Obama in China faces tensions on trade and Tibet (Reuters)
Reuters – President Barack Obama faces tensions with China over trade and Tibet on his first visit to the emerging superpower for a summit that will grapple with economic imbalances and the future of the yuan.
Palestinians threaten to declare independence (AP)
AP – The Palestinians say they are so fed up with the lack of progress in peace efforts that they are preparing to declare independence unilaterally.
Pacquiao’s amazing run continues
Manny Pacquiao proved without a doubt he is boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighter.
APEC leaders douse hopes on climate pact (AFP)
AFP – Asia-Pacific leaders on Sunday buried hopes a key UN meeting next month would forge a binding pact to combat climate change, saying talks would drag on well past the Copenhagen meeting.
Hawaii’s famed white sandy beaches are shrinking
“It really used to be a beautiful beach,” said the 35-year-old mother of two. “And now when you look at it, it’s gone.” Geologists say more than 70 percent of Kauai’s beaches are eroding while Oahu has lost a quarter of its sandy shoreline.
Lou Dobbs says he is leaving CNN (AP)
CNN host Lou Dobbs says he is leaving CNN effective immediately. The longtime host of “Lou Dobbs Tonight” said Wednesday on his show that it would be his last. He said CNN had allowed him to be released from his contact, which would enable him “to pursue new opportunities.”
Military sees increase in wounded in Afghanistan (AP)
AP – Far from winding down, the numbers of wounded U.S. soldiers coming home have continued to swell. The problem is especially acute among those who fought in Afghanistan, where nearly four times as many troops were injured in October as a year ago
Brazil Blackout: Two Largest Cities Hit By Massive Power Outages
RIO DE JANEIRO — A massive power failure blacked out Brazil’s two largest cities and other parts of Latin America’s biggest nation for more than two hours late Tuesday, leaving millions of people in the dark after a huge hydroelectric dam suddenly went offline. Paraguay was also affected when the Itaipu dam straddling the two nations’ border stopped producing 17,000 megawatts of power, resulting in outages in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and at least several other big Brazilian cities, Brazilian Mines and Energy Minister Edison Lobao said.
Families of Americans held in Iran plot each move (AP)
AP – The families of three Americans accused of espionage in Iran are attempting the delicate feat of keeping a spotlight trained on the plight of their loved ones while trying to avoid the tangled politics of the tense U.S.-Iran relationship.
AP-GfK Poll: Country in a funk (AP)
AP – The euphoria of 2008 is over: America is in a funk.
