Japan quake damage near $300b

The Japanese government on Wednesday estimated the direct damage from a deadly earthquake and tsunami that struck the country's northeast this month at 16-25 trillion yen ($185-308 billion), making it the world's costliest natural disaster.…

Defiant Gaddafi pledges victory

Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has made his first public appearance in a week to rally his supporters. In a speech apparently from a compound hit by coalition air strikes on Sunday, he urged "all Islamic armies" to join him, saying:…