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U.S. air strikes hit Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia, March 3 (UPI) -- At least eight people were injured Monday in a U.S. airstrike on suspected al-Qaida terrorists in Somalia, it was reported

A Pentagon official confirmed the attack, saying the missiles hit a target in a community controlled by Islamic extremists, The Daily Telegraph reported.

The official said missiles struck a building that was reputed to be gathering place for terror suspects, but could not confirm whether the operation was successful, the British newspaper said.

Islamist militants with alleged ties to the al-Qaida organization occupied the town of Dhoble last week. The BBC said 20 people were injured.

Local officials told the BBC people were trying to escape the violence but Kenya closed its border with Somalia.

U.S. officials say the Somali Islamists are protecting people linked to the 1998 attacks on the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, something the Islamists deny.

Big 6.9 quake reported in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines, March 3 (UPI) -- The Philippines was jolted Monday by a strong earthquake measured at a magnitude 6.9 by seismographs in the United States.

The U.S. Geological Survey announced the quake was centered 327 miles east-southeast of Manila and 109 miles from the city of Pandan.

There were no immediate details on any possible damage or casualties, although the shaking was reported to have been felt over a wide area.

Jury selection begins in Rezko trial

CHICAGO, March 3 (UPI) -- Jury selection began Monday in the Chicago corruption trial of political fundraiser Tony Rezko, who has ties to Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

Rezko has pleaded innocent to charges of demanding payments from firms trying to do business with the state and funneling the funds to himself or political figures he favored, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Rezko was a one-time fundraiser for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Obama, who also entered into a land deal with Rezko in 2005. Obama since called the move "boneheaded" because Rezko's activities were known to be under a federal microscope at the time.

Rezko's defense team is expected to hammer at the credibility of Stuart Levine, the government's key witness, the Chicago Tribune reported. Defense attorneys are expected to question Levine's memory of events because of his alleged heavy use of cocaine and other illegal drugs.

"That clearly is the battle line they want to draw," said Zachary Fardon, a former assistant U.S. attorney who helped prosecute and convict former Illinois Gov. George Ryan in 2006 on corruption charges. "The defense wants it to be all about Stuart Levine."

Ecuador, Venezuela deploy troops

CARACAS, Venezuela, March 3 (UPI) -- Venezuela and Ecuador have sent troops to their borders with Colombia following the killing of a Colombian rebel leader, El Universal reported Monday.

Officials in each country also have ordered the expulsion of Colombian diplomats.

Colombian leftist rebel leader Raul Reyes was killed by Colombian forces about a mile inside Ecuadorian territory over the weekend, prompting both Ecuadorian and Venezuela to say it was a violation of Ecuador's sovereignty.

Colombian officials said it was a necessary move in the country's fight against terrorism. Bogota considers the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, a terrorist organization.

In his weekly radio show Sunday, Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez said the killing of Reyes was a cowardly act on the part of the Colombian government. He also said if Colombia violated Venezuelan territory he would consider it an act of war.

Chavez, in recent weeks, has negotiated the release of six hostages being held by FARC.

FARC has been fighting Colombian forces for decades.

Colombian rebel groups have been accused of crossing the dense jungle border between Colombia and Venezuela while outrunning government forces and receiving aid from Chavez, an allegation he denies.