Politics

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President Obama walks May 8, 2012, across the South Lawn of the White House after a day trip to Albany, N.Y. (Associated Press)

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"This is a historic moment for the Left and the popular movement and a great responsibility for me," says Alexis Tsipras, leader of Greece's Radical Left Coalition party that won 16.8 percent of the vote in Sunday's national election. (Associated Press)

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This historic house in the al-Hamidiya neighborhood of the old city Homs was shelled by Syrian security forces. The chaos from Syria's yearlong revolt is destroying some of the country's most important archaeological sites and old buildings. Horrified experts warn that some of the Middle East's most precious sites are at risk of destruction and looting. (Associated Press)

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Assembly of tweeters with front grille in the speaker manufactory of Burmester. Emplyee of Burmester is Burmester Audiosysteme was founded in 1977 and has since been producing top-range high end products in their Berlin manufacture. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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Assembly of tweeters with front grille in the speaker manufactory of Burmester. Emplyee of Burmester is Burmester Audiosysteme was founded in 1977 and has since been producing top-range high end products in their Berlin manufacture. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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Assembly of tweeters with front grille in the speaker manufactory of Burmester. Emplyee of Burmester is Burmester Audiosysteme was founded in 1977 and has since been producing top-range high end products in their Berlin manufacture. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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Boxes and amplifiers on a bench in the assembly workshop at Burmester. Burmester Audiosysteme was founded in 1977 and has since been producing top-range high end products in their Berlin manufacture. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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Audio amplifier in an acoustic test by an employee. Burmester Audiosysteme was founded in 1977 and has since been producing top-range high end products in their Berlin manufacture. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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Audio amplifier in a week-long stress test. Burmester Audiosysteme was founded in 1977 and has since been producing top-range high end products in their Berlin manufacture. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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Manual assembly from a Burmester CD player. Burmester Audiosysteme was founded in 1977 and has since been producing top-range high end products in their Berlin manufacture. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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Manual assembly from a Burmester CD player. Burmester Audiosysteme was founded in 1977 and has since been producing top-range high end products in their Berlin manufacture. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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Manual assembly of a motherboard with components of a cd player Burmester 102. Burmester Audiosysteme was founded in 1977 and has since been producing top-range high end products in their Berlin manufacture. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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CEO Dieter Burmester of Burmester Audiosysteme in the branch office. Burmester was founded in 1977 and has since been producing top-range high end products in their Berlin manufacture. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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Employees havin a lunch break outside a hall of Noack, Thursday, April 26, 2012. Noack is arguably the most important bronze-casting foundry in Germany, based in Berlin. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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Oliver Seewald (left) and Nevzat Guney, employees at Noack Bronze-casting foundry, moving a form for a mold for a bronze with a crane. Thursday, April 26, 2012. Noack is arguably the most important bronze-casting foundry in Germany, based in Berlin. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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Overview of the sandformerei and the oven range inside a hall of Noack. Thursday, April 26, 2012. Noack is arguably the most important bronze-casting foundry in Germany, based in Berlin. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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Oliver Seewald, employee at Noack Bronze-casting foundry, is preparing a mold to cast a bronze. Thursday, April 26, 2012. Noack is arguably the most important bronze-casting foundry in Germany, based in Berlin. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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Mrs. Ebel (left) and Mr. Aink, employees at Noack Bronze-casting foundry, are treating the surface of a branch sculpture. The sculpture was molded from the beech tree "Suntel Buche", which was located in Bochum, Germany. Thursday, April 26, 2012. Noack is arguably the most important bronze-casting foundry in Germany, based in Berlin. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times

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Karin Wolters, employee at Noack Bronze-casting foundry, is treating the surface of a sculpture with acid. It was designed by german designer and painter Georg Baselitz. Thursday, April 26, 2012. Noack is arguably the most important bronze-casting foundry in Germany, based in Berlin. Daniel Pilar/Special to The Washington Times