Soot particles from the fires raging in Northern and Central California may begin to fall on San Francisco and the Peninsula again today after the area saw relatively cleaner air-Wednesday, officials said.

These are excerpts from the San Francisco Police Department's daily log of activities. Incidents are listed by police precincts and the neighborhoods they patrol.

A woman climbed onto the tracks at the Montgomery Street BART station Wednesday, lay down as a train approached and escaped with barely a scratch, officials from the transit agency said.

When thinking of the plague, one might conjure images of 14th-century English villagers surrounded by rats and fleas, perhaps dragging swollen corpses out to a cart to the cry of "Bring out your dead!"

San Francisco's Gary Danko and The Fillmore are among the top vote winners for best overall night spots listed in the recently released Zagat Survey "San Francisco Nightlife 2008/09" guide.

Police made an arrest Wednesday in Sunday's triple slaying and were also investigating whether the suspect was involved in another shooting earlier Sunday.

Silent on central questions of gun control for two centuries, the Supreme Court found its voice Thursday in a decision affirming the right to have guns for self-defense in the home and addressing a constitutional riddle almost as old as the republic over what...

A barrage of bad news including a new record high for oil sent Wall Street plunging Thursday, hurtling the Dow Jones industrials down nearly 360 points to their lowest level in nearly two years. Oils surge past $140 a barrel was just one of the days...

The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down the millionaires amendment, a campaign finance law intended to level the field for House candidates facing wealthy opponents who spend lots of their own money. The law says that when candidates spend more than $...

President Robert Mugabe on Thursday said he is open to talks with the opposition, which is boycotting Fridays runoff because its leader says state-sponsored violence has made it impossible to take part. World leaders have dismissed the runoff as a sham and...

Federal agents raided Blackwater Worldwide this week as part of an investigation into whether the private security company sidestepped federal laws prohibiting the private purchase of automatic assault rifles, the company said Thursday. Blackwater spokeswoman...

A suicide bomber attacked a meeting of pro-government Sunni sheiks west of Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least 23 people, including three U.S. Marines. At least 18 more people died in a car bombing in the northern city of Mosul. Both attacks happened in...

BofA to lay off 7,500 people after Countrywide deal
Bank of America Corp will cut 7,500 jobs as part of its acquisition of Countrywide Financial Corp. (BAC) (CFC)

Ants Software CEO Kozak explains strategy in letter to shareholders
Joseph Kozak, CEO of Ants Software Inc., wrote a letter to the company's shareholders to explain changes in business strategy. (SY)

Vivus reports good news from diabetes drug test
Vivus Inc.'s diabetes drug Qnexa did well in a mid-stage clinical trial in obese patients. (VVUS)

Autodesk makes two acquisitions, wraps up $297M Moldflow deal
Design software maker Autodesk Inc. bought Green Building Studio Inc. and also bought the Ecotect software business. (ADSK)

California, other states sue Countrywide over mortgage practices
The states of California, Illinois and Washington are suing Countrywide Financial Corp. over its lending practices even as shareholders of the mortgage lender approved the company's sale to Bank of America on Wednesday. (BAC)

Big Rig Crash Kills 2, Shuts 880 In San Leandro
The driver of a truck carrying coffins was one of two people killed in a multi-vehicle crash Thursday morning on Interstate Highway 880 in San Leandro, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Records: SF Tiger 'Frantic For Food' Before Attack
The tiger that attacked and killed a teenager on Christmas day had lost 50 pounds since arriving at the San Francisco Zoo as a young and healthy animal two years earlier, raising concerns about whether she was getting enough to eat.

Bay Area, State Schools Secure Construction Grants
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Thursday announced $412 million in construction grants for state schools, including more than $17 million for schools in the Bay Area.

Rabid Bat Found In SF's Sunset District
A rabid bat was found in San Francisco's Sunset District last week and city health officials Thursday advised anyone who may have encountered the winged mammal to be evaluated for exposure.

Big Sur Fire Threat Rises; Smoke Invades Bay Area
Hundreds of firefighters worked Thursday to protect the scenic community of Big Sur from a huge wildfire that inched closer to historic structures. Meantime, Bay Area residents were warned to expect another day of smoke-filled and hazy skies.