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AP Top News Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:27:34 GMT
Weakened Earl hits Mass. with wind, rain, surf (AP) ...

The Chatham Lighthouse, situated at a working U.S. Coast Guard Station, casts its beam into a foggy evening, in Chatham, Mass., on Cape Cod, Friday, Sept. 3, 2010. Hurricane Earl is expected to arrive at Cape Cod late Friday. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)AP - The remnants of Hurricane Earl dumped wind-driven rain on Cape Cod's gray-shingled cottages and fishing villages Friday night, disrupting people's vacations on the unofficial final weekend of the short New England summer.



Report: Blackwater created shell companies (AP) ...

FILE - In a Monday, July 21, 2008 file photo, Blackwater Worldwide's headquarters is seen in Moyock, N.C. The New York Times is reporting that the security company Blackwater Worldwide formed a network of 30 shell companies and subsidiaries to get government business after the company faced strong criticism for its conduct in Iraq. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)AP - The security company Blackwater Worldwide formed a network of 30 shell companies and subsidiaries to try to get millions of dollars in government business after the company faced strong criticism for reckless conduct in Iraq, The New York Times reported Friday.



What now for Gulf? Fire complicates drill debate (AP) ...

Boats are seen spraying water on an oil and gas platform that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Louisiana., Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010. All 13 crew members were rescued.  (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)AP - What now for the Gulf? News of another oil rig fire in the Gulf of Mexico, so soon after the BP oil spill, has set off a wave of anxiety along the Gulf Coast and prompted calls for the government to extend its six-month ban on deepwater drilling.



Despite hiring, US unemployment rate seems frozen (AP) ...

In this Aug. 25, 2010 photograph, job seekers including Pat Mosher, third from left, fill out registration forms to attend a job fair in Southfield, Mich. On Friday, Sept. 3, 2010, at 8:30 a.m. EDT, the Labor Department issues the August unemployment report. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)AP - Unemployment is stuck at high levels even though some companies are hiring. The problem, government data show, is that too few jobs are being created for the growing number of people looking for work.



Powerful 7.1 quake hits New Zealand's South Island (AP) ...

A police officer is seen on a street blocked by rubble from a damaged building following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in central Christchurch, New Zealand, early Saturday, Sept. 4, 2010. A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck much of New Zealand's South Island early Saturday. No tsunami alert was issued and there were no reports of injuries, but looters broke into some damaged shops in Christchurch, police said. (AP Photo/NZPA, David Alexander) ** NEW ZEALAND OUT **AP - A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake damaged buildings, cut power and knocked fleeing residents off their feet on New Zealand's South Island early Saturday, but there were so far no deaths and only two injuries reported.



Clinton: Time is now for Mideast peace (AP) ...

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas looks on as she hosted the re-launch of direct negotiations, Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010, at the State Department in Washington\. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)AP - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sought to inject urgency into Israeli-Palestinian peace talks Friday, warning the negotiations may be "the last chance for a very long time" to reach an agreement.



Ariz. governor says she was wrong about beheadings (AP) ...

Republican Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer  waits for a televised Arizona gubernatorial debate to begin Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)AP - Gov. Jan Brewer rose to national fame defending the state's immigration law and warning of rising violence along the U.S.-Mexico border, including a claim that headless bodies were turning up in the Arizona desert.



Backer of NYC mosque gave to Hamas-linked charity (AP) ...

VIDEO: The proposed construction of a 100-million-dollar, 13-story mosque and Islamic center near Ground Zero in New York City, has stirred raw emotions in the United States as the country prepares to mark the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Duration: 01:00(afp.com)AP - One of the investors in a proposed Islamic center near ground zero is a Long Island medical clinic owner whose expressions of sympathy for Palestinians included a donation to a charity later shut down for links to Hamas.



Fox: Kara DioGuardi departs 'American Idol' (AP) ...

FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2009 file photo, Kara DioGuardi of 'American Idol' arrives at the FOX Winter All-Star Party in Los Angeles. Fox TV says Kara DioGuardi is leaving as `American Idol' judge, Friday, Sept. 3, 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)AP - Kara DioGuardi is following Ellen DeGeneres and Simon Cowell out the door at "American Idol."



Isner, Querrey reach 3rd round, Harrison doesn't (AP) ...

Fans cheer for Ryan Harrison of the United States as he plays Sergiy Stakhovsky of the Ukraine at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, Friday, Sept. 3, 2010. (AP Photo/Paul J. Bereswill)AP - On his way to victory at Louis Armstrong Stadium on Friday, the highest-seeded American man left in the U.S. Open, No. 18 John Isner, could hear the wild cheering and chanting going on at the adjacent Grandstand in support of another American man, Ryan Harrison, a qualifier who was the lowest-ranked (220) and youngest (18) player still in the tournament.



Emergency declared after 7.1 quake hits New Zealand (Reuters) ...

A car is seen under debris after a major earthquake in Christchurch September 4, 2010. A major earthquake of 7.4 magnitude hit New Zealand, 30 km (20 miles) west of Christchurch early on Saturday morning, causing no immediate reports of casualties but widespread damage, authorities said. REUTERS/Daniel McQueenReuters - Authorities declared a state of emergency after a major earthquake hit New Zealand's second biggest city, Christchurch, early on Saturday, bringing down power lines, ripping up roads and wrecking building facades, but authorities reported no deaths.



Taxpayers likely to face initial loss on GM IPO: sources (Reuters) ...

FILE - In this June 13, 2010 file photo, Tim Allen arrives at the world premiere of 'Toy Story 3,' at The El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles. General Motors Co. said Friday, Sept. 3, 2010, Tim Allen will be a spokesman for the brand and will star in a series of TV ads for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze that begin airing on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Katy Winn, file)Reuters - The U.S. government is likely to take a loss on General Motors Co in the first offering of the automaker's stock, six people familiar with preparations for the landmark IPO said.



Obama to address new economic ideas next Wednesday (Reuters) ...

President Barack Obama delivers remarks on the latest employment statistics released on Friday, alongside Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner in the Rose Garden of the White House, September 3, 2010. REUTERS/Jason ReedReuters - President Barack Obama said on Friday he would outline new measures next week to boost the U.S. economy, but analysts were skeptical he would be able to deliver a big enough package to lift growth significantly.



U.S. and Israel spying behind BlackBerry woe: Dubai police (Reuters) ...

A family walks past a display of a BlackBerry smart phone at a shopping mall in Dubai August 1, 2010. REUTERS/Mosab OmarReuters - Concerns over Israeli access to BlackBerry data, and the use of the device by the United States to spy on the United Arab Emirates are behind the Gulf state's moves to curb the smartphone, Dubai's police chief said.



Earl downgraded from hurricane to tropical storm (Reuters) ...

The light from the Chatham Lighthouse shines through the fog as people stand along Chatham Beach while waiting for Hurricane Earl to hit Chatham, Massachusetts. A weakened but still nasty Hurricane Earl raced towards the beachcombers' paradise of Cape Cod Friday, sweeping up the US East Coast with heavy rains and strong winds.(AFP/Getty Images/Darren Mccollester)Reuters - Hurricane Earl was downgraded to a tropical storm on Friday, weakening as it swirled up the U.S. eastern seaboard, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.



Bomb kills 54 in Pakistan, Taliban threatens U.S. (Reuters) ...

Volunteers help injured men to an ambulance from the site of a suicide attack during a Shi'ite procession in Quetta September 3, 2010. REUTERS/Rizwan SaeedReuters - A suicide bomber struck a rally in the Pakistani city of Quetta on Friday, killing at least 54 people in the second major attack this week and piling pressure on a U.S.-backed government overwhelmed by a flood crisis.



Government says no leaking oil at Mariner platform (Reuters) ...

Boats spray water to extinguish a fire on an oil and gas platform operated by Mariner Energy off the Louisiana coast September 2, 2010. REUTERS/Lee CelanoReuters - U.S. government inspectors found no leaking oil at Mariner Energy Inc's burned platform in the Gulf of Mexico, officials said late on Friday, allaying fears about more environmental damage after BP's massive spill.



Google faces Texas AG inquiry, settles privacy suit (Reuters) ...

Google co-founder Sergey Brin participates in a panel discussion in Mountain View, California February 9, 2010. REUTERS/Robert GalbraithReuters - Google Inc said on Friday it was the target of an investigation by the Texas Attorney General's office into the fairness of its search engine rankings.



Widespread devastation after 7.0 quake in New Zealand (AFP) ...

This Sky News television screen grab shows damage inside a shop in Christchurch. A powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused widespread devastation in New Zealand's second largest city of Christchurch Saturday, with officials saying it was AFP - 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.



S.Korea FM offers resignation over nepotism accusation (AFP) ...

South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-Hwan on Saturday offered to resign over the controversial hiring of his daughter, a spokesman for the ministry said.(AFP/Pool/File/Luong Thai Linh)AFP - South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-Hwan on Saturday offered to resign after being accused of nepotism over the controversial hiring of his daughter, a spokesman for the ministry said.




AP US News Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:25:47 GMT
Weakened Earl hits Mass. with wind, rain, surf (AP) ...

The Chatham Lighthouse, situated at a working U.S. Coast Guard Station, casts its beam into a foggy evening, in Chatham, Mass., on Cape Cod, Friday, Sept. 3, 2010. Hurricane Earl is expected to arrive at Cape Cod late Friday. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)AP - The remnants of Hurricane Earl dumped wind-driven rain on Cape Cod's gray-shingled cottages and fishing villages Friday night, disrupting people's vacations on the unofficial final weekend of the short New England summer.



Ariz. governor says she was wrong about beheadings (AP) ...

Republican Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer  waits for a televised Arizona gubernatorial debate to begin Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)AP - Gov. Jan Brewer rose to national fame defending the state's immigration law and warning of rising violence along the U.S.-Mexico border, including a claim that headless bodies were turning up in the Arizona desert.



What now for Gulf? Fire complicates drill debate (AP) ...

Boats are seen spraying water on an oil and gas platform that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Louisiana., Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010. All 13 crew members were rescued.  (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)AP - What now for the Gulf? News of another oil rig fire in the Gulf of Mexico, so soon after the BP oil spill, has set off a wave of anxiety along the Gulf Coast and prompted calls for the government to extend its six-month ban on deepwater drilling.



BP: Failed blowout preventer removed from well (AP) ...

Boats spray water to extinguish a fire on an oil and gas platform operated by Mariner Energy off the Louisiana coast September 2, 2010. REUTERS/Lee CelanoAP - BP PLC said the blowout preventer that failed to stop oil from spewing into the Gulf of Mexico was removed from the company's well on Friday afternoon.



Backer of NYC mosque gave to Hamas-linked charity (AP) ...

VIDEO: The proposed construction of a 100-million-dollar, 13-story mosque and Islamic center near Ground Zero in New York City, has stirred raw emotions in the United States as the country prepares to mark the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Duration: 01:00(afp.com)AP - One of the investors in a proposed Islamic center near ground zero is a Long Island medical clinic owner whose expressions of sympathy for Palestinians included a donation to a charity later shut down for links to Hamas.



Commercial pilot sentenced for drug-masking powder (AP) ... AP - A former US Airways Express pilot will spend nine months in prison for selling a powdered drink mix over the Internet that he claimed was "100 percent" effective in helping drug-using truck drivers, pilots and train engineers pass federally mandated drug tests.
Prof in '03 plague scare sets off airport shutdown (AP) ...

Passengers head out of the terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami, early Friday morning, Sept. 3, 2010. A spokesman for Miami International Airport says four of its six concourses have been evacuated as a police bomb squad investigates a report of a suspicious item. Several flights were diverted to other parts of the terminal.(AP Photo/Alan Diaz)AP - The suspicions airport security officials had when they saw the metal canister grew when they learned about the man who brought it in from the Middle East: a scientist who sparked a bioterrorism scare after he reported missing vials of plague samples seven years ago.



Authorities: Fire at Tenn. mosque site was arson (AP) ...

In a Saturday, Aug. 28. 2010 photo, Rutherford County Sheriff's Office and ATF investigators examine equipment damaged in a fire at the future site of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro. Authorities told mosque officials that four pieces of heavy construction equipment on the site were doused with an accelerant and one set ablaze, said Camie Ayash, spokeswoman for the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro.  (AP Photo/The Daily News Journal, John A. Gillis)AP - Federal investigators said Friday that a suspicious fire that damaged construction equipment at the site of a future mosque in Tennessee was arson and offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.



Calif landfill searched for possible murder victim (AP) ... AP - Authorities searched a Northern California landfill Friday for signs of a missing man authorities said might be a fifth murder victim linked to a suspect who was shot and killed by police after a high-speed chase.
Calif. wildfire sparked by migrants' signal blaze (AP) ...

With houses seen in the background, flames from the Crown Fire burn plants as it races across the desert near Lake Elizabeth Road in Palmdale, Calif., Friday, July 30, 2010. (AP Photo/Mike Meadows)AP - Authorities say a wildfire burning in rural San Diego County was sparked by two illegal immigrants who set a signal fire after they got lost.



Waning Earl still causing havoc for holiday travel (AP) ...

North Carolina Highway Patrol troopers Matthew Bunn, right, and Leonard Crumpler, left, stop cars from traveling onto the bridge leading to Atlantic Beach, N.C., as Hurricane Earl heads toward the eastern coast Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)AP - Hurricane Earl played havoc with travelers' Labor Day weekend plans even as it weakened Friday on its path up the East Coast toward New England.



Fox: Kara DioGuardi departs 'American Idol' (AP) ...

FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2009 file photo, Kara DioGuardi of 'American Idol' arrives at the FOX Winter All-Star Party in Los Angeles. Fox TV says Kara DioGuardi is leaving as `American Idol' judge, Friday, Sept. 3, 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)AP - Kara DioGuardi is following Ellen DeGeneres and Simon Cowell out the door at "American Idol."



Deal to clean up LA-area nuclear accident site (AP) ... AP - More than five decades after a partial nuclear meltdown just outside Los Angeles, state and federal officials Friday announced agreements to remove all contamination and return the atomic energy and rocket engine test site to its natural state.
'Birth tourism' a tiny portion of immigrant babies (AP) ... AP - When Ruth Garcia's twins are born in two months, they'll have all the rights of U.S. citizens. They and their six brothers and sisters will be able to vote, apply for federal student loans and even run for president.
GOP Maes stays in Colo. governor's race (AP) ... AP - Republican Dan Maes, Democrat John Hickenlooper and American Constitution Party candidate Tom Tancredo are officially on the November ballot in the race for Colorado governor.
La. officials suspend abortion clinic's license (AP) ... AP - Louisiana health officials suspended an abortion clinic's license Friday, the first time the state has used its new authority to shut down such a facility over health and safety concerns.
Critics: Ill. lottery contract cloaked in secrecy (AP) ...

FILE - In this Oct. 28, 2009 file photo, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn shows off the Veteran's Cash scratch-off lottery ticket, the Stars & Stripes, in Springfield, Ill. Two weeks before Gov. Pat Quinn is set to award one of Illinois' most lucrative contracts ever — private management of the state's $2 billion-a-year lottery — some are criticizing the process as secretive and complaining that it was structured to favor one bidder. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman, File)AP - With less than two weeks before Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn awards a lucrative, first-of-its-kind contract for the private management of the state's $2 billion-a-year lottery, some are criticizing the selection process as too secretive and questioning whether it favors one powerful bidder.



LA sheriff says almost all pot clinics criminal (AP) ... AP - The Los Angeles County sheriff has escalated his war of words against California medical marijuana dispensaries, saying as many as 97 percent operate as criminal enterprises.
Despite hiring, US unemployment rate seems frozen (AP) ...

In this Aug. 25, 2010 photograph, job seekers including Lindsey Wright, of Detroit, center, attend a job fair in Southfield, Mich. On Friday, Sept. 3, 2010, at 8:30 a.m. EDT, the Labor Department issues the August unemployment report. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)AP - Unemployment is stuck at high levels even though some companies are hiring. The problem, government data show, is that too few jobs are being created for the growing number of people looking for work.



Families calling for justice for soldiers, Marines (AP) ...

In this Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010 photo,Vicki Behenna poses for a photo while holding a photograph of her son, Michael Behenna, in Oklahoma City. Families of a group of soldiers and Marines convicted of killing Iraqi civilians during the war are hoping other Americans see the injustice in their sons' sentences.(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)AP - As major U.S. combat operations in Iraq end, some families of soldiers and Marines convicted of crimes during battle hope the nation doesn't forget their sons.




AP Business News Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:36:19 GMT
Stocks rally as jobs data spurs optimism (Reuters) ...

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, August 31, 2010. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidReuters - Wall Street closed a stellar week on Friday after recent economic data, including a stronger-than-expected labor market report, bolstered optimism that the economy would not fall back into recession.



Taxpayers likely to face initial loss on GM IPO: sources (Reuters) ...

FILE - In this June 13, 2010 file photo, Tim Allen arrives at the world premiere of 'Toy Story 3,' at The El Capitan Theater in Los Angeles. General Motors Co. said Friday, Sept. 3, 2010, Tim Allen will be a spokesman for the brand and will star in a series of TV ads for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze that begin airing on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Katy Winn, file)Reuters - The U.S. government is likely to take a loss on General Motors Co in the first offering of the automaker's stock, six people familiar with preparations for the landmark IPO said.



Payrolls data offer ray of hope for recovery (Reuters) ...

People wait in line to enter the City University of New York (CUNY) Big Apple job fair in New York, April 23, 2010. REUTERS/Shannon StapletonReuters - U.S. employment fell for a third straight month in August, but the drop was far less than expected and private hiring was a positive surprise, relieving concerns about a stalling economic recovery.



China tells state companies to explore Potash bid (Reuters) ...

Potash Corp mill general superintendent Trevor Berg holds a handful of chicklet potash inside the Cory mine facilities near Saskatoon August 19, 2010. REUTERS/David StobbeReuters - Chinese officials have ordered state companies to meet investment bankers to explore ways to block BHP Billiton's $39 billion bid for Potash Corp, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said.



Exclusive: American Apparel in talks with restructuring firm (Reuters) ... Reuters - Hipster brand American Apparel Inc is in talks to bring in an outside restructuring firm as the manufacturer and retailer struggles to fix its flagging operations, sources told Reuters on Friday.
European stocks drop before ECB rate call (AFP) ...

File photo of a trader at the Frankfurt stock exchange. European stock markets slid on Thursday as investors took profits from recent gains amid caution before the latest interest rate decision from the European Central Bank.(AFP/DDP/File/Martin Oeser)AFP - European stock markets slid on Thursday as investors took profits from recent gains amid caution before the latest interest rate decision from the European Central Bank.



Service sector grows at slower pace in August (AP) ...

In this July 30, 2010 photo, Rajni Gupta and her children Anooshka, 10, and Kiril, 7, leave Aeropostale after shopping for back-to-school clothes, in New York. The U.S. service sector, the nation's predominant job generator, expanded for the eighth straight month in August although the pace of growth slowed, according to a trade group survey. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)AP - The U.S. service sector, the nation's predominant job generator, expanded for the eighth straight month in August although the pace of growth slowed, according to a trade group survey.



Campbell reports Q4 profit rise on better margins (AP) ...

In this June 19, 2010 photograph, people walk along inside the new building at the Campbell Soup Co. headquarters, in Camden, N.J.  The Campbell Soup Co. said Friday, Sept. 3, 2010, it made a profit of $113, or 33 cents per share during the fourth fiscal quarter, when the temperature rises and its soup sales traditionally drop.  (AP Photo/Mel Evans)AP - Summer is rarely a hot sales season for Campbell Soup Co., and this year's sweltering June and July made that even more true, but the company said Friday that cost-cutting and strong drink sales helped its net income climb.



Experts see trouble ahead for developed world (AP) ...

Israeli President Shimon Peres, center, arrives for the 'Intelligence on the World, Europe, and Italy' economic forum, at Villa d'Este, in Cernobbio, on Lake Como, Italy, Friday, Sept. 3, 2010. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)AP - Is the global economy out of the woods? Two years after near-meltdown, with the U.S. looking sluggish, equity markets groggy and Europeans fighting a debt crisis, experts gathered in Italy offered a generally gloomy outlook — especially for the United States and much of the industrialized world.



Petrobras sells 64 bln dlrs of stock to fund oil exploration (AFP) ...

An oil platform off the coast of Brazil. Brazil's Petrobras unveiled one of the world's biggest share offerings Friday, a sale of up to 64 billion dollars in new stock to finance oil exploration aimed at turning Brazil into a leading oil exporter of the 21st century.(AFP/File/Antonio Scorza)AFP - Brazil's Petrobras unveiled one of the world's biggest share offerings Friday, a sale of up to 64 billion dollars in new stock to finance oil exploration aimed at turning Brazil into a leading oil exporter of the 21st century.



Spending cuts before 2011 could hurt recovery: IMF, ILO (AFP) ...

The IMF and the UN labour agency are urging advanced economies not to cut government spending before 2011, warning that a move to tighten fiscal policies could hurt the global recovery.(IMF)AFP - The IMF and the UN labour agency are urging advanced economies not to cut government spending before 2011, warning that a move to tighten fiscal policies could hurt the global recovery.



Walgreen August same-store sales rise 2.1 percent (AP) ... AP - Walgreen Co. reported same-store-sales rose 2.1 percent for August on Friday, just shy of Wall Street estimates.
MGIC added $1.2B in mortgage coverage in August (AP) ... AP - Private mortgage insurer Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corp. said Friday it added $1.2 billion in new primary insurance coverage in August and the number of delinquent loans it insures declined.
BP: Failed blowout preventer removed from well (AP) ...

Boats spray water to extinguish a fire on an oil and gas platform operated by Mariner Energy off the Louisiana coast September 2, 2010. REUTERS/Lee CelanoAP - BP PLC said the blowout preventer that failed to stop oil from spewing into the Gulf of Mexico was removed from the company's well on Friday afternoon.



Stranded actor Paul Hogan in Australia tax deal (Reuters) ... Reuters - Actor Paul Hogan, star of the "Crocodile Dundee" movies, has struck a deal with Australia's tax office which will allow him to return home to his family in Los Angeles, his lawyer said on Friday.
Kia recalls tied to electrical issue (Investor's Business Daily) ... Investor's Business Daily - The South Korean automaker is recalling 56,000 cars, the Soul and Sorento, sold in the U.S. and South Korea, because of defective wiring harnesses that could cause fires. Kia Motors said some harnesses made by Johnson Controls for lighting in '10 model-year Soul cars and 2011 model-year Sorento SUVs were improperly soldered, leading to possible electrical shorts. Kia's Soul sales had more than doubled through Aug. in the U.S. to nearly 44,000 units.
Crafting a Career in Eco-Chic Jewelry (BusinessWeek) ... BusinessWeek - Goldman Sachs may not have a lot of friends in the White House these days, but one of its former employees has made a good impression. After three years as an analyst in Goldman's fixed-income, currencies, and commodities division, Monique Pean began her own jewelry line that can now be found in Barneys, Jeffrey New York, and around the neck of Michelle Obama.

AP Strange News Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:12:19 GMT
German party mistakenly hands out porn pens to kids (Reuters) ... Reuters - To sweeten their first day at primary school German children are normally given a cardboard cone filled with sweets, but schoolchildren in Essen this year opened their cones to find pens which project erotic images.
Tourist treat - famous toilets (Reuters) ...

Employees of German bathroom ceramic and furniture firm Duravit, stand outside on a balcony atop of a giant lavatory bowl, at their company headquarters in Hornberg in the Black Forest, Southwestern Germany, January 22, 2010. REUTERS/Vincent KesslerReuters - For tourists tired of traditional sightseeing tours, one Berlin tour guide is offering something altogether different: a tour of Berlin's public conveniences.



Firm can't fire man for 1.8 cent theft (Reuters) ... Reuters - A German company that fired a man for the theft of 1.8 euro cents (two U.S. cents) worth of electricity had no grounds for sacking him, a court ruled, dismissing the firm's appeal against his reinstatement.
Koranic teachers arrested over child begging (Reuters) ... Reuters - Senegalese security forces have arrested seven Koranic teachers for forcing children to panhandle, a police official said on Friday, days after the West African state announced a crack down on public begging.
Man bites police over a pet peeve (Reuters) ...

Police guard the entrance to a store in Barendrecht, near Rotterdam December 4, 2002. REUTERS/Guido BenschopReuters - Police arrested an 82-year-old man after he bit and kicked officers who had arrived to mediate in a dispute with a neighbor over a domestic pet.



Canadian parents more lenient than Italians and French (Reuters) ... Reuters - Canadian parents are more lenient with their children than mothers and fathers in France and Italy, according to a new study.
Finance Ministry says defrauded by staffer (Reuters) ... Reuters - The Dutch Finance Ministry Thursday acknowledged it was defrauded out of more than 160,000 euros ($204,800) earlier this year by an employee of the ministry unit that handles the state's financing needs.
Dutch colleges angry over sex job ads for freshmen (Reuters) ... Reuters - A number of Dutch colleges are considering legal action against the publisher of a move-in guide for new freshmen, after the company included an ad recruiting students for jobs as online sex workers.
Cup of tea forces jet to make emergency landing (Reuters) ... Reuters - A British airplane en route to Poland was forced to make an emergency landing in Germany after a 56-year-old woman spilled a hot cup of tea on herself, German police said on Wednesday.
Vuvuzelas banned from European soccer competition (Reuters) ...

A fan blows a vuvuzela before the start of a 2010 World Cup quarter-final soccer match between Paraguay and Spain at Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg July 3, 2010. REUTERS/Jerry LampenReuters - Vuvuzelas have been kicked out of European competitions after UEFA said that the controversial plastic trumpets drowned out supporters and detracted from the emotion of the game.



Man arrested for trying to dazzle pilots with laser (Reuters) ... Reuters - A man appeared in court on Tuesday accused of trying to dazzle pilots with a laser beam as they were landing at France's second-busiest airport Paris Orly, aviation authorities said.
Older people enjoy reading negative stories about young (Reuters) ... Reuters - Older people like reading negative news stories about their younger counterparts because it boosts their own self-esteem, according to a new study.
Long-lived Dutch might be bad news for insurers (Reuters) ... Reuters - The Dutch are set to live longer -- good news for them but bad news for insurers that are expected to suffer from higher capital requirements and tighter profit margins as a result.
Malaysia uncovers nearly 100 live reptiles in bag (Reuters) ... Reuters - Malaysian airport security arrested a convicted wildlife smuggler after finding almost 100 live reptiles in his luggage, the country's Wildlife and National Parks Department said.
Mushroom hunter "massacre" claims 18 lives in Italy (Reuters) ... Reuters - At least 18 mushroom-lovers have been killed in accidents while hunting for their favorite fungi in the mountains and forests of northern Italy.
John Lennon's toilet sells for $14,740 at auction (Reuters) ...

An undated handout image shows a toilet belonging to late Beatle John Lennon. The toilet fetched 9,500 pounds ($14,740) at auction on August 28, 2010, around 10 times its estimate, the sale organisers said. BRITAIN-LENNON/ REUTERS/The Beatles Shop/HandoutReuters - A toilet that belonged to late Beatle John Lennon fetched 9,500 pounds ($14,740) at auction on Saturday, around 10 times its estimate, the sale organizers said.



Politician raffles breast implants (Reuters) ...

Venezuelan opposition candidate for a National Assembly position, Gustavo Rojas, campaigns in the low income neighborhood of Antimano in Caracas August 27, 2010. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsReuters - A Venezuelan politician is offering breast implants as a prize in a raffle to raise funds for his parliamentary election campaign.



Permission to laugh at election -- for now (Reuters) ...

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva laughs as he waits for Kuwait's Prime Minister Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah in Brasilia, July 22, 2010. REUTERS/Ricardo MoraesReuters - Brazil's election is a laughing matter again, at least for now.



T-shirt explains Philadelphia's blunt speech (Reuters) ...

An aerial photo of the Live 8 concert in Philadelphia, July 2, 2005. REUTERS/StringerReuters - For Mike Monteiro, a transplanted Philadelphian who now lives in California, his T-shirt says it all.



Britain being "overrun" by street signs (Reuters) ...

A new road sign (2L) stands amongst other traffic signs on Farringdon Road, London, January 24 2003. REUTERS/Toby MelvilleReuters - The British government has declared war on the profusion of unnecessary road traffic signs, railings and advertising boards, saying they blight towns' English character.