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1
Hurricanes
by AFP 207 views
People on a storm-battered island in Japan took shelter Friday, as another typhoon -- one of two looming in the Pacific -- looked set to sideswipe the coast. Officials in in Oshima advised people in all areas of the island to prepare for evacuation. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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2
Credit rating agencies
by AFP 104 views
uropean stock markets fell at the start of trading on Friday, after the Standard and Poor's agency downgraded France's credit rating by one notch to "AA," with outlook stable.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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3
The world's warmest decade
by AFP 165 views
UN climate talks resume in Warsaw on Monday amid a slew of warnings about a potentially disastrous rise in greenhouse-gas emissions. The world has warmed since the start of the Industrial Revolution with rising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases -- emitted by human activity -- partly to blame for a whole variety of deadly weather extremes, such has heatwaves. 2001-2010 was the hottest decade since records began.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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4
Iran's nuclear programme
by AFP 237 views
A fresh round of talks between Iran and world powers kicks off in Geneva Thursday amid guarded hopes a deal may finally be possible in the standoff over Tehran's nuclear programme. The West and Israel suspect Iran's nuclear drive may be aimed at developing atomic weapons, but the Islamic republic insists the programme is only for the generation of electricity and medical purposes.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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5
Israel and the Palestinian Territories
by AFP 233 views
US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived Thursday in Jordan for talks with King Abdullah II and Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in his latest push for Middle East peace between the Palestinians and Israel. Kerry is striving to keep the fragile talks on track amid recriminations on both sides following three months of direct talks that have apparently made little progress in resolving the decades-old conflict.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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6
Coltan
by AFP 129 views
The electronics industry needs vast quantities of raw materials, a large proportion of which are mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country is home to the majority of the world's deposits of coltan, used in devices such as mobile phones, tablet computers, PCs, digital cameras and game consoles.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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7
John F. Kennedy's assassination
by AFP 11,035 views
Americans are marking the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The iconic leader was shot dead on November 22, 1963, as he travelled with his wife Jacqueline in a motorcade through downtown Dallas, Texas. His presumed killer, Lee Harvey Oswald, was himself shot dead before being tried, leaving many questions surrounding the president's death unanswered. A videographic detailing the final moments of Kennedy's life and a crime that shocked the world. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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8
French Alps shooting
by AFP 215 views
French police hope to revive their probe into the killing of a British-Iraqi family in the Alps following the release Monday of an identikit image of a mysterious motorcyclist. Investigators have put forward numerous theories for the 2012 shooting of Saad al-Hilli, his wife and her mother, including the possibility of an inheritance dispute involving Hilli's brother Zaid, who was arrested by British police in June. He was subsequently released and has protested his innocence.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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10
Brazil's pre-salt oil reserves
by AFP 374 views
Buried beneath several kilometres of ocean, vast reserves of deep-water "pre-salt" oil lie off the southeast coast of Brazil. Experts say the fields, discovered in 2006, could yield a million barrels of crude per day within five years, potentially turning the country into one of the world's biggest exporters.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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11
The European Union
by AFP 568 views
The Maastricht came into force 20 years ago, committing European Union member states to an ambitious programme of closer political and economic cooperation, all coordinated in Brussels. Originally a six-nation bloc created in 1957, the EU family is today composed of 28 members.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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12
Japan China disputed islands
by AFP 986 views
Beijing is jeopardising peace in a row with Tokyo over disputed islands, Japan's defence minister said Tuesday, days after China warned any bid to shoot down its drones would constitute "an act of war". Itsunori Onodera's comments are likely to further heighten fears that the two countries could be sliding towards conflict over the islands in the East China Sea known as the Senkakus in Japan and the Diaoyus in China.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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13
The future of education
by AFP 1,046 views
Digital pens, holograms and tactile learning platforms could all become the norm as education looks set to change dramatically over the next 30 years. With technology dominating in- and outside the classroom, interconnectivity is likely to play a key role in helping students adapt to the changing world around them.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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14
Daylight Saving Time
by AFP 1,831 views
Many countries observe Daylight Saving Time, meaning this weekend they will put back their clocks to "shorten" the dark winter evenings.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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15
Strokes
by AFP 144 views
The number of stroke cases among people aged 20 to 64 has surged by 25 percent in the last 20 years, according to a new report published by British medical journal The Lancet. Strokes are sudden and have an immediate effect. They occur when the brain's vital supply of oxygen and nutrients is cut off, often by a clot, fat or air bubble. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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16
Guns in the US
by AFP 520 views
The United States holds the world record number of firearms per habitant -- a total of 270 to 310 million guns. In 2011 more than 11,000 people were killed by gunshot, out of a total 16,000 murders in the country. Mass shootings in public places have become more frequent.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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17
The British royal family
by AFP 591 views
Britain's Prince George, the son of Prince William and his wife Catherine, is to be christened on Wednesday in a private family ceremony far removed from the global media circus that surrounded his birth. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the head of the world's Anglicans, will perform the christening at the Chapel Royal in St James's Palace in London, Kensington Palace said.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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18
Palm oil
by AFP 200 views
Oreo cookies and Gillette shaving cream are among products driving the destruction of Indonesia's forests, Greenpeace said Tuesday. In its report "Licence to Kill", the organization said Singapore-based Wilmar International, the world's biggest palm oil processor, was sourcing its oil from illegally cleared land and destroying the habitat of critically endangered Sumatran tigers.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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19
Global arms trade
by AFP 494 views
The global arms trade is worth an estimated 80 billion dollars. In September, Italy became the first EU state to ratify the UN's Arms Trade Treaty, which is intended to stop weapons supplies to countries at war or that abuse human rights. Each year an estimated 500,000 people die as a result of armed violence. The UN's annual disarmament week runs until October 25.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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20
Saving Venice from flooding
by AFP 380 views
Flood-prone Venice has carried out the first test of its 5.4 billion euro ($7.3 billion) barrier system known as "Moses", designed to protect the Renaissance city from rising sea levels. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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21
Drones
by AFP 855 views
Drones are unmanned, remotely-operated aircraft. The US has increasingly relied on them over the past 10 years for carrying out combat missions in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Drone strikes are usually aimed at targeting Islamic extremists in areas where national governments have limited control. But on the ground they're often deeply unpopular -- some critics say by inadvertently killing civilians they breed even more extremism.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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22
Lab-grown meat
by AFP 224 views
Scientists unveiled the world's first lab-grown beef burger in August, serving it up fried to volunteers in London in what they hope is the start of a food revolution. The UN food agency FAO marks World Food Day on Wednesday October 16, 2013.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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23
South Africa's challenges
by AFP 335 views
Former president Nelson Mandela retired from any public activity nearly a decade ago. In his absence, South Africa's political, economic and social systems would be unlikely to change dramatically but many in the country are striving to safeguard his legacy of peace and tolerance.Videographic
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24
Iran's nuclear programme
by AFP 2,146 views
In a diplomatic breakthrough, the foreign ministers of arch rivals, the United States and Iran, will hold their first talks on Tehran's contested nuclear drive on Thursday. The landmark meeting between Secretary of State John Kerry and new Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif comes as Tehran calls for the easing of crippling international sanctions over its uranium enrichment.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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25
Earthquakes
by AFP 740 views
Pakistan's military Wednesday rushed to reach the scene of a huge earthquake that killed more than 230 people and toppled thousands of mud-built homes when it hit the country's southwest with enough force to create a new island off the coast. The 7.7-magnitude quake struck on Tuesday afternoon in Baluchistan province's Awaran district.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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26
Black holes
by AFP 335 views
Black holes are the most powerful known forces in the universe. They grow by gobbling up stars or merging with other black holes. This means they're packed full of space matter and not really "holes" at all. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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27
Ocean acidification
by AFP 290 views
Greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, is one of the main reasons for the acidification of the world's oceans. A quarter of carbon dioxide emissions -- more than two billion tonnes of the gas -- are absorbed by the oceans each year, leading marine scientists from the International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO) warned.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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28
Destroying chemical weapons
by AFP 357 views
The United Nations has warned inspectors face a year-long mission of unprecedented danger as they attempt to seize and dispose of Syria's huge chemical weapons arsenal, estimated at 1,000 tonnes. Arms experts, logistics and security personnel in the country have already started the complex distruction process.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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29
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
by AFP 700 views
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a huge mass of rubbish, or trash vortex, held in place in the north-east of the Pacific Ocean by swirling underwater currents. This build-up of marine debris is a danger to many marine mammals, birds and underwater ecosystems as a whole.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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32
Egypt's military
by AFP 181 views
At least 50 people were killed in clashes between Islamists and police in Egypt on Sunday, as thousands of the military's supporters marked the anniversary of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. Loyalists of deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, overthrown in July, tried to converge on a central Cairo square for the anniversary celebrations, when police confronted them.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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33
Solar storms
by AFP 380 views
Solar cycles last about 11 years on average. Each time the sun reaches a certain stage of its cycle it is prone to increased activity and eruptions -- these are known as solar or magnetic storms. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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34
Space tourism
by AFP 280 views
Flying to space remains a privilege reserved for an elite few, but as private companies invest in the sector, imaginative tour operators are already dreaming of a new era of space travel.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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35
Endangered species
by AFP 444 views
Reviving species driven to extinction could be possible within the next few years, according to some experts. Biogeneticists believe genetic material teased from preserved tissues could be used to help clone animals. Some 20,000 of the world's plant and animal species are currently threatened with extinction according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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36
Deep-sea fishing
by AFP 235 views
As fish get smaller under Man's environmental impact, they become more exposed to predators, which means a crucial food source will become more endangered than scientists previously thought. Humans are changing marine ecosystems worldwide, directly through fishing and indirectly through global warming. Deep-sea fishing is one technique affecting marine biodiversity as a whole. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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37
The electronic cigarette
by AFP 336 views
Invented in Asia about a decade ago, the electronic cigarette has taken off among smokers, many of whom see it as a cheaper alternative to tobacco and a good way of giving up. Even some non-smokers are also starting to use them. The jury is still out however on the potential health risks linked, for example, to solvents used in the devices. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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39
Turkey under AKP rule
by AFP 761 views
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday announced his government would lift a ban on wearing headscarves in public institutions as part of reforms to boost rights. In mid-2013 demonstrations spread across Turkey over what protesters saw as Erdogan's growing authoritarianism and the creeping Islamisation of their country. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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40
Heart attacks
by AFP 212 views
Cardiovascular diseases are the biggest cause of death and disability across the world; each year some 7.5 million people across the world die from heart attacks. Eating healthily and regular exercise are among ways of avoiding heart attacks. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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41
Arctic Ocean oil and gas reserves
by AFP 807 views
Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to discuss the exploitation of Arctic resources when he meets his Finnish and Icelandic counterparts at a forum in the Russian town of Salekhard on Wednesday. The Arctic region is a vast repository of untapped oil and gas reserves.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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42
Multiple sclerosis
by AFP 645 views
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease affecting the central nervous system. MS can be unpredictable, with symptoms varying dramatically from one person to another. They can be mild, such as numbness in limbs, or severe, including paralysis and blindness. The onset of the disease generally occurs among young adults, usually around the age of 30.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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43
The world's warmest decade
by AFP 395 views
The world has warmed since the start of the Industrial Revolution. Rising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases -- emitted by human activity -- are partly to blame for a whole variety of deadly weather extremes -- such has heatwaves -- currently experienced across the world. 2001-2010 was the hottest decade since records began. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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44
Alzheimer's disease
by AFP 1,266 views
More than 100 years after it was first discovered to be decaying a patient's brain, Alzheimer's remains one of medicine's greatest challenges as it robs ever more people of their memory and independence.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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45
Gibraltar
by AFP 451 views
A team of EU monitors will go to the Spanish border with Gibraltar next week to help defuse a feud between Spain and Britain, the European Commission said on Tuesday. Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in perpetuity in 1713 but has long argued that it should be returned to Spanish sovereignty. London says it will not do so against the wishes of Gibraltarians, who are staunchly pro-British.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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46
Shale gas
by AFP 284 views
Shale is a sedimentary rock found in huge deposits across the world. Exploitable reserves are currently estimated at 206,000 billion cubic metres, roughly the equivalent of conventional gas reserves. Gas can be extracted from shale rock in a process known as fracking.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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47
Turkey under AKP rule
by AFP 340 views
Riot police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse anti-government protesters in several Turkish cities overnight Monday, as demonstrations against the Islamic-rooted cabinet simmered across the country, media reported. Several people have died since protests against the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- seen as increasingly authoritarian -- began in June.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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48
West Bank Barrier
by AFP 729 views
Twenty years after the historic Oslo accords, seen then as the cornerstone of an imminent peace settlement, the goals of ending the decades-old conflict and paving the way for Palestinian statehood appear as distant as ever. One key source of dischord is the West Bank Barrier. Israel approved its construction in the summer of 2002 following a campaign of suicide bombings carried out by Palestinian militants. Israel describes the structure as a security barrier with no political significance. But some Palestinians view it as a way of protecting settlements and securing areas for expansion.vIDEOGRAPHIC
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49
NORTH KOREA NUCLEAR
by AFP 3,532 views
North Korea appears to have restarted a reactor that produces plutonium. Russia has warned that the ageing facility is in such a 'nightmarish state' that it could cause a disaster.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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50
Japan China disputed islands
by AFP 1,284 views
The sovereignty of a group of islands in the East China Sea has been a source of friction between Japan and China for decades. Known as the Senkakus in Japan and the Diaoyus in China, relations remain tense between the two countries, a year after the Japanese government nationalised the islands.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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51
SEPTEMBER 11
by AFP 15,131 views
The US prepares to mark the twelfth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks which claimed nearly 3,000 lives.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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52
German election
by AFP 221 views
Europe's biggest economic power Germany heads to the polls on September 22. Chancellor Angela Merkel is seeking a third term in office.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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53
Israel Iron Dome missile shield
by AFP 985 views
Israel has deployed its Iron Dome missile defence system near Jerusalem, as the United States lobbied for domestic and international support for military strikes against Syria.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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54
French language across the world
by AFP 574 views
The word 'francophonie' was first employed in 1880 to refer to people and countries using the French language globally. Today there are more than 220 million French speakers, making the language the second most spoken mother tongue within the European Union and the fifth most spoken in the world.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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55
The America's Cup
by AFP 656 views
Oracle Team USA, holders of the America's Cup since 2010, will defend the trophy against Emirates Team New Zealand in San Francisco Bay, California from Saturday.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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56
The FARC
by AFP 184 views
Colombia's government and leftist FARC rebels are holding peace talks in the Cuban capital Havana. President Juan Manuel Santos has said he hopes an agreement can be reached early next year to end Latin America's oldest insurgency, which began nearly 50 years ago.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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57
Syria Refugees
by AFP 939 views
More than two million Syrians have now fled their country, the UNHCR said Tuesday. In addition to those living abroad as refugees, some 4.25 million people have been displaced within the devastated country since the conflict began in March 2011. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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58
Germany's election
by AFP 2,620 views
Three weeks before German elections, Chancellor Angela Merkel will face her rival in a televised debate Sunday, giving Social Democrat Peer Steinbrueck a last-ditch chance to revive a limping campaign. Germans elect a new Bundestag -- their lower house of parliament - on September 22.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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59
French Alps shooting
by AFP 551 views
A year after four people were shot dead in the French Alps, little progress has been made in solving the crime. British-Iraqi Saad al-Hilli, his wife and mother-in-law were found dead inside a BMW estate car near Lake Annecy, each with several bullet wounds to the head. A French cyclist was also killed in the shooting.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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60
Earthquakes
by AFP 457 views
Earthquakes are the world's deadliest and most damaging natural disasters. Caused by movements of the Earth's tectonic plates, some regions are at constant risk. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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61
Child labour
by AFP 202 views
Thousands of child labourers as young as eight are mining gold in grim conditions in Tanzania, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday. While boys dig in unstable pits, girls around the small-scale mines face sexual harassment and pressure to become prostitutes. Child labour affects 215 million youngsters worldwide.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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62
The America's Cup
by AFP 301 views
After winning the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series, Emirates Team New Zealand prepare to go head-to-head with defending champions Oracle Team USA in the America's Cup yachting series in September.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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63
Syria's refugees
by AFP 915 views
The number of children who have fled war-torn Syria hit one million Friday, while two million have been displaced within their homeland's borders by the conflict, the United Nations said. Children make up half of all refugees from more than two years of conflict in Syria.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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64
Sarin
by AFP 10,176 views
Sarin is a deadly agent which attacks the body's nervous system. There is currently no proof sarin was used in Syria on Wednesday, but experts told AFP that symptoms seen in victims of an alleged chemical attack near Damascus could have been caused by a nerve gas.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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65
The death penalty in 2012
by AFP 717 views
Saudi Arabia on Tuesday beheaded two nationals convicted of murdering a Syrian and of armed robbery, the interior ministry said. Despite a global trend towards abolishing the death penalty, hundreds of executions still take place each year. China led the top five of nations using the death penalty in 2012, followed by Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United States.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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66
The causes of flooding
by AFP 1,510 views
Devastating floods at opposite ends of China have left dozens of people dead and forced hundreds of thousands to leave their homes in recent days, officials and state media said Monday. Meanwhile torrential rain paralysed large parts of the Philippine capital Manila as neck-deep water swept through homes.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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67
The British royal family
by AFP 2,041 views
Britain's Prince William is due to give his first interview since becoming a father to the American channel CNN on Monday. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge became parents in July when their son George Alexander Louis was born.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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68
The America's Cup
by AFP 679 views
The best-of-13 Louis Vuitton Cup finals are set to start on Saturday with two races, launching a series that will produce the challenger to take on defenders Oracle Team USA in the America's Cup finals in September.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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69
Shale gas
by AFP 1,217 views
British energy firm Cuadrilla on Friday announced it was cutting back its activities at a site in south England as over 1,000 protesters prepare for a six-day "action camp". The company specialises in hydraulic fracturing for shale gas, a controversial technique known as "fracking".VIDEOGRAPHIC
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70
Egypt's military
by AFP 933 views
Security forces backed by bulldozers moved in Wednesday on two huge protest camps set up in Cairo by supporters of Egypt's ousted president Mohamed Morsi, launching a long-threatened crackdown that left dozens dead and injured. The crackdown came just hours after the United States urged the military-backed interim government to allow Morsi supporters to protest freely.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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71
Israel's Iron Dome
by AFP 25,186 views
Israel's Iron Dome battery intercepted and destroyed a rocket fired from Egyptian territory at the Red Sea town of Eilat overnight, Israeli public radio said Tuesday. A jihadist group had earlier said they fired a Grad rocket at Eilat in retaliation for an alleged Israeli air raid.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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72
Avalanches
by AFP 253 views
Two Italians died overnight Tuesday after they were swept away by an avalanche while climbing in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps, local officials said. Six climbers were caught up in the avalanche as they were ascending Mont Blanc du Tacul, at an altitude of 4,200 metres. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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73
The FARC
by AFP 203 views
Colombia's government and leftist FARC rebels are holding peace talks in the Cuban capital Havana. Having reached a deal on land reforms the two sides are discussing the second item on a five-point agenda. President Juan Manuel Santos has said he hopes an agreement can be reached early next year to end Latin America's oldest insurgency, which began nearly 50 years ago.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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75
World piracy
by AFP 469 views
Families of some of the more than 50 sailors and fishermen held hostage by Somali pirates begged for their release Thursday, with some imprisoned now for more than two years. Attacks off Somalia's coastline have dropped dramatically in the past two years, but piracy in the region and elsewhere in the world remains a serious problem.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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76
Fukushima nuclear disaster
by AFP 1,765 views
Japan will accelerate efforts to prevent more radioactive groundwater from seeping into the ocean at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, government officials said Wednesday. A massive tsunami in March 2011 sent the utility's reactors into meltdown and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents in the worst atomic accident since Chernobyl in 1986.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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79
The America's Cup
by AFP 224 views
The America's Cup title holders, Oracle Team USA, prepare to face one of three challengers in this year's competition. Racing will be held in San Francisco Bay in California in September after the Louis Vuitton qualifying event.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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80
Drones
by AFP 997 views
Secretary of State John Kerry has said US drone strikes in Pakistan could end "very soon", in unusually outspoken remarks welcomed in Islamabad but immediately downplayed by American aides. It is the first time such a senior member of the US administration has indicated there could be a definitive end to the programme, which the CIA has in the past called an effective counter-terrorism weapon.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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81
Iran's nuclear programme
by AFP 929 views
Iran has said new sanctions approved by the US House of Representatives aimed at curbing Tehran's controversial nuclear drive will only serve to complicate efforts to negotiate a solution. The House approved the new measures on Wednesday as a means to prevent Iran gaining nuclear weapons capability, sending a signal to Tehran before its new president is sworn in in parliament on Sunday.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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82
Child labour
by AFP 279 views
Child labour affects 215 million youngsters worldwide. Despite recent progress the international community remains a long way off meeting its target-- agreed in The Hague in 2010 -- of eliminating the worst forms of child labour by 2016.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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83
Russia and Syria's historical ties
by AFP 3,907 views
Russia has continued to support and supply weapons to the Syrian regime since the uprising began in Syria in March 2011. The Kremlin's close ties with Damascus date back to the Soviet era.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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84
Israel and the Palestinian territories
by AFP 3,462 views
US Secretary of State John Kerry will Monday host the resumption of direct peace negotiations, stalled for three years, between Israel and the Palestinians.VIDEOGRAPHICS
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85
Space tourism
by AFP 652 views
Flying to space remains a privilege reserved for an elite few, but as private companies invest in the sector, imaginative tour operators are already dreaming of a new era of space travel.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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86
Spain train crash
by AFP 1,653 views
The focus of a probe into a deadly train derailment in northwestern Spain has turned to the driver. Identified by local media as Francisco Jose Garzon Amo, 52, he was under police surveillance in hospital after the train hurtled off the tracks late Wednesday while apparently going at twice the speed limit. (Update)VIDEOGRAPHIC
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87
The British royal family
by AFP 1,312 views
Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate have announced their newborn baby would be called George Alexander Louis. Videographic showing the British royal family tree.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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88
Disputed East China Sea islands
by AFP 901 views
Four Chinese coastguard ships were Wednesday near islands at the centre of a major territorial dispute, Japan's coastguard said, the first time that agency's vessels have entered the fray. The ships, bearing the legend "China Coast Guard", were spotted by Japanese crews in the contiguous waters of the Senkaku islands, which Beijing claims as the Diaoyus.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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89
The British royal family
by AFP 2,760 views
Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate were celebrating on Monday after she gave birth to a baby boy, providing the royal family with a future king and sparking a global media frenzy.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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90
Earthquakes
by AFP 524 views
Dozens of people were killed and hundreds severely injured when two shallow earthquakes hit northwest China early Monday, officials said. The 5.9- and 5.6-magnitude quakes struck Dingxi in the remote and mountainous Gansu province.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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91
South Africa's challenges
by AFP 309 views
Former president Nelson Mandela retired from any public activity nearly a decade ago. In his absence, South Africa's political, economic and social systems would be unlikely to change dramatically but many in the country are striving to safeguard his legacy of peace and tolerance.Videographic
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92
Syria's refugees
by AFP 211 views
Nearly 1.8 million Syrians have fled the conflict in their country according to the United Nations. The vast majority have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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93
COVERING UP IN THE SUN
by AFP 152 views
The benefits of a suntan are well-known -a toned-up healthy look, a lift to the spirits and, perhaps most importantly, exposure to the essential vitamin D. Ultra-violet rays still have a detrimental effect - and are even more dangerous when you cannot feel their heat. But it can be easily avoided.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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94
Making a nuclear weapon
by AFP 439 views
Making a nuclear weapon is a long and complex process. To generate power, uranium is enriched to just five percent. To make a nuclear bomb it must be enriched to at least 90 percent. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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95
Credit rating agencies
by AFP 159 views
Credit rating agency Standard & Poor's affirmed on Friday the top-notch triple-A rating for German sovereign debt, saying Europe's top economy could withstand any shocks from the eurozone crisis.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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96
Chechnya
by AFP 385 views
The Russian republic of Chechnya is situated in the North Caucasus region. In the last 20 years Moscow has fought two wars against separatist rebels in the small mountainous area, during which thousands of people died. A militant insurgency continues to this day, having spread to neighbouring regions and turning from nationalist to increasingly Islamist rhetoric.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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97
The Koreas: Sixty years of conflict
by AFP 382 views
North and South Korea fought a bitter war in the 1950s, in which an estimated two to four million people died or disappeared. Despite agreeing to a ceasefire in 1953 a formal peace treaty has never been signed, meaning the two sides could technically be considered 'at war'.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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98
Nuclear fusion
by AFP 678 views
Some scientists say nuclear fusion may be the answer to meeting the world's increasing demand for energy. Providing a near-inexhaustible source, it could in theory generate four million times more power than coal, oil or natural gas. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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99
Built-in obsolescence
by AFP 601 views
Built-in obsolescence is a way of limiting the active life of a product to ensure customers need to regularly buy replacements.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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100
Costa Concordia wreck removal
by AFP 5,653 views
A major salvage operation is underway to stabilize the wreck of the Costa Concordia before floating it and towing it to a port for dismantling.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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101
Costa Concordia's final voyage
by AFP 751 views
On January 13, 2012, the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground at night off the Tuscan coast and pitched over onto its side, leaving 32 people dead.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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102
Palm oil
by AFP 1,155 views
Global demand for palm oil -- an edible oil used in everyday goods ranging from soap to lipstick and biscuits -- is booming. Inexpensive, its use is widespread but nutritionists point to health concerns linked to its consumption. The rapid expansion of palm oil plantations is also behind major deforestation, particularly in Indonesia.VIDEOGRAPHICS
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103
Drones
by AFP 4,681 views
A US drone attack struck a compound of the Al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network in Pakistan's northwestern tribal belt early Wednesday, killing at least 17 militants, Pakistani officials said. Unmanned aircraft fired four missiles into the compound in the main market area of Miranshah in North Waziristan district, Pakistan's most notorious hub of Islamist militants.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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104
The America's Cup
by AFP 1,510 views
The America's Cup title holders, Oracle Team USA, prepare to face one of three challengers in this year's competition. Racing will be held in San Francisco Bay in California in September after the Louis Vuitton qualifying event, which gets underway on July 7.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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106
Earthquakes
by AFP 1,631 views
A strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck the northwestern Indonesian province of Aceh on Tuesday. The quake hit inland at a depth of just 10 kilometres (6.2 miles), 55 kilometres south of Bireun and 72 kilometres southeast of Reuleuet, the US Geological Survey said.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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107
Israel and the Palestinian territories
by AFP 1,117 views
The Arab League recently flagged a shift in the terms of its 2002 peace initiative to incorporate mutual land swaps under an Israeli-Palestinian settlement -- a move welcomed by Washington. US Secretary of State John Kerry has recently visited the Middle East five times in as many months, as he seeks to breathe fresh life into Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, stalled since 2010.VIDEOGRAPHICS
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109
Black holes
by AFP 471 views
Black holes are the most powerful known forces in the universe. They grow by gobbling up stars or merging with other black holes. This means they're packed full of space matter and not really "holes" at all. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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110
Global illegal drugs trafficking
by AFP 604 views
New drugs, often sold under harmless names, are emerging fast and in great numbers according to the United Nation's 2013 World Drug Report. The use of traditional substances meanwhile seems to be declining in some parts of the world. Cannabis was still the most commonly used illegal drug with 3.9 percent of the global population aged 15-64 using it, the report found.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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111
Ariane 6
by AFP 328 views
An Arianespace Soyuz rocket lifted off from Kourou Spaceport in French Guiana on Tuesday. It forms part of a mission to launch a next-generation satellite network for improving telephone and internet connections in emerging markets. Having recently expanded its rocket family, Europe boasts various launchers. Its future space missions are to be spearheaded by Ariane 6.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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112
The death penalty in 2012
by AFP 579 views
Despite a global trend towards abolishing the death penalty, 682 executions were recorded in 21 countries in 2012. China led the top five of nations to use the death penalty, followed by Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United States.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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113
Global arms trade
by AFP 289 views
The global arms trade is worth an estimated 80 billion dollars. Some 30 percent of all conventional weapon sales originate in the US, but Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia are also major suppliers.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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115
Class action lawsuits
by AFP 168 views
Class action lawsuits -- a type of collective action, often to sue a company -- originated in the United States. Generally a less expensive approach, which takes up less time in the courts, the European Union is considering whether class action-style lawsuits could have a place in European law. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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116
Croatia joins the European Union
by AFP 8,614 views
Croatia will become the 28th member of the European Union on July 1, a decade after it first launched its membership bid. Originally a six-nation bloc created in 1957, the EU family has been growing ever since.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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117
Technology cycles
by AFP 214 views
Developing and marketing a new innovation is a complicated process and there are many test stages a prototype has to go through before it is rolled out for mainstream use. Research group Gartner uses so-called hype cycles to describe these phases -- from the initial excitement or 'hype' surrounding an initial idea to the future failure or product launch. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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118
Earthquakes
by AFP 534 views
Earthquakes are the world's deadliest and most damaging natural disasters. Caused by movements of the Earth's tectonic plates, some regions are at constant risk.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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119
Test for Brazil's stadiums at FIFA Confederations Cup
by AFP 251 views
Brazil prepares to showcase its newly-renovated stadiums, which will also be 2014 World Cup venues, when the FIFA Confederations Cup kicks off on June 15, 2013. STADIUM IMAGES CREDIT: FIFA, Governo brasileiro, Odebrecht, Andrade Gutierrez, Andrade Mendonca, MinasArenaVIDEOGRAPHIC
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120
Solar Impulse
by AFP 205 views
The Solar Impulse is a single-person solar-powered aircraft. It runs on energy produced by 12,000 solar cells that power its propellers. The plane can fly at night by reaching a high elevation of 27,000 feet (8,230 meters) and then gently gliding downward, using almost no power until the sun comes up to begin recharging its solar cells.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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121
Solar storms
by AFP 301 views
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory in June captured footage of so-called sun tornados. Scientists expect to see increased solar activity in 2013 as the sun reaches a stage of its cycle which makes it more prone to eruptions. Videographic explaining the phenomenon of solar storms.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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122
Child labour
by AFP 948 views
Child labour affects 215 million youngsters worldwide. Despite recent progress the international community remains a long way off meeting its target - agreed in The Hague in 2010 - of eliminating the worst forms of child labour by 2016. The UN's World Day Against Child Labour is June 12, 2013.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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123
Sarin
by AFP 509 views
Sarin is a deadly nerve agent developed by Nazi scientists in the 1930s. Inhaled or absorbed through the skin, it kills by crippling the respiratory centre of the central nervous system and paralyses the muscles around the lungs. The combination results in death by suffocation.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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124
Iran's nuclear programme
by AFP 416 views
Ali Akbar Velayati, a conservative presidential contender, has reiterated the Islamic republic is not seeking nuclear weapons, which he said are banned by the Islamic religion, in an exclusive interview with AFP. Iran's controversial nuclear programme has for years been a point of contention between the Islamic republic and the P5+1 countries, the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia and Germany, who suspect the drive is aimed at developing atomic weapons.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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125
The causes of flooding
by AFP 1,395 views
Several people have died as torrential rains lashed central Europe on Sunday, forcing hundreds to leave their homes after floods and landslides. Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic sent in army units to help with rescue efforts after rains reached record levels in some areas.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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126
Mont Saint Michel an island again
by AFP 2,536 views
Mont Saint Michel, the World Heritage site in northern France which attracts 2.4 million tourists a year, will become a true island again in a few years' time as work continues to dredge the bay and remove sand and sediment that have built up around the granite rock for centuries.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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127
Test for Brazil's stadiums at FIFA Confederations Cup
by AFP 294 views
Brazil prepares to showcase its newly-renovated stadiums, which will also be 2014 World Cup venues, when the FIFA Confederations Cup kicks off on June 15, 2013. STADIUM IMAGES CREDIT: FIFA, Governo brasileiro, Odebrecht, Andrade Gutierrez, Andrade Mendonca, MinasArenaVIDEOGRAPHIC
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128
The electronic cigarette
by AFP 593 views
Tougher measures are needed to rein in tobacco use, which claims six million lives a year, according to the World Health Organization. The WHO called on governments worldwide to ban all forms of tobacco marketing ahead of World No Tobacco Day on May 31, 2013.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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129
State public deficit
by AFP 152 views
The European Commission releases Wednesday its assessments and recommendations of member states' economic and fiscal policies. Videographic explaining how state public deficit is calculated.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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130
The death penalty in 2012
by AFP 642 views
Papua New Guinea passed on Tuesday laws allowing execution. In 2012, six hundred and eighty-two executions were recorded in 21 countries. Despite a global trend towards abolishing the death penalty, a handful of countries resumed executions in 2012 after a several-year gap.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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131
The Farc
by AFP 260 views
Colombia and leftist FARC rebels say they have reached a deal on land reform, one of the most contentious items in negotiations aimed at ending five decades of insurgency. They are set to also discuss illicit drugs, decommissioning weapons and how to handle victims of the armed conflict.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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132
Earthquakes
by AFP 344 views
A massive undersea earthquake Friday in Russia's Far East prompted a tsunami warning and unleashed tremors across Russia including in Moscow around 10,000 kilometres away, but caused no casualties or damage. Meanwhile, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake also struck 255 kilometres (158 miles) southwest of Tonga on Friday, according to the US Geological Survey, with no reports of damage. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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133
Drones
by AFP 358 views
President Barack Obama has laid out new guidelines for drone strikes, telling Americans their country must confront a new era of diverse global threats and homegrown radicals. Drones are unmanned, remotely-operated aircraft. The US has increasingly relied on them over the past 10 years for carrying out combat missions in Afghanistan and Pakistan.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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134
Chechnya
by AFP 1,239 views
The Russian republic of Chechnya is situated in the North Caucasus region. In the last 20 years Moscow has fought two wars against separatist rebels in the small mountainous area, during which thousands of people died. A militant insurgency continues to this day, having spread to neighbouring regions and turning from nationalist to increasingly Islamist rhetoric.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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136
Global arms trade
by AFP 182 views
US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday discussed a $2.1 billion deal with Omani leaders to supply an American-made air-defence system to the Arab state. The global arms trade is worth an estimated 80 billion dollars with more than 30 percent of all conventional weapon sales originating in the US.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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137
Tornadoes
by AFP 1,865 views
A powerful tornado swept through an Oklahoma City suburb on Monday, tearing down blocks of homes, two schools and leaving dozens of people dead, including 20 children. The Midwestern state of Oklahoma lies in the so-called "Tornado Alley," a vast area from South Dakota to Texas that is prone to twisters.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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138
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
by AFP 400 views
Scientists are to set off on a research expedition to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch on May 20. The patch is a huge mass of rubbish held in place by swirling underwater currents in the north-east of the Pacific Ocean. This build-up of marine debris is a danger to many marine mammals, birds and underwater ecosystems.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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140
Sarin
by AFP 2,064 views
Sarin is a deadly nerve agent developed by Nazi scientists in the 1930s. Inhaled or absorbed through the skin, it kills by crippling the respiratory centre of the central nervous system and paralyses the muscles around the lungs. The combination results in death by suffocation.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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141
Iran's nuclear programme
by AFP 803 views
Enriched uranium is at the heart of the international community's concerns about Iran nuclear programme, since it can be used not only for peaceful purposes such as power generation but also - when highly purified - in a nuclear bomb.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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142
Guns in the US
by AFP 725 views
Unknown gunmen opened fire at a Mother's Day parade in New Orleans Sunday, wounding 19 people in an incident the FBI attributed to "street violence." Gun culture is deeply embedded in American society; the US holds the world record of between 270 and 310 million guns.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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143
Cannes Film Festival
by AFP 1,025 views
The French Riviera hosts the 66th Cannes Film Festival from May 15. Celebrities, directors and movie fans flock to the prestigious event each year as the race gets underway for the coveted Palme d'Or.VIDEOGRAPHICS
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144
Ocean acidification
by AFP 1,836 views
Scientists have expressed alarm over the rapid acidification of the Arctic Ocean caused by carbon dioxide emissions, which could have dire consequences on the region's fragile ecosystem. Acidity levels in the planet's oceans have risen by 30 percent since the start of the industrial era, according to delegates at a conference in Norway dedicated to the subject.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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145
Global drug trafficking
by AFP 1,710 views
US President Barack Obama heads to Costa Rica on Friday for a summit with Central American leaders on trade, immigration and the drug war. The leaders are expected to press Obama to step up US assistance against violent drug cartels that use the region as a stopover for US-bound cocaine. An estimated 230 million people around the world are drug-users. VIDEOGRAPHIC
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146
Emerging diseases
by AFP 807 views
Several Saudis have died of a new SARS-like virus during the past few days and two more are being treated in an intensive care unit, the health ministry said. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome triggered a scare 10 years ago when it erupted in east Asia, leaping to humans from animal hosts.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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147
The European Central Bank
by AFP 584 views
The European Central Bank convened in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava on Thursday to discuss a rate cut or other possible policy measures as it seeks to boost growth.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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148
Eurozone bailouts
by AFP 234 views
The European Commission publishes on Monday a quarterly report by the task force advising Greece on the reforms it must undertake to continue receiving disbursements under its international bailout package. Also on Monday, Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho is due to meet his Irish counterpart, Enda Kenny, in Lisbon to discuss the economic situation in both countries.VIDEOGRAPHIC
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149
State public deficit
by AFP 103 views
Spain's government, seeking to cut its deficit amidst a double-dip recession, is to unveil new measures Friday aimed at reviving the economy.VIDEOGRAPHIC
