Latvia's government collapses
Latvia's four-party ruling coalition collapsed on Friday, prompting the president to call for talks to forge a new government to tackle a deepening economic crisis.

Israel's new leader faces a rough ride to the middle
Although Benjamin Netanyahu is a hawkish man of the right, he also considers himself a pragmatist. But it is looking increasingly unlikely that his hope to form a centrist government will come true.
- Peres taps Netanyahu to form Israel's new government

Russia reopens case of murdered journalist
A day after three suspects were acquitted in the 2006 murder a Kremlin critic, the judge reopened the case.

Clinton softens her tone on China
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that the debate with China over human rights, Taiwan and Tibet should not interfere with attempts to reach consensus on broader issues.
- Stephen Bosworth named U.S. special envoy to North Korea

Wall Street shaves sharp early losses
Wall Street's fears about a government takeover of major U.S. banks eased somewhat on Friday afternoon after the White House reaffirmed its belief in a privately owned banking system.
- Berkshire Hathaway shares hit 5-year low
- Asian markets follow Wall Street lower

Credit crunch plays into China's shopping plans
Flush with cash and eager to take advantage of weak commodity prices, China is on the hunt for global energy and resources to power its growing economy.

Twins arrested in Berlin jewelry heist
The investigation into an audacious million-dollar jewelry heist at Germany's largest department store took a strange twist last week when DNA found in a single glove at the crime scene led investigators to two suspects - twin brothers.

NATO allies reluctant to increase Afghan presence
NATO defense ministers concluded two days of talks here Friday with indications that few allies were willing to offer significant numbers of additional combat troops for Afghanistan but that they might seek to compensate by deploying more civilians to train local security forces and build the country's economy.

Report calls Guantánamo conditions humane
A report on the Guantánamo Bay detention center will conclude the prison complies with humanitarian requirements, but offers recommendations.

Jews praise Argentina's expulsion of bishop
The traditionalist bishop whose denials of the Holocaust embarrassed the Vatican and caused an international uproar was ordered Thursday to leave Argentina within 10 days.

Bombing at funeral kills dozens in Pakistan
The bombing, aimed at the funeral of a Shiite Muslim man who had been shot in the city a day earlier, set off a chain reaction of chaos in the city of about a million people on the edge of Pakistan's lawless tribal areas.

Obama tells U.S. mayors to spend wisely
President Barack Obama put the country's mayors "on notice," saying they must spend $787 billion in stimulus money responsibly.
- Economy and environment on agenda as Obama visits Canada

Rebels raid Sri Lankan capital
The Sri Lankan military said Friday that two rebel p***s had attacked the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.

Big drama over who controls the U.S. census
Senator Judd Gregg's withdrawal as nominee for commerce secretary provoked a furor among Republicans because they had concluded their fellow Republican pulled out because of White House plans to take control of the Census Bureau.

6,000 inspiring miles
Every now and again something comes along that is dazzlingly generous and full of the excitement of life. Today's"something" is a movie about a bicycle journey that three young men took across the United States to raise money for two causes.

Where there's hope, there's Oscar
The Carpetbagger makes his Oscar predictions for 2009.