MCI again spurns Qwest for Verizon
Minneapolis Star Tribune (subscription) - 1 hour ago A new $8.5 billion offer from local phone company Verizon won over the board of long-distance company MCI on Monday, causing rival Qwest to end a three-month bidding war with Verizon. Qwest's offer of $9.9

Purcell Must Mend Morgan Stanley's Wounds
ABC News - 5 hours ago The Morgan Stanley building in New York's Times Square is seen, Thursday, April 14, 2005 in New York. Morgan Stanley Chief Executive Phil Purcell survived a challenge to his position over the weekend after

Sharansky quits government over Gaza withdrawal
Independent - 2 hours ago By Eric Silver in Jerusalem. A senior minister in Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's cabinet has resigned in protest at the plan to evacuate all 21 Jewish settlements from the Gaza Strip and four from the northern West Bank this summer.

Rice: US Can Deter North Korean Nuclear Ambitions
Voice of America - 3 hours ago By Meredith Buel. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in a tough statement aimed at North Korea, says the United States has significant deterrent capability to thwart Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. Secretary

City may seek costs from runaway bride
CNN - 52 minutes ago DULUTH, Georgia (CNN) -- The city of Duluth may take civil action to recoup about $40,000 to $60,000 from runaway bride Jennifer Wilbanks for costs incurred in her hometown's search for her, Police Chief Randy Belcher said late Monday.

NPT Conference Opens Amid Concerns of Deadlock
Voice of America - 5 hours ago By Peter Heinlein. A conference on nuclear non-proliferation has opened at the United Nations amid concerns about the nuclear intentions of Iran and North Korea. Representatives of more than 180 countries sat

Italy Rebuts US Report That Cleared GI's in Killing
New York Times - 40 minutes ago ROME, May 2 - Italy on Monday issued a strongly worded rebuttal to an American report clearing United States soldiers of responsibility for the shooting death of an Italian intelligence agent at a roadblock in Iraq, saying "inexperience and stress" on the

Bush faces Republican resistance on Social Security
Reuters - 42 minutes ago By Adam Entous. WASHINGTON, May 2 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush's plan to shore up Social Security by reducing promised benefits for all but low-income retirees is meeting resistance from some Senate

US satellite sees N.Korea test preparations-paper
Wired News - 39 minutes ago SEOUL (Reuters) - US intelligence has captured the movement of heavy equipment in North Korea that points to possible preparations for an underground nuclear test, a South Korean newspaper said on Tuesday.

US and UN join Australian efforts to free hostage
ABC Online - 42 minutes ago TONY EASTLEY: The Australian Government, the armed forces, the US Government, the UN, Iraqi clerics and non-government organisations are all now involved in trying to secure the release of Australian hostage, Douglas Wood.