Prize goes to “Mickey Mouse” Venice idea (Reuters)
Reuters - A proposal to turn the lagoon city of Venice into a Disney-style theme park has won a prize from a famed Venetian academy, even though it rejected the idea.
Swiss high court strikes down Geneva smoking ban (Reuters)
Reuters - Smokers in Geneva were given a reprieve on Tuesday after the top Swiss court struck down a ban on smoking in public places, in force since July 1, saying the local government had overstepped its powers.
Student celebrates $12 million lottery win (Reuters)
Reuters - The credit crisis and tight student budgets hold no fears for a British teenager who won 7 million pounds ($12.68 million) on the Lottery.
Moscow super-rich pour millions into luxury homes (Reuters)
Reuters - The world outside may be in the thralls of crisis, with house prices plunging, markets slumping and banks collapsing; but Russia’s cocooned super-rich can still spare 2.5 billion roubles ($99 million) for a Moscow townhouse apartment within strolling distance of the Kremlin.
Microsoft urges House to rethink bailout vote (AP)
AP - Microsoft Corp., the world’s largest software maker, urged the House of Representatives to reconsider its vote against the $700 billion financial bailout plan Monday.
Cadbury pulls melamine-laced chocolate from China (AP)
AP - British candy maker Cadbury announced a recall Monday of chocolate made in its Beijing factory after it was found to contain melamine, the industrial chemical that has sickened tens of thousands of Chinese children.
Doctors: Shot Jacksonville lineman is paralyzed (AP)
AP - Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Richard Collier, shot earlier this month, is paralyzed below the waist and had his left leg amputated.
Ex-teacher in Neb. gets 6 years in sex case (AP)
AP - A former teacher who fled to Mexico with a 13-year-old student so she could have sex with him was sentenced Monday to six years in federal prison.
‘666′ road sign thefts bedeviling roadways (AP)
AP - Is the Garden State Parkway the highway to hell? Or is the New Jersey Turnpike the road to damnation? Someone keeps stealing the metal signs at mile marker 66.6 along the heavily traveled toll roads, and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority is having a devil of a time keeping up with the thefts.
House rejects Wall Street bailout, stocks crash (AFP)
AFP - The US House of Representatives Monday dramatically rejected a 700-billion-dollar Wall Street bailout, sending stocks crashing to their worst single day loss ever and deepening the US financial crisis.