World News: Obama condemns violence in Libya and vows to act

President Barack Obama has condemned the violence in Libya as "outrageous and unacceptable", and said he was dispatching Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Geneva for international talks aimed at stopping the violence.

Mr Obama said he was studying a "full range of options" to pressure Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime to halt attacks against Libyans as violent clashes spread throughout the North African country.

He said the options included "actions," presumably sanctions among them, that the United States could take with its allies, as well as steps it might take by itself.

"We are doing everything we can to protect American citizens," Mr Obama said in brief remarks at the White House, his first public comments after days of violence in Libya.

He appeared with Mrs Clinton after the two conferred on the situation at the White House.

"We strongly condemn the use of violence in Libya," Mr Obama said. "The suffering and bloodshed is outrageous, and it is unacceptable. So are threats and orders to shoot peaceful protesters and further punish the people of Libya."

Pay-out for Marcos's victims

Lawyers for victims of human rights violations under Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos say more than 7500 of them will receive compensation, 25 years after he was ousted in a "people power" revolt. It's the first pay-out since they sued in 1986.

Cleric denies terror charges

Indonesia's best-known radical Islamic cleric denied charges today that he helped set up a new terrorist cell and training camp that was preparing a series of high-profile assassinations and attacks on Western hotels and embassies.

Abu Bakar Bashir told judges at the South Jakarta District Court that he was a victim of a US conspiracy.

The 72-year-old imam, who has twice escaped terrorism convictions, may face execution.

A woman and her 11-month-old son have died from bird flu after preparing and eating meat contaminated with the deadly H5N1 virus, Cambodian health officials said.

Bird flu meat kills mum and son

Cambodia's Ministry of Health issued a statement saying the mother, 19, died on February 12 and her baby on February 17.

Pirates facing trial in States

A group of 15 suspected pirates captured after the killing of four Americans on a hijacked yacht off Somalia could be sent to the US to face trial.

The group is being held aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise.

In the past year, at least six Somali pirates have been convicted in the US.

Serbian police chief jailed for Kosovo killings

Holland: A former Serbian chief of police has been jailed for 27 years for his role in the murder of more than 700 ethnic Albanians in Kosovo in 1999.

The UN tribunal at The Hague found Vlastimir Djordjevic guilty of five counts of crimes against humanity.

China: Shanghai has announced a new rule modelled on the country's one-child policy.

From May, over 600,000 unlicensed dogs will be declared illegal.

A Soviet space capsule that orbited the Earth with a mannequin and a live dog as a test run for the first manned space flight is being auctioned in New York.