Australian PM: No talks with kidnappers
Washington Times - 1 hour ago CANBERRA, Australia, May. 1 (UPI) -- Australia's prime minister said Monday there will be no negotiations with the kidnappers of a businessman in Iraq. A man identifying himself as Douglas Wood was shown begging for his life on a video.

12 die in latest series of bombings in Iraqi cities
Houston Chronicle - Apr 30, 2005 By ELLEN KNICKMEYER. BAGHDAD, IRAQ - Insurgents kept up pressure Saturday, detonating a string of bombs in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities that killed at least 11 Iraqis and one US soldier. The US military announced

Social Security misdirection
Washington Times - 36 minutes ago By Peter Ferrara. Karl Rove and his White House minions have been privately telling conservatives that enough Senate Democrats will support Social Security personal accounts if the plan includes what is called progressive price indexing.

Japan downplays security threat from NKorea missile test
ABC Asia Pacific - 27 minutes ago Japan has played down the missile threat from North Korea, saying a short-range test launch by Pyongyang at the weekend does not pose an immediate threat to Japan's security. The United States says North Korea

Laura Bush: First lady of comedy
USA Today - 1 hour ago President Bush: Thank you and good evening. I always look forward to these dinners, where I'm supposed to be funny — intentionally. I'm really looking forward to hearing Cedric the Entertainer. I kind of think of myself that way.

Agenda for nuke-treaty review unsettled
Washington Times - 36 minutes ago By Charles J. Hanley. NEW YORK -- In a world of growing nuclear fears and mistrust, US negotiators come to New York today to urge a global nonproliferation conference to take action on Iran and North Korea.

Buffett defends reinsurance executive
MarketWatch - 23 minutes ago OMAHA (MarketWatch) -- Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett defended Ajit Jain, one of his top reinsurance executives, on Sunday amid questions about a reinsurance transaction Jain arranged in 1998.

New threat to Egypt's peace
Newsday - 1 hour ago BY MOHAMAD BAZZI. BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Two attacks against tourists in Cairo on Saturday prompted fears of a renewed wave of violence by Islamic militants similar to a bloody campaign in the 1990s, which nearly

AIG to restate, slashing net worth
CNN International - 26 minutes ago NEW YORK (Reuters) -- American International Group Inc. said on Sunday it will restate financial reports for much of the last five years, due mainly to accounting errors that will slash about $2.7 billion from its net worth.

Charges not ruled out for US runaway bride
China Daily - 2 hours ago A suburban Atlanta prosecutor said Sunday he would be less likely to bring charges against runaway bride Jennifer Wilbanks if authorities determine she left spontaneously rather than planning her disappearance.