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Iran: Female sailor calls for Iraq pull-out in second letter
The Iranian embassy in London released a second letter today it said was from British woman captive Faye Turney in which she called on Britain to start withdrawing its troops from Iraq.
The British embassy in Tehran recieved a formal note from Iran, which Britain is giving "serious consideration". More details could not be divulged, a spokesperson said.
Meanwhile the UN Security Council expressed "grave concern" at the situation and called for an "early resolution of this problem".
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Australia: Sydney Harbour search resumes for missing teen skater
A large-scale search of Sydney Harbour will resume today for 14-year-old champion ice skater Morgan Innes, who has been missing since Wednesday night's ferry crash.
NSW Police spokeswoman said there was still hope of finding Morgan.
"Until you actually find somebody there is always some hope, and we have to maintain that as much for the family as anything else," she said.
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US: Senate approves 2008 Iraq troop pull-out
The US Senate today defied a veto threat by President George W. Bush and joined with the House of Representatives in backing a plan to get all combat soldiers out of Iraq by March 31, 2008.
Bush has argued that setting a deadline encourages the enemy to wait it out.
The House and Senate hope to negotiate a compromise bill by the week of April 16 and quickly pass it; but if Bush does veto the bill, Democrats are not expected to have the two-thirds support in the House and Senate to overturn him.
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- REUTERS / NZ HERALD STAFF
