ALVIN A microscopic insect found in Alvin spawned a nationwide hunt by agriculture officials to ensure it would not have an effect on American rice producers. The panicle rice mite, which was found at a field owned by Ricetec in Alvin, can cause serious damage by munching on the plants, making it vulnerable to other pests. Cuevas said the mite was isolated to those fields, covering about 120 acres out of the 4,000 acres of rice it grows, and only two to three mites were found in each of...

Adding Wang's Simply Vera collection is a stunning example of the democratization of fashion -- opening up perceived luxury to women of more modest means. Designer Vera Wang's new and modestly priced line -- clothing, accessories, lingerie, jewelry, linens and towels and rugs for the bath -- debuts there today, and it looks absolutely fabulous! In theory, it's a win-win: Wang gets a brand new customer base, and Kohl's gives shoppers the opportunity to buy something most can't easily afford...

Though the tourism industry is mindful of environmental issues facing the Murray River and is committed to minimising the impact of visitors to the region we want to stress to the public that the South Australian section of river remains a great holiday option. Though the tourism industry is mindful of environmental issues facing the Murray River and is committed to minimising the impact of visitors to the region we want to stress to the public that the South Australian section of river...

For most of the mill's existence it was the largest structure in Henderson, and provided the greatest number of jobs. The loss of those jobs hit the East End hard, and much of the local relief efforts were aimed at families who had lost their income when the mill closed in 1931. The mill had recently lost its biggest customer and was being hit hard by utility bills, as much as $30,000 a month for natural gas. She began work in a segregated plant at Washington and Holloway, where blacks...

That's one of the big selling points of Nick's Cove and Cottages, restaurateur Pat Kuleto's new property on the shore of Tomales Bay: At the close of the meal, sated diners can waddle a few steps to their private cabins and slip contentedly between sheets of crisp, 400-count Egyptian cotton. That's one of the big selling points of Nick's Cove and Cottages, restaurateur Pat Kuleto's new property on the shore of Tomales Bay: At the close of the meal, sated diners can waddle a few steps to...

The guys next door are hooting over three TV sets tuned to football and tossing their soft-drink cans and polystyrene fast-food containers toward a trash can in the hall. She's trying to explain to fellow students at a University of California, Irvine, dormitory that air fresheners are chemicals pressed onto tree-shaped cardboard, whereas tropical plants clean the air naturally. As college-bound students prepare to live away from home for the first time, campus advocates for green living...

It's a technical procedure under Portuguese law, which doesn't necessarily mean they think they're guilty, but gives them certain rights when being questioned. How many times have the police questioned the McCanns? What light does this throw on some of the other leads the police have been following up - like the British expat Robert Murat? And are we any closer to finding Madeleine, and the truth? There's a foot-and-mouth report out today - it was a dodgy drain wot done it, as we already...

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Turner Broadcasting System, inc., a TimeWarner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming to the basic cable industry. DIRECTV announced earlier this year that it will have the capacity to launch up to 100 national HD channels and local HD channels in up to 75 markets by the end of 2007. With the launch of a new satellite early next year, DIRECTV will have the ability to deliver more than 1,500 local HD and...