ST. LOUIS - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Saturday his plan to end the Iraq war was unchanged and he was puzzled by the sharp reaction to his statement this week that he might "refine" his timetable for withdrawing US combat troops.

ULAN BATOR - Mongolia has lifted the state of emergency imposed after deadly election riots hit the capital Ulan Bator, with the president Sunday appealing for calm amid lingering fears of further violence.

A new branch of Madame Tussauds opens in Berlin on Saturday, including in its display of famous figures in Germany history the most notorious one of all, Adolf Hitler.

The elderly Filipino lady, carrying a shopping bag and a large purse, and bundled up against the cold wind and fog of Daly City, California, didn't have an appointment. But since she was in the area of Seton Medical Center, she decided to drop by to say hello to her geriatrician, Dr. Hermenegildo G. Angeles Jr., and perhaps ask him about an eye problem that she has been having. She was also there to gift him with a flashlight as a token of her appreciation for his care. Angeles, who, at 49, is young enough to be his patients' son, greeted the woman warmly. "Iniinom niyo ho ba yung gamot niyo (are you taking your medication)?" he asks, as he stops to do a cursory inspection of her eye before ushering her to his appointments secretary.

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TOYAKO, Japan - Leaders of the Group of Eight rich nations meet this week in northern Japan to grapple with a raft of problems from soaring food and fuel prices to African poverty and global warming amid doubts about how much the annual diplomatic pageant can achieve.

A lawmaker and a militant group on Saturday added to the calls for the suspension of the government's 12 percent value-added tax on oil products as the price of oil skyrockets worldwide.

ZAMBOANGA CITY - An Abu Sayyaf faction has given the Basilan Electric Cooperative (Baselco) until Tuesday to pay ransom for its four kidnapped workers or it would increase the demand and "sacrifice" one of the hostages.

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The trial of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria "Joma" Sison, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Satur Ocampo, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) negotiating panel chairman Luis Jalandoni, and several others for multiple murder has been raffled off to the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 32.

Navotas City Mayor Toby Tiangco yesterday sought to belie claims of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers that they operated their pumping stations as typhoon "Frank" passed through the country two weeks ago.

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya - Citing environmental violations, among others, the provincial board has withdrawn its 2005 resolution endorsing a multibillion mining project here, a move that further worsened the rift between the provincial government and a foreign mining giant tasked by the national government to undertake what could be the region's first-large scale mining venture.