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Followers of al-Sadr protest U.S. presence (World, 14 articles)
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In this city, never subdued by the increase of American troops in Iraq last year, weekly figures on attacks are down by half since May 10, when the Iraqi military began intensified operations here with the backing of the American military. Dana Abdul-Razzaq's dream of competing in the Beijing Games is in jeopardy after Baghdad disbanded its organising body. BAGHDAD Thousands of supporters of Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada Sadr protested Friday against any security agreement between the U.S. government and Iraq that would keep American forces in the country for years. Protests were held in several cities, as Sadr's followers angrily voiced their opposition to negotiations that call for U.S. troops or military bases to remain in Iraq. BAGHDAD The U.S. military on Saturday announced the death of a Marine in Anbar province, as May ended with what could be the lowest monthly toll since American-led forces invaded five years ago. BAGHDAD - Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki is facing growing opposition to a proposed security agreement that would set out how long American forces and military bases stayed in Iraq. A suicide bomber blew himself up at a police checkpoint west of Baghdad on Saturday, killing at least 10 people including the local police chief, an official said.
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China puts 1 million on evacuation notice in quake zone amid lake-drain plans (World, 13 articles)
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Social workers have helped bring together more than 7,000 children and their families since the earthquake struck Sichuan province May 12, said Ye Lu, director of social welfare at the Sichuan provincial Civil Affairs Department. MIANYANG, China - Chinese authorities prepared on Saturday to drain a swelling lake formed by a devastating earthquake, completing work on a drainage channel to divert water that threatens hundreds of thousands downstream. The lake, called Tangjiashan, formed above Beichuan town in the Mianyang region of Sichuan province when a hillside plunged into a river valley during the May 12 quake.
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Myanmar warned against premature resettlement of cyclone victims (World, 10 articles)
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U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates Saturday to added his voice to critics of the junta's handling of the crisis, saying obstruction of international efforts to help cyclone victims cost " tens of thousands of lives. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has accused Burma of causing the loss of tens of thousands of lives by hindering international cyclone relief efforts. At a church in Yangon, meanwhile, more than 400 cyclone victims from the delta township of Labutta were evicted yesterday following orders from authorities a day earlier.
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Britain 'could talk to al-Qaeda' (World, 5 articles)
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Something in the national psyche craves the return of a hero who operates on the wilder shores of national defence, an embodiment of Britishness against a deadly foe. The UK should not rule out talking to al-Qaeda in a strategy to end its campaign of violence, according to one of the country's most senior policemen. Police Service of Northern Ireland chief Sir Hugh Orde told the Guardian talking to al-Qaeda was not unthinkable but "a question of timing".
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One soldier dead and 6 wounded in Afghan suicide blast (World, 6 articles)
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A suicide car bomber rammed his vehicle into a NATO military convoy in the eastern city of Jalalabad at midday on Saturday, killing one NATO soldier and wounding six others. " One soldier from the friendly forces, coalition forces, has been killed and six others, including three civilians, have been wounded in this attack said Muhammad Hashim Ghamsharik, spokesman and adviser to the provincial governor. The Taliban have vowed to step up their campaign of suicide bombings this year, after carrying out 140 such attacks in 2007 which killed 200 civilians.
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Dior drops Sharon Stone in China (World, 4 articles)
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Court in Tokyo rules in favour of the US drinks company's famous bottle being registered as a trademark in the country. Police in Phnom Penh shoot a male macaque monkey dead after the 44lb animal attacked several people at a temple in the capital. Report says the country's hundreds of thousands of unqualified medical practitioners' are available, acceptable and affordable War memories sink plan for Japan's aid.
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Higher world food prices here to stay, report says (World, 5 articles)
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NEW DELHI - Soaring world food prices may dip in coming months, but steadily rising demand means higher food costs are probably here to stay over the coming decade. That could fuel growing hunger and unrest in the world's poorest and most vulnerable nations, a United Nations agency reported Thursday. The higher food prices represent a substantial threat to the world's poorest nations, particularly those that import much of their food and have few resources to provide any social safety net to the most vulnerable.
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111 countries adopt landmark treaty banning cluster bombs (World, 5 articles)
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While Brown announced support for "a ban on all cluster bombs, including those currently in service by the UK", the government quietly excluded new anti-tank cluster shells that are not yet in service. P (05-31) 04:00 PDT Dublin, Ireland Chief negotiators of a landmark treaty banning cluster bombs predicted Friday that the United States will never again use the weapons, a critical component of U.S. air and artillery power. The treaty formally adopted Friday by 111 nations, including many of America's major NATO partners, would outlaw all current designs of cluster munitions and require destruction of stockpiles within eight years.
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Zimbabwe's MDC party holds 'mock' parliament (World, 4 articles)
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MPs belonging to the Zimbabwe's opposition party have met in a symbolic parliament to assert its status as government-in-waiting 30 people killed as bus crashes into river. Diplomat is accused of interfering as President promises to give land to Zimbabweans fleeing violence in South Africa. Chief-of-staff Maj Gen Martin Chedondo said soldiers had signed up to protect Mr Mugabe's principles of defending the revolution, state media reported.
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Troubled Macedonia goes to polls (World, 4 articles)
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Macedonia is holding a snap general election called after Greece vetoed the ex-Yugoslav republic's attempt to join Nato because of its name. Macedonia is also the name of a Greek region and Greeks resent a perceived attempt to claim the heritage of Philip of Macedon and Alexander the Great. Interior minister Gordana Jankulovska said a "record high number" of police officers will be deployed at polling stations, especially in areas that have been hotspots in the past.
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One of last remaining 'uncontacted' tribes spotted in Brazil (World, 8 articles)
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One picture, taken by the Brazilian government, showed two men, painted red, brandishing bows and arrows at the camera-bearing plane flying low over the dense rain forest. Stephen Corry, the director of the group - which supports tribal people around the world - said such tribes would "soon be made extinct" if their land was not protected. (Gleison Miranda, Funai/Associated Press) Officials in Brazil released photographs Friday of what's believed to be one of the last groups of indigenous people in the world that hasn't had face-to-face contact with outsiders.
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U.S. Withdraws Fulbright Grants to Palestinians in Gaza (World, 6 articles)
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Anav Silverman, a young Israeli woman who works in Sderot and Mona Yousef exchange their third and final letters via the BBC website. With those words, in a brief letter from the United States Consulate in Jerusalem, the dreams of seven talented and ambitious young people from Gaza were dashed. The seven, including Hadeel Abukwaik, had been offered places on the prestigious Fulbright scheme - realising their desires to complete their studies abroad.
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Thaksin ally quits Thai cabinet (World, 6 articles)
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Riot police were deployed, but the authorities did not carry out the PM's threats, saying force would not be used as long as the protest was peaceful. The demonstration was led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, the group which led mass protests in 2006 that led to the military coup that ousted Mr Thaksin. Earlier in a televised address to the nation, Samak had threatened police action against the protests that have ignited fears of a military coup.
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International experts join Taca in investigating deadly Honduran plane crash (World, 5 articles)
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TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS A Miami-bound jetliner Friday overshot a runway, raced onto a busy street and slammed into an embankment in the Honduran capital, killing the pilot, two passengers and a motorist. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras - Investigators were probing a commercial jetliner crash that killed five people and injured 65 in Honduras, as authorities blocked additional flights from landing at the capital's notoriously dangerous airport on Saturday. The president closed the Toncontin international airport for 48 hours to all traffic except helicopters and small airplanes with a maximum capacity of 42 passengers.
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Israeli Defense Chief Asks Olmert to Quit (World, 4 articles)
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P (05-30) 04:00 PDT Jerusalem - Israel's foreign minister Thursday joined the growing ranks of senior politicians who have turned away from embattled Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, as expectations built that there will soon be fresh elections. Tzipi Livni, a possible successor to Olmert and a fellow member of his centrist Kadima Party, stopped short of calling for his resignation. The most prominent such demand came Wednesday, when Defense Minister Ehud Barak threatened to force early elections unless Olmert steps aside.
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Stronger Hurricane Dean Rakes Mexico (World, 4 articles)
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P 08-22) 09:59 PDT TECOLUTLA, Mexico (AP) The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Dean made landfall near the town of Tecolutla in Mexico as a Category 2 storm with top sustained winds of 100 mph. The sprawling storm's outer winds buffeted the coast of Veracruz state, and its more powerful center was expected to slam ashore later in the day. A weak tropical storm formed Saturday off the Yucatan Peninsula and quickly made landfall at the Belize-Mexico border, dumping rain and kicking up surf.
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blaster@cs.columbia.edu
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