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Polish leader dismisses Russian missile threat

Polish leader dismisses Russian missile threat Warsaw - Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Wednesday dismissed a Russian threat to deploy missiles near the Polish border to counter a planned US missile defence system.

"I wouldn't attach too much weight to these types of declarations," the Polish Press Agency quotes Tusk as saying.

Hours earlier, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said Moscow would deploy short-range missiles in its Baltic Sea enclave of Kaliningrad.

Bush welcomes Obama's historic victory

Bush welcomes Obama's historic victory Washington - US President George W Bush on Wednesday congratulated Barack Obama on becoming the first African American ever elected to the White House and promised a smooth transition over the next two months.

"No matter how they cast their ballots, all Americans can be proud of the history that was made yesterday," Bush said in a brief statement at the White House Rose Garden. "Many of our citizens thought they would never live to see that day."

Somali gunmen kidnap foreign aid workers

Somali gunmen kidnap foreign aid workersMogadishu/Paris - A group of armed Somali men have kidnapped six foreigners - four aid workers and two pilots - near the town of Dusamareb in central Somalia on Wednesday, the French government confirmed on Wednesday.

In a statement issued in Paris, the foreign ministry said that two French citizens working for a French NGO were among those abducted.

The Belgian State Department had said earlier that one of the kidnap victims was a Belgian national.

Obama leaves Florida discussing policy towards Cuba

Obama leaves Florida discussing policy towards CubaMiami - The victory of Democratic candidate Barack Obama in Tuesday's US presidential election was so solid that he even scored a clear win in Florida - one of the toughest states - as he made his way to the White House.

Obama obtained 3.99 million votes in the state, 50.9 per cent, to rival Republican John McCain's 3.79 million votes, 48.3 per cent of the total cast.

F1 engines must last longer from 2009; changes to steward system

F1 engines must last longer from 2009; changes to steward system Paris - Formula One engines will have to last for three instead of the present two race weekends from the 2009 championship season, motorsport authorities decided Wednesday.

The decision was taken by the world motorsport council of international motorsport federation FIA in a further effort to save costs in F1 racing.

The council also agreed to some adjustments in its officiating system following a number of controversial rulings by race stewards in the just-ended 2008 season.

Cause sought of German bus crash that killed 20

Cause sought of German bus crash that killed 20Hanover, Germ

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