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Top Stories


China quake death toll rises above 8,700 (AP)

AP - A powerful earthquake toppled buildings, schools and chemical plants Monday in central China, killing more than 8,700 people and trapping untold numbers in mounds of concrete, steel and earth in the country's worst quake in three decades.

Ex-State officials allege corruption in Iraq (AP)

AP - The Bush administration repeatedly ignored corruption at the highest levels within the Iraqi government and kept secret potentially embarrassing information so as not to undermine its relationship with Baghdad, according to two former State Department employees.

Obama defends his patriotism, quarrels with McCain (AP)

AP - Wearing a flag lapel pin, Sen. Barack Obama emphasized his patriotism and support for a strong and humane military Monday, while Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton implored West Virginians to sustain her hopes of somehow denying him the Democratic presidential nomination.

Wildfires force evacuations in central Florida (AP)

AP - Dry, windy weather fueled several wildfires on Florida's central Atlantic coast Monday, destroying at least three homes and driving hundreds of residents away as the governor declared a state of emergency.

ATF chief: Crime rose as cities' funding dropped (AP)

AP - Violent crime has increased in some cities in recent years in part because local police are too cash-strapped to fight it, the ATF chief said Monday.

Old gas pumps can't handle ever-rising prices (AP)

AP - Mom-and-pop service stations are running into a problem as gasoline marches toward $4 a gallon: Thousands of old-fashioned pumps can't register more than $3.99 on their spinning mechanical dials.

Study: Older brains don't benefit from painkillers (AP)
AP - Results from a large government experiment are dimming hopes that two common painkillers can prevent Alzheimer's disease or slow mental decline in older people.

NBC says Fallon will succeed O'Brien (AP)

AP - Jimmy Fallon's kindergarten yearbook at St.

Play of the Day: Clinton's rise and shine surprise (AP)

AP - Doris Smith went downtown early Monday to see about getting tickets to Barack Obama's rally. Advance seats were sold out, she said, and the only option was to stand in line for up two hours or more and hope for the best.

Duke leads Pirates past Braves 5-0 in Game 1 (AP)

AP - Freddy Sanchez's three-run double in the fifth inning broke a scoreless tie, leading Zach Duke and the streaking Pittsburgh Pirates past the Atlanta Braves 5-0 Monday in the first game of a doubleheader.

China quake death toll nears 9,000 (Reuters)

Reuters - A earthquake devastated southwestern China on Monday, killing close to 9,000 people and trapping hundreds of others under flattened schools, factories and houses.

First U.S. aid flight lands in cyclone-hit Myanmar (Reuters)

Reuters - The first U.S. military aid flight to Myanmar landed in Yangon on Monday but emergency supplies remained at a trickle for 1.5 million people facing hunger and disease in the cyclone-ravaged Irrawaddy delta.

McCain pledges to combat climate change (Reuters)

Reuters - Republican John McCain pledged to take the lead in combating global climate change if elected president in a speech that set him apart from the policies of President George W. Bush.

Cablevision and Tribune reach deal for Newsday (Reuters)

Reuters - Cablevision Systems Corp has sealed a $650 million deal to buy the Long Island daily newspaper Newsday from Tribune Co, but analysts doubt the cable company can achieve cost savings to justify its investment.

Iran says to sue U.S. and Britain over mosque blast (Reuters)

Reuters - Iran's judiciary said on Monday it would file international lawsuits against the United States and Britain, accusing them of providing financial support to those behind a blast in a mosque that killed 14 people.