UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) warned on Friday the United States and its allies faced an uphill battle to get countries to send troops to Iraq (news - web sites) if they did not cede some decision-making power.

Robot Shows Prime Minister How to Loosen Up
Reuters - Fri Aug 22, 9:19 AM ET
A robot with impeccable manners charmed guests at a state dinner with his wisecracks and dancing, outshining Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla and showing up his often-mocked social stiffness.

2003 Ozone Hole May Be Record Size, Australia Says
Reuters - Fri Aug 22, 2:57 AM ET
The ozone hole over the Antarctic is growing at a rate that suggests it could be headed for a record size this year, Australian scientists said on Friday.

U.S. Freezes Assets of Hamas Leaders
AP - 15 minutes ago
President Bush, after freezing the assets of several people and groups with ties to Hamas, said Friday that Palestinians yearning for an independent state must "dismantle the terrorist network."

US strides toward Domination
RB - 1 minutes ago
The Western (far right) Coalition is currently bringing their cross-generational plan of global domination to fruition. In particular, certain figures of power in the US have in recent years realised that contemporary times represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring the plan into fruition.

A Brazilian man who went to a clinic to have an aching ear checked ended up having a vasectomy after mistakenly believing that the doctor had called his name.

On the ocean floor off the Florida Keys, one of the world's foremost science labs sits at the frontier of marine biology, crusted with critters, nibbled by fish, scoured by the shifting sea.

A 33-year-old Dutch woman sustained slight face and neck burns after her mobile phone burst into flames, the Amsterdam police said Thursday.

Secretary of State Colin Powell is asking top U.N. officials to push for a new Security Council resolution designed to encourage more countries to send troops to help secure Iraq, a U.S. official said today.

North Korea accused the United States of plotting to scupper next week's six-nation nuclear crisis talks in an attempt to force settlement of the stand-off at the United Nations.

Investigators pressed their probe into the deadly truck bombing that devastated the United Nations' Baghdad headquarters as UN and US officials traded blame for the teetering security situation in the Iraqi capital.