78 killed in Baghdad mosque bombing

78 killed by bombing at Baghdad mosque (AP)

AP - A truck bomb struck a Shiite mosque Tuesday in central Baghdad, killing 78 people and wounding more than 200, even as about 10,000 U.S. soldiers northeast of the capital used heavily armored Stryker and Bradley fighting vehicles to battle their way into an al-Qaida sanctuary.

Abbas urges Bush to resume peace talks

Abbas to Bush: Resume peace talks now (AP)

AP - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told President Bush in a telephone call Monday that now is the time to resume Mideast peace talks, a spokesman said.

Rockets fired at Israel

2 Rockets Fired at Israel From Lebanon

Two Katyusha rockets fell on northern Israel Sunday, the first fired from Lebanon since last summer's war with Hezbollah guerrillas. No one was hurt, but there was some damage, police and the military said.

Abbas government opens door to aid

Abbas Palestinian government opens door to aid (Reuters)

Reuters - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas swore in an emergency government on Sunday in a move that could bolster him in his power struggle with Islamist Hamas rivals by ending a U.S.-led aid embargo.

BBC to be freed, says Hamas

Hamas: BBC reporter to be free soon (AP)

AP - A Hamas official said Sunday that kidnapped BBC journalist Alan Johnston, who has been held by Gaza militants since March, would be freed soon, but others played down hopes of an imminent release.

Hamas militants take over Gaza

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A Palestinian militant from Hamas holds a copy of the Quran, Islam's holy book, as he stands on a desk inside the Preventive Security headquarters after it was captured from Fatah loyalist security forces in Gaza City, Thursday, June 14, 2007. Hamas...

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9 Iraqi policemen killed in truck bombing

Truck bomber slaughters nine Iraqi policemen (AFP)

AFP - A suicide bomber killed nine Iraqi policemen and wounded dozens more on Sunday when he exploded his truck outside a police post near the northern hometown of executed dictator Saddam Hussein.

Israel launches spy satellite

Israel launches spy satellite (AP)

AP - Israel's military launched a spy satellite early Monday, the Defense Ministry said, and a senior official suggested it could help keep track of developments in Iran.

Iran slams G8 nuclear threat

Iran slams G8 nuclear threat (AFP)

AFP - Iran on Sunday slammed a threat by the Group of Eight powers of new sanctions against Tehran over its controversial nuclear programme.

Egyptian girl dies of bird flu virus

Egyptian girl dies of bird flu virus (Reuters)

Reuters - A 10-year-old Egyptian girl who contracted the H5N1 bird flu virus died on Saturday, bringing the number of fatalities from the disease in the most populous Arab country to 15, the health ministry said.

Australia storms: five dead

At least five dead in Australia storms (AFP)

AFP - Five people were confirmed dead and another three were missing on Saturday as wild storms continued to lash Australia's east coast, smashing boats, flooding roads and cutting power to 200,000 homes.

JFK terror probe widening

Official says JFK terror probe widening (AP)

AP - The investigation into the thwarted plot to bomb Kennedy International Airport is widening beyond the four men in custody, with more suspects sought outside the U.S. for their suspected roles, a law enforcement official said Friday.

Handcuffed and sobbing

(Update) Handcuffed Hilton heads back to court

LOS ANGELES - Paris Hilton was ordered to appear in court Friday instead of calling in from home, yet another reversal in her twisted path toward serving time on a probation violation.

Dell notebook for $899

CORRECTED: Sam's Club says to sell Dell notebook PCs for $899 (Reuters)

Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said on Friday its Sam's Club unit will start selling Dell Inc. notebook computers for $899 each at more than 580 U.S. stores beginning in mid-June.

Three Biggies

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Inmate Hilton released after only 3 days

Sheriffs to talk about Paris Hilton (AP)

AP - Three days after Paris Hilton checked into jail, sheriff's deputies called a news conference Thursday morning as a Web site reported that Hilton had somehow been released early.

Mugabe stripped of honorary degree

Edinburgh University strips Mugabe of honorary degree (AFP)

AFP - Edinburgh University has stripped Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe of an honorary degree he was awarded more than 20 years ago.

Bob finally found the right price

Barker ends run on `The Price Is Right' (AP)

AP - With his final show in the can, Bob Barker is officially retired.

Marines move to discharge protesting vet

Marines move to discharge protesting Iraq vet (Reuters)

Reuters - KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters)- A U.S. military disciplinary panel on Monday recommended that a decorated combat Marine be involuntarily discharged after he joined an anti-war demonstration and spoke out against the Iraq war.

Goddess of democracy

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A woman walks past a statue of Goddness of Democracy in memory of the victims of the June 4th Tiananmen Square crackdown at Hong Kong's Victoria Park Monday, June 4, 2007. Hong Kongers planned to remember the anniversary Monday of the bloody...

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Apple iPhone on June 29

Apple to launch iPhone on June 29 (AP)

AP - Apple Inc.'s highly anticipated iPhone will be available June 29, according to both TV commercials broadcast Sunday night and a company spokesman.

Hilton checks into jail

Paris Hilton checks into L.A. jail (AP)

AP - Hours after strolling the red carpet in a strapless black dress, Paris Hilton traded her designer duds for a jail-issued jumpsuit.

2000 gather for nude shoot

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Thousands of naked people pose in a parking garage during a massive naked photo session with U.S. photographer Spencer Tunick in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, early Sunday, June 3, 2007. (AP Photo / Evert Elzinga)

59 franks in 12 minutes

Man beats world hot dog eating record (AP)

AP - A California man smashed the world record for hot dog eating at a contest Saturday, gobbling up more than 59 franks in 12 minutes.

Australian PM promises greenhouse target

Australian PM promises greenhouse target (AP)

AP - Prime Minister John Howard ditched his long-standing opposition to a greenhouse gas reduction target for Australia with a pledge Sunday to set a national pollution limit next year.

Shuttle workers vote to strike

Shuttle workers vote to strike (AP)

AP - A union representing 570 space shuttle program workers at the Kennedy Space Center voted to strike Saturday, less than a week before the planned launch of the shuttle Atlantis.

Lamentations in Baquba

A woman cries beside the body of her son outside a morgue in ...

(Reuters) - A woman cries beside the body of her son outside a morgue in Baquba June 2, 2007. The boy and four other civilians were killed and three others were wounded while inside their houses in Baquba after an air strike by the U.S. military in Baquba on Friday, residents and police said. REUTERS/Helmiy al-Azawi (IRAQ)

G-8 protest

Crowd, police clash at protest of G-8 (AP)

AP - Masked demonstrators protesting the upcoming G-8 summit meeting hurled stones and flagpoles at police on Saturday, a spokeswoman said, describing a scene of chaos in the harbor of this northern port city.

Croc escapes during publicity show

A crocodile swims in the water. A small crocodile called Godzik, ...

(AFP) - A crocodile swims in the water. A small crocodile called Godzik, or Little Godzilla, escaped from its cage and swam away during a publicity show on a Ukrainian beach.(AFP/Ahmad )

Comatosed Pole wakes up after 19 years

A Pole who spent 19 years in a coma has woken up and will now ...

(AFP/Illustration) - A Pole who spent 19 years in a coma has woken up and will now have to adapt to a country where the communists are no longer in power.(AFP/Illustration)

Avoid toothpaste made in China, FDA says

Avoid toothpaste made in China, FDA says (AP)

AP - The government warned consumers on Friday to avoid using toothpaste made in China because it may contain a poisonous chemical used in antifreeze.

***I remember Maxam.  That was also phased out here in the Philippines.  I remember saying also, "Okay, buy anything.  But avoid those made in China."  Perhaps, these are the ones made by children laboring somewhere.  Anyway, that's how we saw it then.  Looks like "China-made" rhymes with piracy or low quality. 

They are burning in Moscow

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Cocaine in the Roman air

Study finds cocaine, pot in Rome's air (AP)

AP - Researchers may have figured out what makes la vita so dolce in Rome. A report from Italy's National Research Council released Thursday found that there are traces of cocaine and cannabis in the air of the Eternal City.

26 Taliban killed

NATO, Afghan troops kill 26 Taliban (AP)

AP - A battle pitting NATO and Afghan troops against Taliban fighters in southern Afghanistan killed 20 militants, while police repelled a Taliban attack in eastern Afghanistan, killing six of the insurgents, officials said Friday.

Nine hurricanes in 2007

Storm team expects nine Atlantic hurricanes in '07 (Reuters)

Reuters - The Colorado State University hurricane research team renewed its forecast for an "above average" 2007 Atlantic storm season on Thursday and predicted 17 tropical storms, with nine growing to hurricane strength.