Middle East News

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  U.S. military deaths in Iraq at 3,616 AP -

  As of Monday, July 16, 2007, at least 3,616 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes seven military civilians. At least 2,969 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers.

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  Rice cancels visit to African nations AP - 28 minutes ago

  WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has dropped Africa entirely from an overseas trip this week to focus on Iraq and Middle East peace efforts, the State Department said Monday.

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  Pace: US troops in Iraq could rise AP - 32 minutes ago

  BAGHDAD - The U.S. military is weighing new directions for Iraq, including an even bigger troop buildup if President Bush thinks his "surge" strategy needs a further boost, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday.

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  Footage shows detained Iranian-Americans AP - 45 minutes ago

  TEHRAN, Iran - Two Iranian-Americans detained here on national security charges appeared Monday for the first time on state television, with one saying in one of the brief video clips that his foundation may have targeted Islam.

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  Bombings kill more than 80 in Iraq AP - 50 minutes ago

  BAGHDAD - A triple bombing, including a massive suicide truck blast, killed more than 80 people Monday in Kirkuk, the deadliest attack yet in the oil-rich northern city. The bloodshed reinforced concern that extremists are heading north as U.S.-led forces step up pressure around Baghdad.

Europe News

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  Russia gives firm "no" to West's Kosovo plan at U.N. Reuters - 55 minutes ago

  UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia gave a definitive "no" on Monday to a European-American draft resolution on Kosovo that would end a U.N. presence and put European representatives in charge of the Serbian province.

• Viking ship towed across North Sea AP - 1 hour, 2 minutes ago

  COPENHAGEN, Denmark - The crew of a replica Viking longship dropped plans to sail across the North Sea on Monday because of unfavorable winds and was to be towed to a group of islands north of the Scottish mainland.

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  Poland says U.S. shield a "foregone conclusion" Reuters - 2 hours, 1 minute ago

  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. missile-defense system will be built in Poland despite Russia's anger over the plans, Polish President Lech Kaczynski said on Monday after a meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush.

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  Brown's meeting with Merkel overshadowed by Russia row AFP - 2 hours, 41 minutes ago

  BERLIN (AFP) - Gordon Brown on Monday held talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in his first foreign visit as Britain's new prime minister, but the meeting was overshadowed by a gathering diplomatic storm with Russia.

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  Gunners confident Wenger will stay AFP - 2 hours, 45 minutes ago

  LONDON (AFP) - Arsenal are confident that coach Arsene Wenger will stay at the Emirates Stadium with chairman Peter Hill-Wood revealing on Monday that talks over a new contract for the Frenchman have opened.

Latin America

• Mexico president dismisses accusations AP - 9 minutes ago

  MEXICO CITY - President Felipe Calderon on Monday dismissed as "pure fiction" the allegations by a Chinese-Mexican businessman that Mexico's ruling party forced him to hide tens of millions of dollars in campaign cash at his home.

• Chavez: Catholic Church losing backing AP - 11 minutes ago

  CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez criticized Venezuela's Roman Catholic leaders on Monday for condemning his plans to rewrite the constitution, saying the church is losing support in this politically divided nation because priests are meddling in politics.

• Explosion damages UK embassy in Chile AP - Mon Jul 16, 3:42 AM ET

  LONDON - A small explosion outside the British Embassy in Santiago, Chile caused minor damage but no casualties, the Foreign Office said Monday.

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  Aristide supporters march in Haiti AP - Sun Jul 15, 8:03 PM ET

  PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Supporters of exiled former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide marched through Haiti's capital on Sunday, demanding the ousted leader's return and accusing President Rene Preval of turning his back on his one-time ally.

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  Advocates seek Puerto Rico cockfight ban AP - Sun Jul 15, 11:39 AM ET

  ISLA VERDE, Puerto Rico - With cockfighting about to lose its last bastion in the United States, animal rights activists are training their sights on Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory where the blood sport is both beloved tradition and big business.

Africa News

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  Libya postpones decision on medics Reuters - 2 hours, 38 minutes ago

  TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libya's top judiciary body has put off until Tuesday a ruling on the fate of six foreign medics sentenced to death for infecting Libyan children with HIV.

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  Alleged killers of DRC journalist claim they were hired AFP - 2 hours, 39 minutes ago

  BUKAVU, DRCongo (AFP) - Two people told a court here Monday that they were hired to kill a Congolese journalist, who was murdered last month, by the two witnesses to the crime.

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  Cameras along as Zimbabwe bishop accused AP - 2 hours, 52 minutes ago

  HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwean Roman Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube was named in an adultery case Monday in what his lawyer called an "orchestrated attempt" to embarrass the outspoken government critic.

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  Libyan council postpones decision on foreign medics Reuters - Mon Jul 16, 4:26 PM ET

  TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libya's top judiciary body has put off until Tuesday a decision on the fate of six foreign medics sentenced to death for infecting Libyan children with

• 'Apartheid minister' to stand trial AP - Mon Jul 16, 4:06 PM ET

  JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - A former police minister whose name is synonymous with the brutal repression of apartheid's political opponents is to stand trial for the poisoning of a high-ranking government official, prosecutors said Monday.

Asia News

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  Afghan governor fired after comments AP - 16 minutes ago

  KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghanistan's government fired a provincial governor days after he said Afghans are distancing themselves from President Hamid Karzai and that a "vacuum of authority" is allowing the Taliban, al-Qaida and other groups to gain power.

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  Japan quake victims take shelter Reuters - 41 minutes ago

  KASHIWAZAKI, Japan (Reuters) - More than 10,000 people sheltered in evacuation centers on Tuesday in Japan's northwest after a strong earthquake flattened hundreds of houses, killing at least nine people and injuring more than 900.

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  Japan quake causes 9 deaths, nuke leak AP - 47 minutes ago

  KASHIWAZAKI, Japan - A strong earthquake shook Japan's northwest coast Monday, setting off a fire at the world's most powerful nuclear power plant and causing a reactor to spill radioactive water into the sea — an accident not reported to the public for hours.

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  US, Japanese search for Japanese war dead in Alaska AFP - 1 hour, 11 minutes ago

  WASHINGTON (AFP) - US and Japanese specialists have begun a search for clues to the missing remains of Japanese soldiers killed on a remote island in the Aleutians in World War II's only ground combat in North America, the Pentagon said Monday.

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  Pakistan scrambles to save tribal accord AP - 2 hours, 2 minutes ago

  ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistani officials struggled Monday to salvage a peace deal meant to contain militants near the Afghan border and urged tribal elders to halt violence surging across the northwest.

Canada

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  Canada steps into void left by U.S.-Colombia rift Reuters - Mon Jul 16, 4:29 PM ET

  BOGOTA (Reuters) - Canada started trade talks with Colombia on Monday and pledged full support for President Alvaro Uribe, who has seen his key bilateral relationship with the United States bog down in a scandal over human rights.

• Canada sets C$1.4 billion aid for Quebec's Cree Reuters - 2 hours, 35 minutes ago

  MONTREAL (Reuters) - The Canadian government agreed on Monday to disburse C$1.4 billion ($1.3 billion) in aid over 20 years to Quebec's 15,000 Cree to improve health, security and other services for the native Indians.

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  Inflation rate expected to climb in June Reuters - Mon Jul 16, 1:32 PM ET

  OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's annual inflation rate is set to edge higher in June due to the effects of a drop in gasoline prices a year ago, analysts said on Monday, forecasting only marginal price hikes in the month.

• Thieves strip Canadian berry bushes, baffle police Reuters - Mon Jul 16, 11:56 AM ET

  TORONTO (Reuters) - Thieves in central Canada stripped an orchard of some 200 pounds (90 kilograms) of ripe Saskatoonberries, leaving police and farmers baffled at the work needed for a relatively low-price haul.

• Canada dollar hits 96 cents for first time since 1977 Reuters - 2 hours, 31 minutes ago

  TORONTO (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar stormed to 96 U.S. cents for the first time in 30 years on Monday as higher oil prices triggered a slew of automatic buy orders.

Australia/Antarctica News

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  BHP tightlipped on Alcoa takeover plans AFP - Mon Jul 16, 3:57 AM ET

  SYDNEY (AFP) - The world's biggest miner, BHP Billiton, was tightlipped Monday on reports that it is considering making a 50 billion US dollar takeover bid for US aluminium giant Alcoa Inc.

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  Haneef to stay in custody in Australia AP - Mon Jul 16, 3:42 AM ET

  BRISBANE, Australia - The Australian government said Monday it would detain a doctor accused of supporting the foiled car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow on immigration violations, overriding a magistrate's order granting him bail.

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  Aboriginal art industry booming in outback Reuters - Sun Jul 15, 10:28 PM ET

  ALICE SPRINGS, Australia (Reuters) - Aboriginal art in Australia is booming and improving the lives of poor black communities, but unscrupulous dealers are ripping off artists and fraud from China and India is undermining the industry.

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  US, China to get unique climate change chance at summit: Australia AFP - Sun Jul 15, 3:59 AM ET

  SYDNEY (AFP) - The world's two biggest polluters, the US and China, will have an unprecedented chance to thrash out action on climate change at an upcoming summit in Australia, Prime Minister John Howard said Sunday.

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  Australia defends tough anti-terror stance over Indian medic Reuters - Sun Jul 15, 3:29 AM ET

  MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister John Howard and senior ministers rallied to defend Australia's tough anti-terrorism stance on Sunday, saying laws by which a man linked to the failed UK bombings was held for 12 days before being charged were essential to protect its citizens.

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  2,400-year-old golden mask unearthed AP - Mon Jul 16, 1:05 PM ET

  SOFIA, Bulgaria - A 2,400-year-old golden mask that once belonged to a Thracian king was unearthed in a timber-lined tomb in southeastern Bulgaria, archaeologists said Monday.

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  Japan quake causes 9 deaths, nuke leak AP - 47 minutes ago

  KASHIWAZAKI, Japan - A strong earthquake shook Japan's northwest coast Monday, setting off a fire at the world's most powerful nuclear power plant and causing a reactor to spill radioactive water into the sea — an accident not reported to the public for hours.

• Many detainees in Iraq are Saudi AP - Mon Jul 16, 1:17 PM ET

  BAGHDAD - Nearly half of the foreign detainees held in Iraq are Saudi citizens, and lists of their names were given to Saudi officials during a recent visit by an Iraqi delegation, national security adviser Mouwaffak al-Rubaie said in remarks aired Monday.

• Baby panther adopted by dog AP - Sun Jul 15, 6:43 PM ET

  BELGRADE, Serbia - Man's best friend helped save this tiny cat.

• Japan quake victims take shelter Reuters - 41 minutes ago

  KASHIWAZAKI, Japan (Reuters) - More than 10,000 people sheltered in evacuation centers on Tuesday in Japan's northwest after a strong earthquake flattened hundreds of houses, killing at least nine people and injuring more than 900.