BERLIN – Massive ice chunks are crumbling away from a shelf in the western Antarctic Peninsula, researchers said Wednesday, warning that 1,300 square miles of ice — an area larger than Rhode Island — was in danger of breaking off in coming weeks. The Wilkins Ice Shelf had been stable …

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake has hit at sea near the Kuril island chain between northern Japan and Russia, but there have been no reports of damage or casualties. Japan’s Meteorological Agency says the quake struck at 1:24 p.m. (0424 GMT) Tuesday in the waters near the Kurils, about 500 miles …

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Officials at a Providence hospital group say an oral surgeon began operating on the wrong part of a patient’s mouth this week before discovering the error. It’s the fifth wrong-site surgery in the last two years in the Lifespan hospital chain. Timothy Babineau, president of Rhode Island …

A Pennsylvania man was charged with making terroristic threats after allegedly telling a police officer he would stab him with an arrow, The Evening Sun reported. Police were trying to subdue 48-year-old Anthony Lee Brown after they say he pushed and shoved his stepfather. Court documents show that Brown, with …

WASHINGTON – The International Monetary Fund has approved a $17.1 billion loan to Romania to cushion the effects of the sharp drop in capital inflows caused by the global financial crisis. The two-year loan is part of a larger $26.4 billion package to which the European Union, the World Bank …

WASHINGTON – Danish drug maker Novo Nordisk will pay a $9 million fine for giving kickbacks to Saddam Hussein’s government through the United Nations Oil-for-Food program. The Justice Department says Novo admits that it paid $1.4 million to the Iraqi government between 2001 and 2003 to get contracts to provide …

MERIDEN, Conn. – An analyst at the Connecticut Police Academy says a co-worker responded literally to her “bite me” remark and chomped on her. Former Waterbury police Capt. Francis Woodruff was charged Tuesday with disorderly conduct and released on a promise to appear in court. He’s accused of biting academy …

This is a rush transcript of “Special Report With Bret Baier” from May 25, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs pose a grave threat to the peace and security …

NEW YORK – Sprint Nextel Corp (S.N) said it will sell Palm Inc’s (PALM.O) long-awaited Pre smartphone starting on June 6 for $199.99 with a two-year service agreement, in line with Apple Inc’s (AAPL.O) iPhone price. Shares in Palm fell 5 percent as some investors were disappointed that the price …

Singer Morrissey has been taken to a hospital after collapsing on stage during a concert, Sky News reported. Eyewitnesses saw the former Smiths frontman fall to the floor at the start of a show in the U.K. Onlookers said he was “straining” to perform the song “This Charming Man” and …