Headlines USA

08/04/2007 April

Century old rockfish caught

Fishermen trawling the seabed off the coast of Alaska scooped up in a net a huge rockfish what may have been one of the oldest specimens in Alaska - a giant rockfish thought to be more than a century old. 08/04/2007

The catch was made at a depth of just over 2,000ft, south of the Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea.

The 60lb female shortraker rockfish was taken by the Seattle-based Kodiak Enterprise, owned by Trident Seafoods, as it fished for pollock.

The catcher-processor Kodiak Enterprise vessel pulled up an estimated 75 tons of pollock - and 10 huge bright orange rockfish, one of them a 44-inch monster at night.

The huge creature was handed over to scientists at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle where it was measured, photographed and documented.

Scientists estimate the fish was between 90 and 115 years old.

The age of the creature was determined by examining an ear bone, the otolith, which contains growth rings similar to those in tree trunks.

However, researchers are of the opinion that the rare specimen was not the biggest - a 47in (1.19m) shortraker rock-fish has been recorded in the book "Fishes of Alaska."

Pelosi defends Mideast peace mission:

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has defended her trip to Syria after wide spread criticism about her choice of words and fashion during the trip. 08/04/2007

US attorney general's top aide quits

A top US justice department official who refused to testify before Congress about her role in the ousters of eight federal attorneys has resigned. 08/04/2007

Cheney asserts Iraq-al Qaeda link

US Vice-President Dick Cheney has insisted that the al-Qaeda network had links with Iraq before the US-led invasion of 2003. 08/04/2007

Entertainment Headlines:

Jackson memorabilia set for auction:

Michael Jackson memorabilia, which includes the gold record for his Thriller album and a fedora he once wore, is being auctioned off in New York’s Guernsey’s auction house next month.

Italian filmmaker Comencini dies:

Also known as "the children's director" Filmmaker Luigi Comencini, who was one of Italy's greatest post-war directors, has died at the age of 90. 08/04/2007

Sports Headlines:

Russia level with France at Davis Cup

Mikhail Youzhny defeated Richard Gasquet to save holders Russia from a disaster on the first day of their Davis Cup quarter-final against France. 08/04/2007

Wetterich and Clark lead Masters

American Brett Wetterich remains at the top of the Masters leaderboard at the halfway stage after carding a 73 for a two-under-par total at Augusta. 08/04/2007

Business Headlines

Google opens My Maps service

Google has added a new feature to its Google Maps service that allows users to set up, save and share personal maps. 08/04/2007

Thailand blocks YouTube for clip mocking king

Thailand has blocked access to online video-sharing Web site YouTube after its owner, Google, declined to withdraw a video clip mocking the country's revered monarch. 08/04/2007