LOST IN THE DARK RIDE

By SAMEER N. YACOUB, Associated Press Writer 9 minutes ago BAGHDAD - Iraqi officials say 10 people have been killed in a double car bombing in western Baghdad. Police and hospital officials say the bombs struck within minutes of each other in two mainly Shiite neighborhoods. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to release the information, said 12 people were wounded in the attacks. The explosions occurred Sunday just before the start of Iftar, the meal that breaks the daily dawn-to-dusk fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is…

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Yet even the fact that a count could be falsified highlighted a change in a country that has been called Europe’s last dictatorship - in national elections four years ago, the opposition wasn’t even allowed to run. A total of 263 candidates, including 70 from the opposition, are competing for 110 parliamentary seats. Opposition leaders plan to protest as soon as polls close in the capital because they have been excluded from district electoral commissions and therefore cannot monitor the vote count. President…

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By WILL WEISSERT Associated Press Writer HAVANA (AP) - made a surprise visit to late Saturday and wasted little time heading into a closed-door meeting with President Raul Castro and his ailing brother Fidel. A report on the Web site of the Communist Youth newspaper Juventud…

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International efforts are under way to stop Pakistan from defaulting on its debts after its foreign reserves dropped to just $3bn. With about $1bn a month needed to provide its people with basic requirements there are fears that Pakistan could run out of money before the end of the year. Saquib Sherani, the economic adviser to Yusuf Reza Gilani, Pakistan’s prime minister, said on Sunday that the country urgently needed about $7bn to bridge the expected financing gap for the year. “Its large and we need it quite fast … the reserves are down to covering one month of imports,” he told Al Jazeera. “We started talking in June with our development partners but…

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A fire has destroyed the main hall of Egypt’s National Theatre in the heart of the country’s capital, Cairo. Faruq Hosni, Egypt’s culture minister, said on Saturday that the blaze “was probably caused by an electrical short circuit” which led to an explosion in the building’s air conditioning system. High winds drove flames into neighbouring shops and buildings in Ataba square where three firemen were hospitalised for smoke inhalation. Mahmoud Basir, a witness, said: “The fire went on for about 20…

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MATTI HUUHTANEN The Associated Press HELSINKI, Finland - Finns at Sunday church services mourned the victims of a school massacre in which a lone gunman killed nine fellow students and a teacher before shooting himself. President Tarja Halonen and government members attended a memorial service broadcast live on radio and television nationwide from the western town of Kauhajoki, where the 22-year-old gunman shot and set fire to his victims at a vocational college on Tuesday. Hundreds of people packed the church. Outside, flags flew half-staff in the windy autumn morning. It was the second school shooting in less than a year. In November, an 18-year-old student fatally shot eight people and…

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MINSK, Belarus - As voters in Belarus chose a new parliament Sunday, opposition leaders insisted the ballot was already rigged against them despite promises by the country’s authoritarian president that international voting standards would be followed. Yet even the fact that a count could be falsified highlighted a change in a country that has been called Europe’s last dictatorship — in national elections four years ago, the opposition wasn’t even allowed to run. A total of 263 candidates, including 70 from the opposition, are competing for 110 parliamentary seats. Opposition leaders plan to protest as soon as polls close in the capital because they have been excluded from district…

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BERLIN - Haile Gebrselassie broke his own marathon world record on Sunday, becoming the first runner to finish under 2 hours, 4 minutes. The Ethiopian clocked 2:03:59 to win his third straight Berlin Marathon, beating the mark of 2:04:26 he set last year over the same flat course. He also became the first runner to win the race three times. "Today, I’m so, so, so happy. Everything was perfect today," Gebrselassie said. Running under clear, sunny skies in mild temperature, Gebrselassie paced himself well and controlled the race from the start. The 35-year-old Gebrselassie was way out front as passed through the Brandenburg Gate and ran to the finish line to applause from the crowd…

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The struggling Bradford & Bingley bank is set to be nationalised. An announcement is due today, it is being reported. The BBC business editor Robert Peston reported that the B&B will be sold on almost immediately to another bank or banks. There was no immediate comment last night from the Treasury - which had been locked in discussions all yesterday with the B&B and the Financial Services Authority. However it was clear that the bank was set to become the latest victim of the global credit crunch which has paralysed the world financial system. According to the BBC report, the Government will nationalise the B&B using the special legislation passed to take Northern…

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By ANNIE HUANG, Associated Press Writer Sun Sep 28, 12:47 AM ET TAIPEI, Taiwan - Authorities evacuated villagers from landslide-prone areas in Taiwan and residents boarded up windows amid torrential rain and wind as Typhoon Jangmi roared toward the island Sunday. The usually bustling capital of Taipei was eerily quiet with only a few cars on streets buffeted by the stormy weather….

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