8 Americans, 5 Canadians Killed in Afghan Attacks

A homicide bomber at a base in Afghanistan's volatile east killed eight American civilians, U.S. officials said, the worst loss of life for Americans in the country since October.
Source: FOXNews.com | 31 Dec 2009 | 10:05 am

Finnish media: 4 dead in mall shooting

HELSINKI (AP) -- A gunman killed four people early Thursday in a shooting rampage at a mall in Finland's second largest city, police told a state broadcaster....
Source: AP Top International News At 5:34 a... | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:35 am

Malaysian Court Strikes Down Ban - Wall Street Journal

Sun2Surf

Malaysian Court Strikes Down Ban Wall Street Journal AP KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- A Malaysian court ruled Thursday that Christians have the constitutional right to use the word Allah to refer to God, striking down a government ban as illegal. The landmark ruling appeared to be a victory for freedom of ... Malaysian court rules that Christians have right to use the word "Allah"Jerusalem Post Malaysia Court Rules Catholic Paper Can Print 'Allah'BusinessWeek Malaysian court rules Catholic paper can use "Allah"Reuters Monsters and Critics.com -The Sun Daily -Sin Chew Jit Poh all 34 news articles »

Source: Top Stories - Google News | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:34 am

Taliban claim blast that killed 8 Americans

KABUL (AP) -- The Taliban claimed responsibility Thursday for a suicide bombing at a base in eastern Afghanistan that killed eight American civilians and one Afghan, the worst loss of life for the U.S. in the country since October. A U.S. congressional official said CIA employees are believed to be among the victims....
Source: AP Top International News At 5:34 a... | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:34 am

Police arrest senior Pakistani Taliban commander

Authorities arrested a senior Pakistani Taliban commander who led the group's network in the key central province of Punjab, ...

Source: USATODAY.com News - Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:30 am

Flurry of proposals targets air security

Passengers could face more intense screening at the nation's airports as lawmakers urge the government to adopt tighter regulations ...

Source: USATODAY.com News - Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:26 am

Taliban claim blast that killed 8 Americans (AP)

AP - The Taliban claimed responsibility Thursday for a suicide bombing at a base in eastern Afghanistan that killed eight American civilians and one Afghan, the worst loss of life for the U.S. in the country since October. A U.S. congressional official said CIA employees are believed to be among the victims.

Source: Yahoo! News: Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:24 am

US troop deaths soared in Afghanistan in 2009

KABUL (AP) -- U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan doubled in 2009 compared with a year ago as 30,000 additional troops began pouring in for a stepped-up offensive and the Taliban fought back with powerful improvised bombs....
Source: AP Top International News At 5:34 a... | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:23 am

Police arrest senior Pakistani Taliban commander

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) -- Authorities arrested a senior Pakistani Taliban commander who led the group's network in the key central province of Punjab, where violence has been increasing in recent months, police said Thursday....
Source: AP Top International News At 5:34 a... | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:22 am

Bangladesh NGO head gets UK award

The founder of one of the world's largest non governmental organisations, Brac, is honoured in the UK.
Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:22 am

Police arrest senior Pakistani Taliban commander (AP)

AP - Authorities arrested a senior Pakistani Taliban commander who led the group's network in the key central province of Punjab, where violence has been increasing in recent months, police said Thursday.

Source: Yahoo! News: Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:22 am

Soccer: Japan eye Argentina friendly ahead of World Cup+

(Kyodo) _ Japan are trying to arrange a friendly against two-time world champions Argentina in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa, it was learned Thursday. ...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:22 am

Shots fired in Finnish mall

Finland's state broadcaster reports that a gunman has fired shots in a shopping mall in Espoo, the country's second largest city.There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths, though YLE reports that a witness said he...
Source: nzherald.co.nz - World | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:22 am

'Fatal' shooting at Finnish mall

As many as four people are reported to have been killed by a gunman at a shopping centre in the Finnish city of Espoo.
Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:21 am

Senegal apology for Christ 'slur'

Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade apologises after comparing a controversial statue to Jesus Christ.
Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:20 am

Confusion over Bali terror alert

There is confusion over a warning issued by the US embassy in Indonesia of a possible New Year's Eve "terror attack" on Bali.
Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:18 am

Finnish media: 4 killed in shopping mall shooting (AP)

AP - Finnish police have told the state broadcaster that 4 people were killed by a gunman in a mall in Espoo.
Source: Yahoo! News: Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:15 am

Report: Gunman fires shots in Finnish mall

A gunman opened fire Thursday in a shopping mall in Finland's second largest city, killing four people, NBC News reported.



Source: msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:15 am

Freed British hostage 'held in Iran' (AFP)

AFP - A British computer expert and his four bodyguards kidnapped in Iraq in 2007 were seized in an operation masterminded by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, and were held in Iran, media reported Thursday.

Source: Yahoo! News: Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:13 am

UK hostage 'was held in Iran'

Iran organised the kidnapping of British hostage Peter Moore in Iraq, released after two-and-a-half years, it is claimed.
Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:13 am

'Afghan soldier' kills CIA staff

Eight US civilians killed in an Afghan bomb attack claimed by the Taliban were working for the CIA, US sources say.
Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:13 am

Finland shooting: four reported dead as gunman opens fire at shopping mall in Espoo

Four people are reported to have been killed and one injured after a gunman opened fire in a Finnish shopping mall.
Source: Latest News, Breaking News and Current News from the UK and World | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:12 am

Police arrest senior Pakistani Taliban commander

Authorities arrested a senior Pakistani Taliban commander who led the group's network in the key central province of Punjab, where violence has been increasing in recent months, police...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:11 am

Ion netbooks head-to-head: Atom, overcharged?

It's been more than a year since NVIDIA announced its Ion platform, promising to bring HD video and gaming to the underpowered Atom CPU. After all the hold ups, we started to wonder if we'd ever see the platform packed inside a netbook, so imagine our surprise when no less than four Ion-based machines launched in the past few months.

Source: digg.com: Stories / Popular | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:10 am

US troop deaths soared in Afghanistan in 2009

U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan doubled in 2009 compared with a year ago as 30,000 additional troops began pouring in for a stepped-up offensive and the Taliban fought back with powerful improvised bombs.
Source: Newsvine - Get Smarter Here | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:06 am

US troop deaths soared in Afghanistan in 2009

U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan doubled in 2009 compared with a year ago as 30,000 additional troops began pouring in for a stepped-up offensive and the Taliban fought back with...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:06 am

Once-presidential phrase casualty of word war (AP)

AP - The phrase "shovel ready," incessantly invoked by the Obama administration this year as a way to sell its $787 billion federal stimulus bill, died Thursday.
Source: Yahoo! News: Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:04 am

General Petraeus 'absolutely certain' that Peter Moore was held in Iran - Times Online

Sydney Morning Herald

General Petraeus 'absolutely certain' that Peter Moore was held in Iran Times Online The former US commander in Iraq is “absolutely certain” that Peter Moore was held secretly in Iran for part of his 31-month kidnap ordeal. General David Petraeus's claim that the British IT consultant was held captive in Iran is likely to intensify the ... Peter Moore's release: timeline of hostages' ordealTelegraph.co.uk Briton Kidnapped in 2007 Is Freed in IraqNew York Times Freed British hostage Peter Moore 'held in Iran'BBC News Los Angeles Times -The Press Association -Ynetnews all 1,033 news articles »

Source: Top Stories - Google News | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:03 am

Once-presidential phrase casualty of word war

The phrase "shovel ready," incessantly invoked by the Obama administration this year as a way to sell its $787 billion federal stimulus bill, died Thursday.
Source: Newsvine - Get Smarter Here | 31 Dec 2009 | 3:01 am

World readies for New Year's parties

The first of an expected 1.5 million New Year's revelers pitched tents and opened picnic baskets in Sydney on Thursday to get ...

Source: USATODAY.com News - Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:59 am

Pakistan soldiers raid hospital

Pakistani soldiers have raided a hospital in South Waziristan, killing at least four suspected militants, the military says.
Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:58 am

Smuggling fuels Gaza's stalled economy - BBC News

BBC News

Smuggling fuels Gaza's stalled economy BBC News The day Israel launched its 22-day offensive on Gaza , a year ago, Osama and his family lost most of their $70000 life savings. The Gaza accountant, who gives only his first name, had put his money into a local investment scheme - even ... International activists march in GazaAFP 'Hamas ready with final response on Israel's offer for Shalit'Ha'aretz Hamas says Israeli demands 'impossible'Ynetnews Jerusalem Post -ABC Online -Press TV all 144 news articles »

Source: Top Stories - Google News | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:55 am

Finland shooting: Gunman opens fire at shopping mall in Espoo

Four people thought to have been shot as a man opens fire at a shopping centre in Finland's second largest city.
Source: Latest News, Breaking News and Current News from the UK and World | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:55 am

Taliban Claim Blast That Killed 8 Americans

The Taliban claimed responsibility Thursday for a suicide bombing at a base in eastern Afghanistan that killed eight American civilians and one Afghan, the worst loss of life for the U.S. in the country since October. A U.S. congressional official said CIA employees are believed to be among the victims.

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Source: NPR Topics: News | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:55 am

Tunnel economy

How Gaza's economy has gone underground
Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:52 am

Afghanistan probes reports of more civilian deaths - AFP

MiamiHerald.com

Afghanistan probes reports of more civilian deaths AFP KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Afghan authorities said Thursday they were investigating reports of civilian deaths in a NATO air strike, as fresh protests erupted over the alleged killing of 10 non-combatants. The probe was launched into reports that nine ... Afghan civilians killed in air raidAljazeera.net Taliban claims responsibility for bombingCNN Afghanistan suicide bombing kills 8 CIA officersLos Angeles Times BBC News -Telegraph.co.uk -ABC Online all 2,013 news articles »

Source: Top Stories - Google News | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:48 am

Obama to receive prelim report on airline attack (AP)

AP - President Barack Obama is to receive a preliminary report Thursday on how a 23-year-old Nigerian with suspected terrorist ties managed to board a plane he is accused of attempting to bomb on Christmas Day, along with recommendations on how to prevent a sequel.

Source: Yahoo! News: Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:46 am

Bali officials deny terrorist attack claims

The Indonesian resort island of Bali faces a risk of attack on New Year's Eve, a statement issued by the US Embassy quoted the island's governor as saying, but the governor's office denied making any such comment.The embassy sent...
Source: nzherald.co.nz - World | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:45 am

Iran state prosecutor warns opposition figures

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Iran's state prosecutor has warned top opposition leaders they could face trial if they fail to denounce this week's anti-government protests....
Source: AP Top International News At 5:34 a... | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:42 am

Iran state prosecutor warns opposition figures

Iran's state prosecutor has warned top opposition leaders they could face trial if they fail to denounce this week's anti-government protests. The prosecutor, Gholam Hossein Mohseni...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:42 am

Ferguson fires warning after win

Sir Alex Ferguson warns his side's title rivals that Manchester United will only improve in 2010 following their 5-0 win over Wigan.
Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:40 am

France To Give Tesla Buyers an Effective 20% Discount

"There are two other models that qualify for a special maximum bonus: a subsidy worth 20 percent of the value of the car. These are the Tesla Roadster and the Reva, which both fall into the "less than 60 g/km" category."

Source: digg.com: Stories / Popular | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:40 am

Taliban claims attack that killed eight Americans (AFP)

AFP - The Taliban claimed responsibility Thursday for an attack by a suicide bomber on a US base in eastern Afghanistan that killed eight Americans reportedly working for the CIA.

Source: Yahoo! News: Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:39 am

Finnish TV: Gunman fires shots in shopping mall

Finland's state broadcaster reports that a gunman has fired shots in a shopping mall in Espoo, the country's second largest city. There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths,...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:35 am

Rush Limbaugh admitted to Honolulu hospital (AP)

AP - Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh is resting comfortably in a Hawaii hospital after suffering chest pains while on vacation, his radio program says.

Source: Yahoo! News: Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:35 am

Shooting at Finland shopping centre - ABC Online

Times Online

Shooting at Finland shopping centre ABC Online Several ambulances have rushed to the scene and parts of the mall have been evacuated. A lone gunman dressed in black has opened fire at a shopping centre in a town near Finland's capital, Helsinki. Witnesses have seen people being shot and police have ... At least four dead as gunman opens fire in Finnish shopping centreTimes Online Reports: Shooting at Finnish shopping centerCNN International Finnish media: 4 killed in shopping mall shootingYnetnews msnbc.com -Telegraph.co.uk -Press TV all 184 news articles »

Source: Top Stories - Google News | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:34 am

Finnish media: 4 dead in mall shooting

A gunman killed four people early Thursday in a shooting rampage at a mall in Finland's second largest city, police told a state broadcaster.
Source: Newsvine - Get Smarter Here | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:33 am

Suspect took religion classes in Houston

The Nigerian man charged with trying to destroy a plane on Christmas Day had studied at an Islamic institute in Houston in 2008.

Source: USATODAY.com News - Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:32 am

Chinese Muslim region adopts law on national unity

The government of a restive Chinese Muslim region rocked recently by ethnic strife said Thursday it has adopted what appeared to be a sweeping law barring the spread of views deemed to threaten national unity.
Source: Newsvine - Get Smarter Here | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:27 am

Bali Warns Of Possible New Year's Eve Attack

The U.S. Embassy warned Thursday of a possible New Year's Eve terrorist attack on Indonesia's Bali island based on information from its governor. It sent e-mails to U.S. citizens quoting the resort island's governor as saying, "There is an indication of an attack to Bali tonight."

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Source: NPR Topics: News | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:26 am

'One database failure after another'

The terrorist watch lists at the center of what President Obama called the botched handling of intelligence on a plot to blow ...

Source: USATODAY.com News - Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:25 am

Not forgotten

The great, good and not so good who died in 2009
Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:21 am

NKorea bans foreign currencies in market clampdown

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- North Korea has banned the use of foreign currency, another sign its hard-line communist government is intent on reasserting control over the country's nascent market economy....
Source: AP Top International News At 5:34 a... | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:17 am

NKorea bans foreign currencies in market clampdown

North Korea has banned the use of foreign currency, another sign its hard-line communist government is intent on reasserting control over the country's nascent market economy. Reports...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:17 am

US Embassy: Bali governor warns of possible attack

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- The U.S. Embassy warned Thursday of a possible New Year's Eve terrorist attack on Indonesia's Bali island based on information from its governor....
Source: AP Top International News At 5:34 a... | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:14 am

US Embassy: Bali governor warns of possible attack

The U.S. Embassy warned Thursday of a possible New Year's Eve terrorist attack on Indonesia's Bali island based on information from its governor. It sent e-mails to U.S. citizens...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:14 am

Bali warns of possible New Year's Eve attack, says U.S.

JAKARTA (Reuters) - The Indonesian resort island of Bali faces a risk of a possible attack on Thursday night, New Year's Eve, a statement issued by the U.S. Embassy quoted the island's...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:13 am

Witness sees shooting at Finnish mall: report

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Shots were fired on Thursday at a Finnish mall in a town near the capital Helsinki, and a witness saw people being shot, national broadcaster YLE reported.
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:12 am

Police arrest senior Pakistani Taliban commander

Police say they have arrested a senior Pakistani Taliban commander who led the militant group's network in Punjab, a key province where violence has been increasing. Senior police...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:07 am

Afghanistan far deadlier than Iraq for U.S. troops in 2009

More than twice as many U.S. troops died in Afghanistan in 2009 than in Iraq, U.S. casualty records show.

Source: USATODAY.com News - Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:05 am

Afghan attacks kill 8 CIA employees, 5 Canadians

KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide bomber penetrated a foreign army base in Afghanistan and killed eight CIA employees on Wednesday, one of the U.S. agency's largest death tolls, while four Canadian troops and a journalist died in a separate attack.
Source: Reuters: Top News | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:01 am

Afghan attacks kill 8 CIA employees, 5 Canadians (Reuters)

Reuters - A suicide bomber penetrated a foreign army base in Afghanistan and killed eight CIA employees on Wednesday, one of the U.S. agency's largest death tolls, while four Canadian troops and a journalist died in a separate attack.

Source: Yahoo! News: Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 2:01 am

Detroit terror attack: delay over airport X-ray scanners 'risking lives' - Telegraph.co.uk

CBC.ca

Detroit terror attack: delay over airport X-ray scanners 'risking lives' Telegraph.co.uk Ministers have been accused of putting lives at risk by failing to order X-ray style body scanners at British airports despite fears that al-Qaeda is planning a wave of syringe bomb attacks on planes. By Gordon Rayner and David Millward The scanners, ... Detroit flight plot may prove boon for security firmsAFP Nigeria to Use Full-Body Scanners to Improve Security at its AirportsVoice of America Dutch to Use Body ScannersWall Street Journal Xinhua -New York Daily News -Christian Science Monitor all 2,113 news articles »

Source: Top Stories - Google News | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:57 am

Chronology of news events in 2009

Dec. 16
Source: Newsvine - Get Smarter Here | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:45 am

Ex-Indonesia leader Abdurrahman Wahid mourned - BBC News

CBC.ca

Ex-Indonesia leader Abdurrahman Wahid mourned BBC News Thousands of mourners have gathered in Indonesia to pay their respects to the former president, Abdurrahman Wahid, as his funeral was held in East Java. Often referred to by his nickname, Gus Dur, Wahid led the country from 1999 to 2001. ... China mourns death of Indonesian former president WahidXinhua Indonesia buries popular ex-president WahidABC Online MPR chief sees off Gur Dur`s bodyANTARA New York Times -Washington Post all 621 news articles »

Source: Top Stories - Google News | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:43 am

NH gay couples to start New Year with wedding vows (AP)

AP - Jeffry Burr and Neil Blair are just hours from their wedding, but there are no typical prenuptial jitters. After all, this is the third time they've exchanged vows.

Source: Yahoo! News: Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:40 am

Video Surfaces of Tex. Tech Player Kept in Electrical Closet

An interesting video popped up tonight, which allegedly shows Adam James in an electrical closet just off the media room at Jones AT&T Stadium, refuting claims from Mike Leach's lawyer that the player was in large, well-lit rooms.

Source: digg.com: Stories / Popular | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:40 am

Unnoticed clues haunt Fort Hood

Nidal Hasan was causing a ruckus in his one-bedroom apartment during the early hours of Nov. 5, banging against the thin walls long after midnight, packing boxes and shredding papers until he woke up the tenants next door.
Source: Newsvine - Get Smarter Here | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:39 am

Unnoticed clues haunt Fort Hood

As the government laments the missed signals in the attempted airline bombing, there remain questions about how so many clues passed unnoticed before the Fort Hood shootings.



Source: msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:39 am

China jails senior Tibetan lama for 8 1/2 years

China has sentenced a respected Tibetan lama to 8 1/2 years in jail for illegal land occupation and ammunition possession, possibly the first senior Buddhist leader tried on serious charges linked to riots in 2008 in the Tibetan capital, a lawyer said Thursday.
Source: Newsvine - Get Smarter Here | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:29 am

Rush Limbaugh 'resting comfortably' in Hawaii hospital

Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh is "resting comfortably" at The Queen's Medical Center, where is was taken today ...

Source: USATODAY.com News - Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:29 am

Scanners force trade-off between privacy, security

As Ronak Ray hunted for his flight gate, he prepared for the prospect of a security guard peering through his clothes with a full body scanner. But Ray doesn't mind: what he gives up in privacy he gets back in security.
Source: Newsvine - Get Smarter Here | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:21 am

NH gay couples to start New Year with wedding vows

Jeffry Burr and Neil Blair are just hours from their wedding, but there are no typical prenuptial jitters. After all, this is the third time they've exchanged vows.
Source: Newsvine - Get Smarter Here | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:19 am

US Embassy: Bali governor warns of possible attack

The U.S. Embassy warned Thursday of a possible New Year's Eve terrorist attack on Indonesia's Bali island based on information from its governor.
Source: Newsvine - Get Smarter Here | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:18 am

Common ground seen in gulf between health care bills

As they begin to marry competing health care bills passed by the House and Senate, lawmakers face profound differences on key ...

Source: USATODAY.com News - Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:18 am

FAA and taxpayers prop up small, little-used airports

Business-owned airports used exclusively for private planes have gotten $240 million for upgrades, a USA TODAY analysis shows.

Source: USATODAY.com News - Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:16 am

Junior ROTC 'more than a class' to teens

Before enrolling in the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at Asheville High School, William Michaels says he struggled ...

Source: USATODAY.com News - Top Stories | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:15 am

Stages of Life

Stages of Life - From Sex to Toilet

Source: digg.com: Stories / Popular | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:10 am

City National repays half of TARP funds

Regulators OK repayment of $200 million of the federal investment in the L.A. bank. It was among smaller banks asked by the government to participate in the program to stimulate lending.

When City National Corp. accepted a $400-million investment from the U.S. Treasury during last year's economic free fall, the regional bank said it was well capitalized and didn't really need the money.

Source: Los Angeles Times - Top News | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am

GMAC is set to receive $3.8 billion more in federal aid

This would be the third lifeline for the auto and mortgage lender and would increase the government's 35% equity ownership to a majority share of 56%.

GMAC Financial Services will get a $3.8-billion boost in federal aid as the auto industry's key lender to consumers and related businesses struggles to regain its financial footing.

Source: Los Angeles Times - Top News | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am

Iraq suicide bombing kills 25

The governor of Anbar province is among 100 injured in the bombing in Ramadi. The attack brings back memories of violence from 2004 to '06, when the provincial capital was a wasteland.

A suicide bomb attack Wednesday in Anbar province's capital killed 25 people and wounded 100, including the governor. The attack raised fears that the devastating bloodletting that swept western Iraq several years ago may be returning.

Source: Los Angeles Times - Top News | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am

Russians lap up the tale of a shadowy spy couple

Even though little has been disclosed about the missions of Mikhail and Yelizaveta Mukasey -- a.k.a. Zefir and Elza -- the longtime agents who traipsed the world are now heroes at home.

For five years, as the world convulsed with war, the unassuming Soviet couple rubbed elbows with the likes of Walt Disney and Orson Welles. They took in a private screening of "The Great Dictator," at the invitation of Charlie Chaplin.

Source: Los Angeles Times - Top News | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am

Afghanistan suicide bombing kills 8 CIA officers

The Taliban takes responsibility for the explosion at a U.S. base in Khowst province where the agency has a major presence. No U.S. or NATO military personnel are hurt.

Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan, and Rochester, N.Y. -- A bomber slipped into a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday and detonated a suicide vest, killing eight CIA officers in one of the deadliest days in the agency's history, current and former U.S. officials said.

Source: Los Angeles Times - Top News | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am

British hostage freed in Iraq

Computer consultant Peter Moore is released after more than two years as the U.S. hands over to Iraqi authorities Qais Khazali, leader of the group suspected of kidnapping him.

A British hostage held for 2 1/2 years by a militant Iraqi Shiite Muslim group was freed Wednesday in a move his family hailed as "the best Christmas present ever."

Source: Los Angeles Times - Top News | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am

'Augmented reality' poised to become an everyday reality for consumers

After years of use in academia and industry -- not to mention sci-fi movies, the technology, which mixes real-world elements with computer-generated images, is showing up wherever there's a webcam.

"Augmented reality" may sound like indecipherable technobabble, but the concept behind this technology is familiar to anyone who has seen any of the "Terminator" movies.

Source: Los Angeles Times - Top News | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am

Iran government supporters rally in Tehran

Demonstrators call for the death of opponents of the hard-line government and decry the opposition after a weekend of large-scale protests, for which leaders blame the West.

Tens of thousands of Iranians backing the country's rulers rallied in central Tehran on Wednesday, calling for the death of antigovernment protesters and opposition leader Mir-Hossein Mousavi.

Source: Los Angeles Times - Top News | 31 Dec 2009 | 1:00 am

Canadians killed in Afghanistan attack - BBC News

Sydney Morning Herald

Canadians killed in Afghanistan attack BBC News Four Canadian soldiers and a journalist have been killed in an attack in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar. The journalist has been identified as Michelle Lang, 34, from the Calgary Herald, who had just arrived on her first assignment in the ... Five Canadians killed in AfghanistanXinhua Routine mission turns deadly for Canadians in AfghanistanToronto Star Canadians killed in Afghan attacksAljazeera.net Voice of America -New York Times (blog) -AFP all 428 news articles »

Source: Top Stories - Google News | 31 Dec 2009 | 12:56 am

Graphic on Papua New Guinea where six people have died in a light plane crash

Six people, including two children, are dead and an Australian pilot is seriously injured after a light plane crashed in Papua New Guinea, an official said on Thursday.
Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 12:51 am

Washington has branded South Waziristan the most dangerous region in the world

File photo shows a Pakistani paramilitary personnel on guard in a bunker in Wana, South Waziristan, near the Afghan border. Pakistan commandos raided a private hospital before dawn in a Taliban stronghold...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 12:51 am

Reinventing the MacBook Air

How does Apple reconceive the MacBook Air as the trendsetting laptop approaches its second anniversary?

Source: digg.com: Stories / Popular | 31 Dec 2009 | 12:50 am

Has the Human Species "Leap-Frogged" the Laws of Evolution?

Although advances in medical care have improved standards of living over time, humans aren't entirely sheltered from the forces of natural selection, a new study shows.

Source: digg.com: Stories / Popular | 31 Dec 2009 | 12:50 am

The fire services said Western Australia had not lost so many homes to wildfire in half-a-century

Updated map locating two major wildfires in Western Australia. Shocked residents returned to survey the wreckage on Thursday after Western Australia's worst wildfire in 50 years engulfed 38 homes in an...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 12:41 am

Hundreds of firefighters battled the inferno, apparently sparked when power lines collapsed

A burntout vehicle is pictured amongst the devastation at a property on Adenanthus Road after an overnight fire roared through the Lloyds Hill subdivision area near Toodyay, about 85 kms northeast of Perth...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 12:41 am

Australians are bracing for another horror bushfire season after one of the warmest winters on record

A fire-damaged building near Toodyay, about 85 kms northeast of Perth in Western Australia. Emotional householders were given the all-clear to go back to Toodyay, north of Perth, where the inferno raced...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesWorld | 31 Dec 2009 | 12:41 am

Taliban claim blast that killed 8 Americans

The Taliban claimed responsibility Thursday for a suicide bombing at a base in eastern Afghanistan that killed eight American civilians and one Afghan.

Source: msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines | 31 Dec 2009 | 12:39 am

Mayweather-Pacquiao Fiasco Shows The Unseemly Side of Boxing

Things are not always as they seem in boxing, which is par for the course. You'll understand the confounding events that threaten the hotly anticipated fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao a lot better if you understand that in boxing, what one says publicly isn't always what one means...

Source: digg.com: Stories / Popular | 31 Dec 2009 | 12:30 am

Expansion of Deciduous Trees could Make Arctic Warm Faster

A new simulation of deciduous tree expansion into the Arctic region shows that the trees would block the highly reflective snow and increase cloud cover, causing the area to warm even faster than it already is. Although temperatures have risen throughout the globe, they've gone up most dramatically in the Arctic. Past warm periods indicate that...

Source: digg.com: Stories / Popular | 31 Dec 2009 | 12:30 am

Report: Rush Limbaugh hospitalized

Conservative U.S. radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh was resting comfortably at a hospital in Hawaii on Wednesday after suffering chest pains, his Web site said.

Source: msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines | 31 Dec 2009 | 12:01 am

The 11 Best Xbox360 games of 2009

From Assassin's Creed 2 to Batman: Arkham Asylum and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 to Grand Theft Auto IV: the Ballad of Gay Tony, which Xbox360 game of 2009 is your favorite?

Source: digg.com: Stories / Popular | 31 Dec 2009 | 12:00 am

Radio host Limbaugh hospitalized with chest pains

HONOLULU (Reuters) - Conservative U.S. radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh was resting comfortably at a hospital in Hawaii on Wednesday after suffering chest pains, his website said.
Source: Reuters: Top News | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:54 pm

The Criminalization of Protest

Police and politicians ignore the First Amendment when we need it the most.

Source: digg.com: Stories / Popular | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:50 pm

Indonesians bury popular former President Wahid

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- Thousands of mourners thronged roads Thursday in Indonesia to say farewell to late President Abdurrahman Wahid, a beloved, one-eyed cleric who reached out to religious minorities in the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation....
Source: AP Top International News At 5:34 a... | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:49 pm

OC megachurch pastor Rick Warren asks for urgent donations

LAKE FOREST, Calif. - Evangelical pastor Rick Warren appealed to parishioners at his Orange County megachurch Wednesday to help fill a $900,000 deficit by the first of the...
Source: Home - BostonHerald.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:45 pm

Bruins shut out everything

The Bruins have had plenty of distractions lately. In the past two days, they've had four players named to their respective Olympic teams and tomorrow they take part...
Source: Home - BostonHerald.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:39 pm

Mom helps David Krejci cash in Olympic Czech

David Krejci is mired in a six-game pointless streak. But if he needed a little pick-me-up, he got one yesterday morning. Krejci said he received a welcome wake-up call...
Source: Home - BostonHerald.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:39 pm

Rush Limbaugh admitted to Honolulu hospital

HONOLULU - Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh was taken to a hospital after suffering chest pains and was resting comfortably Wednesday, his radio program said in a...
Source: Home - BostonHerald.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:39 pm

Goal, Patrice Bergeron

At some point late last night, with no cameras whirring in the background and no pesky sportswriters asking the how-does-it-feel questions, Patrice Bergeron probably jumped...
Source: Home - BostonHerald.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:38 pm

8 U.S. Civilians Killed in Afghan Bombing

Suicide Bomber Strikes Forward Operating Military Base in Khost, Separate Explosion Kills 5 Canadians
Source: Latest World Headlines - CBS News | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:30 pm

Plot exposes fissure in U.S. intelligence community

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Last week's failed plot to bomb a U.S. passenger jet has exposed lingering fissures within the U.S. intelligence community, which had information from interviews and clandestine intercepts but did not put the pieces together, officials said.
Source: Reuters: Top News | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:29 pm

T'd off Rasheed Wallace still talking

PHOENIX - Bad news for the NBA. Rasheed Wallace is getting the Tim Donaghy book. "I want to check it out and see what's there," Wallace said last night. ...
Source: Home - BostonHerald.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:29 pm

Storm on homefront

Home takings continued to decline in the Bay State last month, but foreclosure petitions - the first step by lenders to seize a property - swelled to a "relatively high...
Source: Home - BostonHerald.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:27 pm

Rush Limbaugh taken to Hawaii hospital with chest pains

Rush Limbaugh's radio program said Wednesay that the conservative talk show host is resting comfortably at a Honolulu hospital where he was taken with chest pains.

Source: Los Angeles Times - Top News | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:26 pm

Star-less Celtics outshone

PHOENIX - Weathermen here in the Valley of the Sun generally have a pretty easy job. But the forecast for last night was even more indubitable once the two brightest Celtic...
Source: Home - BostonHerald.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:25 pm

Tweets, sexting "unfriended" in U.S. banned word list

KANSAS CITY (Reuters) - If you recently tweeted about how you were chillaxin for the holiday, take note: Fifteen particularly over- or mis-used words and phrases have been declared "shovel-ready" to be "unfriended" by a U.S. university's annual list of terms that deserve to be banned.
Source: Reuters: Top News | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:25 pm

Harry Norman Pike

Harry Norman Pike of Bristol, formerly of Mansfield and Attleboro, a Korean War veteran and retired Attleboro police officer, died Friday at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence....
Source: Home - BostonHerald.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:22 pm

Carol J. Driscoll

Carol Jean (Taylor) Driscoll of Fort Myers, Fla., formerly of Tewksbury and Tyngsboro, a retired paralegal, died Friday after a lenghty period of declining health. She was...
Source: Home - BostonHerald.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:21 pm

Nebraska shuts out Arizona in Holiday Bowl

Zac Lee threw a 74-yard touchdown pass to Niles Paul in the third quarter to highlight No. 20 Nebraska’s 33-0 rout against No. 22 Arizona on a rainy Wednesday night, the first shutout in the 32-year history of the Holiday Bowl.

Source: msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines | 30 Dec 2009 | 11:06 pm

Decade In Review: Corporate Scoundrels And Scandals

The business world has been rocked by one scandal after another in the past decade. From Martha Stewart to Bernie Ebbers and Bernie Madoff, it's been a confusing and angry time for investors. The era also saw a 777-point one-day plunge in the Dow and some 7 million job losses.

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Source: NPR Topics: News | 30 Dec 2009 | 10:33 pm

Afghan War Threatens To Spill Over Into Central Asia

Analysts are warning that Afghanistan's Central Asian neighbors are in danger of being pulled into the Afghan conflict as Islamist groups join forces with the Taliban. That complicates U.S. efforts in the region and raises the issue of whether the war can be contained to Afghanistan.

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Source: NPR Topics: News | 30 Dec 2009 | 10:32 pm

Yemeni forces raid al-Qaida hideout, clashes erupt

SAN'A, Yemen (AP) -- Yemeni forces raided an al-Qaida hideout and set off a gunbattle Wednesday as the government vowed to eliminate the group that claimed it was behind the Christmas bombing attempt on a U.S. airliner....
Source: AP Top International News At 5:34 a... | 30 Dec 2009 | 10:26 pm

Obama criticized on airline incident when Bush wasn't - Seattle Times

Globe and Mail

Obama criticized on airline incident when Bush wasn't Seattle Times Eight years ago, a terrorist bomber's attempt to blow up a trans-Atlantic airliner was thwarted by passengers and revealed gaping holes in airline security only months after the Sept. 11 attacks. By Josh Gerstein President Bush and so-called shoe ... Republicans must keep up the heat on homeland securityNew York Daily News Unlike 9/11, partisanship has worsened after Christmas attackChristian Science Monitor Napolitano Becomes GOP Political TargetWall Street Journal CNN -AFP -msnbc.com all 356 news articles »

Source: Top Stories - Google News | 30 Dec 2009 | 10:24 pm

First Up For High Court In 2010: Campaign Finance

When the Supreme Court reconvenes in January, it will decide a case that could redefine the role of corporations in political campaigns. Meanwhile, in the lower courts, the number of judicial vacancies has doubled during President Obama's time in office — as Republicans try to minimize his effect on the courts.

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Source: NPR Topics: News | 30 Dec 2009 | 10:14 pm

Somali arrested at airport with chemicals, syringe

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- U.S. officials are investigating a Somali man's alleged attempt to board a flight bound for Djibouti and Dubai last month carrying chemicals, liquid and a syringe in a case bearing chilling echoes of the plot to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas Day....
Source: AP Top International News At 5:34 a... | 30 Dec 2009 | 10:11 pm

Wahid was criticised in office for his erratic leadership style

Former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid, seen here in 2008, has died in hospital aged 69, after a long battle with illness, a party official said.
Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesWorld | 30 Dec 2009 | 10:11 pm

Wahid's coffin is carried by relatives in Jakarta

The coffin of the late former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid is carried by relatives in Jakarta. Popularly known as Gus Dur, he was practically blind and in later years used a wheelchair, but remained...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesWorld | 30 Dec 2009 | 10:11 pm

Abdurrahman Wahid was Indonesia's fourth president, coming to power in 1999

An Indonesian boy, supporter of late president Abdurrahman Wahid, puts a candle in front of a picture of Wahid in Surabaya on December 30. Flags were flying at half mast as a sign of respect for the frail...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesWorld | 30 Dec 2009 | 10:11 pm

Fragile Recovery On The Horizon For Housing

Existing single-family home sales rose nearly 20 percent over just the past couple of months. But prices in most places are not going up, thanks to a glut of foreclosures. Still, housing construction is expected to go from being a big drag to being a small positive.

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Source: NPR Topics: News | 30 Dec 2009 | 10:00 pm

Calif. Megachurch Pastor Asks for Urgent Donations - New York Times

Straits Times

Calif. Megachurch Pastor Asks for Urgent Donations New York Times By AP LAKE FOREST, Calif. (AP) -- Evangelical pastor Rick Warren is begging parishioners at his Southern California megachurch to cough up $900000 before Jan. 1 to keep the parish out of the red. In an urgent letter posted on the Saddleback Church Web ... Anti-Gay Pastor Rick Warren Begs For $900000On Top Magazine Saddleback Church members say 'Amen' to pastor's requestOCRegister Lake Forest megachurch calls on followers to donate almost $1 million in 48 hoursLos Angeles Times (blog) Firedoglake (blog) -Washington Post all 209 news articles »

Source: Top Stories - Google News | 30 Dec 2009 | 9:43 pm

LeBron celebrates birthday, torches Hawks

Anderson Varejao made his first career 3-pointer with 17.2 seconds left — a 25th birthday present to teammate LeBron James — to give Cleveland a 106-101 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night, the Cavaliers’ 11th victory in 12 games.

Source: msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines | 30 Dec 2009 | 9:27 pm

Body mistakenly cremated

PROSPECT, Connecticut - A grieving family learned their 95-year-old great-grandmother had been cremated when they found a stranger's body in her casket, and a funeral home is being investigated in the incident.Relatives of Aurelie...
Source: nzherald.co.nz - World | 30 Dec 2009 | 9:24 pm

Cincinnati knocks off No. 10 UConn

Freshman Lance Stephenson was fouled with less than a second left and made both free throws Wednesday night, rallying Cincinnati to a breakthrough 71-69 victory over No. 10 Connecticut in a wild Big East opener for both teams.

Source: msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines | 30 Dec 2009 | 8:25 pm

NYT: Agencies didn't connect clues

American spy agencies failed to combine the intercepted conversations with other information that might have disrupted last week’s attempted airline bombing.

Source: msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines | 30 Dec 2009 | 8:20 pm

Treasury to dole out $3.8 billion to GMAC, raise stake

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. is injecting another $3.8 billion into GMAC Financial Services to help cover mortgage losses, in a bailout that makes the government the majority owner of the auto and home finance company.
Source: Reuters: Top News | 30 Dec 2009 | 8:16 pm

Idaho stuns Bowling Green in wild bowl finish

Max Komar made a sliding 16-yard touchdown catch with 4 seconds left and Nathan Enderle passed to Preston Davis for the 2-point conversion, lifting Idaho to a dramatic 43-42 victory over Bowling Green in Wednesday night’s Humanitarian Bowl.

Source: msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines | 30 Dec 2009 | 8:07 pm

'Beaten' man just wanted ride to bar

Authorities say a Florida man who called police dispatchers claiming that he had been beaten and shot at was hoping the tale would get him a ride to a bar.Instead, 37-year-old Gregory Oras is facing charges of misusing the emergency...
Source: nzherald.co.nz - World | 30 Dec 2009 | 8:00 pm

Dutch, Nigerians to use full-body scans for flights

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - The Netherlands and Nigeria said on Wednesday they would use full-body scanners at airports after a failed Christmas Day attack on a U.S.-bound plane by a 23-year-old Nigerian suspect who passed through both countries.
Source: Reuters: Top News | 30 Dec 2009 | 7:57 pm

AIG executive resigns over pay limits

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A top executive at American International Group Inc has resigned because of pay curbs imposed by the Obama Administration's pay czar, the insurer said on Wednesday.
Source: Reuters: Top News | 30 Dec 2009 | 7:57 pm

U.S. airport security irks, but passengers cope

CHICAGO (Reuters) - First it was pocket knives and nail clippers. Then it was shoes. Then liquids. Now the government may want a closer look at your underwear after a botched attempt to blow up a U.S. airliner on Christmas Day.
Source: Reuters: Top News | 30 Dec 2009 | 7:56 pm

Air Travel: Tightening up security. FLASH GRAPHIC

Interactive graphic on airport security as checks are tightened worldwide after a Nigerian was accused of trying to blow up an airliner over Detroit in a failed Christmas Day attack.
Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesWorld | 30 Dec 2009 | 7:55 pm

Obama has demanded a full accounting into what he denounced as systemic intelligence failures

A security officer screens an airline passenger's luggage at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Texas. US intelligence agencies scrambled to explain security lapses that almost led to the mid-air...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNImagesWorld | 30 Dec 2009 | 7:55 pm

Washington Times cans sports section

The Washington Times has sounded the death knell for its sports section.According to AFP, the final edition of the sports section will appear on Friday.The financially troubled newspaper laid off more than 40 per cent of...
Source: nzherald.co.nz - World | 30 Dec 2009 | 7:50 pm

Targeted Killing of Journalists Up in '09

113, the Highest Number on Record, Killed Worldwide; Mexico, Philippines, Somalia among Most Dangerous Countries
Source: Latest World Headlines - CBS News | 30 Dec 2009 | 7:30 pm

Sponsored By:

Source: msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines | 30 Dec 2009 | 7:17 pm

Woman concussed by stuffed moose

NEW YORK - A web designer says she was struck by the decor at a New York City restaurant when it fell on her head.Raina Kumra says in a negligence lawsuit filed last week that a 68kg stuffed moose head with 90cm-wide antlers plummeted...
Source: nzherald.co.nz - World | 30 Dec 2009 | 7:00 pm

Somalia: Plane Attack Attempted in Nov.

Officials Say Somali National Tried to Board Airplane With Powdered Chemicals
Source: Latest World Headlines - CBS News | 30 Dec 2009 | 7:00 pm

U.S. and Dutch Spat Over Image Scanners

Scanners are more Effective than Pat-Downs or Metal Detectors
Source: Latest World Headlines - CBS News | 30 Dec 2009 | 6:30 pm

CIA's Abdulmutallab Info Not High Priority

Sources: Agency's Intelligence on Bomb Plot Suspect was Not From Origin Source and Therefore Lacked Urgency
Source: Latest World Headlines - CBS News | 30 Dec 2009 | 6:30 pm

Italian authorities seize contaminated seafood

ROME, AP - Italian authorities have seized some 500 tonnes of bad seafood and shellfish believed to be largely destined for New Year's Eve dinner parties.Agriculture Minister Luca Zaia said that worms were found in some of the...
Source: nzherald.co.nz - World | 30 Dec 2009 | 5:33 pm

Video: Another Attack Imminent?

As the Abdulmutallab investigation continues, authorities want to know who trained the suspect, who gave him the explosives, and if another attack is imminent. Armen Keteyian reports.
Source: Latest World Headlines - CBS News | 30 Dec 2009 | 5:29 pm

Video: Terror Clues Unfold

U.S. officials are becoming increasingly convinced that Anwar al Awlaki is more than a radical cleric. Sources say he is a facilitator and a talent recruiter for al Qaeda. Bob Orr reports.
Source: Latest World Headlines - CBS News | 30 Dec 2009 | 5:27 pm

Video: Afghan Bombing Inside Job?

A suicide bomber struck inside a U.S. base in Afghanistan, killing at least eight Americans. As David Martin reports, investigators are trying to determine how the bomber got onto the base.
Source: Latest World Headlines - CBS News | 30 Dec 2009 | 5:25 pm

Thirteen killed in Afghanistan blasts

KABUL - Separate bomb explosions in Afghanistan's volatile east and south killed eight American civilians, and four troops and a journalist from Canada, US and NATO officials said.A suicide attacker detonated explosives on Wednesday...
Source: nzherald.co.nz - World | 30 Dec 2009 | 5:11 pm

Presenter sacked for criticising royal speech

A British radio presenter was sacked after he called Queen Elizabeth II's Christmas Day speech "boring".Tom Binns lost his job at Birmingham radio station BRMB when listeners complained about his interruption of the Queen's traditional...
Source: nzherald.co.nz - World | 30 Dec 2009 | 4:56 pm

British hostage released after two-year ordeal

A British man abducted in Baghdad by armed militants disguised as policemen has been freed, alive and remarkably well after two years in captivity, the British government said.Computer consultant Peter Moore, who was handed over...
Source: nzherald.co.nz - World | 30 Dec 2009 | 4:25 pm

Iraq hostages: Peter Moore's kidnapping 'masterminded by Iran'

The kidnapping of the computer expert and the four other British men was masterminded by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, according to reports.
Source: Latest News, Breaking News and Current News from the UK and World | 30 Dec 2009 | 4:14 pm

Hugo Chavez mocks Venezuela coup, Fidel Castro death forecast

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez scoffed on Wednesday at U.S. magazine Newsweek's predictions that he would be toppled by a military coup and his Cuban mentor Fidel Castro would die in 2010.
Source: Reuters: Top News | 30 Dec 2009 | 3:45 pm

British Hostage in Iraq Set Free Unharmed

Peter Moore, a Computer Consultant, Freed After Two and a Half Years; Did U.S. Trade a Prisoner?
Source: Latest World Headlines - CBS News | 30 Dec 2009 | 3:30 pm

Government To Give GMAC $3.8 Billion More In Aid

The fresh infusion is on top of $12.5 billion in taxpayer money Detroit-based GMAC has already received from the government. The new agreement will boost the federal government's ownership in GMAC to 56 percent, from 35 percent. Shoring up GMAC has been a major component of the administration's effort to rescue GM and Chrysler.

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Source: NPR Topics: News | 30 Dec 2009 | 3:17 pm

Russia Planning Mission To Save Earth From Asteroid

Russia's space agency chief said Wednesday a spacecraft may be dispatched to knock the 885-foot asteroid off course, but U.S. scientists chances it would hit Earth are very slim.

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Source: NPR Topics: News | 30 Dec 2009 | 2:56 pm

CBO Affirms Savings From Malpractice Reform

The Congressional Budget Office explains how an estimate of just $5 billion in deficit-reduction from malpractice reform swelled to $54 billion less than a year later.

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Source: NPR Topics: News | 30 Dec 2009 | 2:20 pm

New Details In Failed Plane Plot

U.S. intelligence collected intercepts from Yemen referring to a Nigerian being prepared for a terrorist attack before the failed attempt to blow up a Detroit-bound plane on Christmas Day. Also, the CIA met with the suspected terrorist's father last month and was warned about the Nigerian student's potential ties to extremists.

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Source: NPR Topics: News | 30 Dec 2009 | 2:07 pm

Bombs kill more than 30 in Iraq

RAMADI, Iraq (Reuters) - Twin suicide bombs killed at least 27 and wounded more than 100 in Iraq's Sunni Arab heartland on Wednesday and a roadside bomb killed seven pilgrims returning from a major Shi'ite Muslim religious festival.
Source: Reuters: Top News | 30 Dec 2009 | 2:05 pm

Detroit terror attack: delay over airport X-ray scanners 'risking lives'

Ministers accused of putting lives at risk by failing to order body scanners at UK airports despite fears of al-Qaeda syringe bomb attacks.
Source: Latest News, Breaking News and Current News from the UK and World | 30 Dec 2009 | 2:05 pm

U.S. Places New Duties on Steel From China

Action Reflects Growing Tensions Over Trade; Americans Say Chinese Have Been Engaged in "Dumping"
Source: Latest World Headlines - CBS News | 30 Dec 2009 | 2:00 pm

Six die as freezing weather grips Britain

Three climbers died in two separate avalanches as freezing weather continued to grip Britain.
Source: Latest News, Breaking News and Current News from the UK and World | 30 Dec 2009 | 1:47 pm

Barack Obama considers sanctions against Iran's leaders

Targeted sanctions considered as deadline for Tehran to respond to the West's demands due to expire.
Source: Latest News, Breaking News and Current News from the UK and World | 30 Dec 2009 | 12:07 pm

Blasts in Iraq kill 30

Explosions in central and western Iraq have killed 30 people and wounded the Anbar provincial governor.
Source: Latest News, Breaking News and Current News from the UK and World | 30 Dec 2009 | 10:56 am

Somali Pirates Attack Kuwaiti Oil Tanker

The spokesman for the European Union's anti-piracy force says Somali pirates have attacked a Kuwaiti-flagged oil tanker but failed to seize it.
Source: FOXNews.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 10:18 am

Afghan Probe Claims NATO Violence Killed Children

The head of a presidential delegation investigating the deaths of 10 people in eastern Afghanistan concluded Wednesday that civilians — including schoolchildren — were killed in an attack involving foreign troops.
Source: FOXNews.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 10:13 am

Yemeni Forces Storm Al Qaeda Hide-Out, Set Off Clashes

A Yemeni security official says forces have stormed an Al Qaeda hide-out in the country's west, setting off clashes.
Source: FOXNews.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 9:20 am

Bombs Kill 23 in Iraq's Western Anbar Province

Staggered explosions Wednesday killed 23 people -- 13 of them policemen -- and wounded an Iraqi provincial governor, officials said, in the worst violence in months to hit the western province.
Source: FOXNews.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 8:55 am

British hostage in Iraq: Terry Waite reaction

Terry Waite, the former Lebanon hostage and founder of Hostage UK, has spoken after the release in Iraq of Peter Moore, the Briton held hostage in Iraq for over two-and-a-half years.
Source: Latest News, Breaking News and Current News from the UK and World | 30 Dec 2009 | 8:47 am

British Hostage Held More Than 2 Years in Iraq Is Freed

A British computer expert held hostage in Iraq for more than two-and-a-half years has been freed.
Source: FOXNews.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 8:36 am

British hostage Peter Moore speaks to relatives

Peter Moore, the released British hostage, appears healthy despite a two and a half year kidnapping ordeal in Iraq.
Source: Latest News, Breaking News and Current News from the UK and World | 30 Dec 2009 | 8:29 am

Pakistani Taliban Claim Procession Blast That Killed 44

The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility Wednesday for a bombing against a Shiite Muslim procession in the southern city of Karachi earlier in the week that killed 44 people.
Source: FOXNews.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 8:05 am

British hostage Peter Moore released in Iraq

Peter Moore, a Briton kidnapped with four others in Iraq in 2007, has been released, after Baghdad secured an agreement for his freedom with the kidnappers.
Source: Latest News, Breaking News and Current News from the UK and World | 30 Dec 2009 | 7:45 am

Dutch to Use Scans on U.S. Flights, Call Attack 'Amateurish'

The Netherlands will immediately begin using full body scanners for flights heading to the United States to prevent future terrorist attacks like the Christmas Day attempt by a young Nigerian.
Source: FOXNews.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 6:50 am

Officials: Somali Tried to Fly With Explosives Last Month

Officials say a Somali national tried to board a commercial airliner in Mogadishu last month with powdered chemicals, liquid and a syringe that together could have caused an explosion.
Source: FOXNews.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 6:40 am

Hugo Chavez Warns Opponents Against Coup Attempt

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is looking to 2010 facing a recession, trying to prevent widespread power outages, and warning his opponents against a coup attempt.
Source: FOXNews.com | 30 Dec 2009 | 6:40 am