The number of swine flu cases in Japan are escalating with surprising speed, and health officials are not sure why. The Japanese government on Wednesday confirmed the first two cases of the disease in Tokyo, the world's most populous metropolitan area. Meanwhile, the number of Japanese who have contracted the new flu has more than doubled since May 18 from 130 to 279, a rate of increase that is "without a doubt" the highest in Asia, says Peter Cordingley, ...

In 1998, Death Cab for Cutie was just another tenderhearted indie rock band signed to a minor record label, playing empty clubs for $50 a night. But after two years of soul-crushing obscurity, something strange happened: people started coming to their shows. The crowds were small but enthusiastic and each person told the same story: they'd found the band's songs on the Internet. Then in 2003 the producers of The O.C. called — the group didn't even have a ...

"Terminator Salvation" is a sequel that almost had a different cast. "I didn't want to take this on. I thought a fourth movie ... who needs it The story's already been told and I'm not really interested in doing that," said director McG. "Then I heard that the story was about the future man versus machine and that sort of piqued my interest." McG (born Joseph McGinty Nichol, though known by his nickname since childhood) said if he was going ...

Sri Lanka has rejected criticism that it is not doing enough to provide for the estimated 250,000 refugees following the end of its war with the Tamil Tigers. Relief agencies say more needs to be done to help the refugees. However, the man in charge of Sri Lanka's refugee camps said the government was in control of the situation. "Well, we have always stated very clearly that these are our people, these are Sri Lankan citizens and that we as ...

An unidentified man has entered the Serbian presidency building in Belgrade armed with two hand grenades. Yasmina Stoyanov, a spokeswoman for President Boris Tadic, confirmed to CNN's Matthew Chance that a man was in the building threatening to detonate a grenade. The man's motive was not known. It is unclear whether Tadic is in the building. Police have swamped the area in the central city.

Will he sign it or will he spike it? That's the question lingering in Europe's capitals as Czech President Vaclav Klaus holds the key to the European Union's future. The Czech Republic is one of four E.U. countries — out of 27 — that are yet to finish ratifying a treaty that would allow the enlarged bloc to reform its institutions. The goal of the Lisbon Treaty, which the E.U. has been working on since its failed attempt ...

They line up early every Saturday morning at the decrepit gymnasium that houses the La Matanza Barter Club. Club members shuffle in carrying sacks stuffed with everything from homemade clothing to homegrown vegetables, set up their stands and begin a day of bartering. The La Matanza Barter Club in the working-class Buenos Aires neighborhood of Isidro Casanova is one of more than 100 that now function throughout Argentina. They provide a vital service for people who are short on cash ...

As Dick Cheney prepares to give a major speech on the battle against terrorism, a new national poll suggests that favorable opinions of the former vice president are on the rise. But the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey, released Thursday morning, indicates that a majority of Americans still have an unfavorable opinion of Cheney. Fifty-five percent of people questioned in the poll say they have an unfavorable opinion of the former vice president. Thirty-seven percent say they have a favorable opinion ...

It was just two days after the Inauguration when an e-mail went around to Michelle Obama's staff, instructing everyone to be in the East Room of the White House at 3 that afternoon. The First Lady's advisers arrived to find the room filled with ushers and plumbers, electricians and maids and kitchen crew gathered in a huge circle, and Michelle in a T shirt and ponytail, very casual and very much in charge. "This is my team that ...

The British government planned to announce Thursday that all 36,000 retired Gurkhas who served in its army will be allowed to settle in the UK, a campaigner told CNN, marking a major turnaround in official policy. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith planned to make an announcement on Gurkhas in the House of Commons on Thursday afternoon. Peter Carroll, of the Gurkha Justice campaign, said Smith would announce that all retired Gurkhas would be given the right to live in Britain. "I ...