World News

Whale opponents huddle in Florida (AFP)AFP - Key players on whaling huddled behind closed doors in Florida in an uncertain bid to find common ground on an issue that has bitterly divided Australia and Japan.
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China banks absorbed $170 bln FX swaps in 09-paper (Reuters)Reuters - Chinese commercial banks absorbed about $170 billion in foreign exchange from the financial system last year, mainly through yuan-dollar swaps, state media on Wednesday cited a former official as saying.
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China's space station plan delayed (AFP)AFP - China has postponed the next step in its ambitious space station programme until 2011 for technical reasons, state media said Wednesday.
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Haiti judge not ready to release 2 US missionaries (AP)AP - Two Americans still jailed on kidnapping charges in Haiti will have to wait for their freedom, Judge Bernard Saint-Vil said Tuesday.
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Taliban, not drugs, focus of US-Afghan offensive (AP)AP - Even by Afghan standards, it was a startling find: An opium packaging workshop, buried under donkey dung and old hay in a stable that U.S. Marines turned into a patrol base in southern Afghanistan.
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E.Timor court clears Australian woman over assassination bid (AFP)AFP - A court in East Timor on Wednesday cleared an Australian woman of the attempted assassination of the president and prime minister in a 2008 gun attack by rebels.
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Arabs approve indirect Israeli-Palestinians talks (AP)AP - Arab nations gave the green light Wednesday for Palestinians to enter indirect negotiations with Israel for a preliminary four-month period, a decision that likely breaks the months-long deadlock over resuming Mideast peace talks.
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Officer suspected of stealing ivory in Philippines (AP)AP - A Philippine wildlife officer is suspected of stealing more than 1,500 pounds (700 kilograms) of smuggled elephant tusks seized last year, an embarrassing setback for the country's anti-poaching efforts, an official said Wednesday.
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US officials: New rules needed after Toyota woes (AFP)AFP - US lawmakers on Wednesday ended a third marathon hearing into Toyota's woes still angry at the Japanese auto giant's handling of defects blamed for 52 US deaths and pushing tough new safety rules.
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Attacks on Indians 'racist': Australian minister (AFP)AFP - Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said on Wednesday some of the recent attacks against Indian students in Australia were "racist" and that the country would have to work hard to repair its image.
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US vets return to Iwo Jima for 65th anniversary (AP)AP - Dozens of U.S. veterans, now in their 80s and 90s, returned to the remote volcanic island of Iwo Jima on Wednesday to mark the 65th anniversary of one of World War II's fiercest battles.
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Ugandans use hand tools to dig out mud; 86 dead (AP)AP - Rescuers used hand tools Wednesday to dig through thick rivers of mud that had engulfed three villages, burying church worshippers alive and leaving dozens of students missing who had sought refuge at a hospital.
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Howard has to win over ICC's Asian nations: Murali (AFP)AFP - Sri Lankan spinning great Muttiah Muralitharan said Wednesday that former Australian prime minister John Howard faced a challenge winning over south Asian cricket nations as the new head of the sport's world body.
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Bank of England to keep lending rate low: analysts (AFP)AFP - The Bank of England is set to keep its key lending rate at a record low 0.50 percent when it meets on Thursday despite Britain emerging from a record recession stronger than expected, analysts said.
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14 die in mortar, gun battle in Somali capital (AP)AP - Somali government forces attacked insurgent-controlled areas in the capital, setting off a gunbattle and mortar fire that killed at least 10 civilians and four militants, witnesses said Wednesday. Almost 40 people were wounded.
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