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Prodigy, 21, about to become doctor
BAGHDAD, June 16 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates flew to Baghdad Saturday to get a firsthand report on progress on the military and political fronts in Iraq.
Gates made his unannounced visit after attending a NATO meeting in Brussels, CNN reported. The trip was his fourth to Iraq since he has headed the Pentagon.
At a news conference in Baghdad, Gates said he saw signs of progress now that the buildup in U.S. forces in the city has been completed, The New York Times reported.
"The full impact of the surge is just beginning to be felt," he said.
One of Gates' aims was reportedly to put pressure on Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to hurry a political settlement. But U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said there are limits to U.S. influence.
"These have to be Iraqi decisions and Iraqi compromises if they are really going to take effect," he said. "We can't come up with solutions as the United States and expect to impose them or impose timelines and say, 'You've got to do this for the future of your country.'"
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CHICAGO, June 4 (UPI) --
A 21-year-old Chicago-area man is about to become the youngest person ever to receive a medical degree from the University of Chicago, officials say.
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LAS VEGAS, June 4 (UPI) --
Nineteen-year-old Miss Rhode Island USA Olivia Culpo was named Miss USA 2012 at a pageant in Las Vegas.
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NEW YORK, June 4 (UPI) --
Oil prices held close to $83 per barrel in New York Monday on continued worries of economic stability in Europe.
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