Stocks fall for a fourth day as tech profits slump

FILE-In this Friday, June 29, 2012, file photo, specialists Frank Masello, left, and John T. O'Hara, right, work on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York shortly before the closing bell. Stock markets in Asia declined Tuesday July 10, 2012, after China said the growth rate for its imports fell in June. (AP Photo/David Karp, file)

FILE-In this Friday, June 29, 2012, file photo, specialists Frank Masello, left, and John T. O'Hara, right, work on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York shortly before the closing bell. Stock markets in Asia declined Tuesday July 10, 2012, after China said the growth rate for its imports fell in June. (AP Photo/David Karp, file)

(AP) ? Stocks fell for the fourth straight day Tuesday following a profit slump at technology companies and a steep decline in oil prices, which sent energy stocks sharply lower.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 83.17 points to close at 12,653.12. Aluminum maker Alcoa was the biggest loser in the Dow, giving up 4 percent after reporting a slump in revenue late Monday.

The broader Standard & Poor's 500 lost 10.99 points to 1,341.47. The index is in its longest slump since May 18.

Chip maker Advanced Micro Devices fell sharply after reporting that a slowdown in China and Europe led to an 11 percent drop in second-quarter revenue. The company had previously forecast a gain of 3 percent.

That news sent other technology stocks down hard. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite dropped 1 percent, the most of the three major indexes. It closed 29.44 points lower at 2,902.33.

The bad news outweighed hopeful developments in Europe earlier in the day. Before U.S. markets opened, European finance ministers announced they had agreed on the terms of a bailout for Spain's banks. The first installment of $37 billion in aid can be ready by the end of the month.

Investors were concerned that some details seemed to be missing from the plan.

Also weighing on the market: worries about a slew of upcoming corporate earnings reports. Financial analysts expect that earnings at companies in the S&P 500 fell 2 percent in the April-through-June period compared with a year ago, according to S&P Capital IQ. That would be the first drop in nearly three years.

"The past quarter was great, but going forward many companies may have problems," said Joe Kinahan, chief derivatives strategist at TD Ameritrade, a brokerage. "People are confused about what to think."

A resolution to a labor dispute in Norway early Friday weighed on oil prices, which pushed energy stocks lower. Early Tuesday, the Norwegian government intervened to end a strike that threatened North Sea oil production.

Benchmark crude oil fell $2.08 to $83.91 a barrel in New York. Major energy companies dropped as a result, including Occidental Petroleum, down $1.95 at $83.24, and ConocoPhillips, down 90 cents at $53.43.

Natural gas producers took a hit from a sharp drop in the price of natural gas, which was down 5 percent at $2.74 per 1,000 cubic feet. Cabot Oil & Gas slumped $1.20 to $39.07 and Chesapeake Energy gave up $1.29 cents to $18.69.

Also weighing on commodities was a report from China that import growth fell in half in June from May, a signal its economy may be slowing more than expected. The Chinese economy, the world's second biggest, is growing at its slowest pace since the 2008 financial crisis.

Copper fell 1 percent to $3.40 per pound. China is a big importer of the metal.

In stocks, the selling was broad. Eight of the ten industry groups in the S&P 500 fell. Industrial companies led the declines with a slump of 1.6 percent. Utilities and consumer staples, industries that fare better than others when the economy is struggling, rose slightly.

In Europe, the deal to aid Spain helped push the yield on its benchmark 10-year government bond down to 6.8 percent. On Monday, that country's key borrowing rate surged to 7 percent, a dangerously high level. The lower yield means investors are less fearful about the country having trouble paying its debts.

Portugal, Ireland and Greece all had to ask for help from international lenders after spikes in their own borrowing rates made it unaffordable for them to raise money from selling bonds on the open market. Spain is the largest European country to date to seek international assistance.

In corporate news, Applied Materials, which makes equipment for chipmakers, cut its fiscal year profit and sales estimates because of weak demand. The stock fell 30 cents to $10.71. AMD, the chip maker hurt by slumping sales in China, plunged 63 cents to $4.99.

Embattled BlackBerry maker Research in Motion fell 38 cents to $7.29. The company's CEO, Thorsten Heins, told a shareholders meeting that he isn't satisfied with the company's performance. Two weeks ago the company announced disappointing earnings, plans to cut 30 percent of its workforce and the latest delay in BlackBerry 10.

Alcoa lost 36 cents to $8.40 after a financial analyst cut his estimate for the company's 2012 earnings. Alcoa reported Monday that it beat analyst estimate for earnings in the second quarter but that revenue dropped due to slowing world demand for aluminum.

Two stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume was lighter than average at 3.4 billion shares.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-07-10-Wall%20Street/id-e4778794b4cc4b9c96bc7c073bd37ad0

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07-12-12 - Festival d??t? de Qu?bec - Quebec City , QC, Canada

Festival d??t? de Qu?bec

Quebec City, QC, Canada

Thursday, July 12, 2012 at 08:05 PM

Presale: Thu, 04.26.12 at 08:00 AM ET

Status: No fan club packages for this date

Passes for the show go on sale in person on April 26th at Metro supermarkets in the Quebec area, they go on sale to the public on April 28th. ? You can find more info HERE.?

Festival d??t? de Qu?bec Quebec City, QC, Canada
Thursday, July 12, 2012 at 08:05 PM

PRESALE: Thu, 04.26.12 at 08:00 AM ET

STATUS: No fan club packages for this date

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AerosmithTourDatesAndTickets/~3/heRNhfn9ybU/index.cfm

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Personal Financing For Enjoying Retirement | Release Press

Article by James Brown

Personal Financing For Enjoying Retirement ? Finance

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Some people are very private about the types of personal financing they have used throughout their life. Children hope that parents will have enough money saved to live comfortably when they retire. When parents become affirmed and confined to a hospital unable to care for themselves anymore, the personal financing arrangements made long ago will be presented by a financial planner that everyone considers to be a family friend.

The personal financing for retirement might begin early in life by a married couple. When melding together personal finances, the couple might choose to take out life insurance policies on each other. This type of personal financing will not provide any funds for what they hope will be many years to come, but the policy amount will come in quite handy when a spouse is no longer around to contribute funds for the husband or wife to live on for the remainder of their time on Earth.

The happy couple might have hired a financial planner to take care of all personal financing needs. The financial planner works hand in hand with real estate agents, loan officers and banking institutions and thoroughly understands how to navigate the intricacies of the stock market. The personal financing that is done on the couples behalf everyday might not be brought to their attention daily but the result will mean that the couple will have a very happy retired life together.

Some couples design personal financing plans so that they can build a nest egg to retire earlier than the standard age of retirement. The couple might have many places that they want to visit during their life and they know that they will need to have plenty of money in the bank to make sure it happens like they planned. The financial planner will keep abreast on all tax incentives that allow them to keep funds growing year to year and ensure that there are no payment penalties if they draw money out for a quick trip.

When organizing personal finances to accommodate the retirement years, a married couple might make paying off the home mortgage the highest financing priority of married life. The happy couple might know in advance that the personal financing in their portfolios is tailored to use the home equity line of credit built up after so many years to finance the trips and outings that they are soon going to be experiencing. Some elderly couples will use a reverse mortgage loans to enjoy life to the fullest.

The success of all personal financing attempts might rely on the stability of the stock market and the interest rates charged on loans. Some couples will use personal financing to buy a boat or other luxury and not follow the guidance of the financial planner. The taxes associated with such purchases might cause the couple to keep tied at the dock because no money was planned for the yearly expenses that boat ownership entails.

Some elderly couples will choose to use home equity funds to purchase recreational vehicles and travel extensively every month relying on the retirement payments received from the Government and the retirement pay from past employers. Couples that plan early for retirement become accustomed to planning everything in life. As major expenses present themselves, these couples will use the financial advice of the financial planner to guide them in making the right decision.

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Source: http://freereleasepress.com/personal-financing-for-enjoying-retirement/

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Rogers pledges LTE coverage to 28 more cities by end of year

Rogers pledges LTE coverage to 28 more cities by end of year

Canadian carrier Rogers will be expanding their LTE network to a bunch of new markets before the end of 2012 in the hopes of covering 60% of the Canadian population in 4G-ish goodness. Rogers promises to launch the Sony Xperia Ion sometime this summer to celebrate the expansion. Here's the full list of new coverage areas:

  • Abbotsford
  • Ajax
  • Barrie
  • Burlington
  • Cambridge
  • Edmonton
  • Guelph
  • Hamilton
  • Kelowna
  • Kingston
  • Kitchener
  • London
  • Moncton
  • Niagara
  • Oakville
  • Oshawa
  • Pickering
  • Regina
  • Saskatoon
  • Sherbrooke
  • St. Catherines
  • Sudbury
  • Waterloo
  • Windsor
  • Winnipeg
  • Trois-Rivières
  • Quebec City
  • Victoria

Rogers kicked off LTE in Canada last fall starting with Ottawa, and has since expanded to Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Halifax, and St. John's. Of course, big-name competitors like TELUS and Bell have also launched their shared LTE network, leaving the little regional guys like WIND and Mobilicity to make do with HSPA+. Data isn't that expensive up here anymore - $35/month for 2 GB isn't that bad at all. Of course, you still have to deal with 3-year contracts to get those rates. 

That's a monster of a list of new cities, and combined with the major metropolitan centres already covered, this will put pressure on other carriers to expand. Any Canadians happy to see LTE coming to their town? Any LTE-capable Rogers devices you're itching to get your mitts on? 

Source: Rogers RedBoard

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/XC2DySazQMw/story01.htm

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Toyota sends out free Entune upgrade, adds three apps and voice control

Toyota sends out free Entune upgrade, adds three app and voice control

Got a Toyota with Entune? Then keep an eye on your mailbox. We're getting word that a free upgrade has started to be sent out to customers. The refresh adds some of the apps we first heard about back in January last year: iHeartRadio, MovieTickets.com and OpenTable. As well as being able to enjoy more radio, book movie tickets and restaurant tables, a new voice recognition update means you can do even more while keeping your eyes on the road. Toyota says that it'll be upgrading most models, if you want to know for sure, tap up the more coverage link for the breakdown.

[Thanks, Nate]

Toyota sends out free Entune upgrade, adds three apps and voice control originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Jul 2012 08:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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London's Shard: architectural marvel or enormous salt shaker?

Built with Qatari funding and sniffed at by Prince Charles, the new skyscraper has 11,000 glass panels equal to eight soccer fields.

By Ian Evans,?Correspondent / July 5, 2012

A view of the iconic Tower Bridge, right, over the river Thames (r.) and The Shard (l.) a newly-constructed high-rise building that is western Europe?s tallest, in London, Wednesday, July 4, ahead of the official Inauguration on Thursday, July 5.

Lefteris Pitarakis/AP

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It's London?s tallest and arguably most controversial tower in a generation which tonight will be unveiled amid a spectacular laser light show.

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Standing 310 meters (1,017 feet)?tall on the south bank of the River Thames, the Shard has become something of a "love it or loathe it" development, dominating the capital?s skyline opposite the City of London and tourist favorites Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.

The Shard was conceived on the back of a napkin by architect Renzo Piano in Berlin 12 years ago. Since then, developer Irvine Sellar has overcome multiple objections and the credit crunch to build the Shard, which contains a mixture of office space, restaurants, apartments, and a hotel. When he first unveiled his plans, the planning establishment closed ranks with English Heritage and the Royal Parks Foundation objecting, and Prince Charles calling the glass pyramid tower an enormous salt shaker.

In 2002, the then Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott ordered a planning inquiry, but 12 months and ?10 million ($15 million) later, it was given approval.

Building finally got under way in 2009, but not before Mr. Sellar turned to the Qatari royal family for the bulk of the ?1.5 billion ($2.5 billion) funding as Western bank funding seized in the wake of the credit crunch. The Qatari involvement with its shariah-compliant investment package means that any company connected to gambling or alcohol industries are unlikely to be leased space.

But for those who do occupy Europe?s tallest building, the statistics are huge: It has 11,000 glass panels equal to eight soccer pitches; there are 44 lifts and 306 flights of stairs; the total floor space is 31 acres; 95 percent of the construction materials?and 20 percent of the steelwork?are recycled, with 72 of the 87 floors able to be occupied.

And for those who do not occupy the building, visitors will be able to stop off at a viewing gallery on the 72nd floor costing ?90 ($140) for a family of four.

Before the official inauguration today alongside the prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Qatar, Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani and The Duke of York Prince Andrew, Sellar said: ?It?s a moment in history for The Shard. It will become as essential a part of a visit to London as going to the top of the Empire State Building is for visitors to New York.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/DTiqcPmjMc8/London-s-Shard-architectural-marvel-or-enormous-salt-shaker

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Afghan President Hamid Karzai says donors must help his country fight corruption

TOKYO - President Hamid Karzai said Monday he is encouraged by pledges to provide Afghanistan with $16 billion in aid, but warned that corruption in his country cannot be rooted out unless donors themselves take more action.

Karzai said fighting corruption is one of the most crucial chores Afghanistan now faces. But he said his government was not solely to blame, noting that the selection process for development projects, which have poured billions of dollars into his war-torn country's fragile economy, can lead to influence-buying, while higher pay for foreign workers creates a wage gap that fuels resentment.

Karzai stressed that he is grateful for the pledges made Sunday at a conference in Tokyo to help his country after most foreign troops pull out or move into support roles by the end of 2014. Because of concerns over mismanagement and endemic corruption, that aid, to be provided over the next four years, is tied to a new monitoring process.

Karzai's administration is widely seen as a patronage network, and the government is rife with corruption. Karzai has said before that he is fighting graft, but there have been few prosecutions of individuals accused of using their positions to enhance their personal wealth.

It is also widely agreed that corruption also involves foreigners. To create more accountability on both sides, aid will now be channeled mostly through the Afghan government budget and trusts by international organizations such as the World Bank.

Karzai stressed Monday that the way aid up until now has been administered has been a problem on both sides.

"The way donor assistance is given to Afghanistan, the way it is disbursed inside Afghanistan, the projects selected for such an assistance and the manner of contracting and contractual mechanism, all of those are the issues that we have to address," he said. "On corruption, two hands must clap."

Karzai and his top ministers said the aid pledged at the Tokyo conference exceeded their expectations and sends a strong signal that the international community will not abandon Afghanistan after most troops leave.

It also sends a message to Karzai's adversaries in the Taliban and elsewhere who are hoping his support will weaken once the troops are gone or move into support roles.

"Yesterday's event reminded us once again, luckily, that the international community continues to be supportive of Afghanistan's desire for a better life, for a stronger country, with strong and better institutions, and economy," he said.

Afghanistan, one of the world's 10 poorest countries, has received nearly $60 billion in civilian aid since 2002.

The World Bank says foreign aid makes up nearly the equivalent of the country's gross domestic product.

While acknowledging Afghanistan still needs considerable international assistance, the donors in Tokyo expressed strong concerns over how the money will be handled. They also called for specific efforts from Kabul to improve human rights, and in particular women's rights, support a credible and democratic presidential election in 2014 and take concrete steps to join the World Trade Organization by the end of that year.

They set up a new system to review and monitor progress toward those goals. A high-level review meeting will be held in Britain in 2014.

The "mutual accountability" framework agreed on in Tokyo sets out the roadmap for monitoring aid disbursement, while Afghans themselves will have to tell donors what they want funded through National Priority Programs set up by the government. To be funded, those programs must include mechanisms to ensure they are implemented transparently.

Another major problem is Afghanistan's lack of administrative capacity and infrastructure to absorb all the aid.

Because Afghanistan lacks expertise in many sectors, foreign experts are used who demand far higher salaries than Afghans in a country where the average wage hovers at around $1,000 a year.

With Afghanistan's fractious government, severe security threats and deeply-entrenched vested interests with a lot to lose, some experts doubted the agreement in Tokyo would bring any substantial change.

"More effective measures to tackle waste and fight corruption were badly needed," said Louise Hancock, of Oxfam Afghanistan. "Donors agree that Afghan organizations must be supported to hold their own government to account, but they fell short of explaining how they are going to do this."

Karzai's government insisted it will come through.

"The Afghan government will deliver," said Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul. "It is our duty. We are talking about the future."

___

AP writers Patrick Quinn and Deb Riechmann contributed to this report from Kabul.

Source: http://feeds.canada.com/~r/canwest/F77/~3/lUJ71xQxSx4/story.html

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Leading opposition figure detained in Sudan: party

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/leading-opposition-figure-detained-sudan-party-083430579.html

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How To Choose The Right Real Estate To Purchase : The Wise ...

There are many sources from which to glean real estate buying information. All of the options can leave you feeling a bit dizzy. You should take the time to find information specific to your needs. Below you will find some very useful tips for making your upcoming purchase go as smooth as possible.

Check for illegal additions. Missing permits on swimming pools, kitchen remodels, roofs and room additions are some things that can haunt you. Do your due diligence. In this revenue-poor era, cities are getting heavy on enforcement and focus on the current owners, not the original violators. Some violations are easier to spot. See if the square footage matches tax assessor records.

Before you begin looking for a new home, be sure your credit is in order. The better your credit score, the better chance you will have to get a home loan and the most competitive interest rates. Pay all outstanding bills and make sure there are no mistakes in your credit report. Your local bank can also provide help to increase your credit score.

If you like fishing, boating, swimming, or any other activity involving the water, you should consider buying real estate that is bordered by a lake. The right property could even come with its own boat launch and dock that you can use. Real estate around water can ensure you always have something to do.

Do not be surprised if after you make an offer on a home that a seller may come back to you with a counter offer at the full list price. Sometimes sellers do this because they are testing your emotional attachment to the home and sometimes they do this because they are possibly having a change of heart. Do not be afraid to counter their counter offer to see what they will come back with.

Handle your investments like a business. As an investor, it is never a good idea to purchase a property that you are paying for out of your own pocket. The purpose of the property is to money, not cost you money. Become comfortable with this philosophy if you want to be a successful investor. Certainly, you may need to cover the down payment on your first property out of pocket. However, if you are purchasing a rental property you should plan to have your monthly rents cover the expenses that you incur as a result of the purchase. This is smart investing, and it will generate a significant cash flow in the long run.

Personally interview several real estate agents before making a decision on one. You are trusting a real estate agent with a huge investment. It is important to choose one carefully. It is recommended that you interview at least three or more. If you are unsatisfied, keep shopping around for the right one.

Hopefully, your head is not still spinning! Now that you have been given some helpful tips, you should be more prepared for making that big purchase! Taking the time to educate yourself first, will certainly contribute to a smooth experience!

Doors are a affordable way to increase first impressions when selling your home. Visit www.fatherandsonbuilders.com for new ideas to change your home?s look for a higher sale.

-->

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Libya election: In Tripoli high hopes, turnout and expectations

Turnout was high in the first post-Qaddafi Libya election today, with voters eager to help start building a new regime.

By John Thorne,?Correspondent / July 7, 2012

Libyan men hold election ID cards and ink-stained fingers as they celebrate election day in Tripoli.

Manu Brabo/AP

Enlarge

When Fathi Triki went to vote this morning at a school near his house in Tripoli?s old city, he made sure to bring along his young son, Taha.

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?I want to show him what voting is,? he says. ?Because now it?s going to be part of our future.?

Today voters across Libya went to polls in their country?s first election in over four decades, a key step toward building democracy following last year?s overthrow of Muammer Qaddafi.

Election officials described turnout as high among the roughly 80 percent of eligible voters who registered ahead of today?s election ? a dramatic leap into participatory democracy after Mr. Qaddafi?s top-down rule.

Take the Middle East geography quiz.

Many Libyans hope today?s vote will also help solve problems he left behind by creating a leadership with a democratic mandate to take action on political change.

?We need better infrastructure, better education, better healthcare,? says Mohamed Badri, the owner of a caf? where Mr. Triki went after voting. ?Qaddafi left our young people with nothing.?

The 200-member General National Congress voted today is to create an temporary government to replace the interim cabinet appointed last year by the National Transitional Council (NTC).

From one man, to one vote

After seizing power in 1969, Qaddafi banned political parties and ended elections in favor of jamahiriya: theoretical rule by popular committees that usually amounted to rule by Qaddafi.

Scores of political parties have appeared recently in hues from Islamist to leftist, with 142 parties approved by electoral officials to run along with 2,502 independent candidates.

Many voters, however, say their main criteria are competence and character.

?I think many voted essentially for individuals,? Mr. Badri says. ?I voted for a party ? I won?t say which one ? because I know their candidates in this district are cultured.?

Nearby, 21 year-old student Ebtihaj Qoruba was strolling with her aunt and three friends toward Martyr?s Square, Tripoli?s main plaza. She, too, voted for a party primarily on the strength of its local candidates.

?Also, the party respects God,? she says. ?I strongly feel that Islam should be the main source of the constitution.?

Patriotic carnival

Martyrs Square (known as Green Square under Qaddafi) today was a carnival of patriotism. Men chanted under a sea of flags, ?By soul, by blood, I shed blood for you oh my country!? Cars circled, horns blared. A young man in shorts and T-shirt pranced merrily through the traffic crying, ?Allahu Akbar!?

Elsewhere, however, nostalgia lingers for what some consider the relative security of Qaddafi?s rule.

?Qaddafi at least kept this place stable,? says Reda Ali, a fruit vendor in Abu Salim, a rough Tripoli district that was among the last to fall to anti-Qaddafi forces. ?I don?t know who these new people are.?

Meanwhile, some in eastern Libya have grumbled at what they portray as Tripoli?s undue clout. The western Tripolitania region gets 102 congressional seats, while the less populous regions of Cyrenaica (eastern Libya) and Fezzan (the desert south) get 60 and 38 respectively.

In recent days armed men briefly closed eastern oil ports to protest that arrangement. On Friday an electoral commission helicopter was fired on near Benghazi, Libya?s eastern second city, killing an electoral worker and forcing the craft to land.

?Libyan should be equals, and that means equal seats,? says Tawfik El Hassi, a high school science teacher from the eastern city of Qorina who fought against Qaddafi's forces last year. ?But I?m against federalism; we need a single Libya.?

Apparently to sooth tempers, the NTC ruled on Thursday that the new congress will no longer appoint a committee to appoint a constitution, as had been planned. Instead, Libyans will vote on it ? elections date as yet unknown.

Final results of today?s election are not expected until later this month. Some observers have speculated that Islamists could score well, as in Tunisia and Egypt.

For Mr. Triki, in Tripoli?s old city, such questions are secondary to the task of building a democratic system.

?We?ll probably need a second and third election to know what people really want,? he says. ?For now, we?re still building state institutions.?

Asked how it felt to vote at last, he spoke for multitudes: ?Happy, happy, happy!?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/XPHezSLWL1s/Libya-election-In-Tripoli-high-hopes-turnout-and-expectations

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