Barack Obama in Denver

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US arrests "Obama assassination" plotters

The authorities in United States say they've charged two men with threatening to kill the Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama, as part of plan for killing as many black people as possible.

The two men (who are eighteen- and twenty-years-old) were arrested last week in the state of Tennessee.

They are alleged to have discussed Mr Obama's assassination as the culmination of a killing spree in which eighty-eight black people would be killed and fourteen more would be beheaded.

The numbers eighty-eight and fourteen have special significance within the white supremacy movement.

Details emerge on American attack on Syria

	Aftermath of US raid in Syria

More details are emerging about the American helicopter attack into Syria on Sunday, in which eight people were killed.

American officials, who declined to be identified, said the target of the attack was known as Abu Ghadiyah, the leader of a network that helps to smuggle foreign fighters from Syria into Iraq.

The reports say that he was killed in the raid.

The United States has made no official comment. Earlier, the Syrian foreign minister, Walid al-Moallem -- speaking in London -- strongly criticised the United States over the raid.

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_Human Rights Watch says consumers should support a new US law banning Burmese gems by refusing to buy from jewelers unless they ensure their gems are not from Burma

_Burma's opposition calls for firmer commitments to democracy in the wake of ASEM conference held in Beijing during the weekend

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