The America's Intelligence Wire articles from December 2006

The America's Intelligence Wire archives from December 2006

AP News Pronunciation Guide.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) N Nabatiyeh -- nah-bah-TEE'-yuh Nabilone -- NAB'-ih-lohn Joseph Nacchio -- NAH'-chee-oh Javid Naghani -- jah-VEED' neh-GAH'-nee Ray Nagin -- NAY'-gin Nahariya -- nah-hah-REE'-yuh David...

WORLD SPORTS at 0000 GMT.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) SOCCER: UEFA CUP: Tear gas forced players off as Nancy joins Espanyol, Panathinaikos in next round LONDON _ Players from Nancy and Feyenoord are led from the field struggling from the effects of tear gas as...

Quest to force action on gay marriage ban is sent to full Massachusetts high court.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: STEVE LeBLANC The entire high court of Massachusetts should decide whether to force lawmakers to take action on a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, one justice decided. Justice...

BP refinery faces $384,000 in safety fines.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: STEVE LeBLANC Oil giant BP PLC could face more than $384,000 (A290,900) in fines over workplace safety violations at its refinery along Lake Michigan even as the company says it is making "solid progress"...

NKorea won't unilaterally abandon atomic weapons program: envoy.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARI YAMAGUCHI North Korea won't unilaterally abandon its atomic weapons program, the communist nation's nuclear envoy said, speaking after meetings with his U.S. counterpart failed to produce a date on...

Park, Choi lead U.S. LPGA Tour Q-school.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARI YAMAGUCHI Angela Park shot a 5-under 67 at LPGA International for a share of the second-round lead with South Korea's Hye Jung Choi in the U.S. LPGA Tour's 90-hole final qualifying tournament on...

Hezbollah calls protests in Lebanon to bring down government; PM remains defiant.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: SAM F. GHATTAS Hezbollah and its pro-Syrian allies launched a long-threatened campaign to force Lebanon's U.S.-backed government from office, calling for mass demonstrations Friday followed by a wave of...

Interior Ministry forms unit to monitor news coverage, threatens legal action.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: SAM F. GHATTAS Iraq's Interior Ministry said it had formed a special unit to monitor news coverage and vowed to take legal action against journalists who failed to correct stories the ministry deemed to be...

Police: Soldiers' Home Contained Bomb.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: PAUL J. WEBER A pipe bomb and other explosive materials were found at an apartment shared by two soldiers who had served in Iraq, and one reportedly talked to his roommate about placing a bomb at a high school...

Ark. Justices Order Public School Review.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: PAUL J. WEBER The Arkansas Supreme Court ordered another review of the state's public school system Thursday, saying it was unsure that reforms the Legislature passed this year adequately addressed...

Abbas says talks with Hamas have hit a `dead end'; plans to take dramatic steps.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: KARIN LAUB Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signaled he is giving up on forming a moderate government to replace the one headed by the militant Islamic Hamas, a decision that could spark violence or new...

Ohio Trains Derail; 3 Injured in Crash.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: KARIN LAUB Two freight trains derailed Thursday, injuring three people in cars waiting to cross the tracks, authorities said. At least 15 cars of a Cincinnati-bound train carrying steel derailed when the...

Iraqi PM al-Maliki faces revolt within his government.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: HAMZA HENDAWI Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki faced a widening revolt within his divided government as two senior Sunni politicians joined prominent Shiite lawmakers and Cabinet members in criticizing...

High-tech scanners uncover secrets of 2,000-year-old star gazer.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: NICHOLAS PAPHITIS Imagine tossing a top-notch laptop into the sea, leaving scientists from a foreign culture to scratch their heads over its corroded remains centuries later. A Roman shipmaster...

Researchers say they've identified Leonardo da Vinci's left index fingerprint.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARTA FALCONI Anthropologists said they have pieced together Leonardo da Vinci's left index finger print _ a discovery that could help shed light on such matters as the food the artist ate and whether his...

Bush draws line on troop withdrawals, though Iraqi leader says his forces will be ready by June.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: TOM RAUM U.S. President George W. Bush rejected calls for a measured withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, even as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, facing doubts about his ability to dampen violence,...

Rebels say French jets bomb Central African Republic towns, rebels withdraw from one.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: JOSEPH BENAMMSE French fighter jets bombed two rebel-held towns in Central African Republic, forcing rebels to pull troops out of one of them after fighting with government forces, officials said. ...

Britain had secret plan to cut flow of Nile River _ newly opened official file.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: JOSEPH BENAMMSE Britain drew up secret plans to cut off the flow of the River Nile in 1956 to try to force Egypt's President Gamal Abdel Nasser to give up the Suez Canal, according to official files...

Investigators look for mystery witness in fatal New York police shooting.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: TOM HAYS The search for a key missing witness in the police killing of an unarmed black man who died in a hail of 50 bullets intensified with the arrest of four people who have provided clues about the...

Another Ford Faces Corruption Charges.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: WOODY BAIRD Two city councilmen, including the uncle of U.S. Rep. Harold Ford Jr., were charged Thursday with taking thousands of dollars of bribes in exchange for their votes to allow new billboards in the...

Aide says doctors suspect former Russian Premier Yegor Gaidar was poisoned.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARIA DANILOVA Doctors treating former Russian Prime Minister Yegor Gaidar believe he was poisoned, an aide said Thursday. Gaidar, 50, who served briefly as prime minister in the 1990s under President...

Dutch court to rule in case of six suspects accused of planning terrorist murder.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARIA DANILOVA Judges were to rule Friday in the case of six Muslims accused of conspiring to commit a terrorist attack on Dutch politicians, possibly including the prime minister. The suspects have...

U.S. firms eye India after civilian nuclear deal cleared.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: RAJESH MAHAPATRA From equipment suppliers to fuel processors, U.S. companies engaged in the nuclear energy business see India as the new frontier, where efforts to raise nuclear power production could...

Roman sarcophogus, headless skeleton found at London church construction site.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: KATIE FRETLAND Archaeologists discovered a rare Roman limestone sarcophagus containing a headless skeleton at the site of London's historic Martin-in-the-Fields church, authorities said Friday. The...

Svindal climbs 19 spots to win super-combi, Miller blows out in slalom leg.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: ERICA BULMAN Norwegian allrounder Aksel Lund Svindal won a men's World Cup super-combi thanks to a sizzling slalom run while Bode Miller blew his chance by skiing off course on Thursday. Svindal was...

English smoking ban to take effect from July 1, government says.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: DAVID STRINGER A ban on smoking in public places in England will come into force on July 1, the government said Friday. A similar ban will take effect in Wales on April 2. "Thousands of people's lives...

In al-Maliki's snub, a sign of rising Shiite-Sunni tensions in the Mideast.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: SALLY BUZBEE Iraq's Shiite leader was firm, his aides say _ he would not talk to U.S. President George W. Bush with Jordan's Sunni king listening. That startling show of mistrust in a neighbor led to...

Rice pushes Israeli, Palestinian leaders for new peace effort.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: ANNE PLUMMER FLAHERTY U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice tried to build momentum for a fragile cease-fire agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, urging both sides to expand the peace...

Nowitzki probable for Friday game despite missing practice.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: ANNE PLUMMER FLAHERTY Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki might not miss a NBA start even though he didn't practice on Thursday because of bruised right retina. The Mavericks listed their five-time...

U.S. opposes European global warming cuts scheme for airliners.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: JOHN HEILPRIN The Bush administration opposes European plans to require airlines to curb greenhouse gases on grounds it would unfairly disadvantage U.S. carriers. "We are strongly opposed to the...

Ethiopian woman claims US family exploited her.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: SARAH SKIDMORE An Ethiopian woman has filed a $1.1 million (A830,000) lawsuit against a family she worked for, saying they lured her to the United States with the promise of a good job and then exploited...

NKorea, US remain apart on who should move first to resolve nuclear standoff.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: BURT HERMAN Staring each other down across the Pacific Ocean, North Korea and the U.S. remain locked in a stalemate over resolving their nuclear standoff with both sides calling on the other to back off...

Explosives found at U.S. home of 2 soldiers back from Iraq, police say.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: PAUL J. WEBER A pipe bomb and other explosive materials were found at an apartment shared by two soldiers who had served in Iraq, and one reportedly talked to his roommate about placing a bomb at a high...

Polonium: Deadly if ingested but not difficult to transport.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARIA CHENG Polonium is lethal when swallowed, with the power to destroy the human body's DNA. But because it doesn't penetrate the skin, it is easy to transport _ even across national borders. The...

Mexican police find bullet-ridden body of journalist.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MARIA CHENG Police found the bullet-ridden body of missing journalist Adolfo Sanchez Guzman on Thursday, in what appeared to be the second killing of a reporter in 10 days in the Gulf coast state of...

Orca Returns to S.D. Tank After Attack.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: ALLISON HOFFMAN Some days, killer whales just wake up on the wrong side of the pool. A 2 1/2-ton orca that dragged a trainer underwater during a show at SeaWorld may have been put out by a spat with another...

Snow, Freezing Rain Moves Into Midwest.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: DANA FIELDS The first major snowstorm of the season blew across the Plains and Midwest on Thursday, grounding hundreds of flights, closing schools, glazing highways and threatening to dump up to a foot of snow...

Security Official Admits Taking Bribes.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: MATTHEW BARAKAT A former supervisor at the Department of Homeland Security pleaded guilty Thursday to accepting at least $600,000 in bribes to provide fraudulent citizenship documents to hundreds of Asian...

Mystery Witness Sought in NYPD Shooting.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: TOM HAYS The search for a witness to a fatal shooting by police intensified with the arrests of four people who have provided clues about the mysterious man's identity, a law enforcement official said...

Pakistan police detain 3 hardline lawmakers to foil rally against amended rape law.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: ASIF SHAHZAD Police detained three hard-line lawmakers in an attempt to block a protest in eastern Pakistan against recent changes to the country's Islamic rape laws, witnesses and officials said. A...

With Navy dredging finished, USS Intrepid to be moved.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: RICHARD PYLE A Navy-backed dredging operation to clear bottom mud from around the USS Intrepid warship tourist attraction was reported complete, but officials were silent about a possible second try to...

Ambitious Sarkozy's race to French presidency may prove bumpy.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: JAMEY KEATEN Nicolas Sarkozy has reached the final sprint of a career-long run toward the French presidency. Now, rivals within his own conservative party seem intent on tripping him up. The popular...

At Least 20 Hurt in Calif. Bus Crash.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: ROBIN HINDERY A university bus carrying medical students and health workers overturned on a busy freeway interchange Thursday, injuring 20 people and snarling rush-hour traffic around the state capital. ...

England wins toss, bats in second Ashes test.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: STEVE McMORRAN England's bid to retain cricket's Ashes strengthened minutely Friday when captain Andrew Flintoff won the toss and batted in the second test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. ...

Rice letter raises concerns about conditions in U.S.-Indian nuclear legislation.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: FOSTER KLUG Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is telling lawmakers that U.S.-Indian relations could be damaged if they do not revise drafts of a bill to allow shipment of American civilian nuclear fuel...

F-18 Crashes Near San Diego.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: FOSTER KLUG An F-18 Hornet fighter jet crashed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on Thursday, but the pilot ejected and escaped injury, authorities said. The pilot was found conscious near the wreckage...

Suriname massacre survivors say government not complying with court ruling.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: ARNY BELFOR Surinamese authorities have not pursued a court-ordered investigation into a massacre of 39 people under the former military dictatorship, a spokesman for a group of victims and survivors said...

Grandson of L.L. Bean drew on core values _ and computers _ to revive to U.S. outfitter.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: JERRY HARKAVY When L.L. Bean died in 1967 at age 94, his family flirted briefly with the idea of hushing up the news for fear that it might destroy the world famous mail-order business he founded 55 years...

U.S. judge finds no sign of domestic spying in terrorism case of al-Qaida supporter.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS A federal judge has dismissed claims by a convicted al-Qaida supporter that prosecutors illegally built their case against him by using information obtained from the Bush...

Hometown racer Pain wins skeleton season-opener.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS Jeff Pain won the season-opening World Cup men's skeleton race on his home course by beating Russia's Alexander Tretiakov by 0.26 seconds on Thursday. Pain, the Olympic silver...

At the Movies: 'The Nativity Story' a lifeless look at the birth of Christ.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: CHRISTY LEMIRE If her name weren't at the top of the credits, you'd never believe Catherine Hardwicke directed "The Nativity Story." Gone is the vibrant energy of her 2005 skateboarding adventure,...

At the Movies: Drug drama 'Candy' has strong performances but little insight.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: CHRISTY LEMIRE If there was any lingering doubt about Heath Ledger's versatility following "Brokeback Mountain," it should be dispelled here. "Candy" allows him to get dark and dirty, and speak in...

At the Movies: `10 Items or Less' could make do with less.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: DAVID GERMAIN What at first comes off like a prolonged drama-class exercise gradually develops into a mildly satisfying, out-of-left-field romp with "10 Items or Less," an unassuming tale about unlikely...

An AP Entertainment Analysis: `Flags' flagging, `Departed' stays put as early Oscar contender.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: DAVID GERMAIN Timing isn't everything when it comes to the Academy Awards _ but it helps. Two big fall films _ Martin Scorsese's box-office success "The Departed" and Clint Eastwood's faltering "Flags...

F-18 jet crashes at San Diego Marine base.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: DAVID GERMAIN An F-18 Hornet fighter jet crashed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar but the pilot ejected and escaped injury, authorities said. The pilot was found conscious near the wreckage of the...

Nathan Lane, Broadway's last big stage star, has lived with `Butley' for a long time.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MICHAEL KUCHWARA Nicholas Martin, who knows about such things, calls Nathan Lane "the last big stage star who can sell tickets." "He's a real theater animal," explains Martin, who has just directed...

U.S. Airborne general says retirement due to health concerns.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MICHAEL KUCHWARA The paratrooper who commands the 18th Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg says he will retire because he is not sure he would be able to physically handle another combat deployment. Lt....

AP Weekly Sports Calendar.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MICHAEL KUCHWARA EDITORS: These are among the top sports events of the week. Coverage of most of these events will move on this circuit: FRIDAY, Dec. 1 thru 3, Moscow _ tennis, Davis Cup...

Bipartisan group to urge pullback of U.S. troops from Iraq _ but no timetable.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: ANNE GEARAN A bipartisan commission on U.S. options in Iraq will recommend a gradual reduction of American forces in the country and a significant diplomatic shift that would enlist U.S. adversaries to...

Deadline in Fiji coup standoff passes without incident.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: RAY LILLEY A deadline Fiji's military commander set as the go-ahead for ousting the government passed without incident Friday, as top-level meetings went ahead to try to avert the country's fourth coup in...

Freight Trains Derail in Ohio Town.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: RAY LILLEY Two freight trains derailed Thursday, injuring three people in cars waiting to cross the tracks, authorities said. At least 15 cars of a Cincinnati-bound train carrying steel derailed when the...

Court Stays Out of Abortion Records Case.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: JOHN HANNA The Kansas Supreme Court refused Thursday to intervene on behalf of two abortion clinics in a dispute with the state attorney general over patient records that were leaked to "The O'Reilly Factor."...

New Orleans' last single-screen theater keeps on going.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: Mary Foster Theaters once dotted almost every neighborhood in this city. It's where families went, where mothers sent their kids for the Saturday matinees, where young men wooed future wives and...

First Christmas: `Nativity Story' retells saga of virgin birth in Bethlehem.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: DAVID GERMAIN Mel Gibson showed the world the mercilessly bloody end of Jesus Christ's mortal life in "The Passion of the Christ." Now the makers of "The Nativity Story" offer Christ's sweet, humble...

Accolades keep coming for Buddy Guy as the blues legend celebrates 5 decades as a guitarist.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: LIZA GHORBANI Sitting in his record label's offices, high above the Manhattan skyline, blues legend Buddy Guy looks at a table lined with six of his signature Polka Dot Fender Stratocaster guitars, all of...

Morgan Freeman releases new film `10 Items or Less' by digital download.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: JAKE COYLE Just two weeks after "10 Items or Less" opens in theaters Friday, it will be available for digital download from Clickstar, a company that Morgan Freeman's production company and Intel have...

Singer-songwriter Vienna Teng strives for balance in her music and her life.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: KIM CURTIS As the overachieving eldest child of Taiwanese parents who both work in the high-tech industry, it was almost went without saying that Vienna Teng would attend Stanford University, then take a...

Shooting Furor: NYPD's Image Is Mixed.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: DAVID CRARY The fatal shooting of an unarmed man by undercover officers again places New York police under unwelcome scrutiny. Critics say it's evidence of an unaccountable, sometimes trigger-happy force, while...

US court refuses to intervene in case of abortion records leaked to Fox News' O'Reilly.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: JOHN HANNA The Kansas Supreme Court has refused to intervene on behalf of two abortion clinics in a dispute with the state attorney general over patient records that were leaked to a conservative TV talk...

Ford, GM must avoid hazards as their work forces shrink.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: DAVID RUNK Like dieting too drastically, the U.S. auto industry's rapid contraction may be unhealthy. Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. must avoid pitfalls from letting many of their experienced...

Iran takes kid-glove approach to winning favor in Afghanistan.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: FISNIK ABRASHI From cheap ice cream to 24-hour electricity, Iran is strengthening economic ties with western Afghanistan that could undermine support for U.S. and NATO forces. Western Afghanistan has...

Banks catering to Asians expanding in the U.S.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: DEBORAH YAO When customers step inside the cheery, bright interior of Royal Asian Bank, they are greeted with a respectful bow and a greeting in Korean. At the Korean bank's branch in Upper Darby, a...

AP Exclusive: Government quietly applies computer terror ratings to millions of travelers.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: MICHAEL J. SNIFFEN Without notifying the public, federal agents for the past four years have assigned millions of international travelers, including Americans, computer-generated scores that rate the risks...

Wintry storm takes aim at U.S. Midwest; snow, ice, freezing rain headed from Texas to Illinois.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: DANA FIELDS The first major snowstorm of the season blew across the U.S. Plains and Midwest, grounding hundreds of flights, closing schools, glazing highways and threatening to dump up to a foot (30...

VW says it may not make profit in North America until 2009.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: TOM KRISHER Volkswagen AG officials said they may not make money in North America until 2009 due to a softer U.S. economy and unfavorable currency exchange rates between the U.S. and Germany. To...

Report: Major shareholder Kirk Kerkorian sells entire stake in automaker GM.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: KEN THOMAS Dissident General Motors Corp. shareholder Kirk Kerkorian appears to be walking away from his quest to shape the future of the troubled automaker. The Wall Street Journal, citing a person...

Exotic car makers battle it out in performance, luxury at Los Angeles Auto Show.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: TOM KRISHER There is a TV ad in which a boy about 12 years old is shown riding his bike to the doors of a Porsche showroom. He gets behind the wheel of a 911 sports car then asks the salesman for a...

Japanese shares lose initial gains in morning trade; dollar lower against yen.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: TOM KRISHER Japanese stocks fell in early morning trade Friday after climbing slightly on the open as profit-taking dented most technology, auto and bank shares. The dollar fell against the yen. The...

Venezuelan presidential contender poses stark contrast to Chavez.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER Manuel Rosales has accomplished in just a few months what other politicians have failed to do in years: mount a credible challenge to Hugo Chavez. Emerging in August as the...

U.S. Warns of Financial Cyber Attack.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER The government issued an alert Thursday to U.S. stock market and banking Web sites about a possible Internet attack from a radical Muslim group, but said the threat was unconfirmed and...

U.S. Warns of Possible Cyber Biz Attack.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER The government issued an alert Thursday to U.S. stock market and banking Web sites about a possible Internet attack from a radical Muslim group, but said the threat was unconfirmed and...

Hugo Chavez: loved and hated, Venezuelan president thrives on conflict.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: JORGE RUEDA Few Venezuelans are undecided about Hugo Chavez. Some see him as a national curse and an international embarrassment, squandering the country's oil wealth while trying to amass ever more...

Baze ties Pincay's world record with pickup mount.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Worldstream) Byline: BETH HARRIS Russell Baze tied Laffit Pincay Jr. as horse racing's most successful jockey with his 9,530th victory at Bay Meadows on Thursday. Baze won the sixth race by 4 1/2 lengths aboard Christie's...

French Presidential Candidate in Beirut.
December 1, 2006... (From AP Online) Byline: NATHALIE SCHUCK Segolene Royal took her campaign to become France's first female president into the tumultuous Lebanese capital Thursday, launching a Middle East trip seen as a test of her foreign policy...