ON ALERT: The would-be coup attempt never happened because a retired general couldn't attract enough support, but the May Day drama has left the government wary
The threat of a coup against Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has subsided but troops will remain on alert over fears that a retired general could try to overthrow the government, officials said yesterday.

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WAR BABIES: The plight of kids born to servicemen and local women during the Vietnam War has pricked the conscience of veterans who want to help
"I remember the last night I was with you. I put my hand on your stomach and felt our son kicking and moving. I did not write you as I should have done. I was young and immature in 1968 and I am sorry I was not there to take care of you both."

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Japanese fighter jets scrambled 13 times last year in response to Chinese military aircraft approaching their airspace, up from only twice in 2003, amid growing tension between the two Asian neighbors over territorial disputes and other issues.

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Australia and East Timor are on the threshold of a new era of cooperation following a breakthrough in their dispute over how to carve up sea bed oil and gas revenue, East Timor's foreign minister said yesterday.

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`BLOOD-SOAKED DAYS': At least 116 people have been killed in a slew of bombings and ambushes over the past five days, and an Australian was taken hostage
One day after insurgents killed at least 36 Iraqis in a series of attacks, including the bombing of a funeral, militants set off three explosions in Baghdad yesterday, including one that narrowly missed a top Iraqi security official.

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RISING TENSIONS: Israeli forces raided a Palestinian village and two people were killed in the conflict, putting the fragile three-month ceasefire at risk
An Israeli soldier and a Palestinian militant were killed in a shootout early yesterday when Israeli troops raided a village near the northern West Bank town of Tulkarm hunting for militants, the army said.

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Cabinet minister Natan Sharansky, a frequent critic of Israel's peace moves with the Palestinians, submitted his resignation yesterday in protest over the planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

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Egyptian authorities swept through villages on the outskirts of Cairo on Sunday, detaining more than 200 people after attacks on Saturday that left seven people wounded and three attackers dead.

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London's mayor has launched a vision of a green future for the UK's capital city with buildings shrouded in lush vegetation, populated by wildlife and powered by hydrogen, not fossil fuels.

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WEAPONS LIMIT: Almost 190 countries are reviewing the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, with questions about the actions of North Korea, Iran and the US on the agenda
For the seventh time since it took force in 1970, the world's nations gather yesterday to reassess how well the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) is keeping the lid on man's most terrible weapons.

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Two teenagers lost at sea for six days without food or fresh water were spotted by fishermen more than 161km from where they started, clinging to their small sailboat.

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GULF SECURITY: The six alleged leaders of the group received the longest jail terms -- 20 years -- while the 31st defendant was acquitted of the most serious charge
Oman's state security court yesterday handed jail terms of between one and 20 years to 31 Islamists accused of plotting to overthrow the government and membership of a banned organization.

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DETERMINED: The 100,000 Nasa Indians who live on a reservation in the south of Colombia have been effective at driving away both right-wing and Marxist intruders
The Nasa Indians appear to live well on their lush Rhode Island-size reservation in southern Colombia, a swath of mountains and valleys where sweet fruit grows wild, trout teem in fast-flowing creeks and colorful birds dart about.

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■ Nepal
Communist leaders set free
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