Gwinnett Daily Post

US airstrike kills 9 Afghan soldiers at checkpoint

KABUL, Afghanistan - A U.S.-led coalition airstrike hit an Afghan army checkpoint Wednesday, killing nine soldiers, Afghan officials said. The American military acknowledged that its forces may have 'mistakenly' killed allied troops.

The U.S. acknowledged that its forces 'may have mistakenly killed and injured' Afghan soldiers in what may have been a case of mistaken identity 'on both sides.' The deaths come as Afghan President Hamid Karzai presses international forces to avoid airstrikes in civilian areas.

Diplomat: US embargo is like genocide

WASHINGTON - Looking ahead to a new American administration, Cuba's top diplomat in Washington opened a campaign Wednesday to generate world pressure to kill a half-century old U.S. trade embargo that he likened to genocide.

'It's equivalent to genocide; its intention is strangulation,' Jorge Bolanos said in an Associated Press interview a week before Cuba plans to ask the U.N. General Assembly to condemn the U.S. boycott of his country.

Japanese sailor killed in kick-boxing farewell ritual

TOKYO - A Japanese sailor dropping out of an elite navy training program died in an unofficial farewell ritual requiring him to fight 15 classmates, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

The 25-year-old petty officer died of internal injuries on Sept. 25, nearly two weeks after being knocked unconscious in the 15-round kick boxing-style fight, the ministry said in an interim report from the investigation.

World leaders to meet on economy in Washington

WASHINGTON - World leaders will meet Nov. 15 in Washington to address the global financial crisis - the first in a series of summits to mitigate what economists predict could be a long and deep downturn.

In making the announcement, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the first meeting will focus on the underlying causes of the financial crisis, the global response and the principles that should guide any reforms.