Americas

Several Russian ships and 1,000 soldiers will take part in joint naval maneuvers with Venezuela in the Caribbean Sea later this year, exercises likely to increase diplomatic tensions with Washington, a pro-government newspaper has reported.

Prominent anti-war activist Michel Chossudovsky says the Caucasus conflict is a prelude to a joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran.

Nicaragua is taking final steps to officially recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia, in line with the president's decision, a deputy foreign minister said.

Bolivian President Evo Morales, who is visiting Iran, said he announces without any fear and concern that he supports Iran not the US.

A video has surfaced on the website LiveLeak.com that shows what appears to be more than a dozen Unidentified flying objects (UFOs) in a Haitian neighborhood.

Cuba's government treats Mr. Castro's health as a state secret.

Several states are pursuing more aggressive policies than the federal government to reduce oil consumption. Renewable Fuel Standards (RFSs) require a minimum share of homegrown vehicle fuels such as ethanol.

Hurricane leaves a wide trail of damage in several US states on the Gulf of Mexico.

Katrina made landfall at Grand Isle, on Louisiana coast, just before sunrise.

Hurricane lashing long stretch of southern US coast from Louisiana through Mississippi and Alabama and into western Florida.

Hurricane Katrina continues to strengthen over the Gulf of Mexico before a second strike on the U.S. mainland, after killing seven people in southern Florida.

A Peruvian jetliner carrying between 94 and 100 people crashed near Pucallpa, Peru on Tuesday at 21:20 UTC.

Mr. Bush tells OAS foreign ministers that democracy is on the march in Central Asia and the Middle East, and all efforts should be made to strengthen democratic governments in the Americas.

Anti-American sentiment has been running high since Newsweek magazine reported that US soldiers had desecrated the Koran.

Although Cuban President Fidel Castro had expelled and refused entry to several European observers before the meeting started, police did not crack down on the peaceful protests by nearly 200 people.