Mr Bauer, an Arabic speaker, had been studying the Middle East and planned to report on forthcoming Kurdish elections in Iraq for the California-based New America Media (NAM), said the group's executive director, Sandy Close.

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If Hurricane Sandy has anything close to the force anticipated by these gloomy forecasts, widespread power outages across the East Coast are virtually certain to follow.

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For GE, the death toll at Sandy Hook hit too close to home.

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Unfortunately, Superstorm Sandy was by no means close to a worst case scenario.

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Albert Smith, 37, of Common Road, in Potton, Bedfordshire, and Alfred Stanley, 35, of Sandon Close, in Sandy, Bedfordshire, all admitted two counts of robbery.

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This forty fourth trading week of 2012 comes to a close with investors focusing on the impact of Hurricane Sandy on the domestic economy.

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Mr Hamilton said the father of three was shot at close range by two gunmen who approached from behind as he arrived for work in Sandy Row.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Northern Ireland | Murder 'may be linked to feud'