China to mourn quake victims; death toll rises to 2046
China will hold a national day of mourning on Wednesday for victims in the Qinghai earthquake which has now killed 2,046 people. Nearly 200 are still missing.
National flags will fly at half-mast in the country and its embassies and consulates overseas, and public entertainment will be suspended, according to the State Council, the cabinet.
In Qinghai, local people will pay a three-minute silent tribute starting at about 10 a.m. Mourning ceremonies will be held in Gyegu Town of Yushu, the epicenter, and some other locations including Xining, the provincial capital.

Europe resumes some air travel despite volcano
The first flights in northern Europe have taken off after being grounded for five days because of the spread of volcanic ash from Iceland.
Three flights departed from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport late on Monday, bound for New York, Dubai and Shanghai.
There are hopes that many routes within Europe will be able to resume operations on Tuesday.
However, air traffic officials in Britain said a new ash cloud spreading from Iceland cast doubt on plans to reopen UK airspace.
Under the European Union's plan, planes are only able to fly in designated 'caution zones', where the threat of the ash cloud is considered less dangerous.

US: Deaths of 2 al-Qaida in Iraq leaders big blow (with soundbite)
US and Iraqi forces say they have killed Iraq's two top Al Qaeda leaders.
Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Masri were killed in a nighttime rocket attack on a safe house near Sadam Hussein's home town of Tikrit.
Speaking from the White House, US Vice president Joe Biden called the killing a 'potentially devastating blow' to the insurgency.
"Abu Ayyub al-Masri and Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the former leaders of AQI, are the ones who plotted, planned and executed attacks against Iraqis in the recent past, as well as against Americans."
Al Qaeda has been stepping up attacks in Iraq in an effort to create instability ahead of the withdrawal of US troops from the country.

4 killed, 9 missing in east China coal mine gas outburst
Four miners were killed and nine others missing in a coal mine gas outburst early Tuesday in east China's Jiangxi Province.
The accident occurred at dawn when 13 miners were working underground in a coal mine in Jianshan county.
Rescue operation is underway.

4 policemen killed, 5 others wounded in ambush in N. Philippines
Four policemen have been killed and five others wounded in an ambush by suspected leftist rebels in the northern Philippines.
A military official says some 20 to 30 suspected New People's Army rebels blew up a landmine in Antipolo city early Tuesday and fired on a team of police special forces.
Army soldiers have been dispatched to pursue those responsible for the attack.

Registration of candidates for parliamentary elections begins in Afghanistan
Registration of candidates for the Afghan parliamentary elections set for September 18 began on Tuesday.
An official of the Independent Election Commission says the process will last until May 4.

North Korea readying for 3rd nuclear test: report
South Korea's broadcaster YTN has reported that North Korea has been making preparations for a third nuclear test that could come in May or June.
Quoting an unnamed diplomatic source, YTN said the preparations began in February and involve a level of technical proficiency that is significantly upgraded from the first two tests.
Pyongyang has boycotted international nuclear disarmament talks for over a year and put conditions on its return that include ending U.N. sanctions imposed after its last test in May 2009.

School knife killer's appeal rejected
A court in southeast China's Fujian Province has rejected the appeal by a man who was convicted of murdering eight children outside their primary school in March.
It upheld the original verdict of murder and the sentence of capital punishment for 41-year-old Zheng Minsheng, who had admitted "intentionally killing" the children.
He was appealing for a two-year reprieve on his death sentence.

Fake goods in mail up 7-fold
Chinese customs officials seized as many as 37,000 pieces of mails and express mails containing counterfeit items in the latter half of last year, seven times the figure in the same period of 2008.
According to the General Administration of Customs, the drastic increase in the practice is due to the development of e-business.
A recent research report showed China's e-business transactions reached 530 million yuan or 77.6 million US dollars in 2009, an annual increase of nearly 250 percent.

Shanghai Expo Park starts trial operation
The Shanghai World Expo Park is going on trial operation from Tuesday to Sunday, with five comprehensive drills to be performed during the period.
According to the Yangtse Evening Post, the first comprehensive drill starts today, with an estimated 200,000 people participating. The Expo Park is to open at 9:00 am and close at 8:00 pm during the trial operation.