ELECTIONS

The Indian rupee fell to a record low Friday as it succumbed to pressures of the debt crisis looming over the euro zone and the weak domestic indicators.

On Thursday, the country of Myanmar saw its first-ever gay pride celebrations to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.

A lack of new data or news saw markets run with previously established trends overnight.

On Thursday, 70 troops arrived in Guinea-Bissau as part of a peacekeeping initiative by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The troops are meant to stabilize the country as it prepares for national elections in 12 months, following a military coup that deposed the civilian government.

Burhan Ghalioun is quitting the Syrian National Council amid criticism of his leadership.

Greece's center-right New Democracy party has a slight edge among voters over the Coalition of the Radical Left, or Syriza, party ahead of the June 17th parliamentary elections, according to a new opinion poll.

In bilateral discussions on Friday, British Prime Minster David Cameron is expected to urge newly elected French President François Hollande to renege on campaign promises to withdraw French troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2012.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo won a major boost this week after suburban and upstate voters approved 99 percent of their school budgets, most of which adhered to the Democratic governor?s new property tax cap.

Fears are escalating across Europe that Greece will have to exit the euro zone.

India?s rupee recovered slightly Thursday following the rebound seen in Asian markets led by positive data from Japan and the US.

The Spanish government sold ?2.4 billion of debt on Thursday morning, with bonds due in 2015 carrying an average yield of 4.375 percent - a huge rise from an average yield of 2.89 percent in April.

Asian markets rose Thursday as the economic growth reported by Japan and possible additional monetary stimulus from Federal Reserve to spur growth of the US economy offset the increasing concern of Greece leaving the euro zone.

The euro wallowed near a four-month trough versus the dollar Thursday after some banks in Athens faced emergency funding needs, compounding fears that a potential Greek exit from the euro could put more pressure on other struggling euro zone nations.

Graffiti, some containing themes from the Anonymous movement, against Egypt's military rule has littered the streets of Cairo as its citizens' disillusion with the current regime continues to fester.

The financial markets appear to have already priced in Greece?s departure from the euro bloc.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad gave a rare television interview on Wednesday, appearing on Russia's official Rossia-24 news channel to tout the success of the May 7 parliamentary elections.

Recent polls show that Greece's far-left Syriza party is poised to gain the most votes in the June 17 parliamentary elections. The news has many wondering exactly where the popular opposition party came from, what it represents, and how it would address Greece's crushing debt burden while living up to its promise of abolishing austerity.

Interestingly, Martine Aubry, the leader of the Socialist party rejected an offer to head a super ministry.

Tsipras has said he wants Greece to remain in the euro zone, but has demanded that bailout agreements be renegotiated by providing more favorable terms.

Shortly after winning 21 seats in parliament, Greece's Golden Dawn has already become a political pariah.

The comments come amid a growing chorus of European ministers openly discussing the possibility of a Greek exit from the single currency.