REJECTION: Aside from the USS `Kitty Hawk,' China also rejected a request by the USS `Reuben James' and a cargo plane support mission for the US consulate in Hong Kong
By Charles Snyder
The saga over China's refusal to allow US warships to enter Hong Kong took another twist on Friday, when it was confirmed that Beijing had rejected more US requests for a holiday visit and a consulate support flight to Hong Kong.

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Activists sought yesterday to keep the battle against HIV in the public eye on World AIDS Day in the face of growing complacency amid progress in treating and slowing the spread of the disease.

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OLD FOE: Faced with the prospect of losing his campaign for constitutional change, the Venezuelan president hit out at the US, accusing the CIA of planning to topple him
A threat by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to stop oil exports to the US has raised the stakes over a referendum today that he has called in a bid to expand his powers.

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By Liu Rong
Taipei pet owners may be required by law to register their furry friends as household members early next year as part of the Taipei City Government's move to reduce the number of abandoned animals in the city.

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The two main candidates in a Hong Kong legislative race viewed as a referendum on democracy made their final appeals for votes yesterday, a day before one of the most closely watched elections in the territory in recent years.

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