AP - France's prime minister, his popularity plummeting amid weeks of protest over a contentious labor law, indicated Tuesday he could consider some changes to what he called a "well-crafted" measure. The country's largest student union scorned his effort as "ridiculous."

AP - When student demonstrators in France wear trash bags to protests, their message is: "We're not disposable." They're angry about a new government job plan that will allow employers to fire them more easily.

AP - French student groups, bolstered by a firm show of support from trade unions, led a new protest march Tuesday to ratchet up pressure on the premier to scrap a contested labor law.

Reuters - DJ Premier was surprised when he got the phone call last spring. It was RCA Records, saying that Christina Aguilera wanted the producer, best known for his gritty work with rap heavyweights Gang Starr, the Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Nas and KRS-One, to work on the pop singer's forthcoming album.

AFP - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's party and his leading rivals have failed to agree on talks between the embattled premier and his opponents, amid rising concerns whether snap polls can go ahead.

AFP - Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's party and his leading rivals have agreed to meet to dicuss organizing talks between the embattled premier and his opponents, officials said.

AP - Liverpool stayed two points behind second-place Manchester United in the English Premier League after beating Newcastle 3-1 Sunday.

AP - Lebanon's pro-Syrian president, under pressure from anti-Syrian groups to step down, said Saturday he would stay in office until the end of his term but proposed early parliamentary elections as a way out of the presidential stalemate.

Reuters - DJ Premier was surprised when he got the phone call last spring. It was RCA Records, saying that Christina Aguilera wanted the producer, best known for his gritty work with rap heavyweights Gang Starr, the Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Nas and KRS-One, to work on the pop singer's forthcoming album.

AP - It's one of those statements that draws a "No kidding" or "No way."

AP - Manchester United closed in on English Premier League leader Chelsea, beating West Brom 2-1 on Saturday.

AP - Ariel Sharon, comatose since suffering a massive stroke in January, will be moved to a long-term care facility after elections later this month, Israeli Channel 10 TV reported Friday.

AFP - Tibetan exiles around the world go to the polls to elect a prime minister and a new parliament as their leader the Dalai Lama seeks greater autonomy for the Chinese-ruled homeland.

The FTSE 100, London's premier stock market index, rises above 6,000 for the first time in five years.

AFP - The Palestinians accused Israel of working to destroy the Palestinian Authority after a raid on a West Bank prison that boosted acting premier Ehud Olmert's prospects of re-election.

Reuters - Veteran musher Jeff King drove his dog team into the Bering Sea town of Nome on Wednesday to capture the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the world's premier dog-sled event, for the fourth time.

AFP - The chief adviser to Thailand's highly influential king has made a powerful plea for an end to the nation's deepening political crisis, as the premier hinted he might temporarily step aside.

Denise Royal - AHN Staff Writer Nome, AK (AHN) – Jeff King is the winner of this year’s Iditarod sled dog race. He drove his dog team into the Bering Sea town of Nome on Wednesday to capture the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, the world's premier dog-sled event, for the...

AP - President Hu Jintao has a message for Chinese who are greedy, lazy or unpatriotic: Be ashamed, be very ashamed. Hu's list of eight do's and don't's was unveiled during the meeting of parliament that ended this week.

AP - Lebanon on Wednesday asked Brazil to continue to hold a Lebanese banker wanted for questioning in the assassination of a former premier pending the dispatch of a formal Lebanese extradition request.