Arsenic in drinking water ups diabetes Scientists say even low-level exposure to inorganic arsenic particularly through drinking water can raise the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Somali commander killed in Mogadishu A Somali army commander and 17 other soldiers guarding him have been killed in a roadside bomb explosion in northern Mogadishu.

Farwa Abbas, Pakistan Story link: Radium Girls, victims of immorality

Prairiedog , United States Story link: Israeli Navy to confront Yvonne, friends

Suntech Power Q2 profit surges; lifts FY08 revenue outlook Wednesday, Chinese solar energy company Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. reported a 57.9% rise in profit for the second quarter, helped by strong demand. Adjusted earnings per share and sales increased and topped the market projections. Further, the company provided third-quarter revenue guidance above analysts' estimate, and lifted fiscal 2008 revenue forecast. Suntech also revealed certain senior management changes.

Security Developments In Afghanistan, Aug 20 Afghan and foreign troops killed more `than a dozen` insurgents in a clash backed by air support on Wednesday.

Poland, U.S. In Shield Deal Irking Moscow The agreement was signed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski.

MDC Says Mugabe Parliament Plans Endanger Talks The political deadlock over who will control the government has hindered efforts to ease Zimbabwe`s economic crisis.

Turkish Troops Shell Kurd Rebels In N.Iraq Turkey has intensified operations against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) rebels.

Turkish troops target Kurdish rebel positions in Iraq Turkish troops targeted Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq early on Wednesday, an Iraqi border guard said.

Fighting in northwest Pakistan kills up to 15 militants About 15 militants were killed by Pakistani forces in a northwestern tribal region after the government failed to negotiate a ceasefire to end weeks of violence between warring Shiite and Sunni Muslims, officials said.

Obama's lead slipping - poll Biting attacks by John McCain on Barack Obama have narrowed the White House race to a near statistical tie.

Minister strips for club A Norwegian minister has joined a skinny-dipping club by diving naked into icy waters off an island near the North Pole.

Ex-convict working for Charles A former convict is washing windows at Prince Charles's new estate after having been apparently hired without any screening.

Twin Bombings Kill 11 in Algeria ALGIERS, Algeria - Algerian state radio says twin car bombings at a hotel and military headquarters southeast of Algiers have killed 11 people wounded 31 others. The report by the state-run Alger-Chaine 3 national radio hasn't officially been confirmed by authorities. A security official in the area of the town of Bouira tells The Associated Press that there are at least seven dead in today's attacks. "Most are civilians," says the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he isn't...

Former Chinese leader Hua Guofeng dies Hua Guofeng, who briefly ruled China as communist founder Mao Zedong's successor but was pushed aside by Deng Xiaoping as a prelude to reforms that launched an economic boom, died Wednesday, state-run media reported.

Poll shows McCain ahead of Obama Republican John McCain has opened a 5-point lead on Democrat Barack Obama in the US presidential race and is seen as a stronger manager of the economy, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll

You Schwein! Pig Plague Hits Berlin Residents of Berlin are becoming fed up with wild animals hogging their roads and ham-pering the growth of their gardens.

Lack of interpreters hampers Gitmo lawyers A new road block may greet the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detainees seeking federal court hearings, their attorneys say -- a shortage of interpreters.

Iraqi Christians: Round trip to Death Street Iraqi Christian refugees flee the horror of sectarian violence at home to struggle with life in Lebanon.

No bee hives... please! A 58-year-old woman is said to be in a coma after being stung by about 100 bees in Kernevel in the western French region of Brittany.

Worst terror threat for Danes: report Danish intelligence officials say Denmark faces its worst terror threat in many years with a possible attack happening at any time.

Is Gordon a moron? This unorthodox corporate report has triggered a flurry of online suggestions...

Sarkozy meets Afghan president after 10 French soldiers killed France's President ...

Sarkozy Visits Kabul After Attack On NATO Troops The Taliban have stepped up attacks in Afghanistan. Earlier this week, French soldiers were attacked during a reconnaissance mission. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is in Kabul on Wednesday. Renee Montagne talks with the BBC's Alastair Leithead in Kabul about the recent attacks.

Georgian Ex-President Denounces Russia's Actions Despite signing a cease-fire agreement last week, Russia shows little sign of ending its occupation of Georgia. Among the people denouncing Moscow's occupation is former Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze.

Rice To Sign Deal To Build Base In Poland Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is signing a deal Wednesday in Poland to build a U.S. missile defense base there. The agreement has already angered Russia.

Scientists grow blood in a lab Now, a team in the United States has created red blood cells by exposing cultures of human ESCs to a sequence of nutrients and growth factors -- this turned them first into haemangioblasts, precursors to blood cells, and then into mature blood cells.

India urged to sign CTBT As the Indo-US nuclear deal goes through the motions, India was on Wednesday asked to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty by the UN organisation overseeing this non-proliferation measure. While announcing that Iraq had signed the CTBT in New York on Tuesday, the Executive Secretary of the CTBT Preparator Commission Tibor Toth said India, North Korea and Pakistan must also become signatories to the treaty.

646503, United States Story link: Russia blasts Israel for arming Georgia

Peter of Lone Tree, United States Story link: Israeli Navy to confront Yvonne, friends

Doug, United States Story link: Israeli Navy to confront Yvonne, friends

Iran's Loneliness to hit int'l screens The Iranian filmmaker Rasoul Sadrameli's Every Night, Loneliness is scheduled to be screened at Canadian and Chinese film festivals.

Llyn Kidner, United States Story link: Israeli Navy to confront Yvonne, friends

Iranian wrestlers lose in Beijing The Iranian wrestlers in the men's 66kg and 74kg categories have failed to win any medals on the 12th day of the Beijing Olympic Games.

Siniora in Baghdad to Bolster Ties BAGHDAD, Iraq, Aug 20--Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora arrived in the Iraqi capital Wednesday for talks on boosting trade ties with the fledgling but promising government.

Palestinian Rifts Raise Frustration GAZA CITY, Aug 20--A Hamas lawmaker in the Palestinian parliament has warned that the gaping differences between rival groups are leaving negative impacts on Palestinian issues.

Syria to Improve Ties With Russia MOSCOW, Aug 20--Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad said on Wednesday he will use a visit this week to Russia to expand military ties with Moscow.

US, Poland to Strike Missile Deal WARSAW, Poland, Aug 20--US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to sign a deal with Poland to build a missile defense base on Polish soil.

US Thrashed in Caucasus Conflict TEHRAN, Aug 20--Chairman of Lebanon-Russia House Soheil Farah said that Georgia's defeat in recent conflict with Moscow was a heavy blow to US interests in the Caucasus.