Clashes between Iraqi government forces and militants along with attacks in the capital Baghdad today killed at least 22 people and wounded dozens, officials said.
	Heavy clashes erupted in three separate areas outside the city of Tikrit, which is controlled by the Islamic State extremist group, killing 12 security forces, Shiite militiamen and civilians, and wounding 37 others, a police official said.
	He added that three suicide truck bombers attacked the security forces during the clashes.
	Militants claimed responsibility for three suicide attacks in a statement posted on a Twitter account frequently used by the extremist group.
	It said the attacks were carried out by French, Syrian and Qatari fighters, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant forums.
	The IS group controls around a third of both Iraq and neighboring Syria, where it has declared an Islamic caliphate and imposed a violent form of Shariah law.
	The group captured Tikrit, which is about 80 ..

Iraq: Clashes, attacks kill at least 22 people

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President Barack Obama asked Congress today to formally authorize military force against the Islamic State group, arguing the militants could pose a threat to the US homeland if their violent power grab goes unchecked and urging lawmakers to "show the world we are united in our resolve to counter the threat."
	The president elected on a promise to end America's wars is sending Congress a proposed joint resolution to authorize military force against the swift rise of Islamic State extremists, who are imposing violent rule across Iraq and Syria and have brazenly killed US and allied hostages in brutal online propaganda videos.
	In a five-paragraph letter to lawmakers accompanying the three-page draft resolution provided to The Associated Press, Obama said the Islamic State "poses a threat to the people and stability of Iraq, Syria and the broader Middle East and to US national security."
	"It threatens American personnel and facilities located in the region and is responsible for the ...

Obama sends Congress request for military force against IS

Some 300 migrants who tried to cross the frigid Mediterranean in open, rubber boats, were reported missing today by survivors as the UN refugee agency and other aid groups sharply criticised the new EU rescue operation as insufficient and costing lives.
	The suspected deaths add to the 29 reported earlier in the week by the Italian coast guard, which said those victims had died of hypothermia during the voyage that began over the weekend in Libya, where most smuggling operations originate.
	The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said survivors had reported that four boats had left together, without food or water, and that the boats began taking on water almost immediately.
	Some 107 people had been rescued by the Italian coast guard and a merchant ship. The agency's spokeswoman in Italy, Carlotta Sami, said the victims had been "swallowed up by the waves," the youngest a child of 12.
	The nationalities of the survivors and those missing were not immediately given, but a large ...

UN: At least 300 migrants missing in new sea tragedy

East Timor's president has chosen opposition party member Rui Maria de Araujo as the new prime minister of the half-island nation, his office announced today.
	Araujo, a former health minister, replaces former guerrilla leader Xanana Gusmao, who resigned last week ahead of an expected restructuring of the government to make it more inclusive.
	The presidential office said Araujo was picked after talks between President Taur Matan Ruak and parties with seats in Parliament. It said Araujo was nominated by Gusmao's National Congress for the Reconstruction of East Timor, which holds 30 seats in the 65-member assembly.
	"This is an honor for me to stand in front of a government based on national unity and political consensus," Araujo said after discussing the formation of the new Cabinet with the president.
	Party officials signaled earlier that the Cabinet is expected to be reduced in size from 55 to 34 ministers and would become more inclusive, with opposition members among those ...

Opposition member chosen new East Timor prime minister

Iraqi officials say mortar shells have struck a Shiite neighborhood in Baghdad, killing at least seven civilians.
	A police officer says two women are among the dead in today's attack on a commercial area in the northern Shula neighborhood. He says 19 civilians have been wounded.
	A medical official confirmed the casualty figures. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release information to media.
	It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. It bore the hallmarks of the Islamic State group, which often targets members of the Shiite denomination of Islam.
	Islamic State extremists control vast swathes of Iraq and Syria, where they have declared an Islamic caliphate.

Mortar attack on Shiite part of Baghdad kills 7, wounds 19

The UN refugee agency says as many as 300 people are now unaccounted-for in the latest tragedy among migrants crossing the frigid Mediterranean.
	The spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Carlotta Sami, says survivors have confirmed the existence of a fourth rubber boat that left Libya on Sunday.
	In a statement, the UNHCR says that means some 300 people are missing. Earlier, the agency cited survivors as saying 203 people had died in the crossing.
	The UN, Save the Children and other aid organizations are sharply criticizing the new EU border patrol operation as inadequate for saving lives.
	The EU took over Italy's Mare Nostrum operation last year, but it only patrols close to Europe's coast. Italy had patrolled the waters up to Libya's coast.
	Survivors of another deadly Mediterranean crossing reported that at least 200 migrants and possibly many more died in frigid temperatures in the open-sea crossing from Libya to Europe, the UN refugee agency said today.
	The ..

At least 300 migrants unaccounted-for in new sea tragedy: UN

The South African city of Durban was the only candidate left to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and the first in Africa, after Edmonton withdrew its bid because of economic insecurity.
     Edmonton and Commonwealth Games Canada said they will instead focus on bidding for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
     Edmonton's decision left Durban, on South Africa's east coast, as the only option for 2022. The winning city will be formally announced in September.
     Durban's bid committee said today it noted Edmonton's withdrawal, but was still following "due process" with its own bid ahead of the March 2 deadline to lodge papers. Spokesman Faizal Dawjee said Durban would meet the deadline.
     The Commonwealth Games Federation said it was confident there would still be "a great 2022 Commonwealth Games."
     "We are obviously disappointed to hear Edmonton will not be part of the host city bidding process ... We now look forward enthusiastically to working with the Durban 2022 bid team," ...

South Africa's Durban only candidate for 2022 Commonwealths

The UN refugee agency says some 200 migrants and possibly many more have died in frigid temperatures in the latest deadly Mediterranean tragedy.
	A statement from the agency said survivors coming ashore today had reported that another rubber boat was unaccounted-for, likely raising the toll.
	The UN refugee agency spokeswoman in Italy, Carlotta Sami, said at least 203 people had been "swallowed up by the waves."
	Earlier in the week, the Italian coast guard reported that at least 29 people had died from hypothermia while travelling from north Africa to Italy's coast.
	UNHCR blasted the new EU-backed rescue patrol as ineffective for saving lives. The European Union took over Mediterranean patrols after Italy phased out its robust Mare Nostrum operation, launched after 360 migrants died in 2013.

At least 200 migrants dead and possibly more off Italy:UN

Two people were killed and at least 68 were injured today in a pileup involving about 100 vehicles in foggy weather on a bridge near South Korea's Incheon International Airport, officials said.
	Seven of the injured were in serious condition, said Byeon Tae-u of the Incheon Fire and Safety Management Department. He said 18 foreigners were hurt, including seven Chinese, three Thai nationals and two each from the Philippines and Vietnam.
	Park Sang-yeoul, an official from the Incheon Seobu Police Station, said the damaged cars had been removed from the 4,400-meter (14,400-foot) cross-sea bridge on the highway from the airport to the capital, Seoul.
	He did not have the exact number of vehicles involved in the accident, but said it was about 100.
	The crash occurred in the morning in a Seoul-bound lane and was likely aggravated by thick fog and icy road conditions, Byeon said. It was not immediately known what started the pileup.
	Lee Gyeong-hoon, a 39-year-old driver whose car was ...

100-car pileup on South Korean bridge leaves 2 dead, 68 hurt

Six inmates took the warden and several other people hostage at a prison in the southern Taiwanese port city of Kaohsiung this afternoon, the official Central News Agency said.
	The six inmates convicted of burglary, murder and drug crimes were suspected to be armed although no gunshots were heard at Kaohsiung Prison, CNA said.
	Quoting a legal department official, CNA said the warden offered to be a hostage in exchange for a vice warden, who earlier volunteered with another prison official to be hostages for negotiations.
	The inmates initially took some staff members of the prison hostage, the news agency said.
	It said two people might be injured but gave no further detail.
	CNA said the inmates were demanding a vehicle that could allow them to leave. It said police were on the scene confronting the inmates.
	Police were investigating the reason for the hostage taking, CNA said.

6 inmates in southern Taiwan take prison staff hostage

German prosecutors say they will return to Italy more than 500 historic books, including original editions of works by Galileo Galilei and Nicolas Copernicus, that were seized in Munich after being stolen from Italian libraries.
	Munich prosecutors said today that the books, dating largely from the 16th and 17th centuries and estimated to be worth at least USD 2.8 million, will be handed over to Italian judicial authorities on Friday.
	The books were seized at a Munich auction house in May 2012 at the request of Naples prosecutors.
	An ongoing Italian investigation has determined that they were stolen between June 2011 and April 2012 from various Italian libraries, particularly Naples' Girolamini library.
	Authorities have determined the origin of all but one of the 543 books.

Germany returns historic books stolen from Italian libraries

A sandstorm moving through parts of the Middle East reached Israel and Lebanon today, as authorities shut down an airport in a Red Sea resort city.
	Israeli airports spokeswoman Liza Dvir said flights to and from the airport in Eilat were grounded due to the weather.
	The sandstorm also moved through Jerusalem and other parts of Israel, though the country's main international airfield, Ben Gurion Airport outside of Tel Aviv, remained open for flights.
	Israeli police said more patrols would be on hand in case of emergencies brought on by the weather.
	In Beirut, strong waves broke fences and tiles along its famed corniche overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, as the storm brought heavy winds, rain and snow to the mountains. Lebanese weather forecasters said the wind reached speeds of 100 kilometers per hour.
	Yesterday, the strong sandstorm moved through parts of Egypt, temporarily closing Cairo International Airport to incoming flights. The weather front also caused strong waves to ...

Israeli airport closes as sandstorm moves through region

Two people were killed and at least 65 were injured today in a pileup involving about 100 vehicles in foggy weather on a bridge near South Korea's Incheon International Airport, officials said.
	Seven of the injured were in serious condition, said Byeon Tae-u of the Incheon Fire and Safety Management Department. He said the number of injured could increase.
	Park Sang-yeoul, an official from the Incheon Seobu Police Station, said the damaged cars had been removed from the 4,400-meter (14,400-foot) cross-sea bridge on the highway from the airport to the capital, Seoul.
	He did not have the exact number of vehicles involved in the accident, but said it was about 100.
	The crash occurred in the morning on a Seoul-bound lane and was likely aggravated by thick fog and icy road conditions, Byeon said. It was not immediately known what started the pileup.
	Lee Gyeong-hoon, a 39-year-old driver whose car was involved in the crash, said he was driving slowly because the fog prevented him from .

100-car pileup on South Korean bridge leaves 2 dead, 65 hurt

A Philippine police chief, holding back tears, says autopsy reports showed some of his anti-terror commandos were wounded but still alive when they were shot to death at close range by Muslim insurgents in a recent clash.
	Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina told a congressional hearing tomorrow that the Muslim rebel group, which signed a peace deal with the government last year, should explain why its insurgents committed an "overkill" that left 44 of his men dead in the January 25 gunbattle.
	Espina struggled not to cry as he spoke during the nationally televised House of Representatives inquiry into the deaths of the elite policemen.
	The commander of the slain policemen stood up and openly wept over the killings in the clash that cost him his job.

Philippine police say rebels finished off wounded commandos

A man convicted of breaking into his neighbor's home in a St Louis suburb and slitting her throat 25 years ago was executed early today.
	Walter Timothy Storey was the first Missouri inmate put to death this year after a record 10 executions in 2014. His fate was sealed when the US Supreme Court refused to halt the execution over concerns about Missouri's secretive process for obtaining and using the lethal injection drug pentobarbital.
	Strapped to the gurney, Storey mouthed what appeared to be "I love you" to his witnesses and the family of the victim, Jill Frey.
	He appeared to then start singing or chanting it was impossible to tell because of the thick glass separating the execution room from the viewing area.
	Seconds after the drug was administered at 12:01 am (local time), he stopped suddenly and heaved one deep final breath. He was pronounced dead at 12:10 am (local time).
	Storey was sentenced to death three separate times in the same case. He was living with his mother in a 

Missouri man executed for killing neighbor in 1990

New Zealand had a resounding win over South Africa while Sri Lanka were beaten by Zimbabwe in surprising results from two of today's four Cricket World Cup warm-up matches.
     Cup co-host New Zealand continued their impressive recent form by beating favoured South Africa by 134 runs. Brendon McCullum made 59 and Kane Williamson 66 as New Zealand scored 331-8 in 50 overs before bowling out South Africa for 197.
     Sri Lanka's confidence took a big hit when Zimbabwe surpassed their total of 281-3 in only 45.2 overs, led by Hamilton Masakadza's unbeaten 117 from 119 balls. Sri Lanka open the tournament against New Zealand on Saturday here.
     At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, captain Michael Clarke returned from hamstring surgery to top-score for Australia against the United Arab Emirates with 64 runs as the hosts, winning the toss, scored 304-8 in their 50 overs. Aaron Finch added 61 runs while Krishna Chandran and Nasir Aziz took three wickets each for the UAE.
     Clarke, who ...

Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka, NZ over SAfrica in WCup warm-ups

The UN human rights chief said all parties in Libya have committed numerous grave human rights abuses ranging from deadly attacks on civilians to executions, abductions and torture.
	Zeid Raad al-Hussein said in a report to the UN General Assembly circulated yesterday that Libya is facing the worst political crisis and escalation of violence since longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi was overthrown in 2011 which has had a devastating effect on human rights.
	He said the country is now split between two governments, one that is internationally recognised and another backed by Islamist militias, which both claim legitimacy, "while powerful armed groups exercise effective control on the ground, committing violations of international human rights and humanitarian law with impunity."
	Zeid said throughout 2014 the UN mission in Libya and his office received reports of targeted assassinations, car bombings and beheadings, with human rights defenders, civil society activists and media ...

UN rights chief says all Libyan sides have committed abuses

Three Navy rear admirals linked to a massive Asian bribery scandal that cost the government at least USD 20 million have been reprimanded but will not face criminal charges, the Navy announced.
	Navy Secretary Ray Mabus issued secretarial letters of censure to Michael Miller, Terry Kraft and David Pimpo, a Navy statement said.
	The letters are considered career-ending reprimands. The three are seeking retirement and the letters could affect their benefits.
	The three showed "poor judgment and a failure of leadership" by improperly accepting gifts from a "prohibited source" while they were deployed on the USS Ronald Reagan in 2006-2007, the Navy said.
	One of the men also solicited gifts and two improperly endorsed a commercial business, the Navy said.
	The letters were issued "to ensure that individuals are held appropriately accountable when less-than-criminal allegations are substantiated," the statement said.
	A request through the Navy for the men to comment was not answered last .

3 Navy rear admirals reprimanded in corruption scandal

The British government says it has closed its embassy in Yemen and evacuated all its diplomatic staff amid turmoil there following Shiite rebels seizing power in the Arab world's poorest country.
	In a statement today, UK Minister for the Middle East Tobias Ellwood said all embassy staff in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, left early this morning. The statement also calls for all British nationals to "leave immediately."
	The UK decision comes after the US Embassy there closed and America evacuated its staff.
	Yemen has been in crisis for months, with Shiite Houthi rebels besieging the capital and then taking control. Yesterday, US officials said the embassy closure would not affect counterterrorism operations against al-Qaida's Yemen branch, which America views as the world's most dangerous branch of the terror group.

British Embassy in Yemen closes, evacuates staff amid chaos

A prominent Vietnamese blogger who is partially paralysed and was jailed two months ago for posting articles that oppose the Communist Party said today he was released from prison on medical parole.
	Blogger and writer Nguyen Quang Lap, 58, said he was still being investigated for allegedly spreading propaganda against the Communist government. Lap often reposts other bloggers' political and social writings critical of the government.
	In 2001, Lap suffered brain injuries in a traffic accident that paralyzed the left side of his body. He needs a came to walk and relies on family members to help with his daily needs, his wife, Ho Thi Hong, said in a letter to police after his December 6 detention that requested medical parole for her husband.
	Lap said he was released yesterday and allowed to return to his home in Ho Chi Minh City,
	"In prison, I can't help myself with daily needs, I'm guessing that is why they released me on bail but I'm still being investigated. I am not free," Lap ..

Vietnam allows partly paralyzed, jailed blogger to go home

South Korean officials say two people were killed and at least 42 were injured after a pileup involving about 100 vehicles in foggy weather on a bridge near the Incheon International Airport.
	Byeon Tae-u of the Incheon Fire and Safety Management Department said today that the number of the injured could increase as emergency workers are having trouble reaching all of the damaged cars on the 4,400-meter (14,400-foot) bridge on the highway from the airport to the capital Seoul.
	He says the accident occurred in a Seoul-bound lane and was likely aggravated by thick fog and icy road conditions.
	Kim Mun-won of the Incheon Jungbu Fire Station says that about 100 cars were involved in the pileup. It was not immediately known what started the pileup.

AP

AP

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