AP Top Stories for Wednesday, August 1st

Here's the latest news for Wednesday, August 1st: Two children found dead in trash bags, mother charged; Bond denied for man accused of killing two employees; Army censures retired general in Tillman case; New York City rabbis run for charity

Horse Rescued From Ravine

Volunteers and firefighters took several hours to rescue a horse from the bottom of a muddy ravine.

Murdoch's $5 Billion Wins Dow Jones & Co.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation won control of the Wall Street Journal's publisher Dow Jones & Co. after the deal was approved by the boards of both companies Tuesday.

A 2-night stay for $100k?

In honor of its 100th anniversary, the storied Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco is offering a year-long special: two nights of luxury in the 6,000 square-foot penthouse suite for $100,000. We just had to get a look. Stacey Delo reports.

YouTube Video Chills Some Politicos

The Journal's Amy Schatz takes a look at an 18-second video that has become an online sensation following the CNN/YouTube Democratic presidential debate.

Just one soda a day can be bad for your health

Drinking one or more soft drinks a day can increase a person’s risk of metabolic syndrome by nearly 50%, according to research published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association.

Hollywood's Leading Ladies Takeover Cable TV

Some of Hollywood's most highly regarded leading ladies, Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Kyra Sedgwick and Lili Taylor, are calling cable TV their new primary residence.

New Music: Korn Pushes Boundaries, and More

Korn releases 'Untitled,' their second album in 2007. Common follows up his 2005 hit with 'Finding Forever,' and Sean Lingston offers his debut.

Former 'Idol' Clark Arrested on Drug Charges

Corey Clark has been arrested on drug charges and an outstanding warrant from Arizona. The former "American Idol" contestant was being held at the Pulaski County jail pending a court appearance Tuesday in North Little Rock.

Star Jones: I Had Gastric Bypass Surgery

After years of dodging questions about it - Star Jones Reynolds has finally acknowledged that her dramatic weight loss was the result of gastric bypass surgery.

'300' Strikes It Big On DVD

People magazine's Jess Cagle chats with Julie Chen about this spring's theater sleeper "300," which is out on DVD. Cagle also reviews "The Bourne Ultimatum."

Clapton, Winwood, Crow and King Jam in Chicago

Eric Clapton headlined the Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago. The concert, featuring Sheryl Crow and a reunion with Steve Winwood was held to benefit Clapton's drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility, the Crossroads Center.

Curtain Comes Down on 'Beauty and the Beast'

The curtain came down Sunday on "Beauty and the Beast," after more than 13 years on Broadway.The musical based on the celebrated Disney film closed at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre.

Fighting China's Internet addiction

Electric shock therapy, real life war games and psychology are just a few of the tools China is using to curb widespread addiction among many of the nation's 31 million Internet gamers. A report from a special treatment centre in Beijing.

The Perfect Hospital Pooch

Veterinary correspondent Dr. Debbye Turner visits a San Francisco hospital where Izzy the poodle is a fixture in the facility's most sensitive areas.

Child ATV Deaths On The Rise

Consumer correspondent Susan Koeppen reports on the dangers of allowing kids to ride All Terrain Vehicles built for adults.

Soweto on the tourist trail

Soweto, South Africa's most famous township, is cashing in on its legacy as an epicenter of the struggle against apartheid. The former Johannesburg ghetto doesn't attract merely history buffs, but also many other travellers keen to experience some of South Africa's grittier realities.

Sounds of suffering in Afghanistan

Persecuted as anti-Islamic under the Taliban regime, Afghan musicians are slowly returning to their impoverished country after being forced to flee. They are now working to preserve Afghanistan's rich traditions, but decades of conflict may have already taken its toll on the country's unique musical heritage.

Claim: Jesus Appears on Garage Floor

A Virginia family says they've found a heavenly image on their garage floor: a smudge that looks like Jesus. And it can be yours, if you're willing to pay for it.

Town Puts Geese on the Pill

A town in New Jersey is trying to put its growing population of geese on birth control in an effort to prevent them from further taking over the community.

Male belly dancing

Drawing on a tradition dating back to Ottoman times, male belly dancers are becoming increasingly popular in Turkey. Althought the hip movements are similar to a woman's belly dance, the black trousers, chain-mail headress and stong arm movements make this one quite distinct.

Iran Unveils World's Largest Rug

The largest hand-woven carpet was finished by Iranian weavers. It covers over two square miles.

Great White Shark Caught In UK Fisherman's Net

(Dallas) Local fisherman Tom Glynn-Harvey poses with a shark that was caught in his nets in Cornwall, United Kingdom. "My mate thought it was a dolphin at first," said Glynn-Harvey.

Drake Bell Rocks Out With Mattel's I Can Play Guitar

Guitar play inspires passion at all ages - Used to be kids would watch their favorite rock stars and try to match their moves wailing away on an air guitar, but with today's technology even the youngest fan can take a lick at "real" guitar play.