AP - An anti-apartheid activist was elected South Africa's president on Thursday, assuming what many believe will be a brief caretaker role after Thabo Mbeki was ousted in a power struggle within the ruling party.
AP - Pakistani troops fired at American reconnaissance helicopters patrolling the Afghan-Pakistan border Thursday, heightening tensions as the U.S. steps up cross-border operations in a region known as a haven for Taliban and al-Qaida militants. Pakistan's president said only "flares" were fired.
AP - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is visiting Washington to rally support in Congress for a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement reached long ago with the Bush administration.
AFP - At least 12 people were killed and 43 injured Wednesday when a bus overturned in the southern Moroccan province of Taroudannt, the Moroccan news agency Map reported.
AP - Mediation by South American leaders is having a positive influence on Bolivia's political crisis between the central government and restive eastern provinces demanding greater autonomy, Bolivian President Evo Morales said Wednesday. -- read full article
Reuters - A popular Turkish transsexual singer who infuriated the country's powerful armed forces by questioning a military campaign against Kurdish separatists told a court on Wednesday she would rather die than be silent. Bulent Ersoy is on trial on charges of "turning the people against military service" in a case that has raised concerns about free speech in the European Union candidate, where criticising the armed forces is taboo. -- read full article
AP - Former trade unionist and freedom fighter Kgalema Motlanthe becomes South Africa's president Thursday in an atmosphere tense with fears of political and economic crisis precipitated by the rude ouster of his predecessor. -- read full article
AP - Food recalls expanded in Europe and Asia Thursday as an industrial chemical linked to the deaths of four babies turned up in candies and other Chinese-made exports that were quickly pulled from store shelves.
AP - As the crowd marching through the streets of Myanmar's biggest city swelled to 100,000, the question wasn't what did they want, but when would the government crack down. -- read full article
AP - Zimbabwe's president is only four Cabinet posts away from carrying out a power-sharing agreement with the opposition, he said in an interview ahead of his Thursday address to the U.N. General Assembly.
AP - Pakistan's new president said he was trying to convince his country to support the war against Islamic extremists, after a group that claimed responsibility for the Marriott Hotel bombing threatened more attacks.
AFP - Pakistan's army said Wednesday it was investigating the crash of a suspected unmanned US spy plane near the Afghan border amid claims by tribesmen they had shot it down.
Reuters - South Africa's ruling African National Congress is not splitting following the resignation of President Thabo Mbeki and almost a third of the cabinet, one of the outgoing ministers said on Wednesday. -- read full article
