Taiwan flood death toll: 19

TAIPEI – Taiwanese officials say the death toll from flash floods triggered by Tropical Storm Kalmaegi has climbed to 19.

The disaster relief centre says six other people remain missing. Tunisia jails five for terrorism * TUNIS – A court in Tunisia jailed five Islamists, including two police officers and a teacher, for up to nine years on charges of belonging to a terrorist cell and planning attacks, their lawyer said on Saturday.Pope warns youth of ‘spiritual desert’ * SYDNEY – Pope Benedict XVI yesterday urged hundreds of thousands of young Catholics to beat back a “spiritual desert” spreading through the modern world as he closed Catholic World Youth Day in Australia.Kurdish rebels release 3 German captives * ANKARA – Three Germans seized by Kurdish rebels during a climbing expedition on Mount Ararat more than a week ago have been released in good condition, authorities said yesterday.Obama: Afghan fight precarious, urgent * KABUL, Afghanistan – Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says the situation in Afghanistan is “precarious” and “urgent.”Bolivia’s coca farmers plant rice * SINAHOTA – Soaring food prices may achieve what the United States has spent millions of dollars trying to do: persuade Bolivian farmers to sow their fields with less potent crops than cocaine’s raw ingredient.Tunisia jails five for terrorism * TUNIS – A court in Tunisia jailed five Islamists, including two police officers and a teacher, for up to nine years on charges of belonging to a terrorist cell and planning attacks, their lawyer said on Saturday.Pope warns youth of ‘spiritual desert’ * SYDNEY – Pope Benedict XVI yesterday urged hundreds of thousands of young Catholics to beat back a “spiritual desert” spreading through the modern world as he closed Catholic World Youth Day in Australia.Kurdish rebels release 3 German captives * ANKARA – Three Germans seized by Kurdish rebels during a climbing expedition on Mount Ararat more than a week ago have been released in good condition, authorities said yesterday.Obama: Afghan fight precarious, urgent * KABUL, Afghanistan – Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says the situation in Afghanistan is “precarious” and “urgent.”Bolivia’s coca farmers plant rice * SINAHOTA – Soaring food prices may achieve what the United States has spent millions of dollars trying to do: persuade Bolivian farmers to sow their fields with less potent crops than cocaine’s raw ingredient.