Saturday,  Nov. 09, 2013 • Vol. 16--No. 116 • 32 of 35

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were relatives of Chinese villagers who helped Raiders elude capture.
• After Thomas Griffin of Cincinnati died in February at age 96, the survivors decided they would gather this autumn for one last toast together. Only four of the 80 Raiders are still alive, and one wasn't able to travel because of his health.
• Raiders expected to attend were Richard Cole, Doolittle's co-pilot, of Comfort, Texas; David Thatcher of Missoula, Mont., and Edward Saylor of Puyallup, Wash.
• ___

Russian report on role of radioactive polonium in Arafat death inconclusive, Palestinians say

• RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) -- Four investigations, hundreds of testimonies and stacks of medical reports on Yasser Arafat's unexplained death in 2004 have failed to produce hard evidence of what killed him -- and findings presented Friday only created more confusion.
• Palestinian officials said a report they received from Russia on the role of radioactive polonium in Arafat's death was inconclusive. They spoke just a day after Swiss scientists said the Palestinian leader was probably poisoned by the rare and extremely lethal substance.
• Despite those discrepancies, the Swiss and Russian reports agreed that Arafat's death "was not caused by old age or disease, but as a result of a toxic substance," said Dr. Abdullah Bashir, a medical expert in the three-member Palestinian team that has been investigating Arafat's death. This, he told a news conference, is in line with the long-standing Palestinian contention that Arafat was poisoned.
• The reports revived Palestinian allegations that Israel was behind the attack, despite its denial.
• The Palestinian team's leader, Tawfik Tirawi, said Israel had the technical means and the motive.
• ___

Pakistani action movie bashes India and troubles some critics while scoring big at box office

• ISLAMABAD (AP) -- "Waar" seems ordinary enough as an action movie -- Pakistani forces fighting terrorism, a James Bond-like character hunting an assassin, a woman ensnaring a patriot with her sexual wiles.
• But the Pakistani-made film playing to packed houses these days has some critics worried because it suggests that the country's terrorism problem is not homegrown, but a sinister plot by outside enemies, particularly long-term adversary India.

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