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Strong quakes torment Chile as president sworn in
(AP)
AP - The earth shook and shook Thursday as dignitaries walked in for the swearing-in of Sebastian Pinera as Chile's president. It shook some more as they waited for him.
Early Iraq results: PM battling secular challenger
(AP)
AP - First results from Iraq's parliamentary election showed the prime minister and his secular rival locked in an extremely tight contest Thursday amid fraud allegations by rival parties and a chaotic, unpredictable vote count.
Greece hit by strikes, clashes over austerity plan
(AP)
AP - Clashes between riot police and rock-throwing, masked youths broke out during a demonstration Thursday in central Athens by tens of thousands of striking workers protesting austerity measures that the Greek government has said it has no choice but to implement.
UN food agency welcomes any probe into Somalia aid
(AP)
AP - A U.N. food agency said Thursday it will cooperate with any independent probe into its food operations in Somalia, after a report found that up to half the food aid intended for the nation's hungry people does not reach its destination.
Biden steers past spat over Israel settlement plan
(AP)
AP - Vice President Joe Biden attempted to soothe tensions with Israel on Thursday in a speech extolling the countries' close relationship, signaling the U.S. wants to move beyond an embarrassing diplomatic spat over settlements that tarnished his three-day visit.
Greece: New Strike Over Austerity Plans Sparks Violence
(Time.com)
Time.com - Anger is rising in Greece a week after leaders announced a new austerity package to rein in the deficit, with protesters taking to the streets and workers walking off the job
BP to pay $7 billion for Devon exploration rights
(AP)
AP - BP is expanding its dominant oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico and dropping anchor off Brazil with a $7 billion deal to buy exploration rights from Devon Energy.
Mummy of Egypt's monotheist pharaoh to return home
(AP)
AP - The DNA tests that revealed how the famed boy-king Tutankhamun most likely died solved another of ancient Egypt's enduring mysteries — the fate of controversial Pharaoh Akhenaten's mummy. The discovery could help fill out the picture of a fascinating era more than 3,300 years ago when Akhenaten embarked on history's first attempt at monotheism.
Haiti: Kidnappers release 2 European aid workers
(AP)
AP - Kidnappers have freed two Swiss women snatched off the streets of Haiti's capital and held for five days, officials said Thursday.
Women in black protest in violence-hit Nigeria state
(AFP)
AFP - Dressed in black and carrying wooden crosses, thousands of women marched Thursday in Nigerian city of Jos to express grief at a new bout of sectarian carnage and anger at the failure to stop it.
Putin in India for visit dominated by arms deals
(AFP)
AFP - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin arrived in India Friday where he is slated to sign a series of multibillion-dollar arms deals with Moscow's old Cold War ally.
Budget fails to boost Conservatives
(Reuters)
Reuters - A federal budget last week did little to boost the fortunes the Conservatives, who still only have a slight lead in public support, according to a poll released on Thursday.
Aussie 'miracle' elephant baby gaining strength
(AP)
AP - An elephant calf that was believed to have died during a nine-day labor is feeding itself and has earned the nickname "Mr. Shuffles" since learning to stand, Taronga Zoo officials said Thursday.
Despite Biden's plea, outlook shaky for Mideast peace talks
(McClatchy Newspapers)
McClatchy Newspapers - TEL AVIV, Israel — Vice President Joe Biden left Jerusalem on Thursday with a final plea for Israeli and Palestinian leaders to begin peace talks without delay, but Mideast officials acknowledged that the atmosphere for talks was "shaky and uncertain."
Allegations of fraud as Iraq election results trickle in
(The Christian Science Monitor)
The Christian Science Monitor - Allegations of fraud ricocheted around Iraq’s vote counting as results from Sunday's parliamentary elections began to trickle in on Thursday.
Pope's Brother in German Catholic Church Abuse Scandal
(Time.com)
Time.com - The Vatican faces a growing scandal as allegations have emerged that priestssexually and physically abused students in a choir run by the Pope's brother, Georg Ratzinger
Nigeria: More Mass Graves Dug in Jos
(OneWorld.net)
OneWorld.net - ABUJA,
Mar 8 (IRIN) - Hundreds of people in the city of Jos, 350km
northeast of Nigeria's capital, Abuja, have been buried in mass graves
after machete-wielding intruders attacked residents at 3 a.m. (local
time) on 7 March.
