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As Japan began its workweek Monday morning, the trains ran exactly on time, the elevators in thousands of Tokyo high rises efficiently moved between floors, and the lights turned on across cities with nary a glitch.

Polls opened Monday in Syria with more than 7,000 candidates vying for 250 seats in parliament amid mounting international pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to step aside.

"The Avengers" have conquered America -- for one weekend, at least. The super hero smorgasbord featuring Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and The Hulk brought in $200.3 million its opening weekend in 4,300 U.S. theaters to smash the previous domestic record for any movie's first three days, Walt Disney Studios said Sunday in a press release.

A U.S. Army captain in Afghanistan did not indicate any unease when he suddenly fell forward while on a video chat with his wife, who then spotted a bullet hole on a closet behind him, the wife said Sunday.

The lawyer representing two Palestinian prisoners entering the 70th day of a hunger strike said his clients were nearing death and accused an Israeli high court of procrastination in delivering a ruling that could save their lives.

A prominent Bahraini human rights activist has been arrested upon his return to the Persian Gulf kingdom from Lebanon, the government and an activist group said Sunday.

A senior operative of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula wanted for his role in the USS Cole bombing was killed by an airstrike in Yemen, Yemeni officials said.

There has been a great deal of austerity-bashing -- that is to say Germany-bashing -- this French election season. Buoyed by his success in the first round, Socialist candidate Francois Hollande declared last Thursday: "It is not for Germany to decide for the rest of Europe." Vowing to reset Europe on a growth path, he said, "we're not just any country, we can change the situation."

The last of 11 people facing felony hazing charges tied to a Florida A&M University band member's death turned themselves in on Sunday, four days after prosecutors announced the charges, the state said.

George Lindsey, the actor who portrayed the country-bumpkin mechanic Goober Pyle on "The Andy Griffith Show," died Sunday after a brief illness, his family said. He was 83.

Police were investigating a possible homicide at Churchill Downs on Sunday, one day after the storied Louisville racetrack hosted the Kentucky Derby.

Eddie Bracken is attending the arraignment of accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others. "It's hurtful to watch," he says. "They have no remorse."

Voters in Greece headed to the polls Sunday to take part in parliamentary elections amid wide uncertainty over what government will emerge and how it will handle the austerity crisis gripping the nation.

A roadside bomb killed three U.S. soldiers in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, a Western official said.

The head of a Syrian leading opposition political group arrives in China for talks Sunday as violence continues in some areas of the Middle East nation despite a cease-fire implemented last month.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. had his nose bloodied midway through the fight, but maintained his poise to remain undefeated and claim the WBA junior middleweight title from Miguel Cotto.

President-elect Francois Hollande declares his victory "a new start for Europe." France is a key player in plans to lead the eurozone out of its debt crisis, making the election vital to the region.

A Michigan man was arraigned Saturday as part of a homicide investigation into the deaths of women linked to a website that hosts ads for escort services.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has signed off on a bill that will prevent abortion providers like Planned Parenthood from receiving public funds in most cases, her office said.

The National Park Service said Saturday that the National Christmas Tree located just south of the White House has died due to complications from "transplant shock."