Now it's Europe's turn to gamble in space
After the presumed loss of a US scouting mission to Mars underscored the risks of space exploration, Europe will make its own high-stakes gamble on Friday, launching a powerful new rocket taking aloft the most sensitive X-ray satellite ever made.



Russian forces storm rebel stronghold
Russian troops in the breakaway republic of Chechnya on Wednesday began the storming of the Muslim rebel stronghold of Urus-Martan, Interfax news agency reported.



TULF takes neutral stand in Lanka polls
In a decisive move ahead of the presidential election in Sri Lanka, the main Tamil United Liberation Front has decided not to support either of the two main contestants and remain neutral while other Tamil parties are a divided lot.



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