Sizing up Medvedev, the next Russian president
Dimitri Medvedev, the presidential successor Vladimir Putin has personally selected, is facing an uphill battle to create his own public identity.

Democrats duel, then McCain pounces
Clinton confronted Obama in one of her most pugnacious performances in the Democratic debates without apparently managing to slow his momentum, but McCain pounced on a statement in the debate to mock the Illinois senator about his knowledge of Iraq.
- McCain offers apology for rally speaker's sneer at Obama
- Clinton, once the front-runner, now the 'victim'

Gates urges Turks to bring military operation in Iraq to quick close
Defense Secretary Robert Gates urged the Turkish military to abandon by mid-March their invasion of guerrilla-controlled areas.
- Iraqi panel rejects elections measure seen as crucial to reconciliation

Terror suspect escapes in Singapore
Mas Selamat Kastari was a senior operative with Jemaah Islamiyah, an Indonesia-based Islamic movement associated with Al Qaeda. The government gave no details on how he escaped.

As euro surges, Fed chief points to more U.S. rate cuts
The euro rose above $1.51 for the first time as Ben Bernanke signaled his readiness to further cut interest rates despite an acceleration in inflation.
- U.S. new-home sales and prices continue to drop
- Long out of favor, the dollar could yet do well
- As gasoline costs soar, U.S. households cut total spending
- U.S. home prices fall, but prices of everything else rise
- Chinese exporters struggle with rising yuan

EU fine sends message to Microsoft and others
By levying a ??99 million fine, the EU competition commissioner also demonstrated her willingness to use a position of strength against one of the biggest global corporations.
- Microsoft makes more code public

UBS shareholders approve emergency capital infusion
But management came in for much vitriol from a packed shareholders meeting Wednesday.
- After subprime debacle, U.S. wrestles with question of bank bailouts

Rice expresses regret over Okinawa rape case
In Tokyo, on the final leg of her Asian visit, the U.S. secretary of state spent much of her time trying to control damage from the rape accusation on Okinawa, where most of the 50,000 U.S. military personnel in Japan are based.

Russia tells Iran to halt enrichment or face sanctions
Russia warned Iran on Wednesday that unless it ceased uranium enrichment within days Moscow would support new UN sanctions being prepared by the West against the Islamic Republic.

Colombian rebels release 4 hostages
Colombian rebels Wednesday handed four hostages over to the International Red Cross and the Venezuelan interior minister, ending more than six years of captivity.

U.S. tells Europe it's open to binding deal on climate
The Bush administration has long avoided saying the United States would agree to new binding international obligations on greenhouse gas emissions - until this week.

7 Palestinians die in Israeli airstrike; Hamas rocket kills Israeli civilian
In a sudden escalation of violence on Wednesday, an Israeli civilian was killed in a rocket attack from Gaza by Hamas militants, the first such fatality in nine months, and at least seven Palestinians, mostly militants, were killed in Israeli airstrikes.

Rising euro pushes BMW into eliminating 8,100 jobs
Until now, Bayerische Motoren Werke had consistently avoided layoffs. But the has decided to follow its German rivals, Mercedes and Audi, which began tough cost-cutting long ago.

Two studies in the charisma of hope: Obama and Bill Clinton
It's uncanny how much Barack Obama has adopted as his own the rhetorical and spiritual essence of the first campaign of Bill Clinton.

In slums without hope, Yemen's untouchables
Set apart by their African features, "Al Akhdam," or the servants, form a kind of hereditary caste at the very bottom of the Yemeni social structure.

A comeback for clothes: Christian Lacroix and Dries Van Noten
At last! Clothes so strong, interesting and often colorful that they are designed to turn the focus off accessories and on to what is stalking the runway.