Top Stories - AFP

PATNA, India (AFP) - More than 300,000 people trapped in India's worst floods in 50 years have been rescued but nearly double that number remain stranded without food or water, officials said Saturday.

HAVANA (AFP) - Hurricane Gustav rapidly gained strength Saturday as it bore down on western Cuba after ripping through the Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica, leaving 85 people dead.

BENGHAZI, Libya (AFP) - Italy will invest five billion dollars in Libya over the next 25 years in a deal to be signed on Saturday, turning the page on colonial-era disputes that have long tarnished their relations.

STOCKHOLM (AFP) - Alcoholism among women in Sweden rose by 50 percent between 2003 and 2007 as beer, wine and spirits have become more accessible in the country long known for its restrictive alcohol policy, a report on Saturday said.

FRANKFURT (AFP) - German insurance giant Allianz is in "advanced talks" on the future of its Dresdner Bank unit, "that may or may not lead to a deal," it said Friday in a brief statement to financial markets.

PARIS (AFP) - Delivery of a second Airbus A380 to Emirates, the airline of the United Arab Emirates, will suffer a further delay of two months, an Emirates spokeswoman told AFP on Saturday.

NEW YORK (AFP) - Roger Federer rolled to his 29th straight US Open match victory and the women shuffled the chairs in the race to knock Ana Ivanovic off her No. 1 perch Friday on a marathon day five of the US Open.

DARWIN, Australia (AFP) - An understrength Australia crushed Bangladesh by 180 runs in their one-day international at the TIO Stadium on Saturday.

LONDON (AFP) - Amy Winehouse pulled out of the Rock en Seine festival outside Paris after falling ill at home, the troubled singer's spokesman said Saturday as the furious organisers vowed to sue.

DAYTON, Ohio (AFP) - John McCain tossed a huge but risky surprise into the US race for the White House Friday when he unveiled the little-known governor from Alaska, Sarah Palin, as his vice presidential running mate.

TBILISI (AFP) - Georgia on Friday broke diplomatic relations with Russia, heightening hostilities between the neighbours as Moscow also hit back at Western criticism.

LA PAZ (AFP) - A political crisis in Bolivia was Friday moving towards confrontation after President Evo Morales announced a referendum on a new, socialist constitution in the teeth of fierce opposition from rebel conservative governors.

KINGSTON (AFP) - Tropical Storm Gustav regained hurricane strength as it churned toward Cuba Friday, leaving 78 people dead in its wake, as New Orleans began voluntary evacuations ahead of the storm's projected arrival next week.

PARIS (AFP) - In a ground-breaking advance, French neurosurgeons on Friday said they had successfully treated brain tumours through ultra-keyhole surgery, using a tiny fibre-optic laser to destroy cancerous cells.

MILAN (AFP) - Alitalia said Friday that it has asked to be declared bankrupt and placed under special administration, the first step in a rescue plan that will see the struggling Italian flag carrier relaunched.

BRUSSELS (AFP) - Inflation in the 15 countries sharing the euro came off record highs in August, offering an increasingly rare ray of light as the threat of recession looms, official EU data showed on Friday.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US consumers snapped shut wallets as a boost from tax rebates wore off and inflation soared in July, government data showed Friday in what could be a bad omen for an economy dependent on consumer spending.

ZURICH (AFP) - Jamaican sprint king Usain Bolt continued his unstoppable streak of form with a comprehensive win in the 100 metres at the Zurich Golden League meeting here on Friday.

NEW YORK (AFP) - World number two Jelena Jankovic defeated Zheng Jie of China 7-5, 7-5 in the third round of the 20.6 million-dollar US Open here on Friday.

VENICE, Italy (AFP) - Oscar winners Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger brought a tear-jerker to the Venice film festival on Friday with Guillermo Arriaga's "The Burning Plain".

DENVER, Colorado (AFP) - Barack Obama will Thursday tell Americans their country faces a "defining moment" at home and vow to keep them safe from foreign threats in a dazzling finale to the Democratic convention.

MOSCOW (AFP) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin accused Washington on Thursday of manufacturing the Georgia conflict as tensions mounted with the United States threatening to scrap a nuclear deal in protest at Moscow's actions.

BANGKOK (AFP) - Thailand's embattled prime minister vowed Thursday to end massive rallies against his rule without force -- raising the spectre of a prolonged siege of Bangkok's main government compound.

KINGSTON (AFP) - Tropical Storm Gustav battered Jamaica Thursday as the death toll climbed to 51 in Haiti, two days after the storm raked across the impoverished nation at hurricane strength.

SAN JOSE, California (AFP) - Lifelike graphics are breaking free of elite computer games and spreading throughout society in what industry insiders proclaim is the dawning of a "visual computing era."

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US economy outpaced expectations as surging exports fueled a second-quarter growth spurt at a 3.3 percent pace, according to data Thursday that analysts say makes recession less likely.

ROME (AFP) - Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Thursday that a rescue plan put together for near bankrupt flag carrier Alitalia means the company will remain Italian, as he had promised at polls in April.

NEW YORK (AFP) - Qualifier Julie Coin registered the biggest upset in US Open women's history Thursday, sending world No. 1 and top seed Ana Ivanovic crashing out in the second round.