Reuters: Top Global and Breaking News

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TEHRAN () - Investigations into spying allegations against three American hikers detained in Iran will be completed soon, Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi said in a news report on Saturday.

Iran says probe on detained U.S. hikers to end soon

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BEIJING/SEOUL () - China is lobbying neighbors to sign up to a road map for renewed nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea, whose leader Kim Jong-il is visiting China amid conciliatory words and threats of "holy war."

China seeks fresh nuclear talks with North Korea

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SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's ruling party holds its biggest meeting in 30 years early next month to pick a new leadership and likely anoint an heir to the dynasty as Kim Jong-il's health deteriorates.

North Korea's Kim not seen heading for retirement yet

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HONG KONG () - Tens of thousands marched in Hong Kong on Sunday to denounce ' bungled hostage rescue in which eight Hong Kong tourists were shot dead. 

Hong Kong march denounces bungled Philippine hostage rescue

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KABUL () - Gunmen shot dead five campaign workers for a candidate in Afghanistan's parliamentary election next month, officials said on Sunday, another sign of rising insecurity as Washington prepares to review its war strategy.

Campaign workers killed as Afghan violence spreads

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Sunday the U.S. economy was expanding, but not quickly enough, and there was no "magic bullet" that will fix its problems.

Obama says economy not growing fast enough

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most economists in a recent survey said they approved of the Federal Reserve's current course on monetary policy and see deflation as a risk for the short term.

Fed policy on right course, economists say

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BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Kareem Hassan Abboud's family of seven share a two room  in a makeshift squatter camp in the mainly Shi'ite district of Chukook in northwestern Baghdad. Sewage muddies the dirt road outside.

As U.S. withdraws, Iraqis still live in crisis

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PHOENIX (Reuters) - The U.S. government will have unmanned surveillance aircraft monitoring the whole southwest border with Mexico from September 1, as it ramps up border security in this election year, a top official said on Monday.

U.S. drones to watch entire Mexico border from September 1

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KABUL (Reuters) - The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan from next July will begin with a general "thinning out" of forces rather than any large-scale drawdown, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces said on Tuesday.

Afghan withdrawal won't be a "hand-off": Petraeus