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Two California men may still be “dumb asses,” a court has ruled. The pair, former candidates for the Hollister City Council (search), sued another man for libel in 2001 after he put up a Web site comparing them to mute donkeys. But a three-judge panel last week found that calling …

ROME – The doors of St. Peter’s Basilica were opened to the public Monday afternoon for the viewing of the body of Pope John Paul II (search). The viewing came after the pontiff’s body was ceremoniously carried from the Clementine Chapel to the St. Peter’s Basilica (search), past a sea …

Pilgrims were given one last chance to pay their respects to Pope John Paul II (search) on Thursday as police in Rome reopened the line to St. Peter’s Basilica (search), where the pope was lying in state. Authorities had closed the line Wednesday night in preparation for Friday’s funeral, which …

NEW YORK – Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), the world’s largest software maker, on Monday said it was filing lawsuits against eight computer system builders and resellers in seven U.S. states, accusing them of distributing counterfeit and unlicensed software and software components. The lawsuits follow similar action in November 2004 against eight …

Following are facts about the financial institutions named in the 2004 warning about possible terrorist attacks: — The World Bank (search) has a headquarters building and five other buildings in Washington where 7,000 of the World Bank’s 10,000 employees work. — The International Monetary Fund (search) has about 2,400 employees …

WASHINGTON – The passing of Pope John Paul II (search) and President Ronald Reagan (search) in the same year underscores a great coincidence of history: Nearly three decades ago, two men shared the same view of communism and the same vision of ending it, and they both stepped onto the …

PARIS – Police suspect Basque separatists (search) were behind the theft of several tons of chemicals that could be used to make bombs from a factory in western France, judicial officials said Saturday. Armed men wearing masks stole some 4.4 U.S. tons of sodium chlorate from a fertilizer plant in …

DENVER – MCI Inc. (MCIP) faces a Saturday deadline to decide whether to accept a freshly sweetened $9.75 billion takeover bid from Qwest Communications (Q) or stick with Verizon Communications Inc.’s (VZ) $7.5 billion deal to acquire the long-distance phone company. Several major MCI shareholders agreed to help finance the …

MECCA, Saudi Arabia – Islamic militants clashed with Saudi security forces in Islam’s holiest city Mecca (search) and the nearby port city of Jiddah (search) in gunbattles that killed two militants and two policemen Thursday, a day Saudis were going to the polls in the latest round of municipal elections. …

MADISON, Wis. – Feral felines fearing for their lives in Wisconsin got a boost Wednesday from Gov. Jim Doyle (search), who said a plan to allow hunters to shoot wild cats at will is dead. “I don’t think Wisconsin should become known as a state where we shoot cats,” said …