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PARIS (AP) — Iran says it's rejected a request from the United States to join the fight against extremists from the group Islamic State. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says Washington has "unclean intentions." Khamenei says Iran is proud not to be part of the U.S.-led coalition and says the U.S. will suffer the same problems it encountered in Iraq should it enter Iraq and Syria without authorization. U.S. officials opposed France's attempt to invite Iran to today's international conference to tackle the Islamic State group threat.
PARIS (AP) — Diplomats from around the world are meeting in Paris to discuss how to destroy the group Islamic State. French President Francois Hollande (frahn-SWAH' oh-LAWND') says, "There is no time to lose" in coming up with an international strategy. Iraq's president is calling for a coordinated military and humanitarian approach, as well as regular strikes against territory in the hands of the extremists and the elimination of their funding.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Former National Security Agency systems analyst turned leaker Edward Snowden says the NSA is collecting mass surveillance data on New Zealanders. Snowden spoke today via video link from Russia to hundreds of people at Auckland's Town Hall. He says the U.S. has set up a facility in the South Pacific nation to tap into the data.
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — A major international organization has cut its growth forecast for the countries that use the euro. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a think tank dealing with the world's developed countries, has cut its forecast for the eurozone this year to 0.8 percent from 1.2 percent in its May assessment. The OECD also cut its growth forecasts for the U.S. and several other large economies. The OECD says the European Central Bank needs to do more to help growth in the eurozone, including large-scale bond purchases.
STELLENBOSCH, South Africa (AP) — The chief executive of South Africa's Olympic committee says Oscar Pistorius is free to compete, even after his conviction for culpable homicide in the shooting death of his girlfriend. He says the sports body has no regulations that prevent someone with a criminal record from representing the country. Pistorius faces years in prison for the killing of Reeva Steenkamp, but there is no minimum sentence and he could receive no jail time.
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