KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - A U.S. official says there's no doubt an al-Qaida-affiliated group orchestrated this week's widespread, coordinated attacks in Afghanistan's capital and other eastern cities. Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, also says Pakistan needs to do more to clamp down on the Haqqani network's safe havens.

     OSLO, Norway (AP) - A confessed mass killer in Norway says his original plan differed from the attacks he carried out that killed 77 people. Anders Breivik's original plan was to bomb Oslo's government district, the Labor Party's office and a third target, possibly the royal palace. He spoke at his trial today. He admits the killings but says they were self-defense.

     BAGHDAD (AP) - The first major attacks in Iraq in weeks, about a dozen in all, have killed at least 30 people. Bombings struck several areas in Baghdad and to the north today. The violence stoked fears that insurgents were trying to undermine confidence in the Shiite-led government.

     SHANGHAI (AP) - A survey of women's roles in Asia finds them underrepresented in leadership positions and paid less than men, sometimes significantly. The Asia Society survey on women's status in health, education, economic activity and political leadership urges improvements to ensure the region benefits fully from its underused pool of human talent.

     PARIS (AP) - France's president is calling Bashar Assad a shameless liar and says he wants to wipe the Syrian opposition city of Homs "off the map" just like Moammar Gadhafi wanted to do in Benghazi, Libya. Speaking on Europe 1 radio, President Nicolas Sarkozy called for humanitarian corridors in Syria to help those opposing Assad.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The judge presiding over the Trayvon Martin shooting case has removed herself after George Zimmerman's attorney said she had a possible conflict of interest. Florida Circuit Judge Jessica Recksiedler recused herself Wednesday because of a potential conflict that relates to her husband. Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder for the Feb. 26 shooting of the 17-year-old Martin.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - The parents of Trayvon Martin are scheduled to attend an event at a Tampa church. Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin will appear at a town hall meeting today at the Beulah Baptist Institutional Church talk about the shooting of their 17-year-old son nearly two months ago in Sanford.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Transportation officials say work is about to begin on a project that will eventually include a walking-biking path along the Courtney Campbell Causeway, which spans Tampa Bay.     The initial $8.44 million phase of the project begins this weekend, as workers start repaving the bridge that connects Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. That work is expected to be finished by August, when the Republican National Convention comes to Tampa.  The Tampa Tribune (http://bit.ly/HVzxxZ ) reports the project includes a $14.6 million trail that will allow bikers and hikers to ride and stroll from over Old Tampa Bay, from county to county.

PALM  HARBOR, Fla. (AP) - Authorities say a garbage truck struck and killed a 65-year-old Tampa Bay area man.   According to the Florida Highway Patrol, James P. Algeri walked in front of a garbage truck Wednesday morning.   The Tampa Bay Times (http://bit.ly/IQ6buf ) reports a Solar Sanitation garbage truck was turning when the man walked in front of it.  An investigation is continuing.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Investigators used DNA from a car's airbag to link a man to a fatal hit-and-run crash in St. Petersburg.   Police said a black Hyundai Sonata ran a red light, crashed into another car and then hit 75-year-old Shirley Harris, who was pronounced dead at the scene. That happened in July 2010.  Police suspected Byron Famar Starling, but could not prove he was the driver of the Hyundai. He went to prison in December 2010 on unrelated drug and other charges.   Police reported Wednesday they had matched DNA from the blood on the car's airbag to a sample of Starling's DNA he gave in prison. Upon his release last week, the 26-year-old was brought back to Pinellas County to face charges of leaving the scene of an accident involving death.