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AP International NewsBrief at 4:01 p.m. EDT
[August 09, 2012]

AP International NewsBrief at 4:01 p.m. EDT


(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Iran tries to calm Syria crisis as violence ragesBEIRUT (AP) _ As Syrian forces struggled to drive rebels from the country's largest city, the regime's key ally Iran tried Thursday to start an alternative political process to address the crisis. Iran gathered an array of nations ranging from strong supporters of Damascus to far-flung nations a world away from the Syrian civil war.



Gunmen attack police station in Egypt's SinaiCAIRO (AP) _ Gunmen sprayed a police station in Egypt's Sinai with bullets Thursday, setting off a brief firefight with policemen before speeding away in their truck, the latest in a series of attacks against security forces in the increasingly volatile peninsula, security officials said. Meanwhile, the military sent additional armored and other army vehicles to boost its strength in a hunt for militants in the wake of a deadly weekend attack that killed 16 Egyptian soldiers.

Syria captive rift: Iran defiant, Hezbollah silentBEIRUT (AP) _ It took just minutes for Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah chief to appear on TV to silence protests after Syrian rebels grabbed 11 Lebanese Shiites in May. Tehran's leadership also went into rapid-reaction mode when gunmen seized 48 Iranians last week, but with a very different objective: to make the abduction an international affair. The contrasting approaches highlight how Syria's civil war is impacting the political calculations of Bashar Assad's main Middle East backers _ and hint at possible separate endgame strategies by Tehran and its proxy Hezbollah if the Syrian regime heads into free fall.


Security firm: New computer virus prowling MideastLONDON (AP) _ A new computer virus tied to some of the most sophisticated cyberweapons thus-far discovered has been found circulating in the Middle East, a Moscow-based computer security company said Thursday. If a link were confirmed, the find would expand the electronic arsenal reportedly deployed by the U.S. and Israel against their rivals in the region. Kaspersky Lab ZAO said in a statement that the new virus, dubbed "Gauss," was aimed at stealing financial information from customers of a series of Lebanese banks.

HOPE STANDS TALLU.S. goalie Hope Solo has been a busy woman in the first half of the gold medal game against Japan. The Americans led 1-0 at the break thanks to an early goal from Carli Lloyd. But Japan controlled the last 35 minutes by using its speed to create scoring chances.

China official's wife doesn't deny killing BritonHEFEI, China (AP) _ Testimony in China's most closely watched murder case in decades wrapped up within hours on Thursday as the wife of disgraced politician Bo Xilai stood accused of luring a British businessman to a hotel, getting him drunk and pouring poison into his mouth. No verdict or sentence was immediately announced for Gu Kailai, who was tried with a household aide in the death of close family associate Neil Heywood. The defendants did not contest the murder charges. A guilty verdict is all but assured and could carry a death sentence.

As Mexico's drug war gets gritty, so do nicknamesMEXICO CITY (AP) _ When "The Worm Eater" and his sidekick "The Rat" were captured, they were allegedly carrying five grenades and about $1 million in cash. "Garbage" was caught extorting money from Mexico City bus drivers, police say. "The Pig" was known for his brutal style of killing rivals. "The Bum" allegedly burned and buried his victims in clandestine pits. As Mexico's drug violence gets bloodier, with cartels competing to leave ever-bigger piles of slaughtered victims, drug traffickers are being tagged with ever-grittier, low-brow nicknames to reflect their impersonal, almost industrial style of violence.

Police find 14 bodies in SUV in MexicoMEXICO CITY (AP) _ Police in northern Mexico say they have found the bodies of 14 men stuffed into a sport utility vehicle near a gas station. A spokeswoman for the San Luis Potosi state prosecutor's office says the bodies were found after an anonymous phone call tipped authorities off to the vehicle.

Openly gay athletes still scarce at Olympic GamesLONDON (AP) _ It has been a great games for gay Olympians _ probably. British equestrian Carl Hester won gold in team dressage in London. Midfielder Megan Rapinoe has scored three goals for the U.S. women's soccer team and several other lesbian players are part of the Dutch field hockey team heading into Friday's final.

Pistorius, SAfrica in relay final after appealLONDON (AP) _ Double-amputee Oscar Pistorius and his South African teammates are moving on to the 4x400-meter relay final at the Olympics without even finishing their heat. The man known as "Blade Runner" because of his carbon-fiber prosthetics will get a chance to run for an Olympic medal after officials accepted South Africa's protest over a collision and awarded an extra spot in Friday's final. Pistorius already is the first amputee to compete on a Summer Games track.

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