National World

First-place teams defeated in chess round 9

The mighty were brought low as the first-place teams in both the open and women's divisions fell in round nine on Saturday. In the open division, Israel played the role of David, knocking off Armenia 2.5-1.5. On the women's side, Serbia edged China 2.5-1.5.

Israelis and Palestinians duel across Gaza border

Israeli and Palestinian officials say the two sides traded fire across the Gaza border, but neither reported casualties.

Mexico: no leaks from Interpol office to cartels

Mexican prosecutors have assured Interpol that no sensitive information from the international police agency's database on criminals and terrorists was leaked to drug cartels, officials said Saturday.

Iraq: Iranian detained by US has been released

An Iranian detained by U.S. forces at the Baghdad airport has been released, the Iraqi government said Saturday.

Radio: Litvinenko suspect says he could go to UK

The man widely regarded as the top suspect in the radiation killing of Alexander Litvinenko in London said Saturday he is ready to go to Britain to try to persuade authorities to step up the investigation, a Russian radio station reported.

4 dead in Colombia volcano eruption

Authorities say at least four people have died in landslides triggered by a volcanic eruption in southwestern Colombia.

Bolivian police occupy American-owned ranch

Police and government land inspectors have occupied a ranch owned by a U.S. man who has resisted President Evo Morales' plans to redistribute idle land to the country's poor.

For Congo rebels, winning hearts, minds not easy

Surrounded by insurgent fighters, the bespectacled leader of Congo's rebels held his first public rally Saturday in newly conquered territory, telling the few thousand people who showed up: "Do not be afraid."

Abbas calls on Obama to implement Arab peace plan

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday urged Barack Obama to get involved in Mideast peacemaking efforts immediately after becoming the U.S. president in January.

Israel: Settlers to be evicted from Hebron house

Israel will remove Jewish settlers who are holed up in a disputed house in this Palestinian city in violation of a Supreme Court eviction order, Israel's deputy defense minister said Saturday.

Volcano erupts in Nicaragua with small quakes

Nicaragua's San Cristobal volcano is spewing ash and gas, provoking a shudder of small earthquakes.

Sudanese opposition leader killed in car crash

The secretary general of a Sudanese opposition party was killed in a car crash Saturday on a highway outside the capital, dealing a blow to the party as it prepares for elections expected next year.

Hezbollah TV rejects German ban as unjust

The director of Hezbollah's satellite TV station says a German ban on the network violates international laws protecting media freedom.

To save adopted girl, Calif. couple gives her up

Jennifer and Todd Hemsley had to give up their child to save her.

Economy, not rights, rules the new China-US world

As a dangerous confrontation flared between China and Taiwan in 1996, Bill Clinton deployed the Seventh Fleet to deter the two rivals from going to war. Five years later, when a U.S. spy plane collided with a Chinese fighter, George W. Bush faced a prolonged international crisis. Meanwhile, human rights and democracy in China were a perennial hot-button issue.

Strong quake hits waters off western Indonesia

A powerful earthquake struck the waters off western Indonesia late Saturday, but it did not trigger a tsunami and there were no initial reports of injuries or damage.

Rome's chaos and crime meets its would-be Giuliani

Gianni Alemanno is keeping his law-and-order promises, sweeping prostitutes off streets, arming traffic cops and pushing for immigrants who commit crimes to be deported.

Iran raises profile in Latin America

The foremen bark out instructions in broken Spanish, saying "aqui" and "mas" as they direct crews to lay water pipes and smooth out cement. But on their lunch break, they switch into Farsi - the language of Iran.

To save adopted girl, Calif. couple gives her up

Jennifer and Todd Hemsley had to give up their child to save her.

Man tells Japanese police he stabbed bureaucrat

A man claiming to have fatally stabbed a former Japanese health official in a high-profile case that police believe is linked to the loss of millions of pension records turned himself in to authorities, police said Saturday.

Iraqi lawmakers vote on US security pact Wednesday

The Iraqi parliament will vote Wednesday on a pact that would allow American troops to stay in Iraq for three more years, but the government's hopes of winning a wide margin of approval to ensure the deal's legitimacy appeared to be fading.