UPI NewsTrack articles from December 2005

UPI NewsTrack archives from December 2005

UPI Sports Calendar for Thursday, Dec. 1.
December 1, 2005... NBA San Antonio at Dallas, 8 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Utah, 10:30 p.m. NHL Pittsburgh at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m. Toronto at Atlanta, 7 p.m. Washington at Florida, 7 p.m. Ottawa at Boston, 7 p.m. Buffalo at Montreal,...

COL BKB: Oklahoma 62, Tulsa 53.
December 1, 2005... TULSA, Okla., Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Terrell Everett scored 26 points Wednesday to lead the fifth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners to a 62-53 victory over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Oklahoma (4-0) hit on 53.8 percent (14-of-26) of its shots in the...

NHL: Dallas 4, San Jose 1.
December 1, 2005... DALLAS, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Sergei Zubov scored a power-play goal for his 400th point for Dallas and Marty Turco made 17 saves Wednesday as the Stars defeated the San Jose Sharks, 4-1. Antti Miettinen scored on the first penalty shot of his...

NBA: New Orleans 102, Denver 95.
December 1, 2005... DENVER, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Desmond Mason had 26 points and seven rebounds Wednesday as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets defeated Denver, 102-95. Six players scored in double figures for the Hornets, who have won three of their last four...

NHL: Columbus 3, Minnesota 2 (OT).
December 1, 2005... ST. PAUL, Minn., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Jaroslav Balastik scored in the final round of a shootout Wednesday to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Trevor Letowski and Duvie Westcott scored goals for Columbus,...

Ambassador urges Japan, China to mend ties.
December 1, 2005... TOKYO, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer has asked Japan and China to improve their relationship to ensure regional stability. "The United States hopes Japan and China can work out their differences because it's...

Beslan report contradicts official version.
December 1, 2005... VLADIKAVKAZ, Russia, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A leaked version of an inquiry into the Beslan school siege is much more critical of Russian authorities than a summary of the report announced two days ago. The leaked report of the North Ossetian...

Bangladesh town hit by new bomb.
December 1, 2005... GAZIPUR, Bangladesh, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A bomb explosion injured at least 20 people Thursday, some seriously, in the same Bangladesh town that was hit by a suicide bomb Tuesday. Police said a young man selling tea outside the main...

Nikkei tops highest 15,000 in 5 years.
December 1, 2005... TOKYO, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Japan's Nikkei 225 index ended above 15,000 Thursday for the first time in nearly five years on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average jumped 258.35 points, or 1.74 percent, to 15,130.50,...

Official: Cheaper discs will stop piracy.
December 1, 2005... MOSCOW, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A high-ranking Russian official has said that unless licensed DVDs and CDs become more affordable, he and most Russians will keep buying pirated versions. Alexander Kotenkov, President Vladimir Putin's representative...

Condemned man to touch mother before dying.
December 1, 2005... SINGAPORE, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Singapore agreed Thursday to allow condemned Australian drug trafficker Van Tuong Nguyen, 25, to hold hands with his mother before he is put to death Friday. Officials said they would grant an exemption from the...

NBA: Seattle 104, Charlotte 94.
December 1, 2005... SEATTLE, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Ray Allen tied a season high with 32 points as the Seattle SuperSonics downed the visiting Charlotte Bobcats, 104-94. Rashard Lewis notched 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Luke Ridnour added 14 points and...

Jockstrip: The world as we know it.
December 1, 2005... Byline: United Press International Swearing in school draws $103 fines HARTFORD, Conn., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Students at two Hartford, Conn., schools who use profanities with teachers are being given $103 fines by city police who patrol the...

NBA: Golden State 113, Sacramento 106.
December 1, 2005... OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Jason Richardson recorded a season-high 33 points, had six assists and grabbed five rebounds, as Golden State downed visiting Sacramento, 113-106. Baron Davis contributed 25 points and a game-high 16...

Koizumi defies critics in Seoul, Beijing.
December 1, 2005... TOKYO, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi says he will not heed criticism from China and South Korea over his visits to the Yasukuni Shrine. "I don't understand why China and South Korea have criticized the visits,"...

Watercooler Stories.
December 1, 2005... Byline: United Press International Republicans to 'date' lobbyists SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Utah Republicans are at odds over a new fundraising scheme that allows lobbyists to pay to meet state house members in what's being...

NHL: Vancouver 5, Colorado 2.
December 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Markus Naslund scored a goal and added an assist to lead the Vancouver Canucks past the visiting Colorado Avalanche, 5-2, at GM Place. Todd Bertuzzi notched his 400th point as a Canuck with an...

NHL: Anaheim 6, Phoenix 1.
December 1, 2005... ANAHEIM, Calif., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Dustin Penner scored the first two goals of his career plus an assist to lead the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim over the visiting Phoenix Coyotes, 6-1. Chris Kunitz tallied a goal and an assist, and Ilya Bryzgalov...

Muscovites say they vote for personalities.
December 1, 2005... MOSCOW, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Moscow voters interviewed by a newspaper have said they will vote in Sunday's local elections based not on issues but on candidates' personalities. The Moscow Times reported Thursday that although the 15 Muscovites...

Epsilon no threat, but getting stronger.
December 1, 2005... MIAMI, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Tropical Storm Epsilon's sustained winds strengthened to 65 mph Thursday morning, but posed no threat to land, spinning 765 miles east of Bermuda. Although forecasters at the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami...

COL BKB: Iowa 45, NC State 42.
December 1, 2005... IOWA CITY, Iowa, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Adam Haluska scored 18 points, as 14th-ranked Iowa held off No. 24 North Carolina State, 45-42, in the final game of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Jeff Horner added 11 points and six assists for the Hawkeyes...

COL BKB: Syracuse 87, Manhattan 82.
December 1, 2005... SYRACUSE, N.Y., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Gerry McNamara scored 25 points and hit two crucial three's in the final minutes to lead the Syracuse Orange, 87-82, past the Manhattan Jaspers in overtime. Josh Wright netted 19 points on 4-of-8 shooting...

Congressmen want pension manager probe.
December 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Two U.S. lawmakers have asked a congressional arm to investigate whether federal pension oversight agencies are properly monitoring pension fund managers. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., and Rep. Edward J. Markey,...

China warns against AIDS coverups.
December 1, 2005... BEIJING, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- China marked World AIDS Day Thursday with a warning to officials not to cover up HIV cases as they spread beyond high-risk groups to the general population. The number of officially reported HIV infections stood at...

Bush scores low in Iraq strategy poll.
December 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush's exit strategy for Iraq has the confidence of 41 percent of people polled in a CNN/USA Today/Gallup survey. Among poll 606 telephone respondents, 55 percent said they did not believe...

Report: Too much waste in fishing.
December 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. commercial fishermen dump more than 20 percent of what they catch, a marine advocacy group charged. Oceana, in an article to be published this month in the journal Fish and Fisheries, said more than...

Iraqi rebels claim to control Ramadi.
December 1, 2005... RAMADI, Iraq, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Rebels claiming to be part of al-Qaida in Iraq claimed Thursday to have taken control of the central Iraqi city of Ramadi after bombarding it with rockets. As residents holed up in their homes during the...

Crips founder's fate with Schwarzenegger.
December 1, 2005... LOS ANGELES, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will determine whether the Dec. 13 execution of Crips street gang founder Stanley Tookie Williams will proceed. Wednesday, the California Supreme Court turned down a...

UPI NewsTrack TopNews.
December 1, 2005... Iraqi rebels claim to control Ramadi RAMADI, Iraq, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Rebels claiming to be part of al-Qaida in Iraq claimed Thursday to have taken control of the central Iraqi city of Ramadi after bombarding it with rockets. As residents...

U.S., Canada mull passport alternatives.
December 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. and Canadian officials are seeking an alternative to passports for inter-country travel before a U.S. law kicks in requiring them in 2008. Homeland Security spokesman Jarrod Agen told USA Today the Bush...

European Central Bank raises interest rate.
December 1, 2005... BRUSSELS, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- The European Central Bank raised a key interest rate Thursday, as expected, by 0.25 percent to 2.25 percent. The increased interest rate on the main refinancing operations takes effect Tuesday, the ECB said. ...

Pentagon sets exit rules for next war.
December 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- The U.S. Pentagon has issued orders for the next war that will require the military to have a post-conflict stability plan and capability in place. In the future, instead of being focused primarily on combat...

Income, spending rose in October.
December 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. personal income grew in October slightly less than expected, but personal spending was up in line with forecasts. Personal income increased $42.5 billion, or 0.4 percent, less than the 0.5 percent...

U.S. jobless claims fell last week.
December 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. initial jobless claims rose 320,000 for the week ending Saturday, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Economists had predicted a rise of 322,000 for the period. Last week's figure of first-time...

Final election round under way in Egypt.
December 1, 2005... CAIRO, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- The third and final round of Egypt's parliamentary elections began Thursday amid opposition claims riot police had detained more than 500 of its members. More than 10 million Egyptians are eligible to vote in the...

Bishops nix Catholics marrying Muslims.
December 1, 2005... ROME, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Because of cultural differences, Italian bishops have warned against Roman Catholics marrying Muslims. Cardinal Camillo Ruini, one of the right-hand men of Pope Benedict XVI, said it is most often that a Catholic woman...

Restrictions on Homolka's liberty lifted.
December 1, 2005... MONTREAL, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A Quebec judge has lifted the 14 restrictions on the liberty of Karla Homolka, who served 12 years for savage sex crimes and killings with her husband. Homolka, 35, was released from a federal penitentiary in July,...

Flying between Texas, Mo. just got cheaper.
December 1, 2005... FORT WORTH, Texas, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Southwest Airlines Co. plans to break American Airlines Inc.'s monopoly on direct flights between the Dallas area and Missouri, within days. President Bush signed a transportation bill Wednesday exempting...

Nymex energy prices all moving up.
December 1, 2005... NEW YORK, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- New York Mercantile Exchange trader bid up energy prices Thursday as cold weather settled across the eastern United States. High-quality crude oil for January delivery up was up 23 cents to $57.55 per barrel, and...

Sharon's new Kadima party high in poll.
December 1, 2005... JERUSALEM, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new Kadima party got a boost in the polls Thursday with the defection of Shimon Peres to it from the Labor Party. A Ha'aretz Dialog poll found 30 percent of Israelis asked...

Range war over use of grazing rights.
December 1, 2005... BOULDER, Utah, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A plan to buy grazing rights in the western United States and then not use them for environmental reasons is being challenged as a threat to ranching. Ranchers in western states buy rights from the government...

Pledge protests protected in Md. schools.
December 1, 2005... LEONARDTOWN, Md., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A 14-year-old Maryland boy struck a blow for freedom of speech by winning his classmates the right to be silent during the Pledge of Allegiance. Theodore Pugh, a freshman at Leonardtown High School in...

U.S.-Colombia drug probe nets 78 arrests.
December 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. and Colombian officials have arrested 78 people who allegedly used artwork, furniture and clothing to smuggle Colombian heroin into the United States. The joint yearlong investigation by the Colombian...

U.S. stocks up on strong economic reports.
December 1, 2005... NEW YORK, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A set of encouraging economic reports Thursday helped lift major U.S. stock indexes. The Dow Jones industrial average was ahead 73.72 or 0.68 percent to 10,879.59 in mid-morning trading. The Nasdaq composite rose...

Padilla terror trial hits surprise snag.
December 1, 2005... RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- The U.S. terror trial of Jose Padilla has come to an abrupt halt with three judges calling for arguments on why they should allow his military detention. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, in...

U.S. construction spending up 0.7% in Oct.
December 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. construction spending in October rose 0.7 percent, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. Economists had expected such spending to increase 0.2 percent. The department said total construction...

Balkans seen as terrorist training ground.
December 1, 2005... SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Recent arrests confirm the belief that parts of the Balkans are becoming a launching pad for terrorist attacks in Europe, authorities say. One example came in an apartment occupied by an...

U.S. manufacturing up in November.
December 1, 2005... TEMPE, Ariz., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. manufacturing grew in November, though less vigorously than it did in October, an industry group said Thursday. The Institute for Supply Management said its index fell from 59.1 in October to 58.1. Any...

Video exposes Mexican drug cartel methods.
December 1, 2005... MEXICO CITY, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A video sent to the Dallas Morning News showing Mexican drug cartel operatives describing their violent methods ends with one man being shot in the head. The DVD, date-stamped in May, shows four badly beaten men...

UPI NewsTrack Business.
December 1, 2005... U.S. stocks up on strong economic reports NEW YORK, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A set of encouraging economic reports Thursday helped lift major U.S. stock indexes. The Dow Jones industrial average was ahead 73.72 or 0.68 percent to 10,879.59 in...

Alito memo seen as restricting Roe ruling.
December 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr. reportedly helped craft a Reagan-era memo on abortions to restrict and eventually overturn Roe vs. Wade. As a U.S. Justice Department lawyer Alito in 1985...

Murtha calls U.S. Army 'broken, worn out'.
December 1, 2005... LATROBE, Pa., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., says the war in Iraq has left the U.S. Army "broken, worn out" and "living hand-to-mouth." Speaking in Latrobe, Pa., Wednesday, the ranking member of the House Appropriations...

Study: Atlantic Ocean currents changing.
December 1, 2005... SOUTHAMPTON, England, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- British oceanographers report the ocean currents helping to maintain Northern Europe's relatively clement climate are weakening. A recent survey in the Atlantic Ocean showed the system of currents that...

Hollinger suspect fails to appear in court.
December 1, 2005... CHICAGO, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. officials Thursday were considering extraditing a Canadian who failed to appear at his Chicago arraignment on fraud charges. John Boultbee was supposed to appear Wednesday to hear charges related to the...

Clinton: Tsunami relief effort improving.
December 1, 2005... BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Former President Bill Clinton, touring Indonesia's tsunami-ravaged region, says coordination among various relief agencies is improving following criticism. Clinton, in his role as U.N. special envoy...

Study: Fruit bats may spread Ebola virus.
December 1, 2005... GENEVA, Switzerland, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- An international team of scientists has reportedly found evidence suggesting the Ebola virus may incubate in three species of fruit bats. Since it was discovered in 1976, the Ebola virus has killed more...

Developer helps little girl realize dream.
December 1, 2005... BOSTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A wealthy Boston real estate developer is helping a hard-luck 12-year-old girl realize her dream of playing in the Pop Warner Super Bowl. Michael Howland, 71, who kicked in $5,000 and challenged others with deep...

Gr. 8 students dissect baby beluga whale.
December 1, 2005... ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A class of eighth-graders in Anchorage, Alaska, have had the rare experience of dissecting a baby beluga whale that had beached itself and died. Central Middle School of Science teacher Dave Lennihan found...

L.A. begins anew to modernize airport.
December 1, 2005... LOS ANGELES, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Los Angeles says it will seek a plan to modernize the city's international airport after 11 years and $150 million in design costs. Officials say they will seek to craft a proposal that will do more to improve...

Crescent dropped from 9/11 Pa. memorial.
December 1, 2005... SHANKSVILLE, Pa., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A crescent shape in the design of a Pennsylvania memorial to victims who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks has been removed by its designer. The new design for the memorial near Shanksville calls...

Pete Doherty busted in London.
December 1, 2005... LONDON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- British rocker Pete Doherty was busted in London Wednesday for possession of what was reportedly crack cocaine. Police said they pulled over Doherty's car because he was driving erratically and found drugs in a...

Famed scientist Dr. Thomas Dawber dies.
December 1, 2005... FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Dr. Thomas Royal Dawber, former director of the famed Framingham Heart Study, died in Florida last week at the age of 92. Dawber died in his sleep in Naples, Fla., after a battle with Alzheimer's disease,...

Montgomery racial views still divided.
December 1, 2005... MONTGOMERY, Ala., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Fifty years after the landmark Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott, blacks and whites in the county remain far apart on issues as education, economics and crime. Nearly 60 percent of 200 Montgomery County blacks...

Nicole Richie has Fox development deal.
December 1, 2005... LOS ANGELES, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- "The Simple Life" star Nicole Richie has signed a deal that could land her in a TV sitcom. Richie's deal with 20th Century Fox TV could either put her into an existing show or have a new show build around her,...

Upscale lodges luring upscale hunters.
December 1, 2005... DALLAS, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- It's a whole new world out there for the up-scale hunter who instead of roughing it, enjoys the comfort of a luxury lodge, complete with spa. In the old days, now-retired Dr. Jack Jamison drove far into the woods...

'Constant Gardener' best Brit indie film.
December 1, 2005... LONDON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- The film version of John Le Carre's "The Constant Gardener" was named best picture and took top actor and actress honors at the British Independent Film Awards. Stars Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz won the acting...

Bonds to play in World Baseball Classic.
December 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Barry Bonds has agreed to play for the U.S. team in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in March. Agent Jeff Borris said it is not official but Bonds has told the Players' Association that he intends to...

UPI NewsTrack TopNews.
December 1, 2005... Murtha calls U.S. Army 'broken, worn out' LATROBE, Pa., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., says the war in Iraq has left the U.S. Army "broken, worn out" and "living hand-to-mouth." Speaking in Latrobe, Pa., Wednesday, the...

18th annual World Aids Day is observed.
December 1, 2005... GENEVA, Switzerland, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- The 18th annual World Aids Day was observed Thursday around the theme "Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise." One of the most dramatic efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS was announced in the South African...

Intel building chip plant in Israel.
December 1, 2005... KIRYAT GAT, Israel, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Intel Corp., the world's biggest microprocessor maker, said Thursday it will build a factory in Israel to manufacture 300-millimeter wafers. Construction on the $3.5 billion project, which will be...

Chris Brown holds onto No. 1 single spot.
December 1, 2005... LOS ANGELES, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Chris Brown's "Run It" chalked up its third consecutive week atop the Billboard Hot 100 Thursday and had a lock on the Pop 100 chart as well. Kanye West's "Gold Digger" was No. 2 on the Hot 100 singles chart...

Pavarotti says Three Tenors to sing again.
December 1, 2005... HONG KONG, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Opera superstar Luciano Pavarotti says he will do "another concert or two" with Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo as the Three Tenors. Pavarotti made the comment before the Hong Kong concert on his 40-city...

Wal-Mart posts big numbers, as do critics.
December 1, 2005... BENTONVILLE, Ark., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Arkansas-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Thursday that November sales were up 9.4 percent over year-earlier levels. In the four weeks ending Nov. 25, the world's biggest discounter had sales of $25.768...

Deliberations start in hip-hop label trial.
December 1, 2005... NEW YORK, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Deliberations began Thursday in the New York federal money laundering trial of the founding brothers of hip-hop label Murder Inc., now known as The Inc. Some of hip-hop's finest were in the courtroom for...

Bakery fined $12,000 for mice in bread.
December 1, 2005... DEVIZES, England, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A British bakery that admitted to selling a loaf of bread containing two baby mice, droppings and hair was fined $12,000 in England Thursday. Magistrates also ordered British Bakeries to pay $6,000 in court...

Konerko to stay on with White Sox.
December 1, 2005... CHICAGO, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Paul Konerko has signed a five-year, $60 million deal to remain with the White Sox, for whom he has played the last seven seasons. Part of the reason for Konerko's agreeing to stay on was General Manager Ken...

Bush authorizes Rosa Parks statue.
December 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- President George W. Bush signed legislation Thursday authorizing a statue of Rosa Parks in the National Statuary Hall in Washington. "By placing her statue in the heart of the nation's Capitol, we commemorate...

AMD to build $3B chip plant in India.
December 1, 2005... NEW DELHI, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Advanced Micro Devices Inc. plans to build a $3 billion semiconductor factory in India, the Economic Times reported Thursday. Work on the factory will begin next year with production to commence three years...

Bongo's new term sets off riots in Gabon.
December 1, 2005... LIBREVILLE, Gabon, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A new seven-year term for Gabon President Omar Bongo, already Africa's longest serving leader, has touched off riots in the oil-rich state. Bongo, a favorite of French energy giants and the government, has...

Lead lawyer in tobacco suit raps bosses.
December 1, 2005... WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- The lead attorney in the U.S. government's landmark tobacco industry racketeering case says her bosses offered little support. Sharon Y. Eubanks, who retired from the Justice Department Wednesday, led a group of...

November retail sales up 3.5 percent.
December 1, 2005... NEW YORK, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- November retail sales rose in November by 3.5 percent, on a year-over-year basis, an industry group said Thursday. The International Council of Shopping Centers said the best performing segment was footwear stores...

Man jailed for knowingly transmitting HIV.
December 1, 2005... SYDNEY, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- A man in Sydney, Australia, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for knowingly transmitting his HIV virus. The court sentenced Stanislas Kanengele-Yondjo who knew he was HIV-positive when he had unprotected...

Prosecutor gets file on Viking boat party.
December 1, 2005... MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- An inch-thick file on a boat party held by Minnesota Vikings players that allegedly included strippers and sex acts has gone to a prosecutor. The prosecuting attorney, Steve Tallen, said he is reviewing the...

Itchy Swiss sue NYC hotel over bedbugs.
December 1, 2005... NEW YORK, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Two Swiss women are suing a New York City hotel, claiming they were bitten by bedbugs that led to medical treatment in New York and Zurich. The women, both Zurich residents in their early 30's, checked into the...