* Washington steps up criticism of Asmara government * Eritrea denies allegations as relations cool By Jeremy Clarke ASMARA, March 12 (Reuters) - The United States has intensified its criticism of Eritrea, saying the Red Sea state systematically abuses human rights and is a destabilising influence in the Horn of Africa. In its annual human rights country report, released late on Thursday, the U.S. State Department accused Eritrea of sponsoring terrorism i

* Al Qaeda asks for demands to be met after hostage freed * Believed to be seeking $5 mln ransom * Two Spanish hostages still held MADRID, March 12 (Reuters) - Al Qaeda is seeking a $5 million ransom and the release of imprisoned Islamist fighters as conditions to free two Spanish hostages kidnapped in Mauritania, newspaper El Pais said on Friday, citing sources familiar with the negotiations. El Pais published an exclusive statement from the Islamist fig

ALMATY, March 12 (Reuters) - Thousands of people were evacuated and some were killed in Kazakhstan on Friday after severe floods destroyed several dams in the south of the Central Asian state, the emergencies ministry said. Spring flooding is a recurring problem in Central Asia but a sudden rise in temperatures following weeks of heavy snow storms has exacerbated the problem this year. The Kazakh emergencies ministry said two dams had burst near the Kazakh financial capital Almat

* Quake aftershocks jolt capital and Congress building * Swearing-in ceremony austere as country mourns * High hopes for businessman Pinera to boost economy * Outgoing President Bachelet leaves with high popularity (Updates with Pinera quotes, changes dateline pvs SANTIAGO) By Javier Lopez CONSTITUCION, Chile, March 11 (Reuters) - The ground shook and buildings swayed as billionaire Sebastian Pinera took over as Chile's president on Thursday, tasked with

* Belgian, Czech woman were held for five days * Abduction will raise security concerns among aid workers (Updates with nationalities of kidnapped women, details) By Marine Hass PORT-AU-PRINCE, March 11 (Reuters) - Two European aid workers with Doctors Without Borders in quake-hit Haiti were kidnapped and held for nearly a week before being freed early on Thursday, the international medical charity said. "Two of my colleagues, two women, were abducted last F

* Kidnapped aid workers' ransom sent to contractor account * UN report details aid diversion, arms embargo breaches * UN's Ban urged to open independent investigation of WFP (Adds WFP remarks about inaccuracies in U.N. report, details) By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS, March 11 (Reuters) - A Somali businessman linked to Islamist rebels who likely received a ransom paid for kidnapped French aid workers was a contractor for the World Food Program and UNICEF, a U

UNITED NATIONS, March 11 (Reuters) - The United Nations is struggling to provide support to earthquake-ravaged Haiti, as donor nations have been slow to hand over much-needed aid, U.N. humanitarian chief John Holmes said on Thursday. The U.N. launched a "flash", or emergency, appeal for $562 million from member nations days after the magnitude 7.0 quake on Jan 12., nearly half of which was to be spent on food. A revised appeal was launched in February to raise a total o

* Public opinion reversal could affect U.S. action * Congress hesitating on controversial environment bill * U.S. unlikely to meet emissions goals without it(Adds U.S. bird study; global attitudes) By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON, March 11 (Reuters) - A growing number of Americans, nearly half the country, think global warming worries are exaggerated and more people doubt that scientific warnings of severe environmental fallout will ever occur, according to a

WASHINGTON, March 11 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Thursday named 10 charities to share his $1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize, with causes ranging from wounded veterans to Haiti's earthquake survivors and education for minorities. "These organizations do extraordinary work in the United States and abroad helping students and veterans and countless others in need," Obama said in a statement. He had vowed to donate the prize money to charity after unexpectedly winnin