| 17 bodies retrieved from Air France crash |
Brazil - Fifteen more bodies were on Sunday recovered in the Atlantic Ocean near the site where an Air France jetliner was believed to have crashed a week ago.
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| More debris of Air France plane found |
Rio de Janeiro - More debris from the Air France Flight 447 has been found, but the whereabouts of its black box remains a mystery.
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| Debris of plane found off Brazil coast |
Rio de Janeiro - Brazil has said that the debris found in the open Atlantic Ocean belonged to Air France Flight 447, confirming that the jet that went missing early Monday had crashed.
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| Search ongoing for missing Air France jet, survivors |
Beijing - France and Brazil on Monday dispatched military aircraft on a search mission in the vast Atlantic Ocean where an Air France jet carrying 228 people may have come down.
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| US auto giant General Motors declares bankruptcy |
New York - In the largest industrial bankruptcy ever seen in US history, General Motors (GM) Corp., the top US automaker and once the world's largest corporation, filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday.
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| Swine flu keeps spreading worldwide |
Beijing - The A/H1N1 flu continued to spread worldwide on Wednesday as Uruguay and Romania confirmed their first cases of the new flu strain.
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| Pakistan explosion kills 23 |
Islamabad - An explosion in eastern Pakistan's Lahore city has killed at least 23 people and injured over 200 others.
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| Sri Lanka to rehabilitate child soldiers |
Colombo - The Sri Lankan government has told the United Nations that it will reintegrate former child soldiers into society as productive citizens.
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| Death toll in Italy quake rises to 150 |
Rome - The earthquake which hit central Italy on Monday has killed 150 people, injured some 1 500 and left around 70 000 homeless.
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| 25 killed in gunmen attack in Pakistan |
Islamabad - At least 25 people were killed and 90 others injured when unidentified gunmen attacked a police training school in the eastern Pakistan city of Lahore on Monday.
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| Obama admin unveils plan to unlock credit for small businesses |
Washington - The Obama administration on Monday unveiled a plan to help unlock credit for the nation's small businesses, which have generated about 70 percent of net new jobs annually over the past decade.
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| 10 injured in Alabama shooting incident |
Washington - As many as 10 people, including the alleged gunman, were killed in a shooting spree in the south-eastern United States state of Alabama on Tuesday.
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| Attack on Sri Lankan cricket team casts shadow on Pakistan's security situation |
Islamabad - At least seven persons including five policemen were killed and 19 others including seven Sri Lankan cricket players were injured in a terrorist attack in Pakistan on Tuesday.
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| Pakistani President condemns attack on cricketers |
Islamabad – Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in eastern Pakistan in the early hours of Tuesday, which killed five policemen and wounded four Sri Lankan cricketers.
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| Dow Jones average plunges to six-year low |
Harare - Business operations in Zimbabwe are once again showing signs of a recovery after a decade of political deadlock in that country as a result of the establishment of a government of national unity, writes Mugove Chigada.
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| Major advanced economies slide further into recession |
Beijing - Japan's economy shrank at its fastest pace in nearly 35 years in the fourth quarter of 2008, joining other major advanced economies in sliding further into recession.
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| Australian Bushfire toll reaches 173 |
Canberra - Australian police confirmed on Tuesday that 173 people have died in the bushfires across the state of Victoria.
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| Death toll in Australia rises over 130 |
Canberra - Australian police on Monday said the death toll from Victoria's bushfires reached 131 and could top 200 as authorities sift through the piles of ash that were once entire communities.
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| Record-breaking snow paralyzes London |
London - Roads, airports and school were forced to close, buses and underground train services suspended, extreme weather warnings issued as the record-breaking snow hit much of Britain early Monday.
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| Ban urges greater efforts to feed world’s hungry |
Madrid - In spite of the “unprecedented” effort launched last year to respond to the food crisis, greater efforts were needed to feed the hungry as the world faces an economic slowdown.
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| Thousands of Gazans remain homeless |
Gaza - Thousands of Gazans remain homeless and hospitals still have a large number of intensive care patients over a week after a ceasefire ended Israel’s devastating three-week offensive against Hamas militants.
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| Obama deals with economy, Iraq, Guantanamo on day 1 |
Washington - In his first working day at the White House on Wednesday, US President Barack Obama had a full schedule, handling important and tough issues including the economy, Iraq and Guantanamo prison, among others.
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| Ban gets first-hand look at Gaza devastation |
Gaza – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visited the war-shattered Gaza Strip on Tuesday to demonstrate solidarity with the population and assure them of the full support of the UN and the international community.
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| Ban calls for end to Hamas attacks and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza |
Sharm el-Sheikh - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for Hamas to stop firing rockets into Israel and for Israel to withdraw its forces from the Strip.
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| 100s missing after boats capsize off Yemen |
Sanaa - Hundreds of people are missing after three boats with a total of some 400 African migrants on board capsized on Saturday near Yemen.
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| Bush delivers farewell address, acknowledges setbacks |
Washington - Outgoing US President George W. Bush delivered his prime-time farewell address to the nation Thursday night, acknowledging "setbacks" during his tenure.
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| Ban voices ‘outrage’ as UN hit again |
Israel – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed “outrage” over the latest shelling of United Nations premises in the Gaza Strip.
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| Final preparations being made for US presidential inauguration |
Washington - Washington is rolling into high gear with less than a week left before Barack Obama is sworn in as the United States' first-ever African-American President.
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| Ban launches Mideast ceasefire mission for Gaza |
Cairo – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon began an intensive mission to try to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, as the reported death toll from Israel’s 19-day offensive against Hamas topped 1 000.
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| Israeli army sends reservists into Gaza |
Jerusalem - The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday began sending reservists into the Gaza Strip, signaling an expansion of the IDF ground incursion in the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave.
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| Security Council calls for immediate ceasefire in Gaza |
New York - The UN Security Council on Thursday adopted a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza "leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces."
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| Israel inching towards Gaza ceasefire |
Jerusalem - Israel on Wednesday exhibited signs that it has put at least one of its feet on a path leading to the end of its contentious military operation in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
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| Ban renews ceasefire call on Israel-Hamas conflict |
New York – The Security Council convened on the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza on Tuesday, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warning that the deadly Israeli shelling of United Nations schools made a ceasefire more urgent than ever.
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| Scores of Palestinians killed in ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza |
Gaza - Israel continued on Tuesday, for the eleventh day in a row, its land, air, and now marine assault also on the Gaza Strip which killed over 550 Palestinians and injured more than 2 700 so far.
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| Ban, Arab ministers meet to secure Israel-Hamas ceasefire |
New York - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has met with Arab foreign ministers in a bid to intensify his diplomatic drive to secure a Gaza ceasefire.
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| China considers sending warships to Somali coast |
Beijing - China is considering sending warships to fight pirates off the coast of Somalia, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.
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| India to beef up security in, around Taj Mahal |
New Delhi - In the wake of the Mumbai terror strikes, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is considering beefing up security in and around the Taj Mahal.
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| Oil tumbles after US Fed rate cut |
New York - Crude oil tumbled on Tuesday as the US Federal Reserve interest rate cut revived investors' concerns about slumping demand during the economic recession.
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| Renewed clashes break out in Athens |
Athens - New clashes have broken out between police and protesters across Greece, after the death of a 15-year-old boy who shot by police on Saturday.
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| Wall Street plunges amid economic woes |
New York - Wall Street plunged amid economic woes on Monday as investors cashed in some of their gains from the big rally in the previous week and key economic reports showed economic slowdown.
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| Crude oil settles below 50 dollars |
New York - Crude oil fell to its lowest level in more than three years on Thursday as the global economic downturn pared energy consumption.
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| US major indexes plunge to five year low |
New York - Wall Street shares plunged to their lowest level in five-and-a-half years on Wednesday on deep economic recession concerns.
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| G-20 leaders commit to restoring global growth |
Washington - The Group of 20 (G-20) countries are determined to enhance cooperation and work together to restore global growth and achieve reform in the world's financial systems.
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| UN conference focuses on culture of peace |
New York - The two-day UN conference on culture of peace kicked off on Wednesday, with President of the UN General Assembly Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann calling for morals and ethics in all human activity.
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| World Bank cuts growth forecast amid global financial crisis |
Washington - The World Bank on Tuesday lowered its growth forecast for the world economy to only 1 percent in 2009 due to the impacts of the global financial crisis.
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| Ban appoints envoy as UN aid convoy reaches rebel-held town in DRC |
Congo - A United Nations aid convoy has reached one of the major rebel-held towns in the far east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
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| United States goes to the polls |
Dixville Notch - A dozen voters from Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, kicked off the day-long polling in the US presidential elections on Tuesday.
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| Madiba congratulates President-Elect Obama |
Pretoria - As the world celebrates President-Elect Barack Obama's win in the United States Presidential elections, former president Nelson Mandela has written a letter to congratulate him on his victory.
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| Less than 24 hours to go for US presidential elections |
Washington – With less than 24 hours to go for the United States Presidential elections, candidates John McCain and Barack Obama were making their final push for the White House across an electoral map markedly different from four years ago.
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| UN rushes in help after deadly quake rocks Kyrgyzstan |
New York - United Nations humanitarian agencies are dispatching aid and staff to southern Kyrgyzstan, where dozens of people have been killed and hundreds of homes destroyed after an earthquake struck the remote, mountainous region.
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| Federal Reserve Bank puts up $85 bln loan to rescue AIG |
Beijing - The US Federal Reserve announced on Wednesday that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York will lend an 85 billion dollar-bridge-loan to American International Group Inc. (AIG) to save the country's biggest insurer from bankruptcy.
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| Major markets worldwide sink amid US financial crisis |
Beijing - The dramatic downward spiral of events in New York have continued to reshape the global financial system.
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| UN appeals for funds to aid storm-stricken Haiti |
New York - The United Nations has appealed for over $100 million to help with humanitarian relief efforts for the survivors of a series of hurricanes that battered Haiti in the last three weeks.
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| Intl guidelines to ease impact of fishing in deep sea areas |
New York - Two years of negotiations have resulted in the adoption of new international guidelines to limit the impact of fishing on fragile deep sea fish species and habitats.
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| Ban reiterates plans to protect UN staff |
Geneva - United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has reiterated his pledge to protect United Nations staff around the world.
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| Hurricane Gustav lands on US state |
Washington - Hurricane Gustav landed on the US state of Louisiana on Monday, making its landfall on the southwest of New Orleans city, according to the National Hurricane Center.
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| Hurricane Gustav forces millions to evacuate, halts oil production |
Washington - Nearly two million people were evacuated from the United States Gulf Coast and offshore oil platforms and refineries were shut down on Sunday due to Hurricane Gustav's approaching landing.
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| Russian troops start to pull out from Georgia |
Georgia - Russian troops and armored vehicles began to pull out from the Georgian city of Gori on Monday afternoon under the terms of a French-brokered peace plan.
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| Russia signs peace plan for ending Georgian conflicts |
Moscow - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday signed a peace plan for settling the conflict between Georgia and its breakaway region of South Ossetia.
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| Ban urges parties to implement proposed Georgia peace plan |
New York - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the acceptance by Georgia and Russia of a proposed peace plan to end the conflict that has raged in Georgia for nearly a week and urged the parties to move quickly to halt the fighting.
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| UN calls for protection of civilians, access to victims of conflict |
New York - A senior United Nations humanitarian official has urged the parties to the conflict in Georgia, where fierce fighting in recent days has uprooted nearly 100 000 people, to do their utmost to protect civilians and ensure access for aid agencies.
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| UN agencies assist thousands affected by Georgian conflict |
New York - United Nations agencies have begun providing emergency aid to thousands affected by the escalating conflict in Georgia.
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| Security Council meet to discuss crisis in Georgia |
New York - The United Nations Security Council met on Sunday for the fourth time in less than three days to discuss the crisis in Georgia.
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| Beijing Olympic Games to be a great success – survey |
Beijing - Most Chinese are confident the Beijing Olympic Games will be a great success and help improve China's image across the world despite disruptions in the torch relay and some negative media reports in the West.
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| No umbrellas, bottles, liquids allowed in Olympic stadiums |
Beijing - Athletics supporters attending the 2008 Beijing Olympics in August have been reminded that they are not allowed to take long umbrellas as well as soft drinks, lighters and liquids into the stadiums during the games for security reasons.
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| G8 leaders urged to boost investment in agriculture |
Japan - The United Nations agencies working to alleviate global hunger have called for decisive action by the Group of Eight (G8) most industrialised countries, currently meeting in Japan, to boost investment in agriculture to help feed the world.
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| Beijing recruits 100 000 volunteers for Olympics |
Beijing - China has secured at least 100 000 volunteers for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, to be used in various capacities.
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| US drafts resolution proposing sanctions on Zim |
New York - The United States has completed a first draft resolution proposing sanctions on Zimbabwe over Friday's presidential run-off election, Britain's UN ambassador John Sawers said on Monday.
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| Spain wins Euro 2008 title |
Vienna - Spain won the Euro 2008 title after beating Germany 1-0 in Ernst-Happel Stadion on Sunday.
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| Intl leaders discuss high oil prices |
Jeddah - An energy meeting, focusing on rocketing oil prices, concluded Sunday in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea city of Jeddah, with a statement calling for "improved" transparency and regulation in oil production and financial markets dealing in crude.
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| China, US pledge to expand cooperation |
Annapolis - China and the United States have pledged to further expand mutual cooperation at the 4th round of their Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) in Annapolis on Tuesday.
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| Poverty reflected in children’s schools, homes – UN report |
New York - Social inequality has a major impact on the kind of schooling children receive and poses a significant challenge to provide all children with equal learning opportunities.
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| Japan gives Ghana $85mil grant for road project |
Yokohama - Japan has announced an $85 million grant to support the construction of the Yamoransa-Kumasi road project in Ghana.
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| UN concerned about reports of abuse by peacekeepers |
New York - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed his deep concern over a new report issued by the non-governmental organisation Save the Children (UK) that spotlights the under-reporting of child sexual exploitation and abuse by aid workers and peacekeepers.
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| China begins three days of mourning |
Beijing - China on Monday began a three-day national mourning for the tens of thousands of people killed in a powerful earthquake which struck the country's southwest on 12 May.
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| Much bigger aid effort needed for Myanmar – Ban Ki-moon |
New York - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for a much greater mobilisation of resources and aid workers in Myanmar to respond to the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis.
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| Myanmar faces second catastrophe without more access for aid - UN |
Geneva - Unless more access to Myanmar is granted to allow aid to flow more quickly to victims of this month's deadly cyclone, a second catastrophe could result, the United Nations warned.
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| Bangladesh to hold elections in December |
Bangladesh - The Bangladesh general elections are to be held in the third week of December this year, says Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed.
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| China makes rescue efforts a top priority |
Beijing - Chinese leader Hu Jintao has urged governments at all levels to regard rescue and relief efforts after Monday's earthquake as a top priority at a high profile meeting late Monday evening.
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| Response to cyclone in Myanmar 'unacceptably slow' - Ban Ki-moon |
New York - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday registered his "immense frustration" with the pace of relief efforts following the cyclone in Myanmar last week, and called on the Government to do everything it could to prevent the disaster from becoming more serious.
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| UN food agency steps up aid to Myanmar |
New York - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that its food aid has reached more than 27 000 people in the areas of the Irrawaddy delta, hit hardest by Cyclone Nargis.
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