# World

Mali Locals Saved Some Ancient Manuscripts from Islamists

Preservationists guarding Timbuktu's centuries-old artifacts said that in a large-scale rescue operation early last year, shortly before Islamist militants seized control of the city, thousands of manuscripts were hauled out of the Ahmed Baba Institute to a safe house elsewhere.

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Photo of the Day - Mali Rebels Agree to End Hostilities

Rebel groups from northern Mali have agreed to end hostilities and present a united front ahead of negotiations with the Malian government that begin in Algiers next week.

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Malaysia Commits to Protecting Rainforests

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi pledged Friday not to indiscriminately approve logging licences that threaten endangered species and tribal communities.

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Facebook Pals Collect 200 Tons of Food for Flood Victims in Malaysia

Seven friends in Malaysia who are not formally organized in any way have managed to collect more than 200 tons of donations for the flood victims in Terengganu, Kelantan and Pahang, receiving overwhelming support, even from a guy with a helicopter to transport the goods.

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TV Viewers Rally to Lift 120,000 Malawi Kids Off the Ground

Six months ago, political reporter and former legislative director Lawrence O'Donell shared his experience of delivering 30 desks to a children's classroom in Africa with viewers of his MSNBC show The Last Word. Inspired by the video of Malawi kids sitting on dirt floors, donations poured in, more than 2.3 million dollars, allowing him to deliver an incredible 46,000 desks -- enough for every child in all four districts targeted.

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Little Dresses Bring Hope to Malawi

Rachel O'Neill fell in love with the sweeping vistas of Malawi, Africa, but especially with the little girls, whose only clothing were the thread-bare dresses on their backs. Her original idea was to get a church group to sew dresses for her to bring back for the children. Eventually, word spread and dresses were sent from all fifty states, so many that it took teams of volunteers to sort them,

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Madagascar Creates Millions More Protected Acres

"The government of Madagascar has established 15 new conservation areas encompassing a total of 2.65 million acres (about a million hectares) on the East African island famed for its unique wildlife, (but) which traditionally has had a poor conservation record." nat'l geo

# World

Richard Branson Plans to Save Lemurs

Using an undeveloped island he owns in the Caribbean, billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson plans to create the first wild colony of lemurs outside of Africa, saying Monday it's a 'radical idea' to save an endangered primate that is disappearing.