Sexism award goes to 'ugly ducklings' mayor
An Australian outback mayor's plea for lovelorn female "ugly ducklings" to move to a remote mining town to reverse a shortage of eligible women has won him the country's yearly award for outrageous sexism.
Myanmar sends comedian, monk to prison
Courts in military-ruled Myanmar on Friday handed long prison sentences to a prominent monk and a popular comedian active in the country's pro-democracy movement.
Afghanistan markets pomegranates
Afghanistan is telling the world that it has a trendy, new replacement for its dreaded poppy crop: sweet, juicy pomegranates.
Deflation poses new economic threat
Strapped consumers are rejoicing at falling prices. But some economists warn of the growing risk of a ruinous downward price spiral called deflation. Here's what's at stake.
Puppy Cam wranglers: 'No, you can't have one'
Four million Puppy Cam fans worldwide gained inner peace watching the real-time exploits of six adorable pups. But who do these dogs belong to? And ... can I have one?
Madonna, Ritchie granted divorce
Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie ended nearly eight years of marriage in just a few minutes on Friday when a British court granted them a preliminary divorce decree.
Bush effigy burned at Iraq protest
Followers of a Shiite cleric on Friday stomped on and burned an effigy of President Bush in Baghdad as they protested a proposed U.S.-Iraqi security pact on Friday.
Stocks seesaw after steep sell-off
Wall Street sagged again Friday but took a break from the heavier selling of recent days as energy, utility and technology stocks showed some advances and bank stocks declined.
Bush signs bill providing extra jobless benefits
The White House said Friday President Bush has signed into law a bill that Congress approved to keep benefits flowing to jobless Americans through the holiday season.
China IDs 19,000 of quake dead
A little over a quarter of the 70,000 people who died in a massive earthquake that struck Sichuan in May have been identified, a Chinese official said Friday.
