World RSS
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Storm death toll jumps to 178 in 5 states from killer tornadoes, storms across South
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The death toll from severe storms that punished five Southern U.S. states jumped to a staggering 178 after Alabama canvassed its hard-hit counties for a new tally of lives lost. Alabama’s state emergency management agency said early Thursday it had confirmed 128 deaths, up from at least 61 earlier. “We expect that
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China seizes melamine-tainted milk powder 3 years after fatal contamination led to crackdown
BEIJING – Authorities seized 26 tons of melamine-tainted milk powder from an ice cream maker in southern China three years after widespread use of the chemical in infant formula killed six babies, state media said Wednesday. The discovery underscores China’s stubborn problem with illegal food additives used to turn a quick profit regardless of the
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U.S. Fed signals end to $600 billion bond-buying program, says economy, hiring are improving
WASHINGTON – The Federal Reserve is keeping the federal funds rate target at 0 – 0.25 per cent, and sees the benchmark rate “exceptionally low for an extended period”. In addition, it signaled that its $600 billion Treasury bond-buying program will end in June as planned because the economy has strengthened and companies are starting
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Canada’s Patrick Chan sets record in short program at world figure skating
MOSCOW – Canadian Patrick Chan has put on a record performance at the world figure skating championships. Skating to “Take Five” by Paul Desmond, the 20-year-old from Toronto compiled a record score of 93.02 in the short program. The previous world mark was 90.3, set by Russian Evgeni Plushenko at the 2010 European championships. Chan’s
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NATO airstrike on Gadhafi compound steps up pressure on embattled Libyan leader
TRIPOLI, Libya – The latest NATO airstrike on Moammar Gadhafi’s compound that reduced parts of it to a smouldering ruin steps up pressure on the increasingly embattled Libyan leader as he struggles to hold onto the western half of the country. A Libyan government spokesman denounced Monday’s bombing as a failed assassination attempt, saying the
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Japanese troops slog through drained swamps in search of 12,000 still missing after tsunami
SHICHIGAHAMAMACHI, Japan – A line of sombre soldiers walked methodically through a drained swamp Monday, with each step sinking their slender poles into the muck beneath. If one hit a body, he would know. “Bodies feel very distinctive,” said Michihiro Ose, a spokesman for the Japanese army’s 22nd infantry regiment. The men were among 25,000
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Report: Rep. Giffords standing on own, walking a little and trying to improve gait
PHOENIX – Doctors say Rep. Gabrielle Giffords can walk a little and is even trying to improve her gait. But the report Sunday in The Arizona Republic adds the congresswoman herself is planning to “walk a mountain.” Giffords uses her left side and has begun making limited use of her right arm and leg, a
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Southwest and American cancel St. Louis flights after tornado hits airport
ST. LOUIS – American and Southwest airlines are checking damaged planes and cancelling flights at the tornado-damaged airport in St. Louis. American says two planes received significant damage. Spokesman Ed Martelle says two more had lighter damage but should be flyable by the end of the day. Crosswinds of 80 mph (128 kph) struck one
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Farmer opens fire on churchgoers in Veracruz, killing woman and 2 children
VERACRUZ, Mexico – The director of Veracruz state police detectives says a farmer opened fire on a crowd as they were leaving a church in Mexico, killing a woman and two children and wounding another minor. Remigio Ortiz Olivares says the apparently disturbed man fled the scene after firing his shotgun at the churchgoers in
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Residents’ careful search for few mementos left in tsunami debris slows Japan’s rebuilding
KESENNUMA, Japan – Sakuji Funayama watched intently as a giant steel claw tore chunks off the remains of his two-story home, ripped open like a dollhouse by last month’s tsunami and washed up onto a pile of debris. Suddenly, he spied something, waved his arms and pointed. The claw froze and a half dozen construction
