WELLINGTON (AFP) – For decades, New Zealand has campaigned for museums to repatriate the mummified and heavily-tattooed heads of Maori warriors held in collections worldwide -- now it must decide what to do with the gruesome but culturally valuable relics. New Zealand's national museum Te Papa has more than 100 of the heads, known as…

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) – In-form American Bill Haas, just five days after losing out in a playoff for the Bob Hope Classic, charged into a two-shot lead at the Farmers Insurance Open on Friday.Taking advantage of another glorious day of sunshine on the southern California coastline, Haas fired a sparkling six-under-par 66 on the ultra-long…

NEW DELHI (AFP) – India's biggest carmaker by sales, Maruti Suzuki, on Saturday reported an 18 percent slide in quarterly net profit, hit by fast-rising raw material costs and bigger payments to its Japanese parent.Maruti, 54 percent owned by Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp, said net profit slumped to 5.65 billion rupees ($123 million dollars) in…

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A handful of U.S. states are poised to take up the issue of gay marriage afresh, due largely to incoming lawmakers who may tip the balance in favor of the controversial measure.In Maryland, New York and Rhode Island in particular, the legalization of same-sex marriages is moving ahead, organizers and supporters…

ROME (AFP) – Inter Milan continued their 100 percent record under Leonardo, beating Bologna 4-1 at the San Siro on Saturday as title rivals Napoli slipped up in a 0-0 draw at home to Fiorentina.After a difficult first half to the season, Inter were looking like their old selves again as they cruised to victory…

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Pentagon should cut 15 percent of its arms purchases, 10 percent of its research spending and slash Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet program to help balance the federal budget, the heads of a presidential panel said in a draft proposal on Wednesday.The F-35, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, is…

LONDON (AFP) – Jamie Carragher scored for Liverpool and Everton as his current club secured a 4-1 win over the team he supported as a boy in his testimonial at Anfield on Saturday.Carragher converted a spot-kick in the first half for the Reds before scoring a penalty own-goal for Everton after half-time.The 32-year-old was granted…

GENEVA (AFP) – Vuvuzelas have been banned from UEFA matches, European football's governing body said on Wednesday, as it sided with chanting and singing in Europe's stadiums.UEFA told its 53 member associations that it had adopted the ban to protect "Europe's football culture and tradition", adding that "the atmosphere at matches would be changed by…