Saturday, September 4
Senate panel investigates Blackwater
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Blackwater Worldwide had a large network of subsidiaries vying for military contracts, a U.S. Senate committee said this week.
Friday, September 3
Ex-treasurer admits stealing from GOP
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- A former Republican Party financial official and consultant pleaded guilty Friday in Washington to embezzling $850,000 from party committees.
Pa. man to get Medal of Honor posthumously
WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- An Air Force sergeant from Pennsylvania killed in combat in Laos during the Vietnam War will receive the Medal of Honor, the White House said Friday.
Brewer still forecast a winner in Arizona
PHOENIX, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Republican Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, awkward in a debate this week, still is a likely winner against Democrat Terry Goddard, The New York Times said Friday.
Ohio officials get formal complaint on Fox
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- The Democratic Governors Association has filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission accusing Fox News Channel of illegal campaign contributions.
Colo.: Top GOP candidates split
DENVER, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Colorado's Republican U.S. Senate nominee said Friday he is joining other key Republicans in withdrawing support for the GOP nominee for governor, Dan Maes.
Court: Calif. need not defend Prop 8
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Same-sex marriage opponents say they will appeal a court ruling that California officials need not defend a constitutional amendment banning the practice.
'Fake' Mich. Tea Party tossed off ballot
DETROIT, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- The allegedly fake Michigan Tea Party will not appear on the state's November ballot, the Michigan Supreme Court said in a 5-2 ruling Friday.
Iran: Peace talk participants 'traitors'
CAIRO, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Egypt says it has canceled a meeting with Iran's foreign minister after he called participants in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks "traitors."
U.S., China hold 'backdoor' military talk
BEIJING, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Chinese and U.S. defense experts discussed military ties between the two countries despite a freeze on military exchanges since January, officials said.
U.S., South Korea schedule more war drills
SEOUL, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- South Korean and U.S. forces will hold another joint drill as a show of force against North Korea, officials said, as North Korea again threatened retaliation.
France: No action in friendly fire case
PARIS, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- No disciplinary action will be taken in a friendly fire incident involving French soldiers in Afghanistan last week, Defense Ministry officials said.
Gates buoyed by progress in Afghanistan
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited with American troops in Afghanistan Friday, saying he sees progress in the war against insurgents there.
25 suspects killed in Mexico shootout
MEXICO CITY, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A gunbattle between Mexican soldiers and a group of suspected drug dealers in northeast Mexico left 25 of the suspects dead, military officials said.
Thursday, September 2
2 arrested in deadly West Bank shootings
HEBRON, West Bank, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Palestinian police arrested two suspects in the killing of four West Bank Israelis on the eve of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, officials said Thursday.
Democrats slam Fox support of GOP
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A statement by the Democratic Governors Association says a $1 million contribution to Republicans by the parent company of Fox News "crosses a bright line."
Fla. billionaire sues 2 papers for libel
MIAMI, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A Florida billionaire and defeated primary candidate for the U.S. Senate filed a lawsuit accusing two newspapers of trying to destroy his candidacy.
Japan's Kan, Ozawa trade barbs in debate
TOKYO, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan accused challenger Ichiro Ozawa of backing money-driven politics Thursday while Ozawa rapped Kan for a bloated bureaucracy.
Justice Department sues Sheriff Joe Arpaio
PHOENIX, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- The U.S. Justice Department sued controversial Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio Thursday, saying he has refused to cooperate in a discrimination investigation.
3 U.S. Senate seats could swing control
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- The ballot fates of U.S. senators in California, Washington and Wisconsin may determine if Senate power swings to Republicans, a political writer says.
Israeli military in racial slur accusation
JERUSALEM, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- An Ethiopian soldier serving at an Israeli air force base has demanded the dismissal of a senior officer over a racial slur, military authorities say.
Military parents unhappy with Afghan war
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A Los Angeles couple who lost their son, a soldier, to a Taliban ambush in Afghanistan say the rules of engagement are jeopardizing the lives of U.S. troops.
Judge steps aside while sex complaint airs
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A judge in Manitoba, Canada, has removed herself from bench duty while the Canadian Judicial Council reviews a sexual harassment complaint against her.
Report: Waters charges for campaign mail
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., has charged other candidates thousands of dollars to be on mailers and sample ballots, The Washington Times reported Thursday.
P. Diddy accused of age discrimination
NEW YORK, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- A 51-year-old music executive at Sean "P. Diddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records in New York sued Combs for $12 million, alleging age discrimination, her lawsuit said.
Doctors in stem cell case speak out
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Two scientists involved in the lawsuit that has blocked federal funding for embryonic stem cell research say they acted because of ethical objections.
Somali pirates ally with both sides in war
HOBYO, Somalia, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Local Somali leaders increasingly align with former pirate foes to fight a much graver common enemy -- the militant al-Shabaab Islamic movement, officials say.
Wednesday, September 1
Lawyer: Salmonella suits coming in fast
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A Minneapolis law firm specializing in food safety cases says lawsuits about salmonella-tainted eggs are coming in "like crazy."
Dad defends Kwame Kilpatrick
DETROIT, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The father of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, in a deposition in a lawsuit brought by the parents of a slain dancer, called the woman's parents greedy.
Lawyer: Healthcare reform violates rights
LAS VEGAS, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A candidate for Nevada attorney general says healthcare reform violates at least seven amendments to the U.S. Constitution and has sued seeking to overturn it.
Catholic school hit with abuse lawsuit
MONTREAL, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A former student says he is suing a Montreal school for the deaf, alleging sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic brothers who taught there.
ACLU backs man wanting to fly flag
LAVEEN, Ariz., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The American Civil Liberties Union says it's backing an Arizona man against a homeowner association rule against flying the Gadsden Flag in front of his house.
New appeal seeks Wash. execution stay
SEATTLE, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A lawyer for a condemned Washington state inmate contends his client should have received a stay of execution from a federal judge.
Tribes win temporary stay on cigarette tax
BUFFALO, N.Y., Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A federal judge temporarily blocked New York state Wednesday from collecting taxes on cigarettes sold by Indian tribes.
Star says marriage was for love, not card
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Mexican soap opera actress Fernanda Romero denied her marriage was a sham engineered so she could get a U.S. work permit during a federal trial in Los Angeles.
Biden formally hands over Iraq command
BAGHDAD, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Vice President Joe Biden Wednesday marked the end of the U.S. combat mission in Iraq, saying a new chapter is opening in relations between the two countries.
Suit: Drunk courier lost $1.3M painting
NEW YORK, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The owner of Jean Baptiste Camille Corot's "Portrait of a Girl" is suing a courier after the man lost the painting during an alleged drunken night in New York.
Korean War MIA to be reburied in Kentucky
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The Defense Department Wednesday said the body of a U.S. serviceman missing in action since the Korean War will be returned to his family.
Oil spill company's legal moves slammed
DETROIT, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The company responsible for an oil pipeline leak in Michigan may have compromised the legal rights of residents evacuated from the spill area, lawmakers allege.
S. Korea sets up G20 command center
SEOUL, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A single military command center will coordinate South Korean security operations during the Group of 20 summit in Seoul, officials announced Wednesday.
Pakistan officers rousted at D.C. airport
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Pakistan's military said Wednesday it recalled an official delegation to Washington over the rude treatment its members received from airport security agents.
Judge nixes 2nd Ariz. immigration lawsuit
PHOENIX, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against Arizona's tough immigration law, ruling a Tucson police officer did not have standing to challenge it.
Death toll from Pakistani airstrikes at 60
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The death toll from airstrikes by Pakistani jet fighters in the country's tribal region has risen to 60, two military officials said.
Tuesday, August 31
Murkowski concedes in Alaska Sen. primary
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, conceded Tuesday to Joe Miller, a relative political novice who challenged her in the state's Republican U.S. Senate primary.
Boehner lauds troops
MILWAUKEE, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner said Tuesday, the day marking the end of the U.S. combat role in Iraq, "belongs to our troops."
Obama on Iraq: Time to turn the page
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- The U.S. combat role in Iraq is over, President Barack Obama told the nation Tuesday night, and it's time to focus on repairing the U.S. economy.
On eve of talks, Israelis, Palestinians agree only to meet
WASHINGTON -- Israeli and Palestinian leaders will sit down at the State Department on Thursday for the first Middle East peace talks in 20 months, with almost nothing agreed on beyond the meeting itself, and widespread skepticism in the region that peace is anywhere close at hand.
Family sues over heart-stopping shock
DOVER, N.H., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- The family of a student severely shocked during a prank in electrical trades class in Dover, N.H., is suing his teacher and school district, court papers say.
Mass. Supreme Court green lights wind farm
BOSTON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- A controversial wind-farm project in Nantucket Sound got a break Tuesday when the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled the state can overrule local communities.
Gates warns against cutting military
MILWAUKEE, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a national veterans group Tuesday the United States shouldn't bank any peace dividend reaped as it winds down the Iraq war.
Biden: Iraq 'much safer'
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, in Baghdad to mark the transition of power to Iraqi leaders, said Iraq has become "much safer."
Economy has turned up the heat in probate
DETROIT, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- A Michigan probate attorney says the economic downturn had increased the number of court battles over large inheritances.
Reason for optimism in Mideast talks
Israeli and Palestinian leaders are in Washington in an attempt to make peace -- again. This summit marks the latest chapter in a story that began on the White House lawn 17 years ago when Israelis and Palestinians committed themselves to ending the conflict once and for all. Since then, every round has failed and bloodshed has ...
Costs awarded in Pa. school webcam case
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania school district must pay a lawyer who sued the district for allegedly monitoring students through their computer webcams, a judge has ruled.
Obama calls Bush, visits troops
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama talked with his predecessor and U.S. troops Tuesday before his prime time address on ending the U.S. combat mission in Iraq.
Chinese court to hear HIV-bias suit
ANQING, China, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- A man infected with the virus that causes AIDS is likely to be the first test case of a 2006 Chinese anti-discrimination regulation, his lawyer said Tuesday.
Palin to headline Iowa GOP dinner
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Sarah Palin is set to headline the annual Republican dinner Sept. 17 in Iowa, site of the first presidential caucuses in 2012, party officials confirm.
Lautner suit target suggests push-ups
IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- A California recreational vehicle dealer says he wants to resolve the lawsuit actor Taylor Lautner filed against him with a push-up contest instead of a trial.
Ariz. Dems: Republicans running ringers
PHOENIX, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- The Arizona Democratic Party has accused Republican rivals of running Green Party ringers in some competitive races in an effort to siphon off votes.
Arizona colleges sued for discrimination
PHOENIX, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- The U.S. Justice Department says it has filed an immigration lawsuit against Arizona authorities alleging hiring discrimination by schools in the state.
Kerry, Issa, top list of richest lawmakers
WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Financial disclosure forms indicate Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., is Washington's wealthiest lawmaker worth $188.6 million at the end of 2009.
Poll has GOP with 10-point lead
PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- The last Gallup weekly tracking poll before Labor Day has Republicans with an unprecedented 10-point lead on the generic Congressional ballot.
Traficant may yet be on Ohio ballot
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Jim Traficant, the ex-Ohio congressman convicted of taking bribes and cheating on his taxes, is close to getting on the November ballot, officials said Monday.
Monday, August 30
Deceased Ohioan casts vote in election
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A Columbus, Ohio, man "voted" in the 2006 general election even though he died in 2005, elections officials said.
Biden marks end of Iraq combat role
BAGHDAD, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Baghdad Monday to mark the formal end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq, and to try to foster formation of a new government.
Hospital now denies liability for stents
BALTIMORE, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A Baltimore area hospital is turning its back on patients who had coronary stents wrongly implanted, patients' attorneys said.
Syria-Hezbollah would unite vs. Israel
KUWAIT CITY, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Hezbollah and the Syrian army would join forces on all levels in a war with Israel, sources told the Kuwaiti newspaper al-Rai.
Sunday, August 29
China to hold Yellow Sea naval exercises
BEIJING, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- China said Sunday it will conduct live-ammunition naval exercises in the Yellow Sea this week.
30-plus insurgents killed in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Afghan and coalition forces battled back attacking militant fighters, killing more than 30 of the insurgents in weekend fighting, officials said Sunday.
Earl prompts Virgin Island warnings
Hurricane Earl was about 150 miles east of Barbuda in the eastern Caribbean Sunday evening, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.
Democrat says Republicans lean to extremes
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said Sunday the Republican Party was leaning toward extremist politics.
Washington funds Palestinian campaign
JERUSALEM, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Washington is funding an ad campaign in Israel featuring billboards of Palestinian officials asking: "We are partners -- what about you?"
November vote could cut women in Congress
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Political analysts say the U.S. November elections could result in the first decrease in the number of women in Congress in many years.
Japan loses spy satellite
TOKYO, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Japan's only working radar satellite has malfunctioned and officials say they may not be able to save it.
In Mexico, drug war deaths mount
MEXICO CITY, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Human rights groups say the war on drugs in Mexico has gone badly awry with soldiers covering up atrocities that have included civilian deaths.
Man arrested after macing at funeral
OMAHA, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Sixteen protesters at a military funeral in Omaha were doused with pepper spray from passing motorists, police said.
Report says Israel to target weapon depots
JERUSALEM, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Israel may be preparing to attack Hezbollah arms depots and weapons plants deep inside Syria, Western sources told a Kuwaiti newspaper.
Saturday, August 28
W.Va., La., voters pick Senate candidates
Voters in Louisiana and West Virginia Saturday picked candidates for their U.S. Senate general election races.
Beck rally draws big crowd, counter rally
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- A big crowd turned out for conservative radio and TV personalty Glenn Beck's "Restoring Honor" rally in Washington Saturday while others staged a counter rally.
Obama to mark Katrina anniversary in N.O.
NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- President Obama will be in New Orleans Sunday to mark the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the city and surrounding region in 2005.
Iraq on high alert
BAGHDAD, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says he put the country on high alert in expectation of terrorist activity by al-Qaida and "remnants of the Baath party."
India, China in defense row
NEW DELHI, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Chinese officials have denied an apparent rift in defense ties between China and India even as an Indian general was denied permission to visit the country.
Man sues video-game maker over 'addiction'
HONOLULU, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- A man in Hawaii is suing a video-game maker, claiming his addiction to the game left him unable to bathe, dress himself or wake during the day, a lawsuit says.
Police officer, wounded, kills war veteran
SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- A Salt Lake City police officer was on leave Saturday, the day after killing an Afghanistan war veteran who had shot and wounded him, police said.
Parents say priest got daughter pregnant
READING, Pa., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania family has sued the diocese of Allentown, saying Catholic officials failed to supervise the priest who impregnated their daughter.
Wisconsin's bid for ballot waiver rejected
MADISON, Wis., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Wisconsin's bid for leeway on sending absentee ballots overseas has been rebuffed by the Pentagon.
Neo-Nazi must pay $545,000 for harassment
ROANOKE, Va., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- A jury has awarded five black tenants $545,000 from a Virginia white supremacist who subjected them to racist harassment.
Fort Worth tops in political donations
FORT WORTH, Texas, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Records show that a Texas ZIP code that is home to a bevy of law firms and energy companies is the leading source of political contributions this year.
Soviet plane grounded by U.S. court fight
MARQUETTE, Mich., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- A Soviet-era Russian military plane remained grounded in the upper peninsula of Michigan because of its owner's dispute with a creditor.
Florida candidate Rubio chides Washington
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Florida voters are fed up with spending by the Obama administration, U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio said in the weekly Republican radio address.
N.Y. family sues over organ harvesting
NEW YORK, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- A New York family says their late mother's organs were taken without consent, but a donor network denies the charge.
Obama praises military vets
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama Saturday said America's commitment to military personnel and veterans is "a sacred trust" and a "moral obligation."
Friday, August 27
Miller tweet angers Murkowski camp
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- With the race between Sen. Lisa Murkowski and her Republican primary challenger Joe Miller still undecided, a tweet on Miller's Web site set off a testy spat.
Condom soup suit settled out of court
MISSION VIEJO, Calif., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A California man's lawsuit against a restaurant that allegedly served him French onion soup with a condom in it has been settled out of court.
Democrats file complaint about foundation
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Washington Democrats have filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service accusing the right-wing Americans for Prosperity Foundation of tax law violations.
Paul Allen alleges patent infringement
SEATTLE, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen sued in Seattle Friday, contending Apple, Google and others are profiting illegally from patents he owns, court records show.
Georgia sets border rules for tourists
MOSCOW, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Russians must cross the Georgian border to enter Abkhazia or South Ossetia or risk fine or jail, Georgian officials say.
'Dirty' site cited for $11 million libel
LEXINGTON, Ky., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A salacious Web site that became an issue in a congressional campaign in Arizona faces an $11 million libel judgment in an unrelated dispute in Kentucky.
Russian spy now faces copyright suit
MOSCOW, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A Russian magazine has threatened to sue exchanged spy Anna Chapman, saying she had no right to post a photo taken for its pages on her Facebook page.
Somali pleads guilty to piracy
NORFOLK, Va., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A Somali man Friday pleaded guilty in federal court in Norfolk, Va., to attacking the USS Ashland in the first successful U.S. piracy prosecution in 150 years.
Report: Taliban targeted British P.M.
LONDON, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- The Taliban planned to shoot down British Prime Minister David Cameron's helicopter during a trip to Afghanistan in June, sources tell The Daily Telegraph.
Iraqis arrest 10 terrorist suspects
BAGHDAD, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Iraqi forces arrested 10 people with suspected ties to terrorist groups Friday in three operations in Baghdad and Taji, the U.S. Defense Department said.
Palin Calif. speaking contract made public
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A contract made public by court order shows former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin got $75,000 for speaking at a California university, authorities said.
Torpedo under Philly highway was replica
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A torpedo discovered Friday at a Philadelphia construction site turned out to be a harmless replica, police said.
Afghan military recruits get driver's ed
KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Trainers at an Afghan training facility said they are focusing on road education because more than half of Afghan army injuries come from road accidents.
U.S. sides with utilities in court case
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- U.S. environmental activists say they're angry at the Obama administration for siding with utility companies in a Supreme Court case on climate change.
Democrats wavering on tax rise for rich
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Some Democrats are getting cold feet about raising taxes for the wealthy as the economy deteriorates, observers say.
Report alleges possible genocide in Africa
UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- A United Nations draft report alleges the Rwandan army and allies may have committed genocide during a 10-year period in the Congo, the BBC reported.
Thursday, August 26
Iran said to ban local news of opposition
TEHRAN, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Iranian media are being prohibited from reporting about government opposition leaders under a purported media directive, opposition Web sites said.
Chilean miner family sues mine owner
SANTIAGO, Chile, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- One of the families of 33 trapped Chilean miners entombed a half-mile underground filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing the mine owner of criminal negligence.
Judge OKs Hooters weight-bias lawsuits
MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Two former Hooters waitresses who allege they were fired because they were overweight may proceed with their lawsuits, a Michigan judge ruled.
Aussie troops may face court martial
SYDNEY, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A military prosecutor says she may pursue charges against several Australian troops in a raid in Afghanistan last year in which five children died.
Black Sea Group ends maneuvers
VARNA, Bulgaria, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The Black Sea Naval Group, an international force including Turkey and Russia, completed 15 days of maneuvers Thursday, officials said.
Mexico City mayor sues cardinal
MEXICO CITY, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard has sued the archbishop of Guadalajara for accusing him of bribing the country's Supreme Court to approve gay adoption.
U.S.: No 'arms race' in South America
ASUNCION, Paraguay, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- South America spends less that 2 percent of its gross domestic product on defense, less than any other region in the world, a U.S. official said.
Election fraud charged in Michigan
DETROIT, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Michigan politics have produced claims of election fraud, calls for grand jury investigations and the resignation of a Democratic Party chairman, observers say.
Poll: Republicans more likely to vote
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A Harris poll has good news for Republicans in this year's midterm elections for U.S. Congress: Their supporters are more likely to vote.
U.K. transsexual sues former employer
LONDON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A transsexual caregiver in England is suing her former employer for allegedly firing her after she turned up at work wearing a dress, authorities say.
Polls: Americans oppose a return to Iraq
PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- About twice as many Americans say they oppose renewing U.S. combat operations in Iraq as say they favor it, a Gallup poll released Thursday indicated.
Boehner: Democrats increasing pay gaps
WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The Obama administration is responsible for exacerbating a pay gap between public and private workers, a Republican leader says.
Kim leaves North Korea during Carter visit
SEOUL, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Il was in China with his youngest son as ex-U.S. President Jimmy Carter was in Pyongyang, South Korean officials said.
Sen. Murkowski mum on plans in nail-biter
JUNEAU, Alaska, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, trailing her primary election opponent, said she would wait until all ballots are counted before deciding what to do next.
Mexico asks for help to ID 72 bodies
MEXICO CITY, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Mexican investigators have asked diplomats from several Latin American countries to help identify the 72 bodies found this week at a ranch in northeast Mexico.
Wednesday, August 25
Air Force personnel warned of e-cigarettes
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- The surgeon general of the U.S. Air Force warns all personnel about the danger of e-cigarettes and that they are banned wherever smoking is banned.
Murkowski: Count absentee ballots
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski trails challenger Joe Miller in Alaska's Republican primary election, but she says it "ain't over" yet.
Mullen: Iraq can provide its own security
CHICAGO, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Wednesday Iraq's armed forces are capable of providing for their own security.
Russian planes fuel Canadian dispute
OTTAWA, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Two Russian bombers came within 40 miles of Canadian territory this week, officials say.
Video game allows players to be Taliban
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- "Medal of Honor," an upcoming video game from Electronic Arts, allows players to assume the roles of either U.S. soldiers or Taliban militants in Afghanistan.
Pentagon targets service suicides
WASHINGTON, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A U.S. Defense Department task force announced new steps Wednesday to prevent service member suicides.
Marine sergeant pleads to sex charges
NORFOLK, Va., Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A U.S. Marine staff sergeant has pleaded guilty to mistreating 17 male subordinates through sexual actions and comments, authorities say.
5 soldiers charged with Afghan killings
SEATTLE, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Five U.S. soldiers from a Stryker infantry brigade have been charged with killing Afghan civilians, military officials say.
Proposed U.S. flight changes rile Japanese
TOKYO, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa may be saddled with increased noise and riskier flight paths for U.S. military jets, diplomatic sources say.
Tea Party, Mich. GOP sues fake Tea Party
DETROIT, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Michigan Tea Party activists and Republican leaders sued to keep candidates from what the plaintiffs call a fake Tea Party off the November ballot.
Tense calm in Beirut after violent clashes
BEIRUT, Lebanon, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- A fragile calm prevailed in Beirut Wednesday following deadly clashes that erupted between members of Hezbollah and a Sunni faction.
Hezbollah wants Iran to arm Lebanese Army
BEIRUT, Lebanon, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called on the Lebanese government to seek Iran's assistance in providing arms for the Lebanese army.
McCain wins, Murkowski trails
Voters in Arizona, Vermont, Alaska, Florida and Oklahoma Tuesday selected who they think should be on the Election Day ballot in November.
Tuesday, August 24
McCain wins Ariz. GOP primary
PHOENIX, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Sen. John McCain held off a Republican primary challenge by conservative firebrand J.D. Hayworth in Arizona Tuesday, returns indicated.
Lankford, Thompson look like Okla. winners
OKLAHOMA CITY, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Republicans James Lankford and Charles Thompson appeared headed to victories in congressional primary runoffs in Oklahoma Tuesday, returns showed.
Alvin Greene not welcome at Dem meeting
SENECA, S.C., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- U.S. Senate nominee Alvin Greene found himself on the outside looking in at a county Democratic Party meeting in South Carolina this past weekend, police said.
Leahy wins handily in Vermont
MONTPELIER, Vt., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy had no difficulty winning the Democratic primary in Vermont Tuesday as he goes after a seventh term, returns indicated.
Meek, Rubio, Crist in U.S. Sen. showdown
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Democratic Rep. Kendrick Meek and Republican ex-state House Speaker Marco Rubio were winners in Florida's U.S. Senate primary election Tuesday, returns showed.
U.S. military confirms cyberattack
WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- U.S. officials have confirmed a significant breach of military computers caused by a flash drive plugged into a laptop computer in the Middle East in 2008.
Man sues over alleged beating during G20
PITTSBURGH, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- A bank employee has filed the first lawsuit alleging physical brutality by police during last year's Group of 20 summit in Pittsburgh, his lawyer said.
Ex-GI charged in Afghan bribe scheme
WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- A former U.S. Army staff sergeant was charged Tuesday with accepting $400,000 in bribes from a government contractor in Afghanistan.
Marine general: Afghan war far from over
WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Marine Corps commandant Gen. James T. Conway said Tuesday he expects there will be a continued Marine presence in Afghanistan well beyond July 2011.
Biden touts Recovery Act's effects
WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden crowed Tuesday that federal stimulus is re-energizing the U.S. economy despite Republican naysaying.
U.S. troops in Iraq below 50,000
BAGHDAD, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- The United States now has fewer than 50,000 troops in Iraq, a goal set by President Obama last February, a White House spokesman said.
Jackson greets workers, stumps for march
DETROIT, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- The Rev. Jesse Jackson and a union leader said they greeted Detroit-area auto workers Tuesday morning to get support for a march scheduled for Saturday.
Body parts worker files suit against N.Y.
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- A New York tissue-recovery worker, acquitted of charges she harvested body parts without permission, is suing the state, court records say.
Ga. man convicted for raping girl in Japan
VALDOSTA, Ga., Aug. 24 (UPI) -- A Georgia man, convicted of raping a girl over a four-year period in Japan, faces a sentence of up to life in federal prison, court records show.
New crop of political attack ads sprout
WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Special interest groups are expected to pour lots of cash into ad blitzes against U.S. congressional candidates as midterm elections draw closer, observers say.
Insurgents rape 150 women in Congo attack
NEW YORK, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- The United Nations has confirmed that more than 150 women were raped in an eastern village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a U.N. spokesperson says.
Israel: Iran's reactor a threat to region
JERUSALEM, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Israel's deputy foreign minister says Iran's nuclear reactor represents a tremendous danger to the stability of the entire Middle East.
Iran: Israel and U.S. won't attack
TEHRAN, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- A top Iranian general said Tuesday the United States and Israel are unlikely to launch a military attack against his country.
Monday, August 23
Ex-Marine guilty of killing fellow Marine
GOLDSBORO, N.C., Aug. 23 (UPI) -- A jury in North Carolina Monday convicted a former U.S. Marine of murdering a fellow Marine.
Biden addresses VFW national convention
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden told a national gathering of war veterans Monday overall violence is down Iraq and things are improving in Afghanistan.
U.S. soldier pleads guilty to murder
TACOMA, Wash., Aug. 23 (UPI) -- A U.S. Army soldier pleaded guilty to murder and kidnapping Monday in the killings of two fellow soldiers and abduction of their young daughter, officials said.
Tort lawyer subject of inquiry
CINCINNATI, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Cincinnati class-action attorney Stan Chesley is being investigated in two of Kentucky's largest legal cases in the past decade, officials say.
Defiant Blago hints at political comeback
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Sunday he would be "vindicated" in a second trial and hinted at a political comeback.
Sunday, August 22
Barak names Israel's next chief of staff
JERUSALEM, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- After weeks of speculation, Defense Minister Ehud Barak has named Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant Israel's next chief of staff.
4 U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Three separate incidents Sunday left four U.S. troops dead in Afghanistan, officials said.
RNC down to $5 million for fall races
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- The Republican National Committee enters the final months of the U.S. midterm election campaign with just $5 million in its coffers, filings show.
Ahmadinejad: Israel too weak to attack
TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday Israel is too weak to stand up to Iran.
U.S. to spend $100 million on Afghan bases
KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- The Pentagon says it plans to spend $100 million on air base expansions in Afghanistan with construction efforts continuing into at least 2011.
U.S. unlikely to resume Iraq combat role
WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- The top U.S. commander in Iraq suggested Sunday combat operations would resume only in the unlikely event of complete failure of Iraqi security forces.
Vet in Hawaii slayings had PTSD signs
HONOLULU, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Court records indicate a former Hawaii National Guardsman involved in an apparent murder-suicide was wrestling with post-traumatic stress syndrome.
Iran launches first spy drone
TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Iran Sunday launched a domestically made long range high-altitude drone, state media reported.
Congressional candiate robbed in Florida
NORTH MIAMI, Fla., Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Marleine Bastien, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Florida's 17th District, and her sister were robbed at gunpoint Saturday outside a church, police said.
Saturday, August 21
Australia left with majority of none
MELBOURNE, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Neither the Labor Party nor the center-right Coalition seized a clear parliamentary majority in Saturday's Australian election.
Somali insurgents killed by own bombs
MOGADISHU, Somalia, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- An explosion at a house used as a bomb-making center by the Somali militant group al-Shabaab killed several people, a member of the group said Saturday.
Stolen Van Gogh painting found in Cairo
A $50 million Vincent Van Gogh painting was recovered in Cairo Saturday evening, hours after it was stolen from a museum, Egypt's culture minister said.
Israel sounds out U.S., France on aid ship
JERUSALEM, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Israel is seeking international help in turning back the latest so-called aid ship ready to set sail to Gaza.
Thais won't halt arms dealer extradition
BANGKOK, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Thailand's prime minister says his government won't intervene in the extradition of a Russian arms dealer to the United States.
2 Australians killed in Afghanistan blast
CANBERRA, Australia, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- A roadside blast in the Kandahar region of central Afghanistan killed two Australian soldiers and wounded two others, military officials said Saturday.
Gibson: For himself, $600K; for child, 6K
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Actor Mel Gibson has told a Los Angeles court he spends about $600,000 a month, but should pay only $6,000 a month for child support, RadarOnline.com reports.
Militant leader killed in Russia
GROZNY, Russia, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- A Russian militant leader blew himself up with a grenade when he realized he would not be able to escape capture in a police operation, authorities say.
Newt nixes speech at 9/11 mosque protest
WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich says he won't take part in a protest against a proposed mosque near the site of the World Trade Center next month.
New plan in Tribune Co. bankruptcy
WILMINGTON, Del., Aug. 21 (UPI) -- The Tribune Company, publisher of the Chicago Tribune, will retool its bankruptcy reorganization plan after key supporters walked away, an attorney says.
WW2 Helldiver pulled from reservoir
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- A World War II military plane was pulled from a San Diego reservoir Friday, 65 years after its crew was forced to ditch it and swim to shore.
Obama warns of 'corporate takeover'
WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama Saturday warned of a "corporate takeover" of democracy and said Republicans want the public kept "in the dark" on campaign funding.
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