World Briefs

LOS ANGELES. A Californian woman who gave birth to octuplets earlier this week already has six children, US media has reported.

The eight babies were delivered nine weeks early by Caesarean section in a hospital near Los Angeles on Monday.

The mother has not been named, but US media is quoting family members as saying she already has six other children, including twins.

Doctors say the eight babies are making good progress and are expected to stay in hospital for several more weeks.

ISTANBUL. Turkey's PM has received a hero's welcome on his return to Istanbul after he stormed out of a debate about Gaza at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan had reacted angrily when he was refused the chance to respond to Israeli President Shimon Peres' defence of the operation.

Thousands of people turned out in the city to greet Mr Erdogan's plane. He told them Mr Peres' language and tone had been unacceptable, so he acted to stand up for Turkish honor.

"I am not a chief of a tribe. I am the prime minister of Turkey. I have to do what I have to do."

WASHINGTON. The rate of suicides among soldiers in the US army has risen to a record level for the second year in a row.

The army said there were 128 confirmed suicides in 2008, with a further 15 deaths still under investigation.

Military officials said they did not know why the number has kept increasing but that the stress of conflicts overseas had had a significant impact.

The army has said it is committed to addressing the issue and has introduced training to raise awareness.

LONDON. Strikes have been breaking out across the UK in support of a mass walkout by energy workers in Lincolnshire angry at the use of foreign workers.

Hundreds gathered for the third day of the original strike at Lindsey Oil Refinery after owner Total gave a $350 MILLION contract to an Italian firm.

They have been supported by hundreds of strikers in Scotland, Wales and other parts of England. Total said there would be no "direct redundancies" as a result of the deal.

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea said Friday it is ditching a nonaggression pact and all other peace agreements with South Korea, in an apparent attempt to use the threat of an armed clash to press Seoul to give up its "confrontational" stance.

The communist nation also said it will no longer respect a disputed sea border with the South, raising the prospect for an armed clash along the Yellow Sea boundary.