Relnoun1.1_plus_NNPrelationalNouns_plus_ORGwords.txt

Sri Lankan health authorities, concerned about the rise of the dengue fever menace, have decided to import a Cuban bacteria to tame the virus, health officials said Sunday.

Asia 's largest security forum, which includes the United States and Europe, wants free and fair elections in Myanmar, a draft chairman 's statement obtained Monday says.
0.39: (Myanmar; [is] a chairman [of]; draft) === F

China 's Ministry of Education has called upon all schools and kindergartens nationwide to strengthen measures to ensure campus safety, according to a statement from the ministry on Tuesday.

Italy 's two largest banks, Unicredit and Intesa SanPaolo, backed out of a plan to sell bonds to the government, saying Tuesday that improving economic conditions made the proposed state aid unnecessary.

Israelis were in shock on Sunday after the brutal murder of a 59-year-old father and the assault of his wife and daughter by a group of drunken youths on a Tel Aviv beach.

Agence France-Presse is providing full coverage of the amazing scenes at the San Jose mine in northern Chile, where the first miners has been pulled out safe and sound after almost 10 weeks trapped underground.

Lee DeWyze came out ahead of Crystal Bowersox in the finale of "American Idol" on Wednesday night, but it wasn 't a dramatic finish.

Following are the results from the East Asian football championships here on Saturday: Men Japan tied China 0-0 Halftime: 0-0 Women Japan bt China 2-0 Halftime: 1-0

For more than 40 years, Providence Community Health Centers has performed a vital role in this city by providing medical care to many of its poorest citizens.

Michael Phelps qualified for the finals of both his events at the Paris Open.

The death of Canadian boxer Arturo Gatti in Brazil this month was probably a suicide and not a murder as first believed and his wife has now been cleared of suspicion of any crime, reports said Thursday.

In addition, Disney is acquiring the game development studio Seropian runs, Wideload Games.

President Barack Obama 's tax-cut proposal is taking a toll on Treasurys.

A new document discloses the list of banks and hedge funds that received $4.3 billion from Goldman Sachs after the government 's bailout of AIG.

Jason Varitek had four RBIs and Marco Scutaro scored a career-high four runs as Boston held off Toronto for a 13-12 win Monday night.

In the fifth season of "The Next Food Network Star" (premiering at 9 p.m. Sunday), Washington 's Teddy Folkman takes his position among the 10 cheftestants vying for a show on the network.

Police in Afghanistan 's northern Baghlan province busted a gang of kidnappers after killing the leader, a statement of Interior Ministry said here Sunday.

Google Inc. is willing to concede to German demands the company erase photos for its panoramic mapping service after they have been processed, a data protection official said Wednesday.

Togo 's prime minister on Sunday recalled the country 's soccer team from the African Cup of Nations, accusing host Angola of failing to protect the players following a deadly ambush on their bus that killed three and injured eight.

A new 6.2-magnitude aftershock hit central Chile late Sunday, the latest after a massive 8.8-degree earthquake early Saturday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Tavern on the Green, once America 's highest-grossing restaurant, is singing its culinary swan song.

Results on Saturday in the opening pool matches of the Churchill Cup rugby union tournament:  Pool A  Uruguay 6 Canada 48  Pool B  Russia 22 USA 39  Wednesday 's matches  Pool A  Uruguay v France A  Pool B  Russia v England Saxons  Sunday 's matches  Pool A  France A v Canada  Pool B  England Saxons v USA  (Elimination round: June 19)

The seasonally adjusted annual rate of new-home sales was down 0.6 percent from April and fell 32.8 percent from May 2008, amid a glutted housing inventory.

The Polish government says the last 21 bodies of victims of the crash of a Polish government that killed the president are scheduled to be flown back to Warsaw on Friday.

Duty Editor: Jim Mannion  Tel: + 1 202 414 0541  What 's happening in the Americas on Wednesday:  + Obama meets Haitian President Rene Preval  WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama discusses Haiti 's reconstruction needs with President Rene Preval.
0.38: (Rene Preval WASHINGTON; [is] President [of]; Haitian) === F

The former prime minister of Guinea-Bissau Faustino Fudut Imbali has been "severely beaten by soldiers" but is "alive", a military source said Saturday, contradicting reports of his death.

Four French managers of a US-owned paper mill taken captive by workers angered by the closure of one of Europe 's oldest factories were released on Wednesday night.

As if the morning commute wasn 't odd enough, intrepid New Yorkers trying to make their way to work had to battle past hordes of the walking dead.

England wing Ugo Monye and Wales lock Alun-Wyn Jones have been included in the British and Irish Lions team to face the Springboks here Saturday in the first of three Tests.
0.88: (Ugo Monye; [is] wing [of]; England) === F

Commerce beat out conservation at a UN wildlife trade forum on Thursday, with Japan, China and pro-fisheries interests scoring a clean sweep in defeating proposals to protect high-value marine species.

US President Barack Obama Saturday said India and Washington stood united to guard the "torch of freedom", opening a state visit at the Mumbai hotel ravaged in the November 2008 terror attacks.

Myanmar 's ruling junta on Friday denied any nuclear cooperation with North Korea, in a statement carried by state media.

British media: Police arrest 5 men over potential threat to pope.

Nepali government is working on launching a package program as an effort to contain cholera epidemic in far western regions of the country.

A military plane crashed after a bombing run near a rebel stronghold in the northern Yemeni region of Saada on Monday, witnesses said, as Zaidi Shiite fighters said they shot it down.

Europe insisted Tuesday that a contingency plan to save Greece from bankruptcy with emergency loans was only prudent foresight and unlikely to be enacted, as Athens pushed for concrete details.

Somali pirates fought a fierce gunbattle Monday over the share-out of a multi- million dollar ransom within hours of the release of a Greek supertanker, witnesses said.

Spawned by undercover video shot by animal rights organizations and their well-funded campaigns, a national debate is under way over how well farm animals are treated.

Celebrated Iranian film director Jafar Panahi, who has been in custody since March, was released on bail on Tuesday, his wife told AFP, confirming a statement from the Tehran prosecutor 's office.

Living by their own set of rules BY RODNEY PAGE, Golf has no referees.

Following are the Russian Premier League results on Sunday: Amkar Perm        1 Alania Vladikavkaz 0 CSKA Moscow       4 Makhachkala        0 Terek Grozny      1 Rubin Kazan        1 Lokomotiv Moscow  2 Spartak Moscow     3

France 's beleaguered Socialists called for a "ceasefire" in their ranks on Tuesday after a high-profile maverick stepped up calls for the country 's main opposition party to "change or die."

The Kenyan government on Wednesday dismissed as inconsequential a travel ban imposed by the U.S. on a senior Kenyan official and vowed to reciprocate.

For as long as she can remember, Val Paget has reached for the sky and felt at home there.

California has taken a major step toward creating a broad-based trading system to limit emissions of pollutants blamed for harmful climate change.

About 500 cameras installed in New York City 's busiest transit hubs are now feeding real-time images to the police department 's security network.

Russia 's Sergey Kirdyapkin regained the men 's 50 kilometres walk world title here on Friday.

Powerful oil countries voiced concern over lingering weakness in the world economy as they met in Angola on Tuesday to assess the crude market, which remains volatile despite strong prices.

Australia Thursday posted a surprise drop in unemployment to 5.3 percent, beating market expectations with the largest monthly jobs surge since December 2006.

Muslims in many nations have condemned China 's crackdown in its Xinjiang region where at least 156 people have been killed in unrest over the past week.

German biathlete Magdalena Neuner won the women 's 10km pursuit gold at the 21st Olympic Winter Games on Tuesday.

Burrage was disappointed in the verdict but proud to have drawn attention to the hazards of secondhand smoke, she said.

The idea seemed simple though bold: Call reputed gang leaders to a meeting with top police and federal prosecutors and deliver an ultimatum to end killings in the third-largest U.S. city.

A Boston scientist was awarded a share of this year 's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Monday for helping to unravel a fundamental conundrum in genetics - work that began with yeast and an organism found in pond scum but three decades later is having implications for cancer and aging research.

Britain 's Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs has been officially released from his prison sentence, the Ministry of Justice told AFP on Friday.
0.88: (Train Robber Ronnie Biggs; [is] Great [of]; Britain) === F

A strengthening Tropical Storm Andres roared toward Mexico 's Pacific coast Monday, prompting emergency preparations for a storm that forecasters predicted would become the season 's first hurricane.

Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau   Winning the support of state Rep. Ray Sansom to use more than $8 million in taxpayer money on a "leadership institute" at his hometown college took only 22 minutes.

(bal) Good afternoon, AM editors.

Rahm Emanuel officially announced Saturday what everyone has known since he quit his job as White House chief of staff, hugged President Barack Obama and returned to Chicago: He 's running for mayor.

Merck is making another deal in its strategy to become a top maker of biotech drugs, buying a British company that makes them.

Organisers of a gay pride march in Minsk this weekend vowed Friday to go ahead with the rally despite a ban imposed by Belarus authorities.

The London stock market rose in early trade on Thursday, with the FTSE 100 index up 6.64 points, or 0.11 percent, to 5,802.89 points after the opening trade.

Employment costs posted another modest gain in the July-to-September quarter with compensation for state and local government employees turning in the weakest performance in nearly three decades.

Chinese veteran Liu Yingzi edged out Suzu Keiko from Japan to secure the sixth gold for China from the women 's trap at the ISSF World Cup here on Friday.

China 's military now possesses most of the sophisticated weapon systems found in the arsenals of developed Western nations, the country 's defense minister said.

President Hamid Karzai called Saturday for the international community to stop supporting private security companies in Afghanistan, which he said have created parallel security forces in competition with police and army.

The good thing about not being a regular film critic anymore is I was subjected to fewer lousy movies in 2009.

Carmaker Fiat SpA is reportedly planning to hire a top executive at Toyota Motor Europe as head of sales at its four-brand automotive group.

An enormous trove of e-mail messages from Elena Kagan 's years in the Clinton White House released late Friday afternoon offered glimpses of a savvy, sharp-elbowed and sometimes salty-tongued lawyer at ease with politics, policy and bureaucratic infighting.

Following are the Eastbourne International women 's singles second round results from England on Wednesday (prefix denotes seeding.)

The National Hockey League Thursday reinstated Anaheim Ducks owner Henry Samueli, who had been barred from involvement in the team for more than a year.
0.38: (Henry Samueli; [is] reinstated owner [of]; Anaheim Ducks) === T

Olympics: South Africa to make official bid for 2020 Olympic Games

Bill Clinton predicted Tuesday that President Barack Obama 's historic health care overhaul will become law, even as top Democrats hunted for the elusive votes to pass the sweeping measure.

copyright 2009, The Washington Post   Allison Marvin talks about some of her favorite art-related places on the Web and in Washington:   WEB RESOURCES   -- Fine Art Adoption Network (www.fineartadoption.net).

A conference of the Workers ' Party of Korea for electing its supreme leadership body will take place in Pyongyang on Sept. 28, KCNA, the state news agency of the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea (DPRK), reported on Tuesday.

Good morning, Feature, Entertainment, Science editors.

Lionel Messi hit a second successive La Liga hat-trick, and his eighth goal in a week, as the magical Argentine inspired Barcelona to a 4-2 win at Real Zaragoza on Sunday.

Police in the Mexican border city of Tijuana say they have arrested six men for stealing pieces of the U.S. border fence to sell as scrap metal.

Sweden 's Anna Nordqvist sank a 20-foot birdie at 15 on Saturday to regain the lead at the LPGA Championship as darkness halted third-round play.

Top European news stories on Monday:  Belgium-vote  BRUSSELS: Right-wing Flemish separatist and left-wing francophone unionists began tortuous negotiations to resolve federal Belgium 's future and its finances.

Following is the result of the 2009 Women 's National Basketball Association on Thursday (host team in CAPS): MINNESOTA LYNX bt Detroit Shock 75-72
0.38: (Basketball Association; [is] National [of]; Women) === F

United States midfielder DaMarcus Beasley has joined Bundesliga club Hannover on a two-year contract.

Australian researchers Wednesday said a new study supported the use of lap-band surgery for severely overweight teenagers after it found the procedure helped them lose 80 percent of their excess fat.

BRUSSELS, June 29 (Xinhua) - A natural gas explosion destroyed a villa on Tuesday in Belgian eastern city of Soumagne, burying five workers under debris, local residents said.

Following is a diary from Chinese athlete Zheng Shuyin, the winner of taekwondo women 's +63kg at the first Youth Olympic Games.

The U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday it will appeal as early as this week a judge 's ruling to ban federal funding of embryonic stem cell.

An Iranian training helicopter crashed Wednesday morning near capital Tehran, killing four people, local satellite Press TV reported.

Chile on Saturday charged a Pakistani man with illegal explosives possession and not with violating anti-terrorism law, after he was found to have traces of explosives on him when he visited the US embassy, a court source said.

Tuna brokers at Japan 's largest fish market protested a proposed international trade ban on Atlantic bluefin tuna Thursday, saying it would unfairly hit Japan and its massive tuna market.

Chemicals have been detected in a river in northeast China 's Heilongjiang Province four days after floods swept 3,000 chemical-filled barrels into a major river,  local officials said Sunday.

Hong Kong stocks fell 117.75 points, or 0.56 percent, to finish Friday 's morning session at 20, 932.98.

Italy 's South African-born lock Carlo Del Fava believes the Azzurri must maintain their strong defensive showings in test matches this month if they are to beat Fiji in Modena on Saturday.

by Gur Salomon   JERUSALEM, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces is preparing for a potential ban from conducting operations in major Palestinian cities in the West Bank, local media reported Monday.

Japanese share prices ended sharply higher on Tuesday, tracking gains on Wall Street as optimism grew about the outlook for the economy and corporate earnings, dealers said.

The African Union appealed for funds to increase its force in conflict-wracked Somalia from the current 8,000 ceiling to 20,000.

Results Wednesday from the Aegon Classic, played on grass at the Edgbaston Priory Club (seedings in parentheses):   Singles   First Round   Alla Kudryatseva, Russia, def.

Tennis: Federer reaches US Open semi-finals

German sports car maker Porsche said Tuesday it was recalling all its 11,324 newly launched four-door Panamera coupes due to possible problems with the seat belt mounts.

We will move the following animated graphic:  AFGHANISTAN  Interactive graphic on Afghanistan where the Taliban have renewed threats  to disrupt elections as claims grow of vote-buying and electoral fraud.

Grieving parents began burying their children after a devastating daycare fire killed 38 infants and toddlers in a tragedy that stunned Mexico and prompted its president to promise a thorough investigation.

Japan 's unemployment rate fell to 5.1 percent in August, dropping by 0.1 percentage points from the previous month, government data showed Friday.

A roadside bomb killed six Taliban militants, including a prominent local commander, in northwestern Pakistan on Thursday, an attack that could have been motivated by tensions between different insurgent groups.

The head of the central bank in Zambia has said the country is destined to attain its target of a single digit inflation rate at the end of this year, the Post of Zambia reported on Friday.

The United States will call for "even stricter sanctions on Iran to try to change the behavior of the regime," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a TV interview broadcast here.

The Republic of Cuba, with an area of some 110,000 square km and Havana as its capital, lies at the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico in the northwestern Caribbean Sea.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and German Chancellor Angela Merkel started talks here Friday, focusing on economic and political issues.
0.38: (Angela Merkel; [is] Chancellor [of]; German) === F

The number of German businesses filing for bankruptcy was up more than 17 percent on the year in September, according to official data Tuesday -- suggesting that country is still suffering the effect of the economic crisis.

Chilean international captain Claudio Bravo extended his contract with Primera Liga newboys Real Sociedad on Tuesday.

Iran 's Interior Ministry has denied a permission for the opposition to hold a mourning ceremony for the dead protestors over the results of the June election, the semi- official Fars news agency reported on Tuesday.

The National Football League fined the New York Jets and former coach Eric Magnini 125,000 dollars on Wednesday for failing to report then-quarterback Brett Favre 's arm injury last season.

Chinese shares closed down 2.36 percent on Friday, as investors remained worried that Beijing may tighten its monetary policy as the economy shows signs of recovery, dealers said.

Power and influence of Cambodian women have been on steady rise over the past several years with more and more women engaged in most of the operational fields in the country.

The Austrian economy emerged from recession in the third quarter of 2009, as economic stimulus programmes began to bear fruit, data showed on Friday, but the recovery is not yet self-sustaining, experts warned.

A suicide bomber blew himself up in Uruzgan province in south of Afghanistan Thursday, killing 15 people and injured 13 others, all of them civilians, police said.

Mankind 's only chance of long-term survival lies in colonising space, as humans drain Earth of resources and face a terrifying array of new threats, warned British scientist Stephen Hawking on Monday.

Japanese share prices closed down 2.55 percent on Monday, hit by losses on Wall Street and political uncertainty after Prime Minister Taro Aso 's party was defeated in a key weekend poll.
0.38: (Taro Aso; [is] Minister [of]; Prime) === F

Swiss voters go to the polls Sunday to decide whether foreigners who commit serious crimes in their country should be automatically deported.

Commentary: British brew up a different tea party   For Americans stranded in London recently, the coming British parliamentary elections offered all the discomforts of home.

A Sudanese woman who wore pants in public was fined the equivalent of $200 but spared a whipping Monday when a court found her guilty of violating Sudan 's decency laws.

Women 's 800-meter world champion Caster Semenya is facing intense scrutiny about her gender because she is African, the president of the South African athletics federation said Thursday.

A 10-year-old girl died and 10 others, including six children, were injured in a traffic accident on Thursday near a school in Toledo City, some 50 kilometers west of Philippine central city of Cebu, local media reported.

One person was killed and eight injured in two shooting incidents in Soweto involving the new bus network laid for South Africa 's hosting of the football World Cup, police said Sunday.

Manufacturers of products that claim to be environmentally friendly will face tighter rules on how they are advertised to consumers under changes proposed Wednesday by the Federal Trade Commission.

The number of foreign students at Taiwan universities and colleges reached a record high in 2009, according to the Ministry of Education (MOE) Thursday.

As workers ' compensation lawyers go, Ron Mix and Mel Owens understand their clients ' problems better than most.

Gold futures on the COMEX Division of the New York Mercantile Exchange kicked off October with a record-high settlement and a fresh all-time high on Friday, as U.S. dollar forged another new low.

Eurozone finance ministers Monday did not increase the 750-billion-euro (about 1 trillion U.S.dollars) rescue fund set up in May this year to bail out countries that may fall prey to debt crisis like Greece.

The Democratic People 's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Monday urged South Korea to cease its anti-North campaigns  along the Military Demarcation Line, the official news agency KCNA reported.

A combination of frigid weather, expectations of an improving economy and new tensions between Russia and Belarus catapulted crude oil prices above $81 a barrel on Monday to the highest close in nearly 15 months.

WikiLeaks spokesman Julian Assange says his organization is preparing to release the remaining secret Afghan war documents it has.
0.88: (Julian Assange; [is] spokesman [of]; WikiLeaks) === T

Ingredients   2 tablespoons olive oil or butter   1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped1clove garlic, finely minced   2 cups long grain rice (such as white basmati)       3 cups chicken broth (such as Swanson Low Sodium or homemade)       Salt, to taste       Freshly ground black pepper, to taste       1 bay leaf1sprig of thyme Directions        Heat oven to 375 degrees.

by Matthew Rusling   WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- While peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians have stalled, both sides are feeling each other out during the one- month period the Arab League has given Washington to revive the negotiations, some experts said.

A decision by a nonprofit organization to certify a company 's Antarctic krill harvesting has drawn fierce criticism from conservationists and undercut the group 's image as a diligent steward of ocean fishing stocks.

Tennis chiefs insisted on Monday that Andy Murray was within his rights to withdraw from this week 's Marseille Open.

Former Liverpool star Robbie Fowler says he is keenly counting down to next month 's kick-off for the Australian A-League season with his new club North Queensland Fury.

The euro eased against the yen and the dollar in Tokyo trade Wednesday on profit taking after earlier gains, dealers said.

URBAN LANDS OF OPPORTUNITY Richard Florida is director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto 's Rotman School of Management.
0.38: (OPPORTUNITY Richard Florida; is director of; the Martin Prosperity Institute) === F

The following editorial appeared in Monday 's Washington Post:   The panic of 2008 reflected rampant misbehavior in the financial sector, from gambling at American International Group to shoddy underwriting of mortgages.

A row over plans to bury Poland 's late leader Lech Kaczynski in a castle with the country 's kings divided the nation in mourning Wednesday as presidential elections were set for mid-June.

Taiwan 's national university baseball team bounced back from a disappointing loss and its worst finish in the World University Baseball Championship to rout Sri Lanka 21-0 in five innings Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.

Under the stained-glass gaze of William Shakespeare, Charles Cara struggles to defend another British icon: the City of London.

A plan to dismiss the entire faculty and staff of the only public high school in this small city just west of the Massachusetts border was approved on Tuesday night at an emotional public meeting of the school board.

Oil prices climbed above $67 a barrel Monday, helped by gains in Asian stock markets amid hopes that the global slump is easing.

Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed joined current and retired players in voicing concern over the captaincy in the leadup to Younis Khan 's decision to stand down for the test series in New Zealand.

China on Thursday refuted criticisms on its efforts for emergency six-party consultations on the Korean Peninsula situation.

James Collins scored an 89th-minute winner Wednesday to give Aston Villa a 3-2 win over a resilient Blackpool after a frantic finish that ended the host 's five-match winless run in the Premier League.

The following are major news items in leading Iranian newspapers on Thursday.

Malaysia 's services sector, the increasingly significant contritubtor to the country 's GDP, must grow by at least 6-7 percent to achieve a GDP growth of 4-5 percent in 2010, a Malaysian official said here on Tuesday.

American goaltender David Leggio saved 32 shots Monday as outsider TPS of Turku beat JYP of Jyvaskyla 6-1 to secure the series 4-2 and advance to the Finnish Hockey League final.

McDonald 's chief executive Jim Skinner said yesterday that health care overhaul is needed but it cannot be at the expense of small business owners.
0.88: (Jim Skinner; [is] chief executive [of]; McDonald) === T

More than 60 percent of Los Angeles Unified 's sophomores passed the California High School Exit Exam on their first try, guaranteeing they can graduate with the Class of 2012, according to results released Tuesday.

Myanmar 's main military-backed political party has thanked citizens for voting overwhelmingly in its favor in last month 's elections, the first in two decades.

Japan, US start biggest ever joint military drill: Japanese defence ministry

Four attack dogs killed a 3-year-old toddler in eastern Germany and badly injured the girl 's great-grandmother, who had tried to rescue the girl, police said on Saturday.

Mistaking each other for the enemy, NATO forces and Afghan soldiers battled in the morning darkness Saturday in a shootout that left at least four Afghan soldiers dead and prompted the Defense Ministry to call for the perpetrators to be punished.

copyright 2009, The Washington Post   WASHINGTON -- After days of uncertainty and mounting newsroom anxiety, the Washington Times confirmed Thursday that John Solomon has resigned as executive editor.

Security was tightened Monday at schools in western China following demonstrations last week by students who marched to protest reported plans to impose Chinese as the main language of instruction.

Britain urges China to "do the right thing" and halt Briton 's execution   tha/boc

William Burns, the senior US official leading Washington 's delegation at crunch nuclear talks here, on Thursday met Iran 's top negotiator, a US spokesman said.
0.88: (William Burns; [is] the senior official [of]; US) === F

Eds.: Freelance photos accompany this story, for information contact William Woody, 970-261-3329.

France is expecting the G8 development talks on Thursday and Friday in Rome to help boost foreign aid and funding for Africa and increase the continent 's role in international financial institutions, government sources said on Wednesday.

President Leonel Fernandez of the Dominican Republic on Wednesday ordered reinforcement of preventive measures to avoid the spread of cholera.

Cambodia has been presented with a Millennium Development Goals Award for its national leadership, commitment and progress towards achievement of Goal 6 - Combating HIV, malaria and other diseases, a press release from UN Office in Cambodia said on Monday.

On the eve of a pressure-packed Game 4, the manager of the Yankees again answered questions about his beleaguered starter.

The APEC Economic Leaders ' Meeting (AELM), the culmination of the APEC Leaders ' Week meetings, opened Saturday in Japan 's second largest city of Yokohama.

Nearly 1,000 people on the frontline island of Kinmen called for stable relations with China as they commemorated the 60th anniversary of a battle in which Nationalist forces fought off the Chinese communists to maintain control of the island.

China made four free-throws in the last minutes to beat Lebanon 72-68 Saturday to enter the final of the Asian men 's basketball championship.

The final leg of the shortcourse swimming World Cup gets under way in Singapore on Saturday with expectations high that world records will fall.

Banco Popular, Spain 's third-largest bank, posted Tuesday a 9.2 percent drop in first quarter net profit as it continued to set aside more cash to cover bad loans driven by a deep recession.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon is warning the Senate and House Armed Services Committees that the website WikiLeaks.org "intends to release several hundred thousand" classified U.S. State Department cables as soon as Friday.

The number of job openings available in Taiwan have grown on a year-on-year basis for 11 consecutive months, a local online employment agency said Friday.

Four Uighurs from Guantanamo Bay have been released in Bermuda where they hailed their new freedom, but Britain chided its overseas territory saying it should have been consulted on the move.

Penne With Zucchini and Sweet Onion   4 servings   This is the meal I make when I have no time and not much of a plan.

The six hostages including Belgians taken two weeks ago in the Gulf of Guinea have been released, an official source disclosed here on Thursday.

Sergio Garcia took another important step toward recovering from a troublesome season with a 6-under 65 for a share of the first-round lead with Paul Goydos and Steve Marino in The Barclays on Thursday.

Almost half a century after her death, Marilyn Monroe has turned from star to myth  so much so that even her ephemera continue to fascinate.

A government official says Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano plans to kill a controversial program begun by the former Bush administration to use U.S. spy satellites for domestic security and law enforcement missions.
0.38: (Janet Napolitano; [is] Secretary [of]; Homeland Security) === T

The Malaysian Consumer Price Index (CPI) for January 2010 increased by 1.3 percent to 113.2 compared with 111.7 in the same period in 2009.
0.38: (Price Index; [is] Consumer [of]; Malaysian) === F

A Turkish catamaran crashed on Wednesday noon on a pier at the port of Kos island in eastern Greece near Turkey, injuring 30 passengers, five seriously, local authorities said.

World Cup: France expels Anelka from World Cup - French Federation official

US stocks dived Friday as investors confronted the fallout from Dubai 's debt problems that have rocked global markets, with the Dow industrials down 219 points in the first minute of trade.

The Nigerian bomb suspect who tried to blow up a US airliner was a "talented" student and "caring" young man, one of his former teachers said in remarks published Monday in a United Arab Emirates paper.

Following are the results of the men 's singles figure skating at the 21st Olympic Winter Games after Thursday 's free skating at the Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver (short program and free skating in brackets): 1.

Investment in the development of a green economy in Greece was expected to reach an unprecedented level of 45 billion euros (62.67 billion U.S. dollars) by 2015, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou told a forum in Athens Saturday.
0.38: (George Papandreou; [is] Minister [of]; Greek Prime) === F

Kelly Pavlik stopped American compatriot Miguel Espino in the fifth round Saturday to defend his WBC and WBO middleweight titles, ending a difficult year on a high note.

Overriding Western objections, a 150-nation nuclear conference on Friday passed a resolution directly criticizing Israel and its atomic program for the first time in 18 years.

Today is Sunday, May 9, the 129th day of 2010 There are 236 days left in the year.

A boy allegedly abducted in a custody dispute nearly two years ago has turned up alive, hiding with his mother in a small, specially built secret room at his grandmother 's Illinois home, investigators said.

Spain has condemned the twin truck bombs that killed 95 people and wounded almost 600 in Baghdad Wednesday on the sixth anniversary of the bombing of the UN compound there.

At least two mass graves containing dozens of people killed by the Nazis have been found on property used by the Austrian army, government officials said Friday.

A grand jury in Dallas has indicted a couple accused of keeping the woman 's three young children starving in a hotel bathroom for at least nine months.

The cream of African running talent will be on display at the World Cross- Country Championships on Sunday, with a battle royale between Ethiopia and Kenya likely in both men and women 's events.

Spain aims to convince rating agency Moody 's in the next three months to abandon a threatened downgrade of the country 's debt, Finance Minister Elena Salgado said Wednesday.
0.38: (Elena Salgado; [is] Minister [of]; Finance) === T

Computer and software shares have slumped to the lowest valuations in two decades, a sign to some analysts that they will rebound as Standard & Poor 's 500 Index companies start spending their record cash.

Former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian has been indicted on new embezzlement charges after the court convicted him of corruption and sentenced him to life in prison earlier this month.

A Jordanian on death row for the murder of his married sister who used her mobile too often in an apparent "honour killing" has had his term commuted to 10 years in jail, a judicial official said Monday.

DEMOCRATS UNVEIL FINAL HEALTH CARE BILL   Democrats on Thursday unveiled the completed version of the health care legislation they intend to bring to a vote this weekend, saying it would more than pay for itself over the next decade while giving insurance coverage to most of those who lack it.

Excerpts from "Heart of a Patriot: How I Found the Courage to Survive Vietnam, Walter Reed and Karl Rove"   On catching "Potomac fever":   "On September 10, 1963, I landed at National Airport to begin the Washington Semester Program at American University.

High seas and rough winds were forecast to batter the Gulf of Mexico on Friday, posing a new threat as oil from the massive BP spill slopped ashore in Florida, closing down popular beaches at the height of the summer tourist season.

South Korea on Tuesday said the existing inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation will go forward as usual and not be affected by an earlier naval clash with the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Coroner 's official says determining cause of Michael Jackson 's death requires further tests.

After a run of setbacks at the state level, gay rights advocates will take the campaign for same-sex marriage into a federal courtroom on Monday, starting down a treacherous avenue that ends at a U.S. Supreme Court dominated by conservatives.

The Dutch government 's budget deficit will be 3.9 percent of economic output in 2011, better than the 4.7 percent deficit forecast as recently as June, according to official estimates leaked to local media.

xxxxx increasing the budget."

The death toll of the U.S. drone strike in Pakistan 's North Waziristan tribal area reached 15, whereas 10 others were wounded in the incident on Friday, local TV channels reported.

A bout of bargain-buying after recent losses caused by last week 's rate hike by the US Federal Reserve combined with gains on Wall Street to send most Asian stocks higher Monday.

Britain 's public sector borrowing has soared to 15.9 billion pounds ($24.7 billion) in August, a record for the month and well above analysts ' estimates.

Samsung Heavy Industries Co., South Korea 's third largest shipbuilder, said Thursday that it has won orders worth 500 million U.S. dollars to build nine oil tankers for a Greek shipping firm.

Total chief executive Christophe de Margerie said Friday that the French oil group was not considering buying its embattled rival BP, whose market value has dropped by half over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Two oil workers were missing but more than 30 others were rescued from a listing Sinopec rig off China 's northeast coast, the government said Wednesday, as the company insisted no oil was spilled.

Full Internet service was restored to the vast western Chinese region of Xinjiang on Friday, 10 months after it was blocked following deadly ethnic rioting that convulsed the regional capital, Urumqi.

Hundreds of thousands of BlackBerry users were awaiting Monday a decision by the Saudi telecoms watchdog on banning the smartphone 's messenger service after tests aimed at allaying security concerns.

Apple Inc. plans to make a version of its popular iPhone 4 available through Verizon Wireless by early next year, according to a published report.

The following are the major news items in leading Japanese newspapers on Friday: The Daily Yomiuri -- An internal probe by the foreign ministry has found documents that could prove the existence of two of the four alleged secret pacts agreed by Japan and the United States, sources said Thursday.

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith on Tuesday welcomed the European Union 's decision to impose tougher sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.
0.88: (Stephen Smith; [is] Minister [of]; Australian Foreign) === F

Suspect in eight fatal shootings in US surrenders: CNN

The Justice Department on Friday urged a federal appeals court to delay a judge 's ruling overturning a drilling moratorium in the Gulf.

US computer chip maker Advanced Micro Devices posted a quarterly net loss Thursday but beat the expectations of Wall Street analysts.

The following are major news items in leading U.S. newspapers on Sunday.

Senior officials from the U.S. and Europe are keeping the pressure on Iran despite its foreign minister saying earlier Tehran is nearing a deal with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on a nuclear fuel swap.

Japan will fund a programme costing up to five billion dollars to help build roads and boost agriculture in conflict-torn Afghanistan, a newspaper reported on Saturday.

Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro looks set to be let off his failed dope test after the Italian Olympic Committee 's (Coni) anti-doping prosecutor asked for the case against the Juventus star to be dismissed.
0.88: (Fabio Cannavaro; [is] captain [of]; Italy) === T

Spain 's Jorge Lorenzo, the Yamaha rider who leads the world championship chase, won his fifth consecutive pole position of the season in US Moto Grand Prix qualifying on Saturday.

Those Republican brutes!

American John Isner began his European autumn indoor campaign in disappointing fashion here on Wednesday, with the eighth seeded eliminated 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 in the opening round at the Austrian Tennis Trophy by Serb Janko Tipsarevic.

Here are the top culture, entertainment and special section features from The New York Times News Service for Wednesday, June 16.

The candidate stood uneasily on the rostrum, his black suit still creased from the valise he had carried on the three-day train trip from Springfield, Ill.

Japan 's central bank announced Thursday that it was leaving its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 0.1 percent as it fights stubborn deflation in the world 's second-largest economy.

Ecuadoran Vice President Lenin Moreno Garces on Monday cautioned at the United Nations that the drive to realize the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the UN anti-poverty program, have left out an important segment of the population -- persons with disabilities.
0.88: (Lenin Moreno; [is] President [of]; Ecuadoran Vice) === F

A public-private project to capture and store carbon dioxide emissions that was abandoned by the Bush administration is being restarted, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced Friday.
0.38: (Steven Chu; [is] Secretary [of]; Energy) === T

The London Stock Market closed higher on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 index up by 49.96 points, or 1.18 percent, at 4,279.98 points.

Once upon a time, when big, boxy tube television sets roamed the earth, anything related to home-entertainment technology was so complicated and costly that many mere humans were cowed into a state of terrified indecision.

The consumer price index (CPI) in August recorded a decline of 0.46 percent to 105.67 compared with the same month the previous year, according to statistics released by the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) Monday.

A Pakistani intelligence officer says an employee at the country 's state-run Islamic advisory body has been detained for allegedly playing an important role in the failed Times Square car bombing in New York City.

The Russian economy contracted by 11 percent in the month of May compared with the same month last year, the government said Tuesday, in the latest blow to hopes of a swift recovery in the country.

Cote d 'Ivoire 's Prime Minister Guillaume Soro said he supported former prime minister Alassane Ouattara as the country 's president-elect, and would offer to resign from his post, media reports said Saturday.
0.38: (Guillaume Soro; [is] Minister [of]; Prime) === F

NATO faced major setbacks in Afghanistan Tuesday as the White House summoned US General Stanley McChrystal to explain pointed criticism of the president and senior advisers in a magazine interview.

World Cup favourites Brazil clash with their former colonial masters Portugal in their final Group G match on Friday, with the five-time champions already qualified for the round of 16.

Madagascar 's fallen leader Marc Ravalomanana said Sunday a compromise to resolve the country 's political crisis was unlikely should his rival be named leader of the transitional government.

China has stopped the Dalian oil spill from reaching international waters, an official said Monday, admitting the clean-up work was "arduous."

China 's qualified domestic institutional investors (QDIIs) and foreign companies listing on the Taiwan stock market will be priorities this year, Taiwan Stock Exchange Corp. (TWSE) Chairman Chi Shieve said Tuesday.

Chilean Agriculture Minister Marigen Hornkohl inaugurated Chile 's agriculture office in Seoul on Tuesday to expand agricultural and commercial ties with South Korea.
0.88: (Marigen Hornkohl; [is] Minister [of]; Chilean Agriculture) === F

Irish football chiefs renewed Friday an appeal for FIFA to order its handball- marred World Cup playoff with France to be replayed, after Thierry Henry said a re-match would be the "fairest solution."

President Paul Kagame, who on Monday looked set to win another seven-year term after ruling Rwanda for 16 years, dismissed allegations of repression and said the election had been "very democratic".

The Federal Reserve opened the door Monday to allowing some banks with healthy finances to repay the government for capital injections as soon as next week.

President Barack Obama says the U.S.-Japan alliance is a "cornerstone" of world peace and security.

Two commando-style assaults in Pakistan in the past two weeks show militants can now pierce the iron-fortified gates, concrete barricades and cordons of armed guards that are meant to secure hotels, housing compounds and even police stations across the country.

Stocks and the dollar gained Monday as investors tried to predict when interest rates might start rising.

Financial stocks led Wall Street to recover from an early plunge on Tuesday, lifting the Dow back above the 10,000 benchmark.

The following are major news items in leading Turkish newspapers on Thursday.

Publications Awards Date and Time: 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 22,   2009 Place: 209 Sungkiang Road, Taipei 2.

New signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic is poised to make his Barcelona debut in a friendly against Manchester City after recovering from hand surgery.

A rights group says Asian boys are still abused as jockeys in camel races in the Emirates, even though the practice has been banned.

A Virginia grandmother, who has become a symbol for campaigners against the death penalty, was Thursday counting down her final hours as hopes for an 11th- hour reprieve dwindled.

Experts said Tuesday that cultural and academic exchanges between China and Africa are conducive to the development of cooperation.

Fuel at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport to Monday, Tuesday: ministry

Hideki Matsui produced one of the greatest big-game performances in Major League Baseball playoff history and the New York Yankees beat Philadelphia 7-3 Wednesday to win their 27th World Series title.

Sri Lanka is set to import chicken for the first time in over two decades as consumption zooms due to a tourist bonanza and rising incomes on the formerly war-ravaged island, a minister said Wednesday.

Chinese teenager Ye Shiwen recorded the fastest time of the year as she won the women 's 200-meter individual medley at the Guangzhou Asian Games.

In going on strike at a transmission factory, workers here have Honda by the jugular, although it was not entirely clear at the employees ' dormitory on Friday that they realized this.

An Israeli Arab lawmaker 's plan to attend a Holocaust memorial ceremony at Auschwitz has drawn fierce criticism from both Arabs and some Jews, underscoring the deep divisions between the two sides over the legacy of the Nazi genocide.

Japan Airlines said Friday it lost a record $2 billion in the nine months through December, but that its results in the most recent quarter were better than expected as the flagship carrier undergoes government-led restructuring.

China kept a tight grip on every single gold of Asiad table tennis competitions as it 's paddlers took three titles  and two silver medals here on Friday.

Fans, staff and players of the Flamengo soccer team were hugely disappointed on Friday when Adriano was confirmed to miss Sunday 's heavy match against Corinthians for burn injury.

From spunky "Little Miss Sunshine" to an even more heroic young girl.
0.38: (Sunshine; [is] Miss [of]; Little) === F

From deployment of more security guards to cutting back outdoor celebratory activities, primary schools and kindergartens across China have tightened campus security ahead of International Children 's Day following a string of deadly attacks on young students.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Kabul on Wednesday to attend the inauguration of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, a US embassy official told AFP.
0.38: (Hamid Karzai; [is] President [of]; Afghan) === F
0.38: (Afghan President Hamid Karzai; [is] a official [of]; US embassy) === F

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has for the first time met an African immigrant dubbed the "Russian Obama" after he won national fame by standing last year for elected office, reports said Friday.
0.88: (Vladimir Putin; [is] Minister [of]; Prime) === F

Visiting U.S President Barack Obama said on Friday that the "moment is now" to restart the Middle East peace process and called on Israelis and Palestinians to make concrete and serious steps to achieve peace.
0.50: (Barack Obama; [is] President [of]; U.S) === T

Vice President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that China and Japan should make concerted efforts to cope with the global financial crisis.
0.88: (Xi Jinping; [is] President [of]; Vice) === F

The government of Dubai does not guarantee the debt of Dubai World, a senior finance department official said on Monday, effectively washing its hands of the woes facing the embattled conglomerate.
0.39: (Dubai World; [is] a senior official [of]; finance department) === F

The top world economic stories on Tuesday:  World-finance-economy  ATHENS: The Greek government sought a first payment from an international bailout as fears that Europe 's trillion dollar war chest will not stave off a major debt crisis punctured market euphoria.

Spain will reportedly receive the most money out of all 32 World Cup teams if it wins the World Cup, and several Spanish political parties are unhappy at the figure with the country facing an economic crisis.

The US economy created 431,000 jobs in May amid massive temporary government hiring and the unemployment rate fell to 9.7 percent from 9.9 percent, official data showed Friday.

OpenSkies, British Airways PLC 's premium subsidiary, said Friday it is dropping its service between Amsterdam and New York after a significant fall in demand, leaving the loss-making carrier running just one route between Paris and New York.

EU eyeing aid of over 100 million euros for Haiti: diplomat

GLENDALE, Ariz. - When the Texans begin the preseason schedule against the Arizona Cardinals tonight, fans will see Kris Brown and Neil Rackers take their kicking competition from the practice field to the playing field.

Singapore shares closed 1.26 percent lower Monday amid concerns over the pace of the global economic recovery, dealers said.

German Economy Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said Thursday that he did not fear an EU rejection of a state-backed takeover of automaker Opel by Canadian parts maker Magna.
0.38: (Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg; [is] German Minister [of]; Economy) === T

The Philippines celebrated its National Pavilion Day at the Shanghai World Expo Wednesday.

The death toll in the Haiti quake could top 100,000 dead, Prime Minister Jean- Max Bellerive told CNN Wednesday.
0.38: (Jean- Max Bellerive; [is] Minister [of]; Prime) === F

Current oil prices at above 80 dollars a barrel are within a "very comfortable zone" beneficial to producers, consumers and companies alike, Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Nuaimi said Monday.
0.38: (Ali al-Nuaimi; [is] Minister [of]; Saudi Oil) === F

Australian police Friday said they had dropped their inquiries into whistleblowing website WikiLeaks, saying it had not broken any laws under their jurisdiction in releasing US diplomatic cables.

A federal appeals court has reversed a ruling that overturned Boeing Co. 's $1.1 billion contract for maintenance of an Air Force refueling tanker jet.

Gordon Brown said Monday he 's willing to resign as prime minister and leader of Britain 's Labour Party, clearing the way for talks with Nick Clegg 's Liberal Democrats on forming a government.

A Chinese naval flotilla Saturday concluded its good-will visit to Chile and sailed for Peru to continue its South America tour.

Kasey Keller, whose 22-season career including stints with several top European sides, said Friday he will retire after playing in 2011 for Major League Soccer 's Seattle Sounders.

Japan 's embattled prime minister has decided to dissolve parliament and call general elections for next month, a news reports said Monday, after his party was defeated in a Tokyo municipal poll considered a barometer of voter sentiment.

Fifteen people burnt to death at South African orphanage: police

A landmark law that would reserve a third of all seats in India 's parliament for women cleared its first hurdle on Tuesday when members of the upper house approved it after a rancorous debate.

About 300 employees of Perfect (China) Co. Ltd., the second largest direct sales company in mainland China, arrived in Kaohsiung via Hong Kong Wednesday on an employee incentive tour.

World stocks mostly fell Monday as Europe 's debt crisis loomed over markets, offsetting any optimism generated by Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke 's suggestion that stimulus measures could be boosted.
0.38: (Ben Bernanke; [is] chairman [of]; Federal Reserve) === T

A group of Syrian journalists and artists denounced on Tuesday the Israeli attack on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla on Monday, calling on the international community to take responsibility by putting an end to the Israeli acts.

A Xinhua News Agency magazine is to join  with northeast China 's Liaoning TV to air news commentary across China via a satellite cable network.

Chad and Sudan vowed on Sunday to end years of mutual mistrust and forge a "permanent peace" in the conflict-scarred region.

Beware all you New Yorkers and tourists who have yet to kick the habit.

ATTN EDITORS:        BC-OBIT-BETTERS-NYT, by Mitch Keller, has been HELD.

PALM HARBOR  On the surface, this weekend 's Legends Tour Open Championship is a chance for former LPGA players to reunite and play a little golf .

Sofia Coppola knows what it 's like to grow up with a famous dad: Jetting off to faraway places, spending long stretches of time in hotels and getting an inside look at the bizarre, privileged and often decadent world of Hollywood.

Six soldiers with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were killed in Afghanistan on Sunday, the allaince said.

The stock market is losing more ground after a private sector report on unemployment fails to ease investors ' concerns about job losses.

Russia must develop offensive weapons systems to balance against US missile defence plans, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was quoted by a Russian news agency as saying on Tuesday.
0.38: (Vladimir Putin; [is] Minister [of]; Prime) === F

South Korea 's ruling party won the key Seoul mayoral poll but suffered upsets in several other local elections held amid tensions over North Korea 's alleged torpedoing of a navy ship, officials said Thursday.

A monthly survey shows Americans ' confidence in the economy rose only slightly in October from September.

Oil prices fell for a third straight day Monday before the U.S. Federal Reserve meets to discuss monetary policy, which for months has helped to drive oil prices higher.

Malaysian sprint specialist Josiah Ng was disqualified from the men 's keirin at the world track cycling championships Thursday for obstructing Britain 's Chris Hoy.

Liu Xiaobo, who on Friday was jailed for 11 years by a Beijing court for subversion, is a leading intellectual and social critic who has sought to bring political change and democracy to China.

Don 't break out the drilling rigs quite yet.

Suspected Muslim militants shot dead two policemen Saturday in attacks minutes apart in the main city of restive Indian Kashmir, ending a lull in violence, police said.

Finland summoned Iran 's ambassador to Helsinki on Monday to express its concern over the mass trials of election protesters, the Finnish foreign ministry said in a statement.

The Frankfurt Book Fair 's 61st edition opens Tuesday with the welcome mat laid out for guest of honour China, but it was clear the hosts saw freedom of expression more as an opportunity than a threat.

Ivory Coast opposition leader Alassane Ouattara Friday declared himself the country 's "elected president", defying a court proclamation that long-term incumbent Laurent Gbagbo had won the election.
0.88: (Alassane Ouattara Friday; [is] opposition leader [of]; Ivory Coast) === F

South Korea 's top business groups will expand their research and development (R&D) expenditure in 2010, a local business lobby group said Wednesday.

President Barack Obama visited New Jersey on Wednesday to do his part to help keep a Democrat in charge of the state, urging voters to re-elect Gov. Jon Corzine.

Norwegian police say one of the country 's busiest airports has been evacuated as bomb experts investigate a suspicious bag for possible explosives.

Over 100 angry farmers from Dapu Township in Miaoli County staged their sixth demonstration in the last two months Wednesday to protest against the county government 's forced expropriation of their land to make way for a private business.

Zimbabwe 's Finance Minister Tendai Biti said Friday the economy could grow by 4.0 percent this year after being battered by years of hyperinflation and economic contraction.
0.38: (Tendai Biti; [is] Minister [of]; Finance) === T

Iran 's Majlis (Parliament) on Thursday approves nominee of Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar, according to pan-Arab al-Jazeera TV.
0.38: (Mostafa Mohammad Najjar; [is] Minister [of]; Defense) === T

A U.N. committee is reviewing 137 names on the so-called "blacklist" that imposes financial and travel restrictions of people and entities tied to al-Qaida and the Taliban.

The new START treaty is set to pass a key vote in the U.S. Senate, with nine Republican senators ' announcements of support, according to CNN reports on Tuesday.

"It 's in God 's hands now," said Kevin Mustafa Fletcher, a former member of the Swan gangand the executive director of Unity T.W.O., one of the city 's more high-profile gang intervention agencies.
0.38: (Kevin Mustafa Fletcher; [is] a former member of; the Swan) === F

Israeli police say a gunman entered a youth club for gay teens in central Tel Aviv on Saturday night and sprayed the interior with automatic rifle fire, killing three people and injuring 11.

Rescue and government officials say floods kill 267 people in Pakistan over last 3 days.

The United States is sharply criticizing China 's trial of a prominent Chinese dissident as being "uncharacteristic of a great country."

A man from Guatemala is under arrest after customs inspectors at Dulles International Airport discovered he was carrying a cooked chicken stuffed with more than $4,000 worth of cocaine.

Luis Scola scored 27 points and Carlos Delfino added 26 Friday, helping Argentina pull away late for a 73-61 win over Russia in a consolation game at the world championship.

Results Wednesday from the St. Petersburg Open, a $663,750 ATP event on indoor carpet at the Peterburgsky Sports Complex (seedings in parentheses):   First Round   Yen-hsun Lu (4), Taiwan, def.

Nearing the halfway point of spring training for pitchers and catchers, Colorado Rockies pitching coach Bob Apodaca acknowledged Tuesday that he has considered options if closer Huston Street and Rafael Betancourt aren 't healthy when the season begins.

Stocks fell for a third day Monday on still growing concerns that Europe 's debt problems will hamper a global rebound.

The Democratic People 's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Sunday held a grand military parade to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the ruling Workers ' Party of Korea (WPK).

Gen. David Petraeus, President Barack Obama 's pick as the new commander in Afghanistan, said on Tuesday that fighting in that country could intensify in coming months and he supports the timetable of starting withdrawals in July 2011.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini admits talented young winger Adam Johnson may not make England 's World Cup squad despite his superb start to life at Eastlands.
0.88: (Roberto Mancini; [is] manager [of]; Manchester City) === T

The government of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Thursday announced that it decided to allocate funds for another 36 reconstruction projects in China 's quake-hit Sichuan province.

Gunmen stormed into a hotel in the Somali capital on Tuesday morning and kidnapped two French men who were working for the military, officials said.

Former US senator Ted Stevens was among five passengers who died when a small plane crashed in Alaska, local media citing a family friend reported Tuesday.
0.38: (Ted Stevens; [is] Former senator [of]; US) === T

Radical Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, once imprisoned for his links to the terror group behind the Bali bombings, was arrested Monday for alleged involvement with a new militant network.

The new top commander in Afghanistan is talking up a weapon that has been kept in the shadows for years -- special operations missions to kill or capture key insurgents -- to try to convince skeptics the war can be won.

Uruguay 2 (Luis Suarez, 80), South Korea 1

The Asia-Pacific region reportedly had 9 new confirmed Influenza A/H1N1 cases on Saturday, with China taking the lead by 6 cases, 3 in the mainland and another 3 in Hong Kong.

Three Iran election protesters condemned to death: ISNA

Five NATO troops were killed in a spate of attacks in Afghanistan on Thursday, including four in roadside bombings, bringing the total over the past two days to 11, officials said.

Carrie Prejean, the former Miss California crown holder, found herself in another pitched battle against the pageant organizers over something other than her pronounced objection to gay marriages -- her breast enlargement.
0.88: (Carrie Prejean; [is] the former holder [of]; Miss California crown) === T

China 's telecom industry reported 698,9 billion yuan (101 billion U.S. dollars) in main business revenue for the first ten months this year,  up 3.4 percent year on year, according to a statement Friday by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Foreign direct investment in China rose 18.9 percent year-on-year in September, marking the second monthly increase in a row, the commerce ministry said Thursday.

NATO troops are to launch their biggest operation yet in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, the British general in charge of forces there has said.

After rising for a record-equalling 11th session in a row on Monday, the London stock market opened higher on Tuesday.

Vehicle recalls related to electronic systems have tripled and investigations quadrupled in the past 30 years following a surge in the use of computers to control functions such as acceleration.

Pakistan offers 615,000-dollar reward for Taliban chief: officials

Toiling in the bowels of the National Gallery, the intrepid scholars of the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts (CASVA) shape what all the rest of us will someday believe about art.

A standoff between Iraq and Iran over a remote oil well ended peacefully Sunday as Iranian forces pulled back from the disputed site.

BEIJING, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) --Xinhua announced Tuesday it has started to offer real-time London Metal Exchange (LME) market data.

The Bangladesh government has ordered tens of thousands of mosques and libraries to remove books written by the controversial founder of an Islamic party, an official said Saturday.

At least 20 people were killed on Monday after two passenger trains collided head-on outside of Brussels.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Sunday proposed that in a future peace deal the Palestinians should take his country 's 1.3 million Arabs and let Israel keep its West Bank settlements.
0.88: (Avigdor Lieberman; [is] Minister [of]; Israeli Foreign) === F

TAMPA  Two months ago, they smiled and posed together on the practice field for a newspaper story, 12 proud USF football players brought together by the common bond of their parents ' backgrounds growing up in Haiti.

The former Soviet bloc economy will contract by a sharper-than-expected 6.3 percent in 2009 before returning to growth next year, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development forecast Thursday.

The dollar sank to two month lows against the euro on Tuesday, as investors ventured toward riskier assets in the face of rising stock prices and encouraging corporate results.

Former Portugal midfielder Paulo Sousa has been appointed the new manager of Leicester City, the English Championship side announced Wednesday.

Croatian President Ivo Josipovic on Tuesday unveiled a memorial to nine elderly Serbs slain following his country 's 1995 offensive against Serb rebels, saying such crimes "have brought a shame on Croatia that cannot be washed out."
0.88: (Ivo Josipovic; [is] President [of]; Croatian) === F

China 's trade surplus stood at 135.5 billion dollars for the first nine months of 2009, falling 26 percent compared with the same period a year ago, customs authorities said Wednesday.

Women 's World Cup biathlon sprint results here on Friday:  Sprint (7.5km, two shoots, 150m penalty loop for every missed target)  1.

President Barack Obama 's top ally in the US Congress predicted Thursday that "jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs" -- not the escalating war in Afghanistan -- will decide the November 2010 mid-term elections.

Indian police have arrested in New Delhi an alleged extreme left-wing Naxalite rebel wanted for attacking police, reported the Press Trust of India on Friday.

Three astronauts from Japan, Russia and the United States blasted off Monday for a Christmas voyage to the International Space Station.

A look ahead to Day 1 of the French Open tennis tournament:   Sunday 's Schedule: Day 1; play starts on all courts at 0900 GMT.

A senior Palestinian official denied on Sunday that there are differences within the Palestinian negotiations team over the direct peace negotiations with Israel.

Thailand picked up the pieces Friday after violence and mayhem triggered by a crackdown on anti-government protests, as the focus swung to recovery and reconciliation in a divided nation.

Rockets fired by militants in Khost province in east of Afghanistan wounded two children and caused panic among the locals on Tuesday, police said.

IBM Corp. said Monday its first-quarter profit jumped 13 percent, and the company offered evidence that corporate technology spending is rebounding after the recession.

A US trade agency has launched a probe into Sony Corp 's claims that several companies, including two major computer monitor makers in Hong Kong and Taiwan, infringed on its patents for display devices.

Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan asked a U.S. court on Wednesday to block a $39 billion hostile takeover by BHP Billiton on the grounds BHP has made "false statements and half-truths" to try to manipulate the perceived value of the Canadian company.

Mexico now has one of the world 's most liberal laws for drug users after eliminating jail time for small amounts of marijuana, cocaine and even heroin, LSD and methamphetamine.

Five players who will take part in Saturday 's Four Nations final between England and Australia are on the six-man shortlist to win the Golden Boot player of the year award.

South Africa beat Pakistan by eight wickets at the Zayed Cricket Stadium Friday to take a 1-0 lead in their five-match series.

"God wanted us to come here to help children, we are convinced of that," Laura Silsby, one of 10 Americans accused of trafficking Haitian children, said Monday through the bars of a jail cell here.

Iran denied on Friday confiscating the Nobel peace prize of human rights campaigner Shirin Ebadi and protested against Norway for making the allegation, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, in an interview in the run-up to the 60th anniversary of the People 's Republic of China, has vowed to build a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity.
0.88: (Yang Jiechi; [is] Minister [of]; Chinese Foreign) === F

B. Lynn Pascoe, UN under- secretary-general for political affairs, will visit Nepal on Dec. 2-4 as the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) prepares to withdraw from the Asian country in January, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said here on Wednesday.

A two-day Regional Climate Conference will be held in Bangladesh 's capital Dhaka on May 19-20 bringing more than 15 Asian, African and Small Island States to raise their common issues with regard to the climate change.

Oil prices fell to near $76 a barrel Thursday amid investor concern that sluggish economic growth in developed countries will keep crude demand muted.

Harvard Park has been a no-man 's land after dark for decades.

More than 300,000 Chinese children, including 120,000 orphans, have received free medical insurance for treatment of 12 critical illnesses, as a joint program between the government and a charity organization expands.

Ukraine on Friday confirmed its first swine flu case in a young man who returned from the United States but the health ministry said he had since recovered.

Authorities in eastern France are preparing to drain a village pond in order to catch a crocodile thought to be lurking there.

The shiny new gadget you 're showing off to friends is probably the least important part of your wireless service.

A draft agreement circulated on Friday at the Review Conference of the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT) calls on all Middle East states to meet at a United Nations summit in 2012 to make progress toward a region free from nuclear bombs and weapons of mass destruction.

Oil prices wavered near $64 a barrel Monday as encouraging quarterly reports from several companies were offset by what could be an extended period of weak demand for energy.

Despite previous warnings of retaliation from North Korea, the South Korean military continued to defy the North on Wednesday by beginning a three-day naval drill in the Sea of Japan and scheduling an exercise by the army and air force about 30 miles from the North-South demilitarized zone.

No one in this tiny Southside mill town likes to be reminded of its tough luck, or its distinction of having the highest jobless rate in Virginia.

Weather forecast for 17 major Chinese cities (20:00 June 8 - 20:00 June 9, Beijing Time, temperatures in Celsius): Min.

Citizens of Qatar appear to have it made.

Congress is close to ending the ban on gays serving openly in the U.S. military, with the Senate ready for a landmark vote that could deliver a major victory to the gay community, liberals and President Barack Obama.

Australians chose between electing their fourth prime minister in three years or sticking with their first woman leader in a tight race Saturday that pit her against a conservative male challenger just two months after she took power.

An archaeological team doing conservation work on the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem 's Old City this week uncovered an unlikely artifact in the Ottoman-era walls: a primed century-old Turkish hand grenade.

The number of newly laid-off Americans signing up for unemployment benefits last week, and those using this safety net over a longer period, both plunged.

An independent investigation of the death of a Boston Celtics fan who stopped breathing while in police custody found that officers acted "reasonably" and did not contribute to the man 's death, but also concluded that police made mistakes at the arrest scene that led to confusion, officials said on Tuesday.

The plight of Roma refugees settled in lead-contaminated camps since the 1999 Kosovo war is a scandal, a European rights chief said Friday.

Four US soldiers died of combat-related injuries in Iraq on the eve of Tuesday 's deadline for the US military to pull out of urban centres across the country, the army said.

Police in central China encircled Sunday a remote hilltop where a gunman suspected of killing 12 people, including his father, was believed to be hiding, state media said.

A U.S.-born radical Yemeni cleric linked to previous attacks on the U.S. called for Muslims around world to kill Americans in a new video message posted on radical websites Monday.

Xabi Alonzo scored in the 72nd minute as Real Madrid rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy in a friendly match Saturday in front of 89,134 at the Rose Bowl.

The Sri Lankan general who crushed Tamil Tiger rebels sought Buddhist blessings on Monday, a day after formally declaring his candidacy for January presidential elections.

Livestock are vital to many of the thousands living on the slopes of Indonesia 's rumbling volcano, so when evacuated they stay away until they can bring their cows home.

President Barack Obama prepared to address the nation Tuesday with an "I 'm in charge" message as a blown out BP well deep in the Gulf of Mexico gushed crude oil for a 57th day, creating an unprecedented environmental and economic disaster.

Germany 's economy minister Tuesday unveiled a multi-billion-euro plan to fight lingering credit crunch problems in Europe 's largest economy by lending directly to banks and bolstering insurers.

China says its second yuan-denominated bond issue in Hong Kong has initially raised five billion yuan (750 million US dollars), as Beijing tries to internationalise its currency.

After the last multimillion-dollar Yves Klein painting was crated for shipping, the last private Cessna Citation Ultra had lifted off from Opa-locka Executive Airport, the last glasses from the last dinner party at the W Hotel had been cleared and the last of the 46,000 or more people that descended on a convention center on this glorified sand spit for one highly specialized event had departed, one question remained.
0.38: (Airport; [is] Executive [of]; Opa-locka) === F

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown pressed a visiting Chinese minister Monday over the case of a Briton facing the death penalty for drug trafficking in China, the Foreign Office said.
0.38: (Gordon Brown; [is] British Minister [of]; Prime) === F

Nigeria 's prospects in the Thomas Cup badminton world championships were thrown into doubt on Sunday after they failed to arrive for their group stage opener against host nation Malaysia.

Last month, I wrote about vaccines (shots).

A chartered bus, which took officials from the Provincial Administrative Organization in a central province of Samut Prakan for field trips, overturned in a southern province of Krabi on Friday morning, killing 17 and injuring 30 passengers.

Officials say Israel has agreed to take part in UN investigation of deadly flotilla raid.

A judge Monday postponed the opening of a trial in a lawsuit seeking to force Swiss financial giant UBS to reveal the identities of thousands of US clients with offshore accounts.

Cycling: Cadel Evans takes yellow as Andy Schleck wins 8th stage

Boeing Co. has booked four more orders for its 777 extended range aircraft from Air China, the flag carrier of China.
0.38: (Air China; [is] the flag carrier of; China) === T
0.39: (Air China; [is] the carrier [of]; flag) === F

A senior EU official is underlining European leaders ' insistence that no country in the eurozone will default on its debt.

National: HEALTH-COST (1stld) -- WASHINGTON -- Senate Democrats pushing health care legislation receive a boost from congressional budget experts, who estimated that a bill being debated by the Senate Finance Committee would substantially expand coverage and lower the federal deficit.

The following editorial appeared in Saturday 's Washington Post:   For once, the U.S. Postal Service deserves to be commended.

Preparations for the 2012 London Olympics will continue in a "politically seamless way" under Britain 's new coalition government, organizing committee leader Sebastian Coe said Wednesday.

The United Arab Emirates will soon force Canadians to get a visa to travel to the Persian Gulf federation as ties sour between the once-close countries.

An unemployed man entered a kindergarten in Jiangsu province in eastern China on Thursday morning and stabbed 28 kindergarten students and three adults, critically wounding at least five children, local authorities and state news agencies reported.

The United States hopes to use the U.N. Human Rights Council to engage other countries in a dialogue on universal values, senior U.S. State Department officials said Monday.

A suicide bomber targeting anti-Qaeda militiamen killed 43 people west of Baghdad on Sunday in Iraq 's deadliest single attack in more than two months as four more people died in other violence.

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) announced on Thursday that Stephen Daldry, director of "The reader" together with three other UK creatives will lead the London 2012 ceremonies team.

Italian hostage in Philippines freed after more than five months: ANSA

An Al-Qaeda group in Iraq has declared Christians "legitimate targets" as a deadline expired for Egypt 's Coptic church to free women allegedly held after converting to Islam, SITE monitors said Wednesday.

Sidney Crosby 's point streak ended at 25 games after he failed to register a point in the Pittsburgh Penguins ' 2-1 shootout loss to the New York Islanders on Wednesday.

Fiji 's AIR Pacific 's first flight to Hong Kong that will also include Fiji 's Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama this week will see more tourists from Asia and Europe visiting the island nation.
0.38: (Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama; [is] Minister [of]; Prime) === F

GAINESVILLE  If you 're curious about what type of offense Florida will run against Penn State in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1, so is Urban Meyer.

We will shortly move the following features:  Highlights  + Seychellois man 's Herculean pirate treasure hunt  + School textbook highlights Iraq 's Sunni-Shiite divide  Seychelles-piracy-shipping-treasure,FEATURE  BEL OMBRE, Seychelles  While his country is busy fending off proliferating Somali pirates, Seychellois history teacher John Cruise-Wilkins is tormented by one French pirate who died almost 300 years ago, leaving a cryptic message about a buried treasure.

The parents of a Finnish activist killed when a humanitarian caravan was ambushed in a remote Indian region of Mexico pleaded on Tuesday for justice in the case.

The federal prosecutor who will conduct the inquiry into the brutal interrogations of terror detainees faces formidable legal hurdles and complex political dynamics that make prosecutions far from certain.

Top climate-environment stories as the UN climate change conference opens in Copenhagen.

The Indian Strategic Forces Command (SFC) plans to form its own fighter force with nuclear strike capability, local media reported on Sunday.

A gunman opened fire Thursday in a shopping mall in Finland 's second largest city, Finnish media reported.

Thousands of people could be saved from death on America 's roads each year if drivers embrace strict drunken-driving enforcement and widespread use of speed cameras, which have helped cut fatalities by half in fifteen high-income countries, according to a major new study.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle cracked 98 off 66 balls Sunday to lift his team to 169-6 against India in a Super Eight match at the World Twenty20.
0.88: (Chris Gayle; [is] captain [of]; West Indies) === T

Howard Zinn helped inspire the civil rights movement.

Wall Street surged in early trading on Wednesday as robust corporate earnings and better- than-expected economic data provided new evidence that U.S. economy is healing at a slow but steady pace.

Obama counterterrorism chief: US not opening new front in Yemen against terrorism

(c) , Bloomberg News   Tim Scott won an open South Carolina House seat, defeating Democratic businessman Ben Frasier to become the first black Republican to represent the state in Congress in more than 100 years.

After shareholders backed its founder and his family Tuesday, concluding a contentious proxy fight, book seller Barnes & Noble Inc. is looking to its next chapter, focusing on e-commerce as shoppers shift from paper books to digital.

The UN envoy to Afghanistan on Wednesday warned that the war was likely to get worse in the short-term and that Taliban insurgents may attempt "spectacular attacks."

Defense Minister Peter MacKay on Friday dismissed allegations that the Canadian military paid insurgents in Afghanistan not to attack them as nothing more than "Taliban propaganda."
0.88: (Peter MacKay; [is] Minister [of]; Defense) === T

A Danish artist has used teeth and gold fillings to build a sculpture commemorating the horrors of the Auschwitz Nazi death camp.

Singapore said Tuesday its economy grew for the first time in a year in the second quarter, suggesting the city is emerging from its worst recession and offering hope for other battered Asian economies.

US carmaker Ford on Friday issued a recall of Ka models sold in Brazil because of an electrical defect that posed a fire risk.

Pakistan 's trade deficit fell by 9.35 percent to 13.88 billion U.S. dollars during the last 11 months (July-May) of 2009-10 fiscal against 15.32 billion dollars during the corresponding period last year, local media reported Saturday.

Nepal 's Maoist opposition blocked streets leading to key government offices Wednesday on the fourth day of their crippling general strike to demand the prime minister 's resignation, while the government vowed not to bow to protesters ' pressure.

LONDON - Tens of thousands of students took to the streets across Britain on Wednesday, with the largest crowds scuffling with police and setting placards ablaze in central London in an intensifying campaign against budget cuts.

Following are the Italian first division soccer league top scorers after Sunday 's matches: 9: Cavani (Napoli), Eto 'o (Inter Milan) 7: Di Vaio (Bologna), Ibrahimovic (AC Milan), Pastore (Palermo) 6: Borriello (Roma), Pato (AC Milan), Matri (Cagliari), Quagliarella (Juventus) 5: Caracciolo (Brescia), Di Natale (Udinese), Floccari (Lazio), Gilardino (Fiorentina), Hamsik (Napoli), Ilicic (Palermo), Pellissier (Chievo)

Florentino Perez, the inspiration behind the Real Madrid  'Galacticos ', launched his second term as president Monday by naming France legend Zinedine Zidane as his advisor.

Iran Wednesday successfully test- fired a satellite rocket and unveiled three new satellites and a satellite carrier, Iran 's English-language satellite channel Press TV reported.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez reached a deal with Russia on Friday to build the South American country 's first nuclear plant, as questions arose why a nation rich in oil and gas would feel the need to venture into nuclear energy.
0.88: (Hugo Chavez; [is] President [of]; Venezuelan) === F

Oil prices dropped just below $77 a barrel on Wednesday after the government said crude supplies rose unexpectedly last week.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Tuesday that Iran 's Bushehr nuclear power plant meets high safety standards.
0.38: (Ramin Mehmanparast; [is] Iranian spokesman [of]; Foreign Ministry) === T

Ivory Coast 's army on Monday began deploying to the north of the divided country, run by former rebels, to ensure security in next weekend 's second round of a presidential election.

UN says 14 UN personnel killed and 150 missing in Haiti after earthquake.

President Barack Obama 's top domestic goal, remaking US health care, cleared a key Senate hurdle Monday with no room to spare and seemed on track to pass by his self-imposed Christmas deadline.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon said on Thursday that all nations were equally at risk of a new flu outbreak and he called for a global response to the disease.

The two sides of Formula One reality were brought into sharp focus after Sunday 's Turkish Grand Prix, with Jenson Button being acclaimed and Lewis Hamilton conceding that his title defence is over.

A former leader of Russia 's top anti-terrorist commandos warned Wednesday that violence in the North Caucasus poses a growing threat to the nation.

The following are major news items in leading Australian newspapers on Wednesday.

Tens of thousands of people exploded with joy here Friday, dancing to the infectious beat of samba music in a giant beach party as Rio de Janeiro was chosen to host the 2016 Olympic Games.

Texas health authorities reported 268 newly confirmed cases of A/H1N1 flu on Wednesday evening, bringing the total figure of the state to 1,671 to follow Wiscosin of the most infections in the 50 U.S. states.

New York City has agreed to pay up to $657 million to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits filed by ground zero rescue and response workers who say they were sickened by World Trade Center dust.

The White House says President Barack Obama will sign a bill on Wednesday that is designed to help U.S. manufacturers by reducing and suspending some tariffs on certain materials they must import to make their products.

U.S drone aircraft Friday killed at least eight people in northwest Pakistan 's North Waziristan tribal region, locals said.

Salvage teams turned over debris to the Lebanese army on Saturday as they scoured the seabed for the black boxes of an Ethiopian airliner that crashed off Beirut, leaving 90 people presumed dead.

The secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said on Tuesday there is nothing definite yet on the resumption of the stalled peace negotiations with the Philippine government, adding there are still intricate issues that would have to be resolved first.

A Canadian pled guilty Monday to terrorism charges for his role in a foiled 2006 bomb plot by Islamic extremists aimed a provoking a Canadian withdrawal from Afghanistan.

A suicide bomber blew himself up near a police checkpoint in Kunduz city, capital of Afghanistan 's northern Kunduz province, on Thursday morning, killing a policeman and injured four civilians, deputy to provincial police chief said.

Duke is well aware that its last national championship came nearly a decade ago.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao started an official visit to India on Wednesday to build trust and improve relations between the two nations.

Two killed in attack on Central African Republic army base: UN, army

Honduras ' de facto leader Roberto Micheletti said on Thursday that he was ready to sign a deal to end the country 's political crisis which could clear the way for reinstatement of ousted President Manuel Zelaya.

The recent drop in Treasurys is taking a pause as Europe 's ongoing debt troubles have investors returning to the safety of U.S. government bonds.

Indonesian central bank (BI) will not reduce its rate benchmark, which now stands at 6.5 percent, in the upcoming governor board meeting due to the good economy parameters that remained on the right track to economic recovery, economic analysts said here on Wednesday.

Australian fly-half Brock James emerged from weeks of torment to inspire Clermont to their fourth successive Top 14 final and 11th in all on Saturday as they edged out three-time champions Toulon 35-29 after extra-time.

Wall Street executives and newspaper editorial boards argue that it 's not size but the systemic risk and the interconnectedness of "too big to fail" banks that matter ("Bailing out of bailouts," POST-EDITORIAL-BAILOUT, moved April 25).

U.S. President Barack Obama was awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize for peace on Friday, the Swedish Academy announced.
0.88: (Barack Obama; [is] President [of]; U.S.) === T

German sports car maker Porsche AG said Friday it expects to report a decline in revenue for the first half but to improve unit sales for the whole of the fiscal year, as the auto market continues to feel the effects of the economic downturn.

Reports of Nicolas Anelka 's expletive-filled tirade at coach Raymond Domenech have highlighted mounting tension within France 's World Cup squad.

The head of the International Monetary Fund urged China on Thursday to allow its currency to rise in value, an attempt to keep a contentious issue between the United States and China from broadening into a bitter international dispute.

Good morning, PM editors:     The Washington Post-Bloomberg News Service budget for afternoon papers of Thursday, February 18, 2010.

Global finance leaders failed Saturday to resolve deep differences that threaten the outbreak of a full-blown currency war.

A fighter aircraft of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) crashed close to a village 105 km south west of Sargodha in Punjab province, a news release of PAF said here Friday.

Manchester United advanced to the League Cup fourth round with a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton on Wednesday even though the holders played more than half of the match with 10 men.

Mark O 'Meara knocked in a 4-foot par putt on the first playoff hole Sunday to defeat Michael Allen and win the Senior Players Championship, his first individual victory on the Champions Tour.

A Red Cross spokesman says hundreds have fled from the central Nigerian city of Jos after a spate of new religious violence in nearby villages.

The Syrian government and the French Development Agency (AFD) signed on Thursday an agreement in which the AFD granted Syria a loan of 208 million U.S. dollars for extension of infrastructure, rural development, water and sewerage network and other projects.

The European Union will not send observers to Congo 's presidential election, a delegation of Euro-deputies visiting Brazzaville said Sunday.

Russia 's top military officer says that Moscow and Washington are likely to sign a new nuclear arms control deal early next year.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced on Thursday a ceasefire in Yemen 's six- month campaign against Shiite rebels in a conflict that spilled over into neighbouring Saudi territory.

The arrival of a giant US aircraft carrier here Friday with F/A-18 jet fighters aboard is a step in Washington 's offensive to win a multi-billion-dollar contract to supply Brazil 's air force with modern jet fighters.

China on Thursday called for a proper solution to the Zambia coal mine incident, in which 11 local employees and three Chinese were injured.

Top-ranked Rafael Nadal rallied for another five-set victory Saturday, overcoming physical ailments, an umpire 's warning and a tough challenge from a hard-hitting German to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon.

NATO says one of its service members was killed by an improvised explosive device in southern Afghanistan.

Two US army pilots were killed when their helicopter crash landed at an American base in Salaheddin province in central Iraq, the military said in a statement on Monday.

A drop in the euro set off a late-day slide in stocks Wednesday and sent the Dow Jones industrial average to its first close below 10,000 in nearly four months.

NKorea appears to be preparing for long-range missile test: SKorea

The United States will launch a dialogue with Myanmar aimed at improving relations but will not ease sanctions without progress by the military regime, a senior US official said Monday.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon said here Monday that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) "are achievable" by its deadline of 2015, calling on world leaders to exercise political leadership and keep their promise to translate the eight MDGs targets into reality.

AWOL soldier Jeff Hanks said he walked away from the Army in the middle of a deployment to Afghanistan because his problems with anxiety and stress from combat have been ignored.

Large-scale riots broke out Wednesday in a number of cities and regions in Kyrgyzstan, including the capital of Bishkek.

Former English international Robbie Fowler is reported Friday to join Australian A-League champions Sydney FC.

Victor Pauca will have plenty of presents to unwrap on Christmas, but the 5-year-old Winston-Salem boy has already received the best gift he 'll get this year: the ability to communicate.

Delta Air Lines says several new measures proposed to improve passenger protections are unnecessary and would hurt carriers ' flexibility and do more harm than good.

With national elections about a month away, Japan 's government on Tuesday lashed out at the opposition 's campaign pledges, labelling them populist and fiscally irresponsible.

Israel targeted Friday afternoon Klaile region in South Lebanon so far with 14 rockets, shortly after two rockets were launched from southern Lebanon to Israel, Lebanese official National News Agency reported.

Gold price in Hong Kong rose 50 HK dollars to 10,888 HK dollars per tael Thursday, according to the Chinese Gold and Silver Exchange Society.

When Pakistani security officers raided a house outside Karachi in late January, they had no idea that they had just made their most important capture in years.

A New Jersey father who headed to Brazil to take custody of his son says he 's frustrated by a judge 's decision but will never give up fighting for his child.

President Barack Obama renewed his support for Chicago 's Olympic bid Tuesday, telling African Olympic leaders in a video message the 2016 Games would give America the chance to "renew our bonds of friendship around the world."

Torture could easily be eradicated if states would only make a small effort, the UN 's special rapporteur on torture said Saturday, deploring that innocent people were often the main victims.

Matteo Brighi scored twice and created another Saturday to help AS Roma beat Palermo 4-1 in the Serie A.   Julio Baptista and John Arne Riise also scored for Roma, while Fabio Miccoli scored a penalty for Palermo late in the game.

Travelling away from Port-au-Prince 's biggest slum, the general in charge of US military assistance to Haiti points to a few vegetable stalls along the roadside from the window of his 4x4.

Praise, skepticism greet new electrics New generation is roomier; battery   concerns persist despite improvements         By Christine Tierney         The Detroit News   With the disastrous Gulf oil spill causing untold damage, the time seems right for electric cars to stage a comeback.

Attn Sports Editors:        Sports stories from The New York Times News Service for Sunday, April 4.

Two Brazilian officials accompanying President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on a trip to Germany have been diagnosed with swine flu.

Four suspected U.S. missiles slammed into a house in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday, killing six people in an area near the Afghan border teeming with local and foreign militants, intelligence officials said.

Madagascar 's security forces fired tear gas Wednesday to disperse protesters opposed to the regime of the country 's strongman Andry Rajoelina.

Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram said on Sunday that India would send its special envoy to Sri Lanka in a couple of days to take up with Colombo the issue of resettlement of the internally displaced Tamils in the island nation.
0.88: (P. Chidambaram; [is] Minister [of]; Indian Home) === F

Yang Yong-Eun became the the first Asian golfer to capture a major title, firing a two-under par 70 Sunday to record a stunning upset of Tiger Woods and win the 91st PGA Championship.

English Premiership result on Sunday:  Wasps 9 Saracens 0  Played Saturday  Bath 37 Worcester 13  Harlequins 13 Northampton 6  Leicester 33 Gloucester 11  Newcastle 12 London Irish 12  Played Friday  Sale 10 Leeds 19

A Nike Inc. executive said Thursday that the U.S. sports outfitter is cautiously optimistic about overall trading prospects for the year, with sales of its football gear already up dramatically ahead of this year 's World Cup.

Sri Lanka hope to overcome a weakened bowling attack and secure a series- clinching win in the second Test against India, which starts on Monday, their first match in the post-Muttiah Muralitharan era.

Japan 's government says machinery orders, a closely watched indicator of future business investment, jumped 10.1 percent in August from the previous month.

French holiday group Club Med dropped a cruise to Lebanon on Thursday after angering Jewish groups by banning passengers with Israeli passport stamps since Lebanese authorities would not let them land.

Benigno Aquino will on Wednesday be proclaimed the next president of the Philippines after he achieved one of the most emphatic election wins in the Southeast Asian nation 's history.

Andrew M. Cuomo 's painstakingly constructed veneer of political invincibility began to crack Wednesday, as he and his advisers struggled with how to handle his combative opponent in the New York governor 's race, Carl P. Paladino, whom a new poll showed with unexpected strength.

The gold price in Hong Kong went down 23 HK dollars to close at 8,422 HK dollars per tael on Friday.

Thailand 's government insisted Sunday a crackdown on Red Shirt protesters will continue despite their plea for U.N-mediated talks to end four days of street clashes with troops that have killed 30 people.

Two large dogs tore off a 6-month-old 's diaper and mauled him after his mother left the baby alone in a carrier on the floor.

Russia 's Denis Menchov saw his yellow jersey hopes all but evaporate in the rain of Barcelona where he ended the sixth stage of the Tour de France nearly five minutes in arrears.

Brazil beat Germany 2-1 to reach the semifinals of the Under-20 World Cup on Saturday, with substitute Maicon coming off the bench to score both goals.
0.88: (Germany; [is] beat [of]; Brazil) === F

Free speech cases top the U.S. Supreme Court 's docket as it begins a new term with a new justice and three women on the bench for the first time.

The head of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, said Wednesday that talk of a European equivalent for future crisis prevention was a "distraction" from urgent problems in Greece.
0.50: (Dominique Strauss-Kahn; [is] The head of; the International Monetary Fund) === T

UN Secretary-general Ban Ki- moon on Friday welcomed a Thursday decision by the General Assembly to accept the credentials of the new envoy of Cote d ' Ivoire dispatched by Alassane Ouattara, the internationally recognized new president of the West African country.

Bloated by a further eight teams, taking the number of finalists from 24 to 32, the 1998 tournament in France underscored the World Cup 's position as the king of sports events.

Poland regained independence in November, 1918 not only owing to the defeat of all three partitioning powers in WWI, but owing to the struggle waged by thousands of Poles, President Lech Kaczynski said in his speech during Wednesday 's ceremonies marking the 91st anniversary of the events.

A police spokesman in Iraq 's volatile Diyala province says three suicide bomb attacks have killed six people and injured 20 in the city of Baqouba.

Results Thursday at the ice hockey world championships:   Quarterfinals   Czech Republic 2, Finland 1 (penalties)   Sweden 4, Denmark 2   Russia vs. Canada   Switzerland vs. Germany

With Republican candidates thundering against government spending and the Tea Party 's popularity soaring in parts of the country, one might think that any proposal aimed at lowering taxes would be a safe bet for the Republican Party these days.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called extremism a "virus" on Thursday but offered no instant remedy for the ethnic violence that has been shaking Moscow and other Russian cities in recent days.
0.88: (Vladimir Putin; [is] Minister [of]; Prime) === F

A Pakistani court on Wednesday indicted five Americans on terror charges that could see them jailed for life if found guilty of plotting attacks with Al- Qaeda-linked groups, lawyers said.

Wall Street traded mixed in early trading Wednesday, after Boeing Co. posted a wider-than-estimated loss and big banks ' earnings beat estimates.

The European Union 's executive is warning Portugal to prepare extra budget cuts this year if its current program isn 't enough to reduce its deficit to 8.3 percent of national income.

Somewhere between the negative ads and the graceless victory speeches, it occurred to me that politicians may not be all they 're cracked up to be, even if they 're not cracked up to be very much.

The Israeli navy on Tuesday halted and boarded a ship carrying pro-Palestinian activists that was heading to the Gaza Strip, a military spokesman said.

The China Beijing Environmental Exchange (CBEE) signed a deal Thursday with BlueNext to build a platform for carbon credit trade.

India and Pakistan plan to hold foreign minister-level talks in Islamabad in July as part of efforts to get their abandoned peace talks back on track, New Delhi said on Tuesday.

U.S. climate researchers say cooler temperatures in North America last year do not mean global warming is easing.

The European Central Bank kept its key interest rate unchanged at a historical low of 1.00 percent Friday.

Madagascar 's major political parties would continue their negotiations in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia at the weekend in an effort to get the country out of the current political crisis.

AC Milan beat Chievo Verona 3-1 to take the provisional lead in Serie A on Saturday.

The EU pledged aid to Pakistan Wednesday for the hundreds of thousands of families displaced by a government offensive on the Taliban and vowed to help Islamabad tackle the root causes of extremism.

Japan plans to send its biggest ever team of athletes to the Asian Games in November after an expansion of the regional Olympics programme, a report said Wednesday.

The irony is worthy of an Emmy Award-winning comedy writer.
0.88: (The irony; is worthy of; an Emmy Award-winning comedy writer) === F

General Motors executives have been cleared for takeoff again.

The International Energy Agency says world oil demand will rise next year despite a drop in rich countries, where efficiency savings and fuel substitution should outweigh a boost from faster economic growth.

Moscow held a day of mourning Tuesday for the 38 victims of twin rush-hour suicide bombings on packed metro trains, as Russian leaders pledged to hunt down and wipe out those behind the attacks.

A study by a university in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) showed that high rates of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in women of the Gulf nation could be caused by synthetic forms of henna dye, a local English daily reported Monday.

The following editorial appeared in Monday 's Washington Post:   The battle for Congress is in the spotlight, but both parties are also spending millions of dollars on state legislative races and gubernatorial campaigns.

A global tax on foreign exchange trades could raise 30 billion dollars (23 billion euros) to fight poverty with development projects, an international group of finance experts said in a report.

Chinese shares rose 0.73 percent by midday Friday on news that August 's new yuan loan growth will likely rebound from July, dealers said.

Germany 's foreign minister summoned Iran 's ambassador on Monday in protest at heavy-handed police action against demonstrators following the weekend 's disputed presidential election.

The Chilean government has declared that three days of national mourning will be observed from Sunday in honor of the the victims of last weekend 's devastating earthquake.

Argentina 's entry into an expanded Tri Nations in 2012 was smoothed when the International Rugby Board approved a new rule on Wednesday to help top Pumas play in it.

Two prisoners charged with participating in a bloodbath in a Brazilian penitentiary in 2002 that killed 27 other detainees have been given life sentences of over 400 years each, media reported Friday.

The United States has pledged an initial 10 million dollars of aid to flood-hit Pakistan and is sending helicopters, boats, bridges, water units and other supplies, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Sunday.

The European Union on Tuesday gave Poland, Hungary, Romania, Latvia and Lithuania two- and three-year deadlines to curb their budget deficits, which have been swollen by the world financial crisis and its fallout in Eastern Europe.

Born into South Texas poverty as the son of migrant workers, a man who rose from shoeshine boy to sheriff to U.S. representative is the face of the immigration reform bill set to slog its way through Congress this year.
0.39: (U.S. representative; is the face of; the immigration reform bill) === F

The European Union condemned Tuesday the "numerous and seemingly well coordinated attacks all over Iraq" the previous day that killed at least 110 people.

Asian stock markets fell Monday as Seoul prepared to hold live firing drills that threaten to escalate tensions with North Korea.

A Roman Catholic priest suspended after federal agents seized a computer from his inner-city rectory has long sought riches online, where he sports a tuxedo and calls himself "Jerry from Philly."

The following are the major news items in leading Japanese newspapers on Friday: The Daily Yomiuri -- Business confidence among domestic companies improved for the fourth straight quarter in the three months through March as exports to emerging economies and production recovered, a Bank of Japan Tankan survey showed Thursday.

European stock exchanges closed higher Monday, with London 's benchmark FTSE 100 index adding 0.74 percent to 5,202.13 points.

JPMorgan Chase says its second-quarter profit easily surpassed expectations as profit was buoyed by strength in its investment banking business.

Sonia Sotomayor took the judicial oath on Saturday, becoming the first Hispanic and the third woman on the Supreme Court.

Some less-affluent victims of Bernard Madoff 's Ponzi scheme could receive extra help from a change in the tax code, under a proposal submitted Monday by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.   The plan would make indirect investors -- those who invested through so-called feeder funds -- eligible for tax breaks for theft and fraud losses that are already available to direct Madoff investors; allow for faster, larger contributions to tax-free retirement accounts to make up for the losses incurred; and allow for penalty-free early withdrawals from retirement accounts for those in dire need because of their fraud losses.

A 19-year-old actor from the Harry Potter films admitted Thursday growing cannabis at his mother 's home, a crime which earned him the tabloid nickname "Harry Pothead."

So how can General Motors Co. sell more cars on eBay?

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for the U.S. to send two Guantanamo Bay prisoners back to Algeria even though they want to remain at the prison camp because of fear they might be tortured at home.

Oil prices rallied on Thursday on upbeat U.S. economic data and the hope that Greece is close to a bailout deal.

No decision yet on eurogroup meeting on Greece: German official

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has accused Russia of trying to blackmail his country into recognizing the independence of Georgia 's separatist provinces, comments reflecting the growing strain between the ex-Soviet neighbors.
0.88: (Alexander Lukashenko; [is] President [of]; Belarusian) === F

Following are the world women 's volleyball grand prix preliminary round results on Sunday: In Tokyo Dominica bt Italy 3-2 Japan lost to Netherlands 2-3 In Hong Kong Germany lost to Thailand 1-3 China lost to United States 1-3 In Taipei Brazil bt Poland 3-0 Chinese Taipei bt Puerto Rico 3-2

U.S. insurance company Ambac Financial filed for bankruptcy Monday after failing to reach a deal with its creditors on restructuring.

Twenty-six security people were killed in an ambush in eastern India on Tuesday, local media reported.

State-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) has chosen General Electric Co 's Chinese joint venture to supply the electronics system for the country 's first large passenger jet.

Mexico ramped up its preparations for the 2010 South African World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Angola in an international friendly on Thursday.

Former NBA coach Rick Pitino will lead Puerto Rico 's national team next year in hopes of qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics.
0.88: (Rick Pitino; [is] coach [of]; Former NBA) === F

A teenager was arrested early Sunday and accused of committing a string of gruesome cat mutilation deaths that had horrified residents of his Miami area community, authorities said.

Harbhajan Singh has produced a career-best score of 69 to help India score 487 runs in its first innings of the first test against New Zealand.

World No. 10 Fernando Verdasco steamrolled over Chile 's Paul Capdeville 6-0, 6-3 in just 49 minutes in the second round of the Pilot Pen Tennis tournament on Tuesday.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Thursday delighted Russia but enraged pro- Western Georgia by recognising the Georgian breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states.
0.88: (Hugo Chavez; [is] President [of]; Venezuelan) === F

Mutual of Omaha may have had its own "aha moment."

The following are major news items in leading Indian newspapers on Tuesday: The Hindu: -- President Pratibha Patil on Monday urged young doctors to devote some years of their professional lives to working in rural areas by responding positively to the government 's call to take up rural postings.

We will file the following videos:  Our offer ex-La Paz on the  'People 's Conference ' on climate change has been delayed until Tuesday.

The euro was slightly lower against the dollar Friday as earnings reports around the world continued their positive trend, turning investors away from the safety of the U.S. currency.

Just 15 minutes after Manal Abdel-Karim began touring her middle class Cairo district as part of her campaign for a parliament seat, her modest procession of a few dozen supporters was confronted by a mob of angry knife-wielding youths.

BC-GRAPHICS-BUDGET-NYT        Here are the New York Times News Service Macintosh graphics scheduled for AMs of Friday, Dec. 24, 2010.

Afghan forces backed by NATO-led troops apprehended three Taliban insurgents including their commander in Logar province 60 km south of Afghan capital Kabul on Friday, police said.

Nepali Narcotic Drug Control Law Enforcement Unit (NDCLEU) has said that it managed to arrest 1,578 persons found guilty of trafficking and dealing in illicit drugs since its establishment in 1994.

South Korean police unveiled a special security unit Monday to safeguard world leaders at November 's G20 summit, citing the threat of terrorism, North Korean disruption and massive street protests.

Five Iranian diplomats who were freed by the US military in Iraq last week after 30 months in detention arrived back home to a hero 's welcome in Tehran on Sunday.

Yemen on Wednesday ordered the coastguard and navy of the Red Sea to tighten supervision on boats sailing off the country 's long coasts and regional waters with suspected links with terrorism, piracy or drug smuggling.

Russia on Thursday captured one of a gang of anti-police youths whose deadly attacks on the security forces in its Far East Region have gripped the public imagination, investigators said.

The Bangladesh High Court has outlawed punishments handed down by religious edict, or fatwa, after a series of cases of Muslim women being beaten and caned, a state lawyer said Friday.

Twenty provinces, mainly in northern Spain, have been placed on alert with the expectation of additional bad weather this weekend.

This story was reported by Erin Ailworth in Hyannis, Maria Cramer in Oak Bluffs, Brian MacQuarrie in Nantucket, Eric Moskowitz in Chatham, and Andrew Ryan in Boston, and was written by Peter Schworm.

China should cut its carbon intensity by four to five percent each year from 2005 baseline levels, state media reported Thursday, citing a proposal by a leading government-led think tank.

Kidnapped Irish priest freed in the Philippines: Ireland foreign minister

Iceland and Britain backed away from a full-blown diplomatic war on Thursday over the decision by the Icelandic president to veto a bill on the repayment of a $5.7 billion loan.

JAKARTA, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) - A 40-year old woman and a 35-year old man have died on bird flu recently, bringing the total fatality to 140 in the archipelago country, Health Ministry reported here Monday.

The new coalition of German Chancellor Angela Merkel will likely boost Europe 's top economy but analysts questioned Monday how far she will pursue crucial but contentious reforms.
0.38: (Angela Merkel; [is] Chancellor [of]; German) === F

Sanya Richards of the United States won the women 's 400 metres world title here at the athletics world championships on Tuesday.

The Legislative Yuan 's Finance Committee passed a resolution Thursday that bars Chinese banks from entering Taiwan before the two sides sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA), a cross-strait version of free trade agreements.

Leaders for the Group of 20 top economies on Sunday backed moves to boost global demand outside the traditional centers of growth, according to a final declaration obtained by AFP.

At least 36 people died and 71 were injured after the minaret of a historic 18th century mosque collapsed in the central Moroccan city of Meknes during Friday prayers, the interior ministry said.

Air France-KLM posted on Wednesday a record net loss of 1.55 billion euros for its 2009-2010 financial year as the Franco-Dutch airline grappled with the global economic crisis and a deadly crash.

Taipei City Mayor Hau Lung-bin of the ruling Kuomintang announced Wednesday that he will seek reelection in November and expressed confidence that he will win.
0.88: (Hau Lung-bin; [is] Mayor [of]; Taipei City) === T

Britain 's Jessica Ennis remained on course to win her country 's first-ever world heptathlon title with just the 800m to go in the gruelling seven-discipline event here on Sunday.

Perla Beltran, a young woman from the wrong side of the tracks in New York, has suffered a great deal lately -- her husband, a thief, has been murdered and she has been associating with lowlifes.
0.89: (Perla Beltran; [is] a young woman from; the wrong side) === F

A Spanish court on Tuesday sentenced a leader of the banned Basque separatist party Batasuna, Arnaldo Otegi, to two years in jail after convicting him on charges of glorifying terrorism.
0.38: (Arnaldo Otegi; [is] a leader of; the banned Basque separatist party Batasuna) === T

BRUSSELS -- The EU says it has solved an old problem for Washington.

A subsidiary of Pfizer has pleaded guilty to illegally promoting the pain killer Bextra.

Manny Pacquiao says he wishes he could have fought Floyd Mayweather Jr., even though he 's stepping into the ring with the dangerous Joshua Clottey on March 13.

In a city with a "don 't ask, don 't tell" approach to immigration status, it may come as a surprise to many that the New York Department of Correction routinely gives a list of foreign-born inmates at Rikers Island to immigration authorities, who use it to question, detain and try to deport thousands of them.

Taiwan share prices closed down 0.70 percent Wednesday following Wall Street 's overnight fall and in line with weaker regional bourses, dealers said.

Investors continue to seek out gold 's perceived safety net as global economic worries resurface.

European competition regulators gave approval on Wednesday for German state- owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn to acquire British company Arriva for 1.8 billion euros (2.4 billion dollars).

A large amount of dried day lily from China is entering Taiwan illegally by being passed off as a product of Vietnam, hurting local farmers ' interests, opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers charged Tuesday.

China Vanke Co., the country 's largest real estate developer, said Monday its net profit rose 32 percent year on year in 2009 amid a strong rebound in the nation 's property market.

Leading Democratic senators were Wednesday set to unveil a major climate change bill, hoping to steer a path through a fierce battle in Congress on how to combat global warming.

A visiting senior US official warned Vietnam on Monday that human rights problems in the Southeast Asian nation could damage trade between the two countries.

Ugandan police said on Thursday it has stepped up security in the country following renewed threats by the Somali militant group al Shabaab of more attacks in the East African country.

A total of 28,000 milliliters of blood has been transferred to the quake-hit area in northwest China 's Qinghai Province from the provincial blood center, an official with the Ministry of Health said here Friday.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Wednesday signed a decree into law here on the establishment of the National Policy on Food Security to ensure all Brazilians have enough food.

At least 15 people have been killed and dozens more are still missing after heavy rain triggered flash floods in Leh, the main town in India 's trans- Himalayan Ladakh region, police said Friday.

Germany 's Andrea Petkovic beat Greek qualifier Eleni Daniilidou 6-3, 6-2 to reach her fourth semifinal of the season at the Generali Ladies on Friday.

Asian conflicts took a brutal toll on civilians in 2009, killing thousands and leaving millions homeless, destitute and often ignored by governments responsible for their misery, Amnesty said Thursday.

Costa Rica 's President Oscar Arias has called for a second round of talks within a week between Manuel Zelaya, Honduras ' president ousted in a June 28 military coup, and Roberto Micheletti, the nation 's post-coup leader, according to Sunday 's edition of the La Nacion newspaper.
0.88: (Oscar Arias; [is] President [of]; Costa Rica) === T
0.38: (Manuel Zelaya; [is] president [of]; Honduras) === T

European car makers said Wednesday that the European Union is preparing to sign an "unacceptable" trade pact with South Korea that would open the door to cheap Asian imports into Europe.

The US Supreme Court Monday refused to hear an appeal brought by a Canadian- Syrian who was wrongly arrested in the US in 2002 and expelled to Syria where he was held and tortured for a year.

Greece 's parliament has approved measures allowing police to use surveillance camera footage and create a DNA database.

A grand ceremony was held in Qufu, east China 's Shandong Province, on Monday to commemorate the 2,560th birthday of Confucius, the great ancient Chinese thinker and philosopher revered around the world.

Turkey said Wednesday that it expects European lenders to release 1.2 billion euros (1.6 billion dollars) next week for a major dam project that critics say will flood a millenia-old historic site and displace thousands in the country 's southeast.

Health care reform moves into high gear this month in Congress, as lawmakers move beyond slogans to concrete ideas.

Rwanda has been officially admitted into the Commonwealth, following a decision taken at the organisation 's summit, a Rwandan government spokesman in Kigali said Sunday.

Life inside the next generation of western habitat will be something like nesting inside an iPad, a Paris-wide exhibition on design indicated this week.

France is planning to send about 100 police as part of a new UN mission to bolster security in quake-hit Haiti, Defence Minister Herve Morin said Tuesday.
0.38: (Herve Morin; [is] Minister [of]; Defence) === T

World champion Zhao Jing turned on the style to win the women 's 200m backstroke final here on Friday at the Chinese National Games.
0.88: (Zhao Jing; [is] champion [of]; World) === F

Portsmouth will become the first Premier League club to be put into administration unless a buyer comes forward to save the club before Friday, the club 's Hong Kong-based owner announced.

All hostages have been released after an armed man who held the hostages in a commercial building in the U.S. state of Maryland was shot by police officers on Wednesday, local police said.

Japan should develop a "credible" plan to scale back spending and cut its massive public debt, the OECD said Wednesday, as scrutiny of the country 's fiscal situation increases.

By Chen Meihua   YANGON, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar is welcoming joint operation of garment industries being planned by member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to expand its global market, saying that the country 's domestic garment industries could be benefited from the program as Myanmar possesses a large number of labor force.

For Marjan Kalhor, the most important thing about competing at the Winter Olympics was that she started, not where she finished.

While there has been substantial global progress towards pandemic preparedness in recent years, it is vital to maintain that momentum to respond effectively to existing and possible future threats, according to a new study issued on Wednesday by the United Nations and the World Bank.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Friday urged Macedonia to rapidly resolve a long-running name dispute with neighbouring Greece in order to join the alliance.
0.88: (Anders Fogh Rasmussen; [is] General [of]; NATO Secretary) === F

Defending champion Viswanathan Anand and challenger Veselin Topalov finished with a tie at the 46th move in the third game of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) world chess championship here on Tuesday.

Treasury yields plunged Friday after a key economic report renewed investors ' concerns about a slowdown in economic growth.

Angela Merkel nearly campaigned herself to a shock election defeat in 2005.

Receding impact from debt problems in Europe was cited by analysts Friday as the reason Quanta Computer Inc 's June sales vaulted beyond the NT$100 billion (US$3.12 billion) mark, representing a record high.

Mexico and Ecuador played a 0-0 draw in a friendly Friday that marked the first professional sports event at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

The Pacific-wide tsunami generated by the massive undersea earthquake off Chile 's coast last month caused 68 million dollars of damage to Japan 's fishing industry, a report said Saturday.

The government in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh Wednesday dismissed 13 policemen for refusing to fight the Naxalite extreme left-wing rebels, said a police officer.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti Wednesday lowered Zimbabwe 's growth forecast to 5.4 percent for this year, saying the recovery from a decade of economic ruin was slower than expected.
0.88: (Tendai Biti Wednesday; [is] Minister [of]; Finance) === F

A Chinese expert on Taiwan affairs said Sunday there are "signals" of what he called positive development of relations between Beijing and Taiwan 's pro- independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Editors The following is now scheduled:       OBAMA-TAXES _ WASHINGTON _ President Barack Obama said he is "agnostic" about raising taxes on households making less than $250,000 as part of a broad effort to rein in the budget deficit.
0.38: (Barack Obama; [is] President [of]; OBAMA-TAXES _ WASHINGTON _) === F

Israeli army has imposed a general closure over the West Bank for 48 hours, Israel Defense Force said in a statement on Friday.

Manchester United returned to the Premier League summit by routing bottom-place Portsmouth 5-0 on Saturday, while Manchester City lost 2-1 at relegation-threatened Hull.

France are in danger of bombing out of the World Cup in the first round unless they dramatically raise their game, Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka warned on Saturday.
0.38: (Nicolas Anelka; [is] striker [of]; Chelsea) === T

Better to be a banker in New York than Europe this bonus season.

President Barack Obama vowed Wednesday to be "much tougher" with China on enforcing trade rules, but said the United States would harm itself by rejecting existing commerce agreements with Beijing.

Germany coach Joachim Loew says Hannover goalkeeper Robert Enke won 't be in the national squad for its two final World Cup qualifiers -- including a crucial encounter with Russia.
0.88: (Joachim Loew; [is] coach [of]; Germany) === T
0.38: (Robert Enke; [is] goalkeeper [of]; Hannover) === T

Vandals have carved a giant swastika measuring five metres (16 feet) across in the snow on a frozen lake in the northern German city of Schwerin, police said on Monday.

A U.S.-trained Pakistani scientist punctuated the first day of her attempted murder trial Tuesday by shouting that the prosecution 's first witness was lying, prompting her to be pulled from the courtroom.

China and the United States on Thursday pledged joint efforts to ensure the success of the 20th meeting of the China-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT).

Japan 's new Prime Minister Naoto Kan will have to keep the country 's powerful media on side if he wants to escape the fate of many of his predecessors and see out more than a year in office.
0.38: (Naoto Kan; [is] new Minister [of]; Prime) === F

Ecuador launched on Tuesday a national plan  to finance small enterprises to purchase electricity generators to cope with the country 's ongoing energy crisis.

Moody 's on Monday upgraded its ratings outlook for China to "positive" from "stable", giving policymakers in Beijing the thumbs-up for how they have navigated the worst financial crisis in decades.

Nigeria 's president held talks with the longtime leader of the country 's main militant group for the first time since his release from jail after agreeing to disarm as part of an amnesty deal, a presidential spokesman said.

A rocket fired from unknown location slammed next to Kabul five-star hotel Kabul Serana Wednesday morning.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping arrives in Gothenburg on Saturday for an official visit to Sweden at the invitation of Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.
0.38: (Xi Jinping; [is] Chinese President [of]; Vice) === F
0.38: (Fredrik Reinfeldt; [is] Minister [of]; Prime) === F

Memo to the mullahs: If you 're going to fake an election, at least make the results look plausible.

Leaders from the Group of 20 (G20) countries on Friday ruled out short- term exit strategies, and agreed to maintain their measures to support economic activity until recovery is fully assured.

Shanghai authorities on Friday announced the technical causes for the collapse last Saturday of an apartment building under construction, saying whoever was found responsible for the deadly accident would be "severely penalized".

Despite the fact that the date of the 2010 British general election has yet to be announced, and so the electoral battle has not yet officially begun, the live TV debate between the three main parties ' finance chiefs on Monday, in effect, launched the campaigning season.

More than 10,000 supporters of Macedonia 's opposition called for early elections here Sunday accusing the government of mismanaging the economy and bringing the country closer to the EU and NATO.

Civil lawsuits seeking damages related to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico will be heard by a single Louisiana judge, a judicial panel ruled Tuesday.

England ended Michael Hussey 's fine innings as they pressed for a win here at Edgbaston that would put them 2-0 up in the Ashes series with two to play.

President Barack Obama is helping America celebrate its birthday and his daughter Malia celebrate hers.

U.S. newspapers may have finally stopped -- or at least slowed -- their harrowing descent into a financial abyss after three years of plunging revenues, crumbling stock prices and shrinking staffs.

WASHINGTON --The seemingly endless stacks of filing cabinets inside a West Virginia warehouse could hold the answer to an unsolved mystery: Who owns nearly $17 billion in lost government bonds?

Wen: China does not seek trade surplus, US lawmakers  'politicizing ' issue

President Ma Ying-jeou was aiming his remarks at the 1.3 billion people of China who use simplified characters when he broached the idea of being able to recognize traditional characters but writing in simplified characters, the Presidential Office said Wednesday.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown pledged Wednesday to send more troops to Afghanistan but only if NATO and the Afghan government do more to help fight the Taliban.
0.38: (Gordon Brown; [is] British Minister [of]; Prime) === F

A look at the French Open on Tuesday:   Weather: Rain.

As the body ages, many changes occur that can gradually leave us more susceptible to disease and injury, and can impact our ability to function as efficiently as we once did.

NATIONAL NEWS AT A GLANCE Editors: To avoid duplication, please note that all these stories are also moving in longer form.

The ChiNext Index was down Tuesday as only 28 of the 84 stocks at China 's start- up board for small and medium-sized enterprises rose at the close.

The White House said Monday it was working to confirm Iranian media accounts of three missing US citizens and urged American hikers to "take great care" near international borders.

Duty Editor: Hugh Dent  Tel: +33 1 4041 7968  Forex-Europe,WRAP  LONDON  The dollar steadies against the euro and yen as the US Federal Reserve prepares to launch massive fresh stimulus to support recovery in the United States, the world 's biggest economy.

French "Spiderman" Alain Robert was arrested Tuesday after successfully scaling Malaysia 's Petronas Towers, in his third attempt on the nation 's tallest structure, police said.

Constellation Brands, the company that markets Mondavi wine, Svedka vodka and Corona beer, says its third-quarter profit fell 47 percent on restructuring costs and weaker wine and spirits sales.
0.89: (Constellation Brands; [is] the company that; markets) === F

Lt. Col. Mark Bieger huddled his infantrymen in a darkened parking lot minutes before they were to depart Baghdad for the last time.

Three cranes crashed Monday while trying to lift a steel girder that had fallen at New Delhi 's metro rail construction site, a new blow to the project a day after the first accident left six people dead.

A historic metal forge that made ashtrays for the ill-fated German airship the Hindenburg and did custom work for Walt Disney has been destroyed by a fire.

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, whose immense drive and deep pockets revived baseball 's most storied team and built a sports empire, died on Tuesday, his family said.
0.88: (George Steinbrenner; [is] owner [of]; Yankees) === T

An international project that prevented a glacial lake in Bhutan from bursting its banks underlined how climate change can be tackled by adaptation, the environmental group WWF said on Tuesday.

A fuel truck exploded and set fire to a village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, killing at least 221 people and injuring almost an equal number, the Red Cross said Saturday.

The number of international troops to die in the Afghan war so far this year hit 334 with the announcement Tuesday of three more deaths in the volatile south of the country.

Japan and the United States issued a statement on Friday saying an American air base would be relocated on Okinawa to a new site on the island, moving to officially end a dispute between the allies.

A light helicopter crashed on Friday in a southern coastal area of Cyprus, injuring the pilot and an electricity worker on board.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon expressed his condolences Saturday to South Koreans as 46 sailors were still missing after an unexplained explosion in disputed waters with North Korea.

Hurricane Richard formed in the Caribbean and steamed toward an expected landfall Sunday in the tiny Central American nation of Belize, where hundreds of people were evacuated as it approached.

The Liverpool board says it is "resolved to complete the sale" of the club to the owners of the Boston Red Sox after the current American owners obtained a temporary court injunction blocking the deal.

Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, has told colleagues he plans to step down, two members of his union 's board said Monday.
0.88: (Andy Stern; [is] president of; the Service Employees International Union) === T

British ambassador to Yemen Tim Torlot survived a suicide attack suspected to be launched by al- Qaida that targeted his convoy in Sanaa on Monday, a security official of Interior Ministry told Xinhua.

Lebanon 's Hariri arrives in Syria on first trip as PM

England are worried that key top order batsman Kevin Pietersen may struggle to be fit for this season 's Ashes series at home to Australia.

In a show of unity, the United States, Japan and South Korea on Monday said they would not resume nuclear negotiations with North Korea until it stops its "provocative and belligerent" behavior and takes concrete steps to roll back its nuclear arms program.

Switzerland has named four-time World Cup champion Manuela Pesko and former Russian national Iouri Podladtchikov in its snowboard halfpipe teams for the Vancouver Olympics.
0.38: (Manuela Pesko; [is] named four-time champion [of]; World Cup) === F

NEW YORK TIMES stories for Page 1, Friday, Aug. 6.

Two pupils died and eight others were injured when a derelict school building collapsed amid stormy weather in the southern Philippines, police said Thursday.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has decided not to extradite to Italy former militant Cesare Battisti, who is sentenced for murder and has been on the run from justice for three decades.

The Organisation of the Islamic Conference condemned on Sunday the Israeli police action at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, warning that it could have a "dangerous outcome."

Australia 's Samantha Stosur celebrated her highest singles ' ranking ever with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over American qualifier Christina McHale in the second round of the Bank of the West Classic.

Wells Fargo & Co. said Wednesday its first-quarter earnings fell 1 percent to $2.37 billion as the bank dealt with continuing losses on consumer loans.

Lunch scores on the fifth day of the second and final Test between India and South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday:  South Africa 1st innings: 296 (Hashim Amla 114, A. Petersen 100; Zaheer Khan 4-90, H. Singh 3-64)  India 1st innings: 643-6 decl.

Ex-Slovenia international Milenko Acimovic has called time on his career at the age of 33 because of ongoing knee problems, his club Austria Vienna announced.

Mark Straight of Loxahatchee, Fla., had his own pool cleaning business until November -- when gas prices made it more economical to stay close to home.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Friday spoke of the common "vision" uniting him and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin despite their different careers before entering politics.
0.88: (Dmitry Medvedev; [is] President [of]; Russian) === F
0.38: (Vladimir Putin; [is] Minister [of]; Prime) === F

DETROIT - The baseball, awash in white cowhide and disappointment, landed on the grass in short right field, ending Josh Beckett 's no-hit bid at 6{dbcomma} innings.

Violence has broken out in north Belfast, capital of Northern Ireland, on Monday in opposition to the march of the Protestant Orange Order, Britain 's Sky news reported.

Leinier Dominguez, the only Cuban with more than 2,700 Elo (system to measure chess players) points, was named the best chess player of Cuba in 2009, local press said on Thursday.

Top Israeli and Palestinian officials headed Sunday for the United States where they are expected to seek ways to break a deadlock over settlements which is threatening to sabotage peace talks.

The future of Moldova 's pro-West governing alliance looked bleaker Tuesday after it failed to gain a strong majority in a parliamentary election and break the political deadlock that has choked one of Europe 's poorest countries for more than a year.

FOR MONDAY AMs        The following stories are on the front page of the Business Section of the New York Times for Monday, Nov. 1.

The Malaysian government may relax the import conditions for pork if the prices of the meat continue to surge unreasonably.

Resource-rich Mongolia, looking to give its struggling economy a major boost, is now more than ever open for business.

The rain season signaled its approach early Thursday in Haiti, with a downpour that affected thousands of Haitian victims of the Jan. 12 earthquake.

The June 24 Scandal:   After going missing for nearly a week, S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford, R, acknowledged an extramarital affair with a woman in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
0.38: (Sanford; [is] Mark [of]; S.C. Gov.) === F

UK government: Suspect in murder of British teacher Lindsay Hawker arrested by Japanese police.

The Italian bank UniCredit SpA says second-quarter net profit fell 74 percent due to lower fees and commissions.

Sri Lanka 's Rangana Herath bagged three quick wickets before the West Indies reached 297-8 in their first innings at lunch on the penultimate day of the third and final Test on Saturday.

All 54 stranded tourists from the Chinese mainland, who remained stranded in Taiwan Friday night after heavy rains brought by Typhoon Megi triggered landslides, was lifted out of dangerous areas by helicopters Saturday morning, but 20 other mainland tourists remained missing, Taiwan tourism authorities said.

Police shot dead a gunman and freed three people he had taken hostage Wednesday in a dramatic four-hour standoff at the Discovery Channel headquarters outside Washington.

The decision of a foundation run by Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi 's son to bow out of politics spells a setback for reform in the country and for its image on the diplomatic front, analysts say.

The arrival of a 30-member medical tour group from China Sunday marks a milestone in medical tourism development across the Taiwan Strait and is poised to create a new business niche, a corporate source said Monday.

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 24.59 points, or 0.19 percent, to close at 12,644.93 on Tuesday.

Israel 's outspoken foreign minister has sparked a new diplomatic stir by telling two visiting European officials to worry about their own problems before criticizing Israel.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly confirmed on Wednesday that U.S. special envoy to the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Stephen Bosworth had delivered President Barack Obama 's letter to the country 's top leader Kim Jong Il during his visit last week.
0.88: (Ian Kelly; [is] spokesman [of]; U.S. State Department) === T

The Federal Reserve is striving for a strong dollar to ensure financial stability, chairman Ben Bernanke said Monday in the face of growing complaints by China and others about the sliding greenback.

PARIS - When Nicolas Sarkozy was running for president, he promised to be a new type of French leader: more involved and less aloof.

A top U.S. military commander has ordered a new investigation of a 2008 firefight in Afghanistan that claimed the lives of nine American soldiers and led to allegations of negligence by their senior commanders.

Every game he was there, starting on Sept. 27, 1992.

Bigger is Better   Ready for adventure on the high seas?

Andretti Autosport says 7-Eleven is dropping its primary sponsorship of Brazilian Tony Kanaan 's car in the Indy Racing League, and that the veteran driver is free to talk with other teams.

England and the United States drew 1-1 in their opening World Cup Group C match on Saturday after a blunder by England keeper Robert Green helped the US equalise Steven Gerrard 's goal.

Summer promotions and easier credit lured shoppers back to car buying last month, a relief to an industry worried about June 's sales slowdown.

The construction of Brazil 's long-delayed third nuclear power plant, Angra 3, will resume in September, the president of the country 's nuclear power company Electronuclear, Othon Luiz Pinheiro, said on Friday.
0.38: (Angra 3; [is] long-delayed third nuclear power plant [of]; Brazil) === T
0.38: (Othon Luiz Pinheiro; [is] the president of; the country 's nuclear power company Electronuclear) === T

Top officials of the Party and government organizations in Guangdong province will be required to disclose their personal assets, sources close to a provincial government work meeting have said.

Tim Nielsen will remain as Australia cricket coach until the end of the next Ashes series in England in 2013.

Iran 's parliament approved a 20-million-dollar budget on Sunday to expose alleged US and British human rights abuses, state media reported.

Police in central Massachusetts are trying to figure out who killed an expectant mother, removed a fetus from her womb and dumped her body in a closet.

Tensions ran high after clashes erupted in Jerusalem 's Old City on Sunday at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, a site revered by Muslims and Jews that has been a major faultine in the Middle East conflict.

LIONS 19 | Redskins 14 Victory, at last        Relief floods gutsy Lions as they end 19-game losing streak        By Bob Wojnowski       The Detroit News   Some couldn 't bear to watch.

Police in northern China have detained eight people suspected of instigating a violent clash between scores of miners and villagers over ownership of a coal mine, state media said Tuesday.

The New Year 's Eve fireworks display on Taipei 101 -- Taiwan 's landmark and one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world -- will use eco-friendly fireworks for the second year this year, part of a series of modifications to make the tower into a greener building, the tower 's owner said Monday.

Gunmen on motorcycles ambushed and killed Honduras ' top anti-drug official in the capital Tuesday, just two months before he planned to retire and move to Canada.

A reputed mafia boss, on Italy 's list of the 10 most wanted fugitives, was arrested Sunday in the Naples region, in a crackdown that also nabbed two of his brothers accused of organised crime, police said.

FOR FRIDAY AMs        The following stories are on the front page of the Business Section of the New York Times for Friday, May 21.

Opposition Democratic Progressive Party Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen recently said that by attempting to sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) is trying to lead Taiwan 's economy to the world via China.
0.50: (Tsai Ing-wen; [is] Chairperson [of]; Democratic Progressive Party) === T

Adimmune Corp., Taiwan 's only human vaccine manufacturer, said Wednesday it will start clinical tests on its seasonal flu vaccines in the European Union in October in a bid to obtain EU certification.

The Bulgarian National Bank set the rates of foreign currencies against the Bulgarian lev applicable from 5 p.m. local time (1500 GMT) on Dec. 17 to 5 p.m. local time ( 1500 GMT) on Dec. 18, 2009.

The Australian government revealed on Monday it will set up a special taskforce to protect the nation 's 1.5 billion Australian dollars (1.3 billion U.S. dollar) industry from the emerging global threats of ebooks and online buying.

A Muslim Malaysian woman sentenced to be caned for drinking beer was granted a royal audience Wednesday but her fate remains unclear six months after the punishment was suspended, her spokesman said.

U.S. financial regulators on Friday shut down another bank, adding the number of bank failures to 126 so far this year, which reflects the hardship of financial sector during the worst recession since 1930s.

by David Harris   JERUSALEM, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Recent years have seen increasing infiltrations and trafficking across the 240-km Israeli- Egyptian border, which runs from the southeastern tip of the Gaza Strip to the Israeli Red Sea port city of Eilat and is largely open, relying only on the harsh desert environment to keep it safe.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday demanded the suspension of top police and prosecutors mentioned in wiretap recordings exposing an alleged plot to frame anti-graft investigators.
0.88: (Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono; [is] President [of]; Indonesian) === F

Russia 's president says he has discussed expanding cooperation in uranium mining and other areas with the president of Namibia.

Chinese shares fell 0.22 percent in early trade Tuesday due to profit taking in banks and metal stocks, dealers said.

Staples Inc. 's third-quarter net income rose 7 percent despite only a small increase in revenue as the company gained new small-business customers and clamped down on expenses.

German central bank governor Axel Weber has said Greece may need up to 80 billion euros (108 billion dollars) in financial aid to avoid default, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

Manchester City has signed teenage Israel midfielder Gai Assulin on a free transfer.

Operations to retrieve the bodies of residents who perished in landslides caused by Typhoon Morakot in Liouguei township 's Xinkao tribal settlement in Kaohsiung County did not yield any results Sunday.

Pursuit of "the fast buck" is undermining Britain 's economy, a government minister said Wednesday as he announced a review of corporate governance, executive pay and takeovers.

Defeated candidate Yulia Tymoshenko on Saturday vowed to contest in court the results of Ukraine 's presidential elections won by Viktor Yanukovych, raising the prospect of a crippling political crisis.
0.88: (Yulia Tymoshenko; [is] candidate [of]; Defeated) === F

Football: Mourinho is Real Madrid 's new coach - club

The death toll in severe floods in Brazil triggered by torrential rains rose to 50 Tuesday across the state of Rio de Janiero, officials said.

Estonia geared up Friday to adopt the euro, a move the government has championed as making good economic sense despite the eurozone 's turmoil, but which has received a muted welcome among the public.

The story slugged IPHONE-SUIT by Ryan Kim will not move tonight.

Third seed Novak Djokovic defeated Argentina 's David Nalbandian 6-1, 7-6 (9-7) to reach the quarterfinals of the ATP Cincinnati Masters on Thursday.

A record-breaking blizzard dumped thick snow across the US east coast Saturday, paralyzing the region and snapping power to hundreds of thousands of people, as two people were killed on the roads.

Britain blasted the hero 's welcome given to Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi in Libya on Friday, and sought to distance itself from the Scottish decision to free him.
0.38: (Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet; [is] bomber [of]; Lockerbie) === TTT

Following are the second round results from the fourth day of the WTA Colombian Open here on Thursday (prefix number denotes seeding): Pauline Parmentier, France, bt Catalina Castano, Colombia, 6-2, 6-4 7-Klara Zakopalova, Czech Republic, bt Mariya Koryttseva, Ukraine, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4

A fire at a prison in the Chilean capital of Santiago killed 83 inmates and made some 200 others evacuated on Wednesday morning.

Cuban Parliament President Ricardo Alarcon said Thursday that the Obama administration continued the U.S. policy of promoting anti-Cuba terrorism.
0.88: (Ricardo Alarcon; [is] President [of]; Cuban Parliament) === T

The following editorial appeared in Thursday 's Washington Post:   It 's not often that a major multinational corporation sacrifices profits and the possibility of substantial growth for a human rights principle.

A California grower is recalling one lot of romaine lettuce over fears it may be contaminated with salmonella.

Sixty inhabitants of the zone around Iceland 's Eyjafjoell volcano have left the area voluntarily following fresh eruptions, a civil protection agency official said Saturday.

Toyota said Tuesday it was recalling hundreds of thousands of hybrid vehicles globally, including the best-selling Prius, plunging it deeper into crisis as lawsuits in the United States piled up.

Security forces rescued two local fishermen from their militant captors after a brief fire-fight Thursday morning in southern Philippine island of Basilan, local police reported.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa 's brother was sworn in as the speaker of the 7th parliament Thursday morning.
0.88: (Mahinda Rajapaksa; [is] President [of]; Sri Lankan) === F

A prison official says that Michael Seifert, a former SS prison guard convicted for his role in a Nazi massacre in Italy, has died aged 86.
0.38: (Michael Seifert; [is] a former guard [of]; SS prison) === T

Official says suspected bandits seize 75 hostages in southern Philippine province.

Times Columnist        Let us now praise the Florida Legislature.

The surgeon rubbed his thumb over the speedskater 's thigh, just above the knee and below a seven-inch wound sutured into an angry smile.

Magna International Inc. is considering whether to keep the former General Motors Co. plant in Antwerp, Belgium open despite initially saying the plant would be shuttered, a German weekly reported Friday.

Investigators exploring the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico reported Monday that underestimates of the amount of oil flowing from the blown-out Macondo well "impeded" attempts by BP and the government to contain the gusher.

Empirically speaking, geologists are not a particularly irascible group.

Russian leaders sent condolences to the family of Anatoly Dobrynin, Moscow 's ambassador in Washington during the Cuban missile crisis, following his death, official sources said Thursday.
0.38: (Anatoly Dobrynin; [is] ambassador [of]; Moscow) === TTT

EQU-HELMETS will not move in tonight 's New York Times News Service file.

A coal mine fire has left 12 workers dead in east China 's Jiangxi Province, and police are hunting several mine executives who had fled, local authorities said Saturday.

Iran regrets G8 's  'hasty ' position on election: FM spokesman

There were superheroes and vampires, Ghostbusters, rockers and zombies -- and that was just in the audience.

A building company was fined for using a false certificate to win public tenders in Bulgaria 's Kozloduy nuclear power plant, local Commission For Protection Of Competition (CPC) said on Monday.

BP says a mile-long (1.6 kilometer-long) tube it inserted into a leak on the blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico is capturing 210,000 gallons (nearly 800,000 liters) of oil a day, but some is still escaping.

Tracy Morgan from Santa Rosa, Calif., says she came up with a delicious cheese spread that sounds very close to what Kress described.

Singapore said Tuesday visitor arrivals in September grew 7.1 percent from last year, the first increase recorded in 2009.

We plan to file the following videos on Tuesday.

Dancing the night away in Des Moines doesn 't seem to be at the top of many must-do lists.

Thousands of Canadian police threw a tight security net over eastern Ontario province Thursday as world leaders began arriving for key summits focused on economic recovery and development.

Michael Jackson fans began to celebrate Sunday after winning coveted tickets to the pop star 's memorial service at Staples Center.

China and Brazil should work to tap the potential for cooperation and take advantage of their economic complementarity to help achieve economic prosperity of both countries, top Chinese political adviser Jia Qinglin said on Sunday.

Alex Rodriguez as awarded a home run after the first instant replay review in World Series history as the New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-5 on Saturday for a 2-1 lead.

President Barack Obama 's Democratic allies in the US Congress signaled Tuesday they may drop a core component of a package of new rules for Wall Street to win over elusive Republican support.

Teen sensation James O 'Connor was dropped to the bench on Tuesday for Australia 's Test against France, while winger Lote Tuqiri 's international isolation deepened.
0.88: (James O; [is] sensation [of]; Teen) === F

Voters in Europe 's poorest nation tried Sunday to break a political deadlock that has kept it without a functioning government for more than a year.

US President Barack Obama on Wednesday lit a lamp to celebrate the Hindu holiday Diwali as he reached out to Asian Americans with a new initiative aimed at expanding opportunities.

The White House said on Friday it had not yet decided whether to delay a sensitive April report that could publicly accuse China of currency manipulation.

Swathes of dirty clouds brood over a coal plant in rural Japan, but scientists are now hoping to send the pollutants the other way, deep into the bowels of Mother Earth.

South Korea 's education ministry said Wednesday the planned rocket launch will be postponed, with news reports citing fire safety problems.

UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari arrived in military-ruled Myanmar Friday to pave the way for a visit by the world body 's secretary-general focused on the trial of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Swiss historian Jean-Francois Bergier, who led a highly critical probe of Switzerland 's conduct during World War II, has died.

Army troops in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have killed 90 Rwandan Hutu rebels since launching a new offensive late last month, the UN mission in the country said Wednesday.

I need to replace my wooden storm/screen doors.

Max Mosley says he will resist pressure to stand for a fifth term as FIA president and back Frenchman Jean Todt to succeed him after 16 years in charge of world motorsport.

Six people, including three children, were killed in landslides in the northern Philippines on Thursday as tropical storm Parma hit the area for a second time, authorities said.

Political entities kicked off on Wednesday their ten-day campaign for the December 12 parliamentary elections in Kosovo.

The London stock market closed lower on Thursday with the leading share index FTSE 100 down 1.58 percent, or 85.70 points, at 5,335.10 points.

The following are major news items in leading Egyptian newspapers on Tuesday.

Midfielder Shalrie Joseph of Grenada sent a slow rolling shot into the net in the 21st minute as the New England Revolution hung on for a 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders in Major League Soccer on Thursday.

Juanita M. Kreps, who was President Jimmy Carter 's secretary of commerce from 1977 to 1979, the first woman and the first economist to hold a post traditionally occupied by men with business interests, died Monday in Durham, N.C.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani on Thursday officially named Nuri al-Maliki as prime minister designate, images from state broadcaster Al-Iraqiya showed.
0.88: (Jalal Talabani; [is] President [of]; Iraqi) === F

Hong Kong stocks gained 183.64 points, or 0.84 percent to close at 22,085.75 on Monday.

By Karuna Madan   NEW DELHI, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The diaspora Indians are suffering from the anxiety of invisibility about not being taken seriously enough as Indians, and about Hinduism being an " invisible religion", well-known Indian historian Vinay Lal said Friday.

We plan to file the following videos on Wednesday.

Australia were all out for 481 in reply to England 's first innings 260 late on the third day of the first Ashes Test at the Gabba on Saturday.

Aldo De Nigris scored in the 25th minute to lift Mexico 's Monterrey to a 1-0 victory over Saprissa on Tuesday in the opening Group C match of the CONCACAF Champions League.

The following are major news items in leading Indian newspapers on Friday: The Hindu: -- Germany is keen on civilian nuclear cooperation with India but the first step in this direction could be about reactor safety, according to German ambassador to India Thomas Matussek.

by Jing Zhao Cesarone   CHICAGO, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Much more than a musical extravaganza, "Cultures of China, Festival of Spring" delivered the magic cure Friday night for the holiday blues felt by Chicago Chinese living far from their home country during the Chinese New Year season.

The Centre for Resolution of Emergency Situation (CRES) on Thursday night declared extension of state of emergency to more provinces, in addition to existing areas in capital Bangkok and nearby provinces, which was announced on April 7, 2010.

The following are major news items in leading Sri Lankan newspapers on Monday: Daily News: -- Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa predicted that the ruling party United People 's Freedom Alliance would form a stable Government at the conclusion of the April 8 parliamentary elections in line with the people 's expectations.
0.38: (Mahinda Rajapaksa; [is] President [of]; Sri Lankan) === F

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 rocked Maluku province in eastern parts of Indonesia on Sunday, there is not potential for tsunami, the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency reported here.

Thailand recalled its ambassador to Cambodia Thursday after Phnom Penh gave a job to fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, accusing its neighbour of interfering in its politics and stoking tensions.

Chinese President Hu Jintao said here Tuesday that China and the United States will start preparations as soon as possible for the second round of the China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) scheduled for next summer in Beijing.

-- In January, Fidel Castro takes over Cuba.

All anyone needs to know about Tiger Woods off the golf course is what he named his yacht.

A pair of spacewalking astronauts tackled urgent space station repairs Wednesday for the second time in five days, anxious to avoid the kind of toxic ammonia leak that disrupted their previous effort to restore full cooling.

The Internet company is mandating that most of its employees, except for those responsible for "essential functions" such as customer service, take off work from Dec. 25 through Jan. 1.

Sales of new US homes slid 11.3 percent in November to their lowest level since April, according to government data Wednesday highlighting volatility in the fragile housing market.

North Korea has "at least one other" uranium enrichment site on top of one unveiled recently to US experts, the US State Department said Tuesday.

Elia Quiroz was about to go to bed in his home nea te airod taio i tisTuca sasdeton he hetrainrubled by.

China 's premier says Beijing is preparing measures to rein in double-digit rises in food prices that communist leaders worry might spark unrest.

The first few of dozens of witnesses to the 2009 massacre on this sprawling Army base gave chilling testimony Wednesday in a pretrial hearing for Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who is charged in the attack.

Russia 's Sergey Kirdyapkin came back from behind to win the men 's 50km walk title at the World Championships here on Friday.

Police confirmed Wednesday that "Diff 'rent Strokes" actor Gary Coleman 's death has been ruled an accident.

Many children with Down 's Syndrome are being eliminated because of abortion, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Church here said ahead of a weekend visit by Pope Benedict XVI.

United Nations, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-general Ban Ki- moon on Friday reaffirmed his strong support and appreciation for the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) as it marked its second anniversary.

Jim Furyk rolled in a birdie putt at the final hole on Sunday to win the Chevron World Challenge by one shot from Northern Ireland 's Graeme McDowell.

A trial of four top British Airways (BA) executives over alleged price-fixing collapsed on Monday after prosecutors offered no evidence.

Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau   TALLAHASSEE  Public Service Commissioner Katrina McMurrian resigned from the embattled state utility regulation board Monday, three months before her term expires, after Gov. Charlie Crist failed to reappoint her last week.
0.88: (Katrina McMurrian; [is] Commissioner [of]; Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau TALLAHASSEE Public Service) === F

An Israeli airstrike killed one person and wounded three in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Palestinan medics said.

A powerful gas explosion ripped through a house west of the Austrian capital Vienna on Thursday, leaving five people dead, police said.

Japan 's Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada on Friday expressed regret to the Chinese ambassador over Beijing 's plans to execute three more convicted Japanese drug smugglers, an official said.
0.38: (Katsuya Okada; [is] Minister [of]; Foreign) === T

French coach Henri Michel has been sacked by Egyptian club Zamalek after a string of defeats, the Cairo-based team revealed on Monday.

Year 4 of the Dan Hawkins Era ended Friday with one more win than Year 1.

You be the judge: Which was a worse example of Congress at work this week?

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez says he can buy one more player without selling anyone after Glen Johnson completed his move from Portsmouth.

Norwegian daily Dagsavisen said Friday it was hosting on its website a "mirror" of whistleblowing website WikiLeaks to honour freedom of information.

Spain 's nuclear watchdog has recommended that the government renew the operating licence of the oldest of the country 's six nuclear plants for another 10 years, Spanish media reported Friday.

Japanese stocks rose to a fresh three-month high on Thursday as commodity- related shares rallied on the back of higher oil prices and the yen 's recent drop boosted exporters.

The EU needs to develop a central strategic vision which looks at the different ways in which Asia 's growing global role and increased self-confidence affect it, a European expert said ahead of a multilateral summit to be held next week.

The European Commission on Friday opened a probe into a euro13 billion ($19.5 billion) state bailout for German state bank HSH Nordbank AG to check if the subsidy follows EU rules.

They 're the kinds of plays you might etch with a stick in the dirt during a backyard Turkey Bowl.

Conservative groups that are plowing huge sums from undisclosed donors into the midterms have been insisting that groups on the left are doing the same.

An attorney for an adoption agency says a Russian boy who was sent back to Moscow by his American adoptive mother has been placed back in an orphanage.

Painstaking efforts to reach 33 workers trapped in a Chilean mine continued Tuesday five days after the structure collapsed, as desperate relatives prayed their loved ones would be found alive.

An Austrian castle, a monastery in Romania and prehistoric rock art in Spain on Sunday were included in UNESCO 's World Heritage List, which was being expanded at a meeting in Brasilia.

Duty Editor: Kerry Sheridan  Tel: +1 202 414 0541  -- TOP STORIES --  + Two US soldiers kidnapped in Afghanistan  + US spill operations resume as storm weakens  + 15 killed in stampede at Germany 's Love Parade  Afghanistan-unrest,5thlead-WRAP  KABUL  NATO says that two American soldiers are missing in eastern Afghanistan, hours after reporting that five US troops had been killed in bomb attacks.
0.38: (Parade Afghanistan-unrest ,5thlead-WRAP KABUL NATO; [is] Love [of]; Germany) === F

What 's coming up around the world:  + Iran 's Ahmadinejad addresses UN meet  UNITED NATIONS: Second day of world leaders summit aiming to inject a new sense of urgency into a global campaign to cut poverty with Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to address the talks.

Volkswagen plans to bring back the $85,000 Phaeton to the U.S., where the sedan flopped and was withdrawn in 2006, as part of the German carmaker 's aim of tripling its share of the world 's second-largest market by 2018.

A Pakistani government lawyer has requested permission to question disgraced nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan over recent media reports that Pakistan arranged the transfer of nuclear technology to Iran.

Germany 's chemical sector has suffered its worst year since the oil crisis of the mid-1970s, with output slumping by 10 percent due to the global recession, the VCI industry association said Tuesday.

The US government will loan Ford Motor Co. 5.9 billion dollars to invest in improving the fuel economy of its vehicles as part of an eight-billion-dollar program, officials said Tuesday.

Officials say a group of militants has ambushed a van traveling near Khar, the main town in the Bajur tribal region.

The Supreme Court is weighing whether Costco and other discount sellers can offer cut-rate goods from foreign manufacturers without violating U.S. copyright laws.

Ld-Writethru,0318   Karzai: Afghanistan may institute conscription   Eds: LEDES throughout to ADD comment from Karzai, background; ADDS photo tag, byline.

Editors: Listed here are brief descriptions of other stories available tonight from The New York Times News Service for Tuesday, Jan. 5.

Stability in Lebanon is vital to peace in the Middle East, Britain 's Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Tuesday, as he welcomed the formation of a national unity government as "positive".
0.38: (David Miliband; [is] Secretary [of]; Foreign) === T

Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Iraq Tuesday on a previously unannounced mission to show the White House remains focused on the Iraq war despite military pullbacks and increased attention on Afghanistan.
0.88: (Joe Biden; [is] President [of]; Vice) === F

How many movies can say they have a cast of thousands, and mean it?

The local tin market closed higher here on Thursday, but the trading volume dropped compared with Wednesday.

Obama  'very pleased ' on progress in BP oil well kill

Algeria rallied to beat Rwanda 3-1 on Sunday to be on the verge of qualifying for the World Cup.

WASHINGTON - Senator Scott Brown Thursday teamed up with a Democrat to file legislation allowing states to more quickly opt out of certain portions of President Obama 's health care plan - the Massachusetts Republican 's latest move to alter the controversial measure.

China 's exports surged by 48.5 percent year on year in May, while the imports climbed 48.3 percent, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) announced Thursday.

Sixteen minutes into the new "The Jay Leno Show" on Monday, it was difficult not to panic.

Indonesian police have arrested ten militants who had involved in training in a camp in Aceh province and been suspected to plot terrorist acts, police spokesman Untung Yoga Ana said here on Wednesday.

Several rivals of Microsoft raised doubts on Friday about the merit of the US software giant 's plans to strip the Internet Explorer web browser from its ubiquitous Windows operating system in Europe.

Germany 's Britta Steffen won the 50m freestlye world title in a world record time of 23.73sec here on Sunday.

Nationalized lender Northern Rock says that the chief financial officer of its asset management unit has left the company because of an investigation by Britain 's financial regulator.
0.88: (Northern Rock; [is] lender [of]; Nationalized) === F

The Supreme Court of Canada is hearing the government 's appeal of a lower court ruling directing it to ask the U.S. to repatriate the last Western detainee being held at Guantanamo Bay.

Marie Knight, whose rich, room-filling contralto voice provided the ideal counterweight to Sister Rosetta Tharpe 's more penetrating higher register on some of the most popular gospel records of the 1940s, died Sunday in Manhattan.

Former top Chinese Communist official Bao Tong was purged for supporting the 1989 pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square, but he says his frustrations with the system started decades before.
0.38: (Bao Tong; [is] top official [of]; Chinese Communist) === F

CAMBRIDGE - Chris Higgins, 21, an upbeat Harvard University junior, is a social studies major who has worked at an orphanage in Uganda and backpacked around China while learning Mandarin.

To the likely consternation of diplomats in both Beijing and faraway Windhoek, a newly minted initiative by Namibia 's government to root out official corruption has snared an early catch: three people who, Namibian prosecutors charge, helped win a lucrative contract for a Chinese company recently headed by the son of Hu Jintao, China 's president.
0.38: (Hu Jintao; [is] president [of]; China) === T

The "soul boy" picked by the Dalai Lama as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama was a victim, Padma Choling, chairman of the Tibet autonomous regional government said Sunday.
0.38: (Padma Choling; [is] chairman of; the Tibet autonomous regional government) === T
0.38: (a victim; was the reincarnation of; the 10th Panchen Lama) === F

APEC ministers call for market-driven currency rates: statement

Australian referee Paul Marks has been dropped from the Super 14 officials panel, according to The Australian newspaper.

The Thai stock market rose 1.01 percent Wednesday due to capital inflow and heavy buying in sectors that will benefit from a government stimulus package, analyst said.

Sunni supporters of Lebanon 's prime minister-designate and Shiite rivals from the parliament speaker 's political faction traded gunfire in a Beirut neighborhood Sunday.

A race to be called the Quiznos Pro Challenge will be Colorado 's first high-level pro cycling event since the Coors Classic ended in 1988.
0.38: (Challenge; [is] Pro [of]; Quiznos) === F

A day after saying he hopes to eventually cool tensions with Colombia, President Hugo Chavez charged that his neighbor recently allowed a U.S. military plane to carry out "electronic warfare" operations against Venezuela.

Athletics Kenya on Tuesday issued a July 17 deadline asking all athletes taking part in the IAAF Diamond League to report to camp for the final preparations of the 17th African Athletics Championships (AAC).

One person has been gored and two others injured in a panic-filled third running of the bulls at Spain 's San Fermin festival.

Frenchman Sebastien Ogier retained his lead in the Rally of Portugal, the sixth leg of the 13-race world championship series, here on Saturday despite a concerted onslaught by six-time world champion and compatriot Sebastien Loeb.

Visiting United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon told a press conference in Tokyo on Wednesday that he would "spare no effort" to achieve a nuclear-free North Korea.
0.50: (Ban Ki-moon; [is] chief [of]; United Nations) === T

Results in Major League Soccer (home teams listed first):   Saturday 's Games   D.C. United 0, Los Angeles 0   San Jose vs. Kansas City   Chivas USA vs. Toronto   Sunday 's Games   New York vs. Dallas   Chicago vs Colorado   New England vs. Real Salt Lake   Houston vs. Seattle

Israel on Tuesday began the process of deporting more than 600 pro-Palestinian activists who were brought ashore after a deadly navy raid on an international aid convoy heading for Gaza.

Obama: Slowing pace of job losses is a good sign for US economy, but  'I 'm not satisfied. '

South Africa coach Peter De Villiers admitted it was a great honour to make history after his side beat New Zealand in successive Tests at home for the first time in 33 years.
0.88: (Peter De Villiers; [is] coach [of]; South Africa) === T

Powerful earthquakes just over 10 minutes apart rattled Japan and India on Tuesday, triggering panic on fears of a tsunami in the Andaman Islands and injuring more than 100 people southwest of Tokyo.

Australian Rio Tinto Ltd has unilaterally announced its deal with Chinese Aluminum Corporation of China (Chinalco) is dead, and the company will instead hold a 15.2 billion U.S. dollars rights issue.

Quanta Computer Inc., the world 's largest contract notebook computer maker, said Friday that it has no plan to raise contract prices for its customers at present.

At least four explosions were heard in Sri Lanka 's ethnic Tamil heartland of Jaffna ahead of Tuesday 's crucial presidential vote, an independent election monitor told AFP.

The high-profile Rio Tinto trial has lifted the lid on the opaque, and often risky, process of doing business in China -- and become an object lesson for other foreign companies, analysts say.

Egyptian security officials say a border guard has been shot dead in a scuffle with Palestinians along the Gaza border.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Monday ordered that charges be filed against Manila 's police chief and three other law enforcement officials over their handling of a deadly bus hijacking in August.
0.88: (Benigno Aquino; [is] President [of]; Philippine) === F

Stewards due to provide security at Monday 's World Cup match between champions Italy and Paraguay have walked off the job and police are to take control, South Africa 's private e.tv reported.

As Americans have grown fatter over the last generation, inviting more heart disease, diabetes and premature deaths, all that extra weight has also become a burden in the maternity ward.

At the broad level, there was much to applaud in last week 's announcement from the White House regarding potential new constraints on the scale and scope of our largest banks.

"Surrogates" is itself a surrogate, a kind of stand-in for many of the sci-fi movies of the recent past: In it, you 'll recognize in it the ideas of "Blade Runner," "Minority Report" and even "WALL-E."

Ju Percussion Group will celebrate its 25th anniversary with four concerts in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung starting Jan. 2, it said in Taipei Tuesday.

French football great Michel Platini announced on Thursday that will stand for re-election as president of European football 's governing body UEFA next year.

Two Chinese men wanted on charges of illegally obtaining public funds have been arrested in Malaysia and returned to China after a two-year international manhunt.

Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore, the facilitator in the Guinea crisis, on Friday evening wished the quick recovery of Guinea military junta leader Moussa Dadis Camara from his gunshot wounds.
0.88: (Burkinabe President Blaise Compaore; [is] the facilitator in; the Guinea crisis) === T
0.88: (Blaise Compaore; [is] President [of]; Burkinabe) === F

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan on the sidelines of a meeting in Europe in the highest-level contact between the countries since a bitter diplomatic feud broke out a month ago over disputed islands, both countries confirmed Tuesday.
0.38: (Naoto Kan; [is] Japanese Minister [of]; Prime) === F

David Beckham 's ruptured Achilles tendon has been repaired and he is doing well, but he will not recover in time for the World Cup, the surgeon who operated on him in Finland told AFP Monday.

Four militants killed in second US missile strike in Pakistan: officials

Myanmar downplayed reports Thursday that a possibly weapons-bearing North Korean ship was headed for its shores, saying it expected another vessel from the communist state but that it only carried rice.

Sen. Edward Kennedy was there for his constituents for nearly five decades, now they are repaying that loyalty by the tens of thousands.

ASEAN leaders and their counterparts of China, Japan, and South Korea attended the 12th ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) plus Three Summit here on Saturday, where they discussed a series of topics concerning regional cooperation.

The US government refrained Thursday from criticizing Japan 's decision to end a naval refueling mission that supports the war in Afghanistan.

A rocket attack apparently targeting French forces that killed ordinary Afghans raised concerns Tuesday in eastern Afghanistan about international troops ' ability to secure a volatile valley despite a major offensive.

NEW YORK TIMES stories for Page 1, Tuesday, Nov. 9.

An earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter Scale hit northwest China 's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 10:12 a.m. Beijing Time Saturday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

British Airways reported on Friday a net loss of 122 million pounds (146 million euros, 191 million dollars) in the three months to June, up 15 percent from a year earlier.

The Yemeni army said on Wednesday that it has killed 29 Zaidi Shiite rebels as it presses an all-out offensive against their strongholds in the northern mountains.

by Xinhua Writer Xu Lingui   MANILA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- Asian economies have shown signs of a mild bottoming-out but a full recovery hinges heavily upon the health of economies in the industrialized world, a top economist with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said.
0.50: (Xu Lingui MANILA; [is] Writer [of]; Xinhua) === F

China 's second-highest ranking officer kicks off Saturday a week-long visit to the United States amid signs that testy military relations between the superpowers are thawing.

Rain forced a suspension in play on the outside courts on the opening day at the Australian Open on Monday.

One of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano 's main concerns is the rise of homegrown terrorists in the U.S. such as Najibullah Zazi, the Denver airport shuttle driver who pleaded guilty earlier this year to planning a terrorist attack.
0.38: (Janet Napolitano; [is] Secretary [of]; Homeland Security) === T
0.38: (Najibullah Zazi; [is] the driver [of]; Denver airport shuttle) === FFF

as much as five times larger  --  than those of other, similarly sized mammals.

Part American and part Pakistani, the Chicago man accused of conspiring in the bloody terrorist attacks in Mumbai has followed a twisted trail through two different worlds.

Major winners Fred Couples and Vijay Singh have withdrawn from two Australian OneAsia golf tournaments in December due to injury, officials said on Saturday.

by Xinhua writer Han Mo   BERLIN, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a stampede on Saturday at a music festival in western Germany 's Duisburg city has risen to 18, with 16 people confirmed killed on the scene and two others succumbing to injuries in hospital, local police said.
0.50: (Han Mo BERLIN; [is] writer [of]; Xinhua) === F

Nigeria president Umaru Yar 'Adua has died, an official statement from the office of Acting President Goodluck Jonathan has confirmed Thursday morning.
0.88: (Umaru Yar; [is] president [of]; Nigeria) === T
0.38: (Goodluck Jonathan; [is] President [of]; Acting) === F

A top United Nations official on Thursday visited displacement camps in Sri Lanka where about 280,000 ethnic Tamil civilians have been held since the island nation 's civil war ended four months ago.

Slovenia 2, United States 0 - Halftime   World Cup Group C match   Scorers: Valter Birsa 13, Zlatan Ljubijankic 42

Brazilian women 's football star Marta won the FIFA world player of the year award for the fourth consecutive year here on Monday.

International Monetary Fund head Dominique Straus-Kahn said on Thursday that he took the threat of a currency war "very seriously" and would do all he could to prevent one, in an interview with Le Monde newspaper.
0.88: (Dominique Straus-Kahn; [is] head [of]; International Monetary Fund) === T

Argentina 's national team coach Diego Maradona said on Monday that he has never seen a player with "the ball tied to his foot" like Lionel Messi.

India 's tennis team got off to an up-and-down start at the Commonwealth Games on Monday when Rohan Bopanna won his opening singles match but lost in mixed doubles with Nirupama Sanjeev.

A passenger train crashed into another train early Wednesday near the Taj Mahal in northern India, killing at least four people and trapping scores of people in a smashed coach, an official said.

Sri Lanka will be without their fast bowler Lasith Malinga for the second Test against India starting at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground in the capital Colombo next Monday.

Barbara Billingsley, who as June Cleaver on the television series "Leave It to Beaver" personified a Hollywood postwar family ideal -- the ever-sweet, ever-helpful suburban stay-at-home mom -- died Saturday.

The Swiss League has opened a disciplinary case against Lucerne forward Hakan Yakin for possible violent conduct against Neuchatel Xamax forward Raphael Nuzzolo.

Montpellier captain Fulgence Ouedraogo will be out for three weeks after injuring his shoulder in France 's 39-12 defeat to the All Blacks.
0.88: (Fulgence Ouedraogo; [is] captain [of]; Montpellier) === T

Niger 's main opposition leader expressed outrage Tuesday over the president 's disbanding of the country 's constitutional court, calling the move equivalent to a coup.

YouTube, which already boasts of being "the biggest news platform in the world," has created a News Near You feature that senses a user 's location and serves up a list of relevant videos.

TOKYO - Suspicions that the Federal Reserve 's moves won 't save the United States are often based on events in Tokyo.

A roadside bomb hit a vehicle of the security forces  Friday and killed six Pakistani troops in a northwest tribal region near the border with Afghanistan, local sources said.

FALL RIVER - As Lydia Andrews pulled into her driveway Monday afternoon and saw the military officials and police parked in front of her three-decker, her heart sank.

A 6.9 magnitude quake struck Ecuador Thursday in the remote Amazonian region southeast of Quito, the US Geological Survey said, but there were no reports of victims or substantial damage.

The Los Angeles city attorney says he 's still seeking reimbursement of the $3 million the city spent for the Michael Jackson memorial -- even though a report says there was no law at the time forcing a payback.

Thai prosecutors dropped charges against the five-man crew of an aircraft accused of smuggling weapons from North Korea, saying Thursday the men might be guilty but would be deported to preserve good relations with their home countries.

As slipshod bookkeeping by some big mortgage lenders continued to rattle the housing market on Thursday, another major lender indicated it would suspend sales of foreclosed homes and White House officials said President Barack Obama would not sign a bill that critics suggested could facilitate foreclosure fraud.

Derrick Rose scored 31 points and Kirk Hinrich finished ith 27 as Chicago started quickly then held on to beat Cleveland 108-106 in game three of their opening round playoff series.

Stocks slid Wednesday as concerns grew over whether the Federal Reserve 's plans to buy Treasury bonds might be smaller and slower than anticipated.

Former Germany captain and Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack is poised to sign for Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, German sports agency SID reported on Friday.

The Taipei City government and EVA Airways jointly launched a campaign in Tokyo Monday to promote a package of "Good Luck Travel to Taipei" in bid to draw more Japanese tourists to the Taiwan capital.

The International Monetary Fund has given final approval for a $2.6 billion loan for Sri Lanka despite calls from human rights groups that the island nation should first address concerns over its human rights record.

General Commander of Angola 's National Police Ambrosio de Lemos on Wednesday urged the riot police to stand ready to against any emerging violence and safeguard the society, although the country has been politically and economically stable since the civil war ended in 2002.
0.38: (Police Ambrosio; [is] National [of]; Angola) === F

World 50km champion Linsy Heister of the Netherlands on Friday won the 10km open water title at the European swimming championships.

An arrest warrant has been issued for US cyclist Floyd Landis, accused of hacking into a French drug-testing laboratory, France 's anti-doping authority (AFLD) said on Monday.

Chinese civil servants will be evaluated in an improved and more democratic way, an official with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MHRSS) said Thursday.

DETROIT - The night before, in the wake of his no-hit bid, Josh Beckett had been clear about the goal for a starting rotation that started slowly but has made strides of late.

Biggest complaint   New Yorkers certainly won 't agree with this and they 'll flood my e-mail in-box, calling me a whiner or Yankee hater or whatever, but doesn 't it seem wrong that the Yankees can just go out and trade for practically whomever they want at the trade deadline?

Euro rescue fund  'signed ' by finance ministers: Juncker

Nissan to recall more than 2 million cars due to faulty engine control system

Brandon Sharp, a 37-year-old manager at an oil and gas company in Houston, has never stepped foot in an emergency room.
0.89: (Brandon Sharp; [is] a 37-year-old manager at; an oil and gas company) === T

Interim Honduran President Roberto Micheletti has said that he does not care whether the elections in November are recognized by the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) or not.
0.88: (Roberto Micheletti; [is] President [of]; Interim Honduran) === F

Defence Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday named his candidate to head Israel 's military, after weeks of media speculation over a "war of the generals" to succeed Gabi Ashkenazi as chief of staff.
0.88: (Ehud Barak; [is] Minister [of]; Defence) === T

Veteran Libyan diplomat Ali Treki took the helm of the U.N. General Assembly, calling for stepped up efforts to achieve Mideast peace, close the widening gap between rich and poor, and eliminate nuclear weapons.
0.38: (Assembly; [is] General [of]; U.N.) === F

Nightstand: James Swain   When Swain (The Night Monster) appears at the St. Petersburg Times Festival of Reading on Oct. 23, the Odessa resident will participate in a panel on the emerging industry of e-books.
0.38: (Oct. 23; [is] the resident [of]; Odessa) === F

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Wednesday rejected charges it has failed to take action after the arrest in Rwanda of a US lawyer accused of denying the 1994 Tutsi genocide.

Following are the African Nations Cup Group D results on Thursday: At Benguela, Angola Zambia bt Gabon 2-1 At Lubango, Angola Cameroon tied Tunisia 2-2

The typical knee-replacement patient is still a white retiree.

On the agenda is the revamping of the American health care system, possibly the most complicated legislation in modern history.

The Russian-born singer who split from Mel Gibson earlier this month says she will play a charity concert in Moscow to aid victims of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Japan 's current account surplus falls 19.4 pct in July on year

Results Sunday from the European Speedskating Championships at Viking Ship Stadium (race distances in meters):   Women   1,500   1.

Pakistan said Monday that a Taliban commander with a 234,000-dollar price on his head had been killed in a shootout with soldiers in the country 's notorious North Waziristan region.

Seven people have died after contracting infections from tick bites in east China 's Shandong Province, provincial health authorities said Friday.

The award-winning director of "Slumdog Millionaire" says he plans to make a movie about the mountaineer renowned for amputating his own arm after it was pinned by a half-ton boulder while he was hiking alone in Utah.

Swine flu fears hit the Wimbledon tennis championships on Monday as WHO figures showed global cases leaping past 70,000 while Australian researchers said a vaccine could be ready in months.

Supporters of fugitive filmmaker Roman Polanski came to his defence Saturday after a sex scandal surrounding the French-Polish director was rekindled with fresh allegations he abused a minor.

After missing last year 's U.S. Open with a shoulder injury, former champion Maria Sharapova returned to Flushing Meadows with an impressive 6-3, 6-0 victory over Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria on Tuesday.

Taiwan 's Tourism Bureau is seeking more contestants for a contest to design the best itinerary for traveling in Taiwan - part of efforts to promote tourism on the island.

They left behind the telltale trappings of teenage boys, circa 1978 -- a snazzy sweatsuit, a bass guitar, a half-eaten supper, basketballs, boxing gloves -- and each stepped out into the warm Newark, N.J., night.

Real Madrid will look to capitalize on Barcelona 's absence from the last weekend of Spanish league action before the winter break when it hosts troubled Zaragoza, while Valencia hopes to return to winning ways at Deportivo La Coruna.

Russia will draw a lesson for the future from General Motors ' decision to cancel the sale of its European unit Opel to a Canadian-Russian consortium, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Thursday.
0.38: (Vladimir Putin; [is] Minister [of]; Prime) === F

Results in the world swimming championships on Sunday:  Men  Finals  400 m freestyle:  1.

The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange general share index closed at 994.34 points on Wednesday, down 1.

Afghanistan 's defense minister said Monday that efforts to combat the Taliban in his country were moving in the right direction and could bear significant results by the end of the year, despite the recent spike in U.S. casualties.

Milan police arrested six mobsters late Sunday on suspicion of kidnapping and shooting a crime-boss 's ex-girlfriend last November and dissolving her body in acid.

Factfile on Marseille after they ended their 18-year wait for the French league title following a 3-1 victory against Rennes on Wednesday evening.

France 's 1998 World Cup winner Christophe Dugarry has criticized French football federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes over his decision to stand by national coach Raymond Domenech ever since the team 's early exit at Euro 2008.
0.38: (Christophe Dugarry; [is] winner [of]; World Cup) === T

John Terry said Friday he would continue to "give everything" for his country after being stripped of the England captaincy following allegations he had an affair with a former teammate 's ex-partner.

Visitors to Paris often take a day away from the city to see the nearby Chateau de Versailles, seat of kings during the French golden age in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung has been hospitalized after displaying a slight fever and signs of a cold.

Results from the Asian Games volleyball tournament on Friday:  Men  Gold-medal match  Japan 3 Iran 1  (25-19, 25-13, 23-25, 25-18)  Bronze-medal match  South Korea 3 Thailand 0  (25-19, 25-17, 28-26)
0.38: (Japan; [is] match [of]; Gold-medal) === F

Soldiers and police in riot gear advanced on the two main rally sites held by anti-government protesters in the Thai capital on Saturday, vowing to clear one of them by nightfall.

The top international envoy to Bosnia Monday extended for another three years the mandate of foreign judges and prosecutors dealing with war crime cases, despite opposition from the country 's Serbs.

Germany easily beat the United States 3-0 at the under-20 World Cup on Saturday, while Ghana and Cameroon also won their opening games.

Just before the Fourth of July weekend, Paul A. Volcker packed his fishing gear and set off for his annual outing to the Canadian wilds to cast for Atlantic salmon.

Movie cops tripped up by real police officers   Actors with fake weapons taken down after failing to get a permit to film in Detroit By George Hunter   The Detroit News   Detroit -- As movie cameras roll, a group of actors brandishing weapons is poised to kick in the front door of a house.

In the bright light of Wednesday morning, Christine O 'Donnell, whose Republican primary victory upended the calculus for future control of the U.S. Senate, became quickly known to Americans as the woman who once made dire warnings about the negative impact of masturbation.
0.50: (Christine O; [is] the bright light of; Wednesday morning) === F

Ray Allen buried a record eight three pointers and scored a post-season high 32 points as the Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers 103-94 to even their NBA finals series at one game each.

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal was stunned by Spanish compatriot Feliciano Lopez in straight sets in the quarterfinals at the ATP Queen 's Club tournament on Friday.

'Time running out ' for Iran on suspect nuclear program: White House   sg/ag

Bollywood star Preity Zinta said Wednesday that misinterpretations of Hinduism -- often fuelled by greed -- were partly responsible for the dire plight of India 's oppressed and neglected widows.
0.88: (Preity Zinta; [is] star [of]; Bollywood) === T

Swedish truckmaker AB Volvo on Friday said its chairman Finn Johnsson is leaving his post with immediate effect and will be replaced by Louis Schweitzer, the current chairman of drug maker AstraZeneca.
0.39: (Louis Schweitzer; [is] the current chairman of; drug maker) === T

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Wednesday that he is slated to meet with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in the next few days, the highest- level bilateral meeting between the two sides in nearly 18 months.
0.88: (Ehud Barak; [is] Minister [of]; Israeli Defense) === F
0.38: (Salam Fayyad; [is] Palestinian Minister [of]; Prime) === F

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange rose 132.26 points, or 1.03 percent, to close Wednesday 's trading at 12,949.85.

Standing in a canyon in hilly terrain, Ken Neubecker was fishing on the Roan Plateau, a high stretch of terrain beloved by hunters, fishermen and hikers for its clear streams, herds of deer and elk, and rugged beauty.

US President Barack Obama and  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had an unplanned one-on-one meeting on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Lisbon, a White House official announced.
0.38: (Dmitry Medvedev; [is] President [of]; Russian) === F
0.38: (Lisbon; [is] a official [of]; White House) === F

Vietnam voiced concerns on Tuesday over regional tensions in the South China Sea but said they will not lead to conflict, in line with a new defence document that stresses international cooperation.

Scottish champions Rangers have sent out an assurance to their fans that new players will be brought in before next month 's start of the season.

Hong Kong stocks rose 18.84 points, or 0.09 percent, to close Tuesday 's morning session at 20,830.20 points.

Former British premier Tony Blair 's chances of becoming the first-ever EU president wilted Friday, as Europe 's leaders sought a lesser light to lead a new-look European Union, officials said.

Ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya is to address the UN General Assembly on Tuesday morning, the assembly president said Monday.
0.38: (Manuel Zelaya; [is] Ousted President [of]; Honduran) === F
0.38: (Assembly; [is] General [of]; UN) === F
0.39: (Tuesday morning; [is] the president [of]; assembly) === F

China 's Ministry of Health Tuesday confirmed that three children had fallen ill in connection to vaccines in the northern Shanxi Province, but it denied the vaccines were problematic.

The United States regards Georgia as an important strategic partner, and will continue to safeguard its security and support its economic development and diplomatic reform, said visiting U.S. Vice President Joe Biden here on Thursday.
0.38: (Joe Biden; [is] President [of]; U.S. Vice) === F

Taliban militants killed three civilians on charges of spying for government and the NATO- led forces in Kunduz province, north of Afghanistan, provincial police chief Abdul Razaq Yaqubi said Saturday.

President Barack Obama strode into office backed by a Democratic majority in Congress and pledged to do something his predecessor had not: set mandatory limits on global warming gases and show that the U.S. was ready to tackle a problem it played a lead role in creating.

President Paul Kagame is expected to handily win Monday 's vote after overseeing years of economic and social development in Rwanda despite a recent string of attacks on political opponents that critics have decried as heavy-handed oppression.

The United States on Monday took steps to expel a man found to have taken part in Nazi-sponsored killings and persecutions of Ukrainian Jews during World War II.

FLASH: G20 LEADERS AGREE ON EXIT STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED AT COUNTRY- BY-COUNTRY LEVEL

A Tunisian woman 's claim of being pregnant with 12 babies is a farce, a health official said Wednesday.

Italy drew initial support from Palestinian and European leaders as it prepares to lead a European ministerial delegation to the Hamas-run Gaza enclave, the Italian foreign ministry said on Thursday.

Cristie Kerr shot a 6-under 66 Friday to take a five-stroke lead in the LPGA Championship, the tour 's second major of the season.

An Iranian police commander said Sunday Iranian forces arrested seven Afghani policemen who had crossed the border into Iran 's territory, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

The military commander of the United Nations Mission in Liberia said Wednesday that recurring tensions in the border region between Liberia and Ivory Coast will "shy away" if the Ivory Coast elections run smoothly.

AFP sports schedule for Friday, July 2:  FOOTBALL  First quarter-finals at the World Cup in South Africa with Brazil up against the Netherlands and Uruguay playing African hopefuls Ghana.

Michael Jackson 's family plans to take the pop star 's body to his Neverland ranch on Thursday ahead of a public viewing, reports said Tuesday.

Top European news stories on Saturday:  Libya-aviation-crash-Netherlands  EINDHOVEN, Netherlands: Nine-year-old Ruben van Assouw, the sole survivor of a Libyan airliner crash, arrived back home in the Netherlands, three days after the disaster that killed his parents, brother and 100 others, officials said.

China 's star NBA center Yao Ming and wife Ye Li are the proud parents of a baby girl, a statement released by his US representatives on Friday said.
0.88: (NBA center Yao Ming; [is] star [of]; China) === TTT

by Robert Trigaux,       Times Business Columnist   I met a very smart and wealthy man last year who lives in the Tampa Bay area and who admitted doing a very dumb thing.

Greece 's center-left government said Friday it is increasing taxes on tobacco and alcohol, looking for (EURO)1 billion ($1.43 billion) in badly needed revenues as the country grapples with a debt crisis.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed through telephone on Friday political developments in the region, Hariri 's office said in a short statement.

Roger Federer says when it comes to rankings, it 's number one or nothing.

Finnish forestry group UPM-Kymmene reported a fourth quarter net profit Tuesday thanks to cost cuts but said its sales had fallen in 2009 and it expected a slow recovery in its main markets this year.

The number of A/H1N1 cases in China 's mainland is in a period of mild rising, said an official with the World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday.

General Motors filed for bankruptcy protection Monday as part of the Obama administration 's plan to shrink the automaker to a sustainable size and give a majority ownership stake to the federal government.

greater than his actual apparent margin of victory in Friday 's election.

Rescuers in eastern China are searching for six people who went missing after their fishing boat collided with an Iranian cargo ship and sank, maritime authorities said Friday.

Security has been tightened at the Government House in capital Bangkok as the Internal Security Act 's (ISA) enforcement has taken effect from Thursday.

Back on the world stage for crucial talks, President Barack Obama on Friday quickly encountered European leaders willing to question a president weakened at home and rebuffed abroad.

Q: What accounts for the difference among varieties of apple in how quickly slices turn brown?

Queen Elizabeth II has received a royal salute in eastern Canada before reviewing an international flotilla of coast guard vessels and warships.

About 70 former special forces troops have scuffled with riot police in front of South Korea 's Defense Ministry to protest what they call the country 's weak response to a North Korean artillery attack.

At least two women were killed and 21 others injured when they were buried in a mudslide from a cliff in Mahottari district in central Nepal on Friday.

A prominent writer and a political activist have been charged with insulting the state after criticising Jordan 's cooperation with the United States in the war against terror, a judicial official said on Thursday.

Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation, said Monday that negotiations between Taiwan and China have gone through the easy phase and have entered a more difficult new stage.
0.88: (Chiang Pin-kung; [is] chairman of; the Straits Exchange Foundation) === T

Sharon Levy is the first to admit that she is not what anyone would call a girl 's girl -- just ask her, for example, about her television viewing habits.

Russia is reimbursing Iran for its downpayments on a deal for advanced S-300 ground-to-air missiles which Moscow halted in the face of tough new UN sanctions, Russian Technologies chief Sergei Chemezov told reporters on Thursday.
0.38: (Sergei Chemezov; [is] chief [of]; Russian Technologies) === T

Australia 's Luke Roberts Friday won the third stage of the Tour of Murcia in a mass sprint finish.

A British newspaper 's interview quoting Nelson Mandela 's ex-wife bitterly criticizing the anti-apartheid icon has prompted outraged headlines in South Africa.

The heavy hitters behind the most expensive real estate deal in U.S. history are giving up the two massive New York apartment complexes they bought at the height of America 's housing boom.

Millions of passengers in cities across the United States ride old subway cars like the ones that crumpled in a deadly crash in the nation 's capital.

The gold price in Hong Kong went up 52 HK dollars to open at 11,060 HK dollars per tael on Friday, according to the Chinese Gold and Silver Exchange Society.

It is premature to say that diplomatic efforts aimed at defusing tensions over Iran 's nuclear programme have failed, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday.
0.38: (Sergei Lavrov; [is] Minister [of]; Russian Foreign) === F

The principal dancer and co-founder of the LAFA & Artists Dance Company said Saturday that the troupe was deeply moved by the warm responses from Canadian audiences when it presented two of the company 's acclaimed productions in Vancouver over the previous two days.

The sisters of the slain wife of a reality television producer sought in Mexico for her killing faced off with their brother-in-law for the first time Friday.

CNN photojournalist Margaret Moth, who survived a near-fatal gunshot wound to the face while filming in Bosnia-Herzegovina during the wars there in the early 1990s, has died.
0.88: (Margaret Moth; [is] photojournalist [of]; CNN) === T

I 'm referring, as you no doubt have guessed, to "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel," which builds on the wit, the whimsy and the shredding bass that was 2007 's "Alvin and the Chipmunks," the blockbuster hit that would turn the musical  'Munks into 21st century pop sensations.

U.S. existing home sales continued to register a robust rally in September, showing that the nation 's real estate market was picking up steam boosted by a record-low commitment rate and lower prices, a leading industry group reported on Monday.

French luxury supernova Louis Vuitton looked east Thursday to its growing Chinese customer base with a spring-summer 2011 menswear collection of sumptuous travel pieces embellished with Asian touches.

Serbian third seed Novak Djokovic showed his desire to regain the ATP World Tour Finals crown as he started his campaign with a 6-3, 6-3 win over the Czech Republic 's Tomas Berdych on Monday.

Nokia 's second quarter operating profits fell 31 percent compared to one year ago to 295 million euros (380 million U.S. dollars), the company said Thursday.

More than 100 refugees who say they are Kurds and Tunisians landed Friday on the southern shore of Corsica after a lengthy journey at sea, officials said.

GM tells SEC it is on target         to meet U.S. production goals            Carmaker says it will build 1.6M vehicles         per  '09 bailout dealGM IPOBy David Shepardson         Detroit News Washington Bureau   Washington -- General Motors Co. has agreed to produce 1.6 million vehicles in the United States this year as the automaker works to launch a public offering in November.

German stocks closed lower on Monday on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

A 64-year-old South African died after experiencing a seizure on Thursday while queuing for the long-awaited release of  World Cup tickets as the ticket fever gripped the host nation.

Even professional gadfly Michael Moore appears flummoxed by the depth and breadth of his latest target in Capitalism: A Love Story.
0.38: (Story; [is] Love [of]; A) === F

Moldova 's Constitutional Court on Friday ordered a vote recount in the Nov. 28 early legislative elections, after examining an application by the Communists.

Lunch scores on the second day of the second cricket Test between India and Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Tuesday:  Sri Lanka 1st innings (overnight 312-2):  T. Paranavitana b Sharma                       100  T. Dilshan c Laxman b Ojha                      54  K. Sangakkara not out                          214  M. Jayawardene not out                          71  Extras: (b4, lb7, w2, nb5)                      18  Total (for two wickets, 119 overs)             457  Fall of wickets: 1-99 (Dilshan), 2-273 (Paranavitana).

Thailand 's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world 's longest-reigning monarch, was recovering from fever in hospital on Monday but is still suffering a loss of appetite, the palace said.

The three-day general strike called by the main opposition Unified Communist Party of Nepal ( Maoist) (UCPN-M) entered its second Monday.

Canadian Environment Minister Jim Prentice released Thursday Canada 's tough new proposed regulations to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from new vehicles beginning with the 2011 model year.
0.38: (Jim Prentice; [is] Canadian Minister [of]; Environment) === T

Goldman Sachs is facing a potential backlash in Europe over the fraud case brought against it in the United States, with Britain 's Prime Minister Gordon Brown calling for authorities there to investigate and accusing the investment bank of "moral bankruptcy."
0.38: (Gordon Brown; [is] Minister [of]; Prime) === F

Juan Pablo Montoya followed the numbers on a detailed chart last season, when his crew chief mapped out exactly how the NASCAR driver needed to finish each race to qualify for his first Chase for the championship.

Seven months after a landslide election defeat ended its half-century grip on power, Japan 's conservative party is splintering, with some veterans set to launch a new party this week.

One bus plying route No.17 in Beijing caught fire and burned down at a road crossing near Puhuangyu, southern Beijing, early Monday, said local sources.

Belarus on Tuesday ordered a shutdown of Russian gas transit deliveries to Europe, as Moscow insisted the latest energy feud with its ex-Soviet neighbour would not hit supplies to European clients.

The 20th anniversary of "Field of Dreams" -- celebrated Wednesday by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences -- presented an opportunity for a cast and crew reunion of the beloved sports fantasy.

The Pentagon 's chief is undertaking the tricky task of convincing allies to remain committed to the war in Afghanistan even as the Obama administration continues to debate whether to send more troops to fight.

Results from the second legs of Spanish Cup last 16 matches on Tuesday:  Villarreal 1 Celta Vigo 1 (Trashorras 90+2)  (Vigo win 2-1 on agg)  Wednesday (1st leg in brackets):  Racing Santander v Alcorcon (3-2)  Deportivo La Coruna v Valencia (2-1)  Osasuna v Hercules Alicante (1-2)  Getafe v Malaga (1-20  Sevilla v Barcelona (2-1)  Thursday  Real Mallorca v Rayo Vallecano (1-2)  Atletico Madrid v Recreativo Huelva (0-3)

President Barack Obama says he wants to see community colleges produce an additional 5 million graduates by 2020, arguing the schools are crucial to future U.S. competitiveness.

The crew and the suspected hijackers of the Arctic Sea arrived in Moscow on Thursday, news agencies reported, days after the freighter was found by Russian naval forces off West Africa.

Lindsay Lohan has confirmed on her Twitter page that she failed a court-ordered drug and alcohol screening, and she said that if asked, she is ready to appear before the judge in her case and face the consequences for her actions.

Chinese shares opened higher on Monday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index up 1.35 percent to 2,668.40.

A federal high court in Lagos, Nigeria, granted bail to the remaining eight bank chiefs on trial, the Nation newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Charlie Davies, a 23-year-old forward for the United States, underwent surgery Tuesday afternoon after being injured in a one-car crash early Tuesday morning, US Soccer Federation officials said.

BUENOS AIRES, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) - Argentine President Cristina Fernandez on Saturday offered her Chilean counterpart Michelle Bachelet "all the needed aid" for the  8.8- degrees earthquake that shook Chile on early Saturday morning.

East Asian champions Japan brushed aside Myanmar 8-0 in their Group A opener at the AFC Women 's Asian Cup here on Thursday.

Africa is often depicted as a place of war, disease and poverty, with a begging bowl extended to the world.

The founder of Wikipedia has announced a new partnership with Hewlett-Packard 's MagCloud printing service.

United States Congressman Edward Royce has urged his government to agree to sell F-16 C/D fighter jets to Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a Friday press release.
0.88: (Edward Royce; [is] Congressman [of]; United States) === FFF

The professional head of Britain 's air force joined the public debate around the British government 's plans for its armed forces with a speech which argued that jet fighters should not be cut to save money in the defence budget.

Result here on Wednesday in a CONCACAF World Cup 2010 qualifying match:  Trinidad and Tobago 1 (Glen 7) El Salvador 0

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said on Monday that he expected the Berlin Wall to fall, but that he and German ex-chancellor Helmut Kohl were caught off guard by how quickly it happened.

Dubai on Sunday opened its second airport, which is touted to become the world 's largest when completed, with services initially confined to cargo traffic.

Asian shares were mixed Friday as markets struggled to find direction despite encouraging news about the U.S. economy.

Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai headed Monday to neighbouring South Africa with a plea for regional leaders to mediate over the standoff within his country 's unity government.
0.88: (Morgan Tsvangirai; [is] Minister [of]; Zimbabwe Prime) === F

U.S. PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem was the first to be tested for drugs under its anti-doping policy that began last year at the AT&T National.
0.88: (Tim Finchem; [is] commissioner [of]; U.S. PGA Tour) === T

President Barack Obama predicted Wednesday that the United States economy would grow again in the final quarter of 2009, pulling further out of a long and crippling recession.

The London stock market rose by midday on Thursday with the FTSE 100 index up 38.59 points, or 0.7 percent, at 5,625.20 points in midday trading.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was formally re-elected to a new term Wednesday, has topped Forbes magazine 's list of the world 's most powerful women four years running, and just grew stronger.
0.88: (Angela Merkel; [is] Chancellor [of]; German) === F

The Chinese University of Hong Kong on Tuesday paid tribute to Charles Kao after he was one of three physicists to win the 2009 Nobel Prize for work on fibre optics and light sensing.

The Spanish Footballers ' Union (AFE) has decided to call off the strike action called for this weekend following talks with the Football Federation (RFEF) and the Spanish Government.

'GOD WILLIN ' & THE CREEK DON 'T RISE ' (RCA)   Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs   It 's easy to mistake the quaver in Ray LaMontagne 's voice -- connoting decay, conveying feelings that were stronger yesterday -- for emotional punch.

Russia 's Constitutional Court has launched hearings on whether a moratorium on capital punishment should remain in force next year.

Passengers flying to the United States faced tougher security measures Monday after the US government announced that people traveling from or via 14 "terror- linked" nations will now have to undergo mandatory enhanced screening.

New York City prosecutors say an indictment can be delayed against one of America 's richest men in a massive insider trading case so negotiations to settle it can finish.

The CIA has drastically increased its bombing campaign in the mountains of Pakistan in recent weeks, U.S. officials said, strikes that are part of an effort by military and intelligence operatives to try to cripple the Taliban in a stronghold being used to plan attacks against U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Indonesian bomb disposal experts defused two bombs Wednesday just before they were about to explode in police posts on Java island, officials said.

The titles of the Peas ' biggest hits tell the story: the giggle-inducing pun of "Don 't Phunk With My Heart," the cheerily crude anatomical gesture of "My Humps" and now the Imax-ready sound effects burst of the chart-topping "Boom Boom Pow."

President Barack Obama pressed the US Senate in an interview broadcast Friday to approve a landmark nuclear arms control pact with Russia before wrapping up for the year-end holidays.

One the three American hikers jailed in Iran told her mother in a brief telephone call this week that prison officials have denied her requests for medical treatment and a cellmate, her mother said Thursday.

Many public works departments spread massive amounts of de-icers for snow and ice removal.

UN-led talks establish new fund to aid poor nations.

African mediators trying to break Zimbabwe 's political impasse called Friday for a new regional summit to resolve the crisis, a delegation from the southern African bloc said.

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov will pay a state visit to China from April 30 to May 2 at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao.
0.88: (Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov; [is] President [of]; Turkmen) === F

The Vatican has gone into full-fledged damage control mode in the priest sex abuse scandal ahead of Pope Benedict XVI 's first foreign trip since it erupted.

Because of the passage of an amendment to the Insurance Law, local insurance companies have started refusing to provide accidental death insurance policies for people aged under 15, directly affecting the minors ' ability to take part in outdoor activities.

Seventy-six people were killed when a blast ripped through a cafe in the Russian Ural city of Perm, Russian news agencies reported Saturday quoting local police.

The United States and Poland have drawn up an accord regulating the stationing of US troops in Poland, the defence ministry said Friday, opening the way for the deployment of US Patriot missiles.

Protesters in Taiwan 's capital scuffled with police Thursday and threw chairs at an official building where discussions were under way on a proposal for a referendum on a planned trade pact with China.

Egypt on Tuesday called for a reform of the international economic and financial system to give a greater say to developing countries.

Battling hypothermia, a 17-year-old hunter stranded on a floating chunk of ice shot and killed a polar bear while trapped for more than a day before being rescued Monday in the Canadian Arctic.

European financial markets reeled on Tuesday as Greece raced to secure desperately-needed emergency loans to avoid a debt default after its credit rating was condemned to "junk" status.

Parcels suspect arrested in Yemen: defence ministry

Declaring America 's middle class is "under assault," President Barack Obama unveiled plans Monday to help hurting families pay their bills, save for retirement and care for their kids and aging parents.

The US administration Tuesday unveiled new guidelines for the nation 's nuclear arsenal, saying it would not attack non-nuclear states with atomic arms which would only be used "in extreme circumstances."

South Korea launched Monday a firing drill from a disputed western border island shelled last month by the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea (DPRK) despite the latter 's repeated warnings of a counterattack.

As Washington spins its wheels on financial reform, it 's becoming painfully clear that the problem of entities that are too interconnected or "too politically powerful to fail" is also too hard for our policymakers to tackle.

More than 20 insurgents including Arab, Chechen and Pakistani fighters have been killed by NATO and Afghan forces who are ramping up operations in the east against a Taliban faction linked to al-Qaida, the international coalition said Saturday.

A fishing boat Friday collided with a sampan, a kind of small boat, on a channel between Macao Special Administrative Region and Zhuhai, a southern coastal city of the Chinese mainland, but people on board the two boats were not injured, according to the SAR 's Port Authority.

Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara hit impressive half-centuries to guide Sri Lanka to a four-wicket win over India in the triangular one-day series final here on Wednesday.

The lawyer defending American Amanda Knox from charges of involvement in the 2007 sex murder of her British housemate in Italy on Wednesday made an emotional appeal for her acquittal.

Kyrgyzstan on Sunday voted in favour of a new constitution, its interim leader announced, in a referendum marked by a mass turnout held just two weeks after ethnic clashes killed hundreds.

Six people were killed in two separate accidents Saturday in north China 's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, local work safety authorities said Sunday.

As heavy rain exits Maine, flooding will linger in parts of the Northeast today.

Only a few months ago, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown seemed a figure living out a Shakespearean tragedy: an ill-tempered Caesar surrounded by disloyal aides, an out-of-touch King Lear about to lose his throne.
0.38: (Gordon Brown; [is] Minister [of]; British Prime) === F

Indian External Affairs minister S. M. Krishna arrived here Thursday on a four- day official visit, Sri Lankan government officials said.
0.88: (S. M. Krishna; [is] minister [of]; Indian External Affairs) === TTT

Chinese director Zhang Yimou has returned to the big screen after a three-year break with his first comedy -- a remake of the Coen brothers ' debut that has drawn the crowds despite sharp criticism.

Top Israeli ministers were to meet again on Monday for what the media said was a crucial meeting on a prisoner swap that would see hundreds of Palestinian prisoners released for a captured soldier.

Rafael van der Vaart scored a goal in each half Saturday as Tottenham come from behind to beat Aston Villa 2-1 in the Premier League.

France scored three tries to thrash defending Grand Slam champion Ireland 33-10 in the Six Nations on Saturday.
0.38: (Ireland; [is] champion [of]; Grand Slam) === T

EU competition regulators approved Wednesday the state aid contained in plans to break up and sell British nationalised bank Northern Rock in the wake of the global financial crisis.

Residents of a southern Italy town were evacuated on Tuesday following a dangerous landslide which brought down an entire hillside, state media reported.

WESLEY CHAPEL  When our two Valentines Frank and Alice Turturro say they 've known each other from Day One, they mean exactly Day One: July 1, 1944, the day both sucked in their first breaths in a hospital in Brooklyn.

Greece 's debt management agency says it has raised (EURO)390 million ($531 million) in the sale of 13-week treasury bills, but at a higher interest rate than a similar auction last month.

There wasn 't much attention paid to Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer when he predicted that a NFL player was going to get killed.
0.38: (Carson Palmer; [is] quarterback [of]; Cincinnati) === TTT

One woman suffocated to death Wednesday and a dozen suffered gas poisoning when an automatic fire-safety system went off at a bank in the Moscow region, filling the air with lethal gas.

A dangerous pitch has prompted Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara to take his batsmen off the field, causing the suspension of the fifth and final one-day game against India.
0.38: (Kumar Sangakkara; [is] prompted captain [of]; Sri Lanka) === F

Goalkeeper Sinan Bolat scored an injury-time header with the last attack of the match Wednesday to give Standard Liege a 1-1 draw with AZ Alkmaar in the Champions League and salvage a place in the Europa League.

The announcement of preliminary results of Afghanistan 's second parliamentary elections held on Sept. 18, has been postponed for a second time.

European Union leaders meet Thursday to grant Ireland guarantees to ensure its voters will back a sweeping reform package and decide the future of the EU 's most high-profile post.

Iran will never use force against its Muslim neighbours, its foreign minister said on Saturday, after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Arab states were worried by Tehran 's suspected attempts to acquire nuclear weapons.

Special to The Washington Post   The approach of cold-weather season reminds me of tarmac delays.

South Korea on Friday hailed its first export of an atomic reactor, saying the deal with Jordan would spur future overseas sales of nuclear technology.

Fernando Alonso won the German Grand Prix on Sunday after Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa appeared to allow him to take the lead following team instructions.
0.38: (Felipe Massa; [is] teammate [of]; Ferrari) === F

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has been forced to pull out of the Circuit Sarthe cycling race before Wednesday 's second stage because of illness, his RadioSchack team said.
0.38: (Lance Armstrong; [is] Seven-time winner [of]; Tour de France) === T

US Fed approves China Investment Corporation stake in Morgan Stanley

Insisting he is no quitter after a punishing first year in office, President Barack Obama defiantly refused to concede his change agenda and made American jobs his top priority in 2010.

.

World renowned Taiwanese pianist Chen Ruei-bin gave a mini-concert at a press conference Tuesday as a preview to a June 6 solo concert in Taipei to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Polish composer and pianist Frederic Chopin 's birth.

Malaysian shares closed up 0.30 percent Thursday, led by gains in plantation, construction and property stocks, dealers said.

The following are some major international news stories to be covered or pursued by Xinhua on Friday; --Roundup: U.S. sends BP 69-million-dollar bill as Obama plans third trip to Gulf Coast --Interview: Mexico scientists push major alternative energy research --News Analysis: Who is to pay the bill for Mexico Gulf oil spill?

Police were investigating the origin of an Internet message claiming responsibility for twin hotel bombings in Indonesia 's capital nearly two weeks ago.

Austria 's Catholic Church has designated an "independent victims ' representative" to investigate past allegations of sexual abuse by priests, Vienna 's Archbishop Christoph Schoenborn said Sunday.
0.38: (Christoph Schoenborn; [is] Archbishop [of]; Vienna) === T

Workers at Russia 's manned space-launch facility lifted to the launch pad on Monday a rocket that is to send Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte and two astronauts to the International Space Station.
0.38: (Laliberte; [is] founder Guy [of]; Cirque du Soleil) === F

An Algerian Islamist party denied Tuesday claims by a human rights group that its leader and former minister Bouguerra Soltani evaded questioning in Switzerland over torture allegations.

U.S. economic growth was revised upward to an annual rate of 2.6 percent in the third quarter of this year, compared with the estimated pace of 2.5 percent in November, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced on Wednesday.

Eduardo scored a first-half winner against his former team Wednesday as Shakhtar Donetsk beat Arsenal 2-1 in the Champions League to go level with the English club atop Group H.   Arsenal took an early lead through Theo Walcott, but the Ukrainian champion hit back with a header by Dmyrto Chygrynskiy before Eduardo 's strike.

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins and Philadelphia teammate Shane Victorino were both repeat winners of National League gold glove awards for fielding skills, Major League Baseball announced Wednesday.
0.38: (Shane Victorino; [is] teammate [of]; Philadelphia) === F

The tiny hospital at the foot of Indonesia 's most volatile volcano is struggling to cope with victims brought in after the mountain 's most powerful eruption in a century.

Powerhouse China is poised to make the Guangzhou Asian Games its most successful ever on the penultimate day of action Friday that sees the basketball and cricket gold medals decided.

Spain said Monday it has asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to help resolve the crisis over a Western Sahara activist who is on three-week-old hunger strike at a Spanish airport.
0.38: (Ban Ki-Moon; [is] General [of]; Secretary) === F

Portugal 's spy chief has quit on the eve of a NATO summit in Lisbon, and media reports say his departure was a protest against budget cuts.

The Group of Eight leading powers on Saturday backed Afghan President Hamid Karzai 's appeal to the Taliban to vote in August polls, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said.
0.38: (Hamid Karzai; [is] backed President [of]; Afghan) === F
0.38: (Franco Frattini; [is] Italian Minister [of]; Foreign) === T

Rachel Yould is a former Rhodes scholar who took on a new identity under a federal program that helps rape and domestic violence victims hide from their tormentors.

Ecuador President Rafael Correa made a triumphant return to the presidential palace after loyalist troops rescued him from a police rebellion amid gunfire and street clashes that left at least two dead.
0.88: (Rafael Correa; [is] President [of]; Ecuador) === T

A fire in a shopping mall in northern China has killed 18 people and injured 24, the government said Saturday.

German business confidence has risen again this month, defying economists ' expectations as an increasingly broad-based recovery causes managers ' views of both their current situation and future prospects to brighten, a survey showed Friday.

Struggling at home, President Barack Obama has maintained much of his high popularity abroad after more than a year in office, a new global survey has found, receiving high marks for his handling of the economic crisis and the lowest for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Joan Sutherland 's radiant soprano stretched effortlessly over more than three octaves, with a purity of tone that made her one of the most celebrated opera singers of all time.

A group of private equity companies, including the Blackstone Group, Thomas H. Lee Partners and TPG Capital, is in talks to acquire Fidelity National Information Services in what could be the largest leveraged buyout since the credit crisis, people briefed on the matter said Thursday.
0.38: (Information Services; [is] National [of]; Fidelity) === F

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations will not consider expelling Myanmar over the detention of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, rejecting US calls, Thailand 's prime minister said Thursday.

Incumbent Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir won the presidential elections, the first multi- party votes in 24 years, Sudan 's electoral commission announced Monday.
0.38: (Omar; [is] Incumbent President [of]; Sudanese) === F

Hundreds of emergency crews battled Sunday to clear snow-clogged roads and restore power to thousands of homes across the US east coast before a new storm hits.

We shall move the following graphics:  WIKILEAKS CHRONO  Timeline showing major events surrounding the WikiLeaks disclosures.

Following is Argentina 's starting line-up in World Cup Group B match against Greece:   Sergio Romero, Martin Demichelis, Clemente Rodriguez, Nicolas Burdisso, Mario Bolatti, Juan Sebastian Veron, Lionel Messi, Nicolas Otamendi, Sergio Aguero, Diego Milito, Maxi Rodriguez

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called for the immediate release of results from the presidential election in Ivory Coast where political tensions have mounted.
0.50: (Ban Ki-moon; [is] General [of]; Secretary) === F

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a sanction bill against Iran, permitting U.S. state and local governments to divest investments from companies involved in Iran 's energy activities.

The oil spill that damaged the Gulf of Mexico 's reefs and wetlands is also threatening to stain the Obama administration 's reputation for relying on science to guide policy.

Suspected rebels attacked a police station in the Indian portion of Kashmir with hand grenades and automatic weapons Friday, killing one officer and one civilian, police said.

Result of Wales v Italy Six Nations match played at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

There are encouraging signs and momentum in the once-stalemated war in Afghanistan, two top Defense Department officials said Wednesday, but things may get worse before they get much better.

Following are the women 's results from Grand Prix meeting at Ostrava, Czech Republic on Thursday: 100m 1.

Insurance group Swiss Life posted Tuesday a profit slump of 19.7 percent in 2009, hurt by losses incurred by its German subsidiary AWD.

Conventional wisdom says that the amount of money spent seeking influence in politics always goes up.

A US drone fired four missiles into a vehicle into an Al-Qaeda and Taliban stronghold of Pakistan 's northwest tribal belt Monday, killing two militants, local security officials said.

A Canadian who has been in U.S. custody since he was a teenager could see an end to eight years of legal limbo on Monday as his war crimes trial resumes amid talk of a possible last-minute plea deal to spare him a life sentence.

Up to 70,000 people are expected to attend a special mass in Britain when Pope Benedict XVI beatifies a 19th century theologian in September, the church said Friday.

as a bridge, but an amenityWHEN THE state spends $300 million on the Longfellow Bridge between Boston and Cambridge, citizens deserve something noteworthy in return - not just a repair of the century-old span.

Johnson & Johnson paid kickbacks to the nation 's largest nursing home pharmacy to increase the number of elderly patients taking the antipsychotic Risperdal and several other medications, according to a complaint filed Friday by the office of the U.S. attorney in Boston.

The U.S. tax agency says it expects Switzerland to honor an agreement to divulge the names of thousands of UBS clients suspected of tax evasion.

The number of cholera cases in the Dominican Republic has risen to 32, but with no fatal cases from the outbreak, news reports said Monday.

Flag football, long relegated to family picnics and gym class, has quietly become one of the fastest-growing varsity sports for high school girls in Florida.

Amid questions about the possible role of drugs in Michael Jackson 's demise, the US Drug Enforcement Administration Friday renewed concerns about rising deaths from misuse of prescription pills.

The U.S. dollar traded at the lower 91 yen level Thursday morning in Tokyo.

Five policemen were injured in Egypt  's Alexandria city after clashes with members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt 's MENA news agency reported Friday.

The Russian stocks closed higher Monday with the benchmark Russian Trading System (RTS) index surging 55.86 points, or 4.07 percent, to 1427.97 points.

A year after its hard-won formation, Lebanon 's unity government has achieved little and could fall due to a political crisis over a UN-backed probe into ex- premier Rafiq Hariri 's murder, analysts say.

Northern Ireland 's Rory McIlroy took a share of the halfway lead in the Dunhill Links championship on Friday after firing a seven under par, second-round 65.

Australian swimmer Ryan Napoleon was banned from competition for three months and will miss October 's New Delhi Commonwealth Games, Swimming Australia (SA) announced on Thursday.

A major US egg producer tied to a recall of 500 million eggs over a salmonella outbreak repeatedly tested positive for the disease-causing bacteria over the past two years, lawmakers said Tuesday.

A homemade bomb exploded at a racetrack in southern Russia on Saturday, killing one person and wounding 20, rescue workers said.

US President Barack Obama offered condolences to Poland Saturday, mourning the "devastating" death of President Lech Kaczynski and dozens of other top officials in a fiery plane crash.

Former US president Jimmy Carter who is in Sudan monitoring the country 's landmark elections said on Monday there was little doubt that the three days of polling will have to be extended.

The sudden retirement of two senior Democratic senators shook the party 's leaders on Wednesday and signaled that President Barack Obama is facing a perilous political environment that could hold major implications for this year 's midterm elections and his own agenda.

A British Virgin Islands judge ruled Tuesday that a former Rhode Island dive shop owner must serve at least 25 years of a mandatory life sentence for killing his wife on a Caribbean scuba outing in 1999, rejecting his lawyers ' bid for leniency.

WikiLeaks spokesman Julian Assange said Thursday his organization is preparing to release the rest of the secret Afghan war documents it has on file.
0.88: (Julian Assange; [is] spokesman [of]; WikiLeaks) === T

Workaholic South Korea will encourage its labour force to work less overtime in order to create more jobs and boost productivity and the dwindling birth rate, a top labour policy group said Wednesday.

US customs officers seized a pair of decorative Christmas reindeer found in a passenger 's luggage at Los Angeles ' airport, officials said Thursday.

A lawyer for Charlie Sheen 's wife says she has been placed in intensive care in Los Angeles.

Yemen said it would protest against attacks by anti-piracy warships patrolling the Gulf of Aden to guard against hijackings after Indian and Russian patrols destroyed Yemeni fishing boats, local official Saba news agency reported.

The Washington Post 's online panel Health Care Rx provides a forum for experts to offer real-world insights into how to improve health care.

France said Tuesday it regretted Morocco 's decision to block sales of the French daily Le Monde after it published an opinion poll on King Mohammed VI 's first 10 years in power.

President Barack Obama will spend New Year 's Eve with his family on holiday in Hawaii, the Pacific state where he was born, a presidential spokesman told AFP Friday.

It 's true: This election year has provided a gusher of lies.

A half-year ago, he resigned as British prime minister after a bruising campaign and some stiff criticism of his politicking skills.

South Africa set-up a mouthwatering World Twenty20 semi-final against Pakistan after condemning defending champions India to a third successive Super Eights defeat on Tuesday.

UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said Monday that she was shocked that an aid flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip was "met with violence," after Israeli forces stormed convoy ships.

The International Cricket Council begun hearing an appeal Saturday by Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir 's against their suspensions for involvement in a fixing scandal.

South Korea eased to a 2-0 win over a lackluster Greece side in Saturday 's first Group B match of the World Cup.

We have moved the following ADDITIONAL graphics:  US GDP  Graphic showing quarterly changes in US economic growth.

Stupak ends his dramatic holdout            By Nathan Hurst         Detroit News Washington Bureau   Washington -- Overflowing voicemail boxes and nonstop phone calls heightened the pressure on Rep. Bart Stupak at home and in Washington to reach some kind of agreement with the White House on health care.

Guatemala 's attorney general says authorities have detained the national police chief and the country 's anti-drug czar in a case of stolen cocaine that led to the deaths of five police agents.

Happy notes year.

Labor rights activists renewed their call Thursday for wage earners around the country to take to the streets this weekend to protest declining wages and the rising prevalence of dispatch work.

The 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony got underway Friday, on a day overshadowed by the tragic death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili.

British retailers reported a modest 1.8 percent rise in sales in November compared with a year earlier, when the financial crisis was in its most acute phase, the British Retail Consortium said Tuesday.

Whether it is newfound green consciousness ahead of Earth Day -- or just the allure of a big discount on a new washing machine or air-conditioner -- consumers across the country are snapping up government rebates for energy-efficient appliances.

A group of senior US senators offered President Barack Obama their "strong support" Tuesday as he forges ahead with a free trade deal with South Korea opposed by some of his Democratic allies.

Two American journalists sentenced by North Korea last week to 12 years of hard labor for politically motivated acts were caught filming their illegal crossing into the country, state-run media said Tuesday, providing the first details of their arrest.

Tropical Storm Richard weakened early Monday after making contact with dry land, but still pummeled the Central American nation of Belize with torrential rains and fierce winds.

The European Central Bank kept its main interest rate at a record low level of 1.0 percent on Thursday, a spokesman said as markets awaited news on ECB cash supplies for the rest of 2010.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Tuesday confirmed to have submitted the list of annual military reshuffle to the Royal Palace for endorsement, the Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.
0.88: (Abhisit Vejjajiva; [is] Minister [of]; Prime) === F

Japan 's jobless rate hit a six-year high of 5.4 percent in June and deflation deepened as Asia 's biggest economy wrestled with the fallout from its worst recession in decades, data showed Friday.

More than 1,000 soldiers surrounded Guinea 's international airport Tuesday ahead of the return of a general who, as the country 's interim leader, negotiated the terms of a transition to democracy including the appointment of a civilian prime minister.

More than 18,000 "Red Shirt" protesters loyal to fugitive premier Thaksin Shinawatra gathered in Bangkok Saturday for the biggest anti-government rally since bloody riots two months ago.

Results of weekend 14th-round Australian Rules football matches in the Australian Football League:   St. Kilda 14.7 (91), Geelong 13.7 (85)   Sydney 15.10 (100), North Melbourne 13.7 (85)   Western Bulldogs 19.19 (133), Hawthorn 6.9 (45)   Adelaide 15.12 (102), Richmond 13.7 (85)   Port Adelaide 19.14 (128), Brisbane 11.14 (80)   Melbourne 17.10 (112), West Coast 13.14 (92)   Collingwood 15.12 (102), Essendon 9.13 (67)

Australia 's ex-prime minister Kevin Rudd has broken his silence for the first time since being ousted by Julia Gillard, throwing his weight behind his successor 's faltering election campaign.

The Democratic People 's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Thursday that Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama resigned because of his "anti-DPRK policy" and failure to keep his promise to relocate a U.S. marine base.
0.38: (Yukio Hatoyama; [is] Minister [of]; Japanese Prime) === F

France 's economy grew 0.4 percent in the third quarter of 2010, in line with government expectations, the official INSEE statistics office announced on Friday.

Results from the second day of the Barcelona Open WTA event here on Tuesday (x denotes seeding):  1st rd  Iveta Benesova (CZE) bt Petra Kvitova (CZE) 6-1, 6-4  Roberta Vinci (ITA) bt Aravane Rezai (FRA x2) 6-3, 6-4

The Dalai Lama and other Nobel Peace laureates met Friday for a summit on nuclear disarmament in Hiroshima, the Japanese city destroyed by a US atomic bomb.

Europe 's main stock markets advanced at the start of trading on Friday, with London 's benchmark FTSE 100 index up 0.50 percent at 4,893.68 points.

Hong Kong stocks closed up 390.96 points, or 1.62 percent, at 24,535.63 on Thursday.

Turkish security forces arrested a total of 44 illegal migrants in separate operations on Saturday, semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld a lower-court ruling that the child, Brandalynn Vernoff, was ineligible for the federal survivor payments under California law, which considers factors in addition to biology in determining inheritance rights.

Spanish third seed Rafael Nadal, trying to complete a career Grand Slam, advanced to the US Open semi-finals on Saturday by defeating Chilean 11th seed Fernando Gonzalez 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/2), 6-0.

Charles Munger, the billionaire vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., defended the U.S. financial-company rescues of 2008 and told students that people in economic distress should "suck it in and cope."
0.88: (Charles Munger; [is] the billionaire vice chairman of; Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) === T
0.89: (Charles Munger; [is] the chairman [of]; billionaire vice) === F

Duty editor: Andrew Newby  News desk: +357 22 391 420  Middle East news agenda for Tuesday:  + World awaits Iran 's response on uranium offer  QOM, Iran: The world awaits Iran 's decision on a plan for it to send some low- enriched uranium abroad for conversion into nuclear fuel, after UN inspectors complete checks on a recently-revealed enrichment plant near Qom.

Chinese President Hu Jintao has formally appointed 10 new ambassadors to foreign countries, according to a statement from the Standing Committee of the National People 's Congress (NPC) on Monday.

Two explosions have left two people seriously injured in Myanmar 's Bago region over the last three days, the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported Tuesday.

Coca-Cola Co. seeks to double its business in the next decade as it caters to the expected billion people worldwide who will join the middle class by 2020.

After nearly two months trapped in a collapsed copper mine, 33 miners begin training Monday for the final chapter of their underground odyssey: escape.

'MUSIC FOR MEN ' (Columbia)   Gossip   A short list of tweaks turns Gossip into a pop band on its album "Music for Men."

Britain 's defense ministry says a Royal Marine has been killed by an explosion in Afghanistan 's restive Helmand province.

French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova has been eliminated in the third round at Wimbledon, losing 6-2, 7-5 to Sabine Lisicki of Germany.
0.38: (Svetlana Kuznetsova; [is] French champion [of]; Open) === F

opening ceremony of the 2009 World Peace   Conference   Date and time: 10:00 a.m., Wednesday,   August 5, 2009   Place: Ambassador Hotel, Taipei 2.

European Union regulators said Tuesday they would deepen an investigation into the Dutch government 's plan to buy up problem assets from bank and insurer ING Groep NV over worries the state is paying too much for ING 's troubled securities.

A district attorney has cleared a California university of intentionally destroying documents about an upcoming speech by Sarah Palin.

A Palestinian official ruled out on Wednesday the success of the efforts made by the United States to resume direct peace talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

About 15 years after Americans started exploring the Web, there 's still anxiety about the business potential of digital entertainment and a reluctance to explore new creative possibilities.

The euro fell against the dollar Monday as traders awaited the outcome of a meeting of eurozone finance ministers on the Greek debt crisis that has shaken the European single currency, analysts said.

Tests of how European banks can face up to critical danger have been expanded to cover 91 banks, four times as many as last year, accounting for 65 percent of EU banking, regulators now say.

The United States raised concerns to China about its new rule requiring Internet filtering software in computers after US businesses voiced unease, a US official said Monday.

Hong Kong 's action film master Tsui Hark returns to the big screen with "Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame", a new cloak-and-dagger martial arts blockbuster set in the Tang dynasty.

Cannes kicked off its annual frenzy of star-studded premieres, parties and provocative arthouse films with a gala screening of the Hollywood blockbuster "Robin Hood."

A startup company with a design for a nuclear reactor that extracts far more energy from uranium than do conventional ones has attracted a $35 million investment from venture capital firms.

Central America 's two major stock markets closed flat on Friday.

Twin car bombs that killed 26 people in a crowded Baghdad street on Sunday were both driven by suicide bombers and were detonated simultaneously, the capital 's operations command said.

By Dan Ran and Xie Meihua   ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Egypt welcomes Chinese investments in the Information and Communications Technologies ( ICTs) sector, Egyptian Communications and Information Technology Minister Tarek Kamel told Xinhua in a recent interview.
0.38: (Tarek Kamel; [is] Minister [of]; Information Technology) === F

By Vienna Ma   CANBERRA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Australia on Saturday welcomes the U.S. Senate 's agreement to ratify the Australia-United States Defense Trade Cooperation Treaty.

Less than six months after charging onto California 's political scene in alligator-skin cowboy boots, Prince Frederic von Anhalt, a flamboyant Los Angeles socialite and eighth husband of Zsa Zsa Gabor, said Monday he was ending his bid for governor.

An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale jolted offshore Valparaiso, Chile, at 07:10 GMT on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.

We will move the following animated graphic:  CONCORDE: THE TWO SCENARIOS  Interactive graphic on the two scenarios that may have led to the Air France Concorde crash, as Continental airlines and five individuals go on trial over the jet that took off in flames, killing 113 people almost a decade ago.

Russia has relaunched the investigation into the murder of US journalist Paul Klebnikov after a brief suspension caused by the disappearance of the main suspects, a lawyer said Tuesday.

Chrysler aspires to top Cadillac          Brand faces hard sell with luxury buyers, analysts say          By Alisa Priddle        The Detroit News   Chrysler Group LLC wants to push its namesake Chrysler brand upscale, an ambitious strategy that has been tried before -- and failed.

The Paris-based Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) decided Thursday to renew Angel Gurria 's mandate as its secretary-general from June 1, 2011, when his first tenure of five-year calls an end.

The Marseille fire department says a stage being built for a Madonna concert in the French port city has collapsed, leaving one dead and six injured.

 they keep following the Treasury market 's lead.

Japanese shares fell 1.46 percent in morning trade on Tuesday after US stocks suffered a second straight daily loss overnight amid concerns about a stronger dollar.

Google Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. are close to finalizing a proposal for so-called "network neutrality" rules, which would dictate how broadband providers treat Internet traffic flowing over their lines, according to a person briefed on the negotiations.

A huge fire killed 40 people, most of them prison guards, when it tore through a forest near Haifa in northern Israel on Thursday, prompting urgent calls for international help to tackle the blaze.

Denmark reached the quarterfinals of the ice hockey world championship for the first time despite a 2-1 loss to Belarus, and Finland also advanced with a 5-2 win over Slovakia.

It 's been a long, eventful year since Dale Earnhardt Jr. last won a NASCAR race.

Car makers shrugged off a crisis year with a glitzy array of new models at the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday, pinning their hopes on compact and economical luxury to woo an uncertain market.

From Kalingrad in Europe to Kamchatka in the Far East, Russia covers 11 time zones.

The following are major news items in leading Australian newspapers on Friday.

There 's chicken trouble at the Hotel de Crillon in Paris.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin criticized talk of sanctions against Iran on Wednesday, undermining U.S. efforts to present a united front against Tehran 's nuclear program at a crucial moment.
0.88: (Vladimir Putin; [is] Minister [of]; Russian Prime) === F

A Central Intelligence Agency inspector general 's report set to be released Monday provides new details about abuses that took place inside the agency 's secret prisons, including details of how CIA officers carried out mock executions and threatened at least one prisoner with a gun and a power drill.

China, the world 's biggest steel producer, is pushing to replace the benchmark arrangement long used by the industry to price iron ore imports with one giving it a bigger say.

Phil Mickelson says treatment of his arthritic condition has improved and he is ready to resume the fight for golf 's No.1 ranking.

While Spaniards were ecstatic over their World Cup defeat of Germany, one corner of the country was in despair, as tens of thousands of German tourists in a Majorcan beach resort were left with broken hearts.

The Philippines, one of the world 's top rice importers, produced 7.38 million tons of unhusked rice ( palay) in the first six months of this year, up 3.59 percent from the same period last year, a top agricultural official said Friday.

Insurgents and Democratic Republic of Congo troops clashed in a northwestern flashpoint this week in fighting that left around 47 rebels dead, a UN official said Thursday.

For more than a half-century, this city in rural western Japan has been a political stronghold of the long-governing Liberal Democratic Party, as unshakable as the stone battlements of the medieval castle overlooking its downtown.

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone told the BBC on Sunday that a deal must be done by December 9 if there is to be a British Grand Prix next season.

Any meeting between President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama would harm bilateral relations, China warned Tuesday while repeating Beijing 's refusal to discuss Tibet 's status with the spiritual leader 's envoys.

An Afghan official says insurgents have attacked a NATO convoy in southeastern Afghanistan, killing three drivers and setting 13 fuel tankers ablaze.

Japanese shares closed up 1.02 percent Friday, tracing gains on Wall Street, as investors remained cautiously optimistic ahead of a key monthly US employment report.

Turkey on Monday condemned the killing of an Iraqi Turkmen leader in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul and demanded the perpetrators be brought to justice.

An Iranian airliner crashed into farmland in the northwest of the country on Wednesday, and all 168 people on board are believed to be dead, local media reported.

Two major Belgian papers said retired former top-ranked player Justine Henin will announce her comeback to competitive tennis on Tuesday.

Investors turned their back on Pakistan 's Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) on Monday as the new financial year continued to register lack of interest with market volumes declining to further record lows.

Customs police on Thursday lodged a complaint against two Philippine suspects over the alleged illegal importation of about 3.5 tonnes of elephant tusks from Tanzania, the justice department said.

The State Department has cleared the way for the return to the United States of two prominent Muslim scholars once accused of having ties to terrorism, a spokesman said Wednesday.

Media reports suggest that President Obama is turning his attention toward the midterm congressional elections.

Israel  'does not intend to bomb Iran ': Lieberman

The United States embassy in Islamabad said that the suicide bombers who attacked the American Consulate General in the Pakistani northwestern city of Peshawar on Monday, wanted to enter the building.

Devon Alexander puts his unbeaten record and World Boxing Council belt on the line Saturday against International Boxing Federation light welterweight champ Juan Urango.
0.38: (welterweight champ Juan Urango; [is] light [of]; International Boxing Federation) === F

Wildlife officials say a grizzly bear has been euthanized after tests determined it was responsible for a triple mauling in a Montana campground.

The Saudi economy is forecast to shrink by 1.2 percent in 2009, despite a stronger market for oil and expanded government investment, Riyadh-based Samba Bank said on Monday.

Google said Friday that the cars used for its "Street View" mapping service had been mistakenly collecting personal data that people sent over unsecured WiFi networks for several years.

Assailants fired a rocket at a convoy carrying Britain 's No. 2 diplomat in Yemen and a separate attack Wednesday by a security guard killed a French oil worker, heightening fears over the safety of Westerners in a country facing a growing militant threat.

We will shortly move the following features:  Highlights  + Muslim mayor flies flag for gays in homophobic Dutch suburb  + Drug tales for tourists in ex-Colombian druglord 's zoo  Netherlands-immigration-gay  SLOTERVAART, Netherlands  A harassed gay minority in a conservative suburb in otherwise tolerant Amsterdam has found a guardian angel in the local Muslim mayor.

The reading of the names of the dead began in the early morning rain Friday, a block from Ground Zero, marking the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

Times Sports Columnist   They are in a hole.

The number of US troops sent to southern Afghanistan to launch a major offensive is sufficient to seize and hold areas currently under Taliban control, the top US military officer said Sunday.

At least 14 militants were killed and 17 others injured on Wednesday in a ground and air assault by security forces in lower Orakzai agency, Pakistan 's northwest tribal area, private TV channels reported.

Editors This correction refers to WHEELS-ACURA (Brown, Post special), moved March 11 (c) 2009, The Washington Post=     WASHINGTON _ A Washington Post auto column erroneously stated the type of transmission in its review car.

Micah Richards is hoping his resurgent club form can force him back into England contention as he prepares for Manchester City 's clash with Blackburn on Saturday.

Five civilians were killed Monday and more than 30 others wounded in a suicide bomb blast in eastern Afghanistan, officials said, in the second such attack in one day.

Hong Kong stocks closed down 82.83 points, or 0.36 percent, at 23,237.69 on Monday.

Afghan troops detained two persons in Charchino district of the southern Uruzgan province on charge of involvement in subversive activities, a press release of the Defense Ministry said Monday.

Brent crude prices reached new two-year highs in Asian trade Wednesday as oil continued rallying on cold weather and bullish energy demand from China, analysts said.

Roger Federer beat Robin Soderling, tied Pete Sampras and won the French Open at last.

Nazi death camp guard Demjanjuk to be tried in Germany: court

Malaysia surprisingly hiked fuel and sugar prices on Friday to reduce expensive subsidies, a controversial move that will save the government more than 230 million dollars this year alone.

Result of the Champions League semi-final second leg between Lyon and Bayern Munich here on Tuesday:   Lyon (FRA) 0 Bayern Munich (GER) 3 (Olic 26, 67, 77)   Bayern qualify for final 4-0 on aggregate

Ireland coach Declan Kidney said the destiny of the Six Nations Championship was in France 's hands after seeing his team revive their hopes of a successful title defence with a 20-16 win away to England.
0.88: (Declan Kidney; [is] coach [of]; Ireland) === T

Leading scorers in the Bundesliga after 13 rounds:   Stefan Kiessling, Bayer Leverkusen, 9.

South Korea will make the Democratic People 's Republic of Korea (DPRK) pay for any further provocation as tolerance in the past has only resulted in bigger provocation, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said Monday.   "
0.38: (Lee Myung-bak; [is] South President [of]; Korean) === F

Stock futures are falling after first-time claims for unemployment benefits rose last week.

Police say 127 people have frozen to death so far this winter in Poland.

Taiwan stocks fell 1.16 percent to close at 6,654.8 on Friday, according to information reaching here from Taipei.

Hong Kong shares gained 0.13 percent on Thursday, adding to the previous day 's gains as dealers followed a rally on Wall Street.

The White House Friday echoed the EU 's "grave concerns" over Iran 's nuclear program, warning the Islamic republic will face "credible consequences" if it continues to defy the international community.

by Xinhua writers Wang Jiaquan, Wu Xiaoyang & Wang Wendi   XISHUANGBANNA, Yunnan, June 25 (Xinhua) -- It is said that cross- border trails in the mountain forests of southwest China 's Yunnan Province are as numerous as the twinkling stars in the sky.

Several hundred residents of Nairobi 's slums demonstrated Thursday in the city centre to press Kenya 's government to remedy their poor living conditions and acknowledge their rights.

Canada 's prime minister will travel to the world 's two largest emerging economic powerhouses, India and China, in the coming months to try to boost trade, his office said Wednesday.

Two Arab citizens of Israel who were on board a Gaza-bound aid ship seized in a deadly May 31 raid will testify before an Israeli commission investigating the botched operation, they said on Sunday.

The Indonesian National Police will open a anti-terrorism school for army soldiers next year, as part of a new grand strategy to deal with extremists, local media reported on Monday.
0.38: (Police; [is] National [of]; Indonesian) === F

In recent pre-election violent attack, Taliban militants Tuesday set on fire a boys ' school which was supposed to be a polling center for Aug. 20 election in Paktia province, east Afghanistan, an official said.

Bulgaria 's Darya Domracheva won the women 's 7.5km World Cup sprint here on Saturday while double Olympic champion Magdalena Neuner remained top of the overall rankings.
0.38: (Magdalena Neuner; [is] double champion [of]; Olympic) === T

Japan has offered $2 billion in aid to help developing nations reach goals to preserve endangered species that are being debated at a U.N. conference.

The shares prices in Singapore rose 15.6 points or 0.53 percent on Friday with the benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) closing at 2,974.61 points.

Economists say the bleak news -- which they blame on the slew of layoffs that have accompanied the economic downturn -- is significant if not entirely surprising.

Import-Export Bank of Malaysia Bhd (Exim Bank) expects to provide 4 billion ringgit ( some one billion U.S. dollars) worth of trade financing by the end of 2009, local media reported Wednesday.

The U.S. military has ended its relief mission helping victims of this summer 's floods in Pakistan.

The London stock market rose by midday on Thursday with the FTSE 100 index up by 43.98 points, or 0.84 percent, to 5,281.90 points.

EU nations are set to give more than six billion euros (nine billion dollars) to help the developing world tackle climate change in the next three years, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Friday.
0.38: (Gordon Brown; [is] Minister [of]; British Prime) === F

Tony Parker scored 20 points and 14 assists as the NBA-leading San Antonio Spurs extended a miserable Christmas for the Washington Wizards 94-80 on Sunday night.

South Korea 's Shin Jiyai fired a five-under par 67 on Saturday to stretch her lead to four strokes after the third round of the two million-dollar Wegmans LPGA.

China and the U.S. will hold high-level talks in late May, Beijing said Tuesday, as their ties undergo major strains over currency, human rights and Google 's decision to stop censoring its search results in China.

After over 10 years in operation, the sixth naphtha cracker plant run by the Formosa Plastics Group (FPG) in Yunlin County has not had a major negative impact on local residents ' lives, but nor has it made a significant contribution to the local community, a seminar heard Wednesday.

An explosion ripped through a market in Pakistan 's northwestern town of Kohat on Wednesday, police said.

A French general who served as top military spokesman in the 1990s is on trial in Paris, accused of downloading thousands of images of child pornography.

In a world where people are paid handsomely to create make-believe drama that mimics real-life horror, the true-crime story of a Hollywood publicist killed by a fusillade of bullets as she drives home from a movie premiere has left her friends stunned and searching for a script that can somehow help them make sense of a senseless act.

Two of the country 's largest unions have resolved a vicious feud that roiled organized labor for 18 months, costing it hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees, undermining each other 's organizing efforts, and distracting it from opportunities presented by Democratic control of Congress and the White House.

Ben Bernanke was confirmed by the U.S. Senate Thursday for a second term as chairman of the Federal Reserve.

Former England coach Sven Goran Eriksson enjoyed a dream start to his new role as Notts County 's director of football as the League Two side thrashed Bradford 5-0 on Saturday.
0.88: (Sven Goran Eriksson; [is] coach [of]; Former England) === F

Gabon 's presidency on Monday insisted that President Omar Bongo is alive, and condemned the French media for reporting his death.

Upmarket French leisure group Club Med said Thursday it will open a Club Med ski village in China, its first venture into the huge and booming Chinese leisure market, in November.

Smack dab in the middle of summer comes Winter 's Bone, a mystery set in the Ozarks where teenager Ree Dolly searches for her drug-dealing father on the lam.

Che Guevara, one of the leaders of the Cuban revolution, hid under a false identity in communist Czechoslovakia for five months in 1966, a Prague newspaper reported on Friday.

Slovaks returned to the polls Saturday to elect regional governors in a run-off vote expected to confirm the left-leaning governing coalition 's leading position before general elections next June.

Na Yeon Choi of South Korea and Taiwan 's Yani Tseng took a one-stroke lead at 5-under par after a wet and windy second round of the LPGA Tour 's Hana Bank KOLON Championship on Saturday.

Swedish rescuers on Saturday resumed a search for a Norwegian cargo ship that sank off Sweden 's coast with little hope of finding its six crew members alive, maritime authorities said.

South Korean shares slumped 4.69 percent Friday on concerns over debt problems at state-run conglomerate Dubai World, dealers said.

A Paris zoo has announced the birth of two rare Southeast Asian clouded leopards.

Seventy-one people, including 65 rebels, were killed last week in clashes between insurgents and government troops in northeastern Central African Republic, a CAR spokesman said Thursday.

Canada 's failed bid for a rotating seat on the UN Security Council has frayed a key alliance with India, Canadian media said Thursday.

The Arab League (AL) Council decided on Tuesday to take a series of measures to tackle Israel 's decision to expel thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank, Egypt 's official MENA news agency reported.

Texas medical officials told Congress on Wednesday that U.S.-Mexican cooperation is essential to coping with tuberculosis outbreaks along the border.

Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and decided to bat first Monday in the third limited-overs cricket international against India at the Barabati Stadium.
0.88: (Kumar Sangakkara; [is] skipper [of]; Sri Lanka) === T

Warning "time is running out," the United States said Friday it was prepared to impose targeted sanctions against Laurent Gbagbo if he doesn 't give up his claim to the presidency of the Ivory Coast.

Arsenal forward Carlos Vela insisted his Mexico side are still potential knock- out phase contenders, despite being held to a 1-1 draw by South Africa in Friday 's World Cup opener.

Municipal bond defaults are down.

The English version of The History of Chinese Printing made its world debut on Thursday at the 61st Frankfurt Book Fair.

If there 's a theme in gift catalogs and online stores this holiday season, it 's germophobia.

Iran 's president taunted archenemy Israel on Thursday from just across the tense border in Lebanon, rallying tens of thousands of Hezbollah supporters as Israeli attack helicopters buzzed in the skies nearby.

Some airline pilots would be required to get nine hours of rest between one work day and the next, an hour more than now, under proposed changes in federal rules announced on Friday that are intended to prevent fatigue in the cockpit.

Josh McDaniels has demonstrated beyond a shadow of doubt that he can:       1) Show who is the boss.

Hundreds of thousands of Cubans flocked to sprawling Revolution Plaza on Sunday for an open-air "peace concert" headlined by Colombian rocker Juanes, an event criticized by some Cuban-Americans who say the performers are lending support to the island 's communist government simply by showing up.

The unemployment rate in the 16-member eurozone hit a 10-year high in May of 9.5 percent, Eurostat, the statistics office of the European Union (EU), said on Thursday.

The Bruins sent German forward Marco Sturm to the Los Angeles Kings in an NHL trade Saturday that brings Boston salary cap space -- but nothing else -- in return.

A judge said Monday that Michael Jackson 's longtime attorney and a family friend should take over the pop singer 's estate for now, rejecting a request from Jackson 's mother to be put in charge.

In communist Cuba, where only state media exist locally, a vibrant blogger culture has emerged as a venue for critical commentary, a leading journalists ' rights group said Thursday.

2009, The Washington Post   BANGKOK, Thailand -- A Myanmar government crackdown on powerful ethnic militias that have challenged its rule for more than 60 years has driven 10,000 refugees into neighboring China, prompting a rare rebuke from Chinese authorities, the Myanmar regime 's key allies.

Fernando Alonso led home a Ferrari 1-2 at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix here on Sunday.

A series of at least seven earthquakes rattled northern Mexico overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, ranging in magnitude from 3.3 to 5.8, the US Geological Survey said.

Severe pollution caused by a sandstorm originating in China caused the number of patients rushed to emergency rooms to rise by 30 percent Sunday, with most complaining about eye pain or throat discomfort.

Latin America 's two major stock markets closed higher on Monday.

European stocks edged higher and Wall Street was expected to rise slightly on the open as investors waited for clues from the U.S. Federal Reserve about the global economic recovery 's strength.

An overhaul of the Indianapolis 500 schedule has given the 94-year-old classic a fresh new look.

The "visitors" are dropping by again.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) has expressed readiness to assist Nigeria in the implementation of the Global Jobs Pact aimed at wealth creation.

Japan 's likely next prime minister rallied his party and huddled with senior allies to finalize his Cabinet selections Tuesday as parliament prepared to formally elect him as the country 's next leader.

For all of the domination by the Yankees in previous World Series, have you ever wondered which of the team 's players were on the most winning teams?

A US drone strike in Pakistan 's lawless northwest tribal belt, on the border with Afghanistan, killed two militants and wounded two others early on Saturday, security officials said.

Cristiano Ronaldo, on the verge of a world record transfer to Real Madrid, has received more good news after the Portugal winger was told he will not face any charges after writing off his Ferrari sports car in a crash.

Porsche has rejected Volkswagen AG 's bid to take a 49 percent stake in the sports car maker, a company spokesman said Monday.

Philippine stocks closed 0.44 percent lower on Thursday.

Wall Street resumed its rally Wednesday as the market focused on earnings from the banking sector that were better than expected, shaking off a disappointing quarterly report from Boeing.

The Executive Yuan decided Monday to suspend a plan to set up an anti-epidemic center and develop international medical services at a planned biomedical science park in Hsinchu County, after the plan drew opposition from local residents.

American scientists said they have found evidence of hydrothermal vents on the seafloor between New Zealand and Antarctica, New Zealand Press Association reported on Friday.

US stocks mostly rose Monday amid market confidence on earnings of blue chip companies, in line with expectations of economic recovery from the long and brutal recession.

NASA is targeting space shuttle Discovery for a launch attempt at 0:22 EDT (0422 GMT) on August 28, NASA 's mission management team Chairman Mike Moses said on Tuesday evening.

The following are the major news items in leading Japanese newspapers on Friday: The Daily Yomiuri -- The Tokyo District Court on Thursday sentenced a former state- financed secretary of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama to two years in prison, suspended for three years, for falsifying political funds reports at the prime minister 's funds reports at the prime minister 's fund management and political organizations.
0.38: (Yukio Hatoyama; [is] Minister [of]; Prime) === F

Asian stocks markets advanced Monday, with Japan 's benchmark jumping more than 3 percent after the central bank called an emergency policy board meeting.

With the arrival of the yacht of Team Finland at the Olympics Sailing Center of Qingdao on Tuesday morning, all the nine yachts in the Clipper Round of the World Yacht Race are now in the city for a 10-day stopover.

Two generators at Russia 's Kola nuclear power plant near Murmansk, in the far northwest, were shut down due to a fault in the anti-fire system, energy group Energoatom said Wednesday.

2009, The Washington Post   WASHINGTON -- The Foreign Agents Registration Act, passed in 1938 to track Nazi propaganda, requires lobbyists to disclose their clients, precisely whom they 've lobbied on the Hill or in the administration, and what was discussed during those contacts.

One person was killed and at least 15 were injured Saturday after a storm whipped through an outdoor country music festival, causing a stage to collapse.

Editors     In REID-RORY (Gerhart, Post), sub for 3rdgraf:     The elder Reid, 70, is fighting for his political survival.

Political reform and respect for human rights are essential if Vietnam wants to realise its potential, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Saturday.

Oil prices rallied nearly four percent on Tuesday as the dollar weakened against major currencies and Iran tension weighed on the market.

Officials in crisis-hit Greece say they have signed an investment deal with Qatar worth a potential $5 billion.

The United Nations Children 's Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday started hygiene- promotion campaigns in six schools in Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic, to coincide with the Global Handwashing Day.

The late communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was deceived by his advisers and still believed Romanians adored him hours before his overthrow, his only surviving child said in a rare interview two decades after the fall of the regime.

Chinese President Hu Jintao joined other state leaders here on Sunday in celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War against Nazi Germany.

Brazil 's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reaffirmed on Wednesday his support to a Palestinian state and said he is willing to do whatever he can to help the Palestinian people.
0.88: (Luiz Inacio Lula; [is] President [of]; Brazil) === T

The Taiwan Stock Exchange 's main index opened higher Monday than its previous close, moving up 102.33 points at 8,107.22 on a turnover of NT$5.404 billion (US$172.1 million).

Bhim Bahadur Rawal, the minister for home affairs of Nepal, told the United Nations General Assembly here Monday that the least developed countries ( LDCs) require effective international cooperation to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
0.89: (Bhim Bahadur Rawal; [is] the minister for; home affairs) === T
0.38: (Assembly; [is] General [of]; United Nations) === F

The U.S. government said on Wednesday that the number of people who are covered by its anti- hunger program has increased to a record level.

Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa reached her first WTA quarterfinal after defeating Tatjana Malek of Germany 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the second round of the Malaysian Open on Thursday.

Timberwolves president David Kahn said Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio has backed out of a deal to play in the NBA for Minnesota this season.
0.88: (David Kahn; [is] president [of]; Timberwolves) === T

The average daily number of employees on unpaid furlough at the Hsinchu Science Park fell to 2,200 at the end of June, from a record high of 14,500 in January, which is the latest indication of an economic recovery, Randy Yen, director- general of the park administration, said Thursday.
0.39: (Randy Yen; [is]; director) === F

After six days of mostly closed skies, Britain abruptly lifted a ban on flights late Tuesday as thousands of passengers stranded by a plume of volcanic ash began to make their way home after Europe 's worst peacetime aviation crisis.

A ceremony to celebrate the 60th founding anniversary for the People 's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force was held on Wednesday morning in Beijing.

Most big Wall Street firms sold investments that contributed to the financial crisis.

German stocks closed lower on Monday on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

The Kuomintang (KMT) honorary chairman Wu Poh-hsiung Monday met with a mainland delegation headed by Xu Guangchun, director of the Standing Committee of Henan Provincial People 's Congress.
0.38: (Xu Guangchun; [is] director of; the Standing Committee) === F

The Russian stocks closed down Monday with the benchmark Russian Trading System (RTS) index slipping 2.34 points, or 0.20 percent, to 1194.21 points.

Sweden 's Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a court order to detain WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for questioning over allegations of rape and sexual molestation.
0.38: (Julian Assange; [is] founder [of]; WikiLeaks) === T

UN chief Ban Ki-moon announced Wednesday that he was appointing Swedish diplomat Staffan de Mistura as his new representative to Afghanistan to succeed embattled Kai Eide of Norway.

Guatemala on Sunday launched a major new offensive against drug trafficking, with its territory heavily used as a transshipment point toward Mexico and the United States, authorities said.

John Wooden, who led his UCLA basketball team to an unsurpassed record of 10 national championships in the 1960s and 1970s, and who is often regarded as the greatest coach in American sports history, died June 4 of natural causes in Los Angeles.

US President Barack Obama on Saturday named Rashad Hussain as his administration 's special envoy to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.

Six people died and 14 were still missing after a three-story building collapsed on the outskirts of the country 's capital, a police official said Tuesday, as experts warned that irresponsible contractors were to blame.

After days of relentless rain, Southern California is starting to feel the most intense storm system yet, with evacuations ordered, roads covered by water and mud, and residents anxiously eyeing already saturated mountainsides denuded by wildfires.

The German league has officially awarded both of Wolfsburg 's goals in a 2-0 win over Stuttgart to striker Edin Dzeko, even though a teammate had already scored one of them.

Former European champions Liverpool and Juventus will take slender leads into the second legs of their Europa League playoffs after narrow victories on Thursday.

At least 21 Chinese grounded boats have been rescued on the Mekong River, a cross-border river flowing out of China from southwest China 's Yunnan Province, the marine affairs bureau in Yunnan said on Tuesday.

President Barack Obama said Thursday that he "would love to have more Republicans engaged" in the health care negotiations under way in Congress, but expressed doubt that a bipartisan compromise could be reached because he suspected the party 's leadership was intent on defeating his signature domestic priority.

Hurricane Bill continued its slog across the Atlantic on Friday, threatening to flood Bermuda 's coastlines.

Swelled by torrential rains, the Yalu river that marks the Chinese-North Korean border breached its banks on both sides Saturday, inundating communities and forcing the evacuation of more than 50,000 people in China.

BC-GRAPHICS-BUDGET-NYT        Here are the New York Times News Service Macintosh graphics scheduled for AMs of Monday, 07/12/2010.

Not one but several foreign carmakers have expressed interest in setting up factories in Taiwan, Premier Wu Den-yih said Tuesday.

Using video replays at the World Cup would not eradicate refereeing mistakes, tournament organizer Danny Jordaan said Thursday, but he sympathizes with Ireland missing out on a spot in the finals following France striker Thierry Henry 's contentious handball.
0.38: (Thierry Henry; [is] striker [of]; France) === T

The new president of the National Organization for Women said Monday that the country 's largest women 's group needs to return to the basics of the movement.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and chief executive David Gill will meet Thursday to discuss what to do next after Wayne Rooney blamed his decision not to sign a new contract on the club 's failure to spend heavily on top-class players.
0.88: (Alex Ferguson; [is] manager [of]; Manchester United) === T

The world 's biggest atom-smasher, idle since breaking down only days after its launch last September, will likely restart in November, a spokesman for the European Organisation for Nuclear Research said Tuesday.

Robert Enke, the Hannover and Germany goalkeeper, died after being hit by a train on Tuesday, according to police.

Hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood supporters protested outside vote counting stations, scuffling with police and denouncing what they called widespread fraud in Egypt 's parliament elections on Sunday, as the government appeared to determined to ensure its monopoly on the legislature in uncertain political times.

Britain-based Riversimple, a company founded by former race car driver Hugo Spowers and backed by Porsche scion Sebastian Piech, Tuesday unveiled the prototype for a two-seat, hydrogen powered car promising fuel consumption equivalent to 360 miles per gallon (106 kilometers/liter).
0.38: (Sebastian Piech; [is] scion [of]; Porsche) === T

--Carla Hall of "Top Chef" fame and Alchemy Caterers have harnessed her sweet and savory "Hootie" powers into eight-ounce tins or cello bags of 30 to 40 mini cookies.

The European Union is ready to consider sanctions against the Ivory Coast if it fails to quickly resolve its political crisis, a spokeswoman for the bloc 's chief diplomat said Monday.

The A400M military transport plane that has been causing Airbus and European defense ministers budgetary and logistical headaches finally took to the skies for its maiden flight on Friday.

Philippine share prices closed 2.30 percent higher on Tuesday, lifted by an upturn in the US market and some selective bargain-hunting, dealers said.

Ireland captain Brian O 'Driscoll warned his side and their supporters to be on their guard when they welcome Scotland to Dublin in next weekend 's final round of the Six Nations Championship.
0.88: (Brian O 'Driscoll; [is] captain [of]; Ireland) === T

We will shortly move the following stories:  Highlights:  + Gaza flowers in Europe again as Israel eases closures  + French photographer Izis captures poetic Paris  Mideast-conflict-Gaza-economy-flowers,FEATURE  GAZA CITY  This time last year Adham Hijazi was feeding his world-class carnations to animals, but now he hopes they will reach European markets thanks to an easing of Israeli closures on the Gaza Strip.

A reputed U.S. mobster arrested on charges on obstruction of justice and money laundering faces a detention hearing in Fort Lauderdale federal court.

Nigerian kidnappers demand ransom for foreign workers: police   joa/nb

Raul Nava scored twice in the final 12 minutes to help Toluca beat D.C. United 3-1 in the CONCACAF Champions League on Wednesday.

Concerns about the strength of economic recovery in the United States weighed on Asian stocks Thursday, with traders cashing in profits from recent gains in banks.

Economic crimes in China, which have risen by 9.2 percent a year since 2000, were crossing borders and becoming "internationalized," the Ministry of Public Security said Friday.

Toyota readied an announcement Monday on repairs for millions of recalled vehicles affected by faulty accelerator pedals, as executives of the world 's biggest carmaker went into damage-control mode.

The smoky whiff of rock  'n ' roll nostalgia hangs in the air at Cannes, where films about The Rolling Stones and other stars make music one of the movie festival 's most bankable commodities.

Tensions flared over plans to build a mosque near ground zero as rival demonstrations took place after family members of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks recited loved one 's names through tears at a somber ceremony marking the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the U.S.

Delonte West scored 14 of his season-high 21 points in a 29-0 first-half run to lead the streaking Cleveland Cavaliers to a 101-86 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.

Fulham 's attempt to hire Martin Jol as manager broke down over Ajax 's refusal to release him from his contract.

Law enforcement officials said on Tuesday that they received a report of vandalism from an abortion clinic here on Saturday involving a man resembling Scott Roeder, the man charged in the shooting death on Sunday in Wichita of a doctor who provided late-term abortions at another clinic.

Forty one prisoners escaped on Thursday from a prison on Mexico 's northern border and two guards also disappeared, an official statement said.

by Sun Ruijun   ABU DHABI, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Abu Dhabi government has agreed to fund 10 billion U.S. dollars to Dubai to meet upcoming obligations on the state-owned conglomerate Dubai World, the official news agency WAM reported Monday.

A suicide bomber blew himself up on Sunday at a meeting in southeastern Iran of the elite Revolutionary Guards, killing seven commanders and 23 other people in an attack Tehran blamed on Washington.

Australia 's Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard said on Thursday that it is committed to educating businesses about changes to workplace laws amid concerns they have been left in the dark.
0.38: (Julia Gillard; [is] Minister [of]; Workplace Relations) === T

Smugglers killed an Egyptian policeman and injured another on Monday while trying to smuggle illegal migrants across Egypt 's borders to Israel, according to security source.

The first Democratic president to win Virginia in more than four decades encouraged his supporters Thursday night to return to the polls in November and elect Democrat R. Creigh Deeds governor.

Afghan and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) discovered weapon caches and explosive devices during operations in the southern and western parts of the war-ravaged country, a press release of the alliance said Wednesday.

U.S. stocks are trading in a tight range as investors pause after a big three-day rally and prepare for earnings season.

All-England badminton championship results on Saturday (x denotes seeding):  Semi-finals  Men 's singles  Lee Chong Wei (MAS x1) bt Peter Gade (DEN x5) 21-17, 21-14  Women 's doubles  Du Jing and Yu Yang (CHNx1) bt Pan Pan and Tian Qing (CHN) 24-22, 21-10  Men 's doubles  Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen (DENx4) bt Guo Zhendong and Xu Chen (CHNx7) 21-16, 21-16

The first batch of 192 Chinese workers and engineers, who had been trapped and rescued in flood- hit Pakistan 's northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, returned to China on a charter flight on Saturday afternoon.

A representative of Chechnya 's Russian-backed government and a separatist leader agreed Wednesday to convene a World Chechen Congress to help find a permanent peace accord for the conflict-torn republic.

Final score in the Bledisloe Cup:  New Zealand 32 Australia 19

The International Monetary Fund 's plan to issue bonds for the first time has attracted several large emerging countries looking to diversify investments to the detriment of the dollar, whose luster is dimming under the mushrooming US budget deficit.

As Iran relentlessly moves toward acquiring a nuclear weapons capability, calls will grow for the United States to think seriously about how to contain Tehran.

One year after Iran 's disputed presidential election, the familiar rhythms of life have returned here.

A hundred days ago, shop owner Cherie Pete was getting ready for a busy summer serving ice cream and po-boy sandwiches to hungry fishermen.

Germany plans to increase its troop contingent in Afghanistan by up to 850 and focus more strongly on training local security forces, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday.

We plan to file the following videos over the next week.

One of the students taken hostage by a fellow classmate at a Wisconsin high school says the gunman appeared depressed but didn 't seem like he wanted to hurt anyone.

US President Barack Obama 's "realistic" speech in Cairo Thursday proves he is a good partner for Muslim nations trying to work for peace in the Middle East, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said.
0.38: (Abdullah Gul; [is] President [of]; Turkish) === F

Mexican writer Juan Villoro on Thursday was awarded the 27th King of Spain International Prize of Journalism for his report on drug trafficking-terrorism.

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Sami Salo has torn his Achilles ' tendon and is out indefinitely.

Ten years after a fiery Paris crash that ended the dream of supersonic travel, a French court will Tuesday try to determine who was to blame for the Concorde disaster that killed 113 people.

Five-time champion Roger Federer reached the second round at Wimbledon after beating Lu Yen-Hsun of Chinese Taipei 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 here on Monday.

A campaign to immunize over 85 million children under five against polio will kick off Saturday in west and central Africa in a bid to halt a year-long epidemic, health bodies said in a joint communique.

Georgian Prime Minister Nika Gilauri said Friday he had fired economic development minister Lasha Zhvania because he was unsatisfied with the minister 's efforts on the economy.
0.38: (Nika Gilauri; [is] Georgian Minister [of]; Prime) === F

India Friday condemned the bombing and shooting attacks by Taliban militants in the Afghan capital Kabul early Friday morning, in which at least four Indians were feared killed.

The first meeting of prospective challengers and defenders for the 34th America 's Cup drew representatives from 24 groups from around the world to Paris on Friday.

Treasury prices recovered Wednesday as stock investors reined in their enthusiasm about the U.S. economy.

A UAE newspaper says an investment company controlled by Dubai 's ruler plans to sell off major holdings in the coming years.

The death toll from a car bomb explosion near a police headquarters in western Iraq Monday rose to five, said a provincial police source.

Cyprus President Demetris Christofias said on Friday that he had received European Union assurances that an exception on property issue afforded to the Czech Republic cannot in any way extended to Cyprus.
0.88: (Demetris Christofias; [is] President [of]; Cyprus) === T

The euro rose in Asian trade Thursday, a day after crisis-hit Greece announced sweeping new measures to slash its massive public debt, dealers said.

The number of elderly Cubans who are over 100 years old is now 1541, according to official figures quoted by the daily Granma on Monday.

Kyrgyz opposition leader Ismail Isakov, a former defense minister, told reporters Thursday that the country 's military and interior ministry have agreed to cooperate with the opposition-formed interim government.
0.89: (Kyrgyz opposition leader Ismail Isakov; [is]; a former defense minister) === T
0.88: (Ismail Isakov; [is] opposition leader [of]; Kyrgyz) === F
0.89: (Kyrgyz opposition leader Ismail Isakov; [is] a former minister [of]; defense) === T

Following are the overall standings after the 8th stage of the Tour of Spain, a 190km ride from Villena to Xorret de Cati on Saturday: 1.

A powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused widespread devastation in New Zealand 's second largest city of Christchurch Saturday, with officials saying it was "extremely lucky" no one was killed.

A meteorology official says a moderate earthquake centered in Afghanistan caused tremors across Pakistan 's northwest and parts of Afghanistan.

The euro was higher against the dollar Monday as investors looked to economic data and earnings reports for signs that the global economy is recovering.

China and Britain on Monday pledged to enhance military ties.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday nominated another woman for the post of education minister following the parliament 's disapproval of his first choice, the Mehr news agency reported.

By Chen Meihua   YANGON, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The current Myanmar special gem emporium, being held at the Myanmar Conventional Center (MCC), has attracted more than 3,000 foreign gem traders, the highest number of visitors compared with the last few years ' events.

Here are the New York Times News Service Macintosh graphics scheduled for AMs of Sunday, Oct. 31, 2010.

Following are the results in the Serie A (home teams listed first):   Saturday 's Games   AC Milan bt Chievo Verona 3-1   AS Roma bt Genoa 2-1   Sunday 's Games   Cagliari vs. Inter Milan   Brescia vs. Udinese   Catania vs. Napoli   Cesena vs. Parma   Juventus vs. Lecce   Palermo vs. Bologna   Sampdoria vs. Fiorentina   Bari vs. Lazio   Saturday, Oct. 23   Fiorentina vs. Bari   Sunday, Oct. 24   Parma vs. AS Roma   Bologna vs. Juventus   Chievo Verona vs. Cesena   Genoa vs. Catania   Lazio vs. Cagliari   Lecce vs. Brescia   Udinese vs. Palermo   Inter Milan vs. Sampdoria   Monday, Oct. 25   Napoli vs. AC Milan

Whether you 're rooting for the Saints or the Colts, we 'll bet chips and dip, chicken wings or chili is on the menu, too.

Independent bookstores were battered first by discount chains like Barnes & Noble, then by superefficient Web retailers like Amazon.com.

Hewlett-Packard says it is trimming the net income it reported for its fiscal first quarter because of higher legal costs.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Thursday highlighted the importance of salvage of culture heritages in Haiti 's reconstruction, saying culture should be an integral part in humanitarian aid.

Japanese teenager Ryo Miyaichi has signed for Arsenal and will join the English Premier League giants early in the New Year, the club announced on Saturday.

Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand was paralyzed below the neck after suffering a spinal cord injury when he tried to make a tackle in the Scarlet Knights ' win over Army on Saturday.

Obama opens unprecedented UN summit on nuclear proliferation

Oil industry overconfidence and a culture that emphasized speed contributed to questionable decisions on how to seal BP 's Macondo well in the hours before it blew out, investigators and drilling experts said Tuesday in testimony before a presidential commission probing the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

Rocco Landesman, the larger-than-life Broadway producer, was digging into a hefty cheese steak and fries in the Philadelphia train station one night last month, waiting to catch the train back to his new home in Georgetown.
0.88: (Rocco Landesman; [is] the larger-than-life producer [of]; Broadway) === F

German investor confidence plunged for the second consecutive month, to an indexed 21.2 points from 28.7 in June, the ZEW economic research institute said on Tuesday.

Flash floods ravaging several parts of Kenya have killed more than 20 people and left thousands of others homeless, a humanitarian agency said on Tuesday.

Iraq ministry bombers were recently freed by US: ministry official

Wall Street ended mixed after a choppy session on Wednesday after new home sales slumped to a record low in May, spurring concerns over a double-dip in housing market.

The UN food agency on Wednesday welcomed the release of three Latvian helicopter crew members working for it who were kidnapped early in November in Sudan 's war- torn Darfur, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters here.

Iraq 's oil ministry on Tuesday announced the launch of a fourth state company responsible for overseeing development in recently auctioned fields in the centre of the country.

US President Barack Obama will Monday propose a 3.834 trillion dollar budget, designed to balance the need to create jobs with an effort to cut huge long-term deficits, a senior US official said.

The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange general share index closed at 960.60 points on Thursday, up 4.91 points from Wednesday 's finish.

Police say the goalkeeper of Brazil 's most popular football club refuses to submit to DNA tests in connection to his former girlfriend 's disappearance and alleged murder.

Vice President Joe Biden cast doubt Sunday on the legitimacy of the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, but reaffirmed the administration 's intent to try to engage the Iranian government.
0.88: (Joe Biden; [is] President [of]; Vice) === F

U.K. manufacturers are increasingly optimistic about the eventual recovery of the British economy, still mired in recession, a survey showed Monday.

The Italian government vowed on Thursday that its troops would not be forced out of Afghanistan after six soldiers were killed in a Taliban suicide attack on a military convoy in Kabul.

Romania on Wednesday said it had summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest against Tehran 's vicious crackdown following a contested presidential poll which sparked wide protests.

TAMPA  On the day his attorneys filed a lawsuit against the University of South Florida, former Bulls coach Jim Leavitt was across the state, taking in a beautiful day in Boca Raton while visiting his wife 's parents there.
0.38: (Jim Leavitt; [is] former coach [of]; Bulls) === T

Duty Editor: Jim Mannion  Tel: + 1 202 414 0541  What 's happening in the Americas on Monday:  + Oscar winners revealed  HOLLYWOOD: The stars turn out for the Academy Awards, the annual Oscars ceremony honoring the year 's best in movies.

Editors This correction refers to MINE (Mufson, Fahrenthold, Post) moved Tuesday.

American Sam Querrey breezed to a 6-3, 6-2 win over Spain 's Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo in the first round of the rain-plagued 500,000 ATP Hall of Fame Tennis Championships on Wednesday.

An Indian army colonel has been killed in a gunbattle with militants in Indian- administered Kashmir, the military said Wednesday.

Sens. John F. Kerry and Joseph Lieberman introduced a long-awaited climate and energy bill on Thursday.

copyright 2009, The Washington Post   As their manufacturers see it, the electric cars entering U.S. showrooms as early as next year will be engineering marvels: stylish, battery-operated, zero-emission wonders.

An AIDS outbreak at two children 's hospitals in Uzbekistan has killed at least 14 children and left 133 infected with HIV, according to a documentary posted on a respected Central Asian news Web site on Monday.

President Nicolas Sarkozy sent in police Friday to reopen fuel depots blocked by strikers, as France 's bitter battle over the right to retire at 60 escalated.

England swept the medals in the 110-meter hurdles Friday at the Commonwealth Games, with Andy Turner leading the way for gold.

Good morning, Feature, Entertainment, Science editors.

A medieval castle housing ancient treasure; crumbling city towers; crooked- beamed, half-timbered houses that seem to jostle for space on winding cobbled streets: It 's hard to compete with Quedlinburg for quaintness.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai made nearly $1 million on a Dubai property deal financed with money from Kabul Bank, according to a person familiar with the transaction and a property sales registry.
0.38: (Hamid Karzai; [is] President [of]; Afghan) === F

Bailed-out US insurance giant AIG said Thursday it had chosen Hong Kong as the venue for a planned listing of its Asian subsidiary AIA.

British coup-plotter Simon Mann and four South African mercenaries have been pardoned for attempting the overthrow of Equatorial Guinea 's government and will be freed from prison in the tiny oil-rich African nation, the country 's chief judge said Tuesday.

Hong Kong shares fell 2.31 percent Tuesday as dealers followed a big loss on the mainland and worries about the global economy.

Explosions and fire tore through a block of industrial buildings in South Los Angeles early Wednesday, hurling shrapnel and fist-sized chunks of molten titanium that injured three firefighters.

UN humanitarian chief John Holmes is to step down at the end of August to run a renowned British foundation, UN spokesman Martin Nesirky announced Thursday.

by KS Leong   POLOKWANE, South Africa, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The ghost of World Cup 2002 is coming back to haunt France as they stare at another embarrassing early exit in the 2010 South Africa World Cup finals.

The shooting death of a black man whose body was dragged for several miles is being investigated as a possible hate crime after the arrest of a white man he worked with, South Carolina 's state police chief said.

A share-swap deal signed by Kuwaiti telecoms company Zain and Palestinian counterpart Paltel has been suspended over failure to secure approvals, Zain said on Sunday.

A bomb threat that forced a flight from Urumqi in China 's Xinjiang to make an emergency landing Wednesday night was a hoax, Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said Thursday.

WASHINGTON   The smell of fresh coffee and the temptations of doughnuts and blueberry muffins greeted Florida Rep. Suzanne Kosmas on Wednesday as she entered a private breakfast with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
0.38: (Nancy Pelosi; [is] Speaker [of]; House) === TTT

Country singer and "Dancing With The Stars" pro Julianne Hough isn 't making her romantic life public, but she is giving hints that rumors linking her to "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest are true.

The debate on whether Taiwan should sign an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China continues to rage in local society, as the government has stepped up its efforts to gain public support for the pact and the opposition is pushing for a referendum on the proposed deal.

The world 's oldest person, 115-year-old woman Gertrude Baines, has died in Los Angeles, a hospital official confirmed Friday.
0.39: (Los Angeles; [is] a official [of]; hospital) === F

World number one Roger Federer shrugged off a second-set lapse to reach the third round of the BNP Paribas Open Sunday with a victory over Victor Hanescu.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Monday that the mothers of three US hikers held in the Islamic republic were able to apply for visas to meet their children, state television reported.
0.38: (Manouchehr Mottaki; [is] Iranian Minister [of]; Foreign) === F

Principal results here on Friday, the second day of the Austin Grand Prix long course swim meet (USA unless noted):  Women  400m Individual Medley: 1.

More than 70 miners were feared dead Thursday after an overnight explosion ripped through a Colombian coal mine, the Colombian Red Cross told AFP.

The convicted killer of a Kansas abortion provider has little sympathy for the family of his victim, comparing them to the relatives of a hit man in a recording posted online.

The Dubai government said Monday it will pay 4.1 billion dollars to cover maturing Islamic bonds issued by its Nakheel property developer after receiving a 10-billion-dollar handout from oil-rich Abu Dhabi.

Shoppers who skipped the crowds on Friday gave online merchants a 16 percent spike in revenue, according to data released Saturday.

Leaders from countries surrounding the Baltic Sea pledged urgent action to generate the "miracle" needed to save one of the world 's most polluted seas at a summit in Helsinki Wednesday.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday that the only alternative the Bush administration had to creating the Guantanamo Bay naval prison was to kill the terror suspects who are incarcerated there, and "we don 't operate that way."
0.38: (Cheney; [is] Former Dick [of]; Vice President) === F

South African President Jacob Zuma has fathered a child with a daughter of a long-time friend who is one of the main organisers of this year 's football World Cup, a newspaper reported Sunday.
0.39: (one; is a daughter of; a long-time friend who) === F

United Germany transferred some 1.3 trillion euros to the former communist east in the years after the fall of the Berlin Wall to help prop up the depressed region, a study published Sunday showed.

Millions in secret Liechtenstein accounts, links to Saddam Hussein and Moamer Kadhafi, and an explosive political diary: the latest saga surrounding deceased Austrian far-right leader Joerg Haider reads like a thriller.

As smoke and fire filled the ABC day care center in northern Mexico, a neighbor moved quickly.

Dozens of Muslim militants with European citizenship are believed to be hiding out in the lawless tribal area of northwestern Pakistan, Pakistani and Western intelligence officials say, training for missions that could include terror attacks in European capitals.

In early December, I wrote a column outlining the nine things people should know in order to be considered computer literate.

Canadian Charles Hamelin won the men 's 500m short track speed skating gold medal at the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games here on Friday.

Honduras ' Manuel Zelaya, deposed as president a week ago, on Sunday has had to redirect his aircraft to El Salvador, because air authorities will not allow him to land in the nation, according to Honduras ' Aviation Agency.

Italian motorcyclist Luca Manta was fighting for his life on Thursday after crashing in the sixth stage of the Dakar Rally.

China and Taiwan can allow their currencies to become convertible between the two sides without waiting for other financial cooperation agreements to be signed beforehand, visiting People 's Bank of China (PBC) Deputy Governor Su Ning said Tuesday.
0.38: (Su Ning; [is] Governor [of]; Deputy) === F

More than 100 children from Haiti arrived in France on Wednesday to start new lives with their adoptive families -- an event some parents described as an early Christmas present.

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index edged up 9.28 points, or 0.08 percent, to close at 10,971.89 on Thursday.

Japan 's lower house of parliament on Friday voted in former finance minister Naoto Kan as prime minister, replacing Yukio Hatoyama who resigned for mishandling a dispute over a US base.

US President Barack Obama 's deficit panel on Friday rejected a plan for massive spending cuts and tax reform, missing the bar for congressional action.

Wembley fans more accustomed to going wild at the sight of David Beckham will get a chance on Sunday to admire the skills of an NFL star often compared to English 's football favourite son.

An Iranian state TV official has confirmed that one of its correspondents is among those arrested in Italy in a suspected arms trafficking case.

Warrington Wolves are on the verge of their second successive Challenge Cup final but centre Matt King is dreading history repeating itself against French outfit Catalan Dragons in Sunday 's semi-final.

'Clunkers ' cash is going fast        By David Shepardson and christina Rogers        The Detroit News   More than 10 percent of money in the $1 billion "Cash for Clunkers" pot was claimed in the first days of the incentive program.

Alvin Robertson, a former NBA All-Star, was accused Friday of being part of a ring that kidnapped a 14-year-old girl and forced her to have sex with clients.

What 's one way to ensure your mega music festival is well-attended in the middle of a recession?

The UN Security Council on Wednesday adopted a resolution to impose the fourth round of sanctions against Iran over its suspect nuclear program.

Up to 400 mourners of Polish origin gathered on Saturday for a mass in Paris in memory of Polish President Lech Kaczynski and 96 others who died in an air crash in Russia earlier in the day.
0.38: (Lech Kaczynski; [is] President [of]; Polish) === F

While many previous European Parliament candidates were not taken seriously in their home countries, national parties have lined up some more experienced candidates this time.

Tottenham has signed Younes Kaboul for the second time after taking the French defender from Premier League struggler Portsmouth.

Toyota 's president visited a dealership in Tokyo on Saturday and apologized over troubles that have prompted the world 's biggest automaker to recall some 8.5 million vehicles, a news report said.

The word "naturally" is used at least three times in "My Dog Tulip."

A legal adviser for Radovan Karadzic says the former Bosnian Serb leader will boycott his genocide trial again Monday but will attend a hearing Tuesday on how to get the case back on track.

Ben Keith, a multi-instrumentalist who was a mainstay of Nashville 's recording studios for many years but who was best known for his long association with Neil Young, died Monday at Young 's ranch in Northern California, where he had been living.
0.27: (who; was a mainstay of; Nashville) === F

Prosecutors are asking a federal judge to delay an order allowing Texas billionaire R. Allen Stanford to post bond that would free him until he is tried on charges he swindled investors out of $7 billion.

They are just two words -- white and elephant.

The price index of construction materials for Macao 's residential buildings dropped by 2.3 percent quarter-to-quarter to 135.1 in the third quarter of this year, according to the figures released on Monday by the city 's Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).

For Wednesday, July 15.

The plane crash in western Russia that killed Polish President Lech Kaczynski and other top Polish officials was not caused by technical problems, Russian investigators said Sunday.
0.38: (Lech Kaczynski; [is] killed President [of]; Polish) === F

When he took office in 1991 as Nebraska 's governor, Ben Nelson was one of just two Democratic governors opposed to abortion rights.
0.38: (Ben Nelson; [is] governor [of]; Nebraska) === T

Bomb attack kills three at Pakistan police checkpoint: police

Teresa Farrell will have a tidy bookshelf when she graduates from college next year.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday threatened to force state workers to take a third furlough day every month if lawmakers don 't pass a budget by June 30.
0.88: (Arnold Schwarzenegger; [is] Governor [of]; California) === T

The Kyrgyz interim government 's routine cabinet meeting opened here on Tuesday with half of the 14 cabinet members failing to show up for different reasons.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday that violent Mexican drug cartels were starting to look like an insurgency.

The government of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Wednesday announced that it has sealed 38 local premises which were suspected of providing accommodation illegally.

Except this little saga comes with an unexpected twist: "Saving" the Barnes turns out to have been a sham, as the title 's claim of artful theft implies.

International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo on Friday pressed the Sudanese government to arrest President Omar al-Beshir who stands accused of Darfur war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Wales said Thursday that its Commonwealth Games team would be leaving for Delhi as planned after the organisers assured them that problems with the facilities would be fixed in time for the event.

Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa earned his first European Tour title after shooting a 3-under 67 Sunday in the final round of the Andalucia Open to protect his overnight lead and win by three strokes.

A man who bit off part of a police officer 's finger has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Tropical storm Molave (locally known as "Isang") brought heavy downpour and flood on Friday to Manila and other areas in north Philippines, grounding airplanes and making the authorities suspend work in government offices and classes in schools.

A university in northeast Germany on Friday banned students and professors from wearing clothing associated with neo-Nazis.

A Wayne Rooney hat-trick fired Manchester United back to within two points of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League as the champions inflicted a 4-1 defeat on Portsmouth in Avram Grant 's first match in charge.

A court in east China 's Jiangsu Province Saturday sentenced a government official, dubbed "super- expensive-cigarette director", to 11 years in prison for accepting bribes.

Foreign ministers and government representatives from 105 countries will gather in the Philippine capital Manila next week for a special Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial Meeting on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and Development.

Results from the second day of the ATP US Clay Court Championships on Tuesday (x denotes seeding):  1st rd:  Horacio Zeballos (ARG x6) bt Taylor Dent (USA) 6-3 retired  Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) bt Rajeev Ram (USA) 6-2, 3-0 retired  Ryan Sweeting (USA) bt Evgeny Korolev (KAZ x5) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2  Eduardo Schwank (ARG x7) bt Marcos Daniel (BRA) 6-3, 6-2  Nicolas Massu (CHI) bt Mischa Zverev (GER) 6-4, 6-2

The dollar jumped against major currencies Monday as markets expect the Federal Reserve to restart economic stimulus programs.

A report into Australia 's housing industry on Wednesday warned of a downturn in housing supply as federal stimulus measures fade.

Randy Moss wanted out, for the sake of a longer, richer contract, and the Patriots had to oblige.

Danish prosecutors said Monday they had added a terrorism charge to one of attempted murder for a Somali man accused of trying to kill a cartoonist over a caricature of Islam 's Prophet Mohammed.
0.38: (Mohammed; [is] Prophet [of]; Islam) === T

Platinum and palladium prices jumped Thursday on encouraging news about auto sales.

The Iraqi government 's failure to grasp the scope of its land mine and bomb problem has derailed efforts to clear what is considered one of the world 's most contaminated countries, two United Nations agencies said Wednesday.

If you have people on your gift list who travel a lot, you may want to think about giving them something to keep them comfortable and entertained while on the go, even if they 're not as nomadic as George Clooney 's road warrior character in the movie "Up in the Air."

Filipino workers in Japan who were victims of physical abuse and violence were able to get free medical treatment in hospitals through an arrangement made by the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo.

An Argentine Football Association official says Sergio Batista is the "most appropriate choice" to take over as national team coach following the departure of Diego Maradona.

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi on Tuesday said that an Israeli tank was hit by a Kornet anti-tank missile earlier this month along the Gaza border, suggesting the rising threat by Gaza militants, local news service Ynet reported.

MNG Airlines, Turkey 's principal freight carrier, has ordered two long-haul A330-200F cargo planes, the European manufacturer Airbus said Friday.

For three decades, the federal government has calculated the fuel economy of cars and other "light-duty vehicles" and periodically tightened mileage standards.

South Hadley schools draft strict antibullying policy   South Hadley schools have drafted a new antibullying policy that requires all staff members to report "any bullying they see or learn about" and pledges to "promptly and reasonably" investigate any allegation of harassment.

Seven months after the experience, Austin City Manager Marc Ott finally is ready to talk about it.
0.38: (Marc Ott; [is] Manager [of]; Austin City) === T

The International Criminal Court prosecutor argued Tuesday he had enough evidence for a further arrest warrant against Sudan 's President Omar al-Beshir for genocide.
0.38: (Omar; [is] President [of]; Sudan) === T

SAN FRANCISCO  More than anyone, Bengie Molina knows how good the pitching should be in this World Series.

Germany thrashed England 4-1 on Sunday to reach the World Cup quarter-finals with goals from Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski and a double for Thomas Mueller with Matthew Upson netting a consolation for England.

France midfielder Yoann Gourcuff accepts his side have work to do before their World Cup opener against Uruguay on June 11, but insists they are ready for the tournament.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said Monday that it is conducting safety inspections of five reservoirs in southern Taiwan in the wake of a strong earthquake there last week.

Wall Street slumped on Tuesday as concerns on European debt problems and possible monetary tightening in Asia pressured the markets.

NEW YORK TIMES CORRECTIONS FOR FRIDAY JULY 31, 2009        (These corrections will appear in The New York Times on Friday.

EU auditors on Thursday gave a boost to beleaguered dairy farmers by recommending that the milk sector remain under supervision as the EU works towards an end to a long-established quota system.

Note: Adapted from "What We Eat When We Eat Alone" by Deborah Madison and Patrick McFarlin.

Siegmund Warburg, the uprooted German financier who rose to fame in postwar London, considered banking as something more than a way to make money.

Massey punched "play" on a CD containing portions of 14 Beatles songs as they sounded on the 1987 CDs that brought the Fab Four 's catalog into the digital age, then played spruced-up CD remasters the world will hear when they 're released Sept. 9.

Oil rose further in Asian trade Thursday as investors bought into commodities including crude amid expectations the beleaguered US dollar will remain under pressure, analysts said.

World champion Wu Jingbiao of China won the first weightlifting gold medal by breaking the snatch Asian record at the Guangzhou Asiad here on Saturday.
0.88: (Wu Jingbiao; [is] champion [of]; World) === F

The following are China news stories moved by Xinhua News Agency as of 16:00 GMT, March 18.

Suspect in Ukraine journalist Gongadze 's murder confesses: security service
0.38: (Gongadze; [is] journalist [of]; Ukraine) === T

Latin America 's three major stock markets closed mixed on Thursday.

US bank Goldman Sachs, which has announced forecast-busting 2009 profits, will slash bonuses for London staff because of a new British tax on the payments, Sky News reported on Thursday.

Google was crowned the world 's most valuable brand on Wednesday by a research firm that found technology firms dominate when it comes to how much a name is worth in today 's markets.

by Asanka Fernando   COLOMBO, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Senior Sri Lankan politician Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Jayaratne was sworn in here as the 20th prime minister Wednesday evening before President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
0.38: (Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Jayaratne; [is] Senior politician [of]; Sri Lankan) === F

Haitians grasped for fading signs of life Friday in the rubble of their quake- hit capital as frustration grew over an aid bottleneck and tens of thousands of bodies rotted in the tropical heat.

The dagger: just fourth-quarter defense.

Russia 's Natalia Ishchenko secured a double title haul by winning the synchronised swimming solo free gold medal at the World Championships here on Thursday.

The euro rallied against the dollar on Tuesday after Greece avoided a new downgrade of its sovereign debt, which has shaken the European single currency.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Wednesday that the country 's gross domestic product (GDP) for the year 2010 is expected to grow 7 percent to 8 percent year-on-year.
0.88: (Abhisit Vejjajiva; [is] Minister [of]; Thai Prime) === F

U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday observed the Holocaust Remembrance Day which commemorates the approximately 6 million Jews killed in the genocide during World War II.
0.88: (Barack Obama; [is] President [of]; U.S.) === T

The White House says the U.S. government is now borrowing 41 cents of every dollar it spends.

The first US offshore wind farm project won government approval Wednesday after nearly a decade of battles involving environmentalists, Indian tribes and others.

Four Dutch-based terror suspects accused of trying to join Islamist rebels in Somalia are to be extradited to the Netherlands within 48 hours, Dutch officials said Monday.

President Barack Obama on Wednesday lashed out at Republicans as out of touch with the daily problems of Americans, hoping to sharpen the contrast with the opposition party as midterm elections loom and economic anxiety still runs high.

A man 's home is his castle -- but not if British authorities say it has to be destroyed.

A Saudi female journalist said Saturday that a court has ordered her to receive 60 lashes for working at a television network that aired the sexual confessions of a man.

Three Kenyans will be running for a marathon world record on Sunday when they take to the flat streets of the German capital in the Berlin Marathon.

Today is Wednesday, March 17, or the second day of the second month of the Year of the Tiger according to the lunar calendar.

Macedonia scored from a corner in each half to beat Andorra 2-0 on Friday in a 2012 European Championship qualifier.

A weak dollar and more upbeat data on the U.S. economy made a strong case for buying precious and industrial metals on Tuesday, sending prices higher for a fourth straight day.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas said on Monday he was open to peace negotiations with Israel, but that as agreed with Egypt talks could only resume when Jewish settlement activity ends.

A gunman walked into a fitness center in Pennsylvania Tuesday, turned out the lights and started shooting, leaving four people dead and at least 10 wounded, officials and local media said.

Six Chinese airlines will lower fuel surcharges for routes longer than 800 kilometers by 10 yuan (1.46 U.S. dollars) to 40 yuan per capita for adult passengers since April 6, according to their notices to ticket agents.

Restoring confidence of both Thai and foreign investors is an urgent task in order to boost the country 's investment situation, Thailand 's newly-appointed Industrial Minister Chaiwuti Bannawat said on Tuesday.
0.38: (Chaiwuti Bannawat; [is] newly-appointed Minister [of]; Industrial) === F

Palestinian opposition groups including the militant Hamas have rejected the Palestinian leadership 's decision to hold indirect peace talks with Israel.

There is no silver bullet for reforming America 's health care system, but medical experts have long agreed that digital patient records and electronic prescribing can help improve care and curb costs.

A consortium led by the Turkish Petroleum International Co. has won the right to develop the final field on offer in Iraq 's third energy auction since Saddam Hussein 's ouster.

President Barack Obama called German Chancellor Angela Merkel to congratulate her on Berlin 's plan to contribute to a fund to stabilize the European economy.
0.38: (Angela Merkel; [is] called Chancellor [of]; German) === F

A strike by Norwegian security officials will affect air travel in the country this weekend although the main international hub in Oslo will be unaffected, airport operator Avinor said Friday.

A complaint by Financial Supervisory Commission Chairman Sean Chen about the Central Bank of the Republic of China 's policy of keeping interest rates low has rekindled debate about the country 's monetary policy.

Food prices in Pakistan are skyrocketing, compounding the misery for millions as devastating floods ravage the country 's most fertile breadbasket and wipe out crops.

Germany were being held to a 0-0 draw by Ghana after the first 45 minutes of Wednesday 's Group D showdown at Soccer City with a place in the World Cup last 16 at stake.

The dollar extended its losses against major currencies during the past week, but it picked up on Friday after weak economic data and disappointing quarterly results of some big U.S. companies hurt risk appetite in financial markets.

Australia 's World Cup bid leader said Sunday he believes FIFA will restore Oceania 's right to use a vote promised to his country in the 2022 poll.

Senior Asian officials on Friday backed a proposal to issue an unprecedented call for amnesty for Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, Indonesia 's foreign ministry spokesman said.

Duty editor: Bryan Pearson  News desk: +357 22 391 420  Middle East news agenda for Wednesday:  + Iran trial of French academic resumes  TEHRAN: The trial in Iran of French academic Clotilde Reiss will resume, with a verdict expected for the researcher who was arrested after June 's disputed presidential election.

Sixty Vietnamese athletes will compete in the Taekwondo Championships and the Junior Taekwondo Tournament of Southeast Asia, scheduled to take place in Ho Chi Minh City from June 5 to 8, Vietnam News Agency reported Thursday.

by Huang Xingwei and Liu Jieqiu   SUVA, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- Fiji President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau said on Thursday he was quite impressed by the Shanghai Expo and termed it as the most successful expo.
0.38: (Ratu Epeli Nailatikau; [is] President [of]; Fiji) === T

Tyson Gay beat his arch-rival Asafa Powell to win the men 's 100 metres at the Daegu Pre-Championship Meeting in the southern Korean city of Daegu Friday.

The Shenzhen Component Index on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange closed up Friday to end at 13,224.98 points, up 113.46 points, or 0.87 percent.

Russia has agreed to deliver S-300 air defense systems to Azerbaijan in a deal worth at least 300 million U.S. dollars, Russian business daily Vedomosti reported Thursday, citing official sources.

Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang, in meetings with leaders of foreign countries and international organizations here on Thursday, stated China 's commitment to enhancing international cooperation in fighting trade protectionism and boosting global economy.

Over the past 10 years, the government has taken over NT$10 billion (US$324 million) -worth of property of deceased military veterans who died intestate, according to a report released Friday by the Veterans Affairs Commission (VAC).

Paraguay captain Paulo da Silva has joined Premier League club Sunderland on a three-year deal.
0.88: (Paulo; [is] captain [of]; Paraguay) === T

Defending champions Egypt thrashed bitter rivals Algeria 4-0 to reach the Africa Cup of Nations final on Thursday and stay on course for an unprecedented seventh title.

Austrian Elisabeth Goergl topped the first leg of the women 's Olympic giant slalom on Wednesday after disaster struck for American speed queen Lindsey Vonn.

For all the concern and uproar over online privacy, marketers and data companies have always known much more about consumers ' offline lives, like income, credit score, home ownership, even what car they drive.

Several thousand protesters on Friday afternoon took to the streets in downtown Pittsburgh where the Group of 20 (G20) Summit is being held.

Taiwan  unveiled  regulations  on cross-Taiwan Strait financial exchanges Tuesday, paving the way for financial institutes on either side to play a greater role in each other 's countries.

Paris is determined to out-gun rivals London, Milan or Dubai next winter as the world 's shopping capital, city authorities said Thursday.

Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg on Monday unveiled plans to sharply reduce Germany 's armed forces in what is regarded as one of the most radical military restructurings since the end of the Cold War.
0.88: (Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg; [is] Minister [of]; Defense) === T

Israel 's parliament on Monday passed legislation stipulating that a national referendum be held before any withdrawal from annexed east Jerusalem or the Golan Heights.

A Kuwaiti appeals court confirmed on Sunday a life sentence handed down to a Briton found guilty of smuggling hashish and alcohol from Iraq, a judicial official said.

China 's benchmark Shanghai Composite Index on the Shanghai Stock Exchange closed at 2,948.84 points Tuesday, up 0.47 percent, or 13.67 points, from the previous close.

Europe 's far-right parties want an EU-wide referendum on Turkey 's plans to join the 27-nation bloc, the leader of the Austrian populist Freedom Party, Heinz- Christian Strache, said here Saturday.
0.38: (Freedom Party; [is] populist [of]; Austrian) === F
0.38: (Heinz; [is] the leader of; the Austrian populist Freedom Party) === T

BATTING--Tejada, Houston, .354; DWright, New York, .345; Pence, Houston, .342; Beltran, New York, .342; Hawpe, Colorado, .339; Pujols, St. Louis, .333; HaRamirez, Florida, .332.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) gave a green light Tuesday to measures allowing elementary schools to give extra classes in Chinese and foreign languages to children of foreign spouses, a ministry official said that day.

The gold price in Hong Kong closed up 156 HK dollars at 11,456 HK dollars per tael on Wednesday, according to the Chinese Gold and Silver Exchange Society.

The spacious home where the newly wed Rhonda and Jason Holt began their family in 2005 was plagued by mysterious illnesses.

Ping An Insurance (Group) Co., China ' s second-largest insurer, said its plan to purchase 1.64 billion shares from the Shenzhen Development Bank (SDB) was approved Monday by its shareholders.

The following are major news items in leading Australian newspapers on Friday.

Results of weekend 20th-round Australian Rules matches in the Australian Football League:   Hawthorn 15.9 (99), Melbourne 12.6 (78)   Adelaide 15.14 (104), Brisbane 13.19 (97)   Port Adelaide 8.13 (61), West Coast 8.12 (60)   Geelong 25.11 (161), Western Bulldogs 9.6 (60)   Sydney 14.12 (96), Fremantle 13.9 (87)   Carlton 23.18 (156), Richmond 10.7 (67)   Collingwood 24.18 (162), Essendon 10.4 (64)   North Melbourne vs. St. Kilda

A judge ruled Friday that jurors in the manslaughter trial of a former police chief won 't hear audio from the most graphic part of a video that shows an 8-year-old boy accidentally shooting himself to death with an Uzi submachine gun.

Barcelona 's Daniel Alves insisted on Saturday that Real Madrid star Kaka will not be an injury burden at the World Cup.
0.38: (Kaka; [is] star [of]; Real Madrid) === TTT

Germany 's table tennis federation has lifted the suspension of world No. 12 Dimitrij Ovtcharov for testing positive for the banned substance clenbuterol.

French retail giant Carrefour rebounded into profitability in the first of the year, posting Tuesday a net profit of 82 million euros (104 million dollars).

Here are the top culture, entertainment and special section features from The New York Times News Service for Wednesday, April 7.

The Lebanese army said on Tuesday it had arrested 10 people suspected of belonging to a "terrorist network" plotting attacks against UN peacekeeping troops stationed in southern Lebanon.

Russia is freezing a contract to deliver S-300 air defence missiles to Iran after the adoption of the new UN sanctions against Tehran, a source told the Interfax news agency on Thursday.

A "mentally unstable" Israeli Bedouin on Tuesday crossed into the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip after jumping over the heavily-fortified border barrier but was returned hours later, the army said.

World number three Lee Westwood should be able to start the French Open in Versailles on Thursday after hospital tests revealed he did not have a blood clot, his spokesman said.

Washington 's wordsmiths are at it again.

No decision on possible swine flu pandemic expected Friday: WHO spokeswoman

China cut back its Treasury bond holdings to the lowest level in eight months the US Treasury said Monday, amid sharp allegations that Beijing is undervaluing its currency.

The Czech Republic repelled a late, desperate charge by defending champions Russia to win their first ice-hockey world championship title since 2005 thanks to a 2-1 victory here on Sunday.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will travel to North Korea next week, North Korea said Monday, a trip expected to focus on the North 's nuclear weapons program.

Tunisian fans will meet the Swedish death metal band "Dark Tranquillity" next week to enjoy their first show in an Arab and African country, the event 's organizer said Sunday.

Consumer products giant Unilever NV said Friday it has agreed to buy soaps and personal care businesses including the Sanex and Duschdas brands from Sara Lee Corp. for ⁈illion ($1.88 billion).

The Hmong man freed this summer after more than 2 1/2 years in prison for a fatal crash now wants to join a lawsuit against Toyota.

Stocks rose sharply Tuesday after earnings reports from Alcoa and CSX reassured investors about the pace of the economic recovery.

Premier Wu Den-yih said Tuesday that a proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) between China and Taiwan could be signed in June if the next two rounds of bilateral talks go smoothly.

Duty Editor: Gunther Kern  Tel: +33 1 40 41 46 36  -- TOP STORIES --  + China executes Briton for drug smuggling  + Iran urges maximum punishment of opposition  + Obama vows to hunt down extremists  + Putin says Russia needs new offensive weapons systems  Britain-China-crime-drugs-execution,5thlead-WRAP  BEIJING  A Briton said to have serious mental health problems is executed in China for drug smuggling despite last-minute pleas for clemency, a move roundly condemned by the British government, his family and rights groups.

China confirmed on Tuesday that it had cut off Internet access in parts of Urumqi after deadly riots erupted there to prevent the violence from spreading.

Angel Cappa has left his post as coach of River Plate after a run of seven games without a win.

Mike Weir came within one stroke of matching the best round ever in any of golf 's major championships.

Britain 's police watchdog said Tuesday it was investigating a firearms officer who allegedly deliberately inserted song titles into his testimony during a hearing into a man 's death.

A top nuclear disarmament advocate scoffed on Thursday at public efforts to see US Cold War-era warheads removed from Europe, citing staunch opposition from former Russian satellite states.

NASA supporters are bracing for an uphill battle to get the extra funding needed to take on missions more ambitious than visits to the international space station.

Two studies published yesterday are expected to reignite an emotionally charged debate about whether young athletes should be screened with a heart test to reduce the small risk of sudden death from an undiagnosed heart problem.

A judge in Zimbabwe on Monday freed on bail a human rights activist jailed for more than five weeks on allegations of passing false information on diamond-mining violations to the international diamond control body.

The following are China news stories moved by Xinhua News Agency as of 11:00 GMT, Nov. 10.

Elena Dementieva defeated Melanie Oudin 7-6 (7/4), 0-6, 6-3 to give Russia a 2-1 lead on the United States in a Fed Cup semi-final tie on Sunday.

Tiger Woods is willing to pay dearly to hold onto his marriage and keep his private messages secret, according to celebrity website reports still swirling around the world 's top golfer.

China said Friday all involved parties should find a solution to Kosovo issue through dialogue.

Germany said Tuesday it had no information on five German Islamists who according to Pakistani security sources were killed in a US drone attack in the country 's lawless tribal belt.

Stock futures inched lower Tuesday as investors put a rally on hold ahead of a new report on retail sales.

Canada 's government declined on Monday any comment on ex-child soldier Omar Khadr 's guilty plea to US war crimes charges, which could see him eventually returned to Canada to serve a shorter prison sentence.

Airline Cathay Pacific has announced that chief operating officer John Slosar will take over as chief executive next year, at a time when the company is looking to expand in mainland China.

Not everyone would think that the actor Ashton Kutcher 's Twitter musings on his daily doings constitute part of "the universal body of human knowledge."

By Abbas Ali   KABUL, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan Northern province of Kunduz is becoming more and more insecure as insurgent attacks have rapidly increased since last couple of months.

Politicians seeking to placate angry voters this election cycle might take a cue from Robert Bentley, a retired dermatologist and the Republican nominee for governor in Alabama.

A US drone strike in Pakistan 's northwestern tribal belt killed 15 militants on Monday, destroying a vehicle and a compound in North Waziristan, local security officials said.

Zambia 's newly appointed cricket national team coach Peter Kirsten says his aim is to qualify the team to the World Cup league, the Post of Zambia reported on Friday.

Oil prices powered to 10-month peaks Monday amid growing hopes for global economic recovery and China 's strong oil data.

No risk of eurozone break up: IMF chief

In May, Liu Junwei, head of Refiner Technology Corp., moved his company to Nanchang, capital city of Jiangxi Province, and away from the southern boomtown of Shenzhen.
0.38: (Liu Junwei; [is] head of; Refiner Technology Corp.) === T

You had to use your imagination to see the influence of Joni Mitchell, Jack Kerouac and director Wim Wenders in the impressive catwalk show by actress Sienna Miller and designing sister Savannah Miller at London Fashion Week Saturday.

A suicide bombing on Tuesday destroyed the vehicle of a deputy Afghan governor, killing the official and five other people in the south of the country, police said.

President Barack Obama 's top counterterrorism adviser says officials will continue reviewing the cases of Yemeni detainees at Guantanamo and decide whether they should be sent home.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the rival leaders of divided Cyprus recognize the need to move more quickly and decisively to reach agreement on a plan to reunify the Mediterranean island.

The EU is examining whether the dominance of four big firms in the auditing of company 's financial results contributed to the credit crisis.

Falls are so harmful to the elderly and so costly to society that if falling were a disease, it would be deemed an epidemic.

Afghanistan 's President Hamid Karzai, whose fragile government is propped up by more than 100,000 foreign troops, said Friday he does not need "the favour" of the international community.
0.88: (Hamid Karzai; [is] President [of]; Afghanistan) === T

The Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation will build "green" houses in cooperation  with the Kaohsiung county government for aboriginal people whose mountain homes were destroyed by Typhoon Morakot, officials said Thursday.
0.38: (Tzu Chi Foundation; [is] Relief [of]; Buddhist Compassion) === F

A former Greek interior minister says his government had considered using the armed forces during massive riots in 2008, but ultimately rejected the idea as being counter productive.

The following is the key market information in London at close on Thursday.

ECB lends record 131.933 billion euros for three months

The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, is expected to visit Seoul next week to hold a summit meeting with President Lee Myung-bak, seeking stronger cooperation in developing energy and natural resources as well as building infrastructures, South Korea 's presidential office said Tuesday.
0.50: (Joseph Kabila; [is] The President of; the Democratic Republic of Congo) === T

Here are the stories New York Times editors are considering for the Page 1 of Monday, June 8.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Thursday hailed "the arrangement between the Provisional Government of Kyrgyzstan and former President Mr. ( Kurmanbek) Bakiyev that has enabled him to leave the country."

Hardline Shebab militia fought Tuesday with a pro-government movement in central Somalia in battles that claimed the lives of at least eight fighters and wounded 14 others, the groups said.

Wang Zhizhen, vice-chairwoman of the National Committee of the Chinese People 's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) left here Friday to attend the World Economic Forum  (WEF) on East Asia 2010 in Vietnam and pay a good-will visit to the country at the invitation of the Vietnamese government.

Tony Curtis, a classically handsome movie star who came out of the Hollywood studio system in the 1950s to find both wide popularity and critical acclaim in dramatic and comic roles alike, from "The Defiant Ones" to "Some Like It Hot," died Wednesday at his home in Henderson, Nev., near Las Vegas.

Russia 's President Dmitry Medvedev says that ethnic tensions are threatening Russia 's stability.
0.88: (Dmitry Medvedev; [is] President [of]; Russia) === T

Result from the first leg of the European Zone 2010 World Cup play-off here on Saturday:   Russia 2 (Bilyaletdinov 40, 51) Slovenia 1 (Pecnik 88)

French and U.S. defense ministers jointly announced Monday in Paris that their two countries would work together for new sanctions against Iran over the nuclear issue.

Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau   Gov. Charlie Crist 's campaign for the U.S. Senate was hit with a one-two punch Tuesday as Republican rival Marco Rubio moved ahead of him in a public opinion poll for the first time and almost matched him in fundraising for the quarter.
0.38: (Marco Rubio; [is] rival [of]; Republican) === F

President Benigno S. Aquino III announced Thursday that he would revive talks with Islamic separatists in the southern Philippines, appointing a law professor known for supporting the land rights of Muslims to serve as chief negotiator.

Italy 's Interior Minister Roberto Maroni on Tuesday urged the European Union (EU) to help Mediterranean countries deal with illegal immigration, local media reported.
0.38: (Roberto Maroni; [is] Minister [of]; Interior) === T

Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., who played a pivotal role as the 111th Congress passed several major pieces of legislation, said his party had a fundamental problem.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard leapt ahead in a key opinion poll Monday and sealed a vital deal with the Greens party, underlining her as early favourite for August 21 elections.
0.38: (Julia Gillard; [is] Australian Minister [of]; Prime) === F

Mainland Affairs Council Minister Lai Shin-yuan defended a proposed economic cooperaton framework agreement (ECFA) with China Sunday in an interview with cable station Sanlih E-Television (SETTV).
0.88: (Lai Shin-yuan; [is] Minister [of]; Mainland Affairs Council) === T

Thousands of anti-government protesters occupied the commercial heart of Thailand 's capital, forcing the closure of major shopping malls, and said they won 't leave until the prime minister dissolves Parliament and calls new elections.

AFP WORLD NEWS SERVICE - NO UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION

Results Tuesday from the third stage of the Dauphine Libere cycling race, a 182-kilometer (113-mile) trek from Tournus to Saint-Etienne (with rider, country, team and time):   1.

Islamabad on Monday said it was disappointed by remarks French President Nicolas Sarkozy made in India criticising Pakistan for allowing extremist "safe havens" in its tribal border areas.

OPEC oil ministers signaled ahead of a Saturday meeting that they see no reason to change output targets given current global economic sluggishness, though they expect demand for crude will continue to grow.

The Top 14 match between 2009 French champions Perpignan and Racing-Metro will take place at Catalan football giants Barcelona 's Nou Camp stadium on the weekend of April 15, the French Rugby National League (LNR) announced on Monday.
0.38: (April 15; [is] the National [of]; French Rugby) === F

Fernando Alonso remains optimistic for the Brazilian Grand Prix despite qualifying behind most of the title contenders on Saturday.

At least three other registered sex offenders live within a block or two of the Northern California home where Phillip Garrido allegedly imprisoned Jaycee Lee Dugard for nearly two decades.

The Australian government Friday denied mismanaging the rescue of a journalist kidnapped in Somalia who was ultimately released after a millionaire and a politician helped pay a ransom.

Asian stocks edged tentatively higher Tuesday as sentiment towards China was capped by uncertainty over Beijing 's plans to rein in inflation and concerns over tax reform in the United States.

Defence ministers from the seven European nations engaged in building the troubled Airbus A400M military plane agreed Monday to postpone until next month a decision on whether to renegotiate the contract.

To preserve benefits for 380,000 CalWORKS welfare recipients in Los Angeles County, Chief Executive Officer Bill Fujioka on Monday proposed a radical overhaul of the welfare-to-work system that would drop requirements that low-income parents of young children have jobs.
0.38: (Bill Fujioka; [is] Officer [of]; Chief Executive) === F

Eds.: Freelance photos accompany this story.

South Afirca 2, France 1 - final result   World Cup Group A match   Scorers:  South Africa ( Bongani Khumalo, 20th; Katlego Mphela, 37th)   France (Florent Malouda, 69th)

Comeback queen Kim Clijsters produced a massive upset to defeat title holder and tournament favourite Serena Williams 6-4, 7-5 in the US Open semi-finals on Saturday.
0.88: (Kim Clijsters; [is] queen [of]; Comeback) === F

President Barack Obama on Friday called on Americans not to turn on one another but to observe religious tolerance, following a spate of controversies over Islam 's place in US society.

A trial of 25 activists accused of plotting against Bahrain 's rulers was thrown into question Thursday after new defense lawyers picked by authorities said they have been rejected by the suspects in this key Western ally.

Taiwan has been encouraging local businesses to develop their own brands and has set a goal of seeing a Taiwanese brand listed among "the world 's 100 most valuable brands" by 2012.

The trial of the suspects in the gruesome murder of 57 people in Maguindanao province in Southern Philippines began on Wednesday.

A delegation representing families of a 21-member tour group from southern China 's Guangdong Province that has remained unaccounted for since Thursday is scheduled to arrive in Taipei Saturday, a spokesman for Harula Tour Co. said Friday.
0.38: (Taipei Saturday; [is] a spokesman for; Harula Tour Co.) === F

Sony Corp. said it had reached a "landmark recording deal" with Michael Jackson 's estate that includes albums of unreleased material and older tracks.

Pressure is building for more international flights at Tampa International Airport, where the choice of destinations usually includes three: London, Toronto and Grand Cayman Island.

Social Democrat Ivo Josipovic was set to win Croatia 's presidential run-off election, exit polls showed after Sunday 's vote.
0.88: (Ivo Josipovic; [is] Democrat [of]; Social) === F

My husband broke his foot four weeks ago.

The United States is urging King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and President Bashar al-Assad of Syria to encourage the Palestinians to resume direct peace talks with Israel when they meet Thursday.

Did you ever feel like you were snakebit?

Two explosions rocked Taliban hotbed Helmand province in south Afghanistan Sunday killing two civilians and wounding 19 others, officials said.

Panathinaikos missed a chance to take the Greek league lead Saturday as it was held to a 1-1 draw by visiting Larissa.

Muslim nations on Tuesday angrily condemned Israel 's "heinous attack" on a Gaza aid flotilla and demanded an international probe at an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Good morning, PM editors:     The Washington Post-Bloomberg News Service budget for afternoon papers of Monday, September 20, 2010.

Duty Editor: Bryan McManus  Tel: +33 1 4041 7968  US-Germany-Canada-auto-company-takeover-GM-Opel,2ndlead  DETROIT, Michigan  General Motors ' board of directors discusses the sale of its ailing European unit Opel as German Chancellor Angela Merkel presses her favoured option amid fears of major job losses.
0.38: (Angela Merkel; [is] Chancellor [of]; German) === F

In the hot sun Fu Yongxian picked ripe watermelons on the farm.

Editors:     The Washington Post-Bloomberg News Service newsfeature budget for Friday, May 14, 2010.

Income at Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal 's Kingdom Group rose for the third straight quarter but was still 53.7 percent down from a year earlier, the company reported Tuesday.
0.38: (Alwaleed bin Talal; [is] Prince [of]; Saudi) === F

Duty Editor: Charles Onians  News Desk: +33 1 4041 4636  -- WORLD HEADLINES --  + Attack on Pakistan interrogation centre kills 11  + Dozens dead in powerful Turkey quake  + Iraq war drama scoops Oscars  + 500 dead in Nigeria clashes  Pakistan-unrest,2ndlead-WRAP  LAHORE, Pakistan  A car bomb slams into Pakistani offices used to interrogate suspected militants, destroying the building and killing 11 people in the latest attack to strike the country 's cultural capital Lahore.

Unemployment in Britain hit a near 13-year high in July despite signs that the deepest recession since World War II is coming to an end, official figures showed Wednesday.

Police and demonstrators opposed to President Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo clashed in Brussels Saturday during a protest over the death in jail of a Congolese dissident.

Nigerian gunmen who kidnapped four journalists in the country 's oil-rich south a week ago released the group Sunday from an ordeal that one of them described later as "traumatic".

By Emma Huang, Shi Rong   TORONTO, March 20 (Xinhua) -- When stepping into Toronto 's downtown Chinatown, Chinese tourists may enjoy a familiar air there,  and they may even find themselves treated like VIPs by small business owners, tour guides, and vendors there .

Hong Kong stocks were 1.09 percent higher by lunch on Friday, boosted by strong gains on Wall Street as well as prospects for a land auction next week.

Four people were injured, including three seriously, in an explosion Tuesday at a chemical factory in the Czech Republic, police said.

Finland 's total energy consumption fell by 4 percent in 2008, bringing 13 percent decrease of carbon dioxide emissions from the production and use of energy, said Statistics Finland in a report on Monday.

Senior Chinese official Li Changchun visited quake-hit Yushu in northwest China 's Qinghai Province Friday.

A flood in a mine in China has trapped 28 people, the official Xinhua news agency reported Sunday.

Zimbabwe has received about 400 million dollars in support from the International Monetary Fund, the lender said Saturday, part of its broader effort to cushion the blows of the global economic crisis.

Ben Roethlisberger 's suspension has been reduced from six games to four by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
0.38: (Roger Goodell; [is] Commissioner [of]; NFL) === T

ST. PETERSBURG  Federal agents early Wednesday raided Conax Florida Corp., a St. Petersburg defense contractor that provides equipment for the military and NASA.

UNITED NATIONS - President Obama outlined Thursday a role for American global leadership focused on the promotion of human rights and democracy around the world and urged nations to "not stand idly by" when those values are threatened.

German investor confidence plunges in September: ZEW indicator

Hang Seng China Enterprises Index on Hong Kong Stock Exchange went down Tuesday with 1.02 points, or 0.01 percent lower, to close the day 's trading at 12, 156.07.

A man 's decomposing body found inside a minivan covered in parking tickets went undiscovered for weeks because the vehicle 's windows were apparently tinted and ticketing officers don 't normally search cars, police said Friday.

Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez outdueled Super Bowl superstar Tom Brady Sunday as the New York Jets backed up bold pre-game talk with a 16-9 National Football League victory over New England.
0.88: (Sanchez; [is] quarterback Mark [of]; Rookie) === F
0.38: (Tom Brady Sunday; [is] outdueled superstar [of]; Super Bowl) === F

Turkey condemned Friday the suicide attack that killed 16 people and injured more than 50 people in the Afghan capital on Thursday.

President Barack Obama may have to make a decision on whether to send more US troops to Afghanistan even if the "legitimacy" of the Afghan government remains in doubt, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday.
0.38: (Robert Gates; [is] Secretary [of]; Defense) === T

Two former U.S. Presidents, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, have sent their best wishes to the Chinese government and people on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People 's Republic of China, which falls on Oct. 1.

(ATTN: Travel editors) (c) 2010, The Washington Post=      Adapted from the Washingtonpost.com Flight Crew chat conducted weekly by the Travel staff of The Washington Post.

Two French soldiers were killed and three more were wounded in fighting in Afghanistan on Monday, President Nicolas Sarkozy 's office said, bringing France 's death toll from the campaign to 47.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit sided with Comcast Corp. and against the Federal Communications Commission on Friday in a closely-watched case over how many of the nation 's roughly 100 million cable TV subscribers one company should be allowed to serve.

Diego Maradona said Friday what every Argentine football fan already knows -- the next World Cup qualifier against archrival Brazil is critical.

Nikola Spiric, chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, arrived here Thursday, kicking off a six-day working visit to China.
0.88: (Nikola Spiric; [is] chairman of; the Council) === F

Chinese shares opened slightly lower Thursday over the news that the regulator is ready to end a de facto suspension of initial public offerings (IPOs) on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges.

Leading Spanish savings bank La Caixa says it will increase its stake in Erste Bank, the biggest listed bank in Austria, from 5.1 percent to 9.9 percent.

The Philippine stock market jumped to its highest level in more than a year on Thursday, boosted mostly by the strong performance of the U.S. markets.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's call to meet Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas is "a political maneuver," the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) said on Sunday.
0.38: (Benjamin Netanyahu; [is] Israeli Minister [of]; Prime) === F

U.S. stocks are closing sharply higher after good news on manufacturing allayed fears about the economy.

Twin car bombs at a factory, followed by a suicide attack against emergency workers, and coordinated blasts targeting security forces killed 91 people on Monday in Iraq 's bloodiest day this year.

Jeff Bezos isn 't just confident you 'll want a Kindle e-book reader.

Weather forecast for 17 major Chinese cities (20:00 Nov. 29 - 20:00 Nov. 30, Beijing Time, temperatures in Celsius): Min.

copyright 2009, The Washington Post   "Moving Beyond Earth," Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum   Two instruments used to repair the Hubble Space Telescope are the big draw in the National Air and Space Museum 's "Moving Beyond Earth" gallery, which opened last week.

New Zealand shares closed 0.50 percent lower Friday, with Telecom leading the way down, dealers said.

The global economy is recovering faster than expected but governments should be careful to not withdraw their stimulus measures prematurely, the International Monetary Fund said Thursday.

Japan 's meteorological agency warned on Saturday that a tsunami might be generated in large areas of the Pacific following a massive earthquake near the coast of Chile.

European stocks rose cautiously Tuesday after Asia closed lower as market sentiment was subdued by the Federal Reserve 's warning that the U.S. economy will continue to struggle.

Seventeen Royal Australian Navy sailors have been identified as alleged members of a drug trafficking ring at Sydney 's Garden Island Naval Base, The Australian newspaper reported on Thursday.

The US economy showed signs of emerging from a long and brutal recession, according to data Friday that pointed to a narrower-than-expected 1.0 percent decline in output in the second quarter.

US President Barack Obama has asked Congress to approve 205 million dollars to help Israel deploy an anti-missile defense system, the White House said Thursday.

More than half of the trapped Chilean miners now have reached the surface.

Darron Gibson scored twice as reigning champions Manchester United beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday to secure their place in the semi-finals of the English League Cup.

American skier Lindsey Vonn says Austrian coaches have apologized to her for suggesting she had an edge over other skiers because of her weight.

The number of North Korean workers at a South Korean-funded industrial estate north of the border has been growing despite tensions over the sinking of a South Korean warship, data showed Wednesday.

Ford and its Chinese partner announced Friday they will build a third plant in China as the US automaker struggles to improve its weak performance in the world 's strongest market.

Diego Maradona 's Argentina look certainties for a place in the last 16 of the World Cup after their 4-1 Group B victory over South Korea on Thursday as Real Madrid 's Gonzalo Higuain scored a hat-trick.

First come the wildfires.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will talk soon with Israel 's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an effort to ease a bitter diplomatic feud with the staunch US ally, officials said.
0.38: (Benjamin Netanyahu; [is] Minister [of]; Prime) === F

Over the years, mention of the word "Microsoft" has triggered a variety of emotions.

When workers at a Honda transmission plant in China went on strike for higher wages last month, they touched off a domino effect of high-profile labor disputes.

By Xinhua Writers Chen Yongrong, Jiang Xufeng and Zhu Liyi   BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Central Government has sent eight inspection working groups to 16 provincial areas nationwide to prevent the melamine-tainted milk powder, which killed at least six in 2008, from being reclaimed illegally in producing milk products.

A historic Fiat plant in northern Italy is to start producing Chrysler Jeeps from 2012 under a billion-euro deal announced Friday aimed at deepening ties between the Italian giant and its US partner.

Veteran Alexandre Vinokourov, riding for Astana, took the overall leader 's pink jersey following Monday 's third stage of the Tour of Italy, the day 's honours going to Wouter Weylandt of Quick Step.

Results from the third day of the ATP German Open here on Wednesday (x denotes seeding):  2nd rd  Andreas Seppi (ITA) bt Michael Berrer (GER x16) 6-2, 7-6 (7/4)

A senior minister on Sunday warned that Israel would "liquidate" the Islamist Hamas-run government in Gaza following deadly weekend clashes that killed two Israeli soldiers.

Sales of previously occupied homes fell in June and are expected to keep sinking, indicating that the U.S. housing market 's troubles are likely to drag on the economic recovery.

France beat Argentina 15-9 in their one-off test in Montpellier on Saturday, Morgan Parra leading the way with four penalties.

Speak to many 12-year-old fans about the various filmmakers behind the "Harry Potter" films and you 're likely to realize that the auteur theory is alive and well.

Australia 's Commonwealth Games chief has leapt to the defence of October 's New Delhi meet which has come under harsh criticism over construction delays and ballooning costs, reports said Monday.

Gold futures on the COMEX Division of the New York Mercantile Exchange went sharply down on Thursday as dollar rallied and crude oil weakened, closing below the key level of 1,000 dollars for the first time since September 9th.

The MTV Movie Awards were a blood bath Sunday night with "Twilight" taking five trophies, including best movie.

Evo Morales has begun a second term as Bolivia 's president by declaring colonialism dead in the Andean nation.

President Barack Obama will Monday project a record deficit this year in a 2011 budget featuring billions of dollars for jobs but program cuts and tax rises on the rich to tame huge fiscal shortfalls.