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TOP STORIES
Great Lakes leaders call on east Congo rebels to halt war
GOMA/KAMPALA - Regional African leaders urge M23 rebels to
abandon their ambition to take over the Democratic Republic of
Congo and withdraw from a captured city, as the Congolese army
reinforces to try to block the rebel advance. (CONGO-DEMOCRATIC/
(UPDATE 1, PIX, TV), moving shortly, by Jonny Hogg and Elias
Biryabarema, 700 words)
+ See also:
CONGO-DEMOCRATIC/GOMA, TV, PIX, moving shortly.
CONGO-DEMOCRATIC/TALKS (UPDATE 1), moved.
At least 7 die in bombing of Shi'ite procession in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD - Roadside bomb kills at least seven people near a
Shi'ite procession in Pakistan, and security forces stay on high
alert over fears of more attacks on the minority sect across the
country. (PAKISTAN-SHI'ITES/VIOLENCE), (UPDATE 2, PIX, TV), by
Mehreen Zahra-Malik, 660 words)
Crisis over president's powers exposes Egypt divisions
CAIRO - Youths clash with police in Cairo as protests
against President Mohamed Mursi's assumption of new powers
stretch into a second day, confronting Egypt with a crisis that
exposes the split between Islamists and their opponents.
(EGYPT-PRESIDENT (UPDATE 2, PIX, TV), expect by 1700, by Tom
Perry, 800 words)
With truce taking hold, Israel eases restrictions in Gaza
GAZA - Israel eases restrictions on Gaza fishermen, further
implementing a three-day-old truce brokered by Egypt after a
week of fierce fighting, Palestinian officials say.
(ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS, moved, by Nidal al-Mughrabi, 400 words)
Thai police fire tear gas in clash with royalist protesters
BANGKOK - Thai police fire tear gas at stone-throwing
demonstrators and made dozens of arrests as thousands demand the
overthrow of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in the biggest
protest yet against her 16-month-old government.
(THAILAND-PROTEST/ (UPDATE 2, TV, PIX), moved, by Aukkarapon
Niyomyat and Amy Sawitta Lefevre, 700 words)
Scientist free after decade in jail for spying under Putin
KRASNOYARSK, Russia - A Russian scientist freed after nearly
a decade in jail for selling state secrets to China says
Vladimir Putin has become a tsar and is using the legal system
to punish opponents. (RUSSIA-SCIENTIST/ (UPDATE 1, TV, PIX),
moving shortly, by Gabriela Baczynska, 600 words)
EU budget summit ends without deal, retry in 2013
BRUSSELS - European Union leaders fail to reach agreement on
a new seven-year budget for their troubled bloc, calling off
talks in less than two days after most countries balked at far
deeper spending cuts demanded by Britain and its allies.
(EU-BUDGET/ (UPDATE 2, TV, PIX), moved, by Charlie Dunmore and
Luke Baker, 1,000 words)
Pope elevates six to group that will elect his successor
VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict elevates six prelates from the
United States, India, Nigeria, the Philippines, Lebanon and
Colombia to the rank of cardinal, chipping away at the European
domination of the elite group that will one day elect his
successor (POPE-CARDINALS), pix, tv, moved, by Philip Pullella,
650 words)
Arafat's body to be exhumed on Tuesday in murder inquiry
RAMALLAH - The body of the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat
will be exhumed on Tuesday, eight years after his death, in an
investigation to establish if he was murdered, a Palestinian
official says. (PALESTINIANS-ARAFAT/ by Jihan Abdalla, moved)
EUROPE
Immigrants and youth drive Catalan independence movement
BARCELONA, Spain - Immigrants from elsewhere in Spain and
youths frustrated over taxes and unemployment are driving a
resurgent Catalan independence movement expected to make
advances in local elections on Sunday (SPAIN-CATALONIA/, pix,
tv, moved, by Nigel Davies, 900 words)
LONDON - Aston Martin stands at the centre of an
international takeover battle after Indian motors group Mahindra
trumps an Italian bid for half of the British luxury carmaker
(ASTONMARTIN (UPDATE 2), by Danilo Masoni, expect by 1600, 500
words)
UNITED STATES
U.S. shoppers welcome early start to "Black Friday"
NEW YORK/BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - U.S. retailers declare their
experiment with earlier store openings to kick off the holiday
shopping season a success, with those new hours expected to be a
Thanksgiving night staple for more retailers next year.
(USA-RETAIL/HOLIDAY-BLACKFRIDAY (UPDATE 6, PIX, TV), moved, by
Phil Wahba and Dhanya Skariachan, 1,200 words)
Susan Rice battles critics as abrasive style takes toll
UNITED NATIONS/WASHINGTON - Susan Rice, close friend of
President Barack Obama and U.S. ambassador to the United
Nations, fighting for her political life and possibility of
being next secretary of state. (USA-DIPLOMAT/RICE (NEWSMAKER,
PIX), moved, by Lous Charbonneau and Susan Cornwell, 1,800
words)
+ See also:
USA-DIPLOMAT/RICE (NEWSMAKER), moved
AFRICA
Debate rages over Sudan's Bashir after "plot" arrests
KHARTOUM - Sudan's information minister had one clear
message after security agents moved in to arrest their former
spy chief - that a plot had been uncovered, the culprits had
been caught and the situation in the country was now "totally
stable". (SUDAN-TURMOIL/, moved, by Ulf Laessing and Khalid
Abdelaziz, 900 words)
MIDEAST
Syria says Turkey's bid for NATO missiles "provocative"
BEIRUT - Syria condemns Turkey's request for NATO to deploy
Patriot defensive missiles near their common border, calling it
"provocative" after a spate of clashes that has raised fear that
the Syrian civil war could embroil the wider region.
(SYRIA-CRISIS/ (WRAPUP 2, moved, by Erika Solomon, 1,000 words)
Saudi dynasty faces generational choice
RIYADH - Two royal deaths and two cabinet reshuffles in just
over a year have edged Saudi Arabia's ruling family towards a
tough decision: turning to a new generation after 60 years of
rule by sons of the founding patriarch. (SAUDI-KING/SUCCESSION,
moved, by Angus McDowall, 1,200 words)
TELEVISION
Larry Hagman, famous as "Dallas" villain J.R., dies at 81
Larry Hagman, who created one of American television's most
supreme villains in the conniving, amoral oilman J.R. Ewing of
"Dallas", dies at 81 (PEOPLE-HAGMAN/ (UPDATE 3), moved, by Bill
Trott, 900 words)