LOS ANGELES – Rain, hail and lightning made a surprise return to saturated Southern California on Friday, and authorities warned of avalanche danger on a towering mountain. Scattered storms erupted during what was supposed to be a break in waves of foul weather that have made this the third-rainiest season …
Read More »Arabs, Israelis Hold Peace Reunion
OTISFIELD, Maine – Israelis and Arabs attending a camp reunion in the woods of Maine are keeping an eye on the Gaza Strip (search), where a move is being made toward peace in the Middle East. Badawi Qawasmi, a 26-year-old Palestinian, said Monday he hopes Israel’s withdrawal of 8,500 Jewish …
Read More »Library Cancels Racy Comics Subscription
DENVER – The Denver Public Library (search) has canceled its subscription to four Spanish-language adult comic books after complaints that the series contains sexually explicit illustrations. City librarian Rick Ashton ordered the removal of 6,569 of the fotonovelas earlier this month, pending a content review. Some of the books depicted …
Read More »Travelers Urged to Take Disease Precautions
Is your inner travel bug abuzz with excitement about an excursion abroad? Have not even fears of tsunamis or terrorism dampened your wanderlust for locations foreign and exotic? If so, you’re among the estimated 20 million Americans who will visit a place where the risk of contacting a serious disease …
Read More »'Grimm' Director Gilliam Suddenly Very Busy
NEW YORK – Director Terry Gilliam hasn’t had a film on screen since his “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” (search) came out in 1998. Now, he’s got two projects opening back to back — this month and next. Those seven years were the longest dry spell of his 31-year …
Read More »Investors to Watch Crude's Impact on Economy
NEW YORK – As the summer of discontent over runaway oil prices comes to an end, stock investors will pore over key U.S. economic data, including Friday’s August payrolls report and retailers’ monthly sales figures, for signs of how big a toll crude’s surge has taken on the economy. With …
Read More »Which Home Improvements Pay Off?
Generally speaking, there are two ways to go about making home improvements. Either you splurge for something purely for the sybaritic pleasure of having it — the Italian marble bathroom you’ve dreamed about; that skylight that your spouse has been hinting at for the last six years — or you …
Read More »Brazilian Police Recover Stolen Picasso, Portinari Paintings; 2 Suspects Arrested
SAO PAULO, Brazil – Stolen paintings by Pablo Picasso and Candido Portinari returned home to applause on Wednesday while police tried to find out who masterminded the robbery. The paintings, worth millions of dollars, were recovered Tuesday when a suspect led police to a house on the outskirts of Sao …
Read More »Bush Says Electing Democratic President Could Lead to New Attack On U.S.
WASHINGTON – President George W. Bush said Tuesday he was disappointed in “flawed intelligence” before the Iraq war and was concerned that if a Democrat wins the presidency in November and withdrew troops prematurely it could “eventually lead to another attack on the United States.” In an interview with the …
Read More »Cleveland Man to Plead Guilty to Threatening Justice Thomas, Other Prominent Blacks
CLEVELAND – A man accused of writing racially hateful letters to prominent blacks, including U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, is expected to plead guilty in federal court, attorneys said Wednesday. David Tuason, 46, of the Cleveland suburb of Pepper Pike, is accused of writing threatening letters over two decades, …
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