California Highway Patrol officers take positions at the Golden Gate Bridge in anticipation of May Day demonstrations in San Francisco, California May 1, 2012. Authorities anticipated demonstrators would shut down the bridge, but agreement was reached to prevent that action. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith
LIVE BLOG: May Day protests around the world
![A riot police officer fires teargas during clashes with anti-government protesters after a rally held in support of opposition members currently serving life in prison, in the village of Bilad al-Qadeem, west of Manama, April 1, 2012. [REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed]
More photos | Reuters on Facebook](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1uvyr9f861qmaoalo1_1280.jpg)
A riot police officer fires teargas during clashes with anti-government protesters after a rally held in support of opposition members currently serving life in prison, in the village of Bilad al-Qadeem, west of Manama, April 1, 2012. [REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed]
![Student protesters and pedestrians run away from a jet of water released from a riot police vehicle during a demonstration against the government demanding changes in the public state education system in Santiago March 15, 2012.
Chilean students have been protesting against what they say is profiteering in the state education system. [REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0xxlwOOMQ1qmaoalo1_1280.jpg)
Student protesters and pedestrians run away from a jet of water released from a riot police vehicle during a demonstration against the government demanding changes in the public state education system in Santiago March 15, 2012.
Chilean students have been protesting against what they say is profiteering in the state education system. [REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado]
The Syrian opposition is leaderless. In this episode of The Decoder, Syria expert Joshua Landis breaks down the different opposition groups, and says that the next leadership will likely emerge from the battlefield.
Two American officers were shot dead at close range in Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry on Saturday, a U.S. official said, as rage gripped the country for a fifth day over the burning of the Muslim holy book at a NATO base.
NATO recalled all staff working at ministries in the Afghan capital, Kabul, following the attack, with its top commander in Afghanistan calling the killer a coward.
The two American officers, advisers to the ministry, were fired on at close range, a U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Read more: American officers killed in Afghan Interior Ministry
President Barack Obama sent a letter to Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday apologizing for the burning of copies of the Koran at U.S. military base in Afghanistan, the White House said.
“In the letter, delivered by Ambassador (Ryan) Crocker this afternoon in Kabul, the president also expressed our regret and apologies over the incident in which religious materials were unintentionally mishandled at Bagram Airbase,” White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said.
The burning of Korans at the Bagram airbase near Kabul has sparked fierce protests against U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
![Civilians and firemen run inside a burning cinema in Athens February 12, 2012.
Historic cinemas, cafes and shops went up in flames in central Athens on Sunday as black-masked protesters fought Greek police outside parliament, while inside lawmakers looked set to defy the public rage by endorsing a new EU/IMF austerity deal. [REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzavhdGCh11qmaoalo1_1280.jpg)
Civilians and firemen run inside a burning cinema in Athens February 12, 2012.
Historic cinemas, cafes and shops went up in flames in central Athens on Sunday as black-masked protesters fought Greek police outside parliament, while inside lawmakers looked set to defy the public rage by endorsing a new EU/IMF austerity deal. [REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis]
![A cinema is burning out during anti-austerity demonstration in central Athens February 12, 2012. Greek lawmakers looked set to endorse a new and deeply unpopular austerity deal on Sunday to secure a multi-billion-euro bailout and avert what Prime Minister Lucas Papademos warned would be “economic chaos.” [REUTERS/Panayiotis Tzamaros]
Read more: Athens buildings burn as lawmakers weigh austerity](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzar4iuSeD1qmaoalo1_1280.jpg)
A cinema is burning out during anti-austerity demonstration in central Athens February 12, 2012. Greek lawmakers looked set to endorse a new and deeply unpopular austerity deal on Sunday to secure a multi-billion-euro bailout and avert what Prime Minister Lucas Papademos warned would be “economic chaos.” [REUTERS/Panayiotis Tzamaros]
Read more: Athens buildings burn as lawmakers weigh austerity
![Reuters Campaign Finance Correspondent Alina Selyukh sent in this photo from CPAC where Occupy protesters and unions are demonstrating.
Crowds of people were chanting “We got sold out” and “We are the 99 percent” in a demonstration dubbed the “War on workers.”
Another protest is planned for later this evening, Selyukh reports. [REUTERS/Alina Selyukh]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz6udc3FkV1qmaoalo1_1280.jpg)
Reuters Campaign Finance Correspondent Alina Selyukh sent in this photo from CPAC where Occupy protesters and unions are demonstrating.
Crowds of people were chanting “We got sold out” and “We are the 99 percent” in a demonstration dubbed the “War on workers.”
Another protest is planned for later this evening, Selyukh reports. [REUTERS/Alina Selyukh]
Rocks, molotov cocktails and tear gas flew threw the air Friday as protesters and police clashed in the streets of Athens, Greece.
The violence erupted at the start of a 48-hour general strike against new austerity measures imposed by eurozone finance ministers that would further cut jobs and pay. The Greek parliament is expected to vote on the harsh austerity plan by Sunday or Monday.
