TATIANA BOLARI/EUROKINISSI A Culture Ministry building in the central Athens neighborhood of Exarchia was severely damaged during an arson attack early yesterday. An explosive device consisting of camping gas and petrol bombs was thrown into the building on Plapouta Street. Nobody was injured.
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     Report tracing millions of euros from ‘special account’ to department staff is submitted to Parliament Prosecutors investigating the alleged mismanagement of Culture Ministry funds yesterday forwarded to Parliament a report suggesting that ministry employees received millions of euros in bonuses between 2001 and 2007.>>>

     All taxi drivers will be obliged to have air conditioning in their cabs and price lists in English and Greek by this fall, according to changes announced yesterday by Transport Minister Costis Hatzidakis, who also heralded a scheme that will allow taxis to be ordered by cell phone text message.

The cabbies will >>>

     Mount Hymettus is to get its own forestry service, it was decided yesterday, just two weeks after a fire burned some 150 hectares of a particularly green part of the mountain which runs across Athens’s northeastern outskirts and suburbs.

The council of the Eastern Attica Prefecture met yesterday to discuss the >>>

     PATRIARCH VINDICATED European Court finds Turkey in wrong over Princes’ Islands The European Court of Human Rights yesterday issued a ruling condemning the «usurpation» by Turkish authorities of a historic Orthodox orphanage on the Princes’ Islands off Istanbul. According to the verdict, Turkish authorities >>>

     The government intends to press ahead with its plans to set up a parliamentary committee to examine rules on party funding, despite indications that PASOK and other opposition parties will not take part.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis proposed on Monday that a committee of deputies should look at whether the >>>

     Yiorgos Karahalis/Reuters Swimmers play on a beach in a coastal suburb of Athens yesterday where temperatures reached 37 Celsius ('8.6 Fahrenheit), much cooler than the forecast peak of 41C (105.8F). However, dry conditions and moderate winds fueled a large fire in Karpenisi, central Greece. No homes were threatened >>>

     The association overseeing a new landfill at Fyli, northwestern Attica, yesterday threatened to shut it down unless stalled plans to build two additional landfills for the capital are realized.

The Fyli site, which opened only last Friday, is already receiving 2,000 tons of trash a day more than anticipated, sa >>>

     IRAN. Quatre jeunes doivent ętre pendus dans les jours qui viennent. Des ONG se mobilisent.

Caroline Stevan Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Vahid, 16 ans; Delara, 17 ans; Soghra, 13 ans; Mohammad, 15 ans; Hedayat,
14 ans: tous et toutes sont en passe d‘ętre exécutés en Iran. Amnesty In >>>

     Analyse. Emmanuel Garessus Mercredi ' juillet 2008 L‘idée qu‘une économie de services succédera ŕ une ';re industrielle est un mythe qui nous co$';te tr';s cher. Il est dangereux de se féliciter de la disparition de l‘emploi industriel en Europe. Les >>>

     Migros exportera de l‘eau minérale aux Etats–Unis Les marchés broient du noir Rep';re. Le retour de la dette titrisée toxique En Russie, la Suisse profite du désamour vis–ŕ–vis de l‘UE Le constructeur General Motors se rapproche dangereusement de la faillite >>>

     Vera Weber, membre de la Fondation Franz Weber créée par son p';re La lecture de ce texte (236' caract';res) est réservée ŕ nos abonnés en ligne.

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     Travail artisanal additionné de high–tech. L‘artiste Martin Rauch et l‘architecte Roger Boltshauser mettent ŕ jour un savoir–faire traditionnel.

Lorette Coen, Schlins, Autriche Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Isolé du reste du pays par la barri';re de l‘Arlberg, >>>

     Critique: Corboz dirige la Messe en si. Jonas Pulver Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Au Festival international de musiques sacrées (FIMS), les archets étaient baroques et les instruments d‘époque, lundi dernier ŕ l‘Eglise Saint–Michel de Fribourg. Dans la Messe en side Bach, ce monument >>>

     Le bâtiment principal s’étend sur une surface de 23 500 m2, l’équivalent de trois terrains de football. (photo: Eddy Mottaz) VAUD. A la pointe de la technologie, le centre de tri du courrier pour la Suisse romande sera mis en service dimanche ŕ Eclépens.

Camille Châtelain Mercredi >>>

     Les dirigeants du G8, pelle ŕ la main, ont planté symboliquement des arbres. «La vérité est que nous sommes au milieu d’une partie de poker climatique, interpr';te un diplomate. Chacun mise et jauge les autres…» (photo: Keystone) SOMMET. Le G8 envisage de réduire de moitié se >>>

     Jean–Pierre Gontard, dix ans de médiation. François Modoux Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Tapez «Gontard» et «Colombie» sur Google, une pluie de liens renvoie ŕ un déchaînement de citations récentes ŕ propos du rôle d‘intermédiaire tenu par le >>>

     Migros exportera de l‘eau minérale aux Etats–Unis Les marchés broient du noir Rep';re. Le retour de la dette titrisée toxique En Russie, la Suisse profite du désamour vis–ŕ–vis de l‘UE Le constructeur General Motors se rapproche dangereusement de la faillite >>>

     CELINE DION. La Canadienne chante ce soir au Stade de Gen';ve. Est–elle capable de nous faire l‘aimer encore?

La lecture de ce texte (5180 caract';res et 1 encadré) est réservée ŕ nos abonnés en ligne.

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     VAUD. L‘expert indépendant chargé par le conseil d‘administration de la Radio romande d‘enquęter sur l‘affaire des fichiers pédophiles confirme les errements de Gérard Tschopp. Le directeur de la RSR reste toutefois ŕ son poste.

Marco Danesi Mercredi ' j >>>

     Les prairies s';ches rétrécissent d‘année en année sous la pression conjuguée de l‘agriculture intensive et de l‘avancée des foręts. Or, elles rec';lent une extraordinaire biodiversité. Balade.

Etienne Dubuis Mercredi ' juillet 2008 I >>>

     DESIGN. Le Zurichois Hannes Wettstein est décédé. Pionnier de la polyvalence au coup de crayon extraordinaire, cet inventeur a marqué la sc';ne internationale.

Souvenirs, lampes et chaises. Emilie Veillon Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Une détermination ŕ faire pousser des ail >>>

     Claudia Jiménez, Ambassadeur de Colombie en Suisse, Berne Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Dans votre éditorial du 4 juillet, on trouve des affirmations graves que je ne peux laisser passer sans réagir. [...] De l‘indignation et de la tristesse, voilŕ ce que votre éditorial suscite.

ll >>>

     PEUPLE. Démarche rare: le Conseil fédéral manifeste de suite son opposition au texte.

Le Temps Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Geste rare hier du Conseil fédéral: les cartons contenant les quelque 115000 signatures approuvant l‘initiative populaire demandant d‘inscrire l‘i >>>

     RELIGION. Une décision qui risque de diviser encore davantage les anglicans. Patricia Briel Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Le camp libéral a remporté une importante victoire lundi soir au sein de l‘Eglise anglicane. A l‘issue de longs débats passionnés, le Synode de l‘Eglise d&lsq >>>

     L‘histoire. Catherine Cossy Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Daniela Dändliker a pris un risque calculé. Pour «Secret bancaire», son travail de bachelor de la Haute Ecole d‘art de Lucerne, la jeune femme a construit trois cabines fermées aux regards des curieux. Installé dans chacu >>>

     L‘invitée. Sabine Alder, Porte–parole de l‘Association suisse d‘assurances ASA Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Sous le titre «Une proposition pour dépolitiser le deuxi';me pilier» paru le 16 juin dans ces colonnes, Roger Nordmann, conseiller national socialiste, a arbitr >>>

     ITALIE. Des milliers de manifestants se sont rassemblés ŕ Rome pour protester contre les réformes de la justice voulues par le Cavaliere.

Eric Jozsef, Rome Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Ils sont revenus sur la place Navone, au centre de Rome, oů Nanni Moretti avait en lancé en 2002 le mou >>>

     SOMMET DE TOYAKO. Les conclusions du sommet prouvent l‘impuissance des pays les plus industrialisés.

Richard Werly, envoyé spécial ŕ Toyako Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Une longue litanie de formules convenues. Sur l‘économie mondiale, les conclusions du G8 de Toyako ont tout >>>

     Fabian Cancellara est passé ŕ côté de sa course hier lors du Tour de France. (photo: Keystone) CYCLISME. Présenté comme le favori du contre–la–montre, le Bernois a manqué son rendez–vous. Vainqueur de l‘étape, Stefan Schumacher s‘empare du maillot jau >>>

     • La Colombie ne souhaite plus d‘intervention de la Suisse et de la France dans le dossier des otages des FARC.

Angélique Mounier–Kuhn Mercredi ' juillet 2008 2008, année du centenaire des liens diplomatiques et d‘amitié entre la Colombie et la Suisse, promettait d‘ >>>

     SUISSE Le Temps I Suisse I Article La Poste ach';te une nouvelle société Le Temps, avec ATS Mercredi ' juillet 2008 La Poste a acquis Global Business Services Plus (GBS+), une entreprise spécialisée dans la gestion numérique de documents et sise ŕ Paris. Pour le syndicat de la c >>>

     Stéphane Bonvin Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Les Chinoises n‘aiment pas leurs yeux. Enfin, de plus en plus de Chinoises qui, raconte le quotidien Libération, se font débrider le regard pour ressembler aux stars qui posent, dans les magazines, l‘śil bien rond. En Chine, sur un million d&lsq >>>

     Le film espagnol «[REC]» explore la terreur inspirée de la réalité, comme la maladie. Rencontre avec l‘un des coréalisateurs, Jaume Balagueró.

Elsa Duperray Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Il n‘y a pas plus de nouvelle vague fantastique espagnole que de tradition d&l >>>

     Le réalisateur italo–turc Ferzan Ozpetek fait l‘éloge du groupe dans «Saturno contro».

Norbert Creutz Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Depuis les années 1''0, les «films relationnels» sont devenus une petite spécialité italienne. Certains diront un >>>

     «Kung Fu Panda» mise sur l‘humour. La lecture de ce texte (2085 caract';res) est réservée ŕ nos abonnés en ligne.

S‘abonner ŕ l‘édition en ligne pour 17 CHF par mois Permet de consulter tous les articles du jour, des archives, les éditions >>>

     Dans «Hancock», l‘acteur américain dynamite les codes du héros de comics ordinaire.

La lecture de ce texte (1463 caract';res) est réservée ŕ nos abonnés en ligne.

S‘abonner ŕ l‘édition en ligne pour 17 CHF par mois Permet de >>>

     Les gros 4 x 4 n’ont plus la cote aux Etats–Unis. GM veut se concentrer maintenant sur les véhicules compacts. (photo: Keystone) AUTOMOBILE. Chaque jour am';ne son lot de mauvaises nouvelles. Et si Rick Wagoner, le patron de GM, s‘évertue ŕ rassurer les marchés financiers, une fai >>>

     ETATS–UNIS. Gęné par la base conservatrice de son parti, le républicain a du mal ŕ séduire un électorat qui peut s‘avérer crucial.

La lecture de ce texte (3041 caract';res) est réservée ŕ nos abonnés en ligne.

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     Leonard Cohen entre deux morceaux: «De mon expérience, je peux dire qu’il n’y a pas de rem';de pour l’amour». (photo: Keystone) MONTREUX. Hier soir, le chanteur po';te canadien a subjugué son public.

Premiers échos. Arnaud Robert Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Il était attendu d >>>

     GESTION. Malgré des marchés difficiles, les flux nets restent positifs. Yves Genier Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Les gérants alternatifs retrouvent le rôle de protecteur du capital que la crise boursi';re des années 2000 ŕ 2002 leur avait conféré. «Les investisseurs r >>>

     Rep';re. Le retour de la dette titrisée toxique En Russie, la Suisse profite du désamour vis–ŕ–vis de l‘UE Le constructeur General Motors se rapproche dangereusement de la faillite L‘économie mondiale échappe au G8 L‘invitée. Deuxi';me pilier: l >>>

     GENEVE. La police note un bond des infractions contre les forces de l‘ordre; elle compte recruter de nouveaux agents.

La lecture de ce texte (3385 caract';res) est réservée ŕ nos abonnés en ligne.

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     ATHLETISME. Naturalisé Américain, le jeune réfugié soudanais participera au 1500 m';tres aux Jeux olympiques de Pékin. Et tentera de sensibiliser la Chine ŕ la situation au Darfour.

Julie Conti Mercredi ' juillet 2008 «J‘ai fait du chemin, c‘est s$& >>>

     ECOLOGIE. L‘eau d‘Aproz sera vendue outre–Atlantique. Choqués, des politiciens en appellent ŕ un «débat philosophique».

François Pilet Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Le conseiller national Dominique de Buman reste coi au téléphone. «La Migros va exp >>>

     Vue du minaret de la Grande Mosquée du Petit–Saconnex ŕ Gen';ve. Le texte de l’initiative qui veut interdire les minarets a été déposé hier ŕ Berne, ŕ la Chancellerie fédérale, muni de pr';s de 115 000 signatures. (photo: Keystone) Agrandir l‘ >>>

     CHINE. Apr';s George Bush, le président français se prononce ce mercredi. Frédéric Koller Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Dans le cadre du G8, Nicolas Sarkozy devrait annoncer ce mercredi ŕ son homologue chinois Hu Jintao qu‘il pourra compter sur sa présence ŕ la cér >>>

     ENERGIE. Le prix du pétrole décroche de 10 dollars depuis ses records de jeudi. La baisse touche d‘autres mati';res premi';res. La décélération des besoins mondiaux est prise plus au sérieux.

Pierre–Alexandre Sallier Mercredi ' juillet 2008 L‘e >>>

     Pierre Veya Mercredi ' juillet 2008 C‘est une bonne nouvelle, mais un tout petit pas. Le premier ministre japonais a obtenu la mention d‘un objectif chiffré de réduction des gaz ŕ effet de serre (50% d‘ici ŕ 2050), y compris des Etats–Unis. Mais il échoue sur deux poi >>>

     THAILANDE. L‘ancien premier ministre est jugé pour abus de pouvoir. Arnaud Dubus, Bangkok Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Pr';s de deux ans apr';s le coup d‘Etat qui l‘a évincé du pouvoir en septembre 2006, l‘étau judiciaire se resserre autour de Thaksin Shinawatra >>>

     Emmanuel Garessus Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Le prix de l‘essence ne doit pas dépendre des impôts • Les impôts sur l‘essence ne sont pas ceux qu‘il faut réduire les premiers.

Ils apportent des revenus importants ŕ l‘Etat, sont progressifs, au moins au Royaume&nd >>>

     Questions ŕ Gabriella Fink, présidente de la Société zurichoise des enseignantes d‘école enfantine.

Anne Fournier Mercredi ' juillet 2008 A Zurich, les autorités des écoles exigent un minimum de deux matinées en allemand standard ŕ l‘école enfant >>>

     Pierre E. Michel, Gen';ve Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Swiss Life [...] annonce en catimini «l‘abandon de son projet informatique AMARTA», entamé en 2000. Selon votre article du 17 juin sur l‘unification informatique retardée de Swiss Life, ce projet avait pour but de traiter sur >>>

     Quoi de neuf. Albertine Bourget Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Des conseils pratiques pour réduire son empreinte de carbone. Une sélection des produits nettoyants les moins polluants pour la maison et une enquęte sur les toxines dans les cosmétiques. Un reportage sur le sort des sacs plastiques des supe >>>

     Rep';re. Yves Genier Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Apr';s avoir provoqué la plus terrible crise financi';re depuis 1'2', les CDO, ou «collateralized debt obligations», amorcent leur retour. Inscrite sur la liste des esp';ces financi';res en voie de dispariti >>>

     Saveurs du français. Nicolas Dufour Mercredi ' juillet 2008 Les Schtroumpfs ont 50 ans! Les inoubliables lutins bleus créés par Peyo (1'28–1''2) ont fęté cette année leur 50e anniversaire dans le vacarme d‘une tournée marketing. Mais qui honorera l‘inf >>>

     WASHINGTON –– Barack Obama says John McCain‘s plan to balance the budget doesn‘t add up. Easy for him to say: It‘s not a goal he‘s even trying to reach.

Not only does Obama say he won‘t eliminate the deficit in his first term, as McCain aims to do, he frankly says he&ls >>>

     FORREST CITY, Ark. –– Forrest City police weren‘t able to catch their man after a high–speed chase through town, but the cell phone he left behind gave away his identity.

The chase started just before 11 p.m. Monday after officers received a call about people "fighting in the street >>>

     By Debbi Wilgoren and Howard SchneiderWashington Post Staff WritersWednesday, July ', 2008; ':13 AM Armed gunmen attacked a police guard post this morning outside the heavily fortified U.S. consulate in Istanbul, killing three Turkish police officers in what Ambassador Ross Wilson called "an obvious act of >>>

     DENVER –– A man accused of checking out hundreds of books and DVDs from libraries around the Denver area and then trying to sell them will be doing all his library borrowing from now on behind bars.

Denver prosecutors say 34–year–old Thomas Pilaar was sentenced to 10 years in prison and >>>

     Wednesday, July ', 2008; A02 A July 7 Metro article about student interest in immigration law incorrectly said that recent graduate Jennifer Khouri will represent the government in immigration court as a Justice Department attorney. Khouri will represent the government in immigration cases at the U.S. appeals court >>>

     LEXINGTON, Ky. –– A federal judge has dismissed Delta Air Lines Inc. from more than 1' pending lawsuits involving a plane crash that killed 4' people two years ago.

U.S. District Judge Karl Forester said in a 13–page opinion Tuesday that no Delta employee could be held liable for the c >>>

     WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The next U.S. president should shift American trade policy away from an emphasis on bilateral free trade agreements to bigger accords with the world‘s leading economic powers, a new report from a centrist Democratic policy group said on Wednesday.

"The United States needs >>>

     MOUNT MORRIS, Ill. –– Marcia Frey laid down the law when her daughter and son–in–law, Holly and Nicholas Sheley, moved into her trailer after losing their apartment last month: No alcohol. No drugs.

And for a week, the newlyweds were a model family. Nicholas took the couple‘s 2&nda >>>

     WASHINGTON –– The Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday that it no longer considers reliable a test for tar and nicotine used for more than 40 years and touted by the tobacco industry in marketing "light" and "low–tar" cigarettes.

The FTC said it may rescind its guidance on >>>

     WASHINGTON –– The Army three–star general who for a year led efforts to train Iraq‘s army and police units says progress is mixed and U.S. help is needed for the foreseeable future.

Lt. Gen. James Dubik was expected to tell the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday that Iraq‘ >>>

     WASHINGTON –– Key lawmakers say the United States needs to set a tough example for the rest of the world by cutting off trade with Iran.

House Foreign Affairs Committee members at a hearing Wednesday were reacting to an Associated Press investigation that found U.S. exports to Iran have grown signif >>>

     MIAMI –– Forecasters say Hurricane Bertha has weakened to a Category 1 storm.

As of 11 p.m. EDT Tuesday, the center of the storm was about 580 miles northeast of the northern Leeward Islands and about 840 miles southeast of Bermuda.

Maximum sustained winds decreased to 80 mph with some high >>>

     AM WASHINGTON –– Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Wednesday that Iran‘s missile tests highlight the need for direct diplomacy as well as tougher threats of economic sanctions and strong incentives to persuade Tehran to change its behavior.

John McCain, the Republican seeking >>>

     HARTFORD, Conn. –– An East Hartford man called police to report he had been robbed while trying to buy crack cocaine.

Max Minnefield called police Monday to tell them he had paid a man and a woman $8 for drugs he never received.

Police charged him with criminal attempt to commit possession >>>

     NEW YORK –– Police say a man has scaled the side of The New York Times‘
52–story headquarters in Manhattan for the third time in two months.

Police say the man climbed up the Eighth Avenue side of the building and had reached at least the 11th floor. They say he was spotted about 1:2 >>>

     MILWAUKEE –– A 14,500–year–old woolly mammoth skeleton dug up in 1''4 has been unveiled at the Milwaukee Public Museum, giving locals a glimpse of perhaps the most intact specimen discovered in North America.

Few paleontological specimens are as complete as the Hebior mammoth. Th >>>

     WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Barack Obama has spent days rejecting charges of flip–flopping on Iraq, but the presidential contender on Wednesday owned up to changing positions on another issue –– letting his daughters be interviewed on television.

"We wouldn‘t do it again, and we wo >>>

     WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama called Iran a threat that should be contained with diplomacy and tighter sanctions on Wednesday, and Republican John McCain said Tehran‘s missile test proved the need for a missile defense shield in Europe.

Iran launched nine medi >>>

     –– (Stations: Please substitute the following for V3016, slugged Candidates–Iran–Missiles, which moved at 8:3' a.m. Eastern time. The new version CORRECTS Baghdad to Tehran in first sentence.) WASHINGTON (AP) _ Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says that Iran‘s missile test >>>

     COLUMBUS, Ohio –– Ohio now allows out–of–state veterans to pay in–state tuition at public colleges and universities.

Gov. Ted Strickland announced the change Tuesday as part of a plan to attract more students to Ohio and keep more of them here once they graduate.

He and Bo >>>

     WASHINGTON –– The Pentagon is studying intelligence on Iran‘s latest missile test to figure out exactly what was launched and what it can learn about Tehran‘s missile capabilities.

The White House is calling on Iran to refrain from any more tests. And U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza >>>

     LAS VEGAS –– Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was taken from jail in Arizona to a Las Vegas hospital for what the sheriff described as a serious medical problem.

Jeffs, 52, was brought to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center on Tuesday, authorities said.

Mohave County Sheriff Tom Sheahan >>>

     LAS VEGAS –– Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs has been taken from jail to a Las Vegas hospital for an unspecified medical problem.

Las Vegas police Officer Jose Montoya says Jeffs was brought to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center on Tuesday from an Arizona jail.

Montoya declined to prov >>>

     WARSAW (Reuters) – Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said his country could reach agreement with the United States within two weeks on a missile defense shield but indicated he would not compromise on tough conditions he has set for a deal.

"The hard negotiating position presented by my government ha >>>

     VATICAN CITY –– Pope Benedict XVI has chosen the bishop of Cheyenne, Wyo., to head the Green Bay diocese in Wisconsin.

The Vatican said Wednesday that 55–year–old Monsignor David L. Ricken has been appointed to the Wisconsin post.

Ricken is from Kansas and has studied church law >>>

     PM LOS ANGELES –– State prisoners with hepatitis C aren‘t getting the health care they need, according to a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday that adds to complaints about the medical treatment of California inmates.

The filing in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles estimates that as many as 40 per >>>

     WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate rejected a bid on Wednesday to deny liability protection to telecommunication companies that participated in President George W. Bush‘s warrantless domestic spying program.

On a 32–66 vote, the Senate defeated an amendment that would have stripped such pr >>>

     7:1' AM Six people in Gaithersburg became seriously ill overnight after eating a stew flavored with mint leaves that may have been covered in pesticide, a spokesman for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service said.

In a textbook illustration of the importance of thoroughly washing plants and vegetable >>>

     AM –– Storms stretched from the interior Northeast to the Southern Plains early Wednesday, while high pressure kept much of the West hot and dry.

A low pressure system tracking across the Great Lakes was to produce a cold front that will extend down the Ohio Valley and into the Southern Plains.
>>>

     AM –– Today is Wednesday, July ', the 1'1st day of 2008. There are 175 days left in the year.

Today‘s Highlight in History: On July ', 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read aloud to Gen.

George Washington‘s troops in New York. On this date: In 1540, England& >>>

     AM –– IN THE HEADLINES McCain education ideas coming; merit pay and tutoring to be part of talk ... Minnesota gambling authority questions prompt Obama campaign to modify Web offer ... McCain downplays talk of hard timelines for troop withdrawals from Iraq ___ McCain to talk pocketbook education issues WASHI >>>

     GUTTENBERG, Iowa –– Four locomotives pulling a freight train have derailed and fallen into the Mississippi River near Guttenberg in northeast Iowa.

The Clayton County sheriff‘s office says the engines operated by the Iowa, Chicago & Eastern Railroad went off the tracks about 6 a.m. Wednesd >>>

     By Marc KaufmanWashington Post Staff WriterWednesday, July ', 2008; A01 China plans to conduct its first spacewalk in October. The European Space Agency is building a roving robot to land on Mars. India recently launched a record 10 satellites into space on a single rocket.

Space, like Earth below, is globa >>>

     WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Defense Secretary Robert Gates plans an "expedited recompetition" for $35 billion worth of new aerial refueling tankers to be overseen by the Pentagon‘s chief weapons buyer, according to two congressional aides and a third source briefed on the plan.

Defense Undersec >>>

     WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States continues to focus on Poland as a prospective site for part of its anti–missile defense shield but also has other options if a deal proves elusive, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said Washington favors a plan to locate 10 int >>>

     TOYAKO, Japan (Reuters) – The United States said on Wednesday Iran should immediately halt development of ballistic missiles and stop conducting tests if it wanted to gain the trust of the world.

The comments came after Tehran test–fired nine long– and medium–range missiles, including on >>>

     SCHUYLER, Neb. –– The U.S. agriculture secretary expressed confidence in the nation‘s food safety system, but said the meat processing industry will always face challenges because the bacteria that animals carry evolves.

"I don‘t think we‘ll ever see a totally bacteria–f >>>

     11:40 AM WASHINGTON –– Faced with the globalization of drug production, the United States is joining with Europe and Australia to inspect factories in China and India that make raw materials for medications.

Bush administration officials said Wednesday the agreement will allow regulators to cover a >>>

     Those of us who dimly remember the gas lines of the 1'70s tend to view commodity price spikes as the temporary work of international villains.

But anyone still expecting the return of cheap oil is in for a long wait. Rising energy prices are mainly the result of unprecedented global prosperity –&ndash >>>

     Using the now–famous footage of Sen. John McCain hugging President Bush, Sen. Barack Obama launched new ads in four battleground states, arguing that the Arizona Republican represents more of the same on energy policy.

"On gas prices, John McCain is part of the problem," says the ad‘s narr >>>

     A13 Medicare has paid as much as $'2 million since 2000 to medical suppliers who billed the government for wheelchairs and other home equipment purportedly prescribed by physicians who, according to records, were dead at the time, congressional investigators said yesterday.

The Centers for Medicare and Medi >>>

     By Michael BirnbaumWashington Post Staff WriterWednesday, July ', 2008; B04 Erica Williams worries about the wave of political involvement among young people this election season.

She knows, for example, that college students‘ participation in Sen. Barack Obama‘s presidential campaign –&nd >>>

     By Mary Beth SheridanWashington Post Staff WriterWednesday, July ', 2008; A01 Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the U.S. Capitol Police have tried to become a premier anti–terrorism force, rapidly expanding as the agency‘s budget tripled. But a series of recent mistakes has highlighted the difficulties >>>

     By Juliet EilperinWashington Post Staff WriterTuesday, July 8, 2008; 2:45 PM Members of Vice President Cheney‘s staff censored congressional testimony by a top federal official on the health threats posed by global warming, a former Environmental Protection Agency official said today.

In a letter to Sen. >>>