Violence, graft overshadow Afghan elections

Welcome to democracy, Afghan style. An incumbent president and 38 challengers, including two women, are vying for the votes of 17 million registered Afghans against a backdrop of war, graft, poverty and illiteracy. More than 3,000 donkeys, 3,000 cars and three helicopters will traverse harsh terrain to carry voting materials to remote polling stations

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Reporter’s notebook: Fertility sensitive topic in China

Although infertility treatment is becoming more and more popular in China, finding a Chinese couple who wanted to talk about it on camera was nearly impossible. We contacted multiple couples through hospitals, doctors, blogs, word-of-mouth and friends — but nobody wanted to talk to us. Even parents with happy, healthy babies politely declined

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American Idol Exodus: Paula Abdul Says She’s Leaving

Bad news, American Idol fans: This year, it’s Paula Abdul who won’t be getting the chance to go to Hollywood. During the same prime-time Tuesday time slot so familiar to the show’s millions of fans, the high-drama American Idol judge updated her personal Twitter page with news that she was leaving the popular reality show.

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Last British Army WWI veteran dead at 111

Harry Patch — the last surviving British soldier from World War I — died Saturday at the age of 111, Britain’s Ministry of Defence said. Patch died peacefully at his care home in the southwestern English city of Wells, the ministry announced. His death came a week after fellow British World War I veteran Henry Allingham died at the age of 113

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