World News Briefs -- March 2, 2009

Specialist Peter Mazza works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, March 2, 2009. Investors' despair about financial companies and the recession has brought the Dow Jones industrial average to another unwanted milestone: its first drop below 7,000 in more than 11 years. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

MIDDLE EAST

Robert Gates: Iraq pullout timetable is workable.

Iraqis get U.S. technology to fight roadside bombs.

Clinton doubts Iran will respond to offer of talks.

Egypt FM: $5.2 billion pledged at Gaza conference.

Abu Dhabi reviewing Citigroup investment: sources.

ASIA

National election dates set as India faces crisis of corruption.

Afghan children not killed by Canadian bomb: probe.

Japanese emperor to visit Pearl Harbor for first time since war.

NKorea, UN command hold urgent talks at Korean DMZ.

AFRICA

South Africa's ANC unleashes terror against election rivals.

Mugabe vows to seize more farms.

Drug trafficking and instability behind Guinea-Bissau assassinations.

US Navy hands over 9 suspected pirates to Somalia.

Seven Islamist militants 'killed' south of Algiers.

EUROPE

Chechen women face strict rule of Islam.

The tale of the auctioned Chinese bronzes.

Polls reshape Spain's regional landscape.

A look at France's overseas possessions.

AMERICAS

Clashes in Nicaragua show Sandinistas control the streets.

Hugo Chavez orders army to take over Venezuelan rice mills.

Raul Castro ousts top Cubans loyal to Fidel Castro. Who's in and who's out in Cuba government shakeup.

Mexican troops reinforce besieged border city.

TERRORISM

CIA destroyed 92 interrogation tapes.

The credit crunch, organized crime and terrorism.

FINANCIAL/ECONOMIC CRISIS

Dow drops below 7,000 for first time since 1997.

EU says crisis worst in memory, helping new EU states.

E.U. denies request for bailout of E. Europe.

AIG enters record books with $61.7 billion loss.