Clinton in Moscow for talks on arms pact, Mideast
MOSCOW (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is in Moscow to meet with senior Russian officials and to join top international diplomats in assessing the stalled Mideast peace process. Clinton arrived in the Russian capital Thursday morning after an overnight flight from Washington. She is to be joined later by the Obama administration's special envoy for Mideast peace, George Mitchell.
Thailand: Red Shirt protesters vow "class war"
BANGKOK (AP) — Thousands of demonstrators remained encamped in the historic heart of the Thai capital Thursday, vowing to stir up a "class war" until the government is ousted. A 2,000-vehicle protest rally through the streets of Bangkok was planned for Saturday, but Thursday appeared to be a rest day after four days of mass demonstrations and shock tactics like the pouring of human blood at the home of the prime minister and the seat of government.
Fear grips Mexican border families amid violence
CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (AP) — Elodia Ortiz drops her children at school in the morning, picks them up in the afternoon and makes an occasional trip to the supermarket. Anything else, she says, is too dangerous. Parents in Ciudad Juarez, just across the border from El Paso, Texas, are afraid to venture into the streets amid a turf war between two powerful drug cartels that has left more than 4,500 people dead during the past two years.
Fiji cyclone damage overwhelming, leader says
SUVA, Fiji (AP) — A powerful cyclone destroyed more than half the houses in many villages in northern Fiji, but only one death has been reported, officials said Thursday. The full extent of the damage from Cyclone Tomas has yet to be determined because communications to the hardest-hit areas remain cut off and may not be restored before the weekend.
Haiti parents take back kids given to missionaries
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Joyful parents on Wednesday recovered the children that they gave to American missionaries about six weeks ago. The 33 children had been living at the SOS Orphanage on Port-au-Prince's outskirts since police stopped a group of 10 U.S. Baptist missionaries from taking them across the Dominican border Jan. 29 following Haiti's devastating earthquake.
Iraqi PM fights for survival as votes are counted
BAGHDAD (AP) — The man who has led Iraq for the past four years is battling for his political survival just as U.S. troops are getting ready to pack up and go home. With about 83 percent of the votes counted from parliamentary elections, it's not at all clear that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki will emerge the winner because a secular challenger is showing surprising strength. And a drawn-out battle of negotiations with rival coalitions is inevitable.
East Jerusalem neighborhood shows no sign of furor
JERUSALEM (AP) — The sleepy Ramat Shlomo neighborhood at the center of the debate over Israeli construction in east Jerusalem shows no signs of the political furor. On a recent morning, a bearded father carried his son from a car seat to a kindergarten. Teenage girls in shin-length skirts waited in a supermarket checkout line. The monotony of low buildings with light stone facades was broken only by an occasional grocery store or pizzeria.
Yemen-American imam calls for US Muslim revolt
CAIRO (AP) — A Yemeni-American Muslim preacher known for his ties to extremists operating in the U.S. called on American Muslims in a new audio message to turn against their government because of its actions against Muslims around the world. Anwar al-Awlaki's latest message, excerpts of which were aired on CNN Wednesday, described his own radicalization after U.S. operations against Muslims and called on those in the U.S. to follow his path.
Medvedev: Russia must tap Arctic resources
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia must defend its claims to mineral riches of the Arctic in increasing competition with other powers, President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday. Medvedev said global climate change will likely fuel arguments between nations seeking access to energy and other resources.
Taliban fight in Afghan town with fear campaign
MARJAH, Afghanistan (AP) — A month after losing control of their southern base in Marjah, the Taliban have begun to fight back, launching a campaign of assassination and intimidation to frighten people from supporting the U.S. and its Afghan allies. At least one alleged government sympathizer has been beheaded. There are rumors that others have been killed. Marjah residents awake to letters posted on their doors warning against helping the troops.
