Just hours before a high-profile ceremony, the United States Friday canceled an award to an Egyptian activist after learning she had praised the 9/11 attacks and the killing of Israelis. Samira Ibrahim was to have been honored along with nine other women at the International Women of Courage Award hosted by top US diplomat John Kerry and First Lady Michelle Obama. But in an embarrassing failure for the State Department's vetting process, it was revealed Ibrahim had sent some anti-American and anti-Semitic remarks on her prolific Twitter account.

In an embarrassing about-turn, the US Thursday said it would delay giving a prestigious award to an Egyptian activist to check reports she had made anti-American and anti-Semitic remarks. Samira Ibrahim was to have been honored Friday along with nine other women with the International Women of Courage Award at a glittering event to be hosted by top US diplomat John Kerry and First Lady Michelle Obama.

* 3-year-old may have been badly beaten -Russian officials * U.S. says law enforcement investigating Texas death * Case could inflame adoption dispute with Washington (Adds State Department comments) By Sonia Elks MOSCOW, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Russian investigators have opened an inquiry into the death of an adopted 3-year-old boy in the United States in a case that could aggravate a row with Washington over adoptions in Russia.

North Korea warned the United States before carrying out its third nuclear test, the State Department said Tuesday, without specifying how much notice Washington was given. "The DPRK did inform us at the State Department of their intention to conduct a nuclear test," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters. "We were advised." She stressed Washington had again told North Korea, also known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), in the "strongest terms" that it opposed such plans.