endorsement, but not one you’d expect. Todd Palin, Sarah’s snowmobiling husband, said he admired Newt Gingrich’s tenacity after most of his staff dumped him early in the campaign.

Amir Mirza Hekmati was sentenced to death by an Iranian court on Monday, on espionage charges. Iran has accused Hekmati of spying for the CIA. Here are eight things you should know about the Iranian-American facing death.

Pierre Prosper, a high-profile attorney advising Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, was hired by Amir Mirzaei Hekmati’s family to seek the release of the American ex-Marine sentence to death in Iran for spying.

After months of campaigning and enough debates to enervate even the most fanatic political junkies, the New Hampshire primaries are upon us. Here are the essential questions facing the horses remaining in this race, from how big Mitt Romney will win to whether Newt Gingrich and Jon Huntsman can build some momentum.

European shares rose on Tuesday, with miners gaining after aluminum producer Alcoa got the U.S. reporting season off to a positive start, with its top line indicating strong demand for commodities.

On Tuesday, embattled Syrian president Bashar al-Assad blamed ten months of violence in his country on external conspirators.

It is unclear how many prisoners would be released or their identities or which types of crimes will be pardoned.

The labels being attached to Republican U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney seem to be straight out of the Democrats' playbook.

The Nikkei share average edged up on Tuesday after revenue at U.S. aluminum giant Alcoa beat expectations, while Olympus jumped 20 percent on reports it would remain listed, but the benchmark remained stuck below key resistance ahead of events in Europe.