National News: AP-14thNewsMinute

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r h AP-14thNewsMinute     04-09 0307
^AP-14th NewsMinute<
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^More flights canceled...Bush speech...Record gas prices<
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     DALLAS (AP) _ American Airlines is apologizing for the
inconvenience to customers. The airline says it has canceled more
than 1,000 flights today as it takes time to inspect its MD-80
jets. For a second day in a row, American is working to re-book
affected customers.
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     WASHINGTON (AP) _ General David Petraeus continues to answer
questions about troop timelines in Iraq before a congressional
panel. The White House says that in a speech to the nation
tomorrow, President Bush will likely embrace the recommendations of
his top military commander in Iraq. Petraeus recommends bringing
20,000 troops home by the end of July.
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     WASHINGTON (AP) _ A U.S. counterterrorism official calls the
late Abu Obeida al-Masri (ah-boo oh-BAY‘-duh ahl-MAHZ‘-ree) a
``senior external operations planner‘‘ for al-Qaida. He and a
second official say al-Masri‘s death late last year in Pakistan was
due to either hepatitis or a blood disease. The Egyptian al-Qaida
chief is believed to have been behind the attacks on U.S. forces in
Afghanistan and linked to international terrorist plots.
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     NEW YORK (AP) _ Gasoline prices are setting another record at
the pump. A gallon of regular unleaded is at a record 3.34 a
gallon, according to a survey of gas stations by AAA and the Oil
Price Information Service. Crude oil prices have also reached
another milestone, after the Energy Department reported a
surprising drop in crude oil supplies last week.
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     WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) _ Firefighters on ladders
have helped senior citizens escape from a fire that broke out at an
assisted-living complex near Detroit. Some residents suffered smoke
inhalation and chest pains. The fire is believed to have started in
a third-floor boiler room.
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     (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

     AP-NY-04-09-08 1346EDT<