Campaign platforms in French election

Both candidates in France's presidential election pledge to break with old-style politics. That may be the only area where Segolene Royal and Nicolas Sarkozy agree, for while they both insist that France needs to change, they have differing ideas on how to implement reform. This voiced report takes a look at the campaign platforms of the two remaining candidates.

AUSTRALIA'S GROWING DUST BOWL

As scientists and politicians quarrel at a week-long UN climate change conference in Bangkok, people on the ground are already dealing with the effects of global warming. In Australia, there's no end in sight to a six-year-old drought that has devastated farmlands and drinking water reserves in some of the country's greenest regions. It is the worst drought in 100 years. So it comes as no surprise that the global warming debate is becoming one of the hottest issues in what has long been called the sunburnt country. A voiced report.

Day of the Donkey

Mexican town makes Donkey's King for a day. Thousands turned out to fawn over dozens of donkeys dressed from head to hoof in costumes ranging from Winnie the Pooh to Pegasus, the winged horse.

Train Carrying Space Shuttle Parts Derails

A freight train carrying segments of the space shuttle's solid rocket boosters has derailed in Alabama following a bridge collapse. NASA is sending teams to determine damage.

Thieves Rob Armed Truck in Broad Daylight

Two men robbed an armored truck of more than $1 million as it delivered money to a check cashing store Wednesday, police said.

Colleges Consider Emergency Text Alert Systems

The Virginia Tech massacre has prompted schools to update how they alert students and faculty in the event of an emergency.

Police Make Changes In Homicide Classifications After CBS Investigation

(Chicago) Hiram Grau says the Chicago Police Department does not intentionally hide homicides, but admits the department did make mistakes in how they classified some deaths.

Downed Power Lines Spark Plano House Fire

(Dallas) Downed Power Lines Spark Plano House Fire.

More concerns about US food supply

FDA tests show that 3 million chickens from Indiana ate melamine-spiked feed. Those chickens have already been processed, sold and likely consumed.

TEMPERS FRAY IN FRENCH PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy and socialist rival Segolene Royal staged an often bad tempered televised debate Wednesday that could have a crucial effect on France's presidential vote. Facing each other across a table, Royal, who trails her rival in opinion polls ahead of Sunday's runoff vote, launched a volley of attacks on Sarkozy's record in government and their disagreements repeatedly flared into ill-restrained hostility. An estimated 20 million viewers were engorssed by the two and a half hours of exchanges on the reasons and cures for France's economic and social problems. But analysts said neither could claim victory. Images and soundbites.

Colombia deals with displaced citizens

In just the last month, violence has forced up to 7,000 people in southwest Colombia from their homes as soldiers battle to retake land from left-wing rebels producing cocaine in the area. Jon Decker reports.

Secrets Revealed at 'Da Vinci Code' Church

Like a plot from 'The Da Vinci Code,' a team of code breakers claims to have found music hidden for 500 years in intricate carvings at the Scottish church where author Dan Brown set the climax of his best-selling book.

Pelosi: President's Judgment Has Failed

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged Congress to override President Bush's veto of a war spending bill that includes timetables for troop withdrawal; the president vetoed the bill Tuesday.

New More Accurate Blood Test for Prostate Cancer on Horizon

A blood test for a newly discovered protein may make screening for prostate cancer much more reliable, according to researchers published in the journal Urology.

Single annual infusion effective for treating osteoporosis

People at increased risk of bone fractures may benefit from an infusion of a bone density-boosting drug once a year, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Clot-busting drug shows promise following heart attack

The use of a clot-busting drug immediately following percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI, improves heart function in heart attack patients, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Heini the rhino has cataract op

Experts at a German zoo remove cataracts from a baby rhino in a three-hour operation. Faced with a choice of operating or putting down the eight-month-old animal zoo bosses decided to go ahead with surgery at a cost of more than 20, 000 dollars.

AP ShowBiz News: Alba, Spears, More

Britney Spears is back on stage, John Ratzenberger gets the boot on 'Dancing with the Stars,' Isaiah Washington to star in PSA for gay rights groups and Jessica Alba joins 'Fantastic Four' cast for a premiere in Australia.

WEB EXTRA: Britney Spears Returns To The Stage

Britney Spears made her first appearance onstage in months.