 Mideast politics adds twist to Ramadan
 Associated Press
Palestinians walk past Ramadan ornaments in Jerusalem's Old City. The start of the holy month of Ramadan next week is causing clock confusion in the Middle East. Egypt and the Palestinians are falling back an hour far earlier than usual, trying to reduce sweltering summer temperatures.
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Tourists flee as Gustav churns toward Jamaica
KINGSTON, Jamaica, 11:27 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Tourists and oil workers fled Thursday as Gustav swamped eastern Jamaica on a path to hit the Cayman Islands with winds near hurricane force. Louisiana called a state of emergency and put the National Guard on standby, hoping to avoid the chaos of Hurricane Katrina three years ago.
Gustav swirled away from the island of Hispaniola, where it killed 23 people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and closed in on Jamaica's low-lying capital, about 40 miles (65 km) to the west. Forecasters said Gustav could hit Jamaica as a hurricane by Thursday night and perhaps hit Grand Cayman Friday night.
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KHARTOUM, 11:40 a.m. Aug. 28 (REUTERS)Darfur rebels 'shoot down spy plane': Darfur rebels said they shot down an unmanned spy plane over the war-torn region on Thursday, saying the Sudanese government was using it to track their positions. ROME, 11:30 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Italy museum defies pope anger over crucified frog: An art museum in northern Italy said Thursday it will continue displaying a sculpture portraying a green frog nailed to a cross that has angered Pope Benedict XVI and local officials. DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, 11:26 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Asian alliance rebuffs Russian plea for support: China and several Central Asian nations rebuffed Russia's hopes of international support for its actions in Georgia, issuing a statement Thursday denouncing the use of force and calling for the respect of every country's territorial integrity. BEIRUT, Lebanon, 11:21 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Abbas: no to settlement of refugees in Lebanon: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday rejected the idea that Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon might be forced to stay there permanently, saying they should have the right to return home. PESHAWAR, Pakistan, 11:01 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Bombing of Pakistani government bus kills 8: A surge of violence continued unabated in Pakistan's tribal border region Thursday, with a car bomb blasting a bus filled with Pakistani police and government workers off a bridge and killing eight people aboard. RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, 10:59 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Oil slick kills more than 200 penguins in Brazil: More than 200 oil-slicked penguins have washed up dead on the beaches of a popular Brazilian resort, and officials say they are searching for a cause.
WASHINGTON, 10:01 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Pentagon brass meet secretly with Pakistanis: With violence worsening in Afghanistan and Pakistan, top U.S. military officers conducted a secret strategy session with commanders from Islamabad on an aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean.
SHANGHAI, China, 7:44 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)China's tallest building to open in Shanghai: China's tallest building, the 101-story Shanghai World Financial Center, will open to the public on Saturday, 14 years after its developer began the project. BANGKOK, Thailand, 7:41 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Thai protesters defy court order to leave compound: Thousands of demonstrators – some armed with golf clubs, batons and bamboo sticks – defied a court order to end their occupation of the prime minister's office compound on Thursday, vowing to remain until the country's leaders resign. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, 6:56 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Earthquake hits off British Columbia coast: A strong earthquake struck off Canada's west coast early Thursday near Vancouver Island. The magnitude-6.1 quake hit at 5:37 a.m. Its epicenter was 97 miles west of Port Hardy and 293 miles west northwest of Vancouver, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It struck at a depth of 6.2 miles. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, 6:52 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Anwar, back in Malaysia parliament, stages walkout: Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim rejoined Malaysia's Parliament on Thursday, resurrecting his mission to become prime minister a decade after he was charged with sodomy and his career written off. ROME, 6:51 a.m. Aug. 28 (REUTERS)
Italian museum defies pope over crucified frog: An Italian museum on Thursday defied Pope Benedict and refused to remove a modern art sculpture portraying a crucified green frog holding a beer mug and an egg that the Vatican had condemned as blasphemous. BEIJING, 5:35 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Chinese agencies embezzled $660 million in 2007: An annual audit showed 10 of China's central government departments misused or embezzled 4.52 billion yuan ($660 million) last year, the country's top auditor said. LONDON, 5:24 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Court allows U.S. extradition of hacker: The European Court of Human Rights has cleared the way for the extradition to the United States of a British man who hacked into secret U.S. military computers. SRINAGAR, India, 5:12 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Kashmir police kill suspected rebels in shootout: Government forces ended a hostage crisis early Thursday in the mainly Hindu city of Jammu in Indian Kashmir when they killed the last of three rebels believed to have seized eight people, army officials said. BEIRUT, Lebanon, 4:15 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Lebanese officer dies in helicopter attack: Attackers opened fire on a military helicopter Thursday, killing a Lebanese army officer and forcing the craft to make an emergency landing, a senior security official said. TAIPEI, Taiwan, 2:07 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Taiwan ex-top cop indicted in laundering probe: Prosecutors indicted Taiwan's former investigation chief Thursday for attempting to cover up alleged money laundering by former President Chen Shui-bian. MOGADISHU, Somalia, 1:42 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
Somali aid worker freed after 2 months: The head of the U.N. refugee agency's office in Somalia says kidnappers have released him from captivity after more than two months. TSKHINVALI, Georgia, 1:32 a.m. Aug. 28 (AP)
South Ossetia: Georgian spy plane shot down: The interior minister of the separatist-held region of South Ossetia says his forces have shot down an unmanned Georgian spy plane.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, 10:06 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
9 killed in bomb blast in northwestern Pakistan: Suspected militants bombed a van carrying prisoners in northwest Pakistan on Thursday, killing at least nine people, as fighting between security forces and extremists flared across the tribal belt.
SRINAGAR, India, 9:53 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Kashmir police kill suspected rebels in shootout: Government forces ended a hostage crisis early Thursday in Indian-controlled Kashmir when they killed the last of three rebels believed to have seized eight people, army officials said.
BANGKOK, Thailand, 9:38 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Thai protest refuses order to leave gov't compound: Demonstrators occupying the grounds of the prime minister's office formed human chains around their leaders Thursday, hoping to prevent their arrest for organizing the takeover.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, 8:26 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Critics want Malaysia PM to resign over Anwar win: Dissidents in Malaysia's ruling party clamored for the prime minister to resign Wednesday after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim returned to Parliament with a sweeping election victory.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, 7:44 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Judge orders English ballot printed in Puerto Rico: A federal judge on Wednesday ordered election officials to add an English translation to Spanish-only ballots for November elections.
DARWIN, Australia, 6:56 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Baby boy born on airliner en route to Australia: An Indian woman gave birth to a healthy boy aboard a jet airliner while flying to Australia to reunite with her husband.
VILSECK, Germany, 6:20 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
U.S. Army continues Iraq murder conspiracy hearing: A military panel took evidence Wednesday in a hearing aimed at determining whether two U.S. soldiers should face a court-martial in the deaths of four Iraqi men last year.
BRASILIA, Brazil, 5:15 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Brazil Indian reservation targeted for breakup: The future of Brazil's traditional Indian cultures was under challenge on Wednesday as Brazil's Supreme Court began hearing arguments on whether to break up a vast Amazon reserve.
HAVANA, 5:02 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Jailed Cuban punk rocker to stand trial Friday: Cuba has ordered jailed punk rocker Gorki Aguila, an outspoken critic of Fidel Castro and the communist government, to stand trial on Friday for “social dangerousness,” a charge that could carry up to four years in prison.
LONDON, 5:02 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Man convicted for child cruely in Muslim ceremony: A man accused of involving two teenage boys in self-flagellation as part of a Muslim religious ritual was convicted of child cruelty Wednesday.
TUKTOYAKTUK, Northwest Territories, 4:18 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Canada requires ship registration in Arctic: Canada's prime minister moved to firm up control of disputed Arctic waters Wednesday by announcing stricter registration requirements for ships sailing in the Northwest Passage.
CALGARY, Alberta, 3:42 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Crane hits Canadian commuter train, injuring 6: The boom of a construction crane smashed into a light-rail commuter train Wednesday, injuring the driver and five passengers, including a 10-year-old girl, officials said.
BEIT AWWA, West Bank, 3:03 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Police: Disabled Palestinian siblings hidden away: A Palestinian couple locked their disabled son and daughter away for decades out of fear they would ruin the marriage prospects of a healthy child if discovered, police said Wednesday.
MONROVIA, Liberia, 3:02 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Liberian ex-warlord dodges questions at hearing: A former Liberian warlord whose drugged fighters once appeared on camera holding up a human heart dodged questions Wednesday and refused to accept any wrongdoing during an appearance before a public commission.
LONDON, 2:48 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
G7 countries condemn Russia's actions in Georgia: The Group of Seven industrialized democracies condemned Russia on Wednesday for its actions in Georgia, underlining the country's growing estrangement from the West.
VENICE, Italy, 2:26 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Venice Film Festival opens with Hollywood flash: The Venice Film Festival opened Wednesday night with the premiere of the Coen brothers' dark comedy “Burn After Reading,” giving a flash of Hollywood glamour to a festival lineup with a definite art house feel.
MOSCOW, 2:25 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Russia mulls poultry, pork import quota cuts: Russia could cut poultry and pork import quotas by hundreds of thousands of tons, the country's agriculture minister said Wednesday. The move could hit American producers hard and comes amid heightened tensions between Moscow and Washington over the war in ex-Soviet Georgia.
UNITED NATIONS, 2:23 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
U.N.: 1 more year for peacekeepers in Lebanon: The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Wednesday to keep a peacekeeping force in Lebanon for another year, calling for stepped-up efforts to achieve a permanent cease-fire and long-term resolution of the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.
2:03 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Developments in the Georgia and Russia conflict: A look at developments Wednesday in Georgia crisis: U.S. Coast Guard ship carrying humanitarian aid docks at Georgia's Black Sea port of Batumi, avoiding port of Poti, still controlled by Russian troops.
TRIPOLI, Libya, 1:36 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Hijackers of Darfur plane surrender in Libya: Two Sudanese men, armed with handguns and the threat of explosives, stormed the cockpit of the Boeing 737, taking control just minutes into the flight. Passengers said the hijackers remained calm but they still spent a night in fear.
TORONTO, 1:12 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Canada company takes blame for bacteria outbreak: The president of a Canadian food company is taking responsibility for tainted meat products from a Toronto processing plant reaching the marketplace and causing a national outbreak of a deadly bacteria linked to the deaths of 15 people.
AMMAN, Jordan, 12:41 p.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Jordan reaches out to militant Hamas: In an about-face, Jordan is reaching out to the Hamas militant group amid fears that a collapse of Mideast peacemaking would bring an influx of refugees. But the U.S. ally must walk a delicate line to avoid angering its American and Israeli friends.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip, 11:40 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Hamas breaks Gaza school strike led by rival Fatah: The ruling Hamas movement replaced hundreds of striking teachers with its own supporters Wednesday, purging Gaza's schools of political rivals and deepening its control of this coastal territory.
UNITED NATIONS, 11:37 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
U.N. council extends mandate of S.Lebanon force: The Security Council extended the mandate of U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon for another year Wednesday, but Israel and Lebanon accused each other of obstructing their work.
BANGKOK, 11:35 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
UPDATE 8-Thai PM vows to end protests, leaders defiant: Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej ordered thousands of riot police to remove an anti-government crowd occupying his office compound on Wednesday, but protest leaders vowed to stay.
KIEV/TBILISI, 11:17 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
WRAPUP 7-Russia-Georgia conflict raises Black Sea tension: Ukraine said on Wednesday it wanted to discuss charging Russia more for the lease of a Black Sea naval base, a move that could aggravate regional tensions already enflamed by Moscow's conflict with Georgia.
JERUSALEM, 10:54 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
McCartney gig revives Israeli Beatles tale: An upcoming concert by Paul McCartney has revived memories of the 1960s, when an Israeli official supposedly called off a Beatles concert for fear it would corrupt the nation's youth.
NEW DELHI, 10:52 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
Dalai Lama 'exhausted', cancels foreign trips-aide: The Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, is exhausted and has cancelled two foreign trips to rest and undergo medical tests, his aide said on Wednesday.
HAVANA, 10:47 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
Cuban creditors, suppliers fret over payment: Cuban creditors and suppliers said this week they were worried the import-dependent nation faced a new cash crunch after it notified at least two foreign governments that it could not meet debt payments.
SHANGHAI, China, 10:21 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Chinese defend accused police killer: The murder case was supposed to be simple: A jobless man accused of killing six police officers in a rare stabbing rampage in China's largest city.
BUNOL, Spain, 9:53 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Spanish town blushes with annual tomato fight: Spanish revelers have pelted each with 113 tons of ripe tomatoes in an annual food fight. Town hall says an estimated 40,000 people took part in the hour of messy fun in the village of Bunol near Valencia.
ACCRA, Ghana, 9:13 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
U.N. climate talks make headway on emission limits: Talks on a new global warming agreement have begun to resolve some major sticking points, the U.N. climate chief said Wednesday, sounding a promising note after months of sluggish negotiations often marked by confrontation among industrial and developing countries.
JERUSALEM, 7:29 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Israeli radio bans ad criticizing Gaza policy: Israel's national broadcast authority has rejected radio ads criticizing the government for stranding Palestinian university students in the Gaza Strip, a broadcasting official said Wednesday, calling them too controversial.
DHARMSALA, India, 7:12 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Dalai Lama, battling exhaustion, cancels trips: The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, was suffering from exhaustion and has canceled two planned international trips to undergo medical tests, his office said Wednesday.
NAPLES, 7:10 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
Neapolitans get free pizza in price protest: 'Pizzaioli' or pizza chefs in Naples, birthplace of the Margherita, handed out free pizzas on Wednesday in protest at high prices charged by rivals who, they say, use the spike in commodity prices to rip off consumers.
SOUTH KOREA-CONTROLLED DOKDO, 7:08 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
SKorean emotions run high over island dispute: A rifle-toting South Korean stands guard on the remote and rocky islet of Dokdo, gazing out over the expanse of blue ocean toward Japan for any potential challenge to his country's control.
JERUSALEM, 7:04 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Ancient Dead Sea scrolls to go online: Israeli and American scientists are bringing the oldest known version of the Hebrew Bible into the 21st century. They're digitally reproducing the Dead Sea Scrolls online.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 6:51 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
49 killed in fighting along Pakistan border belt: Security forces clashed with militants across Pakistan's wild tribal belt Wednesday, trading fire with insurgents in a health center and repelling a major assault on an outpost in a region known as an al-Qaeda safe haven.
CHISINAU, Moldova, 6:43 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Russian warns Moldova over separatist region: Russia's ambassador to Moldova said the country's leaders should avoid a “bloody and catastrophic trend of events” in the separatist Trans-Dniester region and pointed to the example of Georgia.
NAIROBI, 6:29 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
Violence forces MSF to close clinic in Mogadishu: Rising insecurity has forced Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) to close a clinic in Mogadishu providing essential health care to hundreds of children and pregnant women every day, the charity said on Wednesday.
BEIJING, 6:26 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
20 killed in chemical plant blasts in China: The death toll from explosions that ripped through a chemical plant in southwest China rose to 20 on Wednesday, state media said.
MADRID, Spain, 6:10 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Jet that crashed in Spain had landing gear trouble: The Spanair plane that crashed in Madrid, killing 154 people, had landing gear trouble a month ago that forced the pilot to abandon a first attempt at takeoff, the airline acknowledged Wednesday.
MUMBAI, India, 6:00 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
India's 'Hari Puttar' caught in Harry Potter spell: Hollywood's Warner Bros., which owns the rights to the Harry Potter movies, is suing an Indian production company whose new film is called 'Hari Puttar: A Comedy of Terrors,' the studio said on Wednesday.
PATNA, India, 5:57 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
Food riots as Indian floods destroy 250,000 homes: Food riots erupted on Wednesday in eastern India, where more than 2 million people have been forced from their homes and about 250,000 houses destroyed in what officials say are the worst floods in 50 years.
ROME, 5:52 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
Woman wearing veil told to leave Italian museum: The head of one of Venice's most prestigious museums apologised on Wednesday to a Muslim woman asked to leave the building by a guard because she was wearing a veil over her face.
BOGOTA, 5:37 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
Oh Brother! Colombian gov't hit by family scandals: Colombia's justice minister is resisting pressure to resign over charges that his brother colluded with drug smugglers in the latest family scandal to rock the government of the world's top cocaine producing country.
SEOUL, South Korea, 5:06 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Pro-NKorea paper says nuclear tension could spike: North Korea's threat to restore its nuclear facilities should not be seen as “empty talk” and the standoff could develop into a crisis similar to the country's first atomic test, a pro-Pyongyang newspaper said Wednesday.
ROME, 5:05 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
Italian television bares showgirl obsession: When it comes to political satire, Italians like theirs hot – with buxom women in mini-skirts and low-cut tops dancing as cameras zoom in on their breasts and long legs.
NEW YORK, 5:02 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
Gustav weakens over Haiti, still an energy concern: Gustav weakened to a tropical storm overnight after slamming into southwest Haiti on Tuesday, but the system was expected to restrengthen once it moves back over the warm waters between Haiti and Cuba, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its latest report.
SEOUL, South Korea, 4:48 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
North Korean woman arrested on spying charges: A North Korean woman accused of using “sex as a tool for her spy activity” and plotting to assassinate South Korean intelligence agents with poisoned needles has been arrested, prosecutors said Wednesday.
TEHRAN, 4:42 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
Iran hangs man for murder committed aged 15, report says: Iran has hanged a man aged 19 who was arrested for a murder he committed when he was 15, a newspaper reported on Wednesday, the second such case reported this month.
SEOUL, South Korea, 4:22 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
South Korea's Buddhists march against president: Tens of thousands of South Korean Buddhists rallied Wednesday against alleged religious discrimination by the government of President Lee Myung-bak, the latest setback for his protest-plagued administration.
PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria, 4:16 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Israeli businessman kidnapped in Nigeria: Kidnappers have seized an Israeli businessman in oil-rich southern Nigeria, officials said Wednesday.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, 3:34 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Police official: 11 laborers die in Dubai fire: A Dubai police official says that a fire in a building packed with foreign laborers has killed 11 people. India's consul in Dubai, Venu Rajamony, says 10 of the victims were Indian.
MANILA, 3:25 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
More than 180 killed in Philippine fighting-army: Civilian casualties are mounting in the southern Philippines, where fighting between the army and Muslim guerrillas has killed at least 187 people in the past 10 days, the military and a human rights official said on Wednesday.
BEIJING, 2:02 a.m. Aug. 27 (REUTERS)
Used to winning, post-Olympics Chinese opt for whining: Many Chinese viewers who were glued to the television for the Olympics are feeling lost and prone to whining since the Games ended, state media said on Wednesday, quoting psychological and educational experts.
CARACAS, Venezuela, 12:06 a.m. Aug. 27 (AP)
Venezuela posed to nationalize fuel distribution: Lawmakers loyal to President Hugo Chavez want to allow the nationalization of fuel distribution, the government's latest move to bring Venezuela's economy under increased state control.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, 10:20 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Gustav hits Haiti, drives up oil prices: Hurricane Gustav caused a killer landslide and dumped torrential rains on southern Haiti before weakening to a tropical storm late Tuesday.
TBILISI, Georgia, 10:16 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
U.S. cancels plan to send military ship to Poti: The United States has canceled plans to try to dock a military ship carrying humanitarian aid in the Georgian port of Poti, where Russian forces are posted on the outskirts, a U.S. Embassy spokesman said Wednesday.
BEIJING, 10:09 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Bank of China denies aiding terrorists: A major state-owned Chinese bank on Wednesday denied accusations in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles that it transferred money to terrorist groups and said it would fight the case.
JAMMU, India, 9:50 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Kashmir police and suspected rebels in shootout: Police traded fire Wednesday with militants allegedly holding six people hostage, including four children, in a building in Indian-administered Kashmir.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, 9:49 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Rebel air raid wounds 10 sailors in Sri Lanka: Separatist Tamil rebels wounded at least 10 sailors in a brazen airstrike on a key harbor controlled by the navy in eastern Sri Lanka, while clashes in the north killed 27 guerrillas and two soldiers, the military said Wednesday.
BANGKOK, Thailand, 9:13 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Police, protesters clash briefly: Thousands of demonstrators occupying the Thai prime minister's office compound beat back an effort by riot police to remove them Wednesday and vowed to stay until the government resigns.
DAVAO, Philippines, 9:07 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Philippine C-130 wreck found 600 feet under water: A military transport plane that crashed after takeoff in the southern Philippines with nine people aboard sank 600 feet under water, too deep for divers to reach, a navy spokesman said Wednesday.
PERMATANG PAUH, Malaysia, 9:06 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Malaysian opposition chief wins parliament seat: Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has won a landslide victory in a special parliamentary election, strengthening his campaign to topple the government and become the next prime minister despite facing sodomy charges.
TORONTO, 8:26 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Canada PM suggests election is near: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper signaled Tuesday he might call an early election, a move that would head off opposition efforts to topple his minority government.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, 8:18 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
American diplomat escapes gun attack in Pakistan: The top U.S. diplomat in northwestern Pakistan narrowly escaped an attempt on her life Tuesday when two men with AK-47s jumped in front of her armored vehicle and sprayed it with bullets, staging a brazen attack that raised fears other foreigners could be targeted.
TORONTO, 7:27 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Jumbo jet overshoots runway in Canada, no injuries: An Air France jumbo jet carrying more than 500 passengers and crew overshot the runway as it landed Tuesday night in Montreal, but there were no injuries, an airport official said.
BEIJING, 6:40 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
16 killed in chemical plant blasts in China: Explosions ripped through a chemical plant Tuesday in southwest China killing at least 16 people and forcing the evacuation of thousands of nearby residents.
HAVANA, 3:40 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Dissident files criminal complaint against Cuba: A Cuban opposition leader said Tuesday she has filed a criminal complaint against the communist government for airing on state television evidence it collected by bugging her phone, going through her garbage and secretly filming her.
TORONTO, 3:20 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
12 deaths linked to tainted meat in Canada: Meat tainted with a deadly bacteria in a Toronto processing plant is likely to sicken more people in the coming months, a Canadian health expert said Tuesday, a day after the government announced the death toll from the outbreak had risen to 12.
LIMA, Peru, 3:19 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Strong earthquake hits central Peru: A strong earthquake has shaken central Peru, causing people to flee buildings in the jungle city of Pucallpa but inflicting no major damage.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, 3:10 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
2 Guantanamo inmates transferred to Algeria: The U.S. military has transferred two prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to the custody of Algeria.
JERUSALEM, 3:04 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Israeli police fear missing French child murdered: Israeli police said Tuesday they have arrested the grandfather and mother in the disappearance of a 4-year-old French girl, saying they fear the girl is dead.
KHARTOUM, Sudan, 2:19 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Sudan says airliner hijacked in southern Darfur: A man waving a knife hijacked a jetliner carrying about 100 people Tuesday in Sudan's troubled Darfur region, forcing it to land at a World War II-era airfield in the heart of the Sahara Desert in neighboring Libya, officials said.
RAMALLAH, West Bank, 2:08 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Condoleezza Rice clings to Mideast peace hopes: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday there is hope for a Mideast peace deal but she offered no reason for optimism beyond the fact that the two sides are speaking.
MADRID, Spain, 1:49 p.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Plane crash probe shows tail hit ground first: The Spanish jetliner that crashed during takeoff last week, killing 154 people, hit the ground tail first and bounced for almost a mile, the head of the commission probing the disaster said Tuesday.
TBILISI, Georgia, 11:59 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Cindy McCain visits Georgian refugees: Republican John McCain's wife visited centers where Georgian refugees from the recent war with Russia are sheltering and she blamed Moscow for forcing them into misery.
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, 11:47 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Police ground Turkey-bound flight after threat: Airport police say a Dutch passenger jet bound for Turkey with more than 110 passengers on board has been grounded after a threat of a possible hostage taking or hijacking was phoned to a police emergency number.
NEW DELHI, 11:34 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Police kill Indian gang leader, and a legend grows: The skinny would-be kingpin and his fearless bike gang were seemingly everywhere. When someone was shot or robbed in this city of 16 million, where murder is relatively rare, police pointed to the same suspect: Bunty, the notorious gang leader who terrorized New Delhi from astride a motorcycle.
KHARTOUM, 11:20 a.m. Aug. 26 (REUTERS)
Sudanese plane hijacked from Darfur, lands in Libya: A Sudanese passenger plane was hijacked on Tuesday after leaving war-torn Darfur and has been forced to land in Libya, Arab media and Libyan authorities said.
MOSCOW, 11:20 a.m. Aug. 26 (REUTERS)
Russia says U.S. ships arms to Georgia, U.S. denies: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday accused the United States of shipping arms to Georgia on U.S. naval vessels, but Washington denied the charge.
HARARE, Zimbabwe, 11:09 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Zimbabwe leader heckled during parliament opening: Opposition legislators jeered President Robert Mugabe on Tuesday as he opened Zimbabwe's parliament, singing and chanting and sometimes drowning out his voice.
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt, 11:06 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Egypt septuplets stir debate on fertility drugs: The 27-year-old woman and her husband already had three children – all girls. They badly wanted a boy, and she had not conceived in five years, so doctors gave her hormones.
BHUBANESHWAR, India, 10:41 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Hindu-Christian clashes kill 8 in eastern India: Christians clashed with Hindu mobs who attacked churches, and eight people died in the violence in an eastern region known for deadly religious fighting.
BEIRUT, Lebanon, 10:27 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Syria, Iran warm to Russia as U.S. tensions grow: Syria's President Bashar Assad has publicly stepped up his outreach to old ally Russia in recent days, seeking aid to build up Syrian military forces and offering Moscow help in return – in an apparent effort to exploit a new Russian-American rift.
LONDON, 9:21 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Banking customers' personal details sold on eBay: A computer containing banking security details of more than 1 million people has been sold on eBay for $64, bank officials said Tuesday – the latest in a series of losses of personal data in the U.K.
BERLIN, 8:50 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Lost Humpback whale finds way north: A humpback whale that roamed the Baltic Sea has been spotted in Swedish waters south of Goteberg and is believed headed further north.
LONDON, 7:51 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
British counterterrorism police make arrest: British counterterrorism police arrested a 25-year-old man Tuesday as part of an investigation into threats to kill Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Britain's Press Association reported.
BEIJING, 7:50 a.m. Aug. 26 (REUTERS)
China chemical plant blast kills 11, injures 57: A series of explosions ripped through a chemical plant in southern China on Tuesday, killing at least 11 people and injuring 57, state media reported.
MADRID, Spain, 7:27 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Spain: Up to 35 reported dead in migrant ordeal: A cargo ship rescued 25 African migrants from a sinking boat in the Mediterranean Sea but survivors said up to 35 others died as the boat drifted for three days, the Spanish Red Cross said Tuesday.
SRINAGAR, India, 7:13 a.m. Aug. 26 (REUTERS)
India extends curfew in Kashmir to quell protests: Indian police beat Kashmiri protesters who defied a curfew on Tuesday, police said, and troops searched for separatist leaders as the biggest anti-India protests in two decades showed no sign of abating.
PARIS, 6:46 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Up to 26 hospitalized after emergency landing: A Ryanair plane made an emergency landing in central France after it suddenly lost cabin pressure and descended 26,200 feet (8,000 meters) in five minutes, French officials said Tuesday. Up to 26 people were hospitalized.
SEOUL, South Korea, 6:43 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
NKorea suspends nuclear reactor disablement: North Korea said Tuesday it has suspended work to disable its nuclear reactor in anger over Washington's failure to remove it from the U.S. list of terror sponsors. The North said it will soon consider a step to restore the plutonium-producing facility.
NEW DELHI, 6:05 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Floods strand millions in northern India: Indian officials appealed to more than 1 million people in flood-ravaged northern India to flee for their lives Tuesday, saying they faced death from a surging river if they remained in their homes.
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, 5:52 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
Woman found guilty of murdering toddlers in Sweden: A Swedish court on Tuesday found a German woman guilty of murdering two toddlers and seriously injuring their mother in a rampage spurred by jealousy over an ex-boyfriend.
GENEVA, 5:19 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
U.S. questions China at WTO over pork, farm taxes: The United States has challenged China to justify the legality of its tax, subsidy and export rules for farm products such as pork and wheat in what could signify new tensions between the two trading giants.
VATICAN CITY, 5:16 a.m. Aug. 26 (REUTERS)
Vatican condemns anti-Christian attacks in India: The Vatican on Tuesday strongly condemned a spate of attacks against Christians in India by Hindus, saying the violence was an affront to human dignity and religious freedom.
BRUSSELS, Belgium, 4:57 a.m. Aug. 26 (AP)
EU: European deaths to outnumber births from 2015: Deaths are expected to outnumber births in the European Union from 2015 when migration will become the only source of population growth, according to an EU report released Tuesday.
LONDON, 7:26 a.m. Aug. 25 (REUTERS)
Britain's 'Iron Lady' Thatcher has dementia – daughter: Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher – once known as one of the world's most formidable political minds – has been suffering from dementia for the past seven years, according to her daughter, Carol.
LIMA, Peru, 6:43 p.m. Aug. 25 (AP)Peru company to build $240 million wind farm: Peru's government says renewable energy company Iberoperuana Inversiones SAC is developing a US$240 million, 240 megawatt wind farm on Peru's southern coast. TORONTO, 6:42 p.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Canada's PM aide says opposition severs contact: A push by Canadian Prime Minister Stephan Harper to call early elections picked up steam Monday, with his spokesman accusing the head of the country's main opposition party of refusing to meet or speak with the government's leader. MANILA, Philippines, 4:56 p.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Philippine military: Plane carrying 9 crew missing: The Philippine military says a cargo plane carrying nine crew members disappeared shortly after taking off in the southern part of the country. CRAWFORD, Texas, 3:12 p.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Bush says two regions should remain in Georgia: President George W. Bush appealed to Russia's president on Monday to ignore the advice of lawmakers and refrain from recognizing Georgia's breakaway regions as independent. CRAWFORD, Texas, 3:12 p.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Bush opposes independence for 2 regions in Georgia: President Bush appealed to Russia's president Monday to ignore the advice of lawmakers and refrain from recognizing Georgia's breakaway regions as independent. SALT LAKE CITY, 3:02 p.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Humanitarian workers among dead in Guatemala crash: A small plane that broke apart in Guatemala as the pilot attempted an emergency landing, killing 11 of the 14 people aboard, was carrying members of a Utah-based humanitarian group who were on their way to help build a school in a remote, impoverished area of the country. LAUREL, Miss., 3:00 p.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
ICE raids Miss. plant seeking illegal workers: Federal immigration agents said they uncovered 350 suspected undocumented workers in a raid on a Mississippi electrical equipment plant Monday, hours after sealing all entrances amid reports their sweep had idled normal operations. BHUBANESHWAR, India, 11:41 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Suspected Hindu hard-liners set fire to orphanage: Suspected Hindu hard-liners set fire Monday to an orphanage run by Christian missionaries in eastern India, killing one woman and seriously injuring a priest, police said. KHARTOUM, Sudan, 10:56 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Sudanese govt forces attack Darfur refugee camp: Sudanese government forces attacked one of Darfur's largest refugee camps at dawn Monday, killing dozens of civilians, according to rebels and a witness in the camp. WHITBY, Ontario, 10:52 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Canadians honor soldiers killed in Afghanistan: More than 200 people line an overpass above a stretch of Canada's busiest thoroughfare now known as the “Highway of Heroes” to pay final tribute to three soldiers killed in Afghanistan. BEIJING, 10:52 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
China detains underground Catholic bishop: report: Security agents detained an elderly bishop of an underground Catholic church in northern China hours before the closing of the Olympic Games, a U.S.-based group said Monday. TORONTO, 10:50 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Barenaked Ladies singer survives plane crash: The lead singer of the Canadian pop band Barenaked Ladies and three other people survived a plane crash in rural southeastern Ontario, authorities said Monday. WARSAW, Poland, 10:41 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Poland investigating CIA prisons allegations: Poland's prime minister has requested an investigation into allegations there were secret prisons in the country used by the CIA to hold and question terror suspects between 2001 and 2004. MOSCOW, 10:36 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Russian lawmakers recognize Georgia separatists: Russia's parliament voted unanimously Monday to urge the president to recognize the independence of Georgia's two breakaway regions, stoking further tensions between Moscow and the small Caucasus nation's Western allies. HAVANA, 10:30 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Fidel Castro: Corrupt judges hurt Cuban Olympians: Fidel Castro on Monday defended the Cuban taekwondo athlete who kicked a referee in the face at the Beijing Olympics, saying Angel Matos was rightfully indignant over his disqualification from the bronze-medal match. MAILLE, France, 10:11 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Sarkozy recalls long-forgotten Nazi massacre: French President Nicolas Sarkozy paid homage Monday to victims of a 1944 Nazi massacre that was long forgotten by the history books, overshadowed by another event the same day: the liberation of Paris. BORDEAUX, France, 7:43 a.m. Aug. 25 (REUTERS)
Troubled French oyster farmers demand more aid: Around 100 oyster farmers dumped tons of oyster shells on the doorstep of a local French prefecture on Monday to demand more government aid to overcome a crisis which has hit the celebrated shellfish. HARARE, Zimbabwe, 7:40 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Zimbabwe opposition unexpectedly wins speaker vote: Zimbabwe's opposition won the vote for speaker of the first parliament since disputed elections in March, apparently claiming votes even from the ruling party of autocratic President Robert Mugabe on Monday amid stalled talks over sharing power. TSKHINVALI, Georgia, 7:36 a.m. Aug. 25 (REUTERS)
Tense stand-off in disputed Georgia village: Georgian and South Ossetian forces were in a tense stand-off on Monday over control of a disputed village on the edge of the breakaway region, according to Georgian and separatist officials.
ROME, 7:23 a.m. Aug. 25 (REUTERS)
Tourist attacks cast doubt on Italy's crackdown: Two brutal attacks on foreign tourists in Italy this weekend have put the ruling center right on the defensive about the effectiveness of its crackdown on crime, which has included mobilising the military.
NAIROBI, 6:19 a.m. Aug. 25 (REUTERS)
Number of Somalis needing aid spikes to 3.2 million: The number of people needing humanitarian aid in Somalia has leapt 77 percent this year to more than 3.2 million, more than a third of the country's population, an authoritative new study has shown.
SRINAGAR, India, 7:15 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)Indian security forces kill 5 in Kashmir: Soldiers and police fired at Muslim protesters demanding an end to Indian rule in Kashmir as authorities arrested top separatist leaders Monday in a bid to quash unrest that has left at least 39 people dead since June. PERMATANG PAUH, Malaysia, 7:02 a.m. Aug. 25 (REUTERS)
Malaysia's Anwar set for return to parliament: Malaysia's opposition alliance accused the authorities on Monday of dirty tricks in a by-election expected to return its leader, Anwar Ibrahim, to parliament but remained confident he would win.
BEIJING, 5:22 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
China opens registrations to adopt quake orphans: Eighty-eight children who were orphaned after a massive earthquake struck central China earlier this year have been made eligible for adoption, state media reported.
NEW DELHI, 5:55 a.m. Aug. 25 (REUTERS)India, U.S. begin reworking draft nuclear deal: The United States and India began reworking a draft agreement to win approval from a global nuclear trade bloc that has been sceptical of the two nations' proposed civilian nuclear deal, officials said on Monday. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 5:40 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
Pakistan bans Taliban after suicide bombings: Pakistan banned the Taliban on Monday, toughening its stance after the Islamic militant group claimed responsibility for deadly suicide bombings against one of Pakistan's most sensitive military installations. ACCRA, 5:29 a.m. Aug. 25 (REUTERS)
Submerged Ghana forest may point to timber bonanza: Logging of a Ghanaian forest submerged 40 years ago by a hydroelectric dam could point to an underwater timber bonanza worth billions of dollars in tropical countries, a senior Ghanaian official said on Monday.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, 12:40 p.m. Aug. 24 (AP)
71 dead in crash of Iran-bound jet in Kyrgyzstan: A passenger plane from an airline banned in Europe over safety concerns crashed Sunday shortly after taking off from Kyrgyzstan's main airport, killing at least 71 people on board, officials said.
TEHRAN, Iran, 4:10 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)Iran kicks off production of locally built sub: Iranian state TV says the country has launched production of a domestically built submarine capable of firing missiles and torpedoes. COLOMBO, 4:08 a.m. Aug. 25 (REUTERS)
At least 74 killed in Sri Lanka fighting: At least 74 people were killed during a Sri Lankan military push to take the symbolic capital of the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, the military said on Monday. SEOUL, South Korea, 4:08 a.m. Aug. 25 (AP)
China, SKorea agree to keep working on NKorea deal: The leaders of South Korea and China agreed Monday to expand cooperation in political, economic and other fields – including North Korea's nuclear disarmament – as the two Asian neighbors push for a new strategic partnership. WASHINGTON, 10:54 a.m. Aug. 24 (AP)
Rice in longshot bid for Mideast peace progress: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice returns to the Mideast this week amid dwindling hopes for securing an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal by a year-end target. CHAMONIX, France, 12:17 p.m. Aug. 24 (AP)
8 climbers feared dead after Mont Blanc avalanche: An avalanche swept down a major summit in the Mont Blanc range before dawn Sunday, leaving eight climbers missing and presumed dead along a trail often used to reach western Europe's highest peak. GUATEMALA CITY, 12:25 p.m. Aug. 24 (AP)
Plane crash in eastern Guatemala kills 10 people: A small plane crashed in a field in eastern Guatemala on Sunday, killing 10 people and injuring four, police said.
7:05 a.m. Aug. 24 (AP)
U.S. Navy warship sails into Georgia with aid: ABOARD THE U.S.S. MCFAUL – A U.S. Navy warship carrying humanitarian aid anchored at the Georgian port of Batumi on Sunday, sending a strong signal of support to an embattled ally as Russian forces built up around two separatist regions.
SRINAGAR, India, 10:35 a.m. Aug. 24 (AP)Indian Kashmir troops fire on protesters, 1 dead: Paramilitary soldiers opened fire on a group of Muslim protesters in Indian Kashmir after they allegedly defied curfew late Sunday and tried to storm into a police camp, an official said. One person was killed and another seriously injured. BEIJING, 10:06 a.m. Aug. 24 (AP)
U.S. disappointed Olympics didn't open China more: The United States said Sunday it was disappointed the Olympics had not brought more “openness and tolerance” in China and pressed for the immediate release of eight American protesters. BEIRUT, Lebanon, 5:57 a.m. Aug. 24 (AP)
Syria shift on Lebanon suggests hard-liner softens: Syria's diplomatic recognition of Lebanon marks a symbolic turning point in the two neighbors' often turbulent history, and may have bigger significance for the Middle East and the chances of an overall peace deal with Israel. HARARE, Zimbabwe, 5:56 a.m. Aug. 24 (AP)
Zimbabwe prepares to convene parliament: Zimbabwe is preparing to reconvene parliament for the first time since elections in March, despite a standoff between President Robert Mugabe and the main opposition movement over a power-sharing agreement. TEHRAN, Iran, 5:42 a.m. Aug. 24 (AP)
Iran's supreme leader defends Ahmadinejad: Iran's supreme leader was quoted Sunday as praising President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for “standing up to” the West in a dispute over the country's nuclear program, amid growing domestic criticism of the president's management. SEOUL, South Korea, 6:26 a.m. Aug. 24 (AP)
North Korea vows to wipe out aggressors: North Korea claimed Sunday that joint military exercises by South Korea and the United States were a rehearsal for an attack against it and warned it would repel any aggression.
MOSCOW, 7:22 a.m. Aug. 23 (REUTERS)
Russia invasion speeds Georgia NATO membership -U.S.: Russia has hastened Georgia's march toward membership in NATO by going to war with it over its breakaway province of South Ossetia, a senior U.S. diplomat said on Saturday.
BEIJING, 7:26 a.m. Aug. 24 (AP)Beijing's quaint courtyard compounds under siege: In his dingy room measuring only 55 square feet, Wang Youping recalls better days. After eating dinner in their courtyard compounds, families would meander down to the lake, fan themselves and gossip while kids chased one another other down the alleyways. MADRID, Spain, 7:29 a.m. Aug. 24 (AP)
Fire shuts down Spanish nuclear plant: A fire broke out Sunday at a nuclear power station in Spain's northeastern province of Tarragona, forcing the plant to close temporarily but posing no threat of a nuclear leak or environmental danger, nuclear regulators said. TEHRAN, Iran, 7:40 a.m. Aug. 24 (AP)
Iran: 2nd nuclear power plant in design stage: Iran's official news agency says the country has begun designing its second light-water nuclear power plant, a 360-megawatt facility in the southwest. MADRID, Spain, 7:58 a.m. Aug. 24 (AP)
Spanair flight has unscheduled landing in Malaga: Spanair, the airline involved in a crash this week that killed 154 people in Madrid, had another technical problem Sunday with one of its planes and had to make an unscheduled landing, Spain's aviation authority said.
Aug. 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Foreign oil producers have U.S. over barrel:Every time you fill your gas tank, you're participating in what Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens describes as “the largest transfer of wealth in the history of mankind.” On average nationwide, roughly 38 percent of the cost of gasoline is tied to foreign-produced petroleum.
ACCRA, Ghana, 3:31 p.m. Aug. 23 (AP)
Choice of Biden as VP candidate praised overseas: From confronting Russia to dealing with climate change, Barak Obama's selection of Sen. Joe Biden as his vice presidential candidate Saturday was seen abroad as adding weight and depth to the foreign policy of a potential Obama administration.
MOGADISHU, 7:30 a.m. Aug. 23 (REUTERS)
Somali gunmen kidnap two Western journalists-residents: Unidentified gunmen kidnapped two Western journalists on Saturday near Somalia's capital Mogadishu, residents and a security source said.
