WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court (search) declined to loosen the standard for proving securities fraud, ruling Tuesday that investors must show a clear link between the alleged fraud and a drop in stock price to proceed with their lawsuits. In a unanimous decision, justices sided with Dura Pharmaceuticals Inc. …

WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats are sounding out former State Department officials and at least one current one as they try building a case against the confirmation of John R. Bolton (search) as U.N. ambassador, congressional aides said Thursday. The State Department rallied behind him. Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Bolton …

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – If National Hurricane Center director Max Mayfield could have one phrase engraved on his tombstone, it might be “Don’t focus on the skinny black line.” The science and technology used to predict hurricane paths are good, but they leave wide margins for error, Mayfield said Wednesday …

SEOUL, South Korea – An unidentified assailant attacked the leader of South Korea’s main opposition party on Saturday, the country’s Yonhap news agency reported. Park Geun-hye, chairwoman of the Grand National Party, suffered a wound to her face during campaigning for the upcoming local elections. It was not immediately clear …

INDIANAPOLIS – Sam Hornish Jr. overcame a disastrous mistake in the pits and a pair of Andrettis on Sunday to win the Indianapolis 500. Hornish lost a lap late in the race when he was penalized for leaving his pit with the fuel hose still connected. Somehow, with pit strategies …

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Arthur Lee, the founder of the 60s band Love, has died of leukemia. He was 61. Lee mixed traditional folk rock, blues, symphonic sounds and punk. Though the song “7 and 7 Is” was their only Top-40 hit, Love influenced such bands as Led Zeppelin. Love’s album …

Warning people to stay out of the sun may have led to vitamin D deficiencies, British newspaper The Independent reported Monday. The newspaper cited a confidential report from Cancer Research U.K., which revealed the charity was reconsidering its advice about avoiding the sun between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm. The …

BAGHDAD – Editor’s note: U.S. Army Capt. Dan Sukman is serving a one-year deployment to Iraq. For previous entries and his bio, see the Soldier’s Diary archives. May 14, 2006 In 2005, following the first stage of the Tour de France, a young American named Dave Zabriskie was in the …

LOS ANGELES – The notion of Christ as a family man is not the only raw nerve “The Da Vinci Code” has touched. Albinos are bothered that one of their own has yet again been depicted as a villain. Dan Brown‘s best seller begins its worldwide debut Wednesday with Tom …

BRISTOL, Pa. – Tyrone Lewis has everything a high school senior could want: the title of class president, a legacy as a star basketball player and a full scholarship to Niagara University. What he doesn’t have is a spot at graduation. Lewis will be excluded from Friday’s commencement at Harry …