Aaron's Daily WWW Newspaper

ISLAMABAD - The Pakistani government fought back against army criticism of a proposed multibillion dollar U.S. aid package Thursday, arguing that the military had no reservations about taking such assistance when it ruled the country two years ago. Full Story »

• Slideshow: Pakistan
• Interactive: Pakistan's army targets Taliban AP

NEW YORK - Stocks appear headed to a sharply higher opening after Alcoa kicked off earnings season with an unexpected profit and weekly jobless claims fell more than expected. Full Story »

• Slideshow: Stock Markets

CASSELTON, N.D. - Boomer may be a buster: Measuring 3 feet tall at the shoulders and 7 feet long from nose to destructive wagging tail, he might be the world's tallest living dog. Owner Caryn Weber says her 3-year-old Landseer Newfoundland keeps all four paws on the floor when he drinks from the kitchen faucet in her family's eastern North Dakota farm house. Full Story »

LOS ANGELES - Randy Wolf and the Dodgers bullpen outpitched St. Louis ace Chris Carpenter, earning Los Angeles a 5-3 victory over the Cardinals on Wednesday night in an NL playoff opener full of missed chances for both teams. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless insurance fell more-than-expected to a nine-month low last week, according to a government report on Thursday that suggested the labor market was healing despite a setback in September. Full Story »

KABUL (Reuters) - A large bomb exploded outside the Indian embassy in central Kabul on Thursday, killing 17 people and wounding 76, in the latest of a series of militant attacks on diplomatic and government buildings in the capital. Full Story »

• Slideshow: Afghan Election

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama's special peace envoy sought Thursday an "early relaunch" of Israeli-Palestinian talks, but Israel said Washington's goal of comprehensive peace was an illusion. Full Story »

• Slideshow: Israeli troops invade Gaza

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - German Herta Mueller, a Romanian-born writer who produced tales of the disenfranchised and fought for free speech, won the 2009 Nobel prize for literature Thursday. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Senate Finance Committee health plan would cost $829 billion and cut the budget deficit by $81 billion over 10 years, nonpartisan budget analysts said on Wednesday in a report that could bolster President Barack Obama's healthcare reform drive. Full Story »

• Slideshow: Health Care

ROME (Reuters) - A combative Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi vowed on Thursday to govern with "even more grit" after Italy's top court lifted his immunity and he dismissed corruption charges against him as "laughable." Full Story »

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Poorer countries are helping shape a broader pact to fight climate change but their efforts are being stymied by rich nations' lack of commitment on finance and tougher emissions cuts, the U.N. said on Thursday. Full Story »

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Undersea earthquakes caused panic in the South Pacific on Thursday, sending islanders fleeing to higher ground on fears of a second devastating tsunami in as many weeks, but a series of waves proved to be tiny and harmless. Full Story »

• Slideshow: Strong quake triggers tsunami in Samoa

KABUL (AFP) - A huge suicide car bomb struck near the Indian embassy in Kabul on Thursday, killing at least 13 people and injuring 84 in the latest in a wave of deadly attacks on the Afghan capital, officials said. Full Story »