Countries can take steps to ward off the curse, but weak governments postpone the task as easy money rolls in.

An independent research group said the leading industrial nations complied with a little more than half of the promises made in 2009.

The investigators are looking at contracts Cardinal Sepe made with government officials while he was head of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Gubernatorial front-runner Rodolfo Torre Cantu was gunned down along with four others 200 miles south of the Texas border.

Advocates for the homeless see hopeful signs in a federal plan unveiled June 22 by the Obama administration.

Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida vetoed a proposed Florida bill, but similar legislation is having more success in other states.