For many folks, one of Rick Perry's greatest successes as governor was attempting to create mandatory HPV vaccinations for school-aged girls. 'Cancer's the worst!' the action seemed to shout. And, because most people agree, everyone nodded and Texas was on its way to eradicating some forms of cervical cancer and everything was great. But then some people claimed that mandating HPV vaccines was unconstitutional or anti-American or whatever and Perry conceded and decided to take the mandatory HPV thing off the table until something constitutional and fully American or whatever could be figured out. more ›

• Mladic, Europe's most wanted war crimes fugitive arrested
• Bonjour, G-8: President Obama in France for top power talks
• 'Billions' of Qaddafi oil-dollars in Wall Street and Europe

• Gubernatorial debate tonight, but Rick Perry won't be there.
• Early voting numbers in Texas looking promising (yesterday was the first day of early voting).
• 15 dead after attacks in Iraq.

• When in doubt, blame Bush.
• Iran will soon be able to generate 1.21 gigawatts! That just so happens to be the exact amount to power love. Get it?
• From the makers of Mad Cow, Bird Flu, Foot & Mouth, comes Superbug!

Red 7 has booked a generous bill for this Saturday for any listener who loves their noise. Beginning at nine-thirty, we have Computer Jesus Refrigerator playing a short 15 minute set on the floor. The insane-sounding San Antonio band specialize in short, painful bursts of sound, created from drums, synths and odd, not easily-identifiable instruments. Our own Daniel Francis Doyle follows with a twenty minute set. What Doyle lacks in glitch or extreme sounds is more than made up for his one-man exuberance and unmistakable aesthetic. more ›

• U.S. envoy's N. Korea trip brings no commitment on nuclear talks.
• Defense Secretary Robert Gates predicts new sanctions against Iran.
• Obama garners rare unified praise for Nobel speech.

• President Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize.
• NASA's strike on moon worked, mission official says.
• House votes to expand hate crimes definition.

• Federal probe ends, NM Gov. Richardson won't be charged in pay-to-play investigation.
• On Sen. Kennedy's work for immigration reform.
• Mexico's drug violence spilling over the border as informers move north.

Fun Fun Fun Fest has confirmed four more bands to this year's lineup, including Yeasayer, Kid Sister, DRI and Vega. This is in addition to already-confirmed performers Atlas Sound, Death, Red Sparowes, WHY?, Broadcast, Lucero, Les Savy Fav, GZA (performing Liquid Swords), HEALTH, Jesus Lizard, Melt Banana, 7 Seconds, King Khan & BBQ Show, Shearwater and Todd Barry. More leaks expected very soon. more ›

A 49-year-old man from Pflugerville has died after contracting the H1N1 flu virus, becoming Travis County's first death from the pandemic. Statewide, Texas has at least 2,802 confirmed cases of H1N1 and 14 total fatalities, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Travis County has 127 confirmed cases as of the last update on June 24th. [News 8 Austin] more ›

"Every year, over 500 acts from around the world perform for 70,000 music fans and industry delegates at 40 clubs and outdoor stages during the four-day, four-night festival." No, it's not a SXSW marketing blurb from the early days, it's a legitimate summation of NXNE, Canada's own little festival that could. Now in its fifteenth year and much like its older counterpart in Austin, NXNE offers live performances by a fair share of underground and established musicians, tons of educational opportunities via panels, and a healthy dose of film, albeit largely music related. more ›

Austin's People's Community Clinic was founded in 1970 and is one of the longest running independent primary care clinics in the country. Their innovative programs include a Primary Care Clinic for Teens and Young Adults which is located downtown at the American YouthWorks charter school. Tonight, the clinic is hosting an open house and art show which will feature health and wellness themed photography shot by area teens. The event is open to the public and PCC staff will be on hand to discuss services at their young adult clinic. more ›

U.S. Guantanamo request fires up German political debate The latest iPhone app: Swine flu tracker Flu economics, part two Journalist group: US reporter hospitalized in Iran Australian court grants teen breast removal Potential porn star politico launches "Listening Tour" across Louisiana Google Earth reveals Japanese secrets Obama all in on health care reform more ›

• MoPac open again after fatal accident this morning.
• Items the Austin City Council approved Thursday.
• Police seek man on the run after SWAT call in East Austin.

• A child at Lucy Read Pre-K came down with a "probable" case of swine flu, and the school has been closed until May 11 as a result.
• AISD Superintendent Pascal D. Forgione sent out a letter to parents in response to the general media attention, basically saying that while one school has been closed, others remain open. It's reposted in its entirety after the jump.
• Twitter buddy @ferndaisy tweeted that "A friend's relative who works at the H-E-B on Slaugher/Manchaca, was just diagnosed with swine flu. She got it from a co-worker."

• Mexican swine flu spreads to U.S., Europe
• ZOMG, we're doomed part 2: Swine flu dampens hopes for economy
• Obama health team hampered as flu hits

• The Barbara Jordan statue at UT was unveiled today.
• Austin as the capital of New Texas?
• Rep. Mark Strama has an anti-bullying bill this session; Equality Texas wants your help to get it passed.

• Tornado watch for Travis County until 9pm
• 81st legislature passed its first bill (finally): Rep. Dawnna Dukes' film incentives bill.
• State Senate approves scaling back the top 10% rule.

• Andrew Cuomo is gonna get our money (some of it) back for us.
• Well, at least the stock market likes something.
• Come on, Barack. Not very smart to make fun of the Special Olympics.

• An enemy combatant rose by any other name...
• Red Cross: Detainees at "black sites" tortured
• Obama to appear on "Tonight Show", discuss economy, possibly marmosets.

Round Rock woman leaves 4 kids (all under 3 years old) from her in-home daycare alone at her house while she goes shopping, and later gets in a car accident. Man driving his scooter downtown on Saturday morning was hit and killed by a driver who ran a red light. ACLU doesn't like the new state drivers license rules. A former employee of a Steiner Ranch steakhouse shot and killed a current employee there yesterday; police are still searching for him. Area of Southeast Austin currently under a boil water notice. Whole Foods is suing the FTC. Texas' dental health ain't great. more ›

Texas continued its downward descent in the "Annual Health Rankings" published by the United Health Foundation, dropping from 37th to 46th in the United States. more ›

In a story that could only be described as utterly heartbreaking, Josh Talbot, a junior Radio-TV-Film student at UT, is in desperate need of both white blood cells and a bone marrow donor. What started out as a case of mononucleosis in September has morphed into a very rare complication from Epstein-Barr called Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). We’ll spare you a long-winded medical dissertation and sum it up for you: HLH overproduces infection-fighting white blood cells and results in organ failure. HLH can be fatal. Though HLH is not cancer, treatment protocol calls for chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. more ›

Our "heavy" rains have dripped into the burned out Governor's Mansion. Driver dead after hydroplaning and hitting an 18-wheeler head-on in Bastrop. EPPICard/Texas Debit Card users a target for identity thieves. UT team working on a pen-shaped probe that could someday help detect skin cancer. San Angelo judge orders Warren Jeffs' teenage wife to be removed from her mother's care and placed in foster care. exas musician Pat Green knocked out by thrown beer can during a Michigan concert after asking, "Anyone got a beer?" more ›

For what it’s worth, Los Angeles really has a toehold on trendy noise-rock right now. First you have the ubiquitous No Age, who have visited Austin at least twice this year already, and then you’ve also got their caps-lock lovin’ pals HEALTH also touring the States as of right this second. A quartet who formed not even three years ago, HEALTH have already been (some would say excessively) hyped by indie media outlets galore, including but not limited to the insufferable know-it-alls at Pitchfork, who invited the band to play their music festival just this past weekend. Having cut a split 7” with equally buzzed-about group Crystal Castles and planning a few tour dates with of Montreal in the near future, HEALTH seem poised to remain on the tips of tongues at least until the inevitable backlash in a few weeks. more ›

Man who escaped Fayette County jail over the weekend found in Houston. APD chief fired a detective today for insubordination (keeping up financial investigations when he had been told to stop). This sort of thing seems to work better on TV. Three men from Central Texas are sentenced to two years in prison for identity theft after cashing fake checks. Grand jury rules that the Pasadena man who shot the two men robbing his neighbor's house shouldn't be charged. District Judge rules that Democrat Bill Dingus can run against current State Speaker of the House Craddick for his seat. more ›

The Texas House is looking at ways to curb "ghost voting". Hutto residents speak out against the proposal to set up high-voltage transmission lines through the town. At least ten of the "girls" removed from the FLDS sect are really adult women; officials have been told that there may still be some children at the YFZ compound. Preliminary autopsy results are inconclusive for Raymond Moxley (the 81-year-old with 50 bee stings); officials think the toxicology results will provide them with answers. Nuclear waste will soon be on its way to West Texas, and some New Mexico residents aren't happy about it. more ›

First the traffic cams, now this: Chief Acevedo wants surveillance cameras on high-crime zones. Rep. Krusee from Round Rock, who fought for harsher DWI laws, was arrested last night on DWI charges. Blame a water main break on why you were stuck in traffic this morning near Lavaca and Fifth. American Lung Association gives our city a D for ozone pollution. more ›

• Bush to meet Benedict at the airport, near the Alitalia baggage claim, holding a white carnation. If they miss each other they'll use their cell phones.
• Sure, and NOBODY was bitter during the Depression. Tell that to Herbert Hoover.
• Bloomberg picks gun control as way to bring himself to national attention - almost as politic a choice as that congestion pricing thing.

• Obama had "three times as much money in the bank at the end of February as Hillary Clinton." This puts him at a significant advantage as the Democratic convention grows closer.
• Yes! Money can buy you happiness. But here's the rub: You have to give it to someone else.
• The Chinese government claims that the Dalai Lama is colluding with Muslim terrorists to disrupt the coming Olympic Games.