Early Iraq results: PM battling secular challenger
BAGHDAD (AP) - Partial vote results in Iraq's historic election released Thursday showed a tight contest between the nation's prime minister, who had the lead in two provinces in the mainly Shiite south, and a secular challenger who appeared to be drawing on Sunni support north of Baghdad. The preliminary tallies from five of Iraq's 18 provinces were a setback to hard-line religious Shiite political leaders who have close ties to Iran. But results for the big prize - Baghdad - have yet to be released.

More quakes hit Chile as new president takes over
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) - A series of strong aftershocks from last month's devastating quake rocked Chile on Thursday as a new president was sworn into office and immediately urged coastal residents to move to higher ground in case of a tsunami. The strongest aftershock, with a magnitude of 6.9, was nearly as strong as the quake that devastated Haiti's capital on Jan. 12. There were no immediate reports of damages or injuries.

Americans' net worth up for 3rd straight quarter
WASHINGTON (AP) - Americans regained more of their shrunken wealth last quarter, mainly because the healing economy boosted stock portfolios. But the gain was less than in the previous two quarters. The Federal Reserve reported Thursday that household net worth rose 1.3 percent in the fourth quarter to $54.2 trillion. It marked the third straight quarter of gains. Net worth had risen by a stronger 4.5 percent in the second quarter of 2009 and by an even faster 5.5 percent in the third quarter.

Democrats, White House close in on health bill
WASHINGTON (AP) - House Democratic leaders on Thursday worked to rally their rank-and-file members around last-minute agreements on insurance taxes and prescription drug coverage that could move President Barack Obama's overhaul of the nation's health care system a step closer to reality. Although some issues remained unresolved - including a divisive battle over restricting taxpayer funding of abortion - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said: "We have enough to move forward."

Greece hit by strikes, riots over austerity plan
ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Serious street clashes erupted between rioting youths and police in central Athens Thursday as some 30,000 people demonstrated during a nationwide strike against the cash-strapped government's austerity measures. Hundreds of masked and hooded youths punched and kicked motorcycle police, knocking several off their bikes, as riot police responded with volleys of tear gas and stun grenades.

Massive school closures in KC to be done by fall
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Kansas City's school superintendent said Thursday the plan to shutter nearly half the district's schools, while "painful," will move forward quickly so that all the closures will be complete by fall. The school board narrowly approved the plan Wednesday night to close 29 of the district's 61 schools to try to stave off bankruptcy. The closures have angered many parents, students and teachers, but administrators say they had no choice because without them, the district would have been in the red by 2011.

Mexico's Slim becomes 'world's richest' person
MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexican telecom tycoon Carlos Slim is the first man from a developing nation to become the world's richest person - a shift that underlines the loosening of America and Europe's stranglehold on the top spots in the billionaires' club. Slim's arrival at the top aroused both pride and anger in Mexico, where many see his fantastic wealth in a poverty-afflicted nation as a sign of what ails it.

Conan O'Brien will take his show to theaters
NEW YORK (AP) - Without a TV show to do every night, Conan O'Brien is taking his act on the road. The former host of "The Tonight Show" announced a 30-city theater tour on Thursday. Sidekick Andy Richter and the former "Tonight Show" band will join O'Brien for what he promises to be "a night of music, comedy, hugging and the occasional awkward silence."

Pink Floyd wins battle with EMI over online sales
LONDON (AP) - Album lovers may rejoice a little at last: a British court says Pink Floyd, purveyor of iTunes-unfriendly concept records, cannot be unbundled. The High Court ruled Thursday that record label EMI Group Ltd. can't sell Pink Floyd tracks individually without the band's permission. A judge said that the band's contract applied both to physical albums and Internet sales.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen dies at 69
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Pro Football Hall of Famer and former television actor Merlin Olsen has died. He was 69. Utah State, Olsen's alma mater, said he died outside of Los Angeles early Thursday after battling cancer. He was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung lining, last year.