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Quake's death toll reaches 9,000 CHONGQING, China -- One of the worst earthquakes in decades struck central China today, killing nearly 9,000 people, trapping about 900 students under the rubble of their school and causing a toxic chemical leak, state media reported
Quake's death toll reaches 9,000 CHONGQING, China -- One of the worst earthquakes in decades struck central China today, killing nearly 9,000 people, trapping about 900 students under the rubble of their school and causing a toxic chemical leak, state media reported. The 7.8-magnitude earthquake devastated a hilly region of small cities and towns in Sichuan and nearby provinces. The official Xinhua News Agency said 8,533 people died in Sic...
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NEW YORK (AP) -- Spot nonferrous metal prices today
NEW YORK (AP) -- Spot nonferrous metal prices today. Aluminum -$1.307 per lb., London Metal Exch. today. Copper -$3.8160 Cathode full plate, U.S. destinations. Copper $3.7535 N.Y. Merc spot Fri. Lead - $2258.00 metric ton, London Metal Exch. Zinc - $1.0194 per lb., delivered. Gold - $883.50 Handy & Harman (only daily quote). Gold - $884.50 troy oz., NY Merc spot Fri. Silver - $17.250 Handy & Harman (only daily quote). Silver - $16.843 troy oz...
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Garcia wins in playoff
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Sergio Garcia, the best player without a major, got the next best thing. Garcia ended the longest victory drought of his career by making a clutch par putt to force a playoff and hitting the island-green 17th on the first extra hole to defeat Paul Goydos in The Players Championship. Haunted by putting problems that kept him without a victory the past three years and 53 PGA Tour events, Garcia came up with a 45-...
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CHICAGO -- Attorneys and the judge in R
Jury selection for R. Kelly begins CHICAGO -- Attorneys and the judge in R. Kelly's child pornography trial began questioning 150 potential jurors today, asking what they know about the allegations against one of urban music's biggest stars. The 41-year-old R&B singer, known for sexually charged hits like "Bump N' Grind," has pleaded not guilty to charges that he videotaped himself having sex with a girl as young as 13. Kelly remained pokerfa...
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National Hockey League Playoffs By The Associated Press CONFERENCE FINALS Friday's Games Pittsburgh 4, Philadelphia 2 Saturday's Game Detroit 2, Dallas 1, Detroit leads series 2-0 Sunday's Game Pittsburgh 4, Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh leads series 2-0 Today's Game Detroit at Dallas, 7 p
National Hockey League Playoffs By The Associated Press CONFERENCE FINALS Friday's Games Pittsburgh 4, Philadelphia 2 Saturday's Game Detroit 2, Dallas 1, Detroit leads series 2-0 Sunday's Game Pittsburgh 4, Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh leads series 2-0 Today's Game Detroit at Dallas, 7 p.m. Tuesday's Game Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday's Game Detroit at Dallas, 7 p.m. Thursday's Game...
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Average Kansas farm incomes spike in '07 By The Associated Press WICHITA (AP) -- A year-by-year breakdown of Kansas net farm income: 2007 -- $115,035 2006 -- 46,593 2005 -- 56,982 2004 -- 62,604 2003 -- 51,051 2002 -- 19,106 2001 -- 27,995 2000 -- 39,197 1999 -- 42,488 1998 -- 16,778 1997 -- 59,352 ¬
Average Kansas farm incomes spike in '07 By The Associated Press WICHITA (AP) -- A year-by-year breakdown of Kansas net farm income: 2007 -- $115,035 2006 -- 46,593 2005 -- 56,982 2004 -- 62,604 2003 -- 51,051 2002 -- 19,106 2001 -- 27,995 2000 -- 39,197 1999 -- 42,488 1998 -- 16,778 1997 -- 59,352 ¬
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Dig begins at Manson ranch FRESNO, Calif
Dig begins at Manson ranch FRESNO, Calif. -- The sheriff of the remote region where Charles Manson hid after a killing spree in the summer of 1969 said Friday that he will allow researchers to begin digging into the sandy soil in search of possible human remains. In February, a team of forensic researchers visited the Death Valley ranch where Manson took refuge and found at least two sites that could be clandestine graves holding the bodie...
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(Compiled from a national sample of sales reports provided by SoundScan) 1
Jazz albums (Compiled from a national sample of sales reports provided by SoundScan) 1. "Bringing Back the Funk," Brian Culbertson. GRP/VG. 2. "River: The Joni Letters," Herbie Hancock. Verve/VG. 3. "Rhythm & Romance," Kenny G. Starbucks/Concord. 4. "Sweet, Smooth & Sexy! The Ultimate Collection of Sax For Lovers," Various artists. Shanachie. 5. "Marcus," Marcus Miller. 3 Deuces/Concord Jazz/Concord. Classical albums 1. "C...
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Judge rejects Planned Parenthood effort
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A Jackson County judge dealt a setback Friday to an effort by Planned Parenthood to overturn a new Missouri law that tightens oversight of abortion clinics. The law -- which remains on hold pending resolution of a related federal lawsuit by Planned Parenthood -- classifies certain clinics as outpatient surgery centers, which makes them subject to wider health and safety regulations. Attorneys for Planned Parenthood of...
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"Nothing recedes like success
"Nothing recedes like success." -- Walter Winchell, American columnist and broadcaster (1897-1972).
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Hezbollah fighters attack BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Unchallenged by Lebanon's army, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah routed Sunnis loyal to the U
Hezbollah fighters attack BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Unchallenged by Lebanon's army, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah routed Sunnis loyal to the U.S.-allied government and seized control of large swaths of Beirut's Muslim sector Friday in a telling demonstration of its military prowess. The Shiite fighters' success in three days of street fighting dramatically strengthened the hand of the Hezbollah-led opposition in the bitter political struggle with pro...
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Agency predicts large winter wheat crop
WICHITA (AP) -- Amid a deepening world hunger crisis and low global grain stocks, the Agriculture Department forecast on Friday that the nation's farmers are poised to harvest a bountiful wheat crop this season with continued strong commodity prices. The department's estimated harvest of 1.78 billion bushels of winter wheat, if realized, would make the 2008 winter wheat crop 17 percent larger than last year, the National Agriculture Statistic...
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'Gump' prepares to leave Fort Riley
FORT RILEY (AP) -- As a boy, Michael Conner Humphreys made a splash on the silver screen as "Young Forrest Gump." Afterward, he grew up and lived the life of a normal child in South. But like the adult version of his character, Humphreys joined the Army and fought in an unpopular war. His enlistment ends June 4 and Hollywood is already calling. He's landed a role in an independent film, playing, of course, a soldier. It's a route similar to t...
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Archbishop wants Sebelius to refrain from Communion
TOPEKA (AP) -- The Roman Catholic archbishop for northeast Kansas said Friday that Gov. Kathleen Sebelius should refrain from taking Communion until she publicly repudiates her support for abortion rights. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas also criticized her recent veto of a bill imposing new restrictions on abortion providers. He called upon the governor, who is Catholic, to take the "necessary steps f...
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Perry takes one-shot lead
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Hot blasts of wind on a diabolical course made The Players Championship tough enough to turn someone's hair gray. Not that the leaders needed any help with that Friday. Kenny Perry, who first showed up at Sawgrass 20 years ago, kept his wits and his patience in 35 mph gusts and made only one bogey in a solid round of 2-under 70 that gave him a one-shot lead at 6 under going into the weekend. He will be paired w...
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... on knowing where tax money goes: Whether the expenditure is $1 or $1 billion, taxpayers should be able to decide if they're getting what they're paying for
... on knowing where tax money goes: Whether the expenditure is $1 or $1 billion, taxpayers should be able to decide if they're getting what they're paying for. It's a fundamental principal the government all too frequently chooses to ignore. Case in point is the cost of providing Secret Service protection for former presidents. For security reasons, the government no longer allows the public to know how much it costs to guard the nation's fo...
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Mother fights to keep her baby
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) -- Raechelle Romero was always running from something, starting at 15: from tough relationships with her dad and stepmother, foster homes, abusive boyfriends. Eventually, the troubled teenager ended up on the streets, working as a prostitute. A fight over a bag of cocaine got her sent to prison for attempted murder in 1996. At just 22, she was forced to give up her 2-year-old son to the one person she could count on -- ...
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Dental board repeals rule on testing issue
TOPEKA (AP) -- A state regulatory board repealed a rule Friday that threatened to deny licenses to most of the prospective Kansas dentists in this year's graduating class at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. The Kansas Dental Board's plan to reconsider a policy it imposed only six months ago touched off a debate over whether repealing the rule would endanger public health. The policy dealt with the scores a prospective dentist must rece...
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Kansas farm income more than doubles
WICHITA (AP) -- Bolstered by good fall crops and soaring commodity prices, Kansas farm families saw their income more than double in 2007, a new report shows. The average net farm income in Kansas last year was $115,035, according to the Kansas Farm Management Association at Kansas State University. That compared with a statewide average of $46,593 the previous year. The report was compiled from 1,453 Kansas farms that participate in the KFMA...
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'Idol' star David Cook comes home
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- David Cook has to beat out the two other finalists to become the next "American Idol," but the shaggy-haired rocker is already a winner to Kansas City area fans. They showed him a lot of hometown love Friday, with crowds of admirers braving wind and drizzle as they packed into the Kansas City Power & Light downtown entertainment district for a free Cook appearance. Cook, 25, is a native of the Kansas City suburb of Bl...
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