Taiwan death toll ‘higher than feared’

A typhoon that struck Taiwan and China earlier this month killed more people in Taiwan than previous estimates, the government announced. At least 376 people are now known to have died when Typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan, Taiwan’s Central Emergency Operation Center said Tuesday. At least 254 people are still missing, and at least 46 people were injured.

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President Ma says sorry again for typhoon response

Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou apologized again today for the slow response to Typhoon Morakot and said he plans sweeping changes to the country’s rescue agencies and may punish some government officials. “We will try our best to do a better job in the rescue work that has been criticized for being too slow,” said Ma. “There are things that we have to correct and we also will be responsible for whatever mistakes or neglect that government officials have made.” Morakot hit the island August 8, dropping 102 inches of rain.

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House of Commons report critical of Britain’s Afghan war effort

The British government should refocus its objectives in Afghanistan and concentrate on one priority: security, a House of Commons committee said in a report released Sunday. The report also criticizes the NATO mission in Afghanistan, saying the lack of a unified vision and strategy is jeopardizing the military alliance’s reputation. Britain has moved away from its initial goals of counterterrorism in Afghanistan and has started working on areas it isn’t able to handle alone, the Foreign Affairs Select Committee said in the report, which examines security in Afghanistan and Pakistan

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Webber claims breakthrough F1 victory

Mark Webber recovered from a disastrous start to claim his first victory in Formula One, winning the German Grand Prix on Sunday in a second successive 1-2 for his Red Bull team. The Australian, who started from pole for the first time in his eight-year career, was given a drive-through penalty after bashing into Rubens Barrichello to stop the Brawn driver from edging past him on the opening lap

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Why Is Condi Rice Joining the Torture Debate?

What prompted Condoleezza Rice to break a self-imposed silence on the Bush Administration’s controversial use of harsh interrogation techniques on terror detainees? Friends and colleagues of the former Secretary of State say it was not something she had planned, but that she was simply responding to questions in public settings

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Geithner on economy: ‘Progress is going to be uneven’

CNN’s Anderson Cooper spoke Thursday with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner at the G-20 economic summit in London, England. Geithner discussed whether the United States bears some responsibility with the global economic woes, possibility of a global regulator and how to create a stronger financial system

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