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AP Top News Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:11:05 GMT
Dem House vote-counter lacks health care votes now (AP) ...

In this image released by ABC David Axelrod, President Barack Obama's top political adviser, is interviewed on ABC's This Week in Washington Sunday, March 14, 2010. Axelrod said Sunday that lobbyists are gathering on Capitol Hill 'like locusts' to try to derail health care legislation, that passage will be a struggle, but that he's confident the overhaul will soon become law. (AP Photo/ABC, Fred Watkins) ** NO ARCHIVES. NO SALES **AP - The House's chief Democratic headcounter said Sunday he hadn't rounded up enough votes to pass President Barack Obama's health care overhaul heading into a make-or-break week, even as the White House's top political adviser said he was "absolutely confident" in its prospects.



Taliban: Kandahar bombings a 'warning' to NATO (AP) ...

A former member of Taliban look at weapons during a ceremony to hand them over  to the Afghan government in Herat, west of Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, March 14, 2010. Thirty Taliban militants joined the peace process Sunday and delivered their weapons and ammunition to the Regional Peace and Reconciliation Commission-Western Afghanistan in Herat province.(AP Photo/Reza Shirmohammadi)AP - The Taliban on Sunday called their deadly bomb attacks on the southern city of Kandahar a warning to NATO's top general that the insurgents were ready for the war's next major offensive in their heartland.



Partial count in all Iraq provinces has PM in lead (AP) ...

An electoral worker carries a ballot box at a counting center in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, March 14, 2010. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's political coalition took an early vote lead Saturday in the election's all-important battleground of Baghdad, pulling away from its two closest rivals in the latest indication that Iraqi people want a moderate government instead of Shiite religious hard-liners leading the postwar nation. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)AP - Partial counts from all of Iraq's 18 provinces show the prime minister's bloc leading in the country's key parliamentary elections.



AP Exclusive: Pentagon gun was from Tenn. police (AP) ...

FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2007 file photo, Miami police chief John Timoney speaks during a news conference.  Law enforcement officials say two guns used in high-profile attacks, one at the Pentagon, and another from the fatal January shooting of an officer at a Las Vegas courthouse, both came from the same unlikely place: the police and court system of Memphis, Tennessee. (AP Photo/David Adame, File)AP - Two guns used in high-profile shootings this year at the Pentagon and a Las Vegas courthouse both came from the same unlikely place: the police and court system of Memphis, Tenn.



Storm leaves Northeast soggy, windblown and dark (AP) ...

A jughandle remains closed after marsh grass and debris washed onto the roadway along Rt. 30, Sunday, March 14, 2010 in Absecon, N.J. A storm battered parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut on Saturday with gusts of up to 70 mph.  (AP Photo/Sean M. Fitzgerald)AP - Utility crews pushed through fallen trees and windblown debris to reach downed power lines Sunday, working to restore electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses as strong winds and heavy rain that wreaked havoc in parts of the Northeast pushed on into New England.



Sea of protesters demand new elections in Thailand (AP) ...

Supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra gather in a street during a protest on Sunday, March 14, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. Tens of thousands of red-shirted protesters rallied in Thailand's capital Sunday to press their demand that the government dissolve Parliament or face massive demonstrations at key locations in the city. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)AP - As many as 100,000 people demonstrated peacefully against Thailand's government at a party-like rally Sunday, but the capital was being kept on edge by their threat to continue protesting until Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva calls new elections.



At least 2 snowmobilers dead in Canadian avalanche (AP) ... AP - An avalanche struck an informal snowmobile rally in Canada's Rocky Mountains, killing at least two people and leaving an unknown number missing at an annual gathering best known for its party atmosphere and stunt riding.
Dodd seeking middle ground on new financial rules (AP) ...

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn. gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 11, 2010. Unable to muster bipartisan agreement on key banking provisions, Dodd said he will offer his own version of a sweeping overhaul of financial regulations without Republican support. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)AP - The senator trying to rewrite the nation's financial industry rules is dropping plans to create a stand-alone consumer financial protection agency and give a single regulator the power to oversee all banks, according to people familiar with the evolving proposal.



Memo: Investigators can't replicate runaway Prius (AP) ...

FILE - In this Tuesday, March 9, 2010 file photo, driver James Sikes talks about his experiences in his Toyota Prius during a news conference held at Toyota of El Cajon in El Cajon, Calif. A law firm for the driver who says his Toyota Prius sped out of control in California doesn't plan to sue the Japanese automaker. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)AP - Investigators with Toyota Motor Corp. and the federal government could not replicate the runaway speeding reported by a Prius owner who said his car's accelerator stuck as he drove on a California freeway, according to a memo for a congressional panel.



`Alice' extends her No. 1 stay with $62 million (AP) ...

An image of Johnny Depp, as the Mad Hatter in the new 'Alice in Wonderland' film, stares down through the plastic tent covering the red carpet outside the Kodak Theatre as preparations continue for Sunday's Academy Awards in Los Angeles, on Saturday, March 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)AP - Alice is still ruling the movie palace.



House Democrat says still short on health votes (Reuters) ...

Bonnary Lek, a manager at Discovery Communications headquarters, is examined by Discovery Wellness Center Medical Director Liz Sequeira during an appointment at the clinic in Silver Spring, Maryland December 3, 2009. REUTERS/Jim BourgReuters - White House officials on Sunday confidently predicted quick final passage of healthcare reform but a top Democratic vote-counter said the party still needs to line up more support in the House of Representatives.



More than 100,000 swarm Bangkok, seek elections (Reuters) ...

Supporters of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra gather on a highway in Bangkok March 13, 2010. REUTERS/Sukree SukplangReuters - More than 100,000 protesters converged in Bangkok on Sunday and gave Thailand's military-backed government an ultimatum to call elections within 24 hours or face crippling demonstrations across the capital.



Gunmen in Mexico kill 3 with U.S. consulate ties (Reuters) ... Reuters - Three people connected to the U.S. consulate in Mexico's most violent border city were murdered, police said on Sunday, prompting U.S. President Barack Obama to respond with outrage and sadness.
A week on, Iraq PM pulls ahead in tight race (Reuters) ...

Iraqi's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki casts his vote inside a polling station at the green zone in Baghdad March 7, 2010. REUTERS/Iraqi GovernmentReuters - Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki edged ahead on Sunday in early results of an election Iraqis hoped would end years of sectarian strife, but the tight race indicated long and fraught negotiations to form a government.



Greek bailout tops EU finance ministers' agenda (Reuters) ... Reuters - Finance ministers from countries using the euro hope to agree on Monday on a way of providing heavily indebted Greece with financial aid, despite French and German doubts that a deal will be reached.
Irish police release cartoonist murder plot suspect (Reuters) ...

Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard poses in Aarhus in this September 2006 file photo. REUTERS/Preben Hupfeld/ScanpixReuters - Irish police have released a woman arrested along with six other people last week over an alleged plot to murder a Swedish cartoonist who drew the Prophet Mohammad with the body of a dog, officials said.



U.S. to roll out major broadband policy (Reuters) ...

A screen shows Internet services available through an broadband-connected TiVo digital video recorder at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada January 5, 2006 file photo. REUTERS/Steve MarcusReuters - U.S. regulators will announce a major Internet policy this week to revolutionize how Americans communicate and play, proposing a dramatic increase in broadband speeds that could let people download a high-definition film in minutes instead of hours.



Netanyahu voices regret in settlement row with U.S. (Reuters) ...

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington in this February 24, 2010 file photo. REUTERS/Yuri GripasReuters - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced regret on Sunday for the announcement of a Jewish settlement plan that has strained ties with Washington and threatens the revival of Middle East peace talks.



Tens of thousands rally against Thai govt (AFP) ...

Red-clad protesters loyal to deposed Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra vowed to march on military barracks housing the government as they stepped up their campaign amid tight security.(AFP/Pornchai Kittiwongsakul)AFP - Anti-government demonstrators vowed Sunday to march on military barracks housing Thailand's top leaders as their icon, deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra, urged them from exile not to give up.



Israel's PM urges calm as US tensions boil over (AFP) ...

An Israeli ultra-Orthodox Jewish man walks past a sign carrying the image of the east Jerusalem settlement of Ramat Shlomo on March 11. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged calm as an angry Washington said it was insulted by Israel's AFP - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged calm on Sunday as an angry Washington said it was insulted by Israel's "destructive" announcement of plans to expand settlements in east Jerusalem.




AP US News Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:05:36 GMT
Storm leaves Northeast soggy, windblown and dark (AP) ...

A jughandle remains closed after marsh grass and debris washed onto the roadway along Rt. 30, Sunday, March 14, 2010 in Absecon, N.J. A storm battered parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut on Saturday with gusts of up to 70 mph.  (AP Photo/Sean M. Fitzgerald)AP - Utility crews pushed through fallen trees and windblown debris to reach downed power lines Sunday, working to restore electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses as strong winds and heavy rain that wreaked havoc in parts of the Northeast pushed on into New England.



Memo: Investigators can't replicate runaway Prius (AP) ...

FILE - In this Tuesday, March 9, 2010 file photo, driver James Sikes talks about his experiences in his Toyota Prius during a news conference held at Toyota of El Cajon in El Cajon, Calif. A law firm for the driver who says his Toyota Prius sped out of control in California doesn't plan to sue the Japanese automaker. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)AP - Investigators with Toyota Motor Corp. and the federal government could not replicate the runaway speeding reported by a Prius owner who said his car's accelerator stuck as he drove on a California freeway, according to a memo for a congressional panel.



No word from woman freed in alleged plot, mom says (AP) ... AP - A Colorado woman who says she is the mother of an American held and later released in Ireland over an alleged plot to kill a Swedish cartoonist said Sunday she does not know where her daughter or grandson may be.
Thousands mourn death of Southern Calif. teen (AP) ...

In this undated family photo released by the King family shows Chelsea King, the missing 17-year-old teen from Poway a suburb of San Diego. The parents of a 17-year-old girl who failed to come home after a run in the park are pleading for people to come forward with information. (AP Photo/King Family Photo)  NO SALESAP - Thousands of teachers, classmates and neighbors filled a high school stadium Saturday to honor a 17-year-old girl whose body was discovered in a shallow, lakeside grave as her parents vowed to dedicate themselves to protecting children from sex predators.



Obama promise: Brighter education futures for kids (AP) ...

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan listens to students, teachers and former students about their educational experience as he visits Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery, Ala., during brief stops at schools in Montgomery and Selma, Ala., Monday, March 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Montgomery Advertiser, David Bundy)AP - President Barack Obama is promising parents and their kids that with his administration's help they will have better teachers in improved schools so U.S. students can make up for academic ground lost against youngsters in other countries.



Firing of all teachers at RI school roils students (AP) ... AP - Ashley Delgado graduated from one of Rhode Island's worst-performing high schools and wanted to go to college — if only she could get there.
Sen. Reid's wife leaves hospital's intensive care (AP) ...

FILE - In this June 24, 2007, file photo, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., right, and his wife Landra Reid attend an event at Ford's Theater in Washington. A spokesman says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's wife and daughter were being treated in a hospital Thursday, March 11, 2010, from serious injuries they sustained when their vehicle was rear-ended. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)AP - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's wife has been transferred out of a Virginia hospital's intensive care unit and is improving after she was seriously injured in an accident on an interstate highway near Washington.



Utah GOP leader resigns after hot tub confession (AP) ...

This undated image provided by the State of Utah shows Majority Leader Republican Kevin Garn. A late-night confession Thursday March 11, 2010 by Utah's House majority leader, Garn, about sitting nude in a hot tub with a minor 25 years ago has shocked this highly conservative state's political establishment. (AP Photo/State of Utah)AP - Utah's House majority leader resigned from the Legislature Saturday, two days after acknowledging he paid a woman $150,000 to keep quiet about a nude hot-tubbing incident that took place a quarter century ago when she was a teenager.



Despite brashness, Bunning still a hero in Ky. (AP) ...

Retiring Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., speaks to a gathering of the party faithful in Hebron, Ky., Saturday, March 13, 2010.  (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)AP - Irascible Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning has been a pariah among his congressional colleagues. Back in the conservative swath of northern Kentucky he calls home, though, he's being heralded as a hero.



In rural NH, deer-car crashes bring free 'dinner' (AP) ... AP - Up here, folks have another word for roadkill. It's "dinner."
Native Hawaiian government may become reality (AP) ...

In this photo taken March 9, 2010, a large sign posted on a fence in the town of Waianae located on the Leeward Coast area of Honolulu on the island of Oahu voices it's displeasure with the United States government. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)AP - Their kingdom long ago overthrown, Native Hawaiians seeking redress are closer than they've ever been to reclaiming a piece of Hawaii.



Judge faces election after unpopular decision (AP) ...

This undated image provided by the San Bernardino County Bar Association shows Superior Court Judge Robert Lemkau. Superior Court Judge Robert Lemkau made what turned out to be a fateful_and unpopular_ decision. Calling her a liar, the judge denied a woman's restraining order against a boyfriend who did exactly what he threatened. He killed their baby, along with himself, 10 day later. (AP Photo/San Bernardino County Bar Association)AP - The judge didn't believe the father was a threat and denied the mother's plea to keep him away from their 9-month-old son. It was a seemingly routine ruling in a busy family law court called on too often to referee passionate fights between broken young families over the care of babies.



Probe questions account of runaway Prius (AP) ...

FILE - In this Tuesday, March 9, 2010 file photo, driver James Sikes talks about his experiences in his Toyota Prius during a news conference held at Toyota of El Cajon in El Cajon, Calif. A law firm for the driver who says his Toyota Prius sped out of control in California doesn't plan to sue the Japanese automaker. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)AP - Investigators with Toyota and the federal government were unable to make a Toyota Prius speed out of control as its owner said it did on a California freeway, according to a memorandum obtained Saturday by The Associated Press. A congressional spokesman said the finding cast doubt on the driver's story.



US avoids anti-abortion debate at UN meeting (AP) ...

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, meets United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the United Nations headquarters on Friday, March 12, 2010. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)AP - A U.N. meeting to assess progress in advancing the fight for women's equality that ended Friday had a dramatically different slant than a similar session held five years ago: This time, the United States was not trying to make an anti-abortion declaration a crucial theme.



Jewish retiree creates stir defending Pope Pius (AP) ...

Gary Krupp poses for a picture in his home in Long Beach, N.Y., Monday, March 8, 2010. Krupp, who is Jewish, says he grew up hating Pope Pius XII and his actions during World War II. Now, at 62, the retired Long Island businessman is caught up in the controversy over the Vatican's effort to make Pius a saint. He says that as a Jew he's not interested in the sainthood issue, he just wants to defend the wartime pope's reputation from 'the worst character assassination of the 20th century.' (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)AP - In the long and painful debate over whether he should have done more to halt the murder of 6 million Jews by the Nazis and their collaborators in World War II, Pope Pius XII has an unusual defender.



Daylight-saving time: It's back (AP) ...

Graphic to be used as a reminder of daylight saving time0AP - America is springing forward.



Analysis: NY politics goes from drama to tragedy (AP) ... AP - New York politics, which has consumed more than a dozen elected officials or top staffers in the past two years, has become a kind of bizarre "Survivor" show. And although careers have been ruined and some face prison sentences, none of them lost their jobs by actually being voted off this island.
Hearts may swoon when stocks do, study suggests (AP) ...

Traders work in the newly renovated section of the New York Stock Exchange. Wall Street stocks are set to build on nearly year-and-a-half highs as they face next week's key economic reports and the US Federal Reserve's monetary policy meeting(AFP/Getty Images/File/Mario Tama)AP - Stock market slides may hurt more than your savings. New research suggests they might prompt heart attacks.



Many WTC responders show early signs of heart woes (AP) ... AP - Law enforcement officers who worked near ground zero after the World Trade Center attacks seem to show early signs of heart problems at a higher rate than would be expected for their age, a new study suggests.
NYC: Taxi drivers overcharged riders by $8.3M-plus (AP) ... AP - Thousands of New York City taxi drivers overcharged passengers by more than $8.3 million over the past two years by setting their meters at a rate that was supposed to be used for trips to the suburbs, the Taxi and Limousine Commission said Friday.

AP Business News Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:11:05 GMT
Dem House vote-counter lacks health care votes now (AP) ...

A doctor administers a shot to a patient at a hospital ER unit. The fierce and fateful battle over health care reform forced President Barack Obama to delay his departure on a trip to Indonesia and Australia by three days, to March 21.(AFP/File/Martin Bureau)AP - The House's chief Democratic headcounter said Sunday he hadn't rounded up enough votes to pass President Barack Obama's health care overhaul heading into a make-or-break week, even as the White House's top political adviser said he was "absolutely confident" in its prospects.



Memo: Investigators can't replicate runaway Prius (AP) ...

FILE - In this Tuesday, March 9, 2010 file photo, driver James Sikes talks about his experiences in his Toyota Prius during a news conference held at Toyota of El Cajon in El Cajon, Calif. A law firm for the driver who says his Toyota Prius sped out of control in California doesn't plan to sue the Japanese automaker. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)AP - Investigators with Toyota Motor Corp. and the federal government could not replicate the runaway speeding reported by a Prius owner who said his car's accelerator stuck as he drove on a California freeway, according to a memo for a congressional panel.



Fed may hint at how long rates will stay at lows (AP) ...

FILE - In this Feb. 25, 2010 file photo, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. Federal Reserve policymakers may signal at their meeting this week how and when the improving economy will lead them to start raising record-low interest rates. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)AP - Federal Reserve policymakers may signal at their meeting this week how and when the improving economy will lead them to start raising record-low interest rates.



China oil firm takes $3.1B stake in SAmerican firm (AP) ... AP - Leading offshore producer China National Offshore Oil Corp. said Sunday it has agreed to pay $3.1 billion to form a joint-venture with a major Argentine energy firm, helping to expand China's access to natural resources in South America.
GOP's Ryan Dissects ObamaCare, Lays Out 'Roadmap' To Health (Investor's Business Daily) ... Investor's Business Daily - Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., took the national stage last month as he cut down Democratic health care plans point by point. If the GOP should win back the House In November, Ryan will become chairman of the House Budget Committee. And he has lots of ideas. He recently updated his "Roadmap for America's Future" to address many issues, including the budget deficit, entitlement programs, the tax system and health care.
Conn. would waive student loans in 'green' jobs (AP) ... AP - Paul Goulet hopes Connecticut will help him get from under nearly $8,000 he's borrowed for college after losing his job in a paper manufacturing plant.
Verizon to list on Nasdaq as well as NYSE (AP) ... AP - Verizon Communications Inc. said Friday it will list its stock on the Nasdaq exchange along with its existing New York Stock Exchange listing.
Union Pacific CEO seeing signs of better business (AP) ... AP - The CEO of Union Pacific said Friday that shipments carried by the nation's biggest railroad are stronger than expected this year, but are still a long way from full recovery.
Nortel Networks posts profit in 4Q (AP) ... AP - Bankrupt telecom equipment maker Nortel Networks Corp. said Friday it posted a profit in the fourth quarter, thanks to a large gain related to an asset sale.
Greek bailout tops EU finance ministers' agenda (Reuters) ... Reuters - Finance ministers from countries using the euro hope to agree on Monday on a way of providing heavily indebted Greece with financial aid, despite French and German doubts that a deal will be reached.
Middle-class NYC apartment complex sold at auction (AP) ... AP - The developer of a high profile middle-class Harlem apartment complex has lost ownership of the property after defaulting on the mortgage.
UBS may return to commodities in 2010: report (Reuters) ...

The logo of Swiss bank UBS can be seen outside its New York office August 12, 2009. REUTERS/Lucas JacksonReuters - UBS is considering possibly returning to its commodities business this year, some of which it sold during the financial crisis, a Swiss newspaper said on Saturday, citing the co-head of UBS's investment bank.



Business Highlights (AP) ... AP - Retail sales show surprising gain in February
Borrowers wait for answers on Obama loan plan (AP) ... AP - Hundreds of thousands of homeowners are in limbo waiting to find out if they will be accepted for the Obama administration's foreclosure prevention program.
Regulators accused of lax oversight at LA oilfield (AP) ... AP - This sprawling metropolis is built atop one of the richest oil basins in the world. Wells dot the city landscape, some hidden behind hollow building facades much like a Hollywood movie set, or, in the case of Beverly Hills High School, encased in a tower painted with flowers.
Kuwait's Investment Dar files for legal protection (AFP) ...

An Aston Martin Rapide is presented at the 63rd International Motor Show in the central German city of Frankfurt, September 2009. Investment Dar, the troubled Kuwaiti firm that owns half of luxury British carmaker Aston Martin, said on Saturday it has filed for legal protection under Kuwait's financial stability law.(AFP/DDP/File/Martin Oeser)AFP - Investment Dar, the troubled Kuwaiti firm that owns half of luxury British carmaker Aston Martin, said on Saturday it has filed for legal protection under Kuwait's financial stability law.



Why MBAs are Going East (BusinessWeek) ... BusinessWeek - James Tsai is the sort of MBA corporate recruiters covet. He went to a good prep school, earned a degree with honors from Middlebury College, and made vice-president in Bank of America's (bac.) international wealth management group at the age of 26. Today, Tsai is about to graduate, straight A's in hand, from Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, a top-rated program in America. And he's hustling to land his first post-MBA job -- in China.

AP Strange News Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:31:59 GMT
Man takes double hit from wife (Reuters) ... Reuters - A New Zealand man is recovering from injuries after being run over by his wife -- twice, local media reported on Friday.
Paying to pick seats loathsome, many passengers say (Reuters) ... Reuters - Paying for extras has become routine for airline passengers but it doesn't mean they like it, with a poll showing more than half all travelers hate having to fork out to choose their seat.
Want to live like a cowboy? Try Wyoming (Reuters) ... Reuters - Whether you want to live like a rock star or a cowboy, or become an urban gardener or just opt for the simple life, there is a town in America to suit everyone's taste.
Nurses' union: Care does not include sex (Reuters) ...

A nurse speaks with an unidentified patient in the hospital in a file photo. REUTERS/Darren StaplesReuters - A union representing Dutch nurses will launch a national campaign Friday against demands for sexual services by patients who claim it should be part of their standard care.



The price you pay for being romantic... (Reuters) ... Reuters - A German woman, fearful that a burglar was trying to break into her second storey apartment, called police after she heard someone climbing up to her balcony shortly after midnight, police said Thursday.
Japan's spouse hunters hone skills at marriage school (Reuters) ... Reuters - In search of Mr. or Mrs. Right, dozens of Japanese are attending a newly launched school in Tokyo that aims to turn them into marriage material.
Old sea dog sets tongues wagging at Crufts (Reuters) ...

Hatch the Mary Rose dog is seen in this undated handout photo. REUTERS/Mary Rose Trust/HandoutReuters - A 16th century dog, the only known female to have served aboard King Henry VIII's ill-fated flagship the Mary Rose, has stolen the show at Britain's Crufts dog show this year.



New Zealander auctions "ghosts" in a bottle (Reuters) ... Reuters - A New Zealand woman sold two vials that she said contained the ghosts of an old man and a young girl for almost NZ$2,000 ($1,410) after a fiercely contested online auction, local media reported.
Air Canada learns that hockey trumps flying (Reuters) ...

Canada's Sidney Crosby celebrates after scoring the game winning goal against the U.S. during overtime in their men's ice hockey gold medal game at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics February 28, 2010. REUTERS/Todd KorolReuters - Canada's largest airline has learned it sometimes has to take a back seat to the country's biggest sporting passion, ice hockey, the head of Air Canada said on Tuesday.



"Dead" baby elephant calf born alive in Sydney zoo (Reuters) ...

Taronga Zoo veterinarians give treatment to a newborn elephant calf as its mother Porntip (R) stands next to it in Sydney March 10, 2010. An elephant gave birth to a calf at Sydney's main zoo on Wednesday, surprising vets and keepers who two days earlier declared the baby had died in the womb. REUTERS/Taronga Zoo/Bobby-Jo Vial/HandoutReuters - An elephant gave birth to a calf at Sydney's main zoo on Wednesday, surprising vets and keepers who two days earlier declared the baby had died in the womb.



Canada Parliament eats seal to defy "ignorant" EU (Reuters) ...

Appetizers featuring seal meat are displayed during an event to mark the first time seal meat is served in the parliamentary restaurant on Parliament Hill in Ottawa March 10, 2010. REUTERS/Chris WattieReuters - Canadian parliamentarians tucked into a meal of seal meat on Wednesday to defy both animal right activists and the European Union, which has banned imports of seal products.



Cyprus holds two for theft of ex-leader's corpse (Reuters) ...

Cyprus' President Tassos Papadopoulos addresses a news conference at the end of a European Union Heads of State and Government summit in Brussels December 14, 2007 file photo. REUTERS/Ezequiel ScagnettiReuters - A court in Cyprus remanded two men in custody Wednesday on suspicion of snatching the corpse of former Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos, holding it for ransom for three months until its discovery Monday.



Residents flee Angolan village invaded by elephants (Reuters) ... Reuters - Wild elephants rampaged through a southern village in Angola last weekend, destroying farms and dozens of houses and prompting most of its 4,000 residents to flee to neighboring Namibia, a local official said Tuesday.
Chocolate-powered racecar makes sustainability sexy (Reuters) ... Reuters - Fueled by leftover chocolate and with components made from carrots, potato starch and flax, the world's first sustainable Formula 3 racing car has a top speed of 135 miles per hour and can go from zero to 60 in 2.5 seconds.
U.S. blacks, Hispanics losing more sleep over worries (Reuters) ... Reuters - Black and Hispanic Americans are more likely than whites and Asians to lose sleep over job and money worries, a sleep survey released on Monday found.
Canada drops plans for politically correct anthem (Reuters) ... Reuters - Don't mess with a century-old tradition even if it is sexist, Canadians told the Conservative government this week, forcing Ottawa to scrap plans to make the country's national anthem gender-neutral.
Aussie underwear has gone bananas (Reuters) ... Reuters - Australian underwear company AussieBum has been monkeying around and the result is a range of men's underwear made with bananas.
Hamas bans men from women's hair salons in Gaza (Reuters) ...

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh prepares himself inside the plane before landing in Tehran December 7, 2006 file photo. REUTERS/Suhaib SalemReuters - The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas on Thursday banned men in the Gaza Strip from working in women's hair salons, vowing to arrest and try offenders.



Pilot with fake licence arrested at airport (Reuters) ... Reuters - A Swedish pilot with a fake commercial license was arrested in his cockpit at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport as he prepared to fly 101 passengers on a Boeing 737 to Turkey, Dutch police said Wednesday.
London stage fright: rats, mice and fleas: survey (Reuters) ... Reuters - Performers in London's West End are having to cope with a different kind of stage fright in the form of mice, rat and flea infestations in theatres, according to a new survey by actors' union Equity.