KHARTOUM (Reuters) - A senior Sudanese official on Thursday hit back at comments by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that Sudan was facing a "ticking time-bomb" in the countdown to the "inevitable" secession of the country's south.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - National Australia Bank's (NAB) $12 billion bid for AXA Asia Pacific has been blocked for a second time, dashing its efforts to cement its lead in the world's fourth-largest wealth management market.

Oxford launches first Zulu-English dictionary update in 40 years. Oxford University Press says its new Zulu-English dictionary is the first update in four decades.

South African murder rate drops by 8.6 percent; authorities credit better policing. Police say South Africa's murder rate, one of the highest in the world, has dropped by 8.6 percent.

Flap over Quran burning an unwelcome distraction from Obama's efforts to keep focus on economy. First came the outrage over plans for a mosque near ground zero. Now there's anger over a Florida church's plan to burn copies of the Quran.

Car bomb attack on Somalia's main airport is reported to have killed 2, officials say. A Somali security official says a car bomb has exploded at the front gate of Mogadishu's airport and that he believes two women were killed.

Crews contain 10 percent of Colorado wildfire; at least 135 homes reported lost. As thousands of people waited to learn if their homes survived a raging Colorado wildfire, Dan Hackett hiked a second time behind roadblocks to make sure his house near boulder was still standing.

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Two blasts hit Mogadishu's airport Thursday, killing at least eight people including African Union peacekeepers, residents said.

OECD says another global recession is unlikely as it trims growth forecasts. The global economic recovery could be slower than previously anticipated but a return to recession is unlikely, a leading international economic body said Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama stood firm on Thursday in opposition to a Republican push to extend Bush-era tax cuts for the rich but stopped short of threatening to veto such a measure if passed by Congress.

BANGALORE (Reuters) - U.S. retailer Toys R Us, which has filed for an initial public offering, said it plans to open about 600 temporary stores in malls and shopping centers nationwide, doubling the number of store locations for the holiday season.

'Idol' runner-up Bowersox finds out her records were checked in Ohio; 2 employees lose jobs. "American Idol" runner-up Crystal Bowersox has learned that personal information on her was improperly checked in her home state of Ohio.

Obama acknowledges struggling economy could hurt Democratic Party in November elections. President Barack Obama is conceding that if the midterm election turns out to be mostly a referendum on the economy, "we're not going to do well."

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama warned on Thursday that a Florida pastor's plan to burn copies of the Koran is being used as an al Qaeda recruitment tool and he urged the minister to reconsider the decision.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama warned on Thursday that a Florida pastor's plan to burn copies of the Koran is being used as an al Qaeda recruitment tool and he urged the minister to reconsider the decision.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama warned on Thursday that a Florida pastor's plan to burn copies of the Koran is being used as an al Qaeda recruitment tool and he urged the minister to reconsider the decision.

LONDON (Reuters) - British Members of Parliament (MPs) will next week grill outgoing BP Plc Chief Executive Tony Hayward, as part of an investigation into risks around deepwater drilling in the North Sea.

LONDON (Reuters) - British Members of Parliament (MPs) will next week grill outgoing BP Plc Chief Executive Tony Hayward, as part of an investigation into risks around deepwater drilling in the North Sea.

KABUL (Reuters) - India led calls on Thursday for the United States to intervene to halt a small church's plan to burn copies of the Koran in commemoration of the September 11 attacks and urged a media blackout to calm tensions.

KABUL (Reuters) - India led calls on Thursday for the United States to intervene to halt a small church's plan to burn copies of the Koran in commemoration of the September 11 attacks and urged a media blackout to calm tensions.

KABUL (Reuters) - India led calls on Thursday for the United States to intervene to halt a small church's plan to burn copies of the Koran in commemoration of the September 11 attacks and urged a media blackout to calm tensions.

Stock futures climb as investors expect weekly unemployment report to show claims fell. Stock prices were set to continue their rally Thursday as investors prepare for a new report that is expected to show unemployment claims fell for the third straight week.

Banish the tax! Romanian witches 'frighten' lawmakers into voting against levy. "Abracadabra, we'll turn all of you into toads!"

EU: Iran must go beyond suspending stoning sentence against woman. The European Union presidency said Thursday that Iran's suspension of a stoning sentence against a woman convicted of adultery is not enough and demands it be completely overturned.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the success of the TV show "Jersey Shore" made words like "BP Spillcam" and "Guido" among the most used words of the 2009-2010 TV season, according to a global language survey released on Thursday.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the success of the TV show "Jersey Shore" made words like "BP Spillcam" and "Guido" among the most used words of the 2009-2010 TV season, according to a global language survey released on Thursday.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the success of the TV show "Jersey Shore" made words like "BP Spillcam" and "Guido" among the most used words of the 2009-2010 TV season, according to a global language survey released on Thursday.

LONDON (Reuters) - The Bank of England kept interest rates at 0.5 percent for the 18th month in a row and announced no new quantitative easing purchases, in a widely expected decision on Thursday.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Tests of tumor samples taken before and after treatment with an experimental melanoma pill helped researchers find the right dose in early stage testing, an approach that may boost the drug's chances of success and aid in developing others, company researchers said on Tuesday.

Beijing warns: If Japan puts captain involved in boat collision on trial, it will harm ties. Japan will damage its relations with China if it decides to prosecute the captain of a Chinese fishing boat that collided with Japanese patrol vessels near disputed islands, Beijing warned Thursday.

Obama: Emanuel to decide on Chicago mayoral bid after Nov. elections, would be 'terrific'. President Barack Obama says his chief of staff would make a "terrific mayor" of Chicago. But Obama says he expects Rahm Emanuel to hold off on deciding whether to enter the race until after the midterm elections.

Obama: Emanuel to decide on Chicago mayoral bid after Nov. elections, would be 'terrific'. President Barack Obama says his chief of staff would make a "terrific mayor" of Chicago. But Obama says he expects Rahm Emanuel to hold off on deciding whether to enter the race until after the midterm elections.

VENICE (Reuters) - Prolific Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike's "13 Assassins" is a surprisingly conventional remake of a 1963 samurai movie, but he injects enough horror and humour to win over viewers at the Venice film festival.

Obama calls Florida minister's Quran-burning plan a 'stunt'; Tells him to call it off. President Barack Obama is exhorting a Florida minister to "listen to those better angels" and call off his plan to engage in a Quran-burning protest this weekend.

EU Parliament calls on Paris to suspend expulsions of Roma, criticizes France's policy. The European Parliament has called on France to suspend its expulsion of gypsies.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures rose for a sixth day in seven on Thursday ahead of weekly data that was expected to show a tick down in applications for unemployment insurance.

TORONTO (Hollywood Reporter) - Get ready for a high-stakes, star-packed game of musical chairs as the 35th Toronto International Film Festival gets under way Thursday.

Number of people killed on roadways falls to lowest level in 6 decades. The number of people dying on the nation's roads has fallen to its lowest level in six decades, helped by a combination of seat belts, safer cars and tougher enforcement of drunken driving laws.

Tens of thousands of Hasidic celebrate Jewish New Year at spiritual leader's tomb in Ukraine. Tens of thousands of Hasidic Jews from around the world gathered in a small Ukrainian city Thursday to mark the Jewish New Year at the tomb of their spiritual leader ? an apparent record for the annual all-male pilgrimage banned for decades by the Soviets.

US falls to 4th place in competitivness ranking behind Switzerland, Sweden and Singapore. The U.S. has slipped down the ranks of competitive economies, falling behind Sweden and Singapore due to huge deficits and pessimism about government, a global economic group said Thursday.

VLADIKAVKAZ, Russia (Reuters) - A suicide bomber set off a powerful blast near a busy market in Russia's restive North Caucasus on Thursday, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens, authorities said.

Philippines says police might have shot some hostages in bungled rescue of HK tourists. Some victims in a botched hostage rescue of a tourist bus in the Philippines may have been hit by police fire, the nation's top law enforcement official said Thursday.

Gov't forecast: Moderate spending increase as 32 million gain coverage under health overhaul. The nation's health care tab will go up ? not down ? as a result of President Barack Obama's sweeping overhaul. That's the conclusion of a government forecast released Thursday, which also finds the increase will be modest.

Obama calls Florida minister's Quran-burning plan a 'stunt'; Tells him to call it off. President Barack Obama is exhorting a Florida minister to "listen to those better angels" and call off his plan to engage in a Quran-burning protest this weekend.

Japan, India to sign trade pact that will scrap tariffs on 94 percent of exports over 10 years. Japan said Thursday it plans to sign a free trade pact with India that will scrap tariffs on 94 percent of traded goods over 10 years.

LONDON (Reuters) - Daily tablets of large doses of B vitamins can halve the rate of brain shrinkage in elderly people with memory problems and may slow their progression toward dementia, data from a British trial showed on Wednesday,

LONDON (Reuters) - Daily tablets of large doses of B vitamins can halve the rate of brain shrinkage in elderly people with memory problems and may slow their progression toward dementia, data from a British trial showed on Wednesday,

Bank of England holds rates steady, leaves asset purchase program on hold. The Bank of England says it is holding interest rates steady at a record low of 0.5 percent for the 18th consecutive month amid growing fears about a double-dip recession.

Suicide bombing kills 15, wounds more than 130 outside market in Russia's volatile Caucasus. A suicide car bomber hit the central market of a major city in Russia's North Caucasus on Thursday, killing at least 15 and wounding more than 130 people in one of the worst terror attacks in the volatile region in years, officials said.

Fla. gov. concerned about safety if minister holds Quran burn on Sept. 11 at his small church. Florida's governor is concerned about safety at home and around the world, a feeling shared by national and world leaders, over a plan by the head of a small church to burn copies of Islam's holiest text to mark the 9/11 terrorist attacks.