A major oil company is cutting its losses after an embarrassing streak of mishaps (thankfully before they turn into a streak of oil on the Arctic Ocean), foul play is ruled out in the deaths of several tourists, and a world-renowned Pianist passes away.  Time to take a spin around the world for the news:

Royal Dutch Shell is suspending offshore drilling in the Arctic for the rest of the year.  This follows big troubles on Shell’s two drilling rigs.  One crashed into an island and had to be towed away.  The other burst into flames and the US Coast Guard then found at least 16 safety violations on board.  Those violations were passed on to Federal Prosecutors.  Shell also faced opposition from environmental activists.

17 Afghan police trainees are dead in Ghazni Province; they were drugged and then shot to death by Taliban infiltrators who were able to poison the cops’ food.  The terrorists then stole the weapons, set fire to a police vehicle, and fled.  It’s the worst episode in a string of similar attacks.  Three more police officers were shot to death in Kandahar.

At least three people are dead and seven people are wounded after a shooting in a factory in Switzerland.  This happened in the Kronospan wood working plant in Menznau, about 22 Kilometers west of Lucerne.  The gunman was apparently dealing with "psychological problems" and took his own life.  This is Switzerland’s second mass shooting this year. 

Egyptian authorities are ruling out criminal activity in the balloon crash that killed 19 tourists at Luxor.  The balloon company Sky Cruise had just passed a safety inspection a week ago.  Three Brits were among the dead and the Egyptians are allowing a request by British authorities to attend the probe.

Classical Pianist Van Cliburn died in his home in Fort Worth, Texas.  He had been diagnosed with cancer last year.  Aside from being really, really good at playing the piano (especially the works of Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky), Cliburn is noted for traveling to Moscow at the height of the Cold War in 1958 and winning the Tchaikovsky Prize.  He went on to establish his own international Piano Competition.  Van Cliburn was 78.

A Japanese woman has been recognized as the world’s oldest.  Misao Okawa from Osaka is 114 years old.  For now, her birthday is next week on 5 March, when she turns 115 and catches up with the world’s oldest man Jiroemon Kimura of Kyoto.  Born in a largely pre-industrial society, she was presented with her certificate by representatives from Guinness World Records and said, "Given everything, it's pretty good."