HNN News Aggregator

AP - President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won a second term in a landslide victory Sunday with Brazilians rewarding their first working class leader after he helped ease grinding poverty while improving the economy of Latin America's largest country.

AP - Michael Vick has found a balance. His passer rating is just as impressive as his 40-yard dash these days. Vick threw three more touchdown passes on Sunday, leading the Atlanta Falcons to a 29-27 victory over a Cincinnati Bengals team that had never seen anything quite like the show he put on.

AP - Thousands of homes and businesses had no electricity Sunday from Maryland to Maine as a storm system blasted the region with winds gusting to more than 50 mph, knocking over trees and a construction crane. The storm was blamed for at least two deaths.

AP - A 15-year-old boy stole a bus, drove it along a public transit route, picked up passengers and collected fares, authorities said Sunday.

AP - Nearly one of every 25 weapons the military bought for Iraqi security forces is missing, a government audit said Sunday. Many others cannot be repaired because parts or technical manuals are lacking.

AFP - About 100 people, including the spiritual leader of Nigeria's Muslims, were killed when a commercial airliner crashed moments after takeoff in the capital Abuja, officials and aviation sources said.

AP - His town almost emptied by insurgent attacks and sectarian revenge killings, local council chairman Khalid Latif faces a tough job persuading residents to come home.

AP - Halloween came early at movie theaters as "Saw III" sliced up the competition with a $34.3 million debut, the best opening yet for the gory horror franchise. Lionsgate's "Saw III" easily took over as No. 1 at the box office, bumping off Disney's dueling-magicians saga "The Prestige," which slipped to third place with $9.6 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. "The Prestige" raised its 10-day total to $28.8 million.

Reuters - Israeli President Moshe Katsav said on Sunday he was innocent after the attorney-general recommended he stand down until an investigation of rape allegations against him runs its course, Katsav's office said.

AP - The No. 2 leader in the House on Sunday said Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is "the best thing that's happened to the Pentagon in 25 years," sparking a debate with Democrats who said the comments show why the GOP should be voted out of power.

AP - The No. 2 leader in the House on Sunday said Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is "the best thing that's happened to the Pentagon in 25 years," sparking a debate with Democrats who said the comments show why the GOP should be voted out of power.

AP - More than 500 new energy drinks launched worldwide this year, and coffee fans are probably too old to understand why.

Reuters - Gunmen ambushed a minibus carrying police translators, trainers and cleaning workers from a police academy to the southern Iraqi city of Basra on Sunday, killing 17 people, a police source said.

AFP - Washington welcomes Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's desire to gain direct control over the country's security forces, US ambassador to Baghdad Zalmay Khalilzad said.

AP - Thanks to USC's fall, the pivotal game between West Virginia and Louisville will be the first top-five matchup for the rebuilt Big East. The third-ranked Mountaineers and fifth-ranked Cardinals each moved up a spot in The Associated Press Top 25 on Sunday. The two unbeatens were off last week and play Thursday night in Louisville.

AFP - Vote-counting started in the Democratic Republic of Congo after the vast, war-scarred state turned out to choose a democratically-elected president for the first time in more than four decades.

AP - Roger Federer beat Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (3) Sunday to win his fourth straight title and 11th of the year at the Swiss Indoors.