 Restoration starts on Berlin Wall
 Associated Press
Restoration work has started on the longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall, which has been crumbling from age and damaged by vandals and trophy hunters.
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G-8 announces global summit on financial crisis
BRUSSELS, Belgium, 1:35 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
The Group of Eight major industrial nations announced Wednesday they will hold a global summit – perhaps as early as November in New York – to forge common action to prevent another economic meltdown.
Britain called for radical restructuring of international institutions like the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. French President Nicolas Sarkozy demanded that the summit take place “preferably in New York, where everything started” and lead toward “a new capitalism.”
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KHAR, Pakistan, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)Pakistani intelligence agents re-arrest American: Pakistani intelligence agents re-arrested an American detained in the country's volatile Afghan border region and were questioning the man, police said Wednesday. THE HAGUE, Netherlands, 3:40 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Crisis bodes ill for climate change talks: The global financial crisis could hardly come at a worse time for nations seeking a new agreement on climate change that – on top of everything else – will cost tens of billions more dollars. BRUSSELS, Belgium, 3:53 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
EU leaders split over how to reach climate goals: European Union leaders agreed Wednesday to stick to ambitious plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2020, but divisions over how to share out the cuts were widened by fears over the impact of the financial crisis. OTTAWA, 2:33 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
After victory, Canada PM keeps focus on economy: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a new economic plan Wednesday, a day after his Conservative Party's re-election victory fell short of a Parliament majority amid voter disgruntlement over his slow response to the global financial meltdown. MOSCOW, 2:00 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
What Crisis? Kremlin downplays financial woes: Talking to Russians on the street, you'd be forgiven for thinking there was no economic crisis. CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands, 2:09 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Omar closes offices, oil refinery in Caribbean: Schools, businesses and a large oil refinery closed Wednesday on several Caribbean islands in the path of Hurricane Omar, which could rev up to a Category 2 storm before coming ashore overnight. PARIS, 2:23 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Tasers in spotlight of alleged French spying plot: A postman-turned-leftist politician who has campaigned against the use of Tasers claims he has been targeted by a shady spy ring – allegedly made up of crooked cops, private eyes and the head of a French company that sells the stun guns. SEATTLE, 2:42 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Feds: 5 missing Afghan scholars turn up in Canada: Five visiting scholars from Afghanistan who disappeared from the University of Washington were found Wednesday morning in Canada after crossing the border separately over the past several days, a U.S. immigration official said. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, 2:57 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Honduras asks Mexico to extradite murder suspect: Honduras will ask Mexico to extradite an alleged gang member suspected in the killings of at least 43 people, including 28 in a 2004 Christmas bus massacre, officials said Wednesday.
LONDON, 1:38 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Immunity may aid red squirrel survive gray cousin: Britain's red squirrels – under threat from their promiscuous and disease-bearing North American cousins – may finally have some good news.
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, 1:36 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Deadly fighting erupts at Thai-Cambodian border: Escalating tensions between Thailand and Cambodia over a disputed border near a historic temple erupted Wednesday in a deadly gunbattle, prompting officials to quickly declare that they would resolve the dispute through talks, not bullets.
HARARE, Zimbabwe, 1:25 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Zimbabwe opposition leader pessimistic about talks: Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai expressed pessimism Wednesday about talks on Zimbabwe's proposed government of national unity but his rival President Robert Mugabe was confident negotiations were nearing a conclusion.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, 1:10 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Azerbaijan's president set for winning 2nd term: The president of oil-rich Azerbaijan headed for re-election Wednesday with the opposition boycotting the vote and accusing the West of ignoring Azerbaijan's democratic shortfalls while seeking its energy riches.
BONN, Germany, 12:48 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Kramnik holds Anand to second draw: World chess champion Viswanathan Anand of India started the second game of his championship match against Russian challenger Vladimir Kramnik with a definite advantage Wednesday, but had to settle for a draw.
12:47 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Gov't offices close, shelters open in Caribbean: CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands – Schools and businesses closed and shelters opened Wednesday on several Caribbean islands in the path of Hurricane Omar, which could rev up to a Category 2 storm before coming ashore overnight.
MOSCOW, 12:42 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Russian lawyer suspects mercury poisoning: A Russian lawyer said Wednesday she suspects she and her family were poisoned by mercury found in her car, keeping her away from the start of the trial of three men accused in the slaying of journalist Anna Politkovskaya.
12:34 p.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Grain prices slide back, but uncertainties loom: World grain prices have been tumbling back down the steep slope they climbed early this year, but from Manila's food stalls to London's supermarkets, everyday consumers aren't seeing it yet. The experts worry, meanwhile, that the wild swings may turn uphill again.
VIENNA, Austria, 11:01 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
After 436 years, Austrian stables take in women: It's no longer a man's world in Austria's most sophisticated stables. The country's prestigious Spanish Riding School, for centuries a bastion of masculinity, is modernizing: On Wednesday, the 436-year-old institution officially presented its first female riders-in-training.
ROME, 10:30 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Doubt cast on claimed mob plot to kill author: An anti-mafia prosecutor investigating a reported mob death threat against a best-selling author said Wednesday that an informant now denies having claimed there was a plot.
LONDON, 10:28 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
UK government considering huge telecoms database: Britain is considering setting up a database of all phone and e-mail traffic in the country as part of a high-tech strategy to fight terrorism and crime, its top law-and-order official said Wednesday.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, 10:28 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Gitmo lawyer consulted priest on trials' fairness: Struggling with orders to prosecute a young detainee at Guantanamo Bay, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Darrel Vandeveld went online and consulted a priest for help with his concerns about the fairness of the military tribunals.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, 10:27 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Sex-on-beach trial exposes Dubai's cultural divide: The British pair on trial for sex on the beach deny going all the way, but even a snuggle in the sand is going too far in this Persian Gulf city. Even though Dubai sells itself as a party hot spot, its Arab population hews to conservative Muslim values.
SANTIAGO, Chile, 9:53 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Chilean general sentenced in rights case: A retired Chilean army general has been sentenced to six years in prison for the killing of five dissidents during the former military dictatorship.
BRUSSELS, Belgium, 9:49 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Britain, France call for a global finance summit: The world's top economies should hold a global summit this year on reforming the world's financial system, British and French leaders declared Wednesday.
LONDON, 9:48 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Convicted Lockerbie bomber wins legal victory: The former Libyan intelligence agent convicted of bombing Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland has won an important victory in his effort to have his conviction overturned.
SANTIAGO, Chile, 9:47 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Whale sanctuary becomes law in Chile: Chile has turned all of its Pacific Ocean territorial waters into a whale sanctuary. President Michelle Bachelet on Wednesday signed into law a measure that bans all whale hunting off Chile's 3,400-mile (5,500-kilometer) coast.
ROME, 9:18 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Catholic women march in Rome for female priesthood: Catholic women seeking to become priests denounced the church's ban on female ordination as sexist and unjust, bringing their campaign to the Vatican on Wednesday during a worldwide gathering of bishops.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, 9:12 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Drunk passenger fails in attempted hijacking: A drunk man claiming to have a bomb tried to hijack a Russian-bound Turkish Airlines plane on Wednesday but fellow passengers quickly overpowered him, officials said.
9:07 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Hurricane Omar heads for U.S. Caribbean islands: CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands – Omar strengthened into a hurricane and took aim at the Virgin Islands on Wednesday after drenching the southeastern Caribbean.
MILAN, Italy, 9:07 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
National security at issue in CIA trial: A Italian kidnapping trial linked to the CIA's extraordinary rendition program was suspended Wednesday when a witness refused to answer a question because it would harm Italy's national security, lawyers attending the closed session said.
BEIJING, 9:06 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Pakistan gets help from China for ailing economy: Pakistan's president Wednesday won more help from longtime ally China as his country grapples with an ailing economy and chronic electricity shortages, though the prospect of a much anticipated civilian nuclear deal remained uncertain.
PRAGUE, Czech Republic, 8:48 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Renowned Czech WWII fighter dies at 88: Maj. Gen. Stanislav Hlucka, considered one of the best Czech pilots of World War II, has died. He was 88.
GENEVA, 8:44 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Georgia-Russia talks off to shaky start in Geneva: The first high-level talks between Russia and Georgia since their war broke down Wednesday, but international sponsors said the negotiations had only hit a procedural snag and will resume next month.
LONDON, 7:44 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
World stock markets drop on U.S. retail sales slump: World stocks sank Wednesday after poor U.S. retail sales date sharpened concerns that global efforts to restore confidence in the financial system will not be enough to stave off a deep recession.
BUCHAREST, Romania, 7:41 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Romania court upholds sentences against 2 generals: Romania's Supreme Court upheld 15-year prison sentences against two retired army generals convicted for their role in killing demonstrators while trying to suppress the 1989 anti-communist revolution that toppled dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.
NAIROBI, Kenya, 7:32 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Somali pirates withdraw threat to destroy ship: Somali pirates holding an arms-laden Ukrainian ship have withdrawn their threat to blow up the vessel if a ransom is not paid, and said Wednesday they are negotiating for its release.
VIENNA, Austria, 6:42 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Haider spokesman says leader drunk in fatal crash: Austrian far-right politician Joerg Haider was drunk at the time of his fatal car crash, his spokesman said Wednesday.
NEW DELHI, 6:15 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Dalai Lama to leave Indian hospital, resume travel: The Dalai Lama has recovered from surgery to remove gallstones and will resume his travel schedule by the end of the month, a senior aide said Wednesday.
LONDON, 5:50 a.m. Oct. 15 (REUTERS)
Financial crisis looms over London art extravaganza: The art world descends on London this week for a packed calendar of fairs and sales, and the talk over cocktails and canapes will center on whether financial turmoil is about to end the art market's gravity-defying boom.
NEW DELHI, 5:31 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Brazil, SAfrica blame rich world for economic woes: India, Brazil and South Africa on Wednesday asked rich countries to hear their voices on how to manage the current global financial crisis without jeopardizing the development of emerging economies.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, 5:30 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Mandela's former prison hit by rabbit infestation: South African authorities are closing Robben Island for two weeks in November to try to get rid of thousands of rabbits that have overrun the windswept island where Nelson Mandela spent so many years in prison.
YAZD, Iran, 4:58 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Former global leaders support Ahmadinejad opponent: Several former heads of European governments visiting central Iran say that democratic reform is the best way for the Persian country to break out of international isolation.
LONDON, 4:05 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
British man pleads guilty to failed attack: A 22-year-old man has pleaded guilty to attempting a suicide bomb attack on a family restaurant.
MUMBAI, India, 3:56 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Emerging markets suffer as foreigners withdraw: The global financial crisis has cost Grace Varghese, 50, a day trader in India's high-tech hub of Bangalore, more than $50,000.
DAMASCUS, Syria, 3:47 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Syria, Lebanon formalize diplomatic ties: The foreign ministers of Syria and Lebanon signed an agreement Wednesday formalizing diplomatic ties between the two countries for the first time in their turbulent history.
VIENNA, Austria, 3:16 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Austrian incest-imprisonment suspect fit for trial: Experts say an Austrian man accused of imprisoning his daughter for 24 years and fathering her seven children is mentally fit to stand trial.
SEOUL, South Korea, 1:55 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
SKorean envoy urges NKorea to stick to disarmament: South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator urged North Korea on Wednesday to stick to its pledge to give up its atomic ambitions, as Pyongyang resumed a stalled disarmament process following a breakthrough deal with the United States.
HANOI, Vietnam, 1:38 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Vietnamese journalist sentenced to 2 years in jail: A Vietnamese court sentenced a journalist to two years in prison on Wednesday, accusing him of writing inaccurate stories about one of the country's most high-profile corruption cases.
SEOUL, South Korea, 1:38 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
NKorean sentenced to 5 years in prison for spying: A North Korean woman accused of using sex to elicit sensitive information from a South Korean military officer was sentenced Wednesday by a court in the South to five years in prison for spying.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, 12:31 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Sri Lanka: Heavy fighting kills 49 rebels: Government forces pounded rebel defenses with airstrikes and ground assaults as heavy fighting across northern Sri Lanka killed 49 Tamil Tiger fighters and seven soldiers, the military said Wednesday.
CANBERRA, Australia, 12:29 a.m. Oct. 15 (AP)
Aust drops legal threat against Iranian president: Australia on Wednesday withdrew a threat to take Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the International Court of Justice for inciting violence against Israel.
LONDON, 2:50 p.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
World stocks higher 2nd day running: World stock markets rose for a second day on Tuesday although a bout of profit-taking on Wall Street drained momentum late in the day.
DAMASCUS, Syria, 11:24 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Syria establishes diplomatic ties with Lebanon: Syria formally recognized Lebanon for the first time Tuesday by establishing diplomatic relations with its neighbor – meeting a U.S. demand to do more for regional stability even as Damascus pursues indirect peace talks with Israel.
GENEVA, 3:04 p.m. Oct. 14 (AP)U.S., Russia send high-level teams to Georgia talks: The United States and Russia have assigned high-level delegations to European Union-sponsored talks aimed at promoting security in Georgia under the cease-fire that ended this summer's brief war in the former Soviet republic, officials said Tuesday. HARARE, Zimbabwe, 1:28 p.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Talks on Zimbabwe deadlock resume: Talks aimed at salvaging Zimbabwe's power-sharing agreement resumed Tuesday with no breakthrough but more negotiations were expected this week, President Robert Mugabe and his political rival Morgan Tsvangirai said. MADRID, Spain, 1:33 p.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Spain's prime minister to visit Cuba next year: Spain's prime minister accepted an invitation to visit Cuba next year, the foreign minister said Tuesday, setting him up to become the first European leader to travel to the communist-run island in nearly a decade. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, 2:10 p.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Storm batters Aruba, heads for U.S. islands: A rapidly strengthening Tropical Storm Omar drenched islands in the southeastern Caribbean on Tuesday, downing trees and blowing off part of a school's roof as it menaced U.S. islands. SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, 2:26 p.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
U.S. gives El Salvador $2.6 million to fight gangs: The U.S. government on Tuesday pledged to give El Salvador US$2.6 million to fight violent gangs known as Maras. GENEVA, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Aid agencies: world's poor will be biggest victims: The world's poorest people will be hungrier, sicker and have fewer jobs as a result of the global financial crisis, and cash-strapped aid agencies will be less able to help, aid groups are warning. DUBLIN, Ireland, 2:42 p.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Ireland's Waterford Crystal to slash more jobs: Waterford Crystal plans to jettison most of its remaining Irish work force and produce the bulk of its hand-cut glassware overseas, employees and union representatives said Tuesday. JERUSALEM, 3:06 p.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Israeli troops shoot Palestinian fire bomber: Army troops killed a 17-year-old Palestinian Tuesday, as he prepared to lob a blazing firebomb, the Israeli military said. LONDON, 3:07 p.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
British government minister warns of terror threat: The threat of another major terrorist attack is building in Britain, a government security minister said Tuesday, a day after the House of Lords rejected a measure that would have extended the amount of time police can hold terror suspects without charge.
MOSCOW, 11:59 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Russia to reduce top brass in bloated military: Russia's defense minister announced Tuesday a sweeping reform of the military that will cut hundreds of generals and disband nine of every ten army units, the defense minister said Tuesday.
BEIJING, 11:51 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
China orders more milk testing, HK boy sick: China's store shelves are being cleared of all milk and milk powder more than a month old, a huge recall that marks the latest government effort to restore consumer confidence after four babies died from drinking milk tainted with an industrial chemical.
SEOUL, South Korea, 11:47 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
NKorea allows U.N. monitors to main nuclear site: North Korea allowed United Nations monitors back into their main nuclear site Tuesday, but it was unclear whether they had fulfilled a pledge to resume disabling the facilities in line with a six-nation deal.
CAIRO, Egypt, 11:18 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Human rights group condemns Saudi executions: Saudi Arabia beheaded two men Tuesday, the latest state-sanctioned killings in a country where use of the death penalty has risen sharply in recent years and a disproportionate number of those executed are foreigners, a rights group said.
BONN, Germany, 11:17 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Anand, Kramnik draw in opening championship match: Defending champion Viswanathan Anand's precise defense neutralized a small advantage for challenger Vladimir Kramnik in the opening game of the world chess championship Tuesday, and the game ended in a draw after 32 moves.
KOROLYOV, Russia, 11:06 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Russian spacecraft docks with orbital station: An American computer game designer boarded the international space station Tuesday, floating onto the orbital outpost 35 years after his astronaut father circled the Earth on Skylab.
CAIRO, Egypt, 10:54 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Qatar offers conference to end Darfur conflict: Qatar, building off its success in mediating Lebanon's intractable political deadlock, will host a reconciliation conference to end the devastating conflict in Sudan's western Darfur region, a Qatari minister announced Tuesday.
KIEV, Ukraine, 10:26 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Ukraine PM: country can't afford early elections: Ukraine's prime minister said Tuesday the country cannot afford an early election in the face of a battered stock market, one of the world's highest inflation rates and massive bank withdrawals by depositors spooked by the growing political and financial instability.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, 10:23 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Scientists bleak about AIDS vaccine prospects: The global economic turmoil is likely to take its toll on AIDS research funding and add to the problems plaguing the search for a vaccine against the virus, scientists warned Tuesday.
BEIJING, 10:10 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Credit crisis casts gloom over China's exporters: As they prepare for China's biggest export fair this week, managers at Shunde Xiongfeng Electric Industrial Co. are anxious.
LA PAZ, Bolivia, 9:58 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Bolivian TV host charged in anti-Morales riots: Bolivian police say they have arrested a political activist and television host for allegedly inciting riots against President Evo Morales.
FORMER SEMIPALATINSK NUCLEAR TEST SITE, Kazakhstan, 9:41 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Adv19: Arcania does not exist on any map, but nuclear inspectors believe it could help save the world from catastrophe.
GENEVA, 9:29 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Larijani says Iran wants nuclear talks to continue: Iran wants to continue talks on its nuclear program if Western countries are willing to return to the negotiating table, Iran's former chief negotiator said Tuesday.
LONDON, 9:15 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
British Library buys archive of poet Ted Hughes: The British Library said Wednesday it has bought a major archive of materials by poet Ted Hughes from the writer's estate for 500,000 pounds (US$880,000).
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, 9:07 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Thai troops deployed to cope with Cambodian threat: Thailand vowed it was ready to respond militarily if attacked by Cambodia after its smaller neighbor issued an ultimatum for Thai troops to pull back from disputed border territory by midday Tuesday.
MBABANE, Swaziland, 9:05 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Swazi monarchy bans civil rights meeting: Swaziland's government banned independent civil rights groups from meeting later this week, saying Tuesday that the gathering could be destabilizing for Africa's last absolute monarchy.
BAGHDAD, 9:01 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Iraq's Kurds, Turkish delegation meet in Baghdad: Turkish officials on Tuesday pressed the president of Iraq's Kurdish enclave to crack down on the Kurdish separatists launching cross-border attacks from their Iraqi mountain sanctuaries.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, 8:56 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Sri Lankan military says 22 killed in fighting: Scattered fighting in northern Sri Lanka killed 20 rebels and two soldiers as the government pressed ahead with its offensive against the Tamil Tigers, the military said Tuesday.
THESSALONIKI, Greece, 8:54 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Greece: 2 arrested over illegal antiquities: Police in northern Greece say they have arrested two men, including a museum employee, for allegedly trying to sell dozens of illegally excavated antiquities.
LONDON, 8:47 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Britain scrapping testing of 14-year-olds: British students will have one less test to take. Education Secretary Ed Balls said Tuesday the government was scrapping its national testing of 14-year-olds in math, reading and science.
PODGORICA, Montenegro, 8:42 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Montenegro opposition: police incited violence: Montenegrin opposition leaders furious at the country's recognition of Kosovo accused the government on Tuesday of inciting violence at a protest rally in the capital.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 8:40 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
U.N.: Nearly 190,000 flee Pakistan battles: Nearly 190,000 people are reported to have fled fighting between Pakistani troops and militants near the border with Afghanistan, the United Nations said Tuesday as fresh clashes in the area killed 17 militants.
BEIJING, 8:25 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
China blames tainted ginseng injection in 3 deaths: A ginseng injection contaminated by bacteria caused the deaths of three people using the medicine to treat thrombosis and heart disease, state media reported Tuesday.
LONDON, 8:04 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Iceland stock exchange plunges on restart: Iceland's stock exchange plummeted more than 70 percent when it resumed trading after a 3-day break on Tuesday, though the index later recouped almost all those losses.
KINSHASA, Congo, 7:55 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Refugees flee Congo fighting: Heavy fighting in eastern Congo has driven at least 1,700 people from a refugee camp, the U.N. said Tuesday, and an aid group said a team of its medical workers has been trapped in a nearby hospital.
ANKARA, Turkey, 7:23 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Turkey apologizes for inmate beating death: In a rare gesture, Turkey's justice minister apologized Tuesday to the family of an inmate who was allegedly beaten to death in Istanbul and said 19 prison workers have been suspended in connection with the killing.
NEW DELHI, 7:23 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Christians denounce attacks by Hindus in India: Indian church leaders said Tuesday that Christians killed in recent clashes were “sacrificial lambs” targeted by hard-line Hindus seeking an advantage in upcoming national elections.
LONDON, 7:16 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Brown says integrity needed in banking: Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown appealed Tuesday for the restoration of integrity in the banking system, describing the return of trust as critical in creating a viable world economic recovery.
LUCKNOW, India, 6:46 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
India's Sonia Gandhi stopped from addressing rally: Tension between two of India's most powerful politicians increased Tuesday after a prominent low-caste leader prevented Sonia Gandhi, chief of the ruling Congress party, from addressing a rally in her district.
MOGADISHU, Somalia, 6:29 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Somali troops free cargo ship held for 5 days: Soldiers from a semiautonomous Somali region, their guns blazing, freed a Panama-flagged cargo ship from pirates Tuesday as other pirates failed to act on their threat to blow up an arms-laden Ukrainian ship if no ransom was paid.
BEIJING, 6:14 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
China jails Tibetan monks convicted in bomb blast: Eight Buddhist monks convicted of bombing a government building in Tibet during an anti-government uprising in March have been sentenced to prison, two of them for life, a judge said Tuesday.
BUCHAREST, Romania, 5:59 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
It's official: Ceausescu didn't stash money abroad: One of the last legends about Nicolae Ceausescu has been put to rest. The Romanian dictator didn't have any foreign bank accounts.
ROME, 5:58 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Prosecutors check Mafia threat against journalist: Anti-Mafia prosecutors said Tuesday they are investigating a reported Mafia death threat against the Italian author of “Gomorra,” the best-selling expose on the criminal underworld in Naples.
MOSCOW, 5:48 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
U.S. congressman: Russia & U.S. must cooperate: Russia and the United States must cooperate in tackling global threats despite their differences over Georgia and other issues, a key U.S. congressman said Tuesday.
CANBERRA, Australia, 5:41 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Investigator: Computer likely caused Qantas plunge: A faulty computer unit likely caused a Qantas jetliner to experience two terrifying midair plunges within minutes last week, an Australian investigator said Tuesday.
LONDON, 4:40 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Booker Prize contest pits veterans against novices: Irish writer Sebastian Barry was the bookies' favorite Tuesday in a wide-open field of finalists for the prestigious Man Booker prize for fiction.
BEIJING, 4:17 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
China, Russia unveil boundary markers: China and Russia jointly unveiled boundary markers Tuesday in a final step toward resolving a territorial dispute along their eastern border, their foreign ministries said.
TOKYO, 3:51 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Japan offers money for troubled global financials: Japan stands ready to offer money to any needed effort to inject capital into crumbling financial institutions around the world, the finance minister said Tuesday.
HANOI, Vietnam, 3:42 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Vietnam tries 2 journalists for corruption reports: Prosecutors on Tuesday sought a jail sentence of up to two and a half years for a Vietnamese journalist on trial for allegedly writing inaccurate stories about one of the country's most high-profile corruption cases.
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 3:38 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
4 ex-Bosnian Serb police arrested for war crimes: Officials say four former Bosnian Serb police officers have been arrested for allegedly having participated in the wartime execution of 200 civilians.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, 3:35 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Ethiopia: U.S.$265m needed for worsening drought: An Ethiopian minister says his country urgently needs US$265 million to feed 6.4 million people affected by drought.
BEIJING, 3:10 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
China fires 5 officials over arsenic-tainted water: Five local officials in southern China have been fired after hundreds of villagers were sickened by arsenic-contaminated drinking water, a state-run news agency said Tuesday.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip, 3:00 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Hamas locks out striking Gaza teachers: The Hamas government announced Tuesday that it will not permit thousands of striking teachers to return to their jobs, further heightening tensions with its political rivals in the West Bank.
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, 2:56 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
4 ex-Khmer Rouge rebels jailed over Briton's death: A Cambodian court sentenced four former Khmer Rouge rebels each to up to 20 years in prison Tuesday for their involvement in the murder of a British mine-clearing expert 12 years ago.
LONDON, 2:51 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Reports: Beckham staff arrested over alleged theft: British newspapers are reporting that two people who worked for soccer star David Beckham and his wife were arrested after some of the couple's possessions were spotted on an Internet auction site.
BANGKOK, Thailand, 2:37 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Thailand's S&P recalls cookies nationwide: One of Thailand's most popular bakery chains, S&P, said Tuesday it was recalling all its packaged cookies from stores nationwide after Swiss authorities said they found high concentrations of melamine in the Thai biscuits.
SYDNEY, Australia, 2:14 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
U.S. sailor charged with assaulting Sydney woman: A U.S. Navy sailor has been charged with assaulting a prostitute while on shore leave in Australia's biggest city last weekend, police and the U.S. Embassy said Tuesday.
PARIS, 2:02 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
25 detained in sweep of French housing projects: Police say they conducted a massive, early morning sweep and detained 25 people suspected of involvement in urban clashes in a town in eastern France.
NEW DELHI, 1:59 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
7 arrested in Indian widow's burning death: Police have arrested seven relatives of a 75-year-old widow for doing nothing to prevent the woman from killing herself by jumping into her husband's funeral pyre, officials said Tuesday.
KIEV, Ukraine, 1:56 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Ukraine president, PM battle over early vote: Allies of Ukraine's prime minister vowed Tuesday to block President Viktor Yushchenko's efforts to push ahead with early parliamentary elections.
MANILA, Philippines, 1:54 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
Top Philippine court rejects Muslim autonomy deal: The Philippine Supreme Court threw out on Tuesday a proposed accord to grant minority Muslims expanded autonomy after Christian protests and renewed fighting convinced the government to abandon the deal.
NEW DELHI, 1:49 a.m. Oct. 14 (AP)
48 killed in road accidents in India: A series of road accidents killed at least 48 people and injured another 64 in north and northeastern India on Tuesday, government officials and police said.
UNITED NATIONS, 6:17 p.m. Oct. 13 (AP)Dispute over participation affects Georgia talks: Talks on the Caucuses region's stability following the Georgian-Russian war have been downgraded to a “technical” session because of a dispute over participation, diplomats said Monday. JERUSALEM, 3:56 p.m. Oct. 13 (AP)
Israeli official says Livni closer to PM post: Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni's Kadima Party initialed a partial agreement Monday on bringing the Labor Party into a new governing coalition, but several issues remained to be settled before a formal pact, a Labor official said. LONDON, 2:13 p.m. Oct. 13 (AP)
UK House of Lords rejects 42-day detention plan: Britain's House of Lords rejected a controversial plan to extend the amount of time police can hold terror suspects without charge from 28 to 42 days and the government said it would abandon the proposal. CAIRO, Egypt, 2:10 p.m. Oct. 13 (AP)
Sudan to conduct its own Darfur trials: Sudan will conduct its own trials for suspects implicated in crimes in the war torn Darfur region, the country's Justice Minister said Monday, without specifying when they might take place.
