NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government agreed to a $306 billion rescue plan for Citigroup Inc, agreeing to shoulder some losses from toxic debt in the latest attempt to bolster a financial services industry in turmoil.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian shares cut losses on Monday and U.S. stock futures gained after the U.S. government agreed to a $306 billion rescue plan for Citigroup, easing concerns about the U.S. bank's survival.

(Reuters) - Some wealthy clients of UBS AG are coming forward to make amends with U.S. tax authorities after a former UBS private banker was indicted, a sign that U.S. efforts to battle offshore tax evasion are having the desired effect, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California's gay marriage ban could open the door to legal discrimination against unpopular groups if the state Supreme Court allows the voter-approved measure to stand, blacks, Latinos, Asians and other minorities said.

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez claimed a victory on Monday in the OPEC nation's vote for governors and mayors after his allies won at least 17 of 22 state races.

AP - The government unveiled a bold plan Sunday to rescue troubled Citigroup, including taking a $20 billion stake in the firm as well as guaranteeing hundreds of billions of dollars in risky assets.

AP - Taxpayers have shelled out at least $200 million since 2004 for medications that have never been reviewed by the government for safety and effectiveness but are still covered under Medicaid, an Associated Press analysis of federal data has found. Millions of private patients are taking such drugs, as well.

AP - Oil prices rose above $50 a barrel Monday in Asia as investors gained some confidence from reports that U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has chosen an economic team to tackle what could be the worst slowdown in decades.

AP - This time, Adam Vinatieri was right on from a lot farther out. Vinatieri, one of the most clutch kickers in NFL history, made a 51-yard field goal as time expired to lift Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts to a heart-stopping 23-20 win over the San Diego Chargers on Sunday night.

AP - The New York Giants were great in Glendale again, especially Eli Manning. Manning threw for three touchdowns in his return to the scene of his Super Bowl MVP performance and the Giants beat Arizona 37-29 to snap the Cardinals' seven-game home winning streak.

Reuters - The U.S. government agreed to a $306 billion rescue plan for Citigroup Inc, agreeing to shoulder some losses from toxic debt in the latest attempt to bolster a financial services industry in turmoil.

Reuters - Asian shares cut losses on Monday and U.S. stock futures gained after the U.S. government agreed to a $306 billion rescue plan for Citigroup, easing concerns about the U.S. bank's survival.

Reuters - Some wealthy clients of UBS AG are coming forward to make amends with U.S. tax authorities after a former UBS private banker was indicted, a sign that U.S. efforts to battle offshore tax evasion are having the desired effect, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website.

Reuters - California's gay marriage ban could open the door to legal discrimination against unpopular groups if the state Supreme Court allows the voter-approved measure to stand, blacks, Latinos, Asians and other minorities said.

Reuters - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's left-wing party won most state races in elections on Sunday, but the opposition scored victories in major power centers to dent his dominance over the OPEC nation.

AFP - Thousands of Thai protesters surrounded parliament Monday and besieged other state buildings in what they said would be their final battle in a six-month street campaign against the government.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government bailed out Citigroup Inc, agreeing to shoulder most of the potential losses on $306 billion of high risk assets, in its most sweeping rescue of a U.S. bank yet in the global economic crisis.

(Reuters) - Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is considering tapping the second half of the government's $700 billion financial-industry rescue fund, and rolling out new programs in response to worsening market conditions, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian shares pared losses and U.S. stock futures gained on Monday after the U.S. government rescued Citigroup with a plan that was seen providing a template for other banks facing losses from toxic investments.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama takes his first major step toward addressing the U.S. financial crisis on Monday, presenting the team that will steer his economic policies and navigate a potentially deep recession.

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somali pirates holding a Saudi supertanker after the largest hijacking in maritime history are asking for a $15 million ransom, an Islamist leader said on Monday.

SEOUL (Reuters) - Secretive North Korea said on Monday it would all but seal its border with the South a week before heading into talks with its neighbor and other regional powers which are pressing it to give up nuclear weapons.

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's left-wing party won most state races in elections on Sunday, but the opposition scored victories in major power centers to dent his dominance over the OPEC nation.

AP - A female suicide bomber blew herself up near an entrance to the U.S.-protected Green Zone and a bomb tore through a bus carrying Iraqi government employees in separate attacks Monday, killing at least 18 people, Iraqi officials said.

AP - Dozens of deaths have been linked to medications that have never been reviewed by the government for safety and effectiveness but are still covered under Medicaid, an Associated Press analysis of federal data has found.

AP - Three spacewalks down. One to go. Astronauts Stephen Bowen and Robert 'Shane' Kimbrough venture outside the international space station Monday for the fourth and final spacewalk of space shuttle Endeavour's nearly two-week visit to the orbiting outpost.

AP - Chris Brown was the big winner, but it was Kanye West's night at the American Music Awards. Instead of his typical tantrum — a trend West started four years ago when he lost the favorite new artist prize — the rapper claimed two trophies Sunday and called on his colleagues to up their game.

Reuters - The U.S. government bailed out Citigroup Inc, agreeing to shoulder most of the potential losses on $306 billion of high risk assets, in its most sweeping rescue of a U.S. bank yet in the global economic crisis.

Reuters - Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is considering tapping the second half of the government's $700 billion financial-industry rescue fund, and rolling out new programs in response to worsening market conditions, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Reuters - Asian shares pared losses and U.S. stock futures gained on Monday after the U.S. government rescued Citigroup with a plan that was seen providing a template for other banks facing losses from toxic investments.

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama takes his first major step toward addressing the U.S. financial crisis on Monday, presenting the team that will steer his economic policies and navigate a potentially deep recession.

Reuters - Somali pirates holding a Saudi supertanker after the largest hijacking in maritime history are asking for a $15 million ransom, an Islamist leader said on Monday.

Reuters - Secretive North Korea said on Monday it would all but seal its border with the South a week before heading into talks with its neighbor and other regional powers which are pressing it to give up nuclear weapons.

AFP - Thousands of Thai protesters marched on parliament and other key buildings Monday in what they called a final battle against the government, forcing lawmakers to cancel an important sitting.

AFP - At least 16 people were killed on Monday in two separate bombings in Baghdad, including a blast caused by a female suicide bomber outside the heavily guarded Green Zone, security officials said.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government has bailed out Citigroup Inc, agreeing to shoulder most of the potential losses on $306 billion of high risk assets and inject $20 billion of new capital, in its biggest rescue of a bank yet.

LONDON (Reuters) - World stocks rebounded on Monday from last week's 5-1/2 year low after the U.S. government unveiled a $300 billion-plus rescue package for banking giant Citigroup, while oil slipped again on demand concerns.

SEOUL (Reuters) - Secretive North Korea said on Monday it would all but seal its border with the South a week before heading into talks with its neighbor and other regional powers which are pressing it to give up nuclear weapons.

CARACAS (Reuters) - President Hugo Chavez's left-wing party and the growing opposition shared the spoils of Venezuela's local elections as they jostled for political momentum in the OPEC nation on Monday.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil eased below $50 a barrel on Monday, on skepticism that a further OPEC supply cut would be enough to prop up prices that have been pressured by weakening global demand as the economy slows.

AP - Bailout fatigue gripped Asian markets Monday with most regional benchmarks retreating despite a U.S. government lifeline for ailing banking giant Citigroup.

AP - Eager to calm economic anxieties, President-elect Barack Obama is rolling out an economic vision that will require congressional cooperation even before he settles into his new desk in the White House's Oval Office.

AP - A female suicide bomber blew herself up near an entrance to the U.S.-protected Green Zone and a bomb tore through a minibus carrying Iraqi government employees in separate attacks on Monday, killing at least 20 people, Iraqi officials said.

AP - Brett Favre and the New York Jets made their statement to the league by toppling the NFL's last undefeated team.

Reuters - The U.S. government has bailed out Citigroup Inc, agreeing to shoulder most of the potential losses on $306 billion of high risk assets and inject $20 billion of new capital, in its biggest rescue of a bank yet.

Reuters - Stock futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Monday, after a sharp rally late on Friday and following a U.S. government plan to rescue embattled Citigroup.

Reuters - Secretive North Korea said on Monday it would all but seal its border with the South a week before heading into talks with its neighbor and other regional powers which are pressing it to give up nuclear weapons.

AFP - The US government has vowed to protect struggling banking giant Citigroup against 'unusually large losses' and give it 20 billion dollars from a massive financial rescue package approved by Congress.

(Reuters) - Stock futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Monday, after a sharp rally late on Friday and following a U.S. government plan to rescue embattled Citigroup.

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Russia has evidence that citizens from NATO member states including the United States and Turkey fought for Georgia in the five-day August war, Russia's top investigator said on Monday.

AP - European stock markets rose Monday after Friday's strong close on Wall Street and on relief that the U.S. government is providing a lifeline to ailing banking giant Citigroup.

AP - Eager to calm economic anxieties, President-elect Barack Obama is rolling out an economic vision that will require congressional cooperation even before he settles into his new desk in the White House's Oval Office.

Reuters - Russia has evidence that citizens from NATO member states including the United States and Turkey fought for Georgia in the five-day August war, Russia's top investigator said on Monday.

AFP - The US government announced Monday a new 20-billion-dollar lifeline for banking giant Citigroup ahead of the unveiling of president-elect Barack Obama's economic team.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government has bailed out Citigroup Inc, agreeing to shoulder most of the potential losses on $306 billion of high-risk assets and inject $20 billion of new capital in its biggest move yet to rescue a bank.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks headed for a higher open on Monday after the U.S. government agreed to pump $20 billion of new capital into Citigroup, averting a bank collapse that could have crippled the world's financial system.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top economic adviser to President-elect Barack Obama on Monday said he was unsure how big an economic stimulus program will be needed to revive U.S. economic activity.

AP - Rushing to rescue Citigroup, the government agreed to shoulder hundreds of billions of dollars in possible losses at the stricken bank and to plow a fresh $20 billion into the company.

AP - Shipping officials from around the world called for a military blockade Monday along the coast of Somalia to intercept pirate vessels heading out to sea.

AP - A group of whales rescued from an Australian beach have joined a larger pod in deep waters — a sign they are doing fine after their ordeal, an official said Monday.

AP - What a relief! The free public restrooms operated by the Charmin toilet paper company in Times Square during the holidays are being rolled out for another year.

Reuters - The U.S. government has bailed out Citigroup Inc, agreeing to shoulder most of the potential losses on $306 billion of high-risk assets and inject $20 billion of new capital in its biggest move yet to rescue a bank.

Reuters - Stocks rose on Monday after the U.S. government agreed to inject $20 billion of new capital into Citigroup, heading off a bank collapse that could have crippled the world's financial system.

Reuters - A top economic adviser to President-elect Barack Obama on Monday said he was unsure how big an economic stimulus program will be needed to revive U.S. economic activity.

AFP - The US government promised to guarantee hundreds of billions of dollars of the banking giant Citigroup's debt in a massive new bailout ahead of new global moves Monday to lift the world economy.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Christina Romer, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, as the head of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, a Democratic source told Reuters on Monday.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rose on Monday as investors breathed a sigh of relief after Washington agreed to pump $20 billion into Citigroup, averting a bank collapse that could have imperiled the global financial system.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top economic adviser to President-elect Barack Obama said on Monday a U.S. economic stimulus program to revive economic activity would need to be bigger than first thought as the financial storm intensifies.

AP - President Bush argued Monday that the government's dramatic rescue of Citigroup was necessary to 'safeguard the financial system' and help the economy recover, and he said there could be more such moves if other institutions need help.

AP - Wall Street showed its relief Monday over the government's plan to bail out Citigroup Inc. — a move it hopes will help address some of the uncertainty hounding the financial sector. Stocks jumped more than 3 percent, extending Friday's big rally.

AP - Three spacewalks down. One to go. Astronauts Stephen Bowen and Robert 'Shane' Kimbrough venture outside the international space station Monday for the fourth and final spacewalk of space shuttle Endeavour's nearly two-week visit to the orbiting outpost.

AP - Eddie Jordan was fired as coach of the Washington Wizards on Monday after opening the season 1-10 without injured starters Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood.

Reuters - Stocks rose on Monday as investors breathed a sigh of relief after Washington agreed to pump $20 billion into Citigroup, averting a bank collapse that could have imperiled the global financial system.

Reuters - A bomb blast killed 13 female government employees on a bus on their way to work in eastern Baghdad on Monday, and a female suicide bomber killed five people outside Baghdad's Green Zone compound, police said.

Reuters - Southern African nations must intervene more decisively to end Zimbabwe's political and economic crisis, former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and other prominent world figures said on Monday.

AFP - The British government on Monday launched a 20-billion-pound economic stimulus package of tax cuts to get consumers spending again and fight a looming recession.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks pared gains on Monday as U.S. President-elect Barack Obama offered no details on the size of an economic stimulus plan sought to avert a deep recession, tempering optimism fueled by a government rescue of Citigroup.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A bomb blast killed 13 female government employees on a bus on their way to work in eastern Baghdad on Monday, and a female suicide bomber killed five people outside Baghdad's Green Zone compound, police said.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Southern African nations must intervene more decisively to end Zimbabwe's political and economic crisis, former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and other prominent world figures said on Monday.

AP - With the economy in crisis, President-elect Barack Obama urged the new Congress to pass a quick economic stimulus bill, pledged help for the troubled auto industry and blessed the Bush administration's bailout of the financial industry.

AP - President Bush argued Monday that the government's dramatic rescue of Citigroup was necessary to 'safeguard the financial system' and help the economy recover, and he said there could be more such moves if other institutions need help.

AP - Nationwide sales of existing homes fell more than expected last month, as economic fears made buyers leery even though prices plunged to the lowest level in more than four years. And the decline is expected to get worse because October's results reflect sales contracts signed before Wall Street's nosedive.

AP - Astronauts are carrying out the last spacewalk of this mission to finish a clean and lube job that they began a week ago at the international space station.

AP - General Motors Corp. said Monday it is ending its nine-year endorsement deal with golf superstar Tiger Woods as the automaker continues to cut expenses and hoard cash while trying to survive the worst sales downturn in a quarter-century.

AP - Stopped. Cold turkey. North Carolina authorities say a shopper clubbed an alleged carjacker with a frozen turkey as he tried to steal a woman's car in a grocery store parking lot Sunday.

Reuters - Stocks rose on Monday as investors cheered Washington's move to inject $20 billion into Citigroup, staving off a potential bank collapse that could have put the global financial system at risk.

AFP - President-elect Barack Obama Monday named a heavyweight economic team and vowed to put a decisive stamp on efforts to rescue the world's largest economy.

AFP - The British government on Monday launched a major economic stimulus package worth 20 billion pounds to reignite consumer spending and help Britain recover from a deep and painful recession.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rallied on Monday as investors applauded the decision by Washington to inject $20 billion into Citigroup in an effort to prevent a bank collapse which could have endangered the global financial system.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The government rescued Citigroup Inc, agreeing to shoulder most of the potential losses from $306 billion in its risky assets and inject $20 billion in new capital, its biggest effort yet to prevent a big bank from failing.

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's growing opposition and President Hugo Chavez's left-wing party shared the spoils from weekend elections as they jostled for political momentum in the OPEC nation on Monday.

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somali pirates holding a Saudi supertanker after the largest hijacking in maritime history have reduced their ransom demand to $15 million, an Islamist leader and regional maritime group both said on Monday.

AP - A woman hiding a bomb under her long robe blew herself up Monday among Iraqis waiting to enter the U.S.-protected Green Zone, where lawmakers plan to vote this week on a pact that would let American forces stay in Iraq for up to three more years.

AP - Edward 'Ted' Kaufman, a former aide to Sen. Joe Biden, was named Monday by Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner to fill the Senate seat Biden is leaving for the vice presidency.

AP - Just in time for the holidays, some medical advice most people will like: Take a nap. Interrupting sleep seriously disrupts memory-making, compelling new research suggests. But on the flip side, taking a nap may boost a sophisticated kind of memory that helps us see the big picture and get creative.

AP - In a span of 10 days, a man learned he won two automobiles in separate contests. Michel Horton picked up his newest ride on Friday, a 2008 'Bon Jovi Special Edition' Saturn Outlook, at a dealership in Topeka. He was notified of the win on Oct. 15.

AP - Eddie Jordan was fired as coach of the Washington Wizards on Monday after opening the season 1-10 without injured starters Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood. 'That's an unacceptable record, obviously,' team president Ernie Grunfeld said at a news conference to introduce director of player development Ed Tapscott as interim coach. 'We had to do something. The way we're losing games was unacceptable.'

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama promised on Monday to jolt the faltering U.S. economy with a costly stimulus package next year and introduced the team that will help him navigate the global financial crisis.

Reuters - Stocks rallied on Monday as investors applauded the decision by Washington to inject $20 billion into Citigroup in an effort to prevent a bank collapse which could have endangered the global financial system.

Reuters - The government rescued Citigroup Inc, agreeing to shoulder most of the potential losses from $306 billion in its risky assets and inject $20 billion in new capital, its biggest effort yet to prevent a big bank from failing.

Reuters - Venezuela's growing opposition and President Hugo Chavez's left-wing party shared the spoils from weekend elections as they jostled for political momentum in the OPEC nation on Monday.

AFP - The British government on Monday launched a major economic stimulus package worth 20 billion pounds to reignite consumer spending and help the country recover from a deep and painful recession.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama promised on Monday to jolt the faltering U.S. economy with a costly stimulus package next year and introduced the team that will help him navigate the global financial crisis.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks soared on Monday, capping the best two-day run since the aftermath of the 1987 stock market crash, as the government's decision to rescue Citigroup spurred an enormous relief rally.

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Barack Obama's election as U.S. president has provoked a rise in hate crimes against ethnic minorities, civil rights groups said on Monday.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A U.S. judge dismissed three charges Monday against Barry Bonds but let stand 12 others stemming from the BALCO doping scandal against the U.S. baseball home run king, who is accused of lying to a grand jury about steroid use.

AP - Citing an 'economic crisis of historic proportions,' President-elect Barack Obama urged Congress to pass a costly, job-creating stimulus bill as quickly as possible, a rare pre-inaugural call to action delivered as the outgoing Bush administration approved fresh billions to bail out one of the nation's largest banks.

AP - The government's latest bailout of a big financial company — this time, Citigroup Inc. — sent Wall Street soaring Monday for the second straight session as investors bet that the worst of the financial industry's problems might finally be over. The Dow Jones industrials soared nearly 400 points, while all the major indexes jumped more than 4.5 percent.

AP - A woman hiding a bomb under her long robe blew herself up Monday among Iraqis waiting to enter the U.S.-protected Green Zone, where lawmakers plan to vote this week on a pact that would let American forces stay in Iraq for up to three more years.

AP - A Muslim charity and five of its former leaders were convicted Monday of funneling millions of dollars to the Palestinian militant group Hamas, finally handing the government a signature victory in its fight against terrorism funding.

AP - Donovan McNabb will start when the Philadelphia Eagles host the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night. The five-time Pro Bowl quarterback was benched for the first time in his career at halftime of Philadelphia's 36-7 loss at Baltimore on Sunday. Second-year pro Kevin Kolb played poorly against the Ravens, and Eagles coach Andy Reid said Monday he's going back to McNabb.

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama promised on Monday to jolt the faltering U.S. economy with a costly stimulus package next year and introduced the team that will help him navigate the global financial crisis.

Reuters - Stocks soared on Monday, capping the best two-day run since the aftermath of the 1987 stock market crash, as the government's decision to rescue Citigroup spurred an enormous relief rally.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's political rivals meet in South Africa on Tuesday for talks to end a political deadlock, amid mounting pressure from regional leaders for a deal to prevent the humanitarian crisis becoming still worse.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The convictions of three men sentenced to life in prison for the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa were upheld by a U.S. federal appeals court on Monday.

AP - Citing an 'economic crisis of historic proportions,' President-elect Barack Obama urged Congress to pass a costly, job-creating stimulus bill as quickly as possible, a rare pre-inaugural call to action delivered as the outgoing Bush administration approved fresh billions to bail out one of the nation's largest banks.

AP - An economic crisis, rising joblessness and a credit squeeze can make a president-elect refine his words. Today's word is 'repeal.' During his presidential campaign, Barack Obama promised to repeal President George W. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy ahead of their scheduled expiration in 2011.

AP - President George W. Bush has granted pardons to 14 individuals and commuted the prison sentences of two others convicted of misdeeds including drug offenses, tax evasion, wildlife violations and bank embezzlement.

AP - Astronauts successfully carried out one last spacewalk Monday, finishing an unprecedented clean and lube job that they began a week ago at the international space station. Spacewalker Stephen Bowen wrapped up work on a jammed solar-wing rotary joint as his partner, Shane Kimbrough, squirted some extra grease as a precaution on another joint that is working fine.

AP - A student at a Florida school has been arrested after authorities said he was 'passing gas' and turned off his classmates' computers. According to a report released Friday by the Martin County Sheriff's Office, the 13-year-old boy 'continually disrupted his classroom environment' by intentionally breaking wind. He then shut off some computers other students were using.

AP - Even without Gilbert Arenas and another injured starter, the Washington Wizards never imagined they would be as bad as the franchise ever has been. So after opening 1-10 to match the worst start in team history, the Wizards fired coach Eddie Jordan and his top assistant Monday and gave director of player development Ed Tapscott his first NBA head coaching job.

Reuters - Zimbabwe's political rivals meet in South Africa on Tuesday for talks to end a political deadlock, amid mounting pressure from regional leaders for a deal to prevent the humanitarian crisis becoming still worse.

Reuters - The convictions of three men sentenced to life in prison for the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa were upheld by a U.S. federal appeals court on Monday.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama promised on Monday to jolt the faltering U.S. economy with a costly stimulus package next year and introduced the team that will help him navigate the global financial crisis.

DALLAS (Reuters) - A federal jury in Dallas on Monday found an Islamic charity and five men linked to it guilty on all charges in a lengthy case linked to the funneling of over $12 million to the Palestinian group Hamas, which the United States considers a terrorist organization.

AP - Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday ordered his top department leaders to conduct a broad review to determine whether the military, National Guard and Reserve can adequately deal with domestic disasters and whether they have the training and equipment to defend the homeland.

AP - Astronauts successfully carried out one last spacewalk Monday, finishing an unprecedented clean and lube job that they began a week ago at the international space station. Spacewalker Stephen Bowen wrapped up work on a jammed solar-wing rotary joint as his partner, Shane Kimbrough, squirted some extra grease as a precaution on another joint that is working fine.

AP - The Pittsburgh Pirates hope Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel really do have million-dollar arms. The two 20-year-old pitchers, neither of whom had picked up a baseball until earlier this year, signed free-agent contracts Monday with the Pirates. They are believed to be the first athletes from India to sign professional baseball contracts outside their country.

Reuters - A federal jury in Dallas on Monday found an Islamic charity and five men linked to it guilty on all charges in a lengthy case linked to the funneling of over $12 million to the Palestinian group Hamas, which the United States considers a terrorist organization.

AFP - Around 10,000 anti-government protesters Tuesday besieged the Thai prime minister's temporary offices at an abandoned airport, in their latest bid to stop the government functioning, police said.

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Somali pirates have hijacked another vessel, a Yemen cargo ship, in the Gulf of Aden, a regional maritime official said on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush on Monday granted 14 pardons and commuted two sentences but there were no high-profile names on a list released by the Justice Department.

AP - Asian markets rose Tuesday as investors regained some confidence on Wall Street's second straight day of strong gains, spurred by a U.S. government bailout of banking giant Citigroup.

AP - Brooke Burke could be the one who wins 'Dancing With the Stars.' The 37-year-old model-actress and her professional partner, Derek Hough, dominated the popular ABC dancing competition's final round Monday night, receiving a combined score of 58 out of 60 from the judges.

AP - Drew Brees threw for four scores and Deuce McAlister set a Saints record for career touchdowns to help New Orleans take a 45-21 lead on the Green Bay Packers after three quarters on Monday night.

Reuters - Somali pirates have hijacked another vessel, a Yemen cargo ship, in the Gulf of Aden, a regional maritime official said on Tuesday.

Reuters - President George W. Bush on Monday granted 14 pardons and commuted two sentences but there were no high-profile names on a list released by the Justice Department.

AFP - Thousands of Thai protesters besieged the prime minister's temporary offices at an abandoned Bangkok airport Tuesday, on the second day of marches aimed at toppling the elected government.

AFP - US president-elect Barack Obama has pledged to work with global leaders to stem the ever-widening financial crisis, as Washington and Britain moved to shore up their ailing economies.