Thursday March 1.

Bagpipe band louder than jet engine [08:43]
Health and safety inspectors have told members of a traditional Scottish band to wear ear protectors after discovering their drums and bagpipes made more noise than a jet engine.

WWF calls for protection of Antarctic ecosystem [08:33]
The conservation group WWF hopes to use the new International Polar Year to increase awareness of threats facing Antarctica.

Wednesday February 28.

US won't send CIA agents to stand trial in Italy [21:47]
The United States will not meet any request by Italy to extradite 26 Americans, most thought to be CIA agents, to stand trial over the kidnapping of a Muslim cleric.

Car bomb kills 10 near market in Baghdad [20:00]
A car bomb has killed 10 people and wounded 21 near a vegetable market in Baghdad, Iraqi police say, as insurgents kept up a campaign of bombings despite a new US-backed security crackdown.

Japan abandons Southern Ocean whaling season [19:09]
Japan has confirmed its whaling fleet will abandon this year's hunt in the Southern Ocean.

Japan abandons whale-hunting season in Southern Ocean: reports [16:23]
Japan is set to abandon whale hunting in the Antarctic for this season after its main whaling ship was crippled by a fire two weeks ago, public broadcaster NHK has reported.

Man convicted over stealing feast for 60 people [16:05]
A jobless German has been handed a five-month suspended jail term for stealing a buffet for 60 people and eating it with friends, authorities say.

Castro says on live radio he's 'feeling stronger' [16:00]
Cuban Leader Fidel Castro has said he is recovering and feeling stronger in his first live radio broadcast since emergency stomach surgery forced him to relinquish power in July.

Jealousy becomes criminal offence in Mexico [09:18]
Mexican men who display extreme jealousy or avoid sex with their wives could be tried in court and punished under a new law, the special prosecutor for crimes against women says.

US intelligence chief predicts worse violence in Iraq [09:03]
The United States director of national intelligence, Mike McConnell, is warning the violence in Iraq may get much worse.

Sudan rejects ICC evidence over alleged war crimes [08:18]
Sudan says the International Criminal Court (ICC) has no jurisdiction to try its citizens for alleged crimes in Darfur.

UN chief slams rebel shelling in Sri Lanka [07:39]
United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has condemned a Tamil rebel artillery attack in Sri Lanka that injured several foreign diplomats who were on a humanitarian assessment mission.

Man accused of Balibo killings stays away from inquiry [07:37]
A former Indonesian special forces officer accused of leading the killing of five journalists in Balibo 32 years ago says he will not attend the coronial inquiry that is under way in Sydney.

Iraqi police report children killed in blast [06:21]
Iraqi police and a community leader say a bomb blast near a football field in the city of Ramadi has killed 18 people, mostly children, but the United States military says it is unaware of such an attack.

Tuesday February 27.

Iraq bombings kill 22 [23:29]
At least 22 people have been killed in Iraq in a spate of mortar and bomb attacks, including one on a popular central Baghdad eatery at lunchtime.