Lithuania court acquits teen who wore Nazi uniform

A Lithuanian teenager who wore a Nazi uniform during a festival was acquitted Friday of violating a new law that prohibits the display of Nazi and Soviet-era symbols.

A court said Audrius Petreikis, a 17-year-old member of a local history club, did not commit a crime because he was only trying to educate others about what the soldiers who occupied his country would have looked like.

Petreikis was detained in August after he donned a Wehrmacht uniform and then took part in a historical parade in the port city of Klaipeda.

The new legislation forbids the public display of Nazi and Soviet symbols such as the swastika, hammer and sickle and …

Greeter wanted

People are being asked to spare a few hours a week helping at theRoyal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases. Volunteers areneeded for a new meet and greet role at the …

McEwen Wins 1st Stage of Tour De France

CANTERBURY, England - Lance Armstrong knew a thing or two about bouncing back from a crash to win a Tour de France stage. On Sunday, Robbie McEwen - bruised and aching after tumbling over his handlebars - showed he does, too.

The Australian sprinter won the first stage of cycling's premier event with a display of grit that can only serve the sport well as it tries to rehabilitate its image after assorted doping scandals.

McEwen was timed in 4 hours, 39 minutes, 1 second for the mostly flat 126-mile ride to Canterbury from London, where the Tour began Saturday with a time-trial prologue. Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara kept the overall lead, but he is not expected to …

Geithner: Bank payback $25 billion over next year

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Wednesday a new public-private partnership to help U.S. banks shed their bad assets will begin operating in the next six weeks.

The program would combine up to $100 billion in government funds with private investments in hopes of building a purchasing pool of up to $1 trillion.

Bank lending has in part been hindered by the amount of real estate-related loans and securities on their balance sheets. Treasury has received applications from more than 100 potential fund managers to help run the program. Geithner said Treasury will inform applicants of their preliminary approval in the "next several weeks."

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A top US senator applauds uprisings in Arab world

WASHINGTON (AP) — The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee says popular uprisings across the Arab world signal "a much brighter day" for people who have never known democracy and freedom.

Sen. John McCain, who unsucessfully ran for president in 2008, says Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi's days are numbered. But he also says, "How long it takes and …

Surgical images: soft tissue: Tubular duplication of the esophagus

A 6-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with an impacted foreign body in the esophagus. His medical history was marked by a mild dysphagia for solid food, present since the age of 2 years. His physical examination was unremarkable.

An upper endoscopy was performed. After a coin in the esophagus was removed, an esophageal stenosis and an orifice in the esophageal wall were noticed (Fig. 1). Biopsy of the double lumen showed chronic esophagitis. A barium esophagram (Fig. 2) was also carried out and contributed to a diagnosis of tubular duplication of the esophagus.

Esophageal duplication is a rare congenital anomaly with an estimated incidence of 1 in 8200, …

Thai public responds to Thaksin's return with a mix of glee, dread and ambivalence

Huddled around radios on Bangkok's busy streets, Thais listened anxiously for news Thursday that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had returned home from self-imposed exile.

At the country's international airport, hundreds of Thaksin supporters with red roses or placards that read "We Love Thaksin" began gathering at 5 a.m. local time to catch a glimpse of the 58-year-old billionaire.

The crowd of taxi drivers, homemakers and elderly grandmothers chanted his name or joined in raucous songs penned in his honor that celebrated "an iron man who has great vision" and someone who "will bring Thailand out of crisis."

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