The Taliban in Afghanistan insisted Wednesday that their leader Mullah Mohammed Omar was alive, saying a text message and Internet posting announcing his death were fake.

The Taliban in Afghanistan insisted Wednesday that their leader Mullah Mohammed Omar was alive, saying a text message and Internet posting announcing his death were fake. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told The Associated Press that the early morning announcement about Mullah Omar was the result of a hack. " He is overseeing operations in the country, " Mujahid told The Associated Press. " Outsiders must have hacked into Taliban phones and the website. " Mujahid blamed U.

S. intelligence agencies, saying they were trying " to demoralize the Taliban. " Mullah Omar has led the decade- long insurgency against the U. S. - led military coalition and the Afghan government of President Hamid Karzai. He ruled most of Afghanistan as leader of its Taliban government before the United States and its allies invaded on Oct. 7, 2001, in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Violence has spiked recently as Afghan security forces start to take charge of security in seven areas - - a process that is to continue until. . .

In what' s being called the first research of its kind, a study found that HIV- infected women in Africa are more likely to spread the AIDS virus if they use hormone- based birth control. . . . In what' s being called the first research of its kind, a study found that HIV- infected women in Africa are more likely to spread the AIDS virus if they use hormone- based birth control. The women studied were about twice as likely to transmit HIV if they were on the pill or taking a hormone shot like Depo- Provera, compared to those not on the such birth control. The research is the first to look at this question, according to Renee Heffron of the University of Washington, one of the researchers.

Their research also found that uninfected women were about twice as likely to catch AIDS virus from their infected partners if they were on hormonal contraception, compared to those who were not. That finding echoed a phenomenon seen in earlier studies.

The researchers checked to make sure there were no significant differences in condom use, sexual behavior or other factors that would account for the differences.

The research was presented Wednesday at a meeting in Rome of the International AIDS Soc. . .

Gabriel pulls out of Oscars over 65- second limit, Gabriel pulls out of Oscars over 65- second limit.

Friday, February 13, 2009Print. LOS ANGELES& nbsp; & # 151; & nbsp; Peter Gabriel' s minute in the Oscars spotlight will lack one important element: Peter Gabriel. The Academy Award- nominated singer won' t perform at the Feb.

22 ceremony to protest an apparently revamped presentation of best original song contenders. Gabriel says in a video on his Web site that he objects to the songs being shortened to 65 seconds apiece and made part of a medley. " It' s a bit unfortunate because the songwriters, even though they' re a small part of the whole filmmaking process, we still work bloody hard and deserve a place in the ceremony as well, " the 59- year- old singer said.

Gabriel is nominated alongside Thomas Newman for " Down To Earth" from " WALL- E. " The British musician says he' ll still attend the Oscars, but is hoping a gospel choir will stand in for him onstage. Organizers have warned that this year' s ceremony will be full of new twists, including the way categories are present. . .

You could easily spend a day trying out all the places to relax here. There' s a parlor with comfortable chairs and a large fireplace, an orchard set with picnic tables, and a lush conservatory with a weeping cherry tree in its center.

Rooms in both the main building and the adjacent Carriage House have stenciled walls, quilts, and unusual antique pieces, as well as hand- painted furniture, stained glass, and prints done by one of the owners.

The beach is mi away ( they' ll set you up with beach chairs and towels) , and the attractions of town are close— but not too close. Those rooms with a shared bath all cost $ 95 or less.

Authentic historic lodging in peaceful setting, ideal for relaxing and getting away from distractions, can walk to excellent ocean beach. Many rooms must share a bath ( though discounted) , some rooms accessed via steep stairways. www. nausethouseinn. com. 14 rooms, 8 with bath.

In- room: no a/ c, no TV, Wi- Fi ( some) .

In- hotel: some age restrictions. Closed Nov. - mid- Apr. Breakfast.

A group of Hindus can sue a New Jersey restaurant that served them meat even though they are vegetarians. EDISON, N. J. - - A group of Hindus can sue a New Jersey restaurant that served them meat even though they are vegetarians. An appeals court reinstated their lawsuit, saying they can seek money from Moghul Express to travel to India to perform a purification ritual in the Ganges River.

A lower court had dismissed the suit. The restaurant admitted it accidentally served the group a meat dish during an India Day celebration in 2009.

The appeals court says the group can pursue a breach of express warranty suit. Pradip Kothari of the Indo- American Cultural Society in Edison told The Star- Ledger of Newark the suit should be dismissed because the group can go to a local temple to seek forgiveness for unknowingly doing something.

Brandon Phillips thought about re- enacting a celebration from the movie " Major League" and rounding the bases with bat in hand. Brandon Phillips thought about re- enacting a celebration from the movie " Major League" and rounding the bases with bat in hand. No need. He' d provided enough drama already.

Phillips hit a two- out, two- run homer off Fernando Salas in the ninth inning Friday night, rallying the Cincinnati Reds to a 6- 5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in another wild finish to the NL Central' s nastiest rivalry. Phillips connected on the second pitch from Salas ( 5- 3) for his second career game- ending homer, stopping to wave his arms in joy before reaching first base.

Phillips injected some ill will into the rivalry last season when he called the Cardinals whiners, sparking a brawl. Given the circumstances, the second baseman ranked it as his most memorable homer. " Biggest? Let me go ahead and say yes, " Phillips said. " That' s the biggest one. We' re playing the Cardinals. That' s a great situation for me getting that home run. " The Reds were on the verge of falling five games behind the Cardinals before Philli. . .

Our top moments of the week: 13. No " I" in " Team" Award: On Ice Loves Coco , Coco is pumped to show her hubby her new Licious clothing line at the factory. . . until Ice- T points out something her whole crew had apparently missed: All the shirts are printed with the ( non) - word " licous" & mdash; or, phonetically, " lick- us. " Don' t get too upset, Coco. Beyonce can' t spell it either.

Our top moments of the week: 13. No " I" in " Team" Award: On Ice Loves Coco , Coco is pumped to show her hubby her new Licious clothing line at the factory. . . until Ice- T points out something her whole crew had apparently missed: All the shirts are printed with the ( non) - word " licous" & mdash; or, phonetically, " lick- us. " Don' t get too upset, Coco. Beyonce can' t spell it either . 12. Best Accidental Foreshadowing: Don' t get us wrong, we love Jesse Tyler Ferguson on Modern Family , but maybe in his next lifetime he should come back as a fortune teller!

Less than 12 hours after praising So You Think You Can Dance host Cat Deeley on- air and declaring that she deserves an Emmy nomination, the Brit receives one & mdash; her first! & mdash; for Best Reality Show Host. & nbsp; & nbsp; 11. Best Entrance into the History Books: Derek Jeter ' s arrival at 3, 000 hits was a little delayed, thanks to a pesky calf injury, but when the New York Yankees shortstop reached the big number on Saturday, he did it in a very big way. Not only wa. . .

Looking for a quick Italian dish perfect for the whole family? Well look no further! i. Mag went to acclaimed Chef Cesare Casella of in New York City for his tasty recipe!

This simple pasta is sometimes referred to as “ White Amatriciana” because of the absence of tomatoes.

This version consists of rendered guanciale or pancetta, chives, parsley, olive oil and cheese. If you cannot find either of those meats in your deli, bacon works just as well. 3 oz.

Dry spaghetti 2 oz. Guanciale, pancetta, or bacon, cut 1/ 4" thick ( ask your deli person to slice it like this for you) 2T Extra virgin olive oil, divided 1T Chives, chopped 1T Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped 1- 2T Parmigiano- Reggiano, grated Directions: 1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, large enough for the pasta to swim freely.

Salt water to taste. Add pasta, stirring two minutes after adding so it doesn' t stick together. Cook until al dente, about eight to twelve minutes. While the pasta cooks, slice pancetta into thin sticks and add to a small saut pan with one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.

Cook over low heat until pancetta becomes translucent.

Do not brown the meat. Turn off heat and wait until pasta is ready. When pasta is ready, drain and reserve cooking water.

Off of the heat, add pasta to pancetta. Return to heat and add two tablespoons of pasta water and herbs. Stir and cook the pasta in the sauce to desired consistency.

Add more water and reduce as needed. When pasta is of desired consistency, remove from heat and stir in remaining olive oil, grated cheese and black pepper. Serve immediately. For more great recipes check out . ( 283 Amsterdam Avenue, 212.

877. 4800) , an Italian gourmet market/ restaurant located on the UWS, fills its 25- seat restaurant for lunch and dinner with diners looking for authentic Italian cuisine at wallet- friendly prices in a chic atmosphere.

The lively neighborhood joint hits a home run with dcor designed by Oscar- winning movie set- designer Dante Ferretti and executive chef/ partner Cesare Casella’ s menu of Italian classics.

Guests can eat well and escape the day’ s challenges for as little as $ 25 at Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto or take dinner home with take- out dishes prepared by Casella available at the walk- up counter.

They say when you marry someone, you also marry their family … and on Monday night' s " Bachelorette, " Ashley decided which family she did NOT want to marry. First, Ashley heads to Cumming, , to meet Constantine' s family. Constantine is turning out to be a bit of a dark horse in the race for Ashley' s heart — we knew almost nothing about him until last week' s episode, and now he' s in the final four. Nevertheless, Ashley calls meeting Constantine' s traditionally Greek family " the best hometown date, " and she genuinely seems to fit in with his family.

The lovebirds get " a little cheesy" at Constantine' s Italian restaurant, Giorgio' s, and while he expressed hesitation about Ashley a few weeks ago, he now says that " something has clicked. " But even though Constantine' s " Big Fat Greek" family is a lot of fun — they eat, dance and even throw wads of cash in the air — we don' t think Constantine has enough sex appeal to top her more powerful connection to Ben F. and especially J. Ames, on the other hand, is another story. Ashley is " intrigued" by Ames and seems very fond of him — they way you' re fond of your little brother. In fact, over in Ames' beautiful hometown of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, Ames' actual sister is pretty protective of him.

She picks up right away on the fact that Ashley doesn' t seem to have the " spark" for her super- sweet brother, who' s bumbling around like a fool in love, romancing Ashley under a magnolia tree and speaking Italian.

Maybe he' s just a little too nice for her? Then it' s off to Sonoma, California, to meet Ben F. ' s family and to check out his winery. Ben lets his guard down even more than usual during the hometown visit, and Ashley' s really lucky she passed muster with his close- knit mother and sister, who are still wounded from the death of Ben F. ' s father. Ashley definitely has the hots for Ben F. , but is that enough? Finally, Ashley heads to Roslyn, N.

Y. , to meet J.

P. ' s family.

Much like Constantine' s folks, they' re very warm and welcoming, especially his lasagna- serving mom — and Ashley seems to fit in extremely well. The roller skating date is very J. P. , and Ashley admits she is " smitten, " even if he is " a little older. " So who' s going home? You guessed it.

No rose for poor Ames, who seriously did not seem to see it coming. " It' s been totally beautiful, full of the unexpected, poetic, " he says upon being rejected, in classy Ames fashion. Alone in the limo, he wonders how he fell in love with someone who didn' t fall in love with him . . . and seems sad to go back to " a life of adventures with myself. " Don' t worry, Ames. You won' t be single for long! - - Jennifer D' Angelo Friedman,

Krauthammer writes a syndicated column for The Washington Post.

He is also a contributing editor to The Weekly Standard and The New Republic, and a weekly panelist on Inside Washington. Jonah Goldberg is editor- at- large of National Review Online, LA Times columnist and contributor to USA Today. Mara Liasson is the national political correspondent for NPR.

Liasson provides extensive coverage of politics and policy from Washington, DC focusing on the White House and Congress and also reports on political trends beyond the Beltway.

This imposing 1915 structure with its massive gold- leaf dome— higher than the U. Capitol' s— is about as close to a palace as you' re going to get in San Francisco. ( The metal detectors take something away from the grandeur, though. ) The classic granite- and- marble behemoth was modeled after St. Peter' s Cathedral in Rome.

Architect Arthur Brown Jr. , who also designed Coit Tower and the War Memorial Opera House, designed an interior with grand columns and a sweeping central staircase. San Franciscans were thrilled, and probably a bit surprised, when his firm built City Hall in just a few years. The building it replaced, dubbed " the new City Hall ruin, " had lined the pockets of corrupt builders and politicians during its 27 years of construction.

That 1899 structure collapsed in about 27 seconds in the 1906 earthquake, revealing trash and newspapers mixed into the building materials. City Hall was spruced up and seismically retrofitted in the late 1990s, but the sense of history remains palpable.

Some noteworthy events that have taken place here include the marriage of Marilyn Monroe and Joe Di. Maggio ( 1954) ; the hosing— down the central staircase— of civil- rights and freedom- of- speech protesters ( 1960) ; the murders of Mayor George Moscone and openly gay supervisor Harvey Milk ( 1978) ; the torching of the lobby by angry members of the gay community in response to the light sentence given to the former supervisor who killed both men ( 1979) ; and the registrations of scores of gay couples in celebration of the passage of San Francisco' s Domestic Partners Act ( 1991) . February 2004 has come to be known as the Winter of Love: thousands of gay and lesbian couples responded to Mayor Gavin Newsom' s decision to issue marriage licenses to same- sex partners, turning City Hall into the site of raucous celebration and joyful nuptials for a month before the state Supreme Court ordered the practice stopped. That celebratory scene replayed during 2008, when scores of couples were wed between the court' s June ruling that everyone enjoys the civil right to marry and the November passage of California' s ballot proposition banning same- sex marriage. ( Stay tuned… ) Free tours are offered weekdays at 10, noon, and 2.

The South Light Court houses a modest, rotating display from the collection of the ( www. sfmuseum. org) , including historical items, maps, and photographs. That enormous, 700- pound iron head once crowned the statue, which topped the old City Hall building when it crumbled during the 1906 earthquake. Unlike the building, the statue survived the earthquake in one piece, but the subsequent removal proved too much for it. Across Polk Street is with lawns, walkways, seasonal flower beds, a playground, and an underground parking garage.

This sprawling space is generally clean but somewhat grim. A large part of the city' s homeless population hangs out here, despite frequently being shunted away, so the plaza can feel dodgy. www. sfgov. org/ site/ cityhall. COST: Free. OPEN:

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. & # 8211; & nbsp; Commissioner Mike Slive thinks change is in the air for the & mdash; and to him that' s a good thing. Slive says he and other college and league administrators " feel like change is important, " including having investigations " handled in a timely way. " Slive spoke to The Associated Press ahead of SEC media days starting Wednesday, with NCAA investigations dominating the news from college athletics. In the SEC, Tennessee is awaiting a ruling after a 22- month investigation into the football and men' s basketball programs, while the NCAA is still investigating the recruitment of Heisman Trophy- winning quarterback . Auburn has not received an official letter of inquiry.

The SEC head supports a proposal that would allow universities to pay student athletes the full cost of an education.

This stark- white resort on 34 acres is one of the grandest in the desert. Standard rooms, large even by local standards, come with furnished patios or balconies and separate living and sleeping areas; they' re decorated in soft sea grass and white.

Private . . . A warm bit of Tuscany against a backdrop of the Santa Rosa Mountains characterizes the smallest, most intimate, and most opulent of the Indian Wells hotels. Guest rooms, with lavish appointments ( especially in the bathrooms) are in red- roofed villas on 11 . . . The centerpiece of this luxurious resort is an eight- story atrium lobby, to which most rooms open. There' s soothing water everywhere: pools, ponds, lakes, fountains, and streams.

Rooms are bright and airy, with ample balconies affording pool or mountain . . .

Begun in 1834 and completed the following year, the coral and stone house was originally home to missionary and doctor Dwight Baldwin and his family. The building has been carefully restored to reflect the period; many of the original furnishings remain. You can view the family' s grand piano, the carved four- poster bed, and most interestingly, Dr. Baldwin' s dispensary. During a brief tour conducted by Lahaina Restoration Foundation volunteers, you' ll be shown the " thunderpot" and told how the doctor single- handedly inoculated 10, 000 Maui residents for smallpox. www. lahainarestoration. org.

COST: $ 3 per person, $ 5 per couple. OPEN:

WASHINGTON - - As a leading Senate Democrat prepares for hearings this week on repealing the federal law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman, the on Tuesday threw its support to overturning the . The Obama administration has already said it won' t defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court because it concludes it' s unconstitutional. But Press Secretary on Tuesday went further, saying is " proud to support" the Respect for Marriage Act, legislation by Sen. , D- Calif. , to overturn the 15- year- old law. " The president has long called for a legislative repeal of the so- called Defense of Marriage Act, which continues to have a real impact on the lives of real people, our families, friends and neighbors, " Carney said in his daily briefing with reporters.

Feinstein, who is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is hosting the hearing, said she is under no illusion that overturning the ban will be easy, but she does think the public is ready for a change. " I think eyes have opened. More and more people across this land know people who are gay, who want to have a lasting relationship, who look at marriage as an economic agreement as well as an emotional agreement, " said Feinstein, speaking at the National Press Club Tuesday. So far six states have passed legislation allowing gay marriage within their states, but the federal ban prevents same- sex couples from applying for citizenship benefits, filing federal taxes together or claiming deductions that married people receive. Married gay couples can also not receive spousal benefits under or take unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons.

The Defense of Marriage Act passed both chambers of Congress by overwhelming margins and was signed into law by President . Feinstein was one of 14 senators to oppose the legislation. & # 160; Feinstein is now one of 27 co- sponsors, none Republican, supporting repeal. She said with a GOP- dominated House, she understands repeal may not happen anytime soon. " If we don' t succeed this session, we will try again next session, " she said. " Believe me, we will continue this effort until the battle is won. " The Associated Press contributed to this report .

The has recalled nearly 2 million video baby monitors Friday after the death of two infants. According to the commission, the cords on Summer Infant video monitors may be dangerous if placed near the crib. The two infants strangled in the cords. A 10- month- old girl died in March from Washington, D.

C. after the camera monitor was put on top of her crib, and in November, a 6- month old boy from Conway, S. C. , died after the monitor was placed on his changing table, which was attached to his crib. CPSC and Summer Infant are also aware of a 20- month- old boy from Pittsburgh who nearly strangled on a camera cord that was mounted to the wall in reach of the child.

Commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum said cords and kids can be a deadly combination. " I urge all parents and caregivers to put at least 3 feet between any video or audio baby monitor cords and a child in a crib, " she said. " This simple step can save your child' s life. " In all, about 1. 7 million monitors — more than 40 different models of handheld, digital and color monitors — are being recalled by Summer Infant, based in Woonsocket, R.

The company will provide new on- product warning labels and instructions about monitor placement. The monitors were sold at major retailers nationwide between 2003 and 2011. The commission first warned about the potential danger of monitor cords last October. Since 2004, seven children have strangled on baby monitor cords placed too close to a crib.

In addition to the recall linked to strangulations, Summer Infant also is recalling the rechargeable batteries in another 58, 000 video monitors exclusively sold at Babies R Us in 2009 and 2010. The commission says the batteries sold with certain Slim and Secure Video Monitors can overheat, rupture and possibly burn people. The company has received five reports of ruptured batteries, including three cases of property damage. For more information on model numbers of recalled monitors, consumers can contact Summer Infant at 800- 426- 8627.

The Associated Press contributed to this article. & # 160;

Celebrity German polar bear Flocke and her Russian companion are moving to a new home in southern France. Flocke, born in December 2007, was raised by keepers at the zoo in Nuremberg after her mother rejected her. The city of Nuremberg said Wednesday that Flocke will move to the Marineland zoo at Antibes in southern France at the beginning of 2010.

It says the enclosure in Nuremberg is needed for future breeding of polar bears.

Flocke will be moving along with a young male bear, Rasputin, who was brought to Nuremberg from Moscow in December.

The Nuremberg city statement says the bears " get along famously. "

Remember how much fun games used to be when you were a kid? Spending entire Saturdays playing round after round of Monopoly or Life. Staying up all night with nothing but a deck of cards or a pair of dice. Winning and losing and not caring about anything else going on in the world.

Too many of us give up all the fun and games when we grow up. But that’ s a big mistake, especially when it comes to the bedroom. Playing sexy games can bring new life to your sex life and help you and your partner to remember to relax and enjoy each other. That is the point after all. Roll the Dice – It can be a lot of fun to put the next move into fate’ s hands.

You can use specially made dice or craft your own. All you need is one die with a different body part on each side and another with a different act on each side. Then, you simply take turns rolling and, well, performing.

You can use cards, if you prefer. And, there are even Sex Position Darts out there if you really want to go wild. Naked Twister – It’ s just like when you were kids… only it’ s naked.

Or you can play in your skivvies if you prefer. It can be especially fun if you make a “ no fooling around until someone wins” rule. See how long you can keep your bodies from touching and then how much you can get them to touch without them getting you into hot water. Strip Poker – If you don’ t like poker, you can play strip rummy or even strip Go Fish!

All that matters is that the loser has to lose a piece of clothing. To keep things really interesting, make it a rule that there’ s no messing around until one person is naked. Then the other person gets to " be in charge" about what comes next.

Dress- Up - The sky’ s the limit when it comes to this kind of game. You and your partner can be anything the two of you want to be. All you need are a few costumes and props and your imagination.

The scenarios can be as simple or complex as you choose. Think doctor and patient; model and photographer; teacher and student; prisoner and guard; captain and first mate… 5. Massage Me – All you need for this game is some oil, a spinner, and a timer. Put PG body part names on the spinner spaces and choose one person to give and the other receive.

Spin the spinner, set the timer, and then massage the chosen part until time runs out. Remember, nothing naughty till both partners get their fill.

Restraining yourselves is all part of the fun.

Truth or Dare - This can be a really fun way to learn more about each other and fool around at the same time. The questions and the dares can be as tame or as wild as you choose. It can be really fun to escalate them both as you go. But don’ t rush it.

The challenge is to go as long as you can without going all the way. Seven Minutes in Heaven – Take turns waiting in the closet for your partner and then surprise him or her with one simple act. Remember you only get seven minutes. No cheating.

Take turns being the one waiting in the closet. There’ s something very sexy about standing in the dark, knowing your partner will slip in at any moment. The longer you’ re together, the harder it can be to keep things fresh and fun and interesting. Sure playing games is silly. But who cares?

The point is to have fun and get out of your regular bedroom routine.

So get out the dice or the cards or the oil or even the dartboard and take a chance on having a good time. You have nothing to lose . . . even if you lose. Jenny Block is a freelance writer based in Dallas. She is the author of " Open: Love, Sex, and Life in an Open Marriage. " Her work appears in " One Big Happy Family, " edited by Rebecca Walker and " It’ s a Girl: Women Writers on Raising Daughters, " edited by Andrea Buchanan.

Visit her website at or check out her blog at

Chef Massimiliano Conti quickly won a loyal following after opening this charming neighborhood trattoria serving Sardinian food. The island' s classics are all represented— seafood salad dressed with olive oil and lemon, seared lamb chops, pasta with ( salted mullet roe) , and ( pebble- shape pasta) with an aromatic tomato sauce— and recommended. The space came with a pizza oven, so Conti also turns out a pair of respectable thin- crust pies.

The wine list, which boasts nearly 200 labels, looks no further than Italy, and one- fourth of the choices are Sardinian. The staff is both friendly and efficient, and Conti regularly circles the room to make sure everyone is happy. Closed Mon. No lunch.

Casey Stegall joined FOX News Channel ( FNC) in 2007 as a Los Angeles- based correspondent. Prior to FNC, Stegall served as a reporter and a substitute anchor for KDFW- TV in Dallas, TX, where he was responsible for up to ten live reports per day and coverage of breaking news.

Before this, he was also a reporter and substitute anchor at KVUE- TV in Austin, Texas, covering the city government beat and cultivating sources. A recipient of several awards, including a 2006 Regional Emmy Award for Best Live Reporting in Dallas, TX Stegall started his broadcast journalism career in 2000 as a reporter for WTVW- TV in Evansville, IN. He graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Telecommunications, specializing in television news.