overdue

WP: on the ground in Diyala
"'That's a lot of men to secure a baby,' said Stinchfield, 37, of Vancouver, Wash., the commander of Company H, 3rd Squadron of the Army's 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment. 'But that's what this war is like. It's slow and boring most days, and not much happens'... 'I'm sitting here eating Cheez Whiz and Cheez-Its, which I realize might seem weird,' Stinchfield said. 'But I'd rather be doing things like delivering a baby than shooting people.'"
Gdn: meanwhile, snow in Baghdad (insert snarky conjecture about hell freezing over here.)

BBC: talks fail in Kenya; Kibaki doesn't support investigation into election 'irregularities'
WP: Odinga, ODM call for protests.
Econ: Annan will arrive soon for renewed mediation efforts, but most think Kibaki, who appointed loyalists to cabinet positions, will reject them. "The worry is that the planned protests will be met with a bare-knuckle response from the new minister of internal security, George Saitoti, who has a fearsome reputation."

BBC: pre-election accusations fly in Zimbabwe; opposition threatens to boycott

WP: Bush finally supports reparations for Palestinian refugees
WP: West Bank residents skeptical of deal (from a sign in the accompanying photo: "it's the occupation stupid")

LAT: more on the FARC hostage release in Colombia
"The release has refocused attention on the plight of the estimated 3,000 hostages being held in Colombia by the FARC, other rebel groups and criminal gangs."
Econ: after negotiating the release, Chávez has some domestic concerns to return to

Reuters: Suu Kyi meets with junta leader in Burma

Reuters: Sri Lankan gov't rejects Tamil Tiger offer to restart ceasefire

Econ: shake-up in Chile

Econ: Islam and politics in Indonesia

BBC: elections set for April in Nepal to create constitutional assembly. Maoists still adhering to peace deal, after all sides agreed to scrap monarchy after the election

WP: good at illegal spying, bad at paying the bills. (phone companies cut off phone taps cause the feds haven't paid.) if only the US forgot to pay the latest lease installment on guantánamo.
Salon: alas, we've already reached its 6-year anniversary

DN: piracy on the rise. arrrgh. (thanks to Ryan for sharing.)

WP: Dennis demands recount in New Hampshire. (not an onion piece.)