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Libyan Unrest Weighs on Stocks, Oil up Further

The turmoil in Libya heaped further pressure on stocks around the world Wednesday as investors worry that the global economic recovery may be derailed by the sharp rise in oil prices and swelling inflation.

Concerns that the country is descending into civil war were heightened by comments Tuesday from longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi that he would fight to his "last drop of blood," while urging supporters to strike back against protesters to defend his embattled regime.

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Dispute Over Thin Mints Gets Physical

Police say a brawl between roommates over Girl Scout cookies led to assault charges against one of them. According to the Naples Daily News, the Collier County Sheriff's Office reports that 31-year-old Hersha Howard woke up her roommate early Sunday and accused her of eating her Thin Mints.

They argued and deputies say that it turned physical with Howard chasing her roommate with scissors and hitting her repeatedly with a board and then a sign.

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Big Fat Indian Weddings Could Face the Axe

The Indian government is considering proposals to limit the number of guests allowed at weddings to reduce food wastage, an official told Agence France Presse on Tuesday.

Indian weddings are famous for their extravagance and a wave of new money in the country has led to ever more lavish marriage celebrations, often involving multi-cuisine buffets and hundreds, or even thousands, of guests.

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Senegal Cuts Diplomatic Ties with Iran Over Weapons Row

Senegal has cut diplomatic ties with Iran, accusing it of delivering weapons to separatist rebels in its restive southern Casamance region where 16 soldiers have been killed since the end of December.

A cache of Iranian weapons concealed as building material intercepted in Nigeria in October 2010, was found to be one of several shipments passing through Gambia and destined for the Casamance rebel movement.

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Lebanese Youth to Bring Down Confessional System

Protests sweeping the Middle East have given new impetus to Lebanese youths who have launched their own revolt on Facebook in a bid -- albeit improbable -- to bring down Lebanon's confessional system.

Using slogans popularized by protesters in Tunisia and Egypt, several pages urging the Lebanese to bring down the Mediterranean country's confessional "regime" or calling for a "day of wrath" against confessionalism, corruption and poverty have appeared recently on the social networking site.

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Milan Fashion Week Kicks Off

Milan Fashion Week opened on Wednesday, with glitterati and fashion watchers flocking to the glamorous Italian city known for its opulence and obsession with high fashion.

"It's an exciting moment. We've pulled out all the stops to make Milan the leading Fashion Week for women wear on the international stage," Mario Boselli, head of the organizers, Milan's Camera Moda, told Agence France Presse.

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Mexico Tycoon Slim to Buy Tabasco Oil

Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim's Grupo Carso conglomerate will acquire 70 percent of the Tabasco Oil Co. LLC, which has exploration and production operations in Colombia.

Grupo Carso announced the move in a brief statement to the stock exchange late Tuesday, saying it "marks the entrance of Grupo Carso into a new business sector in Latin America."

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Dressed to Kill: Court to Clothe NY Mafia Don

A New York mafia don will be dressed to kill when his long delayed death-penalty murder trial starts -- thanks to a sartorially sympathetic judge.

Vincent Basciano, a Cosa Nostra wise guy known for his impeccable haircuts, can look forward to an entire new wardrobe in the tradition of famously well-turned-out killers like "Dapper Don" John Gotti.

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Web Becomes Virtual Crisis Center in NZ Quake

Victims and survivors of the New Zealand earthquake are using the web as a virtual crisis centre, searching for missing people and even offering survivors a place to stay.

Information is flowing out from Christchurch to sites such as web giant Google's Crisis Response service where people can add or request information on individuals.

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New Studies Boost Heart Benefit from Moderate Drinking

Two medical investigations published on Tuesday have strengthened arguments that modest daily consumption of alcohol is good for the heart and the blood system.

People who drink alcohol in moderate amounts -- equivalent to about one drink a day or less -- are between 14 and 25 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than counterparts who drink no alcohol at all, they said.

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