MEXICO CITY – The swine flu epidemic crossed new borders Tuesday with the first cases confirmed in the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region, as the number of deaths in Mexico blamed on the virus surpassed 150. With the swine flu having already spread to at least six other countries besides Mexico, authorities around the globe are like firefighters battling a blaze without knowing how far it extends. "At this time, containment is not a feasible option," said Keiji Fukuda, assistant director-general of the World Health Organization, which raised its alert level on Monday. New Zealand reported Tuesday that 11 people who recently...
MoreFidel says Obama "misinterpreted" conciliatory remarks by Raul on U.S.-Cuba relations. HAVANA - Fidel Castro wrote in an essay published yesterday that President Obama had "misinterpreted" his brother Raul's seeming conciliatory remarks regarding the United States, and he bristled at the suggestion that Cuba should free political prisoners or cut taxes on dollars that Cuban Americans send to the island. His comments put into doubt the true meaning of his brother's statements and raised questions about Cuba's position on detente with the United States. Although he surrendered the presidency to Raul in February 2008, Fidel Castro retains enormous influence and remains head of...
MoreA Boston University medical student who appeared in court Tuesday on a murder charge searched Craigslist to find his victims, prosecutors say, highlighting the potential dangers of social networking websites. Police in Boston and Warwick, R.I., say Philip Markoff, 23, may have preyed on other women he found on the website, where people can post most ads for free, says Jake Wark, a spokesman for the district attorney in Suffolk County, Mass., who brought the charges. A judge ordered Markoff jailed without bail. R.I. POLICE: Case similar to Boston Craigslist slaying He is charged with murdering one woman and robbing and kidnapping another....
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