 Political challenges in Pakistan
 Associated Press
Pakistani girls campaign against Asif Ali Zardari, who is running for president in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Friday. Asif Ali Zardari, widower of Pakistan's slain political leader Benazir Bhutto, will face off against two lightly regarded opponents when legislators meet Saturday to choose a president.
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Canada's prime minister to call Oct. 14 election
TORONTO, 11:33 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
A spokesman says Canada's prime minister will dissolve Parliament on Sunday and call an early election to be held next month.
Dimitri Soudas says the vote will be set for Oct. 14.
More World News
TRIPOLI, Libya, 11:32 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Rice to dine in Gadhafi's tent in historic visit: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday that her historic visit to former pariah state Libya proves that the U.S. never writes off another nation forever.
GONAIVES, Haiti, 11:31 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)First aid ship arrives in flooded Haitian city: A ship carrying 33 tons of U.N. relief supplies docked in Gonaives on Friday, the first significant aid delivery to tens of thousands of people who have gone with little food or clean water for four days.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 11:22 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Pakistan's Zardari marked by corruption, tragedy: The likely next president of unstable, nuclear-armed Pakistan following Saturday's election is a horse-loving aristocrat who has spent more years in prison than in politics – a novice leader lifted to prominence by his marriage to Benazir Bhutto and propelled into power by her murder.
POTI, Georgia, 11:22 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
U.S. warship to Georgian port partly held by Russia: The flagship of the U.S. Navy's Mediterranean fleet anchored outside a key Georgian port Friday, defiantly bringing in tons of humanitarian aid to a city still partly occupied by hundreds of Russian troops.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, 11:17 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Nicaragua recognizes South Ossetia, Abkhazia: Nicaragua on Friday became the first country other than Russia to formally recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, giving Moscow a victory in its battle with Georgia over the two breakaway provinces.
MADRID, Spain, 10:45 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Spanish police arrest suspected drug trafficker: Spanish police have arrested a suspected Colombian drug trafficker listed among the most wanted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the police force said in a statement Friday.
ANKARA, Turkey, 10:42 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Turkey, Armenia try to mend ties through soccer: Turkey and Armenia are hoping soccer diplomacy will help them overcome decades of antagonism rooted in Ottoman-era massacres of Armenians that many historians call a genocide.
MINSK, Belarus, 10:21 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
U.S. suspends sanctions against Belarus: The U.S. administration has suspended some economic sanctions against this former Soviet nation, the U.S. Embassy said Friday.
CARACAS, Venezuela, 10:17 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Venezuela captures politician wanted in Colombia: Venezuelan authorities say they have captured a former Colombian senator wanted on charges of conspiring with paramilitaries to kidnap a reputed political rival.
LA PAZ, Bolivia, 10:11 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Bolivia moving Mideast embassy to Iran from Egypt: Bolivia's leftist president says he's moving the country's lone Middle Eastern embassy to Iran as he builds increasingly warm ties with one of Washington's least-favorite countries.
VIENNA, Austria, 9:39 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
India vows to avoid arms race: India pledged Friday not to engage in a new arms race as talks continued in Vienna over whether to let the U.S. sell India nuclear material and technology for civilian use.
9:38 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
A look at death toll from Atlantic storms: A look at deaths so far from the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season: Five of 10 named storms so far this Atlantic hurricane season have caused deaths, mostly due to floods and mudslides:
ROME, 9:31 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Pavarotti to be remembered around the world: The world will mark the first anniversary of the death of Luciano Pavarotti with a series of concerts, an exhibit and other events, organizers and his family announced Friday.
LA PALMA, Cuba, 9:28 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Washington offers aid to hurricane-blasted Cuba: The United States has offered Cuba US$100,000 in emergency aid for the victims of Hurricane Gustav and is willing to send far more if a U.S.-approved disaster assessment team is allowed to tour the hardest-hit areas.
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, 9:19 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Iran sentences 4 women activists to prison: Iran has reportedly sentenced four female activists to six months in prison for writings demanding equality for women, a move denounced Friday by Sweden, which awarded a human rights prize to one of the activists earlier this year.
BANGKOK, Thailand, 8:56 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Thai protesters enjoy free food, $3 massage: Once open only to the ruling elite, Thailand's stately Government House has turned into a cross between a refugee camp and a village fairground.
MBABANE, Swaziland, 8:55 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
U.S.: Mugabe-named Cabinet would be 'sham': Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe should focus on power-sharing talks, not appointing a Cabinet unilaterally, the top U.S. envoy to Africa said Friday.
AVIGNON, France, 8:50 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
EU ministers call for Georgia-Russia probe: European Union nations called for an international probe Friday to find out which country should shoulder responsibility for starting the conflict between Georgia and Russia.
BEIJING, 8:46 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
U.S. nuclear envoy arrives to discuss NKorea impasse: The top U.S. nuclear envoy said Friday there was still support for talks with North Korea to break a deadlock over verification of its nuclear programs, after Pyongyang took steps seen as reversing its promised disarmament.
CAIRO, Egypt, 8:05 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Afghan al-Qaeda commander warns of attacks on West: Al-Qaeda's top commander in Afghanistan warned of more attacks against the West in a video posted on the Web that paid tribute to a suicide bomber said to have carried out the June bombing of the Danish Embassy in Pakistan.
CERNOBBIO, Italy, 7:31 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
BP chairman upbeat on long-term economy: The chairman of British oil company BP PLC said Friday that global economic conditions will remain difficult for some time but will eventually recover due to growth in China and the rest of Asia.
KABUL, Afghanistan, 7:15 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
6 militants, 2 civilians killed in Afghan raid: An overnight raid early Friday killed six militants and two civilians in western Afghanistan, the U.S. coalition said.
SEOUL, 7:07 a.m. Sept. 5 (REUTERS)
South Korea says critical moment for North nuclear deal: South Korea's chief nuclear envoy pressed North Korea on Friday to halt plans to rebuild a mothballed nuclear plant that makes arms-grade plutonium and to instead return to the bargaining table.
KABUL, 6:58 a.m. Sept. 5 (REUTERS)
Foreign troop deaths in Afghanistan at highest level: More foreign soldiers were killed in Afghanistan during August than in any other month since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion, an independent website said, reflecting a rise in Taliban attacks.
KIEV, 6:46 a.m. Sept. 5 (REUTERS)
Ukraine opposition backs Russia as Cheney visits: Ukraine's opposition leader and presidential hopeful Viktor Yanukovich called Georgia's actions in South Ossetia last month 'criminal' and warned on Friday against forcing Ukraine to enter the NATO military alliance.
BERLIN, 6:28 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Prosecutors: German terror cell targeted Americans: Terrorist attacks plotted by a German cell of an al-Qaeda linked group were intended to kill as many Americans as possible, and members had looked into bombing restaurants, pubs, discos and airports, federal prosecutors said Friday.
KIEV, Ukraine, 6:12 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Cheney: U.S. supports Ukraine's security, freedom: The United States is committed to Ukraine's security and freedom, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney pledged Friday, suggesting that Russia was posing a “threat of tyranny, economic blackmail and military invasion” to its neighbor.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, 5:53 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Official: Egyptian ship hijacked near Somalia: Pirates off Somalia's coast hijacked an Egyptian cargo ship with 25 crew members, the 10th vessel to be seized in the region in less than two months, a global maritime watchdog said Friday.
JERUSALEM, 5:26 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Israel allows weapons transfer to Palestinians: Israel allowed Palestinian security forces in the West Bank to receive a shipment of about 1,000 Kalashnikov rifles and tens of thousands of bullets in a step aimed at bolstering the moderate Palestinian government there, an Israeli defense official said Friday.
AMMAN, Jordan, 4:56 a.m. Sept. 5 (AP)
Iraq to bring expatriates home from Jordan: Iraq's envoy to Jordan says Baghdad will send planes and buses to bring home 520 Iraqis who fled to Jordan after the US-led invasion in 2003.
GONAIVES, Haiti, 7:12 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)Rescuers can't get aid to starving Haitian city: The convoy rumbled out of the U.N. base toward a flooded, starving and seething city Thursday, carrying some of the first food aid since Tropical Storm Hanna killed 137 Haitians and drowned Gonaives in muddy water three days ago. NASSAU, Bahamas, 7:10 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Hanna takes aim at Bahamas, Ike next in line: Tropical Storm Hanna roared along the edge of the Bahamas on Thursday ahead of a possible hurricane hit on the Carolinas, leaving behind at least 137 dead in Haiti. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 12:11 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
U.S. raid complicating Pakistani's presidential bid: A deadly American-led raid on a Pakistani village embarrassed the government and eroded support for the pro-U.S. presidential front-runner Thursday just two days before the election. DAMASCUS, Syria, 12:49 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Syria makes peace proposal to Israel: Syria's leader said Thursday he offered a proposal for peace with Israel but also refused to break off ties with Hezbollah and militant Palestinians – a key Israeli demand. JERUSALEM, 2:08 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
In macho Israel, woman within reach of premiership: For the first time since Golda Meir more than three decades ago, a woman is within reach of becoming the prime minister of Israel, a nation dominated by macho military men and a religious establishment with strict views on the role of women. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, 2:54 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Don't let them eat cake, Saudi cleric says: When Hala al-Masaad invited her girlfriends over to celebrate her 18th birthday with cake and juice, the high school student was stepping into an unusual public debate. Is celebrating birthdays un-Islamic? UNITED NATIONS, 3:42 p.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
U.N. says U.S., Japan, EU not doing enough on poverty: In criticism aimed primarily at the United States, Japan and the European Union, a U.N. report said Thursday that rich nations haven't delivered on promises to help the world's poorest nations and must increase aid by $18 billion a year.
BEIJING, 11:52 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
China says flaws may have led to school collapses: Nearly four months after China's devastating earthquake, a government scientist acknowledged Thursday that a rush to build schools in recent years likely led to construction flaws causing so many of them to collapse.
DAMASCUS, 11:50 a.m. Sept. 4 (REUTERS)
Sarkozy warns Iran it risks Israeli attack: French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned Iran on Thursday it was taking a dangerous gamble in seeking to develop nuclear weapons because one day its arch-foe Israel could strike.
LONDON, 11:47 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Hungarian dentists seeking patients in UK: The Hungarian dentist will see you now. In his inflatable office. Getting your jaw X-rayed by a foreign practitioner in a blowup tent may sound like a hard sell to British patients, but a group of Hungarian dentists is arguing otherwise.
FENGJING, China, 11:30 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
London Taxi's famed black cabs made in China: London Taxis are as British as bowler hats and Big Ben. But the latest models coming off this new assembly line are unlikely to ever touch an English road.
TEHRAN, Iran, 11:22 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Iran bill to ease polygamy angers women: A bill that would allow Iranian men to take additional wives without the consent of their first wife has angered women and the country's top justice official, who say it would undermine women's rights and could be a government attempt to more deeply enshrine its strict Islamic interpretation into law.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands, 7:51 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Minister warns about al-Bashir arrest warrant: Sudan could be plunged further into turmoil if the International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir on genocide and war crimes charges, the country's foreign minister said Thursday.
BELGRADE, Serbia, 7:48 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Ex-Serb diplomat jailed in U.S. crime case probe: A former Serb diplomat suspected of helping a Serbian college student charged with assault to flee the United States was told Thursday he must spend 30 days in jail while an investigation is done.
HAVANA, 6:29 a.m. Sept. 4 (REUTERS)
Cuba welcomes Russian hurricane aid: Cuba's state-run media Thursday highlighted the arrival of Russian aid in the wake of devastating Hurricane Gustav, the latest sign the former Cold War allies are out to strengthen their relations.
HARARE, 7:27 a.m. Sept. 4 (REUTERS)
Zimbabwe's opposition says lost faith in talks: Zimbabwe's main opposition party has lost faith in power-sharing talks with President Robert Mugabe and will leave him to form a government alone rather than be forced into a deal, a party official said on Thursday.
KINSHASA, Congo, 7:19 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
7 bodies recovered from plane wreckage in Congo: A team of U.N. peacekeepers lowered by helicopter to a remote plane crash site in eastern Congo on Thursday recovered all 17 bodies from a humanitarian flight that crashed four days ago, a U.N. spokesman said.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 6:56 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
South Africa gold production falls 10 percent: Gold production in the world leading supplier South Africa fell more than 10 percent in the second quarter compared to the same period last year, the industry said Thursday, blaming electricity shortages since the beginning of the year.
VIENNA, 6:32 a.m. Sept. 4 (REUTERS)
U.S. says nuclear states nearing deal on India trade: The United States said on Thursday nuclear supplier nations were making progress towards agreement on lifting a ban on trade with India.
HARARE, Zimbabwe, 6:03 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Zimbabwe's Mugabe: sign deal or I form Cabinet: Zimbabwe's state-controlled Herald newspaper says President Robert Mugabe has set a Thursday deadline for the opposition to sign on to a power-sharing deal. Otherwise he will form his own government.
BANGKOK, 5:52 a.m. Sept. 4 (REUTERS)
Thai PM plans referendum to end crisis: Thailand plans to hold a national referendum to end a political crisis over street protests against the government, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said on Thursday after rejecting calls to quit.
TOKYO, 5:50 a.m. Sept. 4 (REUTERS)
Japan coalition considering November election-Kyodo: Japan's ruling coalition is considering holding a general election in November, just weeks after its main party chooses a new leader, Kyodo news agency said on Thursday, without naming its sources.
GONAIVES, Haiti, 5:46 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Hanna's death toll in Haiti now at 61: Authorities in Haiti say the death toll from Tropical Storm Hanna has more than doubled to 61 in the impoverished Caribbean country.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip, 5:44 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Gaza hospitals strain under pressure of strikes: A walkout of medical staff throughout Gaza has strained services at hospitals and clinics throughout the territory, the latest in a series of crippling strikes that are deepening bitter divisions between Gaza's militant Hamas rulers and loyalists of moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
FRANKFURT, Germany, 5:28 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
ECB, Bank of England keep interest rates unchanged: The European Central Bank and the Bank of England each kept their benchmark interest rates unchanged Thursday in the face of mounting inflation fears and slowing economic growth across Europe.
BERLIN, 4:23 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
German anti-war poster hails soldier's death: Germany's defense minister has condemned as an insult to the country's troops an anti-war poster that calls the death of a soldier in Afghanistan a “step to disarmament.”
TOKYO, 3:33 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Japan temple burns down as monk attacked by bees: A Japanese monk trying to rid his temple of a hornet's nest panicked when the hornets attacked him and dropped a torch, burning his temple to the ground, police said Thursday.
BEIJING, 3:29 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Chinese report says 24 killed in mine accident: A gas explosion inside a mine in northeast China on Thursday killed 24 people and injured six, local authorities and state media said. Three others were trapped inside.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, 2:20 a.m. Sept. 4 (AP)
Helicopter strikes oil rig off Dubai coast: Oil companies say a helicopter carrying contractors has crashed into an oil-drilling platform off the coast of Dubai, killing seven people.
SARAJEVO, 1:57 a.m. Sept. 4 (REUTERS)
NATO troops raid home of suspected Mladic supporter: NATO raided the home on Thursday of a suspected supporter of Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic, the last genocide suspect from the Bosnian war on the run from the U.N. war crimes court.
BEIJING, 12:14 a.m. Sept. 4 (REUTERS)
China elephant beats heroin habit with detox: A once drug-addled elephant fed heroin-laced bananas by illegal traders will return home after emerging clean from a three-year detox programme on China's tropical island province of Hainan.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 8:41 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
U.S. confirms raid inside Pakistan: American forces launched a raid inside Pakistan Wednesday, a senior U.S. military official said, in the first known U.S. ground assault in Pakistan against a suspected Taliban haven. The government condemned the attack, saying it killed at least 15 people.
NASSAU, Bahamas, 8:32 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)Tropical Storm Hanna takes aim at Bahamas: Tropical Storm Hanna knocked out power to the southern Bahamas on Wednesday and officials from Nassau to South Carolina warned residents to prepare for possible evacuations as it moves north and grows into a hurricane. WASHINGTON, 12:08 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
U.S. may end nuke trade with India if it tests bomb: A leading Democratic lawmaker has made public a secret Bush administration document that says the U.S. has the right to immediately stop nuclear trade with India if it conducts an atomic test. SEOUL, South Korea, 12:31 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
SKorea says NKorea restoring nuclear complex: South Korea said Wednesday that North Korea had begun restoring its nuclear facilities. But the U.S. played it down, saying the country apparently only moved some equipment out of storage. KABUL, Afghanistan, 3:08 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Big turbine delivered to Afghan aid project: It was a weeklong journey through Afghanistan's most dangerous Taliban territory, dodging persistent attacks by insurgents and bumping over rough desert terrain riddled with mines. LONDON, 1:04 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
UK diplomat compares climate change to Cold War: The United States and Europe should treat the challenge of fighting climate change even more seriously than they responded to the threat from the Cold War, a British diplomat said Wednesday. WASHINGTON, 1:04 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Bush announces $1 billion in aid for Georgia: Pushing back against an increasingly aggressive Moscow, President Bush said Wednesday the U.S. will send an extra $1 billion to Georgia to help the pro-Western former Soviet republic in the wake of Russia's invasion. BELFAST, Northern Ireland, 1:33 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Experts: IRA is disappearing in Ireland: The Irish Republican Army is fading away in Northern Ireland and poses no security threat to the British territory, international experts concluded Wednesday in another landmark for peacemaking. DAMASCUS, Syria, 1:50 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Sarkozy reaches out to Syria on peace prospects: French President Nicolas Sarkozy encouraged Syria to pursue face-to-face peace talks with Israel during his first trip Wednesday to the Arab nation – a visit also aimed at undercutting Iranian influence in Damascus. PARIS, 2:02 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
French businesses loath to end 35-hour work week: It's being called the coup de grace for France's decade-long experiment with a 35-hour work week – a policy that inspired both envy and ridicule in Europe and the U.S., and even some copycats. BANGKOK, Thailand, 2:23 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Strike by Thai anti-government forces falls flat: An unsuccessful strike by anti-government activists gave Thailand's beleaguered prime minister some breathing room Wednesday, but failed to derail the campaign to oust him, fueling worries that political unrest could hurt the economy. CARACAS, Venezuela, 2:29 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
U.S., Venezuela spar on drugs as seizures decline: Venezuelan authorities incinerated more than 3 tons of drugs on Wednesday, but the U.S. drug czar pointed to a sharp decline in cocaine seizures as proof the country needs to do much more. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, 2:36 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Reggaeton's 'El Father' turns to The Father: A Puerto Rican reggaeton star announced Wednesday he will give up his role as a rapper known for lyrics about violence and womanizing to devote his life to God. NICOSIA, Cyprus, 2:42 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Rival Cypriot leaders upbeat after new peace talks: The leaders of Cyprus' Greek and Turkish communities started new peace talks Wednesday and said they hoped to reach accord soon on reuniting this Mediterranean island partitioned by war 34 years ago. TORONTO, 2:48 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
19-square-mile ice sheet breaks loose in Canada: A chunk of ice shelf nearly the size of Manhattan has broken away from Ellesmere Island in Canada's northern Arctic, another dramatic indication of how warmer temperatures are changing the polar frontier, scientists said Wednesday. GONAIVES, Haiti, 2:49 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Hanna flooding strands hungry Haitians on rooftops: Entering a flooded city on inflatable boats, U.N. peacekeepers found hundreds of hungry people stranded for two days on rooftops and upper floors Wednesday as the fetid carcasses of drowned farm animals bobbed in soupy floodwaters. LUSAKA, Zambia, 2:51 p.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Zambian leader's wife says he died unappreciated: Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa was buried Wednesday on what would have been his 60th birthday amid accolades from fellow African leaders, but his widow said he died a sad, unappreciated man.
KIEV, 11:27 a.m. Sept. 3 (REUTERS)
Ukrainian coalition threatened by bickering: Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said on Wednesday the coalition government had collapsed and threatened to call a snap parliamentary election.
PARIS, 11:26 a.m. Sept. 3 (REUTERS)
Paris gig placates fans after Winehouse no-show: A Paris music festival will offer discounts to disappointed Amy Winehouse fans after the troubled British soul singer cancelled a gig at the last minute, organisers said on Wednesday.
BANGKOK, Thailand, 11:20 a.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Thai protest leader wants to reduce voters' power: Sondhi Limthongkul says he is fighting to save Thai democracy from the corrupt politicians who have abused it to remain in power.
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALAGUSH, Afghanistan, 11:12 a.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
General: U.S. forces to up Afghan winter offensives: American troops in Afghanistan will step up offensive operations this winter because insurgents are increasingly staying in the country to prepare for spring attacks, a U.S. commander told The Associated Press.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, 10:59 a.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Police seize alligators in Brazil drug raid: Brazilian police say they've literally taken a bite out of crime. Officers raided raided the home of a drug dealer's mother-in-law on Wednesday and found two alligators, one of them about 6 feet (almost 2 meters) long, said police inspector Ronaldo Oliveira.
JERUSALEM, 7:43 a.m. Sept. 3 (REUTERS)
Israel says serious about 'any option' to curb Iran: Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said in an interview broadcast on Wednesday there was still time for diplomacy to curb Iran's nuclear programme but that Israel was serious about using 'any option' if that failed.
BAKU, 7:42 a.m. Sept. 3 (REUTERS)
Cheney gives ex-Soviet allies message of support: U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney said during a visit to Azerbaijan on Wednesday that the United States had a deep interest in the wellbeing of its allies in the region.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands, 7:37 a.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Dutch to take new measures against global warming: The Netherlands needs a massive new building program to strengthen the low-lying country's water defenses against the anticipated effects of global warming for the next 190 years, a key panel advised Wednesday.
TOKYO, 7:34 a.m. Sept. 3 (REUTERS)
N.Korea begins reassembling nuclear reactor-media: North Korea has begun reassembling its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, able to make material for atomic bombs, in violation of U.S. conditions for improved diplomatic relations, U.S. and Japanese media reported.
HAVANA, 7:34 a.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Fidel Castro says Gustav like atomic bomb on Cuba: Fidel Castro likened Hurricane Gustav's destruction in Cuba to an atomic explosion, saying Wednesday it could mean billions of dollars in losses for the communist government.
BRUSSELS, 7:23 a.m. Sept. 3 (REUTERS)
NATO states seek to reassure Baltics: NATO states back a U.S. call to show the alliance is prepared to defend Baltic members Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from any attack after Russia's intervention in Georgia, an alliance spokesman said on Wednesday.
KAJAKI, Afghanistan, 7:17 a.m. Sept. 3 (REUTERS)
Kajaki George's Afghan turbine offers hope, hurdles: British forces may be thrilled that they have managed to deliver a 200-ton turbine to a remote dam in the heart of Taliban territory, but the real challenges of the project lie ahead.
BAGHDAD, 6:58 a.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
U.S. troops mistakenly kill 6 Iraqis: U.S. troops on boats in the Tigris river mistakenly killed six Iraqis Wednesday in an exchange of fire between the two sides north of Baghdad, Iraqi officials said.
NAIROBI, 6:54 a.m. Sept. 3 (REUTERS)
Somali pirates seize French vessel -official: Somalia pirates have seized a yacht with two French nationals aboard off the coast of East Africa, a maritime official and the French Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
JERUSALEM, 6:54 a.m. Sept. 3 (REUTERS)
Jerusalem dig uncovers ancient city walls: Israeli archaeologists unveiled on Wednesday a 2,100-year-old Jerusalem perimeter wall – along with beer bottles left behind by 19th century researchers who first discovered the stone defences.
ATHENS, 6:45 a.m. Sept. 3 (REUTERS)
Greece gets antiquities back from U.S. collector: Greece celebrated on Wednesday the return of two rare smuggled antiquities from a prominent U.S. collector and expressed hope other ancient Greek treasures housed overseas would one day be sent home.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 6:32 a.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Pakistani leader safe after snipers target car: Snipers fired on the motorcade for Pakistan's prime minister on Wednesday as it drove to the airport to pick him up, striking his car window at least twice, officials said. Neither the prime minister nor his staff were in the vehicles.
TBILISI, Georgia, 5:54 a.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
U.S. sends 3rd ship to Georgia, plans $1B in aid: A U.S. Navy ship loaded with humanitarian aid steamed through the Dardanelles on its way to Georgia on Wednesday, as the Bush administration prepared to roll out a $1 billion economic aid package for the ex-Soviet republic.
BAGHDAD, 5:47 a.m. Sept. 3 (REUTERS)
Iraq to reopen Abu Ghraib prison, include museum: Iraq plans to renovate and reopen Abu Ghraib prison, the notorious site of executions and torture under Saddam Hussein and later of a U.S. prisoner abuse scandal.
WARSAW, Poland, 5:31 a.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Poland to probe mysterious death of WWII commander: Polish prosecutors said Wednesday they are investigating whether Poland's World War II prime minister and chief army commander, Gen. Wladyslaw Sikorski, died accidentally in a 1943 plane crash or was assassinated.
LONDON, 5:25 a.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Queen Victoria's stockings sold at auction: A pair of Queen Victoria's stockings has sold for $14,300. The Ruddington Framework Knitters' Museum in Nottingham placed the high bid for the black and white stockings at Wednesday's auction.
TEHRAN, 4:49 a.m. Sept. 3 (REUTERS)
Iran jails four women's rights activists: Iran has sentenced four women's rights activists to six months in jail, including one who was awarded a $75,000 human rights prize in Sweden this year, campaigners said on Wednesday.
MADRID, Spain, 4:13 a.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
13 dead migrants found on boat near Canary Islands: The bodies of 13 people were found aboard a packed migrant boat Wednesday near one of Spain's Canary Islands, the Interior Ministry said.
KIEV, Ukraine, 3:01 a.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Ukraine's leader accuses opponents of coup attempt: Ukraine's president is accusing his rival prime minister and opposition parties of attempting a constitutional coup.
TOKYO, 2:32 a.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Japan faces crematorium shortage amid rapid aging: Japan's rapidly aging society is forecast to lead to shortfalls in young people, workers and tax revenues. Add to that another shortage: crematoria.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, 12:00 a.m. Sept. 3 (AP)
Vice President Cheney arrives in Azerbaijan: Vice President Cheney arrived in Azerbaijan on Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy said, as part of a tour in support of Russia's southern neighbors.
MOSCOW, 12:35 p.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Putin vows 'an answer' to NATO ships near Georgia: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Russia will respond calmly to an increase in NATO ships in the Black Sea in the aftermath of the short war with Georgia, but promised that “there will be an answer.”
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan, 9:47 p.m. Sept. 2 (AP)U.S.-led forces allegedly involved in Pakistan attack: At least 15 people, including women and children, were killed in an attack involving U.S.-led forces in a remote Pakistani village near the border with Afghanistan, intelligence officials and a witness said Wednesday. BEIJING, 9:21 p.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
China reopens major highway destroyed by quake: Workers reopened a major highway in southwestern China that was destroyed by a massive earthquake in May, speeding up rebuilding efforts, state media said Wednesday. WASHINGTON, 12:14 p.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Rice to make historic trip to Libya: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit Libya this week, part of a dramatic turnaround in U.S. relations with a former pariah nation that has not hosted an American secretary of state in more than half a century. JERUSALEM, 2:26 p.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Israeli Mossad let Nazi Mengele get away: Israeli agents who kidnapped Nazi mastermind Adolf Eichmann from Argentina in 1960 found the notorious death camp doctor Josef Mengele but let him get away, one of the operatives said Tuesday. VIENNA, Austria, 2:45 p.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
79 sightseers rescued from cable cars in Austria: An equipment failure stalled a cable lift in the Austrian Alps on Tuesday, stranding 79 sightseers in gondolas for two hours before rescuers could get them down, authorities said. SAINT-MARC, Haiti, 3:11 p.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Hanna kills 14 in islands, threatens U.S. East Coast: Families clutched mattresses, chairs and other belongings and slogged through waist-high floodwaters Tuesday as Tropical Storm Hanna killed at least 13 people in northern Haiti. The slow-moving storm threatened to hit the southeastern U.S. coast as a hurricane within days. BANGKOK, Thailand, 3:27 p.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Thai protesters flout premier's state of emergency: Thailand's embattled leader struggled to keep the peace and his grip on power Tuesday after declaring a state of emergency that was openly flouted by thousands of anti-government protesters in the capital. BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, 3:37 p.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Argentine ex-banker says inflation report wrong: Argentina's former central bank president warned Tuesday that the country's official inflation rate is inaccurate, joining a chorus of critics who claim the figures are regularly manipulated for political gain.
KINSHASA, Congo, 11:35 a.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
17 feared dead in crash of aid plane in Congo: A humanitarian aid flight carrying 17 people crashed while trying to land during a storm in remote eastern Congo, and all aboard were feared dead Tuesday.
NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania, 2:13 p.m. Sept. 2 (AP)Mauritania moves to put ousted president on trial: Mauritanian legislators selected eight colleagues Tuesday to serve as a High Court that will try the recently ousted president, standing by the new ruling military junta even as the U.S. strengthened its condemnation of last month's coup. LONDON, 1:17 p.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Cambridge University wants to be on TV soaps: Britain's soap operas offer a steady diet of sex, scandal – and if Cambridge University has its way, scholarship. CALGARY, Alberta, 3:24 p.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Ex-Canadian soldiers to be compensated for A-tests: Hundreds of former Canadian soldiers will receive compensation for being assigned to participate in atomic bomb test explosions by the U.S. and British militaries in the 1960s, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday. LONDON, 3:49 p.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
UK army to consider alternatives to bearskin hats: After meeting with animal rights activists, the British military said Tuesday that it will study alternative materials to replace the bearskin hats worn by the soldiers who guard Buckingham Palace. SAHARSA DISTRICT, India, 11:07 a.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Indian military mounts mammoth flood rescue effort: Hungry villagers rioted, desperate families swam for their lives and chaos spread across a wide swath of flooded plains in northern India Tuesday as authorities mounted one of the country's largest relief efforts. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, 10:44 a.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Iran bans Al-Arabiya reporter: Iran on Tuesday banned the Tehran bureau chief for the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya news channel and told him to leave the country as soon as possible, the network said. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 10:26 a.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Pakistan politics testy ahead of presidential vote: Pakistan prosecutors confirmed Tuesday they were pressing ahead with corruption cases against opposition leader Nawaz Sharif, a move his supporters said was aimed at further sidelining Sharif's party ahead of presidential elections. CARACAS, 10:21 a.m. Sept. 2 (REUTERS)
Venezuela rivals U.S. in Central America, Caribbean: Venezuela's socialist President Hugo Chavez has won over some of the United States' closest allies in the Caribbean and Central America with oil credits and aid that match similar efforts by Washington. BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, 10:14 a.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Argentina will pay U.S.$6 billion Paris Club debt: Argentina will pay its entire US$6.7 billion debt to the Paris Club of lending nations, President Cristina Fernandez said Tuesday, shoring up investor confidence and opening the door to new capital as its economy slows. BRUSSELS, 10:03 a.m. Sept. 2 (REUTERS)
EU to set up anti-Somalia pirates coordination: The European Union is preparing a mechanism to help coordinate protection of vessels from Somalia piracy and is considering a more beefed up operation at a later stage, diplomats said on Tuesday. CAIRO, Egypt, 9:49 a.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Egyptian lawmaker arrested in death of pop singer: An Egyptian lawmaker and business tycoon was arrested Tuesday in the death of a Lebanese pop singer, Egypt's chief prosecutor said, accusing the man of paying a former police officer $2 million to kill her. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, 9:42 a.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
U.S. releases 3 from Guantanamo: The U.S. military has released three more prisoners from its prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. GENEVA, 9:04 a.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Swiss complaint against Gadhafi's son dropped: A lawyer for two ex-servants of the son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi says a complaint against the son in Switzerland has been dropped.
BANGKOK, Thailand, 6:37 a.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
U.S. Embassy warns Americans to avoid Thai protests: The U.S. Embassy warned its citizens on Tuesday of the potential for violence in Bangkok, while Singapore and South Korea urged against any travel to Thailand after the government imposed a state of emergency.
BERLIN, 6:35 a.m. Sept. 2 (AP)German prosecutors charge 3 in terror plot: Three men were charged Tuesday in connection with a foiled 2007 terrorist plot to attack U.S. and German targets in central Germany, the federal prosecutor's office said. BEIJING, 6:16 a.m. Sept. 2 (REUTERS)
China designates North Korea a tourist destination: China has officially recognized North Korea as a tourist destination for Chinese tour groups, the Xinhua News agency said on Tuesday, quoting Chinese tourism authorities. LANDIKOTAL, Pakistan, 5:49 a.m. Sept. 2 (REUTERS)
Pakistani elders vow to protect vital Khyber Pass: Ethnic Pashtun tribal elders in Pakistan have promised to ensure security for supplies trucked through the Khyber Pass bound for foreign forces in Afghanistan, a government official said on Tuesday. DUBAI, 5:37 a.m. Sept. 2 (REUTERS)
Arabiya TV says Iran expelling bureau chief: Iran is expelling the bureau chief of Al Arabiya television after accusing the Saudi-owned satellite network of biased reporting, the station said on Tuesday. TOKYO, 4:08 a.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Japan's ruling party reels from PM's resignation: A former foreign minister and ruling party stalwart emerged quickly Tuesday as the front-runner to replace Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, whose sudden resignation has thrown Japan's political scene into confusion and opened the door to early nationwide elections. TEHRAN, 3:07 a.m. Sept. 2 (REUTERS)
Iran women activists see victory on polygamy bill: Iran's parliament has indefinitely delayed a vote on a bill on families, a move women's rights activists said on Tuesday was a victory in their drive to block legislation they fear would encourage polygamy. GUWAHATI, India, 2:11 a.m. Sept. 2 (REUTERS)
Monsoon misery spreads in India: Heavy rains and rising floodwaters forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes in northeastern India and sent elephants and rhinos fleeing, as monsoon misery spread in South Asia. AMMAN, Jordan, 1:57 a.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
Students flock to Jordan to study in tamer Mideast: Young Americans studying Arabic like to joke that Jordan is “Middle East Lite” – a safe way into a tumultuous region without Lebanon's violence, Syria's tense relationship with the U.S. or the Gulf's conservative culture. LONDON, 1:28 a.m. Sept. 2 (AP)
British museum buys Rolling Stones' lips artwork: Mick Jagger's pout is officially fit for a museum. London's Victoria and Albert Museum announced Tuesday that it bought the original artwork for The Rolling Stones' famous “lips” logo, inspired by the singer's mouth.
SYDNEY, Australia, 7:28 p.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Australian film, TV actor Michael Pate dies at 88: Australian actor Michael Pate, who appeared in more than 50 films and was a regular guest star on American TV shows in the 1950s and 60s, has died of respiratory failure at age 88, health officials said Tuesday.
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos, 7:42 p.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Hurricane Hanna hits Bahamas, threatens U.S.: Hurricane Hanna stalled for hours over the southeastern Bahamas on Monday, lashing the islands with fierce winds and rain. Forecasters said it could hit the southeast United States by midweek.
CARACAS, Venezuela, 6:16 p.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
U.S., Venezuela increasingly at odds on drugs: President Hugo Chavez's insistence that Venezuela doesn't need U.S. help in fighting drug trafficking is raising diplomatic tensions as American officials warn of a surge in cocaine flights out of the country.
BRASILIA, Brazil, 5:36 p.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Head of Brazil's intelligence agency removed: Brazil's president on Monday suspended the head of the nation's intelligence service amid a scandal over wiretaps on the phones of top officials, including the chief justice of the Supreme Court.
TORONTO, 5:31 p.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Opposition leader: Canadian PM will call election: Canada drew closer to an early election Monday following a meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the country's main opposition leader.
MADRID, Spain, 4:03 p.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Spanish judge seeks information on Franco victims: A judge began gathering information Monday about people who disappeared during Spain's civil war and subsequent dictatorship, seeking to produce a reliable list of victims slain away from the battlefield during the vicious fight between left and right.
LONDON, 1:14 p.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
UK: 4th man charged with terror offense: British police charged a fourth man Monday in connection with alleged threats to assassinate Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
BRUSSELS, Belgium, 12:01 p.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
EU leaders warn Russia over partnership talks: European Union leaders warned Russia on Monday that talks with on a wide-ranging political and economic agreement would be postponed unless Russian troops pull back from positions in Georgia.
TRIVENIGANJ, India, 10:53 a.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Even in flood, India's 'untouchables' last rescued: In the two weeks since a monsoon-swollen river burst its banks, ancient prejudices have run just as deep as the floodwaters. India's “untouchables” are the last to be rescued – if at all – from a deluge that has killed dozens and made 1.2 million homeless.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 10:47 a.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Pakistan investigates 'honor killings' of 5 women: Pakistan opened an investigation Monday into the killings of five women who tried to choose their own husbands, after a provincial lawmaker defended their deaths as a “centuries-old tradition.”
ROME, 10:22 a.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Betancourt: meeting pope 'a dream come true': Former hostage Ingrid Betancourt on Monday was able at last to thank Pope Benedict XVI, the man whose voice she said reached deep into the Colombian jungle “like a light” to comfort her during captivity.
ASUNCION, Paraguay, 10:04 a.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Paraguay to reverse support for Taiwan at U.N.: Paraguay will reverse its historic support for Taiwan at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, and also is reconsidering its relations with communist regimes.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 9:59 a.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Pakistan claims victory in militant stronghold: Pakistan's army claimed Monday to have routed Taliban militants in a stronghold near the Afghan border but turned up no sign of Osama bin Laden or al-Qaeda No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri.
YANGON, Myanmar, 9:47 a.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Aung San Suu Kyi's lawyer says she's lost weight: Detained Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has lost weight and continues to shun food deliveries, her lawyer said Monday but declined to confirm if she is on a hunger strike.
LONDON, 9:31 a.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Report: Stolen photos of UK royal offered for sale: The Sun newspaper called police after being offered pictures of Britain's Prince William and his girlfriend, Kate Middleton, it said Monday.
KIEV, Ukraine, 9:19 a.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Ukraine fears becoming Russia's next target: With Russian troops stationed deep in Georgia, fears run high that Ukraine may be the next target of a Kremlin drive to reclaim dominance in the lands of the former Soviet Union.
TOKYO, 9:15 a.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Japan PM resigns to avoid 'political vacuum': Japan's chronically unpopular prime minister abruptly resigned Monday after a yearlong struggle with a deadlocked parliament, leaving the weakened ruling party to grapple with a stalled economy and rising calls for snap elections.
BERLIN, 9:04 a.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Bayreuth names Wagner half-sisters as codirectors: The Bayreuth Festival board on Monday named half-sisters Katharina Wagner and Eva Wagner-Pasquier to replace their father at the helm of the German festival dedicated to the music of composer Richard Wagner.
DUBLIN, Ireland, 8:55 a.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Britain, Ireland receive report on IRA command: The British and Irish governments received an expert report Monday on the recent activities of Irish Republican Army commanders, an issue overshadowing efforts to sustain a power-sharing government in Northern Ireland.
MOSCOW, 8:41 a.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Russian journalist's funeral turns into a protest: More than 1,000 angry mourners turned the funeral for a journalist critical of Russia's government into a demonstration Monday, accusing police of lying when they said he was accidentally shot by an officer.
TEHRAN, Iran, 7:42 a.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Iran considers lopping zeros off currency: Iran is considering lopping three to four zeros off its currency, a top official said Monday, in an apparent effort to fight out-of-control inflation that many critics blame on the country's hardline president.
LONDON, 7:38 a.m. Sept. 1 (AP)
Dead man's visit to doctor scuttles insurance scam: As a dead man, Ahmad Akhtary shouldn't have needed a doctor's appointment. Akhtary's checkup, six months after he allegedly died in Afghanistan, scuttled his ex-wife's attempt to collect 300,000 pounds (US$550,000) on a life insurance policy.
MOSCOW, 1:57 p.m. Aug. 31 (AP)
Russia promises military aid to South Ossetia: Russia's president said Sunday his country will give military aid to the two separatist regions at the center of the war with Georgia – signaling Moscow has no intention of backing down in the face of Western pressure.
GENEVA, 12:32 p.m. Aug. 31 (AP)
U.N. chief: Next U.S. president must lead on climate: The next U.S. president must show greater leadership than previous administrations in tackling climate change, the head of the United Nations said Sunday.
BRUSSELS, Belgium, 12:21 p.m. Aug. 31 (AP)
EU leaders to assess fraying relations with Russia: European Union leaders seeking to punish Russia for invading Georgia face limited options and are likely to choose diplomatic pressure to isolate Moscow at their summit Monday.
TORONTO, 12:17 p.m. Aug. 31 (AP)
Canada edges closer to early elections: Canada appeared to be edging closer to early elections with the minority government hoping a vote sooner rather than later will help Conservatives stay in power.
BANGKOK, Thailand, 12:02 p.m. Aug. 31 (AP)
Thai leader fends off calls for his resignation: Facing chaotic street protests demanding his resignation, Thailand's embattled prime minister turned to lawmakers Sunday to find a way out of the crisis, but ended up having to fend off his critics' calls to step down or call new elections.
KABUL, Afghanistan, 11:58 a.m. Aug. 31 (AP)
Afghan commission says U.S. troops fired on first: An Afghan army commander said that U.S. and Afghan troops were fired on first from a village where a government investigative commission says scores of civilians were killed, according to a report released Sunday.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 11:16 a.m. Aug. 31 (AP)
Pakistan halts strikes on insurgents for Ramadan: Pakistan said Sunday it was suspending a military operation against insurgents in a tribal region for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan but warned any provocations in the area would bring immediate retaliation.
BEIRUT, Lebanon, 10:50 a.m. Aug. 31 (AP)
Lebanon wants facts from Gadhafi on missing cleric: A prominent Lebanese politician on Sunday asked Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to reveal anything he knows about the disappearance of a senior Lebanese cleric during a trip to Libya 30 years ago.
JERUSALEM, 10:34 a.m. Aug. 31 (AP)
Palestinians reject partial peace accord: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas rejected Israel's idea of an interim peace agreement at a Sunday summit, a Palestinian negotiator said, insisting on an all-or-nothing approach that virtually ruled out an accord by a January target date.
