NEW YORK - Giant balloons, floats, marching bands and clowns with confetti brought smiles to thousands of revelers eager to catch a glimpse of a parade as steeped in Thanksgiving Day tradition as turkey and pumpkin pie.
SAN LUIS, Colo. - A creepy string of calf mutilations in southern Colorado has a rancher and sheriff's officials mystified, and a UFO chaser thinks extraterrestrials are involved.
NAIROBI, Kenya - Two foreign journalists freed after 15 months in captivity in Somalia were receiving medical care on Thursday in neighboring Kenya, Canada's ambassador said.
GANDHINAGAR - At least a dozen people were reportedly injured when followers of Asaram Bapu, the religious guru of the country, staged a protest and clashed with the police here on Thursday.
NEW DELHI - One swine flu death was reported Thursday from Punjab, taking the total toll in India to 561, health authorities said here.
BANGKOK - Thailand has issued rules making sex change surgery more difficult - including a requirement that potential candidates cross-dress for a year - over fears that some patients are rushing into the operation, a medical association said Thursday.
NEW DELHI - Eighty-two new swine flu cases were confirmed here Thursday, taking the total number of people affected by the influenza A (H1N1) virus in the national capital to 4,593, health officials said.
NEW YORK - The comedy-drama "Superior Donuts" is closing up shop on Broadway.
VIENNA - A media watchdog is warning that government-influenced TV in Russia and many post-Soviet states is hampering democracy and could endanger international peace and security if misused as a propaganda tool.
LONDON - American rapper Eminem wants to be a judge on British reality show "The X Factor".
NEW YORK - Hollywood actress Charlize Theron is helping build soccer fields in her native South Africa in honour of the upcoming World Cup.
SAN FRANCISCO - Online retailers hope the convenience of the Web, plus discounts and deals, spur still-nervous shoppers to spend more online this holiday season - even as traditional retailers brace for mediocre sales.
MILWAUKEE - RedPrairie Holding Inc., a business software provider, said Thursday it filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering.
San Francisco- Black Friday being less than 24 hours away, the stores are offering great rebates and gifts on a number of items.
Time Warner Cable Inc. is asking the public for help as it tries to curtail increases in the programming fees it has to pay to carry cable channels and broadcast stations on its systems.
BRUSSELS - Rom Houben's mother remembers her son's amazement when he finally started communicating again after spending 23 years locked in a paralyzed body that was misdiagnosed as vegetative.
TORONTO - Canada's prime minister is reversing his position and will attend the Copenhagen climate-change meeting next month.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, - Haiti's electoral council has banned the influential party of exiled former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide from running in next year's legislative elections.
AMPATUAN, Philippines - Under threat of military attack, the scion of the clan suspected in the slaughter of 57 people in the southern Philippines turned himself in Thursday, and prosecutors say he will face murder charges in the country's worst election violence.
WASHINGTON - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left here Thursday after a "very productive" four-day official State visit to the US, the first by a foreign dignitary since President Barack Obama assumed office in January, during which they established a framework to take their relations forward and together meet the challenges of the 21st century.
GSTAAD, Switzerland - After two months in a Swiss jail, Roman Polanski prepared Thursday for the splendid captivity of his $1.6 million chalet in one of world's most luxurious winter resorts.
DALLAS - While the U.S.
BOULDER, Colo. - Colorado coach Dan Hawkins will get a fifth season in Boulder instead of a pink slip and a $3.1 million buyout.
COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. - The money goes where the medals are - one of those Darwinian truths that often undercuts the oft-told Olympic fairy tale about the journey being as important as the result.
LONDON - London Olympic organizers will avoid building a $66 million temporary arena after reaching an "agreement in principle" with two sports to move to an existing venue for the 2012 Games.
BARAKI-BARAK, Afghanistan - As daylight faded and the winter cold set in, soldiers huddled inside a crude wooden hut to tuck into Thanksgiving turkeys the unit itself had fattened and to give thanks for having survived a year of combat in Afghanistan.
HEMET, Calif. - Thirteen Southern California residents have had their hopes for a carefree retirement in newly built homes dashed by the housing industry's collapse.
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia 76ers guard Lou Williams will miss eight weeks after having surgery on his jaw Thursday morning.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Buffalo Bills starting cornerback Terrence McGee is practicing for the first time in more than three weeks since having surgery on his right knee, and could play against Miami this weekend.
LONDON - Andy Murray wasted 12 of 13 break points before overcoming Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3) Thursday to close in on a semifinal spot at the ATP World Tour Finals.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Charles Woodson wants to be known as more than a football player.
NEW YORK - The 83rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has kicked off in New York City with a 60-foot-tall Kermit the frog hovering over holiday revelers.
LYON, France, November 26 - Following the decision by a Swiss federal court to release Roman Polanski on bail, INTERPOL has issued an alert reminding all 188 member countries that he remains the subject of a valid Red Notice, an international wanted persons notice, issued at the request of US authorities.
Mobile Phones or Cell Phones are a marvel of their own.
