VERONA - Customs officials at an airport in the Italian city of Verona recently discovered a huge shipment of cocaine being shipped along with lobsters. A 51-year-old man had been attempting to get the case of lobsters cleared through customs at the airport under the guise of being an international chef, but an initial background check by customs officials quickly exposed the truth, the ANSA news agency reported Wednesday. The officials' computer search showed that ... [full story]

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned pet owners that recalled pet food might still be on the shelves of some retail establishments. The FDA said it is urging U.S. retailers to be vigilant in removing all products associated with the pet food recall, which began March 16. In an effort to verify the effectiveness of the recall, FDA officials conducted approximately 400 checks of retail stores and discovered some companies have ... [full story]

LOS ANGELES - An Industry, Calif., woman and her mother are suing Best Buy after a "Geek Squad" computer repair team member allegedly videotaped the woman in the shower. Sarah Vasquez, 22, and her mother, Natalie Fornaciari, allege in the suit filed Wednesday that Best Buy is responsible for the alleged improper actions of technician Hao Kuo Chi, 26, in their home, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday. Sheriff's Sgt. Bob Skudlarski said Chi was ... [full story]

NEW YORK - Arizona Sen. John McCain, a Republican candidate for president in 2008, says he is not basing his run for the White House on the Iraq war. "I'm not including that in any political calculations," he said in a Fox TV interview. "It's far too important to let it affect my political ambitions or career." McCain said that what happens in Iraq and how it's handled, "will affect us for generations to come. ... [full story]

ORLANDO, Fla. - A Florida mother accused of putting her baby in an oven and turning it on was sentenced to two years probation under a plea bargain. Sharlyn Singh, 29 Sharlyn Singh, 29, must also complete a parenting class and undergo counseling under the terms of the plea deal, WKMG-TV reported. Singh pleaded guilty to one charge of child abuse but her lawyer said she denies putting her baby in the oven. WKMG ... [full story]

“Unshackle the hands of our scientists”, the senator said As a leader in the fight to expand stem cell research, Senator Gordon H. Smith (R-OR) lauded the passage of S.5, The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007, in the U.S. Senate today.  The legislation would expand the number of stem cell lines eligible for federally funded research.  Senator Smith is an original co-sponsor of the measure.   “Current policy regarding stem cell research is limiting our ... [full story]

WASHINGTON - A U.S. nuclear deal with India may be in danger of collapsing after India made a series of demands that contradict the Bush administration's goals for the pact. President Bush told Congress last year before a bill was passed to authorize the deal that the agreement would prevent a nuclear arms race between India and Pakistan and halt the spread of nuclear weapons. However, India is now demanding as part of the deal ... [full story]

ANKARA - The chief of the Turkish Army said Thursday that his country's military needs to cross into Iraq to crack down on Turkish Kurds there. "If you ask me whether a cross-border operation is needed, yes it is needed. It would be useful," Chief of the General Staff General Yasar Buyukanit said at a news conference, Alalam TV reported. "But there is a second dimension to that. It requires a political decision," he said, ... [full story]

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario - A school bus crash in Mississauga, Canada, that injured 14 children -- one critically -- has brought new attention to the safety of the vehicles. One adult and two students remained hospitalized for undisclosed injuries after Wednesday's crash and a third child, John Pham, was on life support, the Toronto Star reported Thursday. The boy showed no vital signs at the scene of the crash, but was resuscitated by hospital staff. He ... [full story]

NEWYORK, N.Y. - U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she was not trying to usurp the president's power by conducting foreign policy with Syria. In an NBC-TV interview, Pelosi touched on criticism from U.S. President Bush and others for visiting Syria, describing it as a fact-finding trip with a bipartisan delegation to engage in dialogue. On the matter of Iraq, where the president has threatened a veto if the military appropriations bill has a troop ... [full story]