Dog eating carnival banned in China: report

A dog eating carnival in China dating back more than 600 years has been banned after public outrage at the cruel way the animals are slaughtered, state media said Wednesday.The dogs are killed and skinned in the streets of Qianxi township in the eastern coastal province of Zhejiang during the festiv

Sept. 22, 2011

Moody's cuts BofA, Wells Fargo and Citi ratings

NEW YORK (AP) _ Three of the top U.S. banks are likely to start paying more to borrow money.Moody's Investors Service on Wednesday lowered its debt ratings for Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Citigroup. The ratings agency said it has become less likely that the U.S. government would step in and pre

Sept. 22, 2011

Fed to shift $400B in holdings to boost economy

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Federal Reserve will use more than $400 billion to try to drive down long-term interest rates, make home and business loans cheaper and invigorate the U.S. economy.Analysts said the moves would provide only a slight economic benefit.The action the Fed announced Wednesday is mod

Sept. 22, 2011

US in $5.85 billion Taiwan jet upgrade, China protests

WASHINGTON, Sept 21, 2011 (AFP) - The Obama administration came under fire Wednesday from both China and domestic critics as it approved a $5.85 billion upgrade of Taiwan's fighter jets that stopped short of selling new F-16s.Taiwan and US officials said that the upgrade would improve the island's d

Sept. 22, 2011

China to launch experimental spacecraft

 

Sept. 21, 2011

Gunmen dump 35 bodies in Mexico, cartel figure caught

MEXICO CITY (AP) ― Masked gunmen blocked traffic on a busy avenue in a Gulf of Mexico coastal city Tuesday and dumped the bodies of 35 slaying victims as horrified motorists watched, authorities said.Veracruz state Attorney General Reynaldo Escobar Perez said the bodies were left piled in two trucks

Sept. 21, 2011

U.S. ends ban on gays in military

WASHINGTON (AP) ― The U.S. military passed a historic milestone Tuesday with the repeal of the ban on gays serving openly in uniform, ending a prohibition that President Barack Obama said had forced gay and lesbian service members to “lie about who they are.”Defense Secretary Leon Panetta pledged no

Sept. 21, 2011

U.S. aims to avert crisis in Middle East

NEW YORK (AP) ― The U.S. and its allies changed tactics Tuesday on how to avert a crisis over a Palestinian statehood bid, as the White House announced that President Barack Obama would meet Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. At the same time, U.S. officials conceded they could not stop Abbas from of

Sept. 21, 2011

Iran publicly hangs convicted teen murderer

Despite calls by human rights group Amnesty International for an 11th-hour stay of the 17-year-old's execution, Alireza Molla-Soltani was sent to the gallows at the scene of the crime in the city of Karaj, west of the capital.A large crowd of people had gathered to witness the hanging and security f

Sept. 21, 2011

Tourist sues Starbucks over 'hidden camera'

Starbucks is being sued for $3 million by a tourist from Virginia who says his five-year-old daughter found a video camera hidden in the washroom of one of its Washington outlets.William Yockey, 28, accuses the Seattle-based global coffee chain of invasion of privacy, negligence, "intentional inflic

Sept. 21, 2011

Beijing criticizes U.S. deal to upgrade Taiwan’s F-16 jets

BEIJING (AP) ― China expressed its opposition Monday to a reported deal between the United States and Taiwan to upgrade Taiwan’s existing fleet of F-16 fighter jets, even though the U.S. apparently rejected the island’s bid for a more advanced version of the plane.Although the Obama administration h

Sept. 20, 2011

Gadhafi says his regime still alive in Libya

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) -- Moammer Gadhafi says his regime is still alive in Libya and is calling his opponents' takeover of all but a few pockets of the country a charade.Gadhafi got the message out on a Syrian-based satellite station that has become his main mouthpiece. Al-Rai TV released written

Sept. 20, 2011

Woman sentenced 10 years in prison for locking elderly man in basement

A mother of two in the state of Georgia was sentenced to 10 years in prison and an additional 10 years of probation for locking up and abusing a senior citizen in her basement, local reports said.Chandra Renee Faust, 44, pleaded guilty to a number of charges including wrongful imprisonment and abuse

Sept. 20, 2011