Brazil: Leader waits for blackout investigation RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil’s president said Friday that he’s waiting on a federal investigation to say anything more about the cause of a massive blackout earlier this week that affected 60 million people. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva backed off earlier claims by his energy minister that bad weather
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Brazil: President declines to speculate on blackout until investigation complete
California export trade figures improving SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s export trade is showing signs of improvement after being battered all year. Jock O’Connell, international trade adviser at the University of California Center Sacramento, says the state’s exports from September showed a 3.2 percent gain from August
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International trade figures gain for the first time this year on California exports
UK navy ship watched as pirates took 2 Britons LONDON — The crew of a Royal Navy vessel watched as a British couple was abducted by Somali pirates, unable to rescue them without endangering their lives, the British military said Friday. As armed pirates boarded Paul and Rachel Chandler’s yacht on Oct. 23, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary
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UK military says Royal Navy ship watched as Somali pirates abducted British yacht couple
Columbia Gas to charge 8-yr low rates in December COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio’s largest natural gas company says next month’s rates will be the lowest for December in eight years. Columbia Gas of Ohio informed state utility regulators Thursday that it plans to charge 49 cents per 100 cubic feet of natural gas, down from 70 cents
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Ohio Columbia Gas customers to pay almost 50 percent less this December compared to year ago
Craigslist founder joins Wikimedia advisory board SAN FRANCISCO — The nonprofit group that runs online encyclopedia Wikipedia said Friday that it named Craig Newmark, the founder of Web classifieds site Craigslist, to its advisory board. The Wikimedia Foundation said it chose Newmark as an adviser because of his work as an innovator and evangelist and his understanding
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Craigslist founder Craig Newmark joins advisory group for nonprofit that runs Wikipedia
more images more images FDA questions safety of alcoholic energy drinks WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration is challenging makers of alcohol-infused energy drinks to prove their beverages are safe, citing complaints that the products can cause risky behavior and injury. The FDA issued a letter Friday to 30 beverage manufacturers, giving them 30 days to provide evidence
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FDA demands safety information from makers of alcoholic energy drinks
Evangelist sentenced to 175 years for sex crimes TEXARKANA, Ark. — Evangelist Tony Alamo was sentenced Friday to 175 years in prison for taking underage girls across state lines for sex, effectively punishing him for the rest of his life for molesting children he took as “brides” in his ministry. During Friday’s hearing, some of Alamo’s victims
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Evangelist Tony Alamo sentenced to 175 years in federal prison for child sex convictions
more images more images Prepaid phone ban stirs anger in Indian Kashmir SRINAGAR, India — A government ban on prepaid cell phones to prevent rebels from using them to clandestinely plan attacks has stirred resentment among Indian-controlled Kashmir’s impoverished residents, who depend on prepaid connections for inexpensive communication. The move has led to angry protests amid warnings it put
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Prepaid cell phone ban prompts anger in Indian part of disputed Kashmir
Feds ignored Medicare scam warnings for years MIAMI — The federal agency that is supposed to prevent Medicare fraud repeatedly ignored internal watchdog warnings about swindlers stealing millions of dollars over three years. Documents obtained by The Associated Press show that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, received dozens of warnings from inspectors during
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Documents: Medicare agency ignored scam warnings for 3 years, may have cost taxpayers millions
Militants turn on spy agency in Pakistan ISLAMABAD — A suicide attack on the northwestern headquarters of Pakistan’s spy agency Friday showed how militants have turned against an institution that once nurtured them and marked an escalation in their war against the U.S.-backed government. The truck bombing was the second this year against offices of the intelligence
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Bombing of spy agency in Pakistan shows militants turning against one-time masters
Barnes Foundation breaks ground in Philadelphia PHILADELPHIA — Leaders from Philadelphia’s arts and philanthropic communities are celebrating the groundbreaking for the new downtown home of the Barnes Foundation. The groundbreaking Friday morning comes after years of legal battles over the future of the foundation and its multibillion-dollar art collection. Despite an unmatched collection of Matisses, Picassos, Cezannes
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Barnes Foundation breaks ground in Philadelphia after years of bitter court battles
ND state engineer given outlet contract power BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakota’s state Water Commission is moving forward with plans for a $15.3 million upgrade to the system of canals and pipes that drains Devils Lake floodwaters into the Sheyenne River. Downstream opponents, meanwhile, are stepping up their opposition
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Chief ND engineer gets green light to contract for $15.3 million Devils Lake outlet upgrade
Police say 2nd suspect admitted kidnapping NC girl FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A North Carolina man has admitted to kidnapping a 5-year-old girl, authorities said Friday, but investigators still have not found the child more than three days after she disappeared from a mobile home park. Mario Andrette McNeill, 29, admitted to taking Shaniya Davis, said Fayetteville Police
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Police arrest 2nd suspect in case of NC girl missing for 3 days; no word on tyke’s whereabouts
Libby official: EPA must pay for lost buildings BILLINGS, Mont. — A city councilman in Libby said Thursday that the Environmental Protection Agency owes the asbestos-plagued Superfund community $2 million for the demolition of several contaminated buildings. The city-owned buildings included an export plant for asbestos-laden vermiculite that was shipped from the site across the country by
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Libby official wants EPA to pay for city buildings demolished during asbestos cleanup
Report: Texas greenhouse gas emissions down DALLAS — While Texas maintains a firm grip on the dubious title of the nation’s most prolific industrial polluter, an environmental group’s report Thursday found that wind power and other cleaner energy sources have helped cut emissions linked to global warming in the state. Environment Texas analyzed the most recent U.S.
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Environmental group’s report says greenhouse gas emissions fall slightly in Texas
BA chief says Iberia deal won’t raise fares LONDON — British Airways PLC began a charm offensive about its proposed merger with Spain’s Iberia SA Friday, dismissing suggestions the deal would increase fares or reduce standards at Britain’s flagship carrier. BA Chief Executive Willie Walsh, who will take the same position at the combined company, stressed that
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British Airways CEO: Merger with Spain’s Iberia won’t boost fares, shares rise for both
New Coney Island to open after land deal NEW YORK — The historic and mostly dormant Coney Island amusement park district in New York City will be revived by next summer with some new attractions, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and developer Joseph Sitt said Thursday. The city purchased 6.9 acres at the heart of Coney Island from Sitt’s
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NYC mayor: New Coney Island amusements to open this summer after land purchased from developer
2012 Games pose biggest security risk in decades LONDON — London faces the largest security challenge since World War II when it hosts the 2012 Olympics, British security minister Alan West said Friday. West told a London conference that the British capital will almost certainly be at a higher risk of a terrorist attack as an estimated
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Britain’s terrorism minister says 2012 Olympics biggest security risk since World War II
Iberia reports €16.4 million Q3 loss MADRID — Spanish airline Iberia SA, poised to merge with British Airways PLC, reported Friday a loss of €16.4 million ($24.5 million) in the third quarter, compared to a profit of €30.4 million a year earlier, as the economic crisis sapped demand for air travel. Iberia, which announced the preliminary merger
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Spanish airline Iberia reports Q3 loss of €16.4 million from year-ago profit
more images more images Chinese president pledges to boost domestic demand SINGAPORE — China is doing what it can to expand domestic demand and rebalance its economy, President Hu Jintao said Friday, calling for renewed efforts to improve international financial oversight to prevent future crises. “Our focus in countering the crisis is to expand domestic demand, especially consumer demand,”
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China president vows to grow domestic demand, urges tighter oversight of international finance
Iberia reports euro16.4 million Q3 loss MADRID — Spanish airline Iberia SA, poised to merge with British Airways PLC, reported Friday a loss of euro16.4 million ($24.5 million) in the third quarter, compared to a profit of euro30.4 million a year earlier, as the economic crisis sapped demand for air travel. Iberia, which announced the preliminary merger
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Spanish airline Iberia reports Q3 loss of euro16.4 million from year-ago profit
Airbus military transporter cleared for testing BRUSSELS — The long-delayed prototype of Airbus’ first military transport plane has been moved from the factory for final ground tests ahead of its maiden flight next month, a spokeswoman said Friday. Barbara Kracht said the testing in Seville, Spain, will involve running up problem-plagued turboprop engines to full power, low-
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Airbus A400M military transporter cleared for initial flight testing
more images more images NKorea vows to defend itself after sea clash SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea warned Friday that it will aggressively defend itself in disputed waters where a bloody naval clash with rival South Korea took place this week, though it tempered its rhetoric by indicating it wants better relations with Seoul and Washington.
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NKorea vows to defend itself but tempers rhetoric with talk of detente ahead of Obama visit
KUANTAN – The caning sentence of the Malaysian ‘whip-for-drinking-beer’ model Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno has not been carried out as a doubt (syubahah) was raised on the implementation. Replying to a question regarding the delay in implementation of the sentence, Pahang Religious Affairs Committee Chairman Mohamad Sahfri Ab Aziz said they are being careful in carrying
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Fresh doubts over Malaysia’s ‘whip-for-drinking-beer’ model’s caning sentence
WASHINGTON – Islamic groups have warned the Obama administration that it would face backlash if the Shia’ite mosques, schools and building in New York City, Maryland, California and Houston, are seized. “Whatever the details of the government’s case against the owners of the mosques, as a civil rights organization we are concerned that the seizure of
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Islamic groups warn US of backlash for seizing Iran-linked Shia mosques
more images more images more images more images AP Source: Gitmo 9/11 suspects to NY for trial WASHINGTON — Self-proclaimed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other Guantanamo Bay detainees will be sent to New York to face trial in a civilian federal court, an Obama administration official said Friday. The official said Attorney General Eric Holder plans to
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AP Source: Gitmo detainees, including 9/11 mastermind, coming to NY for criminal trial
more images more images US commerce secretary: Trade pacts must wait SINGAPORE — Trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama won’t be put before Congress until it grapples first with President Barack Obama’s pressing legislative goals, the U.S. commerce secretary said Friday. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said Obama has an ambitious high-priority legislative agenda focusing on health care,
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US trade pacts with SKorea, others on hold as Congress grapples with Obama goals, Locke says
European stocks fluctuate after growth data LONDON — European stock markets were looking for direction Friday as investors digested data showing the eurozone has emerged from recession but that France and Germany’s recovery was slower than most analysts expected. Meanwhile, shares in British Airways and Iberia rose after they confirmed their planned merger
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European markets mixed after 3rd quarter GDP figures; BA, Iberia stocks rise on planned merger
more images more images Clinton: No binding climate deal at Denmark talks MANILA, Philippines — Next month’s climate change summit in Copenhagen is not likely to produce a legally binding treaty to cut the greenhouse gas emissions that are widely blamed for global warming, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday.
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Clinton says next month’s Copenhagen talks unlikely to produce binding climate treaty
GOP chairman ends abortion insurance for employees WASHINGTON — A chagrined GOP Chairman Michael Steele has told Republican National Committee staff to immediately stop providing RNC employees with insurance for elective abortions — an option that Republicans strongly oppose as Democrats try to pass a health care overhaul bill.
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Report prompts GOP chairman to order end of elective abortion coverage for party employees