news snippets

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-- The American ambassador to the Philippines is busy trying to extract his foot from his mouth after suggesting that 40% of the region's visitors were sex tourists. A BBC story says "The Philippine government has been trying to revitalise the country's tourism industry, which for years has lagged behind those of other Asian countries." I can't tell if that means the Philippines feels its sex industry is lagging behind the rest of Asia or not.

-- Police are having a hard time in Ohio investigating reports that members of the Amish community there have been attacked and the beards of men cut off. The Amish are historically reluctant to reveal their concerns to the police or any other segment of the wider community.
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