SANTIAGO, March 11 (AFP) - Tycoon Sebastian Pinera takes over the presidency of Chile on Thursday faced with the challenge of rebuilding a nation devastated by one of strongest ever recorded earthquakes and a tsunami.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, March 10 (AFP) - Haitians expressed worries Tuesday after the United States said it was cutting its military deployment to their quake-hit nation at the same time as police warned feared street gangs were arming up to make trouble.

WASHINGTON, March 10 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined Haitian President Rene Preval Tuesday in calling for new elections in quake-hit Haiti as soon as possible.

SANTIAGO, March 9 (AFP) - The Red Cross on Tuesday doubled its aid appeal for Chileans made homeless by last month's massive earthquake, saying the costs of the disaster will be greater than anticipated.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, March 9 (AFP) - A US Navy hospital ship was recalled from Haiti Tuesday as the US military cut its emergency deployment to the quake-hit nation, where aid efforts are now turning to reconstruction.

SANTIAGO, March 9 (AFP) - Hundreds of thousands of Chilean children returned to class Monday as a revised death toll continued to climb nine days after an earthquake and tsunami waves devastated the country.

MIAMI, March 8 (AFP) - Haitians desperately need a new hurricane alert system because its communications were largely destroyed by January's devastating earthquake, experts warned Monday.

CHICAGO, March 8 (AFP) - The massive earthquake which struck the west coast of Chile last month moved the entire city of Concepcion more than three meters (10 feet) to the west, scientists said Monday.

TAIPEI, March 8 (AFP) - A 5.1-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan Monday, the central weather bureau said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

OKCULAR, March 8 (AFP) - A strong quake killed at least 41 people and injured dozens in remote villages in eastern Turkey early Monday, with survivors trapped under the rubble of mud-brick buildings, officials said.