Politics

Wednesday, March 10, 2010
An Ohio State University employee allegedly killed a co-worker before committing suicide on Tuesday morning. The suspect was Nathaniel Brown, a 51-year-old custodial worker who has worked at the University since October. The victim of the shooting was Larry Wallington, a 48-year-old building service manager. Another employee, Henry Butler, was also shot, but survived and is in stable condition at a nearby hospital.
According to officials, the shooting took place at 3:30 A.M. local time. Brown is said to have walked into a maintenance building with two handguns, and then commenced firing. Although police say that there were six men in the room at the time, only Wallington and Butler were shot. Within an hour of the shooting, a text message was sent out to about 25,000 students and faculty on campus alerting them of what had happened.
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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Several hundred bodies have been buried in Nigeria in mass graves near the city of Jos after recent clashes when Muslim herdsmen reportedly attacked Christian villagers.
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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Basyurt, in the Elazig province or eastern Turkey at 04:32 AM (02:32 GMT) on Monday. According to local Kandilli observatory, the quake struck at a depth of five kilometres; the epicenter was near Karakocan town in the same province.
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A Senate committee has taken steps to black list the Drudge Report on Capitol Hill computers over concerns that the site may be distributing malware in ads on the site. Late Monday night, the Senate's Committee on Environment and Public Works sent out a letter urging employees to steer clear of the highly-trafficked news aggregating web site as well as whitepages.org after a wave of virus attacks. "Please avoid using these sites until the Senate resolves this issue," a committee e-mail read.

If Democrats didn't have all the incentive they needed to pass health care reform, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh may have provided the final push. Responding to a caller who asked him where he would go for health care if Congress enacts reform, Limbaugh replied, "I don't know. I'll just tell you this, if this passes and it's five years from now and all that stuff gets implemented -- I am leaving the country. I'll go to Costa Rica."

Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky wins libel damages over claims he conspired to avoid extradition and get political asylum in Britain.

US Vice-President Joe Biden meets Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, with discussions dominated by Israeli plans for 1,600 more homes in East Jerusalem.

The earthquake in Chile may cost the global insurance industry as much as $7bn (£4.7bn), Swiss Re estimates.

Illegal file-sharers should be fined, rather than have their internet connection cut off, says the boss of BT.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger praises the resolve of Nicklas Bendtner, who put recent media criticism behind him by scoring a hat-trick in the 5-0 Champions League win over Porto.

Egypt's top Muslim cleric has died suddenly in Saudi Arabia at the age of 81.

A former UK spy chief says she did not know US intelligence services were mistreating terror suspects until after she retired.

South Africa's ANC asks Winnie Mandela to clarify a media report in which she apparently fiercely criticised ex-husband Nelson.

German exports fell unexpectedly in January, with analysts saying that the cold weather that month was to blame.

The Dalai Lama accuses China of trying to "annihilate Buddhism", as Tibet marks 51 years since a failed revolt against Beijing.

Actress Farrah Fawcett was not in the Oscars memorial segment because she was more known as a TV star, the Academy says.

The EU's foreign policy chief, Lady Ashton, tells MEPs how she will shape Europe's new diplomatic service, as officials vie for influence.

Gordon Brown warns of economic storms ahead but vows not to "let you down" as the date of the Budget is announced.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says it is the US, not Tehran, that is playing a "double game" in Afghanistan.

Granny D, who walked across the US at the age of 89 in support of election campaign finance reform, dies.

England bowler Graham Onions is ruled out of the first Test against Bangladesh with a back injury, while Stuart Broad faces a fitness test.

A court case brought by the family of Rachel Corrie, a US protester killed by an Israeli army bulldozer in 2003, opens in Israel.

Indonesia's president confirms security forces have killed the last main suspect in the 2002 Bali bombings, Dulmatin.

Martin Scorsese on awards and leading actor DiCaprio

China's exports surged 46% in February, figures show, raising hopes of a strong recovery in global trade.

A new election law formally bars pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from taking part in elections planned in Burma.

Top Pakistan cricketers Mohammad Yousuf and Younus Khan are told they cannot represent their country again.

AIG reluctantly hands its crown as America’s global life insurer to MetLife ANOTHER week, another opportunity for AIG’s rivals to expand at the American insurer’s expense. Days after sealing a $35.5 billion deal for its Asian life-insurance operations with Britain’s Prudential, the firm, which is being dismembered to recoup bail-out costs, agreed on March 8th to sell another crown jewel, Alico. The acquisition propels New York-based MetLife, which is paying $15.5 billion, into the industry’s global elite. Though it is the biggest life insurer in America, where its Snoopy logo is ubiquitous, it has been tentative abroad. Alico will give it a presence in 64 countries, up from 17 now, taking its non-American revenue from 15% of the total to 40%.The biggest leap will be in Japan, the world’s second-largest life market, in which Alico is a top-tier competitor. But MetLife’s boss, Robert Henrikson (who took over in 2006 from Robert Benmosche, now AIG’s chief executive), also has his eye on the faster-growing markets in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Latin America that make up almost a quarter of Alico’s business. Another attraction is its distribution network: 60,000 agents, brokers and other local middlemen. ...

A Belgian daily has issued what is thought to be Europe's first 3D newspaper - complete with cardboard viewing glasses.

Deforestation in central Africa has revealed what could be an impact crater left by a giant space rock, scientists say.