Police: Bicycle bomb kills 5 in northwest Pakistan

A bomb rigged to a bicycle exploded in a northwest Pakistani city on Monday, killing at least five people and wounding 20 in the latest attack to rattle the volatile region.

The explosion occurred on a major road in Dera Ismail Khan, and most of the victims were either walking by the parked bicycle or traveling in nearby vehicles, area police chief Saeed Ullah said.

Taliban and al-Qaida militants are suspected in scores of attacks in Pakistan's northwest regions bordering Afghanistan. Dera Ismail Khan lies near the Waziristan tribal areas, which are insurgent strongholds and favorite targets for U.S. missile strikes.

But the rough and tumble city …

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FDA: No Spinach Farm 'Off the Hook' Yet

SALINAS, Calif. - Local spinach farmers and processors expressed relief upon learning that the search for the source of a deadly E. coli outbreak has been linked to a nearby cattle ranch, but health officials cautioned that their investigation was far from over.

Inspectors confirmed Thursday that the same bacteria strain that killed three people and sickened nearly 200 nationwide was found at a Salinas Valley cattle ranch within a mile of spinach fields.

Officials still can't be sure if the E. coli found in cow manure contaminated the fields, but called the match an important finding.

"We do not have a smoking cow at this point," said Dr. Kevin Reilly, deputy …

Families stream into New York ceremony

Families carrying photos of lost loved ones streamed into a plaza near "ground zero" in New York on Friday to observe the eighth anniversary of the World Trade Center attack, many standing tearfully through moments of silence in honor of those who died.

Thousands were expected at now-familiar ceremonies in New York, at the Pentagon and at the crash site of United Airlines Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

In New York, a smaller-than-usual crowd of just hundreds gathered in rainy, windy weather to observe the anniversary of the worst attacks in the nation's history. Families used rain jackets and umbrellas to fend off the downpour as bells tolled …

'Small' rally nets big win for Clemente

A wild, riveting and bizarre game ended the only way imaginable.

Improbably.

Clemente scored three runs in its final at-bat without hitting the ball out of the infield and stunned Lane 11-10 Friday.

''Small ball wins championships,'' said senior Laboy Perez, who scored the game-winner without a play at the plate on a ground ball to short by Daniel Hernandez. ''This is our biggest rival, and next to a championship game if we got there, this is our biggest game of the year.'' The host Wildcats (5-7, 5-3 Jackie Robinson North) parlayed two walks, a perfectly executed bunt and an error to reverse Lane's 10-8 advantage.

Lane's Richard Green appeared to put the …

India: Online cotton trading

INSIDE ASIA

Futures trading in cotton started in December of 1998 after an interval of about 31 years (futures were banned in 1967 because of excessive speculation), but volumes have been eluding the East India Cotton Association (EICA), the main trade body which represents cotton interests and also manages the futures exchange.

The volume of trading so far has been nominal, to say the least. For example, there was no trading at all between June 10 and 13, 2002. There was some trading in June (spot) and September contracts but again, between June 17 and June 21, 2002, there was no trading at all. While leading members …

DNA tests exonerate 'Lizard Man' in van attack

DNA testing has shown an attack on a family van some blamed on the legendary Lizard Man appears to have been actually done by a domestic dog. Something chewed up the front fender of Bob and Dixie Rawson's van in February. Bite marks were left on the wheel wells and blood was found on the vehicle.

The Item of Sumter reported that a veterinary lab in California tested the blood and found it came from a dog.

But Bob Rawson isn't …