OAKLEY FREE LIBRARY

A new political party in Germany has made saving the working class and the country's welfare system rallying points for attracting votes. Die Linke, or the Left Party, is drawing support from mainstream parties with a radical message.

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With sporting fame comes corporate sponsorship, television appearances, and fat paychecks. But in China, athletes are expected to let the government manage their image and to hand over a substantial cut of their earnings.

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Democrat Barack Obama has told an audience in Berlin that the United States and Europe must work together to defeat terrorism. The speech has been billed as the centerpiece of his foreign trip that also took him to Iraq.

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Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama's speech in Berlin Thursday dealt with road foreign policy issues. But the address was more to convince American voters of his foreign policy credentials than to impress foreign leaders.

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Radovan Karadzic's arrest on war crimes charges was met with a burst of celebration in the streets of Sarajevo, which suffered a brutal siege during the Bosnia war in the 1990s at the hands of Bosnia Serb militias loyal to Karadzic. But many citizens of Sarajevo are bitter that he was able to live on the lam for 13 years before he was detained.

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Both John McCain and Barack Obama support nuclear disarmament of Russia. McCain, however, wants to go one step further, kicking Russia out of the G-8.

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The presidential hopeful addressed an expansive crowd Thursday near the site where the Berlin Wall once stood, calling on the U.S. and Europe to build new bridges of partnership. "The walls between old allies on either side of the Atlantic cannot stand," Obama said, alluding to often strained relations between Europe and the U.S. under President Bush.

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After posting an $8.7 billion loss for the second quarter on Thursday, Ford announces plans to switch manufacturing operations at three North American plants from trucks to small cars. The auto industry has seen a dramatic decline in truck and SUV sales in recent months as consumers react to high gas prices.

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Coke is a big business all around the world. But in Africa, the soda is so pervasive that it acts like a key indicator of political stability. In other words, if you can't get a Coke somewhere, you might want to get out of the country — fast. We examine this unusual political indicator.

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A special election Thursday in Scotland will be a crucial test for U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The parliamentary seat of Glasgow East is in a traditional stronghold of the ruling Labour Party. But polls are forecasting a defeat for Labour, which could force the unpopular Brown to step down.

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Barack Obama is in Germany, where he will meet German leader Angela Merkel. The likely Democratic presidential nominee will also give the only public speech of his weeklong foreign tour, at a Berlin park. On Friday, he'll visit France. Journalists Stefan Kornelius in Germany and Jean Lesieur in France talk about Obama's expected reception in Europe.

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Even in the midst of the worst housing slump in decades, some people are out there getting mortgages and buying homes. But they're paying more for mortgages these days, and borrowers with shaky credit won't find it easy to get a loan.

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Congress has put the far-reaching housing bill on a fast track to the president. The House passed the measure Wednesday, and it goes to the Senate this week. It would help homeowners facing foreclosure, and put in place a rescue plan for troubled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

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A legendary French winery is purchasing a famous winemaker in California. The deal comes decades after the same California winery beat French wines in a blind taste test. Vic Motto, a wine industry investment banker, says it's "a very important merger of two great wine estates."

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Microsoft founder Bill Gates has joined forces with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to fight tobacco use in developing countries. Gates donated $125 million to a tobacco-control initiative that Bloomberg launched in 2002.

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Just a few years ago in Spain, bullfighting appeared to be on its way out. Many people, especially younger Spaniards, were telling pollsters that they just weren't interested. But the sport is regaining cachet — largely thanks to a new breed of bullfighters.

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To win the race for gold at this summer's Olympics, China has been looking to sports where the medals are plentiful. Many of these sports, like rowing, are not China's traditional strong suits.

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Barack Obama has met with top Israeli and Palestinian officials. His basic message has been that he is a friend of Israel who is committed to the special relationship between the two countries. He also said he would use "big sticks and big carrots" with Iran.

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Republican John McCain held a town hall meeting in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and had a news conference scheduled for later in the day. Even so, he finds himself struggling to keep up with the attention paid to Barack Obama's foreign travel.

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The federal minimum wage goes up 70 cents an hour on Thursday, to $6.55. Although only 2 percent of hourly earners are paid the federal minimum, it does indirectly affect many more workers.

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