Afghanistan

Bomb kills 8 at crowded event

A suicide bomb exploded in crowds at a traditional horseback game of buzkashi in northern Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing at least eight people, police said. Among the dead were the district police chief and the father and brother of the Speaker in the national Parliament, the police chief of Kunduz province Abdul Khalil Andarabi said.

Venezuela

Chavez unlikely to be embalmed

Venezuela's acting president said on Wednesday that it is highly unlikely Hugo Chavez will be embalmed for permanent viewing because the decision to do so was made too late and the socialist leader's body was not properly prepared in time. "The decision should have been made much earlier," Nicolas Maduro said during a speech at a government-run book fair.

United States

Baby survives mom's fatal fall

A woman clutching her baby son in her arms plunged eight stories out of a New York City apartment window to her death in an apparent suicide on Wednesday, but the baby survived, police said. Cynthia Wachenheim was found on the street with her son, 10-month-old Keston, next to her.

Iraq

18 killed in Baghdad blasts

A series of blasts in the center of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, killed at least 18 people on Thursday, police and medics said. The explosions, which also wounded at least 50, took place near the ministries of justice and foreign affairs.

United Kingdom

Press regulation talks falter

British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Thursday that all-party talks on press regulation following the phone-hacking scandal had broken down and that lawmakers will vote on a new system next week. The Conservative leader rejected demands from his Liberal Democrat coalition partners and the opposition Labour party for statutory regulations.

AFP-AP-Reuters

(China Daily 03/15/2013 page11)