The Wires

AP’s Top Headlines

1. Obama takes health care overhaul push to Missouri - WASHINGTON (AP) -- The nation's top health official challenged insurers on Wednesday to join President Barack Obama's push to overhaul the medical system, arguing that if the effort fails it will hurt them as well as other Americans....
2. US-Israel row highlights quandary over settlements - RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) -- An open diplomatic row during the visit of Vice President Joe Biden has shined a spotlight on the U.S. failure to rein in Israeli settlement ambitions and deepened Palestinian suspicions that the United States is too weak to broker a deal....
3. 'Lost Boys' actor Corey Haim dead in Calif. at 38 - LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Corey Haim, a 1980s teen heartthrob whose career was blighted by drug abuse, has died. He was 38. Haim died early Wednesday at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Los Angeles County coroner's Lt. Cheryl MacWillie said....
4. Female WWII aviators honored with gold medal - WASHINGTON (AP) -- They flew planes during World War II but weren't considered "real" military pilots. No flags were draped over their coffins when they died on duty. And when their service ended, they had to pay their own bus fare home....
5. Church abuse scandal reaches pope's brother - VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Church abuse scandals in Germany have reached the older brother of Pope Benedict XVI and are creeping ever closer to the pontiff himself....
6. Boyfriend: 'Jihad Jane' suspect wasn't religious - PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The self-dubbed "Jihad Jane" who thought her blond, all-American profile would help mask her plan to kill a Swedish cartoonist is a rare case of a U.S. woman inciting foreign terrorism and shows the latest evolution of the global threat, authorities say....
7. Senate passes jobless aid, business tax breaks - WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate voted Wednesday to extend a host of soon-to-expire elements of last year's economic stimulus measure, including help for the jobless and money to help financially strapped states pay for health care for the poor....
8. Swedish artist has no regrets over prophet drawing - STOCKHOLM (AP) -- The point of a caricature depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a dog was to show that artistic freedom allows mockery of all religions, including the most sacred symbols of Islam, the Swedish artist who created it said Wednesday....
9. Midnight knitter pulls the wool over NJ shore town - WEST CAPE MAY, N.J. (AP) -- Someone is spinning quite a yarn over one New Jersey shore town. An unknown person dubbed The Midnight Knitter by West Cape May residents is covering tree branches and lamp poles with little sweaters under cover of darkness....
10. Garciaparra rejoins Red Sox for day, then retires - FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -- Nomar Garciaparra rejoined the Red Sox for one day and then retired, ending a 14-year career in which he won two batting titles with Boston and was once a beloved player in the city....

US Top Headlines

1. Palm Inc. teeters in crowded smart phone market - SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Last year, Palm thought it had all the pieces for a turnaround in the market it pioneered: A new CEO known for making the iPod a household name, a sleek new smart phone called the Pre and fresh, intuitive operating software....
2. New national math, English standards drafted - SEATTLE (AP) -- Math and English instruction in the United States moved a step closer to uniform - and more rigorous - standards Wednesday as draft new national guidelines were released....
3. Boyfriend: 'Jihad Jane' suspect wasn't religious - PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The self-dubbed "Jihad Jane" who thought her blond, all-American profile would help mask her plan to kill a Swedish cartoonist is a rare case of a U.S. woman inciting foreign terrorism and shows the latest evolution of the global threat, authorities say....
4. CDC uses shopper-card data to trace salmonella - CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- As they scrambled recently to trace the source of a salmonella outbreak that has sickened hundreds around the country, investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention successfully used a new tool for the first time - the shopper cards that millions of Americans swipe every time they buy groceries....
5. Study: Law officers struggle to readjust after war - MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Many law enforcement officers called up to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan are finding it difficult to readjust to their jobs once home, bringing back heightened survival instincts that may make them quicker to use force and showing less patience toward the people they serve....
6. Check on Ohio State gunman found no criminal past - COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio State University says a background check on a janitor who shot two supervisors didn't reveal a criminal record, even though he had spent five years in prison....
7. Families: 3 Americans detained in Iran call home - MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Cindy Hickey had rehearsed what she would say to her son when she finally got to talk to him months after he was detained in Iran. When the time came, the conversation lasted only about a minute, she said, "so it was hard to say a lot."...
8. Calif. jury recommends death for serial killer - SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) -- It was 2005 when Bruce Barcomb received the call he'd been awaiting for nearly three decades: Police had finally identified the man who raped and murdered his little sister in a remote canyon on a dark night in 1977....
9. Endangered listing eyed for US loggerhead turtles - BOSTON (AP) -- The federal government has recommended an endangered-species listing for loggerhead turtles in U.S. waters, a decision that could have big implications for the fishing industry....
10. Bad blood detailed in Maine 'lobster wars' trial - ROCKLAND, Maine (AP) -- Even under the rough-and-tumble rules of the sea that Maine lobstermen live by, staring down the barrel of a .12-gauge shotgun is extreme....

Technology News

1. Palm Inc. teeters in crowded smart phone market - SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Last year, Palm thought it had all the pieces for a turnaround in the market it pioneered: A new CEO known for making the iPod a household name, a sleek new smart phone called the Pre and fresh, intuitive operating software....
2. Global agency reconsiders `.xxx' for porn sites - NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- A global Internet oversight agency is reopening discussions about whether to create a ".xxx" domain name as an online red-light district where porn sites can set up shop away from the wandering eyes of children and teenagers....
3. OnLive game streaming service to start in June - NEW YORK (AP) -- In an industry first, a new gaming service will start allowing people to "stream" popular high-end games such as "Assassin's Creed II" over the Internet in June, using a mechanism similar to watching TV shows or listening to music online....
4. MySpace outlines makeover after exec shake up - LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Long ago lapped by Facebook in popularity and with fast-growing Twitter on its tail, MySpace is planning a series of updates over the next months that will link its users' posts to the other social networking sites more easily and carve out its niche as an entertainment hub more clearly....
5. Google to digitize old books from Rome, Florence - ROME (AP) -- Google said Wednesday it will scan up to 1 million old books in national libraries in Rome and Florence, including works by astronomer Galileo Galilei, in what's being described as the first deal of its kind....
6. Panasonic's first 3-D TV set in $2,900 package - NEW YORK (AP) -- Panasonic Corp. on Wednesday revealed the price for its first 3-D TV set, confirming that $3,000 is about what it takes to be among the first to watch 3-D movies in the home....
7. Samsung, Panasonic start selling 3-D TVs this week - NEW YORK (AP) -- Want to be the first one on your block with a 3-D television? It will cost you about $3,000....
8. Google opens Web store for business applications - SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Google Inc. will sell the online services of other business software makers in an effort to fill its own product gaps and persuade more companies to rely on applications piped over the Internet....
9. Google adds bike lane with latest mapping feature - MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) -- Google Inc. is adding a bike lane with its latest online mapping option....
10. On latest guitar game, players strum real strings - NEW YORK (AP) -- An upcoming musical video game lets players strum a real six-string electric guitar instead of tapping buttons on a fake instrument....

Russia Headlines

1. Main news of March 10 - A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours
   
   
   
2. EU welcomes Georgia's new South Ossetia, Abkhazia policy - The European Union welcomes Georgia's new policy on South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the EU foreign affairs chief said on Wednesday.
   
   
   
3. French leader pledges to develop cooperation with Armenia - France will develop cooperation with Armenia in all spheres, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said at a meeting in Paris on Wednesday with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan.
   
   
   
4. Japanese woman graduates from school at age of 91 - A 91-year-old woman has graduated from evening school in southern Japan, the daily Mainichi Simbun paper reported on Wednesday.
5. Japanese woman graduates from school at age of 91 - A 91-year-old woman has graduated from evening school in southern Japan, the daily Mainichi Simbun paper reported on Wednesday.
   
   
   
6. EU condemns Israel's East Jerusalem construction plans - The European Union condemns Israel's plans to build 1,600 housing units in East Jerusalem and calls on the Jewish state to reverse the decision, the EU foreign affairs chief said on Wednesday.
   
   
   
7. Patriotism beats special effects - The results of the 82nd Academy Awards ceremony showed that patriotic cinema is more valued in the U.S. today than innovative cinema, even innovative cinema that is much more successful at the box office.
   
   
   
8. Abbas urges Israel to cease construction in Palestinian territories - Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas called on Israel on Wednesday to abandon plans to build new settlements in the West Bank.
   
   
   
9. United Russia says too early to put Putin forward for 2012 polls - It is too early to discuss nominating Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as a candidate in the 2012 presidential polls, a top United Russia official said on Wednesday.
   
   
   
10. Minister tells Russian police not to use private cars for roadblocks - Russian Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev said on Wednesday that it was unacceptable for traffic police to force owners of private cars to use their vehicles to form roadblocks.
    
    
    

GlobalSecurity.org

1. 03/04/10 2nd MEB News Briefing from Afghanistan - No description
2. Former British Intelligence Chief Says US Hid Torture Details - The former head of Britain's domestic intelligence service, MI5, has accused the United States of concealing its mistreatment of terror suspects.
3. Bali Bombing Suspect Killed in Java Raid - Indonesian police confirm that they have killed one of the country's most wanted terrorism suspects. Dulmatin was allegedly an al-Qaeda-trained bomb-maker who played a role in the Bali bombing in 2002.
4. Kabul Stuck In Between U.S., Iranian 'Double Game' Accusations - U.S. and Iranian officials have taken advantage of their time in Afghanistan recently to trade mutual accusations of duplicity in the country.
5. Ahmadinejad Uses Afghan Visit To Lambast Kabul's Western Allies - Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad has used a visit to Afghanistan to lambast Kabul's Western allies, particularly the United States, saying Washington -- not Tehran -- was playing a "double game" in the country. not Tehran -- was playing a "double game" in the country. was playing a "double game" in the country.
6. Ahmadinejad: US Forces Cannot Bring Peace to Afghanistan - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is in Afghanistan, where he met with President Hamid Karzai and again sharply criticized the U.S. mission to stabilize the country.
7. Gates: US Forces in Afghanistan May Speed Up Security Handover - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says U.S. forces in Afghanistan may start handing over security responsibilities to Afghan authorities before the July 2011 target date.
8. Gates Visits Afghan Army Training Center - For the last stop in his visit to Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates opted to take a first-hand look at the Afghan National Army training center here.
9. Militants Kill 6 Aid Workers in Pakistan's Northwest - Pakistani police say militants have attacked the office of a Christian aid group in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, killing six people and wounding several others.
10. Hospital Ship USNS Comfort Completes Important Relief Mission in Haiti - Hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) completed its mission and will depart the Joint Task Force-Haiti area of operations March 10.

Somalia Headlines

1. Mastermind of U.S. Embassy Attacks Takes over Militia Group - Reports - The man who masterminded the 1998 terrorist attacks on US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam is believed to have taken over the leadership of al-Shabaab in war-torn Somalia, Kenyan counter-terrorism officials say.
2. TFP Lawmakers Attend Puntland Government Meeting - Several Somali lawmakers serving the Transitional federal parliament on Monday attended the weekly Puntland government meeting in the administrative capital of Garowe.
3. Government Soldiers Fight, Kill Three People in Mogadishu - At least three people have been killed and 4 others were wounded after government soldiers exchanged fun fire at Mekka Al-mukarama street in Mogadishu, witnesses told Shabelle radio on Tuesday.
4. Senior Islamist Guerrilla Assassinated in Mogadishu - A Hizbul Islam official called Bare Ali Bare was on Tuesday gunned down by unknown assailants in Mogadishu's Bakara Market, a stronghold for Somali rebel fighters.
5. Poverty Forces Children to the Streets - A long civil war, frequent droughts, unemployment and high food prices have led to an increase in the number of street children in Bosasso, the commercial capital of Somalia's self-declared autonomous region of Puntland, with NGOs and government officials calling for urgent steps to resolve the problem.
6. Too Many Patients, One Mental Health Facility - The number of people seeking mental health treatment has increased in Bosasso, the commercial capital of Somalia's autonomous region of Puntland, despite the existence of only one small health unit, officials said.
7. Man Arrested in Country Charged in U.S With Assisting Terror Group - A man whom US prosecutors say received bomb-making training in Somalia from the Islamist militant group Al Shabaab has been brought to New York to face charges, the US Attorney's office said yesterday.
8. Central Govt Prepares Major Assault on Rebels - Several thousand troops -- some said to have been trained in Kenya -- have been assembled in preparation for a major assault on Somalia's al Shabaab militia which could start within weeks.
9. Boqore Says Parliament Knows Nothing About the Trip of About Ten MPs to Puntland - Osman Elmi Boqore, the deputy speaker of the transitional parliamentarians of Somalia has said on Tuesday that they knew nothing about the trip of 10 Somali MPs who reached in Puntland.
10. Puntland Explains Operations Conducted in Galka'o Town - The regional administration of Puntland has explained operations carried out by the police forces of the region and captured more people in north of Galka'o town in Mudug region, officials said on Tuesday.

North Korea Headlines

1. China given access to Sea of Japan - China has been given direct access to the Sea of Japan for the first time since the 19th century, thanks to a lease deal with North Korea.
2. Christian 'Goal Ceremony' Irks Buddhists - By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Christian and Buddhist communities are at odds over whether ceremonial gestures during sports matches should be allowed. The debate was ignited as the Jogye Order...
3. WSJ Reporter Regrets Swearing at Gov’t Officials - By Lee Hyo-sik Staff Reporter Wall Street Journal (WSJ) Seoul correspondent Evan Ramstad said Wednesday that he regrets swearing at a senior government official after a press conference two days a...
4. Smartphones Bypass Korea-Specific Rules - By Kim Tong-hyung Staff Reporter The government intends to impose rules on Internet users, but these attempts could be rendered irrelevant as the Web goes mobile. Since last year, Korean users ...
5. LG Launches Its First Android Smartphone - By Kim Yoo-chul Staff Reporter LG Electronics has introduced its first Android-based smartphone, "Andro-1," for KT customers. LG spokesman Yoon Won-il said the Andro-1 will lay the groundwork f...
6. [HS] Online Electric Car Debuts - By Kwon Mee-yoo Staff Reporter The world's first On-Line Electric Vehicle (OLEV) debuted Tuesday at the Seoul Zoo in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. Seoul City decided to introduce the OLEV at the...
7. 'Bojagi' Tradition Reborn as 'Bobos' in US - By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter It only takes one glance at the zebra prints, bright floral patterns and polka dot fabrics of Bobo Wrapping Scarf Company to know that these are not your gra...
8. N. Korea development bank holds 1st board meeting+ - BEIJING, March 10 (AP) - (Kyodo)—North Korea's State Development Bank held the first meeting of its board of directors Wednesday in Pyongyang, the North's Korean Central News Agency reported. ...
9. Suspected Murderer of School Kid Caught - Kim Kil-tae, the chief suspect in the kidnapping, rape and murder of a 13-year-old middle school girl, is escorted by plainclothes policemen to the Sasang Police Station in Busan, Wedensday, after bei...
10. President Lee Myungbak, accompanied by first lady ... - Air Force commissioning ceremony: President Lee Myungbak, accompanied by first lady Kim Yoon-ok, shakes hands with a graduating cadet of the Air Force Academy in Cheongwon-gun, North Chungcheong Provi...