Chicago Inquirer

Koran burning will endanger US lives: Petraeus

by Sardar Ahmad

KABUL-The US commander of the Afghan war has warned that his troops' lives will be endangered if a Florida evangelical church goes ahead with a planned burning of the Koran on Saturday's 9/11 anniversary.

Aftershocks rattle New Zealand's Christchurch

by Greg Wood

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand-Violent aftershocks rattled Christchurch Tuesday as parts of the city re-opened for the first time since New Zealand's biggest quake in nearly 80 years.

Suspected Islamists kill officer, wound five in Nigeria

by Aminu Abubakar

KANO, Nigeria-Suspected members of an Islamist sect that launched an uprising last year have killed a retired police officer and wounded five other people, the latest of such attacks in Nigeria's north, police said Monday.

SPORTS

Third seed Djokovic advances to US Open semi-finals

NEW YORK-Serbian third seed Novak Djokovic advanced to the US Open semi-finals on Wednesday, defeating French 17th seed Gael Monfils 7-6 (7/2), 6-1, 6-2, in windy conditions at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

POLITICS

Obama seeks to mend frayed bond with voters

CLEVELAND, Ohio-President Barack Obama Wednesday admitted some of his policies were unpopular and had not revived the economy quickly enough, but sought to rekindle his frayed bond with American voters.

EDUCATION

UN gives 13 million books to Zimbabwe schools

HARARE-The UN Children's Fund on Wednesday launched a scheme to provide 13 million textbooks to Zimbabwe's students, in a 50-million-dollar effort to revive the struggling school system.

EDITORIAL

In the heart of a Somali pirates' lair

HOBYO, Somalia-Piracy off the coast of Somalia is booming despite a massive deployment of international warships, with an estimated combined coast of 40 million dollars a day.