India: Claims disabled kids buried during eclipse

Authorities are investigating reports that disabled children in India were buried up to their necks during this week’s solar eclipse as a supposed remedy for their handicaps. Officials said Thursday they were looking into reports that some 34 children aged 2 to 7 were buried in sand up to their chins — with the consent of the parents — in the belief that doing so during an eclipse would cure the children of their disabilities

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Credit Suisse Q2 profits climb by 29 percent

Credit Suisse on Thursday became the latest major bank to report a strong second quarter showing as its net profit rose by 29 percent to 1.57 billion Swiss Francs ($1.41 billion.) In a statement the Swiss banking giant attributed its performance to a “reduced-risk business model providing the basis for more sustainable, high-quality, lower volatility earning.” Its Investment banking arm, which incurred much of the blame for the bank’s record losses last year, weighed in with pre-tax profits of 1.66 billion Swiss Francs ($1.55 billion). Overall earnings rose by 10 percent to 8.6 billion Swiss Francs ($8.07 billion) from 7.7 billion Swiss Francs ($7.2 billion) a year earlier.

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Israel strips ‘catastrophe’ of nation’s birth from books

Israeli textbooks for Arab school children will no longer say that Arabs refer to the period surrounding the birth of Israel as al-Nakba, or "the catastrophe," Israel’s education minister said Wednesday. In a statement explaining the decision, Gideon Sa’ar said there is “no reason” for the birth of Israel “to be presented as a ‘catastrophe or shoah.'” After Israel was created in 1948, a war broke out between the Israelis and Arabs, and some 700,000 Palestinians either fled or were expelled from their homes. Arabs commemorate the displacement every year with Nakba Day

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Assault charges dropped against Kiefer Sutherland

Misdemeanor assault charges have been dropped against "24" star Kiefer Sutherland in a head-butting incident at a New York City nightclub, according to Alicia Maxey Greene, spokeswoman for the Manhattan District Attorney’s office. “We decided to drop the charge after a full investigation, including after speaking to a complaining witness, who was uncooperative,” Greene told CNN Tuesday. The charges stem from an incident in which Sutherland allegedly head-butted designer Jack McCollough at a New York City nightclub in May.

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Zelaya to announce return to Honduras

Ahead of a third and possibly final round of talks between two disputed governments of Honduras on Wednesday, ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya told CNN he was looking at other options to gain his return to power. Zelaya, who was toppled in a military-led coup on June 28, said he will publicly announce his return as early as this week

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Bombers dressed as women kill three Afghan officers

Seven suicide bombers dressed as women targeted Afghan police officers about 60 miles from the capital on Tuesday, a police commander said. Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan, the uncle of the groom, did not attend the wedding, according to witnesses

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Blast injures 50 at wedding for nephew of Fatah leader

A large explosion late Tuesday at a wedding party for relatives of a Fatah leader injured at least 50 people in Gaza, Palestinian medical sources said. Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan, the uncle of the groom, did not attend the wedding, according to witnesses. The cause of the explosion, which occurred at 11:10 p.m

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