Raging Australia bushfires kill at least 35

Deadly bushfires raged on in southeast Australia on Sunday despite cooler temperatures and scores of firefighters trying to control the flames. At least 35 people have died in the fires, authorities said Sunday “Unfortunately those numbers will increase as we move through the day,” said Kieran Walshe, deputy police commissioner of the state of Victoria, told CNN on Sunday, adding that police are investigating possible instances of arson. “We do believe some of the fires are the result of human intervention,” he said

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NZ PM’s mishap is lucky break for charity

An Internet auction to sell off the plaster cast that New Zealand Prime Minister John Key wore when he broke his right arm has raised close to NZ$ 20,000 for charity. The online auction ended Sunday with a winning bid of NZ$18,500 (US$ 9,362), according to the New Zealand shopping Web site TradeMe, which conducted the bidding. The prime minister broke his arm in two places on January 17 when he tripped on some stairs at a Chinese New Year event in Auckland

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Galaxy reject initial Milan bid for Beckham

David Beckham will have to return to the Los Angeles Galaxy next month unless AC Milan raise their bid for the England midfielder — the LA Times have reported. Speaking for the first time on Beckham’s wish for a permanent move to Milan, Tim Leiweke — chief executive of Galaxy owners AEG — told the newspaper that an offer received by the club had been too low and time was running out to meet the Major League Soccer outfit’s valuation. On Wednesday, Beckham expressed his desire to convert his current short-term loan with Milan into a permanent move and walk out on a five-year contract he signed with the Galaxy in 2007.

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French toxic ship ends global odyssey

A ship laden with toxic substances is due to arrive in northeast England for recycling Sunday, ending an odyssey that has seen it turned away from at least three other countries. The French Navy spent years looking for a site that would decommission the former aircraft carrier Clemenceau, now known simply as the Q790

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Top Iranian reformer to challenge Ahmadinejad, reports say

Ending weeks of speculation, former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami announced Sunday that he will run against the hardline incumbent, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, according to Iranian media reports. “I declare that I will stand for the next elections,” Khatami told reporters on Sunday, according to Iran’s state-run news agency, IRNA.

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