GM chief Barra pledges action on dangerous ignitions

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• GM chief Barra pledges action on dangerous ignitions
• 1 of 10 Sumatran rhinos in captivity dies in Ohio
• Auto safety chief says GM didn't share key data
• Reds' Chapman feeling good, still can't work out
• Israeli court convicts ex-PM Olmert of bribery
• Jury picked as Hillsborough inquests start
• AP source: US talks with Israel on Pollard release
• Russia pulls back a battalion from Ukraine border
• Hollande puts Valls in charge after election debacle
• NHTSA to require rearview cameras in new vehicles
• Manuel Valls named as new French prime minister
• Germany returns looted Guardi painting to Poland
• Lawmaker Yee's lawyer questions FBI investigation
• Late Obamacare surge jams website
• Koreas trade fire; island residents in shelters
• US stocks head for a meager first-quarter gain
• BlackBerry wins ruling against iPhone keyboard
• 4 hurt, 200 evacuated after Washington plant fire
• Cal coach Montgomery retires
• Hagel acts to improve POW-MIA accounting effort
• New Mexico governor calls for calm after protest
• France's Hollande names new PM, pledges tax cuts after poll rout
• Prosecutor: Woman stabbed beau 25 times with heel
• AP source: US talking with Israel on spy release
• Doug McDermott leads AP All-America team
• NHTSA chief says agency did not have evidence to warrant GM probe
• Deadline dash: Health care sign-ups amid glitches
• Greece's Lamda to develop former Athens airport
• J&J accepts $4B Carlyle offer for diagnostics unit
• GM engineer OK'd sub-standard ignition switch: documents
• Story of Benedict Arnold's wife may go to film, TV
• Atletico the Robin Hood of Spain, claims Tiago
• MLB uses expanded replay 1st time, call confirmed
• Russian forces 'gradually withdrawing' from Ukraine
• Poland, France, Germany call for Ukraine conference
• England greats turn on team after Dutch debacle
• Charlie Brooks hid his 'smut' to protect wife Rebekah
• Australia says no time limit on Flight 370 search
• Kerry meets with Lavrov on Ukraine, urges troop pullback
• MLB ticket price average $27.94 after 2 pct rise

GM chief Barra pledges action on dangerous ignitions Posted: 31 Mar 2014 01:00 PM PDT GM Chief Executive Mary Barra said Monday she still does not know why its took years for the automaker to recall cars with dangerously faulty ignitions, but pledged to find out. In testimony prepared for a Congressional hearing Tuesday into the ignition problem, tied to 13 deaths, Barra promised to be "fully transparent" over what kept General Motors from addressing the problem for 10 years. She said management would take responsibility for the issue, and that GM "will do the right thing." "More than a decade ago, GM embarked on a small car program.

1 of 10 Sumatran rhinos in captivity dies in Ohio Posted: 31 Mar 2014 01:00 PM PDT CINCINNATI (AP) — The death of the Cincinnati Zoo's lone female Sumatran rhino has dealt a blow to a breeding program aimed at saving one of the world's most critically endangered species.

Auto safety chief says GM didn't share key data Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:59 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal safety regulator says General Motors didn't share key information that might have led to a faster recall of small cars.

Reds' Chapman feeling good, still can't work out Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:53 PM PDT CINCINNATI (AP) — Closer Aroldis Chapman rode in Cincinnati's opening day parade on Monday, the most he was allowed to do as part of the Reds' first-game festivities.

Israeli court convicts ex-PM Olmert of bribery Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:52 PM PDT JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli court on Monday convicted ex-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in a high-profile bribery case, crushing his hopes for a political comeback and setting the stage for him to become the first Israeli premier to go to prison.

Jury picked as Hillsborough inquests start Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:50 PM PDT Warrington (United Kingdom) (AFP) - Hundreds of relatives of the 96 Liverpool football supporters who died in the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster filled a courtroom on Monday for the start of fresh inquests into their deaths.

AP source: US talks with Israel on Pollard release Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:50 PM PDT JERUSALEM (AP) — The United States is talking with Israel about the possibility of releasing convicted spy Jonathan Pollard early from his life sentence as an incentive in the troubled Mideast peace negotiations, a person familiar with the situation said Monday. Such an extraordinary step would show the urgency of U.S. efforts to keep negotiations alive.

Russia pulls back a battalion from Ukraine border Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:50 PM PDT SIMFEROPOL, Crimea (AP) — Russia said Monday it was pulling a battalion of several hundred troops away from the Ukrainian border but kept tens of thousands in place, prompting a worried response from the Kiev government about what the U.S. warned was still a "tremendous buildup."

Hollande puts Valls in charge after election debacle Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:44 PM PDT Paris (AFP) - French President Francois Hollande on Monday reacted to a humiliating electoral rout for his Socialist Party by naming popular Interior Minister Manuel Valls as the country's new prime minister.

NHTSA to require rearview cameras in new vehicles Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:41 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The Transportation Department issued a rule Monday that will require rearview technology in many new vehicles — an effort to reduce deaths and serious injuries caused by backup accidents.

Manuel Valls named as new French prime minister Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:39 PM PDT PARIS (AP) — President Francois Hollande named former Interior Minister Manuel Valls as France's new prime minister Monday, just 24 hours after his Socialists suffered heavy losses in nationwide municipal elections.

Germany returns looted Guardi painting to Poland Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:38 PM PDT BERLIN (AP) — An 18th-century painting looted by the Nazis for Adolf Hitler's 'Fuehrer Museum' was handed back to Poland on Monday, a move Germany hopes will revive thorny talks over a vast trove of historical documents that Berlin wants to recover from Poland.

Lawmaker Yee's lawyer questions FBI investigation Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:34 PM PDT SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A lawyer for a California state senator charged last week with bribery and gun trafficking on Monday challenged the three-year FBI investigation that led to the arrest.

Late Obamacare surge jams website Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:33 PM PDT Washington (AFP) - A last minute enrollment surge briefly jammed the website for President Barack Obama's health care law Monday as his top domestic legacy achievement hit a first-year deadline.

Koreas trade fire; island residents in shelters Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:33 PM PDT SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North and South Korea fired hundreds of artillery shells into each other's waters Monday in a flare-up of animosity that forced residents of five front-line South Korean islands to evacuate to shelters for several hours, South Korean officials said.

US stocks head for a meager first-quarter gain Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:31 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rose broadly in afternoon trading Monday as the market headed for its fifth straight quarterly gain. Microsoft led the technology sector higher.

BlackBerry wins ruling against iPhone keyboard Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:31 PM PDT SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Troubled smartphone maker BlackBerry has won an early round in its legal battle against an iPhone keyboard made by a startup co-founded by "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest.

4 hurt, 200 evacuated after Washington plant fire Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:30 PM PDT PLYMOUTH, Wash. (AP) — A large explosion and fire Monday at natural gas processing plant near the Washington-Oregon border injured four workers and led to the evacuation of about 200 people from nearby homes as flames and a mushroom-shaped cloud of black smoke reached high into the air.

Cal coach Montgomery retires Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:26 PM PDT BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — California coach Mike Montgomery is retiring after six seasons at the school.

Hagel acts to improve POW-MIA accounting effort Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:25 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — In a bid to improve the government's accounting for missing U.S. war dead, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Monday he is establishing a new Pentagon agency with more focused authority and more senior-level oversight.

New Mexico governor calls for calm after protest Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:19 PM PDT ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A day after hundreds of people clashed with Albuquerque riot officers over police shootings, Gov. Susana Martinez said Monday that she understands the public's frustration but called on protesters to remain calm while federal officials investigate.

France's Hollande names new PM, pledges tax cuts after poll rout Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:19 PM PDT By Mark John and Emmanuel Jarry PARIS (Reuters) - President Francois Hollande named centrist Interior Minister Manuel Valls as his new prime minister on Monday, replacing Jean-Marc Ayrault who quit after ruling Socialists were trounced in local French elections. Hollande vowed to pursue cuts in labor charges for business but also promised tax cuts to boost consumer spending, insisting that EU partners take his reform efforts into account in judging whether France had respected commitments to Brussels. ...

Prosecutor: Woman stabbed beau 25 times with heel Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:16 PM PDT HOUSTON (AP) — A woman attacked her boyfriend in a fit of rage, sat on him after knocking him down and then stabbed him to death with the stiletto heel of her shoe, striking him at least 25 times in the face, a prosecutor told jurors Monday.

AP source: US talking with Israel on spy release Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:11 PM PDT JERUSALEM (AP) — The United States is talking with Israel about the possibility of releasing convicted spy Jonathan Pollard from prison early, a person familiar with Mideast peace negotiations said Monday. That would come in exchange for Israeli concessions that would allow faltering peace talks with the Palestinians to continue beyond an end-of-April deadline.

Doug McDermott leads AP All-America team Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:07 PM PDT Doug McDermott spent his senior season passing a lot of big names on the career scoring list. He is now among some very select company.

NHTSA chief says agency did not have evidence to warrant GM probe Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:07 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did not have enough evidence to open a formal investigation into defective ignition switches in General Motors cars, NHTSA acting Administrator David Friedman said in prepared testimony to Congress. Friedman, who will testify on Tuesday before a House of Representatives panel, said GM "had critical information that would have helped identify this defect," which is linked to 13 deaths and has prompted the recall of 2.6 million GM cars. ...

Deadline dash: Health care sign-ups amid glitches Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:05 PM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — A flood of last-minute applicants rushed to sign up for health insurance on Monday, deadline day for President Barack Obama's health care law, with more than 125,000 people at a time using the fragile system despite a new spate of intermittent ills.

Greece's Lamda to develop former Athens airport Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:03 PM PDT ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's state privatization agency has picked a Greek real estate company to develop a sprawling coastal Olympic complex and former airport, once earmarked as a metropolitan park but largely abandoned for the past decade.

J&J accepts $4B Carlyle offer for diagnostics unit Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:03 PM PDT NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) — Johnson & Johnson has accepted an offer of about $4 billion from the private equity firm The Carlyle Group to buy its Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics business.

GM engineer OK'd sub-standard ignition switch: documents Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:01 PM PDT WASHINGTON/DETROIT (Reuters) - A General Motors engineer signed off on a design change for troubled ignition switches even though those changes did not meet company standards, according to documents provided to a U.S. House of Representatives panel. The disclosure appeared to conflict with information provided by GM engineer Ray DeGiorgio during 2013 legal proceedings surrounding the company's defective ignition switches that are linked to 13 deaths. ...

Story of Benedict Arnold's wife may go to film, TV Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:01 PM PDT NEW YORK (AP) — The story of Benedict Arnold's wife as depicted in a best-selling novel by the daughter of former New York Gov. George Pataki may be headed to the big and small screens.

Atletico the Robin Hood of Spain, claims Tiago Posted: 31 Mar 2014 12:00 PM PDT Atletico Madrid midfielder Tiago Mendes has compared his side's ability to compete with the far richer Barcelona and Real Madrid this season to the tale of Robin Hood. Atletico face Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at the Camp Nou on Tuesday and also lead La Liga ahead of the two traditional giants of Spanish football with just seven games remaining. Diego Simeone's men have overcome the odds despite having an annual budget of almost 400 million euros ($550 million) less than Barca and Real and Tiago believes people in crisis-hit Spain can associate with the hard work that has taken Atletico to the top.

MLB uses expanded replay 1st time, call confirmed Posted: 31 Mar 2014 11:53 AM PDT PITTSBURGH (AP) — Major League Baseball has used expanded replay for the first time, and the umpire's call was confirmed in a game between the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Russian forces 'gradually withdrawing' from Ukraine Posted: 31 Mar 2014 11:53 AM PDT Ukraine on Monday reported a partial withdrawal of Russian troops from its border amid growing signs the Kremlin was ready to de-escalate the worst East-West standoff since the Cold War. The announcement came in the wake of a four-hour meeting in Paris between US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that ended with an exchange of political proposals and an agreement to talk again soon. And in Berlin German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office said Russian President Vladimir Putin had personally informed her of the troop pullback in a phone call Monday, but provided no other details. Both Western powers and the new pro-European interim leaders in Kiev have been increasingly worried that the Kremlin intends to seize heavily Russified southeastern parts of Ukraine after annexing its Crimea peninsula in response to the fall in February of the Moscow-backed president in Kiev.

Poland, France, Germany call for Ukraine conference Posted: 31 Mar 2014 11:52 AM PDT Germany, France and Poland called on Monday for an international conference to be held on Ukraine and urged Russia to take part. The three countries' foreign ministers suggested it should be held after Ukraine holds presidential elections in May. Moscow and the West are at odds over Russia's annexation of the Crimea region in March, which followed the overthrow of Ukraine's pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovich amid a national dispute over whether the former Soviet republic should align with Europe or Russia.

England greats turn on team after Dutch debacle Posted: 31 Mar 2014 11:49 AM PDT Former England captains Michael Vaughan and Michael Atherton rounded on the current side after they bowed out of the World Twenty20 with a humiliating 45-run loss to the Netherlands in Chittagong on Monday. Bowled out for just 88 with more than two overs to spare in reply to the Netherlands' 133 for five, defeat set the seal on a miserable tour programme for England, already unable to reach the semi-finals of this event, following their 5-0 Ashes series loss in Australia. But it arguably proved worse than even Vaughan forecast, with only three England batsmen making double figures -- Ravi Bopara 'top-scoring' with a meagre 18 -- in an innings featuring just four fours and no sixes. And after England's innings ended in the 18th over with a farcical run-out, Vaughan tweeted: "That sums it up.... #Garbage".

Charlie Brooks hid his 'smut' to protect wife Rebekah Posted: 31 Mar 2014 11:48 AM PDT By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - Charlie Brooks, the husband of Rupert Murdoch's former British newspaper chief, told a London court on Monday he hid his porn collection from police investigating phone-hacking because he feared leaks to the press which would embarrass his wife. Brooks' wife Rebekah is on trial at London's Old Bailey accused of conspiracy to hack phones and authorising illegal payments to public officials. They are both accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice by hindering the police investigation. Rebekah Brooks was arrested in July 2011 at the height of a phone-hacking scandal that rocked Murdoch's News Corp. empire and shook Britain's political establishment.

Australia says no time limit on Flight 370 search Posted: 31 Mar 2014 11:48 AM PDT PERTH, Australia (AP) — Although it has been slow, difficult and frustrating so far, the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet is nowhere near the point of being scaled back, Australia's prime minister pledged Monday.

Kerry meets with Lavrov on Ukraine, urges troop pullback Posted: 31 Mar 2014 11:46 AM PDT By Lesley Wroughton and Alexei Anishchuk PARIS/MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks on Sunday about ways to defuse the crisis over Ukraine, with Kerry telling Moscow that progress depended on a Russian troop pullback from Ukraine's borders. "Both sides made suggestions of ways to de-escalate the security and political situation in and around Ukraine," Kerry told a news conference late on Sunday after meeting with Lavrov for four hours in Paris. "Any real progress in Ukraine must include a pullback of the very large Russian force that is currently massing along Ukraine's borders," Kerry said.

MLB ticket price average $27.94 after 2 pct rise Posted: 31 Mar 2014 11:46 AM PDT CHICAGO (AP) — Major League Baseball's average ticket price rose 2 percent this season to $27.93, the steepest rise since a 5 percent hike in 2009, according to the Team Marketing Report's annual survey.

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7.5 quake on California fault could be disastrous

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• 7.5 quake on California fault could be disastrous
• Animal mummies displayed at California museum
• Key GM crisis questions: Who approved switch revision and why recall took so long
• Erdogan party takes strong lead in Turkey polls
• Bruins beat Flyers 4-3 for 9th straight road win
• Kerry, Russian counterpart meet on Ukraine crisis
• Search dogs take break from mudslide recovery
• Maryland upsets Tennessee Lady Vols 73-62
• Victims of Washington mudslide remembered at tearful church services
• Hingis wins first title since 2007
• Brazil police push into Rio de Janeiro slums
• Egypt to hold May 26-27 presidential election
• Egyptians to elect new president in late May
• 'Noah' rises to top of box office with $44M debut
• Seabed of jet hunt zone mostly flat with 1 trench
• No objects from search linked yet to Flight 370
• Alternative treatment for cholesterol shows promise
• Test accurately rules out heart attacks in the ER
• Spanish journalists home after Syria kidnap ordeal
• Erdogan says Turkish vote will bolster him in power struggle
• Chechens offer weary welcome to new Crimean compatriots
• China's Xi receives royal welcome in Belgium before EU talks
• Cubs, Pirates ready to start anew
• US mediators try to rescue Mideast peace talks
• 2 Spanish journalists kidnapped in Syria go free
• Angels determined to avoid poor start in opener
• No national system to track landslide hazards
• Liverpool go top, Everton close on Arsenal
• Nigeria's president criticizes northeast governors
• 21 killed in shooting at Nigeria State Security HQ
• Kerry, Lavrov seek deal on Ukraine crisis
• 18 killed in shooting at Nigeria State Security HQ
• C. African Republic: Soldiers kill 30 civilians
• Another Apple-Samsung skirmish heads to court
• Police fire pepper spray at Arizona students
• U.S. sends top general back to Europe over Ukraine crisis
• Taiwan stages mass anti-China trade pact rally
• Parliament moves ahead with debate on reform bill
• Kerry, Russian counterpart set to talk on Ukraine
• Iraq electoral commission retracts resignation before vote

7.5 quake on California fault could be disastrous Posted: 30 Mar 2014 12:57 PM PDT LA HABRA, Calif. (AP) — Experts say a bigger earthquake along the lesser-known fault that gave Southern California a moderate shake could do more damage to the region than the long-dreaded "Big One" from the more famous San Andreas Fault.

Animal mummies displayed at California museum Posted: 30 Mar 2014 12:57 PM PDT SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Dogs and cats are often beloved family members in current culture, but animals held such a prominent place in ancient Egyptian society that tens of millions were mummified, some going into the pharaohs' tombs to rest eternally in the company of their kings.

Key GM crisis questions: Who approved switch revision and why recall took so long Posted: 30 Mar 2014 12:56 PM PDT By Marilyn Thompson and Paul Lienert WASHINGTON/DETROIT (Reuters) - Among the most critical unanswered questions in General Motors' mounting crisis over a defective ignition switch that led to crashes and at least 13 deaths is who, eight years ago, approved a change in the part for new vehicles and why that didn't lead to a recall of older cars to fix the problem. Among the evidence that investigators inside and outside of the company will need to reconcile is the company's timeline of the switch's engineering, which describes an unnamed GM engineer approving the design change, and the deposition of a senior switch engineer, Ray DeGiorgio, who said he was not aware of it. GM declined to discuss the matter beyond its timeline or to make DeGiorgio available for an interview. DeGiorgio referred Reuters to GM, which has presented no evidence to suggest that he was the executive approving the design change.

Erdogan party takes strong lead in Turkey polls Posted: 30 Mar 2014 12:56 PM PDT The party of Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan took a strong lead in local elections Sunday, despite turbulent months marked by mass protests, corruption scandals and Internet blocks. If the national trend holds up, it would considerably brighten the outlook for Erdogan, who had gone on a weeks-long campaign marathon ahead of the vote widely seen as a referendum on his 11-year-rule.

Bruins beat Flyers 4-3 for 9th straight road win Posted: 30 Mar 2014 12:51 PM PDT PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Patrice Bergeron scored the go-ahead goal in the second period and also tallied in the shootout to help the Boston Bruins to a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday.

Kerry, Russian counterpart meet on Ukraine crisis Posted: 30 Mar 2014 12:48 PM PDT PARIS (AP) — Russia on Sunday set out demands for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in Ukraine, saying the former Soviet republic should be unified in a federation allowing wide autonomy to its various regions as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Paris in another bid to calm tensions.

Search dogs take break from mudslide recovery Posted: 30 Mar 2014 12:47 PM PDT DARRINGTON, Wash. (AP) — Families coping with the loss of friends, neighbors and normalcy sought comfort in church services Sunday, as crews worked to recover more victims from the soggy pile of mud that buried the small mountainside community of Oso, Wash., more than a week ago.

Maryland upsets Tennessee Lady Vols 73-62 Posted: 30 Mar 2014 12:37 PM PDT LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Maryland coach Brenda Frese wanted her Terrapins to send a reminder that they're still playing too. They did just that by sending home an eight-time national champion and putting themselves a win away from a Final Four.

Victims of Washington mudslide remembered at tearful church services Posted: 30 Mar 2014 12:36 PM PDT By Jonathan Kaminsky and Bryan Cohen DARRINGTON, Washington (Reuters) - Local churches offered prayers on Sunday for the victims of last week's devastating mudslide in Washington state and words of solace for grieving families and friends, many of whom are still waiting for news of missing loved ones. The number of missing fell to 30 from 90 as officials were able to account for dozens of people as "safe and well." Heavy rains and flooding made efforts difficult for searchers combing through debris, officials said, after a rain-soaked hillside above the north fork of the Stillaguamish River gave way without warning and sent a wall of mud cascading over dozens of homes near the rural Washington town of Oso.

Hingis wins first title since 2007 Posted: 30 Mar 2014 12:29 PM PDT Martina Hingis shrugged off her 33 years to partner Sabine Lisicki to the Miami WTA doubles title on Sunday in only the pair's second tournament together. The Swiss veteran and her German partner downed second seeded Russians Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, 4-6, 6-4, 10-5. "It's very exciting," Hingis said after winning her first title since 2007. Hingis said this victory has motivated her to play more doubles.

Brazil police push into Rio de Janeiro slums Posted: 30 Mar 2014 12:27 PM PDT RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — More than 1,400 police officers and Brazilian Marines rolled into a massive complex of slums near Rio de Janeiro's international airport before dawn Sunday in the latest security push ahead of this year's World Cup.

Egypt to hold May 26-27 presidential election Posted: 30 Mar 2014 12:08 PM PDT Egypt announced a presidential election for May 26-27, a poll likely to be swept by the retired army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi who deposed the Islamist president in July. Sisi is expected to win the vote riding on a wave of popularity for having removed the divisive president Mohamed Morsi after mass protests demanding his resignation. The only other main candidate is leftwing politician Hamdeen Sabbahi, who came third in the 2012 election that Morsi won. Egypt has been rocked by often violent protests and a spate of militant attacks which have killed almost 500 people, mostly policemen and soldiers, the government says.

Egyptians to elect new president in late May Posted: 30 Mar 2014 12:03 PM PDT CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's presidential election will be held in late May, the electoral commission announced on Sunday, finally setting dates for the crucial vote widely expected to be won by the country's former military chief who ousted an elected president last year.

'Noah' rises to top of box office with $44M debut Posted: 30 Mar 2014 12:01 PM PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) — After weathering a sea of controversy, "Noah" arrived in first place at the weekend box office.

Seabed of jet hunt zone mostly flat with 1 trench Posted: 30 Mar 2014 11:57 AM PDT WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Two miles beneath the sea surface where satellites and planes are looking for debris from the missing Malaysian jet, the ocean floor is cold, dark, covered in a squishy muck of dead plankton and — in a potential break for the search — mostly flat. The troubling exception is a steep, rocky drop ending in a deep trench.

No objects from search linked yet to Flight 370 Posted: 30 Mar 2014 11:56 AM PDT PERTH, Australia (AP) — Despite what Australia called an "intensifying search effort," an international hunt Sunday by aircraft and ships in the southern Indian Ocean found no debris linked to the Malaysian jet that vanished more than three weeks ago.

Alternative treatment for cholesterol shows promise Posted: 30 Mar 2014 11:50 AM PDT An experimental treatment has shown promise in lowering bad cholesterol, offering hope for people at risk of heart disease but who cannot tolerate drugs known as statins, researchers said Sunday. The therapy developed by Amgen pharmaceuticals is known as evolocumab. Evolocumab is part of a new class of drugs known as PCSK9 inhibitors, which suppress a gene involved with cholesterol regulation in the liver. Research from two separate phase III trials released at the American College of Cardiology annual meeting showed it was effective in lowering LDL, or bad cholesterol, with few side effects.

Test accurately rules out heart attacks in the ER Posted: 30 Mar 2014 11:40 AM PDT WASHINGTON (AP) — A simple test appears very good at ruling out heart attacks in people who go to emergency rooms with chest pain, a big public health issue and a huge worry for patients.

Spanish journalists home after Syria kidnap ordeal Posted: 30 Mar 2014 11:37 AM PDT Two Spanish journalists taken hostage in Syria by an Al-Qaeda-linked group returned smiling to Spain on Sunday to greet their loved ones after six months in captivity. El Mundo correspondent Javier Espinosa, 49, and freelance photographer Ricardo Garcia Vilanova, 42, landed at a military airbase near Madrid from Turkey. Looking tired and drawn but happy, they appeared briefly before the cameras at the offices of El Mundo newspaper, Espinosa's employer, and hugged relatives and colleagues. As you can see, we are perfectly well," Espinosa said.

Erdogan says Turkish vote will bolster him in power struggle Posted: 30 Mar 2014 11:34 AM PDT By Ayla Jean Yackley and Humeyra Pamuk ISTANBUL/ANKARA (Reuters) - Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday's bitterly contested local elections would affirm his legitimacy in battling graft allegations and security leaks he blames on "traitors" within the Turkish state. The municipal elections have become a crisis referendum on Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted AK Party after weeks of scandal he has cast as a "dirty campaign" of espionage to implicate him in corruption and topple him after more than a decade in power. AKP needs to exceed its 2009 result of 38.8 percent to assert Erdogan's authority for a power struggle certain to continue after the polls. Istanbul and Ankara, the two biggest cities, are expected to be particularly close.

Chechens offer weary welcome to new Crimean compatriots Posted: 30 Mar 2014 11:26 AM PDT By Thomas Grove GROZNY, Russia (Reuters) - Days before Crimea voted in a referendum to join Russia from Ukraine, Adam, a Chechen soldier, was ordered to go to the Black Sea peninsula to defend Russia's interests. He and about 200 other soldiers from his special battalion, grouping ethnic Chechens, were mobilized on March 12 and spent two weeks in the Crimean city of Yevpatoria. The mission, which mainly involved guarding buildings, was an illustration of how far the Chechnya region in Russia's North Caucasus is ready to go to show allegiance to Russian President Vladimir Putin, 14 years after he crushed its separatist drive. But many Chechens feel no love for Russia and have a sardonic message for their new Crimean compatriots: welcome to Russia, we hope you like it.

China's Xi receives royal welcome in Belgium before EU talks Posted: 30 Mar 2014 11:26 AM PDT Xi Jinping received a royal welcome and an honorary knighthood in Brussels on Sunday at the start of a three-day visit despite China's "panda diplomacy" causing a row among his Belgian hosts. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde joined Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan for the official opening of a special habitat for two giant pandas, on loan from China for the next 15 years, at the southern Pairi Daiza zoo and botanical garden, which has been actively involved in the preservation of endangered species. The female, Hao Hao, visibly enjoyed the interest of the royal and foreign visitors munching on a branch. Hao Hao and her partner Xing Hui have been in Belgium since February.

Cubs, Pirates ready to start anew Posted: 30 Mar 2014 11:26 AM PDT PITTSBURGH (AP) — The family reunion will be short. Whether it will be sweet hardly matters. At last, the wounds of 21 years of futility have finally started to heal.

US mediators try to rescue Mideast peace talks Posted: 30 Mar 2014 11:22 AM PDT JERUSALEM (AP) — American mediators held urgent contacts with Israeli and Palestinian officials Sunday in hopes of salvaging troubled Mideast peace talks — searching for a formula to bring the sides back together and extend the negotiations beyond a current late-April deadline.

2 Spanish journalists kidnapped in Syria go free Posted: 30 Mar 2014 11:19 AM PDT MADRID (AP) — Two Spanish journalists freed after being held hostage for more than six months in Syria by a rogue al-Qaida group returned home Sunday to an emotional welcome from friends and colleagues.

Angels determined to avoid poor start in opener Posted: 30 Mar 2014 11:13 AM PDT ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout thinks the Los Angeles Angels are about to begin the most important month of their season.

No national system to track landslide hazards Posted: 30 Mar 2014 11:06 AM PDT SEATTLE (AP) — People living in the path of a deadly Washington state landslide had virtually no warning before a wall of mud, trees and other debris thundered down the mountain. Some of the homeowners didn't even know the hillside could give way at any time.

Liverpool go top, Everton close on Arsenal Posted: 30 Mar 2014 11:00 AM PDT Liverpool overwhelmed Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 at a fervent Anfield on Sunday to take over at the top of the Premier League table with six games of the season remaining. Spurs never recovered from an early Younes Kaboul own goal, with further strikes from Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson securing an eighth successive victory for Brendan Rodgers's in-form side. The win took Liverpool two points above previous leaders Chelsea, beaten 1-0 by Crystal Palace on Saturday, and left the 18-time champions on course for a first English league title since 1990.

Nigeria's president criticizes northeast governors Posted: 30 Mar 2014 10:56 AM PDT BAUCHI, Nigeria (AP) — President Goodluck Jonathan blamed governors in Nigeria's northeastern states for the country's Islamic uprising, saying their failure to provide social services created the climate for the insurgency that has killed more than 1,000 people so far this year.

21 killed in shooting at Nigeria State Security HQ Posted: 30 Mar 2014 10:52 AM PDT ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A shootout at Nigeria's State Security Services headquarters near the presidential villa killed at least 21 people Sunday, a government spokeswoman said of what appears to be an attempted jailbreak by Islamic extremists.

Kerry, Lavrov seek deal on Ukraine crisis Posted: 30 Mar 2014 10:41 AM PDT US Secretary of State John Kerry met his Russian counterpart Sunday hoping to ease global tensions over the Kremlin's annexation of Crimea and buildup of troops near Ukraine. The latest bid to resolve the worst East-West standoff in the post-Cold War era comes after Russian leader Vladimir Putin called US President Barack Obama on Friday to discuss a diplomatic resolution. The two men met in the lavish residence of the Russian ambassador to France seeking to hammer out a plan to end the crisis sparked when Moscow sent troops into Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula after the pro-Kremlin regime in Kiev fell in February. Despite a massive troop build-up on Ukraine's borders, Lavrov has insisted Moscow had "absolutely no intention and no interests in crossing the Ukrainian border".

18 killed in shooting at Nigeria State Security HQ Posted: 30 Mar 2014 10:40 AM PDT ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — A shootout at Nigeria's State Security Services headquarters near the presidential villa killed at least 18 people Sunday, a government spokeswoman said of what appears to be an attempted jailbreak by Islamic extremists.

C. African Republic: Soldiers kill 30 civilians Posted: 30 Mar 2014 10:29 AM PDT BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — Chadian peacekeeping soldiers opened fire on civilians in Central African Republic's strife-torn capital city over the weekend, killing more than 30 people and sparking fears of reprisal attacks, officials and witnesses said.

Another Apple-Samsung skirmish heads to court Posted: 30 Mar 2014 10:25 AM PDT SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — The fiercest rivalry in the world of smartphones is heading back to court this week in the heart of the Silicon Valley, with Apple and Samsung accusing each other, once again, of ripping off designs and features.

Police fire pepper spray at Arizona students Posted: 30 Mar 2014 10:22 AM PDT TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Tucson police shot pepper spray at several hundred fans who took to the streets and threw beer bottles and firecrackers at officers Saturday night after the University of Arizona basketball team's overtime loss to Wisconsin in the NCAA tournament.

U.S. sends top general back to Europe over Ukraine crisis Posted: 30 Mar 2014 10:17 AM PDT By Alexei Anishchuk and Lesley Wroughton MOSCOW/PARIS (Reuters) - America's top general in Europe has been sent back early from a trip to Washington in what the Pentagon on Sunday called a prudent step given Russia's "lack of transparency" about troop movements across the border with Ukraine. General Philip Breedlove, who is both NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe and the head of the U.S. military's European Command, arrived in Europe Saturday evening. The pentagon announcement came as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met in Paris seeking to hammer out the framework of a deal to reduce tensions over Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region.

Taiwan stages mass anti-China trade pact rally Posted: 30 Mar 2014 10:09 AM PDT Tens of thousands of Taiwanese protesters took to the streets of Taipei on Sunday in a bid to pressure embattled President Ma Ying-jeou to retract a controversial trade pact with China. The protesters, many wearing black shirts and headbands reading "defend democracy, retract service trade pact," crowded the streets leading to the presidential office, despite fresh concessions offered by Ma to further scrutinise agreements with China. Around 200 protesters remain in the main chamber of parliament, the site of an occupation since March 18. But despite President Ma's conciliatory moves, many demonstrators remain unmoved.

Parliament moves ahead with debate on reform bill Posted: 30 Mar 2014 10:07 AM PDT ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The Greek parliament speaker ruled Sunday that the main opposition party's motion of no-confidence in Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras is inadmissible, ensuring that debate on a bill introducing market reforms agreed with the country's lenders can continue.

Kerry, Russian counterpart set to talk on Ukraine Posted: 30 Mar 2014 09:50 AM PDT PARIS (AP) — Russia on Sunday set out demands for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in Ukraine, saying the former Soviet republic should be unified in a federation allowing wide autonomy to its various regions as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov prepared to meet in Paris in another bid to calm tensions.

Iraq electoral commission retracts resignation before vote Posted: 30 Mar 2014 09:45 AM PDT Members of Iraq's electoral commission retracted their resignations on Sunday, having threatened to quit en masse in protest against political interference just one month before a nationwide vote. The entire board of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) tendered its resignation last week, further complicating the outlook for polls that have already been clouded by violence across the country. In a statement following a visit by the United Nations' envoy to Iraq, IHEC said: "The decision has been taken to withdraw the resignations and resume our duties in full confidence". IHEC said it had found itself caught between conflicting rulings from parliament and the judiciary regarding the exclusion of certain candidates from the election, due on April 30.

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