TOKYO (Reuters) - A moderate earthquake jolted central and western Japan on Sunday, injuring two people, but there were no other reports of major damage and no tsunami warning was issued.

AP - Police on Saturday surrounded a Tulsa apartment complex where a man they suspect killed a teenager was refusing to come out.

AP - An international consortium of nine automakers and two parts suppliers is asking researchers for proposals to develop 'virtual humans' — computer programs that will help them design safer cars and trucks.

AP - Chinese authorities destroyed 42 million pieces of pirated digital videodiscs, compact discs, computer software and illegal publications in the government's latest campaign to curtail rampant theft of intellectual property, state media reported.

Reuters - A moderate earthquake jolted central and western Japan on Sunday, injuring two people, but there were no other reports of major damage and no tsunami warning was issued.

AFP - The United States pressed North Korea to invite the UN nuclear watchdog to oversee a shutdown of a key nuclear plant after it missed an agreed international deadline Saturday, but left open the door for compliance.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Two U.S. military helicopters crashed north of Baghdad on Sunday, killing two soldiers and injuring five, the U.S. military said.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hold talks on Sunday at Washington's behest that Israel said would steer clear of some of the issues at the heart of the Middle East conflict.

PINGUE, Ecuador (Reuters) - Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa is expected to bloody the noses of the Andean state's political elite on Sunday by winning a referendum that could enable him to wrestle power from a reviled Congress.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - At least 10 people were killed and 50 wounded when two car bombs exploded in quick sucession in a mostly Shi'ite neighborhood in southwestern Baghdad on Sunday, police and hospital sources said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chicago was selected by the U.S. Olympic Committee on Saturday to be the U.S. candidate to host the 2016 Summer Games.

AP - Two American helicopters crashed after an apparent collision Sunday north of Baghdad, killing two soldiers and wounding five others, the U.S. military said.

AP - State Police declined to charge the 20-year-old driver of a pickup truck for leaving the scene of a crash that critically injured Gov. Jon Corzine because the man said he was trying to make room for the governor's motorcade.

AP - 'Grey's Anatomy,' the ABC hit show whose lead actor was criticized for using an anti-gay slur, was awarded outstanding individual episode Saturday by an organization that monitors depictions of gays and lesbians in the media.

Reuters - Two U.S. military helicopters crashed north of Baghdad on Sunday, killing two soldiers and injuring five, the U.S. military said.

Reuters - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hold talks on Sunday at Washington's behest that Israel said would steer clear of some of the issues at the heart of the Middle East conflict.

Reuters - Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa is expected to bloody the noses of the Andean state's political elite on Sunday by winning a referendum that could enable him to wrestle power from a reviled Congress.

Reuters - At least 10 people were killed and 50 wounded when two car bombs exploded in quick sucession in a mostly Shi'ite neighborhood in southwestern Baghdad on Sunday, police and hospital sources said.

Reuters - Chicago was selected by the U.S. Olympic Committee on Saturday to be the U.S. candidate to host the 2016 Summer Games.

AFP - North Korea won a few more days to start shutting down its nuclear programme Sunday after missing a first key deadline, even as the United States and Japan piled pressure on the regime to comply.

AFP - Opponents of President Vladimir Putin began arriving in Saint Petersburg for a protest rally Sunday, a day after police broke up a protest in Moscow and arrested of opposition leader Garry Kasparov.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Two car bombs killed 15 people and wounded 50 when they exploded in quick succession in a mostly Shi'ite neighborhood in southwestern Baghdad on Sunday, police and hospital sources said.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hold talks on Sunday at Washington's behest which Olmert said would bypass some of the most contentious issues of the Middle East conflict.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran, embroiled in a row with the West over its nuclear ambitions, will issue tenders in the next few days for two new atomic power plants, a senior official said on Sunday.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia on Sunday launched its first new generation nuclear submarine since the fall of the Soviet Union as the Kremlin seeks to upgrade its undersea nuclear strike force.

AP - Two car bombs exploded five minutes apart in a busy Baghdad market in a mainly Shiite district Sunday, killing at least 18 people and wounding 50, while north of the capital, two U.S. helicopters crashed after an apparent collision in the air. Two soldiers were killed and five wounded, the military said.

AP - Iran said Sunday it is seeking bids for the building of two more nuclear power plants, despite international pressures to curb its controversial program.

AP - Coastal Long Island could see some of its worst flooding in 14 years when a hard-blowing nor'easter begins whipping through New York on Sunday, officials said.

AP - A murder suspect surrendered to police following a three-hour standoff at an apartment complex that was complicated by a crowd of bystanders who threw rocks at police, authorities said.

AP - NASA paid $26.6 million to family members of the astronauts who died on the space shuttle Columbia in 2003, a newspaper reported Sunday, citing recently released documents.

AP - The controversy involving World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz and his involvement in a huge pay increase awarded to a close female friend moves to center stage Sunday as the bank's policy-steering committee meets.

Reuters - Two car bombs killed 15 people and wounded 50 when they exploded in quick succession in a mostly Shi'ite neighborhood in southwestern Baghdad on Sunday, police and hospital sources said.

Reuters - Iran, embroiled in a row with the West over its nuclear ambitions, will issue tenders in the next few days for two new atomic power plants, a senior official said on Sunday.

Reuters - Russia on Sunday launched its first new generation nuclear submarine since the fall of the Soviet Union as the Kremlin seeks to upgrade its undersea nuclear strike force.

AFP - Hundreds of riot police deployed in Saint Petersburg Sunday ahead of a protest against President Vladimir Putin, a day after police violently broke up a march in Moscow and arrested opposition leader Garry Kasparov.

LONDON (Reuters) - Two British personnel died and another was seriously injured when two helicopters crashed north of Baghdad on Sunday, Britain's ministry of defence said.

BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States has told North Korea it can access funds that had been frozen at a Macau bank and urged Pyongyang to start shutting down its nuclear reactor and invite back international inspectors.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met for talks on Sunday at Washington's behest that Olmert said would bypass some of the most contentious issues of the Middle East conflict.

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Russian police detained dozens of people on Sunday heading to an anti-Kremlin rally in St. Petersburg, a demonstration leader said, the day after authorities snuffed out a similar protest in Moscow.

AP - Two car bombs exploded minutes apart in a busy Baghdad market in a mainly Shiite district Sunday, killing at least 18 people, police said. North of the capital, two British helicopters crashed after an apparent collision in air, killing two service members, U.K. officials said.

AP - Iran said Sunday it is seeking bids for the building of two more nuclear power plants, despite international pressures to curb its controversial program.

Reuters - Two British personnel died and another was seriously injured when two helicopters crashed north of Baghdad on Sunday, Britain's ministry of defence said.

Reuters - The United States has told North Korea it can access funds that had been frozen at a Macau bank and urged Pyongyang to start shutting down its nuclear reactor and invite back international inspectors.

Reuters - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met for talks on Sunday at Washington's behest that Olmert said would bypass some of the most contentious issues of the Middle East conflict.

Reuters - Russian police detained dozens of people on Sunday heading to an anti-Kremlin rally in St. Petersburg, a demonstration leader said, the day after authorities snuffed out a similar protest in Moscow.

AFP - North Korea won a few more days to start shutting down its nuclear programme Sunday after missing a first key deadline, even as the United States and Japan piled pressure on the regime to comply.

AFP - Opponents of President Vladimir Putin protested in Saint Petersburg Sunday as huge numbers of police looked on, a day after riot police broke up a Moscow march and arrested opposition leader Garry Kasparov.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Up to 21 people were killed and about 60 wounded in bomb attacks in two Shi'ite districts of Baghdad on Sunday, police said, while two British military personnel died when two helicopters crashed north of the city.

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan and NATO forces killed at least 10 Taliban in an overnight assault in eastern Afghanistan, hours before a suicide bomber killed four people on Sunday in rising violence after the annual winter lull.

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Russian riot police beat anti-Kremlin demonstrators with batons in the tourist heart of St Petersburg on Sunday, a day after authorities snuffed out a similar protest in Moscow.

ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algeria's interior minister on Sunday criticized a U.S. embassy warning of possible imminent attacks in the capital Algiers saying it caused panic in a city already on edge after three suicide bombings.

AP - Airlines canceled 300 flights Sunday as a hard-blowing nor'easter gathered strength along the East Coast and threatened to deliver some of the worst flooding to coastal Long Island in 14 years.

Reuters - Up to 21 people were killed and about 60 wounded in bomb attacks in two Shi'ite districts of Baghdad on Sunday, police said, while two British military personnel died when two helicopters crashed north of the city.

Reuters - Afghan and NATO forces killed at least 10 Taliban in an overnight assault in eastern Afghanistan, hours before a suicide bomber killed four people on Sunday in rising violence after the annual winter lull.

Reuters - Russian riot police beat anti-Kremlin demonstrators with batons in the tourist heart of St Petersburg on Sunday, a day after authorities snuffed out a similar protest in Moscow.

Reuters - Algeria's interior minister on Sunday criticized a U.S. embassy warning of possible imminent attacks in the capital Algiers saying it caused panic in a city already on edge after three suicide bombings.

AFP - Russian police clubbed and detained opposition protestors Sunday after a peaceful demonstration against President Vladimir Putin, the second in two days resulting in mass arrests.

AFP - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Sunday that Israel was ready to talk with Arab states over their peace plan as he held the first round of planned regular meetings with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Up to 26 people were killed and 70 wounded in bomb attacks in three mainly Shi'ite districts of Baghdad on Sunday, police said, and two British military personnel died when two helicopters crashed north of the city.

QUITO (Reuters) - From the gloomy Andes mountains to the tropical Amazon rainforest, Ecuadoreans on Sunday voted in a referendum expected to boost the sway of leftist President Rafael Correa in a battle with a Congress seen as corrupt.

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libya will host an international conference on April 28 aimed at ending the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region, an official source said on Sunday.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas launched a U.S.-initiated series of meetings on Sunday, bypassing some of the most contentious issues of the Middle East conflict.

AP - Four bombs exploded in predominantly Shiite sections of Baghdad Sunday, killing at least 37 people in a renewal of sectarian carnage that set back the U.S. push to pacify the capital.

AP - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Sunday he has done nothing improper in the firings of eight federal prosecutors in testimony prepared for his appearance before a Senate panel widely viewed as a last chance to save his job.

AP - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed Sunday to hold their next meeting in the West Bank — their first in a Palestinian town, an Abbas aide said.

Reuters - Up to 26 people were killed and 70 wounded in bomb attacks in three mainly Shi'ite districts of Baghdad on Sunday, police said, and two British military personnel died when two helicopters crashed north of the city.

Reuters - From the gloomy Andes mountains to the tropical Amazon rainforest, Ecuadoreans on Sunday voted in a referendum expected to boost the sway of leftist President Rafael Correa in a battle with a Congress seen as corrupt.

Reuters - Libya will host an international conference on April 28 aimed at ending the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region, an official source said on Sunday.

AFP - More than 20 people were killed during state polls across Nigeria over the weekend, as tensions soared ahead of key presidential and general elections on April 21.

ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algeria on Sunday denounced a U.S. embassy alert about possible imminent attacks in the capital, Algiers, saying it had caused panic in a city already on edge after three suicide bombings.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Development ministers from around the globe on Sunday will discuss World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz's leadership, which has been called into question over his handling of a promotion for his girlfriend, a bank employee.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should consider reinstatement of eight fired U.S. attorneys if he cannot prove they were removed properly, the Republican leader of the Senate Judiciary Committee said on Sunday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - South America's top two economies are to meet with members of the Latin American Reserves Fund on May 25 to explore forging a regional reserves pooling deal akin to one in Asia, a Latin American monetary policy official said on Sunday.

AP - Six bombs exploded in predominantly Shiite sections of the capital Sunday, killing at least 45 people in a renewal of sectarian carnage that set back the U.S. push to pacify Baghdad.

AP - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Sunday he has done nothing improper in the firings of eight federal prosecutors in testimony prepared for his appearance before a Senate panel widely viewed as a last chance to save his job.

AP - Airlines canceled 300 flights Sunday as a hard-blowing nor'easter gathered strength along the East Coast and threatened to deliver some of the worst shore flooding in 14 years.

AP - The Israeli and Palestinian leaders discussed the broad outlines of Palestinian statehood for the first time in six years in a Sunday meeting that both sides called a small step toward breaking the paralysis in peacemaking.

AP - Inuit hunters are falling through thinning ice and dying. Dolphins are being spotted for the first time. There's not enough snow to build igloos for shelter during hunts.

AP - The federal government has taken billions of dollars from the taxes and fees paid by airline passengers every time they fly and awarded it to small airports used mainly by private pilots and globe-trotting corporate executives.

Reuters - Algeria on Sunday denounced a U.S. embassy alert about possible imminent attacks in the capital, Algiers, saying it had caused panic in a city already on edge after three suicide bombings.

Reuters - Development ministers from around the globe on Sunday will discuss World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz's leadership, which has been called into question over his handling of a promotion for his girlfriend, a bank employee.

Reuters - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should consider reinstatement of eight fired U.S. attorneys if he cannot prove they were removed properly, the Republican leader of the Senate Judiciary Committee said on Sunday.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The political movement of fiery Iraqi Shi'ite cleric and militia leader Moqtada al-Sadr said on Sunday it would withdraw from the government on Monday to press its demand for a timetable for a U.S. troop withdrawal.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Embattled U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales conceded on Sunday he mishandled the dismissals of eight U.S. attorneys last year in one of several controversies swirling around President George W. Bush.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A preliminary investigation by the military says U.S. Marines killed or wounded more than 40 Afghan civilians after a suicide attack on a convoy last month, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It has taken a little over 200 years, but Washingtonians finally sense that their quirky status as citizens without voting representation in the U.S. Congress might just be coming to an end.

AP - Russia began construction of its first floating nuclear power plant Sunday, and plans to build at least six more despite long-standing environmental concerns that they are vulnerable to accidents at sea, Russian news agencies reported.

AP - Movie-goers put the Peeping Tom thriller 'Disturbia' under strong surveillance as the film took in $23 million to debut at the top of the weekend box office, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Reuters - The political movement of fiery Iraqi Shi'ite cleric and militia leader Moqtada al-Sadr said on Sunday it would withdraw from the government on Monday to press its demand for a timetable for a U.S. troop withdrawal.

Reuters - Top European officials on Sunday voiced concern the World Bank's reputation had been tarnished by bank President Paul Wolfowitz, but stopped short of calling for his resignation over his handling of a girlfriend's promotion.

Reuters - Embattled U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales conceded on Sunday he mishandled the dismissals of eight U.S. attorneys last year in one of several controversies swirling around President George W. Bush.

Reuters - A preliminary investigation by the military says U.S. Marines killed or wounded more than 40 Afghan civilians after a suicide attack on a convoy last month, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.

AFP - Voters in Ecuador on Sunday will decide whether to back sweeping constitutional reform as proposed by leftist President Rafael Correa, with opinion polls showing majority support for the referendum.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A preliminary investigation by the military says U.S. Marines killed or wounded more than 40 Afghan civilians after a suicide attack on a convoy last month, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.

RABAT (Reuters) - The U.S. consulate in Casablanca has shut down temporarily to beef up security a day after a suicide bomber blew himself up about 60 meters (yards) from the already fortified building, U.S. officials said on Sunday.

AP - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, fighting to save his job, said in prepared Senate testimony Sunday he has 'nothing to hide' in the firings of eight federal prosecutors but claimed a hazy memory about his involvement in them.

AP - Cars, minibuses and roadside bombs exploded in Shiite Muslim enclaves across the city Sunday, killing at least 45 people in sectarian violence that defied the Baghdad security crackdown, while a radical anti-U.S. cleric raised a new threat to Iraq's government.

AP - Embattled World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz said Sunday he will continue to lead bank efforts to reduce global poverty, resisting calls to step down over his involvement in securing a huge pay increase for a close female friend.

AP - A man was charged with setting a house on fire in western Illinois early Sunday and killing five children, police said.

AP - Riot police beat and detained dozens of anti-Kremlin demonstrators Sunday on a second day of protests that tested the weak opposition's ability to challenge widely popular President Vladimir Putin.

AP - The federal government has taken billions of dollars from the taxes and fees paid by airline passengers every time they fly and awarded it to small airports used mainly by private pilots and globe-trotting corporate executives.

AP - Albert Pujols broke out of an April drought with two home runs and five RBIs and Chris Duncan was 4-for-5 with a homer, helping the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 10-2 on Sunday.

Reuters - Development ministers from around the globe on Sunday voiced "great concern" over World Bank chief Paul Wolfowitz's handling of his girlfriend's promotion, but Wolfowitz said he intends to stay in his job.

Reuters - A preliminary investigation by the military says U.S. Marines killed or wounded more than 40 Afghan civilians after a suicide attack on a convoy last month, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.

Reuters - It has taken a little over 200 years, but Washingtonians finally sense that their quirky status as citizens without voting representation in the U.S. Congress might just be coming to an end.

Reuters - The U.S. consulate in Casablanca has shut down temporarily to beef up security a day after a suicide bomber blew himself up about 60 meters (yards) from the already fortified building, U.S. officials said on Sunday.

AP - A powerful nor'easter pounded the East with wind and pouring rain Sunday, grounding airlines and threatening to create some of the worst coastal flooding in 14 years.

AP - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, fighting to save his job, said in prepared Senate testimony Sunday he has 'nothing to hide' in the firings of eight federal prosecutors but claimed a hazy memory about his involvement in them.

AP - Cars, minibuses and roadside bombs exploded in Shiite Muslim enclaves across the city Sunday, killing at least 45 people in sectarian violence that defied the Baghdad security crackdown, while a radical anti-U.S. cleric raised a new threat to Iraq's government.

AP - Pope Benedict gave thanks for his 80 years of life dedicated to the Church with a special Sunday Mass, a celebration tinged with nostalgia which drew a huge crowd to St. Peter's Square.

AP - A man was charged with setting a house on fire in western Illinois early Sunday and killing five children, police said.

AP - A Germany army instructor who ordered a soldier to envision himself facing hostile blacks in New York while firing his machine gun is still on duty, the army said Sunday.

AP - With one stunning swing against Mariano Rivera, Marco Scutaro gave the Oakland Athletics their first series victory of the season. Scutaro hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning, sending the A's to a 5-4 win over the New York Yankees on Sunday.

GENEVA (Reuters) - A new humanitarian crisis looms in the Middle East unless Western powers take urgent measures to assist four million Iraqis uprooted by conflict, Amnesty International warned on Monday.

RIYADH (Reuters) - Sudan has signed an agreement with the United Nations and the African Union (AU) on the deployment of African and U.N. forces in Darfur, the official Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

AP - A powerful nor'easter pounded the East with wind and pouring rain Sunday, grounding airlines and threatening to create some of the worst coastal flooding some areas had seen in more than a decade.

AP - Vice President Dick Cheney says he is 'willing to bet' that Democratic lawmakers will back down and approve a war-spending bill that doesn't call for U.S. troops to leave Iraq. Top Democratic leaders shot back that Cheney has lost all public credibility.

AP - The Dodgers solemnly lined up along the third-base line, each and every one wearing No. 42. Jackie Robinson broke major league baseball's color barrier on April 15, 1947, with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the sport celebrated the 60th anniversary of his debut throughout the country Sunday, when more than 200 players, managers and coaches wore his number.

AP - Embattled World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz said Sunday he will continue to lead bank efforts to reduce global poverty, resisting calls to step down over his involvement in securing a huge pay increase for a close female friend.

AP - The U.S. closed its consulate in Casablanca indefinitely on Sunday to review security a day after a suicide bombing beside the building, the U.S. Embassy said.

AP - A high school principal who was placed on administrative leave while district officials scrutinized a student newspaper report on the use of a racial epithet said she would be back in school Monday.

AP - Two diaries written by Anna Nicole Smith in the early 1990s failed to sell at an auction this weekend, but are now available for a minimum bid of $25,000 each, an the auction house said Sunday.

Reuters - A new humanitarian crisis looms in the Middle East unless Western powers take urgent measures to assist four million Iraqis uprooted by conflict, Amnesty International warned on Monday.

Reuters - Sudan has signed an agreement with the United Nations and the African Union (AU) on the deployment of African and U.N. forces in Darfur, the official Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Reuters - World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz on Sunday dug in his heels over the promotion he approved for his girlfriend and said he intends to stay in his job, even as bank member governments voiced "great concern" the institution might not be able to function properly.

AP - A nor'easter battered the East with strong wind and pouring rain Sunday, grounding hundreds of airline flights, downing power lines and threatening severe coastal flooding overnight.

AP - Vice President Dick Cheney says he is 'willing to bet' that Democratic lawmakers will back down and approve a war-spending bill that doesn't call for U.S. troops to leave Iraq. Top Democratic leaders shot back that Cheney has lost all public credibility.

AP - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, fighting to save his job, said in prepared Senate testimony Sunday he has 'nothing to hide' in the firings of eight federal prosecutors but claimed a hazy memory about his involvement in them.

AP - Cars, minibuses and roadside bombs exploded in Shiite Muslim enclaves across the city Sunday, killing at least 45 people in sectarian violence that defied the Baghdad security crackdown, while a radical anti-U.S. cleric raised a new threat to Iraq's government.

AP - Daniel Pearl was added to the 30,000 names etched on the Holocaust Memorial Wall here on Sunday to honor the American journalist who was abducted and killed by terrorists in 2002.

AP - Embattled World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz said Sunday he will continue to lead bank efforts to reduce global poverty, resisting calls to step down over his involvement in securing a huge pay increase for a close female friend.

AP - Malawi is preparing for a return visit by pop star Madonna, whose efforts to adopt a Malawian toddler last fall sparked an international controversy.

AP - For sale: a 15,000-year-old Siberian mammoth skeleton.