Couple Slips Though Security to Crash State Dinner Michaele and Tareq Salahi like a good party, an attorney who knows them said Thursday, and maybe that’s why the couple from Virginia’s horse country didn’t look out of place at the White House state dinner for the Indian prime minister. Douglass K. Daniel, AP NEWS - 11 minutes ago
Swiss Ministry Agrees to Polanski Bail Roman Polanski came closer to being freed on bail after the Swiss justice ministry decided Thursday it would not challenge a court’s decision to accept his bail offer of 4.5 million dollars and restrictions on his movement. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 16 minutes ago
Lawyers: Government Misconduct in Blackwater Case Defense lawyers are alleging misconduct by Justice Department prosecutors in the case against one of five Blackwater security guards accused in the killings of 17 Iraqis in Baghdad. Pete Yost, AP NEWS - 16 minutes ago
China to Dramatically Slow Emissions Growth China announced plans Thursday to cut its carbon emissions by up to 45 percent as measured against its economic output — a commitment from the world’s largest polluter that builds momentum ahead of a widely anticipated climate conference in Copenhagen next month. Cara Anna, AP NEWS - 17 minutes ago
Thanksgiving Day Kicks off With Slew of Parades The 83rd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has kicked off in New York City with a 60-foot-tall Kermit the frog hovering over holiday revelers. Deepti Hajela, AP NEWS - 19 minutes ago
German General Quits in Afghan Row Germany’s top military chief quits over allegations of a cover-up of civilian deaths in an airstrike in Afghanistan. Reuters Video, REUTERS NEWS VIDEO - 23 minutes ago
Dubai Debt ‘Standstill’ Raises Alarms About Image DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Just a year after the global downturn derailed Dubai’s explosive growth, the city is now so swamped in debt that it’s asking for a six-month reprieve on paying its bills — causing a drop on world markets Thursday and raising questions about Dubai’s reputation as a magnet for international investment. Barbara Surk, AP NEWS - 23 minutes ago
Dubai Debt Fears Hit World Markets Hard World stock markets fell sharply Thursday as investors fretted over the debt problems at Dubai World, a government investment company, and the continued fall in the dollar. Pan Pylas, AP NEWS - 25 minutes ago
Thailand Looks to Limit Sex Change Surgery Thailand has issued rules making sex change surgery more difficult — including a requirement that potential candidates cross-dress for a year — over fears that some patients are rushing into the operation, a medical association said Thursday. Jane Fugal, AP NEWS - 29 minutes ago
Group: Chinese Overinvestment Could Strain Trade China’s stimulus spending has fueled massive overexpansion in industrial capacity that could drive a surge in low-priced exports amid weak global demand, possibly igniting a protectionist backlash abroad, a European business group warned Thursday. Joe McDonald, AP NEWS - 32 minutes ago
Philippine Massacre Suspect to Face Murder Charges A scion of a powerful pro-government clan has turned himself in and will face murder charges for allegedly leading the massacre of 57 people in an election caravan in the southern Philippines, the chief prosecutor said Thursday. Aaron Favila and Jim Gomez, AP NEWS - 33 minutes ago
New Climate Targets May Not Change Daily Life Much Americans' day-to-day lives won’t change noticeably if President Barack Obama achieves his newly announced goal of slashing carbon dioxide pollution by one-sixth in the next decade, experts say. Seth Borenstein, AP NEWS - 37 minutes ago
New Spy Charge Against Jailed Iranian-American Iran brought new espionage charges against an Iranian-American scholar who was already convicted of spying and sentenced to 15 years in prison in the country’s crackdown following June’s disputed presidential election, a human rights group said Thursday. Lee Keath, AP NEWS - 50 minutes ago
Russian Official Admits Some Blame in Lawyer Death A Russian prison official reportedly admitted Thursday that harsh prison conditions are partially to blame for the death last week of a lawyer being held in a Moscow detention center. Nataliya Vasilyeva, AP NEWS - 51 minutes ago
History Project Calls Friday a ‘Day of Listening’ Instead of rushing to stores the day after Thanksgiving, organizers of an oral history project are urging people to join the National Day of Listening. Staff, AP NEWS - 51 minutes ago
Norway: Iran Seizes Nobel Laureate Ebadi’s Medal Norway’s Foreign Ministry says it has lodged a formal complaint with Iran after authorities there confiscated human rights activist Shirin Ebadi’s Nobel Peace Prize medal. Staff, AP NEWS - 54 minutes ago
Venezuela, Iran Up Friendship Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez hosts Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmandinejad and calls Israel a “murderous” U.S. arm. Reuters Video, REUTERS NEWS VIDEO - 54 minutes ago
Kirk’s Low-Key Approach in Senate Drawing Notice Paul Kirk never figured to upstage the legend whose death paved his road to the Senate. Even so, the stylish Massachusetts lawyer and former Democratic Party chairman has taken on such a low profile as Edward M. Kennedy’s successor that some worry he’s hindering prospects for Kennedy’s signal health care cause. Andrew Miga, AP FEATURES - 57 minutes ago
Italy Puts RU-486 Abortion Pill on Hold An Italian Senate committee has decided to keep the RU-486 abortion pill off the market while its safety is evaluated. Staff, AP FEATURES - 60 minutes ago
Saudi Floods Kill 77 While Muslims Perform Hajj Muslim pilgrims holding white umbrellas against the blazing sun clambered up a rocky desert hill for prayers Thursday during the annual hajj, following a day of torrential rains that killed at least 77 people. Hadeel Al-Shalchi, AP FEATURES - 62 minutes ago
Namibian Elections to Return Ruling Party to Power Namibia’s longtime ruling party is expected to return to power in Friday elections but its hold on this desert nation may weaken with the emergence of a new opposition party. Alexandra Regner and Celean Jacobson, AP NEWS - 64 minutes ago
AP NewsAlert Prosecutors to file multiple murder charges against suspect in Philippine massacre on Friday. Staff, AP NEWS - 65 minutes ago
Shooting at Hungarian University Leaves 1 Dead A gunman opened fire in a Hungarian university classroom Thursday, killing one student and leaving three people seriously injured, the state-run news agency said. Staff, AP NEWS - 66 minutes ago
Experts: Bishops Covered Up Priests' Child Abuse The Roman Catholic Church in Dublin covered up decades of child abuse committed by priests because bishops wanted to protect the church’s reputation at the expense of victims, an expert commission reported Thursday after a three-year probe into previously secret church records. Shawn Pogatchnik, AP NEWS - 69 minutes ago
Blair’s Role, US Tensions in Spotlight at Iraq Probe Britain’s Tony Blair may have swung behind US calls for regime change in Iraq after meeting President George W. Bush at his Texas ranch in 2002, a top diplomat told an inquiry into the war on Thursday. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 75 minutes ago
French National Kidnapped in Mali: Officials Armed men have kidnapped a French national in the northern Malian town of Menaka close to the border with Niger, officials said Thursday. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 75 minutes ago
Crude Oil Prices Drop as Traders Take Profits World oil prices fell Thursday on profit-taking after a strong rally the previous day on the back of positive US data and the weak dollar, analysts said. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 75 minutes ago
Somali Pirates Free Greek Ship for $3.7 Mln Somali pirates said Thursday they had released a Greek cargo vessel and its Ukrainian crew after a payment of 3.7 million dollars more than six months after it was captured. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 75 minutes ago
Journalists Leave Somalia After Hostage Ordeal Two journalists from Canada and Australia flew out of Somalia on Thursday at the end of a 15-month hostage ordeal during which they were tortured and shackled in windowless rooms by their captors. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 75 minutes ago
Dollar Hits 14-Year Low Against Yen The dollar slumped to a 14-year low point against the yen on Thursday, prompting fears that a further surge could hurt a fragile recovery in Japan, the world’s second largest economy. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 75 minutes ago
Climate Change Already a Reality in Africa From prolonged droughts to melting ice caps to heavy flooding and unpredictable weather patterns, climate change effects are already wrecking lives in Africa, the continent that pollutes the least. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 75 minutes ago
Tunisia Jails Journalist for Six Months A Tunisian court on Thursday sentenced a journalist and vocal critic of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to six months in prison for assaulting a woman. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 75 minutes ago
Touched by NC Girl’s Death, Shaq Pays for Funeral Basketball star Shaquille O'Neal has paid for the funeral of a 5-year-old North Carolina girl whose kidnapping and slaying received national news coverage. Staff, AP NEWS - 78 minutes ago
Contractor’s Helicopter Missing in Afghanistan A helicopter chartered by an international military contractor has disappeared in Afghanistan, officials said Thursday. Rahim Faiez, AP NEWS - 84 minutes ago
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