Another suicide bomber blows up American soldiers. Another foreign country turns against the USA. Another damning report released from the U.N. Just another day in the news. With American foreign relations suffering from a low point, it seems that (as long as Bush is at the helm) no one outside the U.

Penn clocks in at No. 5 in the U.S. News & World Report's 2008 rankings of national universities, released today online. The position, for which the University is tied with the California Institute of Technology, marks a slight improvement from last year's standing at No.

Friends and neighbors of Ellen Robb have installed a garden gazebo in her honor outside of Roberts Elementary School in Wayne. Robb, who was found bludgeoned to death in her Wayne home last December, was an active volunteer at the school, and had a daughter attend there as well.

From the Constitution Center to cheesesteaks, Philadelphia has something to offer almost every resident and visitor. At least, that's the stance several publications are taking as they recognize the greater Philadelphia area as one of the country's best places to live.

Rudy Fuller can hardly believe how quick his 10 years at the helm of the Penn men's soccer program have gone. But Fuller takes some time out to speak about his quick turnaround from player to coach and also some of professional soccer's headline stories. Daily Pennsylvanian: You went on a vacation recently, what's your favorite vacation spot? Rudy Fuller: The shore.

CHEERS n To Lee Stetson, for announcing the end to a stellar career as dean of admissions at Penn on a high note, following a record-low acceptance rate. n To Facilities and Real Estate Services, for making visible progress on a number of projects, from the Radian housing development to high-rise renovations.

My first swig of malt liquor followed a moment of trepidation, my eyes scanning the Olde English label then shifting to the golden brew. This was a new drink for me - suspiciously cheap - and I now wish I had honored the old adage: You get what you pay for.

It looks like the market for online Ivy League gossip just got a little bigger. Ivygateblog.com has heretofore been the only mainstream Web-based outlet for people wanting to get their fix of the latest higher education insider jokes and shenanigans. Now, though, it will have to contend with a new blog known as Off the Record.

A gun shot was reported on the unit block of South 40th Street on the night of Aug. 15. Philadelphia Police received a 911 call from a person claiming that a gun had gone off during an attempted robbery, according to Penn Division of Public Safety spokeswoman Karima Zedan.

For the past 29 years, prospective students have eagerly torn open their decision letters from Penn hoping to see a letter, signed by Dean of Admissions Lee Stetson, welcoming them to the next year's class.

The Common Application, credited in large part for Penn's record high number of applicants last year, is getting some competition. Baltimore-based company ApplicationsOnline unveiled the Universal College Application late last month. The application is designed to be more inclusive according to its Web site.

Tom Sollecito, associate dean for academic affairs at the Penn School of Dental Medicine, will act as dean of the school until current Dean Marjorie Jeffcoat recovers from an illness. Jeffcoat is currently being treated in the intensive care unit at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, according to a memorandum from President Amy Gutmann and Provost Ron Daniels.

580Pounds a Tennessee couple collectively lost recently. The husband and wife, currently 220 and 140 pounds, respectively, attribute their success to faith in God.Source: CNN.com

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell made an appearance at Penn's School of Nursing last Friday to sign five bills as part of his Prescription for Pennsylvania health-care reform package. This legislation will directly broaden the scope of nursing practice in Pennsylvania and aims to curb soaring health-care costs while making care more accessible to low income individuals and families.

By Sept. 14, full-time students will have to either buy the Penn Student Insurance Plan or show Penn that they have their own insurance. Many will be covered by their parents' plans, but some - including graduate students and College of General Studies students - will have to start looking around now at their health care choices.

Twenty years, the place we call Penn today was a much different institution. The bulk of its applications were sent from Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. The student body wasn't what you could call diverse. And "The University of Pennsylvania" was a name that relatively few knew.

Back in January, Gov. Ed Rendell announced his "Prescription for Pennsylvania," a comprehensive plan aimed at making quality health care accessible and affordable for all, particularly for low-income residents. Last Friday, in the School of Nursing's Fagin Hall, Rendell signed some of the first such pieces of legislation.