Holbrooke: If Pakistan Taliban leader were alive, he’d be on TV

The United States knows that the leader of Pakistan’s Taliban is dead because he has not appeared in public to prove that he is alive, the top U.S. envoy to the region told CNN on Monday. Richard Holbrooke said that the Pakistani Taliban have not confirmed the death of Baitullah Mehsud because of an ongoing power struggle over his successor

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Kiefer Sutherland charged with assault

Actor Kiefer Sutherland has been charged with misdemeanor assault after he was accused of head-butting fashion designer Jack McCollough at a New York nightclub early Tuesday, police said. Sutherland was charged after he arrived at a New York police precinct Thursday afternoon to answer investigators’ questions about the incident. McCollough claims that he was “the victim of a vicious, violent, unprovoked assault,” according to a statement from his publicist

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China pushes N. Korea on nuke talks

Chinese President Hu Jintao reiterated a call for North Korea to resume nuclear talks during his meeting with North Korean Premier Kim Yong Il. On Thursday Hu urged Kim, who is not related to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, to find a way to continue the six-party nuclear talks, according to a statement released by the Chinese government

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Chris Brown and Rihanna record duet

Singer Chris Brown has recorded a song with his reported girlfriend, Rihanna, just days after charges were filed against him for allegedly assaulting her, the record’s producer said Thursday through a publicist. The producer, Polow Da Don, said the singers completed a duet earlier this week, but released no other details, said his publicist Laura Wright. “My heart goes out to both Chris and Rihanna for what has happened in the past,” he said

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Chris Brown withdraws Kids’ Choice nominations

Singer Chris Brown, facing charges of domestic violence against his girlfriend, singer Rihanna, has withdrawn his nominations for two Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, a spokesman said. Brown, 19, had been nominated for “Favorite Song” and “Favorite Male Singer.” “Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding the incident last month has shifted the focus from the music to whether he should be allowed to be among those nominated,” the spokesman said in a written statement. The Los Angeles County District Attorney filed two felony counts against Brown last week relating to a February 8 incident in which police said he assaulted Rihanna, 21

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British couple, four children in cocaine bust, reports say

A British couple has been detained at Margarita Airport in Venezuela after 24 kilograms of cocaine was allegedly found in their luggage, according to press reports. “This bank does not have any problem, is a healthy financial institution,” Edgar Hernandez Behrens, Venezuela’s superintendent of banks, said of Stanford Bank Venezuela, the state-run ABN news agency reported. An estimated $2.5 billion to $3 billion has been invested in the bank, he said

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