France: Hostage dead in rescue attempt in Somalia

PARIS (AP) — A French commando raid to free an intelligence agent held captive for three years ended in the deaths of the hostage and a French soldier, the French military said Saturday. But the man's Islamist kidnappers said the hostage was alive and that a French soldier had been captured as well.Confusion surrounded early reports of the botched rescue of the agent, known by his code-name Denis...

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Commando killed in raid to free hostage in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — A French commando raid in Somalia to free a captive intelligence agent ended in the deaths of 17 Islamists and a French soldier. France said the hostage also died in the failed rescue, but the man's captors denied he had been killed and claimed Saturday to have seized a second soldier.Confusion surrounded early reports of the botched rescue of the French agent, known by...

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Red Cross: 200 dead from violence in Kenya's south

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The Kenya Red Cross says at least 200 people have been killed in violence in Kenya's southeast since August in fighting that could be related to political tensions ahead of March elections.Red Cross Secretary General Abbas Gullet said Saturday that in the past there had been skirmishes between the semi-nomadic Orma and the farming Pokomo communities in the Tana Delta over resources,...

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Chile: Couple dies defending home amid protests

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — An elderly couple whose family's vast landholdings have long been targeted by Mapuche Indians in southern Chile were killed in an arson attack early Friday while trying to defend their home. The president quickly flew to the scene and announced new security measures, including the application of Chile's tough anti-terrorism law and the creation of a special police anti-terror...

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Venezuela's Chavez fighting severe lung infection

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan lawmakers will meet Saturday in a session that could shed light on what steps may be taken if President Hugo Chavez is too sick to be sworn in for a new term next week.Legislators will choose a president, two vice presidents and other leaders of the National Assembly, which is controlled by a pro-Chavez majority. Whoever is elected National Assembly president could...

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Venezuela VP: Chavez can be sworn in by Court

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez can take the oath of office for his next term before the Supreme Court at a later date if the ailing leader isn't fit to be sworn in next week, his vice president said.Vice President Nicolas Maduro sent the strongest signal yet that the government may seek to postpone Chavez's inauguration as the 58-year-old president fights a severe respiratory...

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Detained Nigerian newspaper journalists released

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — An official says two Nigerian journalists have been freed after being detained without charges for more than a week by the nation's secret police following writing stories about a radical Islamist sect and alleged military abuses.Mohammed Garba, president of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, said Tuesday that Musa Mohammed Awwal and Aliyu Saleh, journalists with the weekly Hausa...

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C. African Republic capital fears rebel attack

BANGUI, Central African Republic (AP) — Kpademona Marcel and other residents of the capital of Central African Republic have watched in fear as rebels from the country's north seized control of more than half the country in less than a month. On Tuesday, all he could do was pray that a solution to the crisis could be found without the violence reaching Bangui."We are afraid for our nation and for...

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Stampede after fireworks kills 61 in Ivory Coast

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — A crowd stampeded after leaving a New Year's fireworks show early Tuesday in Ivory Coast's main city, killing 61 people — many of them children and teenagers — and injuring more than 200, rescue workers said.Thousands had gathered at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan's Plateau district to see the fireworks. It was only the second New Year's Eve fireworks display...

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Angola: Stampede kills 10 at religious gathering

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Angolan media say 10 people, including four children, have died in a stampede during a religious gathering at a sports stadium in Luanda, the Angolan capital.Angop, the Angolan news agency, cited officials as saying Tuesday that 120 people were also injured. The incident happened on New Year's Eve when tens of thousands of people gathered at the stadium and panic ensued. Faustino...

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South Africa: Mandela rests at home

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa's presidency says former leader Nelson Mandela is progressing with his recuperation from illness and doctors are closely monitoring his condition.Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said Wednesday that "everything is moving OK" as 94-year-old Mandela rests at his home in Johannesburg after a hospital stay last month.The former president received treatment for a lung...

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Pope's Christmas message focuses on Mideast, China

 In his Christmas message to the world Tuesday, Pope Benedict XVI called for an end to the slaughter in Syria and for more meaningful negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, while encouraging more religious freedom under China's new leaders.Delivering the traditional speech from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, Benedict also encouraged Arab spring nations, especially Egypt,...

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Cricket-South Africa v New Zealand Twenty20 scoreboard

DURBAN, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Scoreboard from the firstTwenty20 International between South Africa and New Zealand atKingsmead Stadium on Friday.New ZealandR.Nicol c de Kock b Kleinveldt 3P.Fulton c Morris b Steyn 9B.McCullum c Steyn b Kleinveldt 6J.Franklin c de Kock b McLaren 0C.Munro c and b Morris 23C.Anderson c Levi b Morris 5N.McCullum b Peterson 1J.Neesham b Peterson 10D.Bracewell not out 21R.Hira...

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Tennis-Robson, Watson to warm up for Australian Open in Hobart

MELBOURNE, Dec 22 (Reuters) - British Olympic silver medallist Laura Robson and compatriot Heather Watson will warm up for the Australian Open at the Jan. 4-12 Hobart International, organisers said on Saturday.The 18-year-old Robson, who won mixed doubles silver with men's singles champion Andy Murray at the London Olympics, will make her first appearance at the Tasmanian tournament headlined by former...

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Robson, Watson to warm up for Australian Open in Hobart

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - British Olympic silver medalist Laura Robson and compatriot Heather Watson will warm up for the Australian Open at the January 4-12 Hobart International, organisers said on Saturday. The 18-year-old Robson, who won mixed doubles silver with men's singles champion Andy Murray at the London Olympics, will make her first appearance at the Tasmanian tournament headlined by former...

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Cricket-Oram opts out of New Zealand contract

Dec 22 (Reuters) - All-rounder Jacob Oram has opted out of his New Zealand Cricket (NZC) central contract to focus on his professional Twenty20 career.The 34-year-old Oram, who played 33 tests and 160 one-day internationals, secured an early release from his contract, NZC said in a statement on Saturday."This was a very difficult decision but in recent weeks I have come to the conclusion that I can...

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Tsotsobe ruled out of Twenty20 series

DURBAN (Reuters) - South Africa left-arm pace bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe has been ruled out of the three-match Twenty20 series against New Zealand starting on Friday after suffering an ankle injury, Cricket South Africa said.Lonwabo, 28 was taken for a scan on Thursday after bowling 10 balls in the nets on the eve of the first international.His withdrawal follows the news that another pace bowler Vernon...

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Play resumes at windy Australian Open

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Play resumed in the final round of the Australian Open on Sunday after a three-hour delay forced by gale-force winds at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney. Organizers announced the suspension of play at 11:45 a.m. local time (0045 GMT) after the 80 kilometer per hour winds resulted in balls moving on the greens and a TV tower collapsing at the 18th. "It got to 80 kilometers, which...

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UPDATE 1-Golf-Play resumes at windy Australian Open

SYDNEY, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Play resumed in the final round of the Australian Open on Sunday after a three-hour delay forced by gale-force winds at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney. Organisers announced the suspension of play at 11:45 a.m. local time (0045 GMT) after the 80 kilometre per hour winds resulted in balls moving on the greens and a TV tower collapsing at the 18th. "It got to 80 kilometres,...

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Cricket-New Zealand coach Hesson's advice 'laughable' - Taylor

WELLINGTON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Disgruntled former captain Ross Taylor has slammed New Zealand's team management, dismissing head coach Mike Hesson's advice as "laughable" and claiming he was not given enough support in his 18-month stint as skipper. Taylor was stripped of the Twenty20 and one-day captaincy last week on Hesson's recommendation, and rejected an offer to stay on as test skipper in the...

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