Measles outbreak hits Europe, most cases in France; WHO blames lack of vaccinations

GENEVA (AP) -- Europe, especially France, has been hit by a major outbreak of measles, which the U.N. health agency is blaming on the failure to vaccinate all children.

The World Health Organization said Thursday that France had 4,937 reported cases of measles between January and March - compared with 5,090 cases during all of 2010. In all, more than 6,500 cases have been reported in 33 European nations.

"This is a lot of cases, to put it mildly. In past years we've had very few cases," said Rebecca Martin, head of WHO's office in Copenhagen for vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization.

McCain lauds anti-Gadhafi force during Libya visit

BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) -- U.S. Sen. John McCain, one of the strongest proponents in Congress of the American military intervention in Libya, said Friday that Libyan rebels fighting Moammar Gadhafi's troops are his heroes.

The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee made the remark after arriving in Benghazi, a city that has been the opposition capital in the rebel-held eastern Libya.

McCain said he was in Benghazi "to get an on the ground assessment of the situation" and planned to meet with the rebel National Transition Council, the de-facto government in the eastern half of the country, and members of the rebel military.

Japan taps US robots for reactor cleanup help

TOKYO (AP) -- In this country of break-dancing androids and artificially intelligent pets, nuclear cleanup crews on the tsunami-ravaged northern coast are depending on U.S.-made robots to enter damaged reactor units where it is still too dangerous for humans to tread.

Utility workers seeking to regain control of the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant are deploying robots from Bedford, Mass.-based iRobot Corp. to measure radiation levels, temperatures and other conditions inside the reactors.

How Health Insurance Can Help You

Health insurance plans may seem like an added expenses that you might not actually need. Nevertheless, health insurance might be helpful for a number of reasons. You can research through health insurance plans to find the best one for you, whether it is something that only covers the a few and far-between doctor's visits you may need throughout the year, or disability coverage that takes into account any serious health issues that you must have. Health insurance, if it is the good plan, can assist as a hugely good separate of maintaining you healthy.

Tornadoes, severe weather strike Alabama; 1 killed

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- Officials say tornadoes have touched down in six Alabama counties, killing one person and causing multiple injuries.

The severe weather was part of a system that has already slammed the South and killed nine people in Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley said Friday night that one person was killed in Marengo County in the west-central part of the state. No further details on the death or the injuries were immediately released.

A Consumer's Guidebook to Health Care Modernise

The six-month day of remembrance] of the personation of the health care modernise, several of the law's preparations will be in force. Nearly consumers, nevertheless, won't see any changes until after Jan. 1, when their new health insurance plan year begins.

Meanwhile, employees will be getting ready for fall's "open enrollment" period, when they pick their health coverage for the adopting year. In addition, people who buy their have health insurance will be researching their choices. Medicare beneficiaries will be able to change their coverage future these class if they wish.

Here's a take how the law regards folks who get their coverage operant, purchase their own health insurance or are enrolled in Medicare.

Arkansas investigating if coach broke NCAA rules

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- Arkansas is reviewing a report suggesting coach John Pelphrey had contact with a pair of 2012 recruits in violation of NCAA rules.

The report from CBSSports.com includes a picture of Pelphrey with Sylvan Hills (Ark.) High standout Archie Goodwin and teammate Trey Smith at a high school tournament last December. NCAA rules say coaches cannot have off-campus contact with a prospect until the July 1 following the prospect's junior year in high school.

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Police allow protesters to remain at Wis. Capitol

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The occupation of the Wisconsin Capitol by protesters fighting efforts to strip public workers of union bargaining rights carried on Sunday after police decided not to forcibly remove demonstrators and end a nearly two-week-long sit-in.

Roughly three hours after a deadline to vacate the building had passed and as police officers continued to look on quietly, protest coordinator Erika Wolf took to a microphone and announced: "There's really awesomely good news - that we're going to be able to stay here tonight."

A cheer went up from the several hundred protesters who had ignored a request from the state agency that oversees the Capitol to leave by 4 p.m. so that the normally immaculate building could get a thorough cleaning.

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Villagers Suffering From Thai-Cambodia Border Fighting, Urge Peace

Border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia have stopped for now and their political leaders are set to hold talks Monday at the United Nations. The fighting near a disputed border area was the worst in years, killing several on both sides and sending thousands fleeing for safety. Villagers have yet to return home and many in Thailand urge the government to resolve the dispute so life can return to normal.

Thousands of villagers fled the Thai-Cambodia border after their militaries exchanged artillery and machine gun fire a week ago.

Many Cambodian villagers took refuge in Siem Reap, while Thais moved to camps several kilometers away from the border.

Swing State Super Bowl: Steelers Lean Dem, Packers a Toss Up

The "in" thing to do in Washington these days is to deplore how political everything has become and express, with deep longing, the desire to heal the nation's ideological divisions and unite for a greater good.

But I've never been particularly good at being part of the in crowd, so let's go ahead and get political about the biggest secular holiday in American culture: the Super Bowl.

Plus, those calls for bipartisan accord follow big election defeats as predictably as mushrooms follow a spring rain in a cow pasture. Democrats want to meet in the middle now, but weren't so sympathetic to Republican pleas for centrist civility following big wins for the blue team in 2006 and 2008.

More Than 2,400 Americans Seek Ride on Evacuation Planes Out of Egypt

More than 2,400 Americans have contacted U.S. officials seeking government-chartered evacuation flights from Egypt as anti-government protests continue to roil the country, the State Department said Monday.

The department said more than 220 have already left on the special flights, including 50-100 who got on a military plane that was already in Egypt and had available seats. More flights are scheduled. The department said it expects to evacuate about 900 U.S. citizens from Egypt on Monday and another 1,000 on Tuesday.

Amid the chaos at the airport, the department warned those wishing to take the flights from Cairo to Cyprus, Greece or Turkey that they should prepare for lengthy waits at the airport and they should bring food, water and other necessities.

Bloody Sunday to be remembered with final march

(CNN) -- Thousands of people are expected to march in Northern Ireland on Sunday to commemorate the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre of local people by British troops.

Organizers expect it to be the last march of its kind, since the British government finally admitted last year that its troops, not the demonstrators, were to blame.

"The great lie has been laid bare. The truth has been brought home at last," the republican political party Sinn Fein said in a statement Sunday.

Sinn Fein seeks for Northern Ireland to become part of the Republic of Ireland, rather than the United Kingdom.

Menounos Bikini Beach

Opting to ring in the new year in sunny Florida, Maria Menounos was spotted flaunting her fit and fine beach body in Miami on Friday afternoon (December 31).

Dressed in an oh-so-hot black bikini, the TV personality roughly around the sandy shoreline while partaking in a game of football with "No Ordinary Family" actor Michael Chiklis.Maria Menounos Bikini Beach

Tweeting about the active outing, Miss Menounos wrote, "Beach football today w/@MichaelChiklis…paparazzi had some fun! Hope the bikini shots are flattering!"

Getting more than she hoped for, the brunette beauty ended up offering up a few swimsuit malfunction shots before closing out her beach football festivities and heading back to the hotel to ready for the NYE 2011 parties.

Selena Gomez win Favorite Breakout Artist

Selena Gomez proudly shows off her award for favorite breakout artist at the People's Choice Awards 2011 on Wednesday (January 5) at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

The 18-year-old singer and actress picked up the accolade after performing "A Year Without Rain" with her band, Selena Gomez & The Scene.

Another Latina Disney prodigy who won last night was pop singing sensation Selena Gómez and her band "The Scene," winners of the "People's Choice Award" as "Favorite Breakout Artist."

On the carpet, Selena wore a one shoulder pink cocktail dress with ruffle detail at shoulder from Paule Ka with Giuseppe Zanotti pumps.

Backstage, Selena met up with fellow winner Taylor Swift and joked that the country star was taking over the world! Taylor then said the same thing about Selena!

Petra Nemcova Engaged

Czech fashion model Petra Nemcova is set to merry British actor Jamie Belman who she has been dating for close to eight months. They fitted last year after being introduced by mutual friends and the stars spent the vacations together with their respective families.

British Vogue magazine now covers Petra Nemcova Engaged to Jamie Belman after Belman recently proposed. In the past, Nemcova, 31, has been romantically linked to Oscar winner Sean Penn and singer James Blunt. She lost her previous fiance, Simon Atlee, in December 2004 when he was killed in the ruinous Asian tsunami. She was a subsister of the tragedy.

Since the tragical case, She has committed herself to aiding others affected by the tsunami, and is now President and Chairwoman of the Happy Hearts Foundation which crops with the children who survived the disaster. "When the tsunami happened, I desired to aid in any possible way," she told.