Wave after wave of tar balls floated ashore on India’s renowned Goa beaches today after a ship dumped tons of waste oil off the country’s western coast.

Wave after wave of tar balls floated ashore on India’s renowned Goa beaches today after a ship dumped tons of waste oil off the country’s western coast.

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Dumped oil hits Goa beaches

AN ACCIDENT caused rush hour commuter chaos on the M1 into Leeds this morning.

AN ACCIDENT caused rush hour commuter chaos on the M1 into Leeds this morning.

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Commuter chaos as accident blocks M1 into Leeds

James J Lee, who took three hostages at the Discovery Channel HQ in Washington was shot dead by police last night.

James J Lee, who took three hostages at the Discovery Channel HQ in Washington was shot dead by police last night.

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Discovery Channel gunman shot dead by police

A father made internet searches for torture methods, escort girls and HIV testing in the months before he apparently killed his wife and daughter then hanged himself, an inquest was told.

A father made internet searches for torture methods, escort girls and HIV testing in the months before he apparently killed his wife and daughter then hanged himself, an inquest was told.

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Killer father searched the web for torture methods before deaths

MONASTERY Catholic author and speaker Anthony Esolen delivered a lengthy presentation on Sunday on the topic of the Catholic Church. Esolen is an English pr…

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Keep the faith

The prospect of finally fixing America’s public schools looks better now than ever, but there’s still a chance that this golden economic and moral opportunity could slip away.

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Congress May Miss Chance to Fix Schools

Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson has repaid about $31,000 to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

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Texas Democrat Repays Foundation for Scholarships

An Ohio elections board’s ruling Wednesday puts former Rep. Jim Traficant (D) on the ballot in Ohio’s 17th district this November, the Associated Press reported.

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AP: Traficant Certified for Ohio Ballot

Mapping: Great video from OpenHeatMap’s Pete Warden on how to use the tool to create visualisations of geographic data – mainly US and maps of the world available – but worth playing with. Tipster: Laura Oliver

Mapping: Great video from OpenHeatMap’s Pete Warden on how to use the tool to create visualisations of geographic data – mainly US and maps of the world available – but worth playing with. Tipster: Laura Oliver. To submit a tip to Journalism.co.uk, use this link – we will pay a fiver for the best ones published.

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#Tip of the day from Journalism.co.uk using OpenHeatMap for visualisations

*** By forcing the Democrats to return the contribution from Walmart, which only helps keep them in power, the union leaders are once again demonstrating their stupidity and utter lack of political sophistication (“Dems Find Trouble in $tore,” Aug. 30). It reminds us of their overbearing demands on business that caused…

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Snubbing New York To Please Union Bosses

A serious injury to Germany’s footballer of the year, Arjen Robben, has given new impetus to an old complaint from top soccer sides: when a player gets hurt representing his country, shouldn’t his club get compensation?

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Bayern Munich call on FIFA to insure international players against injury

The Huffington Post

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Boxer, Fiorina Debate (VIDEO): Senate Candidates Face Off In California

The Aachen Peace Prize and its 2,000-euro award have been given to a German anti-racist society as well as a Catholic priest and human rights advocate from Peru.

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Peruvian priest, German anti-racist group receive Aachen Peace Prize

A special legislative session to provide relief for the oil-stained Florida coast dissolved Wednesday as a top Republican lawmaker said no urgent action is needed.

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Cretul nixes special legislative session on oil spill

At a time when immigration is a political flash point across the country, the number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. is in sharp decline.

Fewer migrants without papers are sneaking into the United States and more may be leaving, according to a study released Wednesday by the respected Pew Hispanic Center in Washington.

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Illegal immigration in sharp decline

Three hostages were freed unharmed Wednesday when police fatally shot a gunman with explosives at Discovery Channel headquarters in Maryland …

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Police kill gunman holding hostages at Discovery building

As Middle East peace talks begin anew in Washington, President Obama warns, “This moment of opportunity may not soon come again.”

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Obama warns of challenges at start of Mideast peace talks

President Barack Obama says Israelis and Palestinians must seize the opportunity for achieving a lasting peace presented by the resumption of direct negotiations. Mr. Obama sat down with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and other key Mideast leaders ahead of Thursday’s formal opening of direct talks at the State Department.

President Barack Obama says Israelis and Palestinians must seize the opportunity for achieving a lasting peace presented by the resumption of direct negotiations. Mr. Obama sat down with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and other key Mideast leaders ahead of Thursday’s formal opening of direct talks at the State Department.

One by one, Mr. Obama welcomed the leaders of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, and Egypt to the Oval Office, in this his first intensive foray at making progress on issues that have been so intractable for previous U.S. presidents.

In one of three appearances before television cameras, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at his side, President Obama described some of what he told Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas.

“As I told each of them today, this moment of opportunity may not soon come again,” said President Obama. “They cannot afford to let it slip away. Now is the time for leaders of courage and vision to deliver the peace that their people deserve.”

President Obama said the goal of the talks is resolution of all final status issues, and a negotiated settlement leading to an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian state living in peace and security with a Jewish state of Israel.

If both sides do not commit to the talks in earnest, the president said, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will continue to fester and consume another generation.

Earlier, President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu denounced in strong terms Tuesday’s incident in Hebron in which four Israelis were killed by a Palestinian gunman. The Islamist militant group Hamas claimed responsibility. President Obama vowed that such attacks would not be allowed to derail peace efforts.

Among key issues in resumed direct talks is the 10-month partial freeze on new settlement construction in the West Bank. The freeze expires on September 26, and the Palestinian side has insisted that Israel extend its moratorium on construction.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has emphasized the need for Palestinian recognition of Israel and assurances of effective and durable security measures and an end to violence.

Before a working dinner, all five leaders appeared before the media in the White House East Room to address the central goal – achieving a final settlement within the next year of the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Frequently turning to President Abbas, Prime Minister Netanyahu said he had come to find a historic compromise that will enable Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace, security and dignity.

“Let us not get bogged down by every difference between us,” said Mr. Netanyahu. “Let us direct our courage, our thinking and our decisions at those historic decisions that lie ahead.”

President Abbas said the time has come to make peace, end Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, and for both peoples to live side by side.

“It is time that an independent Palestinian state be established with sovereignty side by side with the state of Israel,” said President Abbas. “It is time to put an end to the struggle in the Middle East.”

Saying Middle East peace has been an elusive hope for two decades, Mr. Mubarak called on Israel to freeze new settlement activity, while Jordan’s King Abdullah spoke about the risk of failure.

MUBARAK: “It is no longer acceptable or conceivable on the verge of the second decade of the third millennium that we fail to achieve just and true peace.”

ABDULLAH: “There are those on both sides who want us to fail, who will do everything in their power to disrupt our efforts today. Because when the Palestinians and Israelis find peace, when young men and women can look to a future of promise and opportunity, radicals and extremists lose their most potent appeal.”

At the State Department on Thursday, Secretary Clinton will formally open the re-launched direct negotiations, followed by additional public remarks by Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas, before private talks begin. Middle East Envoy George Mitchell plans to brief reporter later in the day.

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Obama Urges Israel, Palestinians to Seize Opportunity for Peace

New York Times A clinical trial of Meridia, a controversial diet pill, in nearly 10,000 overweight or obese older patients over many years found that the drug increased the risks of heart attacks and strokes while doing little to slim their waists.

New York Times

A clinical trial of Meridia, a controversial diet pill, in nearly 10,000 overweight or obese older patients over many years found that the drug increased the risks of heart attacks and strokes while doing little to slim their waists.

The study was paid for by Abbott Laboratories, Meridia’s maker, and published in The New England Journal of Medicine. And the authors of the study, three of whom are Abbott employees, concluded that the trial results did little more than show that patients with heart problems should not be prescribed Meridia – a restriction already included in Meridia’s label.

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Study Sees Heart Risk in Meridia Diet Pill

Ferrari has recalled more than 400 of its F458 model after identifying the cause of mystery fires which have plagued the supercar.

Ferrari has recalled more than 400 of its F458 model after identifying the cause of mystery fires which have plagued the supercar.

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Hundreds of flaming Ferraris are recalled after mystery fires

Mentally stimulating activities that challenge and engage the brain, such as crossword puzzles, reading, or listening to the radio may help slow down cognitive decline – the gradual deterioration of thinking skills – but may encourage the acceleration of dementia later on during old age, says a report in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Study author, Robert S…

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Mental Stimulation Delays The Decline In Thinking Skills, But May Accelerate Dementia Later On

New research from the United Kingdom shows that personality-based interventions can substantially reduce drug and alcohol use in teens.

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School-Based Interventions Can Reduce Teen Substance Use

The New York Times has published an in-depth investigation into phone hacking at the News of the World and quotes sources stating that the then editor Andy Coulson was aware of what was going on.

The New York Times has published an in-depth investigation into phone hacking at the News of the World and quotes sources stating that the then editor Andy Coulson was aware of what was going on.
The article claims: “Andy Coulson, the top editor at the time, had imposed a hypercompetitive ethos, even by tabloid standards. One former reporter called it a do whatever it takes mentality. The reporter was one of two people who said Coulson was present during discussions about phone hacking. Coulson ultimately resigned but denied any knowledge of hacking.”
It also states: “One former editor said Coulson talked freely with colleagues about the dark arts, including hacking. Ive been to dozens if not hundreds of meetings with Andy when the subject came up, said the former editor, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The editor added that when Coulson would ask where a story came from, editors would reply, Weve pulled the phone records or Ive listened to the phone messages.
The New York Times adds: “Sean Hoare, a former reporter and onetime close friend of Coulsons, also recalled discussing hacking. The two men first worked together at The Sun, where, Hoare said, he played tape recordings of hacked messages for Coulson. At News of the World, Hoare said he continued to inform Coulson of his pursuits. Coulson actively encouraged me to do it, Hoare said.”
Contacted by the New York Times, Bill Akass, the managing editor of the News of the World, dismissed unsubstantiated claims that misconduct at the paper was widespread and said that rigorous safeguards had been adopted to prevent unethical reporting tactics.
He accused The New York Times of writing about the case because of a rivalry with a competing media company. Presumably a reference to Rupert Murdoch’s ownership of the Wall Street Journal.

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Jon Slattery New York Times probes NoW phone hacking

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Democrats: Trick or Vote, November 2010

Comprehensive sexuality education isn’t just about body parts, or condoms, or diseases. It’s also about life skills, confidence, and community. And this kind of engagement can lead not just to healthier and more just lives, but to advocacy work on sexual and reproductive rights and health issues. Our Brazilian partner Grupo Curumim runs a youth program, Cunhat, which works with young people to learn about the health and human rights of teenage and young women. Every year a new group of approximately 50 young people, ages 13 to 25, get training. A lot of them stick around to work with the next crop of young people, too. In the below video, meet two young people who have gone through Programa Cunhat and have stayed deeply involved in Grupo Curumim’s work.

Transcript below:

TEXT: Grupo Curumim is an organization based in Recife, Brazil that encourages women, young people, and adolescents to become active and engaged in their communities.

Curumim’s Programa Cunhat provides leadership training for youth ages 13 to 15, with an emphasis on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Meet Leo and Claudia from Grupo Curumim…

LEO: Well, my name is LeoLeandrobut people call me Leo for short. I prefer Leo. For more or less seven years now, I have been part of Grupo Curumim. In fact, I started in their training. I participated in all the training in the youth program, Cunhat, where people discuss controversial issues regarding awareness on topics such as womens rights, violence against women, gender relations, sexual and reproductive rights, and youth public policies for about one year. After a year of training I was invited to participate on the Curumim team. In fact, the young people from Cunhat came up with the idea of maintaining a core group to continue our activities. And those who were interested formed such a group and asked Curumim if we could continue to meet and discuss issues. The program agreed and said we could. So through this, we also started to do work for Curumim. It was great. We gave presentations; we traveled in the Northeast with Latin American youth networks, working at the municipal, state, and national levels. So we worked in a variety of areas.

CLAUDIA: My name is Claudia, I am 21 years old. I have been part of Cunhat since I was 14. It was very important in my life because I became much stronger on these issues, on sexual rights, reproductive rights, knowledge of my own body, and also for tackling the issue of violence against women, because I didnt understand at the time why it happened, how it happened. I grew up in an environment where I saw my mother being beaten by my father, and I thought that was normal, because our neighbor also wasall the women I knew were, so I thought that when I grew up I would be too. Cunhat showed me that violence against women was a crime and that no woman deserves such violence. So what I fight for now is to protect womens rights.

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Brazilian Youth on Their Experience of Comprehensive Sexuality Education

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Rivera, Garcia square off on the issues

Nadine Neave is half the woman she used to be. The mother-of-four has gone from 20 stone to 10 stone without the aid of any weight-loss surgery.

Nadine Neave is half the woman she used to be. The mother-of-four has gone from 20 stone to 10 stone without the aid of any weight-loss surgery.

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Nadine cuts her weight by half to help her son

The Seattle Times KABUL, Afghanistan – Blood tests have confirmed that cases of mass sickness at girls schools across the country over the past two years were caused by a powerful poison gas , an Afghan official said Tuesday. Ministry of Public Health spokesman Dr

The Seattle Times

KABUL, Afghanistan – Blood tests have confirmed that cases of mass sickness at girls schools across the country over the past two years were caused by a powerful poison gas, an Afghan official said Tuesday.

Ministry of Public Health spokesman Dr. Kargar Norughli said his ministry and the World Health Organization had been testing the blood of victims in 10 mass sickenings and had confirmed the presence of toxic but not fatal levels of organophosphates.

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Poison gas used on girls school, Afghan official says

They study El Mio Cid, Spain's oldest epic poem, in Spanish. They analyze mystery literature written by Frenchman Georges Simenon in Italian. They learn Algebra II, geometry and statistics in French.

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More high school students learning in other languages

This is no mirage — or hallucination — brought on by the August heat: The Emmy awards really are being handed out Sunday on NBC. And if you're wondering why they're being staged almost a month ahead of schedule, there are 8.7 million good reasons.

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Emmy 2010: TV’s annual lovefest comes early this year