Aaron's Daily WWW Newspaper

WASHINGTON - Taking fresh stock of economic and financial conditions, Federal Reserve policymakers are considering whether they need to take additional measures to ease the recession.

ISLAMABAD - Government troops sought to drive stubborn Taliban militants from a district near the Pakistani capital after unleashing airstrikes that killed more than 50 enemy fighters, the military said.

LOS ANGELES - Chuck Wicks is leaving the "Dancing With the Stars" ballroom. The country singer and his professional dance partner (and real-life girlfriend) Julianne Hough were eliminated from the ABC dance-off Tuesday.

NEW YORK - Turns out a few more fans might be able to buy those empty front-row seats at Yankee Stadium. The New York Yankees slashed prices on more than 40 percent of their front-row seats by up to 50 percent Tuesday and announced many of those who bought tickets closest to the field for $325-$2,500 will be eligible for additional free seats.

WASHINGTON - The Washington Capitals needed three games to complete their comeback and advance to the NHL's Eastern Conference semifinals. The Carolina Hurricanes needed just 80 seconds.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A baby in Texas has died of the H1N1 flu strain, the first confirmed death outside Mexico from the virus, which health officials fear could cause a pandemic as it spread to two more countries.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy contracted at a steeper-than-expected pace in the first quarter, weighed down by sharp declines in exports and business inventories, according government data on Wednesday that showed the economy was still deep in recession.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Barack Obama on Wednesday will mark the 100th day of his presidency after a whirlwind start in which he has signaled a new approach on policies from the economy to climate change to U.S. relations with Iran.

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea on Wednesday threatened a new nuclear test unless the U.N. Security Council apologizes for tightening sanctions, confirming some analysts' fears that Pyongyang was determined to build an atomic arsenal.

BUNER, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani troops took the main town in strategically important Buner Valley on Wednesday after dropping by helicopter behind Taliban lines, killing over 50 militants in two days of fighting, the military said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Arlen Specter defected from the Republican Party to President Barack Obama's Democrats on Tuesday, putting them within reach of a 60-seat majority that could give them control of the Senate.

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan and U.S. forces killed 32 militants in two separate operations in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, and an estimated 10 others in a third incident near Kabul, the U.S. military said in a statement.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.-hosted climate talks with the world's biggest greenhouse gas polluters concluded on Tuesday with signs of progress but sizable differences as nations work toward a deal this year to fight global warming.

MEXICO CITY (AFP) - A 23-month-old US child died from swine flu becoming the first fatal victim outside Mexico and the spread of the virus around the globe heightened calls Wednesday for tougher travel restrictions.

SEOUL (AFP) - North Korea threatened on Wednesday to conduct a second nuclear test and to test-launch ballistic missiles unless the United Nations Security Council apologises for condemning its recent rocket launch.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Barack Obama marks his 100th day in office Wednesday with a trip to the US heartland and then a prime-time press conference to reflect on his presidency's turbulent beginnings.

BERLIN (AFP) - Germany slashed its growth forecast Wednesday, foreseeing one of the worst recessions in the developed world with a crunching six-percent slump this year, but raised hopes of a recovery in 2010.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) - Pakistani troops have taken control of the key town in northwestern Buner district, a day after launching a major ground and air assault against Taliban militants, the military said.

COLOMBO (AFP) - The foreign ministers of Britain and France said on Wednesday they had failed to persuade Sri Lanka to end its offensive against Tamil rebels and allow aid in for civilians trapped by the fighting.

LONDON (AFP) - British energy group Royal Dutch Shell said Wednesday that first-quarter net profit plunged 62 percent to 3.488 billion dollars (2.645 billion euros) as oil prices slumped in an economic downturn.