World datelines

Lebanon: Vote tally

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon's pro-Western coalition declared victory early Monday, as local television stations reported the faction had successfully fended off a serious challenge by the Shiite militant group Hezbollah and its allies to grab the majority in parliament. Official results for Sunday's election were not expected until later Monday, but the winners were already celebrating by shooting in the air, setting off fireworks and driving around in honking motorcades. A win by Hezbollah would have boosted the influence of Iran and Syria and risked possibly more conflict with Israel.

England: EU election

LONDON — Britain has elected its first extreme-right politician to the European Parliament. Results announced Sunday in voting for the European Parliament showed the British National Party has won a seat in northern England's Yorkshire and the Humber district. The far-right party, which does not accept nonwhites as members, was expected to possibly win further seats when other results in Britain were announced.

Somalia: Ship freed

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Dutch Defense Ministry says Somali pirates have released a Nigerian tugboat they hijacked 10 months ago and a Dutch navy ship is escorting it to a safe harbor. Defense Ministry spokesman Lt. Col. Robin Middel says Dutch ship The Seven Provinces is alongside the Yenegoa Ocean and medical staff are tending to its crew. Middel said Sunday the tug's Nigerian crew members are exhausted after 10 months in captivity but have no major health problems.

Ukraine: Talks fail

KIEV — Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said Sunday that talks with the main opposition party on forming a coalition have collapsed, indicating a continuation of the turmoil that has plagued the country's politics and hobbled its response to the severe economic crisis. The talks between the parties led by Tymoshenko and Viktor Yanukovych had included a proposal that the parties use their combined strength to amend the constitution so that the president would be elected by parliament.

Afghanistan: Violence

KABUL — A Taliban ambush in northwestern Afghanistan killed four policemen early Sunday, while militants killed five other people at the eastern border near Pakistan, officials said. Militants attacked a police security post in northwestern Faryab province, sparking a one-hour battle that killed four police, said Khalil Andrabi, the provincial police chief.

Israel: New policy?

JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he will deliver a major policy address next week laying out his proposed road to Mideast peace, after coming under stiff U.S. pressure to freeze West Bank settlement construction and endorse Palestinian statehood. Netanyahu offered no hint of what he might say. So far, he has resisted the U.S. demands, deepening an unusually public faceoff with Israel's most important ally. If Netanyahu gives in, however, he could find himself facing a rebellion inside his coalition government, which is dominated by hard-liners.