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Piracy Threat Forces Volvo Ocean Race to be Rerouted

Posted August 18th, 2011 at 12:25 pm (UTC-5)
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Organizers of the Volvo Ocean Race say the piracy threat in the Indian Ocean has forced them to reroute two parts of the round-the-world contest. Race chief Knut Frostad says organizers made their decision after consulting with naval and commercial intelligence experts about the security risks. In a statement released Thursday, Frostad says the experts’ […]

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Western Powers Urge Syria’s Assad to Leave

Posted August 18th, 2011 at 12:00 pm (UTC-5)
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The United States, European Union and other world powers are calling for the resignation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad because of his deadly crackdown on political protesters. U.S. President Barack Obama released a statement Thursday saying the time had come for Mr. Assad to “step aside.” He also issued an executive order announcing “unprecedented sanctions” […]

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US Files New Charges Against Alleged Somali Pirate Negotiator

Posted August 18th, 2011 at 11:55 am (UTC-5)
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A man accused of negotiating a ransom on behalf of Somali pirates is facing new charges from U.S. federal prosecutors. Mohammed Saaili Shibin was indicted this week in U.S. District Court on charges of piracy and conspiracy to commit hostage taking. The indictment, made public Thursday, says Shibin extracted a ransom from the owners of […]

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Bangladesh Arrests Head of Banned Militant Group

Posted August 18th, 2011 at 11:55 am (UTC-5)
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Security forces in Bangladesh say they have detained the head of the banned militant group Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami. Military officials say Maulana Mohammad Yahia and two of his associates were arrested early Thursday in the Kishoreganj district. Yahia is accused of involvement in a deadly bomb blast during a New Year’s celebration in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka in […]

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Obama Heads for Vacation, After Midwest Tour

Posted August 18th, 2011 at 11:30 am (UTC-5)
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U.S. President Barack Obama begins a 10-day vacation Thursday, after spending the first half of the week touring the rural Midwest listening to concerns from residents about the economy. The president travels Thursday to Martha’s Vineyard, in the northeastern state of Massachusetts. Some critics have faulted Mr. Obama for vacationing during a time of economic […]

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Gunmen Kill 7 in Southern Israel

Posted August 18th, 2011 at 11:30 am (UTC-5)
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Gunmen have killed at least seven people in a series of apparently coordinated attacks in southern Israel. Israeli officials say the attacks took place in quick succession Thursday near the border with Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. They say at least 25 people were wounded. Authorities say gunmen opened fire on a passenger bus and a private […]

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US Economy Forecast: Slow Growth, Higher Inflation, Fewer Jobs

Posted August 18th, 2011 at 11:25 am (UTC-5)
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Reports published Thursday predict slow economic growth in the United States, with inflation and unemployment rising and the troubled housing market getting worse. A private research group, the Conference Board, says its gauge of future economic growth rose more in July than in June. Other reports were more downbeat . A business group, the National […]

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Pakistani Police Release Sketch of American’s Alleged Captor

Posted August 18th, 2011 at 11:10 am (UTC-5)
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Police in Pakistan have released a sketch of a possible suspect in the kidnapping of an American from his home in the eastern city of Lahore. Development expert Warren Weinstein was snatched by eight gunmen on August 14 after they overpowered security guards and broke into his house. The black-and-white sketch released to Pakistani media […]

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US, Chinese Vice Presidents Open Formal Talks in Beijing

Posted August 18th, 2011 at 11:10 am (UTC-5)
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U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has opened a five-day visit to China, telling his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that the two nations hold the key to global economic stability. During opening remarks Thursday, China’s official Xinhua news agency quoted Xi as saying the two countries share great interests and responsibilities. He also said benefits of […]

Tags: , , , Posted in East Asia Pacific

Study Raises Doubts About Malaria-Fighting Bednet Program

Posted August 18th, 2011 at 11:05 am (UTC-5)
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A study conducted in Senegal is casting doubt on the effectiveness of bednets treated to fight malaria. The research suggests that malaria-transmitting mosquitoes quickly build up resistance to the insecticide used to coat the nets. In an article published Thursday in a British journal The Lancet Dr. Jean-Francois Trape of the Development Research Institute in […]

Tags: , Posted in Africa