U.S. says attack kills 50 Taliban

U.S.-led coalition forces killed about 50 suspected Taliban militants in an airstrike on a rebel stronghold in southern Afghanistan, a spokesman said today.

The attack occurred late Sunday and early today on the village of Azizi in Panjwayi district, Kandahar province, said Maj. Scott Lundy.

“It was against a known Taliban stronghold and we believe it resulted in about 50 Taliban killed,” he said.

Residents claimed scores of civilians had also been killed and wounded.

PODGORICA, Serbia-Montenegro

Montenegro votes to leave Serbia

The leader of Montenegro’s anti-independence faction refused to concede defeat Sunday after a referendum in which an independent monitoring group said voters favored secession from the republic’s union with much larger Serbia.

Predrag Bulatovic said results had to be confirmed by the state referendum commission.

The Center for Monitoring said 56 percent of voters opted for independence for their small Balkan republic, one point above the threshold that the European Union said was needed to make secession valid.

Independence supporters spilled into the streets in celebration, firing guns into the air and setting off fireworks.

CARACAS, Venezuela

Chavez shopping for Russian planes

President Hugo Chavez said that Venezuela is looking to buy Russian warplanes, and will offer its fleet of U.S.-made jets to any country it chooses, including Iran.

The jet issue resurfaced last week after a Venezuelan general indicated that the F-16s could go to the Mideast nation, currently at odds with the United States over its nuclear program. The United States says Venezuela is legally bound by a contract to seek U.S. permission to sell the fighters.