AFP - Anglo-Dutch energy giant Royal Dutch Shell has agreed to a joint venture deal worth up to four billion dollars (2.8 billion euros) to capture gas in Iraq, the Financial Times said Tuesday.

AP - Nine people died in shelters in this marooned city desperate for relief supplies, even as waters from Hurricane Ike receded and a U.S. Navy ship dispatched amphibious boats to deliver food.

AP - Tamil Tiger rebels launched an air and ground assault on a military complex in northern Sri Lanka early Tuesday, the military said. Eleven troops, one civilian and 10 rebels were killed.

AP - The widower of assassinated former Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto took office as the country's new president Tuesday, facing immediate pressure to crack down on Islamic militants and address daunting economic problems.

AP - Hurricane Ike roared toward Cuba's densely populated capital of fragile historic buildings after forcing 1.2 million people to evacuate, killing at least four and ravaging homes elsewhere on the island nation.

Reuters - Missiles fired by U.S. drones killed 23 people, mostly relatives of a Taliban commander close to Osama bin Laden, in a region of Pakistan near the Afghan border on Monday, witnesses and intelligence officials said.

Reuters - South African President Thabo Mbeki met with Zimbabwe's rival parties on Monday, amid growing doubts over his chances of securing a power-sharing deal to end the political crisis.

AP - Al-Qaida marked the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks with an hour and a half video message Monday summarizing the state of jihad, or holy war, around the world and slamming Iran for collaborating with the United States.

AFP - Newcastle assistant manager Terry McDermott and reserve team coach Adam Sadler have both left the Premier League club following the departure last week of manager Kevin Keegan.

AP - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev pledged Monday to withdraw Russian troops from key areas of Georgia after 200 European Union monitors are deployed later this month.

AP - The bodies of at least 10 children and many more adults covered in blankets and white shrouds appear in videos obtained by The Associated Press on Monday, lending weight to Afghan and U.N. allegations that a U.S.-led raid last month killed more civilians than the U.S. reported.

AP - Three men were convicted Monday of conspiracy to murder in a terrorist bombing campaign, but the jury could not reach a verdict on allegations they plotted to use liquid explosives to down trans-Atlantic airliners.

AP - Lt. Christopher Hanes knew something was wrong as soon as he stepped into the Friends bakery. The oven was unused, the water tank was empty and a large concrete bin was full of dirt that the two employees claimed was used to cool cakes.