Thursday, March 15, 2012

WORLD at 0400 GMT

NEW THIS DIGEST:

JAPAN-EARTHQUAKE. Troops launch new search for Japan tsunami dead

LIBYA. Libyan rebels face military surge on key outpost

SYRIA. Syrian rights group says funeral comes under fire

EGYPT. Anger flares at Egypt army for brutal protest raid

NETHERLANDS-MALL SHOOTING. 7 killed, 15 wounded in Dutch mall shooting

ICELAND-REFERENDUM. Early results: Iceland rejects Icesave debt deal

BRITAIN-PHONE HACKING. Sienna Miller: still suing over tabloid phone hack

NEUTRAL NO MORE. Cold War neutrals now taking sides, timidly

TOP STORIES:

JAPAN-EARTHQUAKE

TOKYO — The Japanese and U.S. militaries launch another all-out search …

Canada, US to meet for gold medal in men's hockey

Neighborhood rivals Canada and the United States will meet Sunday for the gold medal in men's hockey, the home favorite against the surprise top seed looking for its first Olympic title since the Miracle on Ice in 1980.

Canada advanced Friday with a 3-2 win over Slovakia in the semifinals, while the Americans routed Finland 6-1.

Sunday's game will be rematch of the 2002 Salt Lake City gold medal game, won 5-2 by Canada. It's also a rematch of last Sunday's stunning 5-3 win by the U.S. in round-robin play, a result that nearly derailed the Canadians from the mission that the entire country feels must be accomplished _ winning the gold medal of the national …

Bomb blasts rock Latvian capital

Caption …

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Mountain bike course for London 2012 completed

HADLEIGH, England (AP) — The mountain bike course for the 2012 London Olympics has been completed, and Britain's medal hopefuls have tested it for the first time.

Liam Killeen joined teammates David Fletcher, Kenta Gallagher and Lily Matthews on Wednesday to try out the 5-kilometer (3-mile) course in southeast Essex.

London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe says it is "challenging with multiple …

Formula OneMalaysian GP Results

Results Sunday from the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix at the 5.543-kilometer (3.444-mile) Sepang circuit (with driver, nationality, car, laps completed, time and winner's average speed):

1. Jenson Button, England, Brawn GP, 31, 55 minutes, 30.622 seconds, 185.730 kph (115.407 mph).

2. Nick Heidfeld, Germany, BMW, 31, 55:53.344.

3. Timo Glock, Germany, Toyota, 31, 55:54.135.

4. Jarno Trulli, Italy, Toyota, 31, 56:16.795.

5. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn GP, 31, 56:17.982.

6. Mark Webber, Australia, Red Bull, 31, 56:22.955.

7. Lewis Hamilton, England, McLaren, 31, 56:31.355.

8. Nico Rosberg, …

Seen & Heard

Despite the chilly blast of weather, music organisations areworking hard for their winter concerts.

This Saturday, December 11, in Chelmsford, the Chelmsford Singersconducted by Peter Nardone perform works by Handel. The concerttakes place in Chelmsford Cathedral at 7.30pm and tickets for thecentre block cost Pounds 15 (side aisles, Pounds 12 with Pounds 10concessions).

Earlier in the day, some of the singers with whom I am associatedjoin forces in something very new, a concert in the atrium of thenew Braintree Community Hospital.

The one-hour Carols Round the Tree starts at 4pm and admission isfree (after all, there are no outpatient clinics that …

Armenian Prime Minister Dies at 55

YEREVAN, Armenia - Prime Minister Andranik Margarian died Sunday of heart failure, government spokeswoman Meri Arutunian said. He was 55.

Margarian, educated as computer specialist, became active in opposition to the Soviet Union in the 1970s and was imprisoned for two years in that …