Nepal Military Claims 64 Maoist Rebels Killed in Clash PolitInfo.com
Nepal's military says its forces have killed at least 64 Maoist rebels in a clash in the country's midwest, a week after troops killed at least 148 rebels in the same area.
Nepal army says kills 64 Maoists in gunbattles San Diego Union Tribune
Nepal King announces civic polls, creates controversy Navhind Times
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Rich nations must act selflessly: Clinton CBC News
UNITED NATIONS - The United States and other powerful nations must win friends and allies by offering international assistance without ulterior motives, said former US president Bill Clinton.
UN welcomes Clinton's tsunami appointment ABC Online
Clinton Urges Makeover of US Image Newsday
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Negroponte Approved as Intelligence Director by Senate Panel Bloomberg
John Negroponte, President George W. Bush's nominee to be the first director of national intelligence, was approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee, clearing the way for a confirmation vote by the full Senate.
Senate Panel Approves Intel Chief Nominee San Francisco Chronicle
Senate committee approves nomination of intelligence chief WBNS
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S.Korean, Texas Oil Man Charged in UN Scandal Reuters
A South Korean at the center of an influence-peddling scandal in Washington in the 1970s and a Texas oilman have been charged in two separate federal cases involving bribes and kickbacks in the scandal-plagued U.N. oil-for-food program, U.S. authorities said on Thursday. Tongsun Park, a key figure in the so-called Koreagate scandal, was charged by the U.S. attorney in New York with being an unregistered agent for Iraq. The criminal complaint said he received at least $2 million from Iraq for lobbying U.N. officials to set up the oil-for-food program, with an understanding that some of the money would be used to "take care" of a U.N. official.
Four Charged in UN Oil-For-Food Scandal Guardian
Texas oilmen charged with kickbacks to Saddam Hussein KLTV
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12 dead in Paris hotel fire CNN
French firefighters have told CNN at least 12 people have died in a hotel fire in central Paris. The fire was still burning at the Paris-Opera hotel early Friday morning with people trapped by the blaze, a fire department captain told CNN.
Flames Rip Through Paris Hotel, 13 Dead 580 CFRA Radio
Paris hotel fire kills at least 13 people Globe and Mail
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Twin suicide bombings on Israeli buses kill 16 Reuters.uk
Palestinian suicide bombers killed at least 16 people in simultaneous attacks on two Israeli buses on Tuesday, breaking a long lull in such violence and threatening ...
World Bank Chief to Become a Special Mideast Envoy New York Times
Envoy named to coordinate Gaza withdrawal Minneapolis Star Tribune (subscription)
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Pressure on EU leaders as No vote fears grow Financial Times
Sir, Europe's elected politicians and bureaucrats would do well to reflect on the FT's news coverage of the European Union this week.
Chirac appeals for EU yes vote Guardian
Chirac Goes on TV to Promote Europe's Constitution New York Times
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At least five killed in Baghdad blasts Hindustan Times
Twin suicide car bombs detonated near an Interior Ministry building in central Baghdad on Thursday killing at least five people and wounding around 20, a hospital official said.
19 Iraqis Killed and 60 Hurt by Cars Bombs and Gunfire New York Times
Bombs Kill at Least 15 Los Angeles Times (subscription)
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Does anyone think that Clinton will be the next UN chief? He is becoming an international star again. He is more liked than Bush.

He might be a candidate as a successor of Kofi Annan!

Japan warns its nationals to keep low profile in China CBC News
Japanese diplomatic missions in China have issued an urgent alert to Japanese nationals to keep a low profile ahead of planned weekend rallies.
China and Japan, economic partners to more violence DCEAlumni.com
Beijing warns against unauthorised anti-Japan protests Reuters AlertNet
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Former professor recalls businessman kidnapped in Iraq KWQC-TV
Jeffrey Ake's (AYKS') former professor at the University of Illinois says he was an energetic and outgoing student.
Twin Suicide Bombings in Baghdad Kill 11 New York Times
US Businessman Believed Abducted in Iraq ABC News
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Cuba: Talks with EU "on the brink of ruin" Xinhua
Cuba said on Thursday that the open dialogue with the European Union (EU) is "on the brink of ruin", after the approval of a statement against the island country at the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, presented by the United States and co-sponsored by the bloc. Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque rated as "pathetic, failing and subservient" the role of the EU, at a press conference in Havana. The commission passed the US proposal on Cuba by a 21-17 vote with 5 abstentions, renewing resolutions from previous years condemning the country's human rights record.
UN agency condemns Cuban's human-rights record Kansas City Star
A stick to beat Cuba Guardian
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Pressure mounts as ministers discuss EU embargo on China Financial Times
European Union foreign ministers are today set to discuss one of the most sensitive topics on their agenda - EU relations with China - amid a barrage of pressure from the US not to lift its arms embargo and multiple calls from voters for EU "safeguards" against a rising tide of Chinese textile imports.
US legislators condemn lifting arms embargo on China Winston-Salem Journal
Europe Urges Linking Lifting of Chinese Arms Ban to Rights New York Times
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Mel may put Pope on film Melbourne Herald Sun
MEL Gibson is reportedly set to turn Pope John Paul II's story into a Hollywood movie. Gibson has already filmed the ending to the movie.
Shift toward tolerance Orlando Sentinel (subscription)
Rome gets tourism boost after pope's death USA Today
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Kyrgyzstan denies plan to host US surveillance planes Xinhua
Kyrgyzstan's acting President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said Thursday the country had no plan to station US AWACS surveillance planes on its soil, according to reports reaching here from Kyrgyz capital Bishkek.
New Kyrgyz leaders gain support from Rumsfeld eTaiwan News
Rumsfeld Gets Assurances From Kyrgyzstan on US Air Base New York Times
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State Department Official Heads to Sudan's Darfur Reuters
US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick plans to visit Darfur Friday as part of intensifying diplomatic efforts to halt starvation and armed conflict threatening millions of lives in Sudan's western region. Darfuri civic leaders who met the State Department's number two official in Khartoum Thursday described a dire situation in their home province. "All Darfur is a (prison) camp because there is insecurity, starvation," said Mahmoud Mustafa el-Mekki, a senior tribal official.
Zoellick Presses Sudan for US, NATO Role in Darfur Washington Post
US Official Arrives in Sudan to Pressure Khartoum on Darfur Voice of America
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Resignation clouds Lebanese poll Taipei Times
Pro-Syrian Lebanese Prime Minister Omar Karami stepped down on Wednesday, raising doubts that parliamentary elections will be held before the end of next month, when the current legislature's term ends.
Minister warns of unrest Gulf Daily News
Lebanon's Pro-Syrian Coalition in Disarray Reuters
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Britain, US share blame for illicit oil funds, says Annan Jamaica Observer
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday said Britain and the United States are partly to blame for Iraq making billions of dollars in illicit money because they never stopped it from smuggling oil.
Annan: US, Britain Share Scandal Blame ABC News
Annan blames US, UK for oil scandal Aljazeera.net
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Musharraf visit complemented by 45-member team Sify
His "informal visit" to cheer the Pakistani cricket team at Ferozeshah Kotla will be complemented by a 45-member high-powered delegation that takes care of all eventualities arising from his talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday afternoon. The composition of the Pakistani delegation is an indication of the importance President Musharraf is attaching to his three-day visit.
India frees 24 Pakistani prisoners Pakistan Dawn
From Cricket to Kashmir? BusinessWeek
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UN peacekeeper from Philippines killed in Haiti Xinhua
A UN soldier from the Philippines was shot dead Thursday in a neighborhood of Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince during a clash between UN troops and local gangs, UN officials said.
End the misery Orlando Sentinel (subscription)
UN Peacekeeper Killed in Haiti ABC News
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Angola follows up 150 families to control Marburg fever People's Daily Online
Over 150 families residing in Angola's northern Uige province, whose relatives died of Marburg hemorrhagic fever, have been under medical vigilance, local media reported Thursday.
Angolans Scrapping Hugs Amid Deadly Virus ABC News
Angola Targets Risky Funeral Rites in Marburg Fight Swissinfo
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Coalition Talks to Resolve Czech Crisis San Francisco Chronicle
A deal that would have let the Czech Republic's scandal-tainted prime minister resign to make way for a new government collapsed Thursday, leaving the leadership of the central European country in limbo.
Czech deal collapses, crisis prevails Reuters.uk
Czech Social Democrats Reject Agreement on Cabinet Bloomberg
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Soldier cleared of Briton’s death Times Online
AN ISRAELI military court yesterday cleared a soldier of killing a British film-maker in the Gaza Strip two years ago. James Miller’s death was captured by his own camera, which picked up the sound of shots in the dark as he walked towards an Israeli armoured vehicle at night in May 2003 while making a programme about Palestinian children in Rafah. His film was called Death in Gaza. A military judge yesterday acquitted an Israeli officer identified as Lieutenant H of misusing his firearm. Early Israeli versions of the shooting held that soldiers opened fire after being attacked by Palestinian gunmen who were smuggling arms from the Egyptian border nearby. But Mr Miller’s footage of the incident, on the Philadelphi Route, which runs along the Gaza-Egypt border, showed no evidence of a gun battle.
Israelis clear lieutenant of killing British film-maker Scotsman
IDF clears officer in death of UK journalist Ha'aretz
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Bankruptcy rules getting stricter Miami Herald
Congress passed bankruptcy legislation that would force many people seeking protection from creditors to repay their bills instead of having their debts wiped clean. President Bush will sign the new rules into law.
Filing bankruptcy soon will be tougher Kansas City Star
US Congress passes bill making it harder to wipe away debts EastDay.com
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Kings and Queens Bid Farewell to Monaco's Rainier Reuters
Kings, queens and presidents bade farewell to Monaco's Prince Rainier on Friday at a funeral service in the cathedral where he married former Hollywood actress Grace Kelly and will be laid to rest beside her.
Did Curse Put the 'Grim' in Grimaldi? ABC News
Somber Funeral For Prince Rainier CBS News
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