ATLANTA (Reuters) - Florida became the first team in 15 years to claim back-to-back NCAA basketball titles by defeating Ohio State 84-75 on Monday.

AP - The Florida Gators took a chomp out of NCAA history with the repeat they simply had to have. Now they want more. They want to be called one of the best teams of all time. The Gators made their case Monday night with an 84-75 victory over Ohio State to capture the second straight national championship that was their only reasonable goal this season.

Reuters - Florida became the first team in 15 years to claim back-to-back NCAA basketball titles by defeating Ohio State 84-75 on Monday.

AFP - Thousands of Solomon Islanders were homeless Tuesday after a tsunami spawned by a huge earthquake flattened 13 villages, killing at least 22 people and leaving scores missing, officials said.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Monday she had 'no illusions but great hope' for her talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad this week which she said would focus on the fight against terrorism.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Three U.S. soldiers were killed in combat in Iraq on Monday, the U.S. military said on Tuesday, bringing the U.S. death toll since the March 2003 invasion to 3,256.

AP - With the confetti still falling, some fans in the Florida section were already thinking ahead.

AP - For 2-year-old Anna Pribyla, it can be difficult to understand what it means for her dad to be in Iraq. Every soldier looks like him. Even the neighbor's car looks like her father's.

Reuters - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Monday she had "no illusions but great hope" for her talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad this week which she said would focus on the fight against terrorism.

Reuters - Three U.S. soldiers were killed in combat in Iraq on Monday, the U.S. military said on Tuesday, bringing the U.S. death toll since the March 2003 invasion to 3,256.

AFP - A huge earthquake and tsunami that pounded the Solomon Islands left at least 24 people dead and more than 5,400 terrified survivors homeless, disaster chiefs told AFP on Tuesday.

AFP - Britain was offered a glimmer of hope as its efforts to free 15 sailors detained by Tehran continued Tuesday, after a top Iranian official said the standoff could be resolved without a trial.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - A news conference on Tuesday with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been postponed, the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry said in a statement.

HONIARA (Reuters) - A humanitarian crisis triggered by a huge earthquake and tsunami threatened thousands of homeless people in the Solomon Islands on Tuesday as aid began to trickle in and powerful aftershocks rattled the country.

KABUL (Reuters) - U.S.-led coalition and Afghan troops killed at least 10 Taliban fighters on Tuesday in an attack on a compound in the southern Afghan province of Helmand after a tip-off that a junior commander was hiding there.

AP - President Bush and Congress are wrestling for the upper hand in the Iraq war debate, with neither side willing to back down and a top Democrat saying for the first time he wants to yank money for combat. Bush was expected to speak Tuesday to reporters at the White House on Iraq war funding.

AP - The next two days are 'fairly critical' to resolving the dispute over a seized British navy crew, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Tuesday, after Iran's chief international negotiator offered a new approach to end the standoff with Tehran.

AP - When early polls showed him trailing Rudy Giuliani and John McCain, Mitt Romney urged all listeners to watch his presidential campaign blossom over the long election season.

AP - Some of the thousands left homeless by a tsunami ventured back into the devastated Solomon Islands town of Gizo Tuesday, picking their way through rickety buildings in search of food and water.

AP - The European Commission confirmed Tuesday it had opened an antitrust probe into Apple's iTunes and the way it sells music online in coordination with major music companies.

AP - Beans, a majestic 2-year-old Vizsla, however, is ready to play. The overgrown puppy has tried to relax with his owner, Chantale Anderson, but once Magnet the black lab heads off to explore the room, Beans is ready to go.

AP - The Florida Gators beat Ohio State 84-75 Monday night to become the first team since Duke in 1992 to repeat as NCAA men's basketball champions.

Reuters - A news conference on Tuesday with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been postponed, the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry said in a statement.

Reuters - A humanitarian crisis triggered by a huge earthquake and tsunami threatened thousands of homeless people in the Solomon Islands on Tuesday as aid began to trickle in and powerful aftershocks rattled the country.

Reuters - U.S.-led coalition and Afghan troops killed at least 10 Taliban fighters on Tuesday in an attack on a compound in the southern Afghan province of Helmand after a tip-off that a junior commander was hiding there.

AFP - Ukraine's parliament on Tuesday defied a decree by pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko to dissolve the legislature, deepening a political crisis and triggering concern in neighbouring Russia.

AFP - Iran and Britain on Tuesday started talks described as a first step towards resolving the row over the capture of British sailors that has further strained relations between Tehran and the West.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Tuesday the way was open for diplomatic efforts to secure the release of 15 British sailors and marines seized by Iran, and the next 48 hours would be critical.

KABUL (Reuters) - The U.S. military handed over a group of suspected Taliban rebels to the custody of the Afghan government on Tuesday, the start of a program to transfer all Afghan prisoners it holds both in Afghanistan and at Guantanomo.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A physician's group issued new breast cancer screening guidelines on Monday for women in their 40s that leaves the decision about whether to get a mammogram up to the women and their doctors.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's rise as a global power is inevitable and could lead to conflict unless Beijing and Washington can cooperate to create a new global order, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said on Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The United States cannot inflict a military defeat on Iran and any attack would be a huge political mistake, Russia's top general said on Tuesday.

BILI'N, West Bank (Reuters) - A flattened hillside and unused blueprints are all that is left of plans by the West Bank village of Bili'n to build a state school for girls after the U.S. government pulled its money out of the project.

AP - The next two days are 'fairly critical' to resolving the dispute over a seized British navy crew, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Tuesday, after Iran's chief international negotiator offered a new approach to end the standoff with Tehran.

AP - Survivors scavenged for food and drinking water in towns hammered by a tsunami on the Solomon Islands' west coast, while officials said the death toll was 28 and would rise as they struggled to reach remote communities.

AP - A high-speed French train with a souped-up engine and wheels broke the world speed record Tuesday for conventional rail trains, surpassing 354.1 mph.

AP - Dr. Perry Klaassen lived to tell about his frightening ordeal with colon cancer. His patient did not. Same age, same state, same disease. Striking similarities, Klaassen thought when Shirley Searcy came to his clinic in Oklahoma City. It was July 2002, a year after his own diagnosis. But there was one huge difference: Klaassen had health insurance, Searcy did not.

Reuters - Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Tuesday the way was open for diplomatic efforts to secure the release of 15 British sailors and marines seized by Iran, and the next 48 hours would be critical.

Reuters - The U.S. military handed over a group of suspected Taliban rebels to the custody of the Afghan government on Tuesday, the start of a program to transfer all Afghan prisoners it holds both in Afghanistan and at Guantanomo.

Reuters - A physician's group issued new breast cancer screening guidelines on Monday for women in their 40s that leaves the decision about whether to get a mammogram up to the women and their doctors.

Reuters - China's rise as a global power is inevitable and could lead to conflict unless Beijing and Washington can cooperate to create a new global order, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said on Tuesday.

AFP - Iran is hopeful the standoff with Britain over the detention of 15 sailors will be resolved "soon" but London must recognise that its forces illegally entered Iranian waters, Vice President Parviz Davoudi said on Tuesday.

ON BOARD TRAIN V150, France (Reuters) - A French TGV train broke a world speed record on Tuesday as it hurtled down a newly built track at 574.8 kilometers per hour (357 mph) in the country's Champagne region.

AP - An Iranian diplomat in Iraq seized two months ago by uniformed gunmen has been released, Iran reported Tuesday, while in Baghdad a senior foreign ministry official said his government was 'intensively' seeking the release of five Iranians detained there by the U.S.

AP - Mitt Romney on Tuesday credited his lead in Republican presidential fundraising to 'a message that's connecting' and said he isn't worried about his relatively low standing in the polls.

AP - A French train with a 25,000-horsepower engine and special wheels broke the world speed record Tuesday for conventional rail trains, reaching 357.2 mph as it zipped through the countryside to the applause of spectators.

AP - The European Commission confirmed Tuesday it has opened an antitrust probe into Apple's iTunes and the way it works with the major music companies to sell songs online.

AP - WellPoint Inc. employees will have a personal stake in the health of the company's customers, thanks to a new plan that ties a portion of their annual bonuses to it.

AP - Beans, a majestic 2-year-old Vizsla, however, is ready to play. The overgrown puppy has tried to relax with his owner, Chantale Anderson, but once Magnet the black lab heads off to explore the room, Beans is ready to go.

AP - The Gators broke the hearts of Buckeye fans once again. Just three months after the University of Florida trounced a heavily favored Ohio State squad in college football's national championship game, the Gators snatched another national championship from the Buckeyes — this time in men's basketball.

Reuters - A French TGV train broke a world speed record on Tuesday as it hurtled down a newly built track at 574.8 kilometers per hour (357 mph) in the country's Champagne region.

AFP - Ukraine's pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych held crisis talks with his western-backed rival President Viktor Yushchenko on Tuesday over a power struggle that has spawned mass protests.

AFP - British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned Iran on Tuesday that his government would have to take increasingly tough decisions if 15 captive sailors are not quickly released.

LONDON (Reuters) - Shifting sands and a poorly defined maritime border could give Britain and Iran enough room to save face in their 12-day stand-off over a group of detained British sailors and marines, border experts say.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush's administration has crippled al Qaeda's ability to carry out major attacks on U.S. soil but at a political and economic cost that could leave the country more vulnerable in years to come, experts say.

MIAMI (Reuters) - The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season will be far more active than usual with 17 tropical storms, of which nine will grow into hurricanes, a noted U.S. forecasting team founded by William Gray said on Tuesday.

BOGOR, Indonesia (Reuters) - Muslim nations should ultimately replace coalition forces in Iraq after a period of national reconciliation, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told a meeting of Islamic clerics on Tuesday.

BERLIN (Reuters) - For the second time in two years, a car that once belonged to Pope Benedict is up for sale.

AP - President Bush on Tuesday called Democrats in Congress irresponsible for approving war bills that order U.S. troops to leave Iraq by certain dates. He said such efforts will backfire, keeping some troops in battle even longer.

AP - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Syria on Tuesday, the highest-ranking American politician to visit the country since relations began to deteriorate four years ago. President Bush criticized the trip, saying it sends mixed signals to President Bashar Assad.

AP - The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season should be 'very active,' with nine hurricanes and a good chance that at least one major hurricane will hit the U.S. coast, a top researcher said Tuesday.

AP - An Iranian diplomat seized two months ago in Iraq by uniformed gunmen has been freed — a move that suggested progress Tuesday in British efforts to win the freedom of 15 sailors and marines held by Iran.

Reuters - Shifting sands and a poorly defined maritime border could give Britain and Iran enough room to save face in their 12-day stand-off over a group of detained British sailors and marines, border experts say.

Reuters - President George W. Bush's administration has crippled al Qaeda's ability to carry out major attacks on U.S. soil but at a political and economic cost that could leave the country more vulnerable in years to come, experts say.

Reuters - The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season will be far more active than usual with 17 tropical storms, of which nine will grow into hurricanes, a noted U.S. forecasting team founded by William Gray said on Tuesday.

Reuters - Muslim nations should ultimately replace coalition forces in Iraq after a period of national reconciliation, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told a meeting of Islamic clerics on Tuesday.

Reuters - For the second time in two years, a car that once belonged to Pope Benedict is up for sale.

AFP - British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Tuesday that the standoff with Iran over 15 captive sailors was in a "critical" phase, after a top Tehran official said new contacts could help end the crisis.

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi toured the old city of Damascus on Tuesday after arriving in Syria for a meeting with President Bashar al-Assad which the White House had described as a bad idea.

AP - President Bush on Tuesday called Democrats in Congress irresponsible for approving war bills that order U.S. troops to leave Iraq by certain dates. He said such efforts will backfire, keeping some troops in battle even longer.

AP - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi toured Damascus on Tuesday, the highest-ranking American politician to visit Syria since relations began to deteriorate four years ago. President Bush criticized the trip, saying it sends mixed signals to President Bashar Assad.

AP - An Iranian diplomat seized two months ago in Iraq by uniformed gunmen has been released — a move that suggested progress Tuesday in British efforts to win the freedom of 15 sailors and marines held by Iran.

AP - Italian researchers have excavated the skeleton of a 4 million-year-old whale in the Tuscan countryside, a discovery that could help reconstruct the prehistoric environment of the sea that once covered the region, officials said Tuesday.

AP - Metallica may be a cool name for a heavy metal band, but a Swedish couple is struggling to convince officials it is also suitable for a baby girl.

AP - Michigan hired John Beilein to coach its men's basketball team, a person close to the Wolverines program told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Reuters - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi toured the old city of Damascus on Tuesday after arriving in Syria for a meeting with President Bashar al-Assad which the White House had described as a bad idea.

AFP - Ukraine's pro-Western president Viktor Yushchenko held crisis talks Tuesday with his prime minister, as a deepening power struggle between the two rivals brought thousands onto the streets in protest.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush and Democrats in charge of Congress clashed again on Tuesday over funding for the Iraq war with no end likely soon to a defining battle over how long American forces will stay.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said on Tuesday the next 48 hours would be critical in the diplomatic crisis with Iran over Tehran's seizure of 15 British sailors and marines in the Gulf, but played down expectations of a rapid solution.

MIAMI (Reuters) - The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season will be far more active than usual with nine hurricanes, and the United States has an above-average chance of being hit by a major storm, a closely watched forecasting team said on Tuesday.

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Two people were wounded on Tuesday at the CNN Center complex in Atlanta when a man fired multiple shots, the U.S. television news network said.

AP - President Bush on Tuesday called Democrats in Congress irresponsible for approving war bills that order U.S. troops to leave Iraq by certain dates. He said such efforts will backfire, keeping some troops in battle even longer.

AP - The sudden release of an Iranian diplomat missing for two months in Iraq raised new hope Tuesday that 15 British sailors and marines seized by Iran may soon be freed.

AP - Stocks surged Tuesday on signs of resilience in the housing market, with falling oil prices contributing to the rally. The Dow Jones industrials gained more than 120 points.

AP - Longtime friends and rivals — Tennessee coach Pat Summit and Rutgers' C. Vivian Stringer — send their teams out to play for the national championship Tuesday night, with the Lady Vols (33-3) looking for a seventh basketball title and the Scarlet Knights (27-8) looking their first in any team sport since 1949.

Reuters - President George W. Bush and Democrats in charge of Congress clashed again on Tuesday over funding for the Iraq war with no end likely soon to a defining battle over how long American forces will stay.

Reuters - Britain said on Tuesday the next 48 hours would be critical in the diplomatic crisis with Iran over Tehran's seizure of 15 British sailors and marines in the Gulf, but played down expectations of a rapid solution.

Reuters - The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season will be far more active than usual with nine hurricanes, and the United States has an above-average chance of being hit by a major storm, a closely watched forecasting team said on Tuesday.

Reuters - Two people were wounded on Tuesday at the CNN Center complex in Atlanta when a man fired multiple shots, the U.S. television news network said.

AFP - Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko held crisis talks Tuesday with his prime minister, as a deepening power struggle between the two arch rivals brought thousands onto the streets in protest.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States could offer to protect Russia from emerging missile threats in an effort to ease Moscow's anger over Pentagon plans to place missile defense systems in the former Soviet bloc, a senior U.S. defense official said on Tuesday.

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A man shot a woman in the face in a shopping mall at the CNN complex in downtown Atlanta in an incident on Tuesday in which one person died and another was critically wounded, the U.S. television news network said.

AP - President Bush denounced 'irresponsible' Democrats on Tuesday for going on spring break without approving money for the Iraq war with no strings. He condemned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Syria, too, accusing her of encouraging a terrorism sponsor.

AP - President Bush on Tuesday called Democrats in Congress irresponsible for approving war bills that order U.S. troops to leave Iraq by certain dates. He said such efforts will backfire, keeping some troops in battle even longer.

AP - A domestic dispute erupted in gunfire at CNN's headquarters complex Tuesday, killing a woman and critically wounding the man who first pulled a gun, authorities said. The man and woman were arguing near the main entrance of the complex when the man shot her, police officer James Polite said. The armed man was then shot by a CNN security guard.

AP - CIA and FBI agents hunting for al-Qaida militants in the Horn of Africa have been interrogating terrorism suspects from 19 countries held at secret prisons in Ethiopia, which is notorious for torture and abuse, according to an investigation by The Associated Press.

AP - The speedometer climbed higher and higher — and so did my heart rate. Inside the last of three double-decker cars sandwiched between two engines, those of us aboard the French bullet train trying to set the speed record on conventional rails watched the digital numbers flash on a screen in kilometers per hour: 400, 450, 500, 550.

AP - Maybe hormones aren't so bad for women's hearts after all — if the women are still in their 50s. In a postscript to a landmark study five years ago that led millions of women to abandon hormones during menopause, a new review suggests the heart risks for this group of women were overstated.

AP - Stocks surged Tuesday on signs of resilience in the housing market and the U.S. consumer, with falling oil prices giving investors an extra reason to rally. The Dow Jones industrials gained more than 120 points to reach a five-week high.

Reuters - The United States could offer to protect Russia from emerging missile threats in an effort to ease Moscow's anger over Pentagon plans to place missile defense systems in the former Soviet bloc, a senior U.S. defense official said on Tuesday.

Reuters - A man shot a woman in the face in a shopping mall at the CNN complex in downtown Atlanta in an incident on Tuesday in which one person died and another was critically wounded, the U.S. television news network said.

AFP - British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett Tuesday cautioned against hope of a "swift resolution" to the stand-off with Iran over 15 captive sailors, though Tehran hinted at moves to help end the crisis.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has growing evidence of Tehran's involvement in destabilizing Iraq, with more sophisticated Iranian weapons being found, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon's top civilian official on Asia and Pacific affairs, Deputy Under Secretary Richard Lawless, has resigned, U.S. defense officials said on Tuesday.

AP - Britain called for direct talks with Iran over 15 captive Britons Tuesday after speaking for the first time with the chief Iranian negotiator. The announcement followed the sudden release of an Iranian diplomat in Iraq that raised new hope in resolving the standoff.

AP - The eight bonobos at the Great Ape Trust of Iowa howled Tuesday as they watched two trumpeter swans dip into a lake for the first time. Who can blame them? Not only will the apes get new neighbors, they'll get a chance to name the rare birds. 'They were very excited,' said scientist Karyl Swartz. 'It's something new in their environment.'

AP - The best monthly sales performance ever for Toyota and gains by fellow Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan helped the industry in March top last year's best month for U.S. sales despite declines by GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler.

AP - It was planned to be a meeting where John Beilein told his West Virginia players how to prepare for offseason workouts. Instead, he told them goodbye. Beilein, who took the Mountaineers from mediocrity to two NCAA tournaments and an NIT championship, is moving on to Michigan.

Reuters - The United States has growing evidence of Tehran's involvement in destabilizing Iraq, with more sophisticated Iranian weapons being found, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday.

Reuters - The Pentagon's top civilian official on Asia and Pacific affairs, Deputy Under Secretary Richard Lawless, has resigned, U.S. defense officials said on Tuesday.

AFP - Hundreds of protesters prepared to spend the night on the streets of the Ukraine capital on Tuesday in support of Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, locked in a battle of wills with his arch rival President Viktor Yushchenko.

AFP - Britain proposed "direct bilateral discussions" with Iran over the 15 naval personnel detained by Tehran, after revealing that the two countries had "further contacts" late on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Strong intellectual property protections in U.S. free trade deals have hurt developing countries, pushing up drug prices in Jordan by 20 percent, an aid advocacy group said in a report released on Tuesday.

AP - The best monthly sales performance ever for Toyota and gains by fellow Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan helped the industry in March top last year's best month for U.S. sales despite declines by GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler.

AP - Jake Peavy upstaged both superstar Barrys — and his former manager. Peavy sparkled in six shutout innings and the San Diego Padres beat the San Francisco Giants 7-0 on Tuesday in the season opener for both clubs, giving rookie skipper Bud Black a win in his debut against predecessor Bruce Bochy.

Reuters - Strong intellectual property protections in U.S. free trade deals have hurt developing countries, pushing up drug prices in Jordan by 20 percent, an aid advocacy group said in a report released on Tuesday.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said on Tuesday it had proposed direct bilateral talks with Iran to resolve the standoff over Tehran's seizure of 15 British military personnel, and that it believed both countries wanted an early resolution.

AP - Some dog and cat owners frightened by a contamination scare are forsaking the pet-food aisle and grinding up meat in their own kitchens instead. Sales of pet food recipe books have also shot up since the nationwide pet-food recall began two weeks ago.

AP - Halle Berry has an Emmy, a Golden Globe and an Oscar. Now she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A teary-eyed Berry received the 2,333rd Walk of Fame star in a ceremony Tuesday in front of the Kodak Theatre.

AP - Everyone is gazing up at good ol' Rocky Top again. After a nine-year title drought, Tennessee and coach Pat Summitt are NCAA champions. The Lady Vols captured an elusive seventh national title Tuesday night, beating Rutgers to the ball for second and third shots in a 59-46 win to reclaim their customary place above all other programs.

Reuters - Britain said on Tuesday it had proposed direct bilateral talks with Iran to resolve the standoff over Tehran's seizure of 15 British military personnel, and that it believed both countries wanted an early resolution.