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AP Top News at 2:55 a.m. EST
(AP Online Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Airstrikes rock Gaza as truce remains elusiveGAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) _ Israeli jets bombed the Palestinian parliament building in Gaza early Thursday and navy ships opened fire at Hamas positions along the coastline as diplomatic pressure to end six days of devastating violence showed little immediate effect. Explosions shook Gaza City as Israeli planes targeted three government buildings, including the parliament. Hospital officials said 25 wounded were evacuated from nearby houses. The military said aircraft also bombed smuggling tunnels along the Gaza-Egypt border, part of an ongoing attempt to cut off Hamas' last lifeline to the world outside the embattled Palestinian territory.
Clintons, revelers ring in 2009 in Times SquareNEW YORK (AP) _ Hundreds of thousands of revelers rang in 2009 from frigid Times Square as the famous Waterford crystal ball dropped, signaling the end of a historic and troubled year that saw the election of the first black U.S. president and the worst economic crisis in decades. As the clock struck midnight, a ton of confetti rained down while the partygoers hugged and kissed.
Dozens die in nightclub fire in BangkokBANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ A fire raced through a two-story nightclub packed with hundreds of well-heeled New Year's revelers early Thursday, killing at least 59 people as they stampeded to escape the flames, officials said. More than 200 were injured. The cause of the fire in a Bangkok entertainment district was under investigation but several witnesses said a fireworks display during the New Year's countdown ignited the blaze.
Suspected US missile strike kills 3 in PakistanDERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (AP) _ Two Pakistani intelligence officials say a suspected U.S. missile strike has killed at least three people in northwest Pakistan. The officials say the men died Thursday when a suspected American drone aircraft fired missiles at a vehicle in the South Waziristan tribal region near the Afghan border.
Malaysian chopper saves Indian tanker from piratesKUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) _ A Malaysian military helicopter saved an Indian tanker from being hijacked Thursday, foiling the new year's first attack by pirates in the dangerous Gulf of Aden off the chaotic African nation of Somalia, an official said. "This was a New Year's gift to the owners of the Indian tankers. If the Malaysians had not arrived their ship would have been certainly hijacked," said Noel Choong of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center.
US deaths down in Iraq in 2008, up in AfghanistanBAGHDAD (AP) _ U.S. military deaths in Iraq plunged by two-thirds in 2008 from the previous year, a reflection of the improving security following the U.S. military's counterinsurgency campaign and al-Qaida's slow retreat from the battlefield. By comparison, the war in Afghanistan saw American military deaths rise by 35 percent in 2008 as Islamic extremists shift their focus to a new front with the West. According to a tally by The Associated Press, at least 314 U.S. soldiers died in Iraq in 2008, down from 904 in the previous year. In all, at least 4,221 U.S. soldiers have died in Iraq since the war began in 2003.
Ill. governor's Senate appointment may be shrewdCHICAGO (AP) _ Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's choice of a veteran black politician to fill President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat could be a shrewd move, potentially helping win over black lawmakers eyeballing his impeachment and perhaps even jurors in his corruption case. But is the appointment enough to save the embattled two-term Democrat in the face of nearly universal opposition? "There's no empathy for him because he's done a good thing," said state Sen. Donne Trotter, a black Democrat from Chicago who would vote whether to convict Blagojevich if the Illinois House impeached him.
Time Warner Cable and Viacom reach dealLOS ANGELES (AP) _ Time Warner Cable Inc. said Wednesday it reached a deal with Viacom Inc. on carriage fees, avoiding a blackout of 19 cable channels including MTV and Comedy Central. The two sides, citing disagreement over fee hikes, had threatened a damaging blackout at midnight Eastern time that would have cut off shows such as "SpongeBob SquarePants" and "The Colbert Report" to about 15.7 million subscribers.
Report: Toyota developing solar powered green carTOKYO (AP) _ Toyota Motor Corp. is secretly developing a vehicle that will be powered solely by solar energy in an effort to turn around its struggling business with a futuristic ecological car, a top business daily reported Thursday. The Nikkei newspaper, however, said it will be years before the planned vehicle will be available on the market. Toyota's offices were closed Thursday and officials were not immediately available for comment.
Thunder top Warriors for 4th victory of the seasonOKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Scott Brooks figured his Oklahoma City Thunder team had been in enough close games in the fourth quarter to eventually win one. Their time came Wednesday night. The Thunder pulled away in the third quarter and held on for a 107-100 victory over the Golden State Warriors. It was only the fourth win of the season for Oklahoma City, which snapped a five-game losing streak.
Copyright ? 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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