National |
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| National News |
| Posts from April 2012 |
First Person: Hunting a Terrorist Mastermind
by AP
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posted Apr 30 2012 11:27AM
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<VIDEO> Author Josh Meyers details the hunt for the self-proclaimed architect of the 9/11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, as journalists and relatives of Sept. 11 victims prepare to attend the arraignment hearing at the U.S. base in Cuba.
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Raw Video: WTC Becoming NYC's Tallest Building
by AP
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posted Apr 30 2012 9:32AM
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The rebuilt World Trade Center becomes New York City's tallest skyscraper on Monday. Workers will erect steel columns that will make its unfinished skeleton a little over 1,250 feet high, taller than the Empire State Building observation deck.
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SUV Plunges Into NYC's Bronx Zoo Grounds; Seven Dead
by AP
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posted Apr 30 2012 9:27AM
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<VIDEO> NEW YORK (AP) - A New York City official says the height of the guardrails on a highway overpass in the Bronx will be among the factors examined in the probe of a deadly crash.
Seven people from three generations of a family -- including three children -- were killed when the SUV they were traveling in plunged more than 50 feet off the overpass yesterday and into a ravine on the grounds of the Bronx Zoo.
It landed in a wooded area on the edge of zoo property that is closed to the public and far from any animal exhibits.
The accident was the second in the past year in which a car fell from the same stretch of the Bronx River Parkway.
A neighbor tells the Daily News that the victims were "a good, wholesale family." She says, "The mother always kept an eye on her children."
Relatives say the two grandparents who died had arrived from the Dominican Republic three days earlier. They were headed to a family party when the accident occurred.
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1 Dead After Storm Hits St. Louis Beer Tent
by AP
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posted Apr 30 2012 6:42AM
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High winds swept through a beer tent where 200 people gathered after a Cardinals game Saturday, killing one and seriously injuring five others. The owner of the bar that hosted the crowd said lightning, not wind, killed the patron.
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'Safe Rooms' Booming in Tornado Prone Areas
by AP
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posted Apr 27 2012 11:12AM
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Many people simply had nowhere to hide last year when killer tornadoes bore down on places like Smithville, Miss., Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Joplin, Mo. Thousands across Tornado Alley are making sure they'll be ready the next time.
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Space Shuttle Enterprise Circles NYC
by AP
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posted Apr 27 2012 11:10AM
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<VIDEO> NEW YORK (AP) - An unusual flying object is zooming around New York City's airspace. It's the space shuttle Enterprise, riding on top of a modified jumbo jet.
The shuttle prototype was brought from Washington to New York on Friday morning.
The heralded event included low-altitude flyovers over landmarks including the Statue of Liberty and the Intrepid on Manhattan's west side.
It's eventually going to make its new home in New York City at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.
It won't move into its new home until June. It's scheduled to be open to the public in mid-July.
In the meantime, the Enterprise will be kept at Kennedy Airport.
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Vet Makes Film Using Footage of Fallujah Battle
by AP
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posted Apr 27 2012 8:22AM
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A young veteran is making a documentary about his unit, their experience in Iraq and their struggle to return to civilian life. The film will feature hours of video footage that his fellow Marines shot on their own personal cameras during the second battle.
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After Bird Strikes, More Prevention Sought in NY
by AP
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posted Apr 27 2012 8:20AM
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<VIDEO> The problem of birds living near some of the nation's busiest airports is coming under renewed scrutiny after two emergency landings in a week.
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Student Loan Vote Ahead
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 26 2012 4:14PM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - The House Democratic leader is opposing a Republican bill that she says would raid women's programs in order to keep student loan interest rates low.
Nancy Pelosi says Republicans propose to pay for the bill by targeting women's health, and she says "that's just wrong."
The House is scheduled to vote tomorrow on the bill, which would prevent the 3.4 percent interest rate on subsidized Stafford student loans from doubling as scheduled on July 1. It's a goal shared by Democrats, but the two parties differ over how to pay for it.
The Republicans' $5.9 billion bill would be paid for by cutting money from a public fund created under the new health care law for things like immunization campaigns, research, screenings and wellness education. Republicans have dubbed it a "slush fund."
A Democratic bill in the Senate would pay for it by forcing high-earning owners of some privately owned corporations to pay more Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes.
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Hundreds Rally in Phoenix Against SB 1070
by AP
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posted Apr 26 2012 4:54AM
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<VIDEO> As the Supreme Court weighed arguments over Arizona's tough immigration law known as SB 1070, about 500 people who oppose the law marched in Phoenix. Police made nine arrests, but there was no reported violence.
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US Supreme Court Reviews Arizona Immigration Law
by AP
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posted Apr 26 2012 4:53AM
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The Supreme Court suggested Wednesday it does not agree with the Obama administration's argument that Arizona exceeded its authority when it made a records check part of a state law aimed at driving illegal immigrants out of the state.
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Missing Ariz. Girl's Family Pleas for Her Return
by AP
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posted Apr 26 2012 4:48AM
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<VIDEO> The parents of a 6-year-old girl who disappeared from her home over the weekend said Wednesday they will do anything to ensure her return.
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Supreme Court Hints OK on Ariz. Immigration Law
by AP
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posted Apr 26 2012 4:44AM
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<VIDEO> Bucking the Obama administration, Supreme Court justices seemed to find little trouble Wednesday with major parts of Arizona's tough immigration law that require police to check the legal status of people they stop for other reasons.
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Lawmakers Cut Postal Workers a Break
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 25 2012 8:20PM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - The Postal Service is criticizing a bill passed by the Senate that would delay closings of thousands of low-revenue post offices and mail processing centers.
In a blunt statement, the board of governors for the mail agency said the measure "falls far short" and would do little to stem financial losses. The board also called the Senate bill "totally inappropriate," saying it would keep unneeded mail facilities open.
Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said if the bill became law, the agency would return to Congress in a few years to get emergency help.
The Senate bill, which passed Wednesday, gives the mail agency an $11 billion cash infusion but bars many closings, requiring further studies instead. The measure now goes to the House, which has yet to consider a separate bill.
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Record Deadly Storms Have Impact on Awarreness
by AP
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posted Apr 25 2012 8:48AM
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<VIDEO> With the anniversary of the deadly Tuscaloosa and Joplin tornadoes approaching, forecasters are preparing for more severe storms. The National Weather Service is warning people to keep alert through more than just tornado sirens.
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Solar Panels Cause Clashes With Homeowner Groups
by AP
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posted Apr 25 2012 8:47AM
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<VIDEO> As solar panels become more popular, some people who want to install them are encountering opposition from neighbors. Some states are taking steps to keep homeowners associations and local governments from banning the panels.
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High Court Hears Arizona Immigration Dispute
by AP
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posted Apr 25 2012 8:46AM
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<VIDEO> The Supreme Court will referee another clash between the Obama administration and the states, this one over Arizona's crackdown on illegal immigrants. The case could add fuel to the partisan split over state immigration laws.
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'Surveillance Systems Work' in Mad Cow Case
by AP
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posted Apr 25 2012 8:23AM
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<VIDEO> The first new case of mad cow disease in the U.S. since 2006 has been discovered in a dairy cow in California, but health authorities said Tuesday the animal never was a threat to the nation's food supply.
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Rodney King Recalls Reaction to Verdict, Riots
by AP
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posted Apr 25 2012 8:21AM
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<VIDEO> Rodney King, whose videotaped beating and the later acquittal of the officers involved sparked riots in Los Angeles, recalls his reaction to the verdict and what the FBI told him might happen afterwards.
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Romney Lays Claim to GOP Nomination
by AP
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posted Apr 25 2012 8:18AM
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<VIDEO> Mitt Romney laid claim to the fiercely contested Republican presidential nomination Tuesday with a fistful of primary triumphs, then urged all who struggle in a shaky U.S. economy to "hold on a little longer, a better America begins tonight."
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New Case of Mad Cow Disease in California
by AP
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posted Apr 25 2012 8:16AM
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<VIDEO> The first new case of mad cow disease in the U.S. since 2006 has been discovered in a dairy cow in California, but health authorities said Tuesday the animal never was a threat to the nation's food supply.
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Feds: $40M Settlement With NYC Construction Firm
by AP
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posted Apr 25 2012 8:15AM
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A construction company whose projects included the stadium where the New York Mets play and the Sept. 11 Memorial agreed to pay up to $56 million in penalties and restitution after admitting a decade-long fraud, authorities announced Tuesday.
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College Student: Loans 'A Little Terrifying'
by AP
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posted Apr 25 2012 8:13AM
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When Barack Obama spoke at the University of North Carolina, he wasn't just a president trying to promote his higher education policy. Even to students as far away as California, he was someone who understood their burden of college loans.
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Romney Veepstakes Speculation in Full Throttle
by AP
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posted Apr 25 2012 8:11AM
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<VIDEO> Marco Rubio? Chris Christie? Rob Portman? With Mitt Romney the almost certain Republican nominee, all focus is on his search for a running mate. The AP's Kelly Daschle takes a look at who Romney might be eyeing.
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Asteroid Mining May Make Money
by AP
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posted Apr 25 2012 7:52AM
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Private investors stake money on robotic rockets to mine near Earth asteroids for rare minerals and water. Project to start by 2014 to identify asteroids with signs of the presence of minerals.
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Three more Secret Service Members Forced Out
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 24 2012 5:51PM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - A Republican lawmaker says three Secret Service employees are being forced out of the agency and two others have been cleared of serious misconduct in the agency's investigation into the prostitution scandal in Colombia.
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., says he was told by a top Secret Service official that the five remaining cases under investigation are being disposed of.
King says two Secret Service employees are resigning and one is having his national security clearance revoked and will be leaving the agency.
King says one of the resigning employees stayed at the Hilton in Cartagena, the same hotel where President Barack Obama stayed. The other Secret Service employees stayed at a nearby hotel.
King says two others under investigation have been cleared of misconduct.
All told, the Secret Service investigated 12 people in connection with the Colombia incident. Six others were forced out last week and one other employee was cleared.
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Raw Video: John Edwards Trial Opens in NC
by AP
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posted Apr 24 2012 7:53AM
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<VIDEO> John Edwards' former aide, Andrew Young was the first witness called by federal prosecutors in Edwards' criminal trial. He is accused of conspiring to use nearly $1 million in secret payments to help hide his pregnant mistress in 2008.
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Sanford Rejects Resignation of Police Chief
by AP
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posted Apr 24 2012 7:51AM
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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The Sanford city commission rejected the resignation of the police chief harshly criticized for his handling of the Trayvon Martin case.
The commissioners voted 3-2 Monday to reject the resignation of Bill Lee. The majority blamed the uproar surrounding Martin's death on outsiders.
<VIDEO> Police did not initially charge 28-year-old George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer who says he shot the 17-year-old Martin in self-defense.
Florida law gives people broad leeway to use lethal force if they believe their lives are in grave danger. The Feb. 26 shooting sparked protests nationwide, as well as debates about the laws and race. Martin was black; Zimmerman is the son of a white father and Hispanic mother.
Lee temporarily stepped down as police chief on March 22, saying he wanted to let tensions cool.
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WH: No Staff Involved in Prostitution Scandal
by AP
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posted Apr 24 2012 7:46AM
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<VIDEO> While new details are still emerging about the Secret Service partying with prostitutes ahead of President Obama's visit to Colombia, the White House says an internal review finds no evidence its staff was involved.
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Christian College Resumes Classes After Attack
by AP
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posted Apr 24 2012 7:42AM
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<VIDEO> Some students and staff members returned to class Monday at a small California Christian college where seven people were shot to death earlier this month.
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Romney Embraces Obama's Student Loan Proposal
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 23 2012 5:41PM
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ASTON, Pa. (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Monday embraced a student loan proposal that President Barack Obama is selling on the campaign trail and refused to endorse Sen. Marco Rubio's conservative immigration plan aimed at helping young illegal immigrants.
The two policy positions signaled an effort by Romney to move to the political center as he works to court critical general election swing voters - including young voters and Hispanic voters - after a brutal primary fight.
"I think young voters in this country have to vote for me if they're really thinking of what's in the best interest of the country and what's in their personal best interest," Romney said as he stood next to Rubio, R-Fla., and answered reporters' questions for the first time since effectively securing the GOP presidential nomination.
House Republicans oppose legislation to temporarily extend low-interest rates for student loans. Obama has been pushing Congress for the extension and planned a three-state tour this week to warn students of the potential financial catastrophe they will face if Congress fails to act.
Romney refused to embrace a Rubio proposal that would allow young illegal immigrants to remain in the United States to work or study. He did say there were provisions to "commend" it and that his campaign would "study the issue.
Romney said during the South Carolina primary that all illegal immigrants should return to their home country and get in line to be eligible for U.S. citizenship. Rubio's still-evolving bill would allow young illegal immigrants who graduated from high school and have no criminal record to obtain a nonimmigrant visa. They could stay in the United States, obtain a drivers' license and work or continued their studies but would have no special path to citizenship.
Romney's answers illustrate the careful line he has to walk as he transitions from the primary to the general election, where he'll have to tussle with Obama for support from the Hispanic, female and young voters who propelled Obama to victory in 2008.
Obama, meanwhile, has to hang on to those constituencies. His tour through North Carolina, Colorado and Iowa on Tuesday and Wednesday is intended to rally young supporters.
Romney's language on loans, for example, was distinctly different from the answer he gave when he was last asked about the issue. Prior to the Illinois primary on March 20, he told a young woman concerned about student debt to "get ready for President Obama's claim."
"I know he's going to come up at some point and talk about how he's going to make it vanish. And that's another, 'Here, I'll give you something for free.' And I'm not going to do that," Romney said. During that same answer, he said he wanted to keep interest rates low.
Romney also tacked to the right on immigration during the primary. In recent days, he's been highlighting Hispanic concerns at events while leaving out much of the rhetoric he embraced earlier this year. He said Monday that he would outline additional changes to the immigration system in the coming months, particularly with the visa system that governs who is allowed to work in the U.S.
"I anticipate before the November election we'll be laying out whole series of policies that relate to immigration, and obviously our first priority is to secure the border, and yet we also have very substantial visa programs in this country," Romney said. "How we adjust our visa program to make it fit the needs of our country is something I'll be speaking about down the road."
Still, he wouldn't go so far as to embrace Rubio's immigration proposal. Rubio has said his goal is to craft a Republican compromise on the so-called DREAM Act that Romney could support. The DREAM Act, which has languished on Capitol Hill, would provide a path to citizenship for some young illegal immigrants who attend college or serve in the military.
The Cuban-American senator is considered a top potential pick for vice president. He's the latest in a string of possible running mates to campaign with Romney and is the first to get an audition since former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., left the race and Romney staffers formally began organizing the process of searching for a No. 2.
Romney declined Monday to say if Rubio was on his list of vice presidential candidates. He said his campaign is still setting up the infrastructure that's required to scrutinize potential nominees, including hiring legal and accounting staff.
The former Massachusetts governor also refused to say whether Rubio is experienced enough to serve as his No. 2. Romney often criticizes Obama, who was a first-term senator when he was elected president, as a "nice guy" who is "in over his head," implying that the Democratic incumbent didn't have the experience he needed for the job.
| | | Tags : Topics: Politics, Social IssuesSocial: Politics, Social IssuesLocations: Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South CarolinaPeople: Barack Obama, Marco Rubio, Rick Santorum
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Former Aide to John Edwards Takes the Stand
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 23 2012 5:39PM
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GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) - A former aide to John Edwards has taken the witness stand in his criminal trial to testify about the ex-senator's role in allegedly violating campaign finance laws to cover up an extramarital affair.
Andrew Young was the first witness called by prosecutors Monday as they began making their case that Edwards masterminded a conspiracy to use nearly $1 million in secret payments from two wealthy donors to help hide his pregnant mistress as he sought the White House in 2008.
Young recounted meeting the woman, Rielle Hunter, as she travelled with Edwards in 2006. Young also introduced Edwards to Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, an heiress who provided much of the money at issue.
Edwards has pleaded not guilty to six counts of violating campaign finance laws.
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Zimmerman Released From Jail
by AP
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posted Apr 23 2012 6:41AM
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<VIDEO> SANFORD, Fla. (AP) - In a low-key event, George Zimmerman was released from a Florida jail on $150,000 bail as he awaits his second-degree murder trial in the fatal shooting of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin.
The neighborhood watch volunteer was wearing a brown jacket and blue jeans and carrying a paper bag as he walked out of the jail around midnight Sunday. He was following another man and didn't look over at photographers gathered outside. The two then got into a white BMW car and drove away.
No questions were shouted at Zimmerman from members of the news media at the scene, and he gave no statement.
His ultimate destination is being kept secret for his safety and it could be outside Florida.
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No New Clues in Search for Tucson Girl
by AP
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posted Apr 23 2012 6:40AM
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<VIDEO> Volunteers passed out fliers as more than 150 law enforcement officers tried to determine whether a six-year-old girl has been abducted in Tucson, Ariz. Police say her parents are cooperating.
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Son of Jim Bakker Enters NC Gay Marriage Fight
by AP
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posted Apr 23 2012 6:37AM
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<VIDEO> Jay Bakker, son of the late televangelists, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, visited Durham, NC to speak out against a constitutional amendment in NC to ban gay marriage.
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Searchers Scour Tucson for Missing Girl
by AP
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posted Apr 23 2012 6:26AM
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<VIDEO> Law officers searched Sunday for a 6-year-old Arizona girl who vanished from her home during the night in a case police said was suspicious and possibly a kidnapping.
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Secret Service Scandal: 'Heads Have to Roll'
by AP
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posted Apr 20 2012 9:18AM
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Top lawmakers are predicting more agents will be forced out at the Secret Service in the widening probe of how an advance team for President Obama's visit to Colombia spent a night partying with prostitutes.
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Suspect in Neighborhood Watch Killing Could Get Bail
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 19 2012 5:43PM
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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - After spending a week in a jail cell by himself, the neighborhood watch volunteer accused of murdering Trayvon Martin stands a good chance of being granted bail despite the charge's severity, according to legal experts.
Zimmerman is scheduled to appear at a bail hearing Friday in Sanford. If he is released, legal experts say key questions include whether Zimmerman can leave Seminole County and how he would remain safe.
Factors in whether Zimmerman will get bail include whether he poses a flight risk and is a danger to the community.
Zimmerman faces life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder in the Feb. 26 slaying of 17-year-old Martin in Sanford, Fla.., where Zimmerman was the neighborhood watch volunteer. The two got into a confrontation and Zimmerman shot the unarmed Martin. Zimmerman claims it was self-defense
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Massive Payout Ahead in Gulf Oil Spill
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 19 2012 5:42PM
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NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The Justice Department says more than $64 million will be paid to about 7,300 people and businesses whose claims with BP's $20 billion compensation fund were shortchanged or wrongfully denied after the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The department announced Thursday that an independent audit of the Gulf Coast Claims Facility found "significant errors" in its processing of claims.
The auditor also found claimants who were erroneously overpaid. The department says the GCCF isn't trying to to recover those overpayments.
The GCCF, led by Kenneth Feinberg, paid out more than $6 billion to more than 220,000 claimants over nearly two years after the blowout of BP's Macondo well spawned the nation's worst offshore oil spill.
A court-supervised administrator has taken over the claims process from the GCCF.
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Abducted Baby's Father: Wife Was 'Excellent Mom'
by AP
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posted Apr 19 2012 4:42AM
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Little Keegan Golden, snatched from his mother's truck has been returned to his family, according to his father, Keith Schuchardt. Kala Golden, Schuchardt's wife was shot and killed outside of a pediatric center Tuesday.
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New Military Photo Scandal: Panetta Apologizes
by AP
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posted Apr 19 2012 4:41AM
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Defense Secretary Leon Panetta apologized Wednesday for gruesome, newly revealed photographs that purport to show U.S. soldiers posing with the bloodied remains of dead insurgents in Afghanistan two years ago.
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Judge Quits Trayvon Martin Case, Cites Conflict
by AP
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posted Apr 19 2012 4:39AM
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The judge presiding over the Trayvon Martin shooting case removed herself Wednesday after the attorney for defendant George Zimmerman argued she had a possible conflict of interest that related to her husband.
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New Keystone XL Oil Pipeline Proposal Submitted
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 18 2012 7:39PM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - TransCanada says it has submitted a proposal for a new route through Nebraska for the disputed Keystone XL oil pipeline.
The company said in a statement Wednesday that it has submitted a planned route for the pipeline to Nebraska officials. The state has become a focus of concern for the 1,700-mile pipeline, which would carry oil from Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast. President Barack Obama blocked the pipeline earlier this year, citing uncertainty over a planned route intended to avoid Nebraska's environmentally sensitive Sandhills region.
Details of the new route were not immediately available. A spokeswoman for the State Department said officials had not received notification of a new route. State Department approval is need because the $7 billion pipeline crosses a U.S. border.
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Scientists: Fish Sick Where BP's Oil Spill Hit
by AP
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posted Apr 18 2012 4:49AM
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Two years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, scientists are finding trouble in the oiled Gulf of Mexico: Fish with lesions and evidence of contamination. But no link has been found between the sick fish and the oil spill.
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2nd Panel Blasts GSA for Parties, Trips, Bonuses
by AP
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posted Apr 18 2012 4:42AM
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General Services Administration witnesses came under sharp criticism from Congress for a second day on Tuesday, as lawmakers expressed outrage over junkets, bonuses and parties paid for by taxpayers.
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Warren Buffett Says He Has Early Prostate Cancer
by AP
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posted Apr 18 2012 4:40AM
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Warren Buffett told his company's shareholders in an open letter Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer. The 81-year-old billionaire investor says his condition is 'not remotely life-threatening' or debilitating.
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Boehner and McConnell Endorse Romney
by AP
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posted Apr 18 2012 4:39AM
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Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney drew endorsements from the two top Republican leaders in Congress, House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, and Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the minority leader in Washington on Tuesday.
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Secret Service Scandal Widens
by AP
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posted Apr 18 2012 4:37AM
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Despite new revelations about agents partying with prostitutes in Colombia, President Obama is dismissing the idea that the head of the Secret Service should step down.
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Earthquake Simulation Could Help Researchers
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 17 2012 2:10PM
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SAN DIEGO (AP) - Structural engineers at the University of California, San Diego, have begun a series of tests subjecting a five-story building on a shake table to simulated earthquakes.
The tests under way Tuesday are designed to determine what happens inside a hospital with an intensive care unit, operating room and elevator.
The first test simulated the motion created by the magnitude-6.7 Northridge earthquake that heavily damaged the Los Angeles region in 1994.
Other experiments will include a simulation of the motion from the magnitude-8.8 quake that struck Chile in 2010.
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Panetta calls for new steps to stop assaults
by AP
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posted Apr 17 2012 4:10AM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is announcing new steps to combat sexual assaults in the military.
The Pentagon recently reported to Congress that the number of sexual assaults in the U.S. military increased slightly last year. Panetta and Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, unveiled the initiatives Monday at a Capitol Hill news conference.
The two met privately with a bipartisan group from the House Armed Services Committee. The lawmakers have pushed the Pentagon to take aggressive steps to stop sexual assaults and aid the victims.
One initiative would subject serious offenses such as rape and forcible sodomy to a court-martial review at the Army colonel or Navy captain level.
The initiatives are likely to be included in a defense bill that the committee is crafting.
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More Secret Service Agents Could be Investigated in Colombia Scandal
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 16 2012 4:13PM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon says there may be more U.S. military members under investigation for alleged inappropriate behavior in Colombia than the five announced over the weekend.
Pentagon press secretary George Little said Monday that he could not provide a specific number, but that military members who are being investigated were assigned to support the U.S. Secret Service in preparation for President Barack Obama's visit to Cartagena. He said they were not directly involved in presidential security.
The Secret Service sent 11 of its agents home from Colombia amid allegations that they had hired prostitutes at a Cartagena hotel.
The U.S. Southern Command had announced on Saturday that five service members assigned to the presidential mission in Colombia had violated curfew and may have been involved in "inappropriate conduct."
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Central Figure in GSA Waste Case Pleads the Fifth
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 16 2012 4:12PM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - The central figure in a General Services Administration spending scandal has asserted his right to remain silent at a congressional hearing.
Jeffrey Neely had been placed on leave as a regional executive in Western states earlier. On Monday, he was called before the House Oversight Committee.
Neely, who could face a criminal investigation, was largely responsible for an $823,000 Las Vegas conference in 2010. Three other congressional committees are investigating the conference and a culture of overspending by the agency.
The conference was the subject of a highly critical report by GSA inspector general Brian Miller. Taxpayers picked up the tab for a clown, a mind-reader, bicycles for a team-building exercise, parties and what Neely called a pre-conference scouting trip.
GSA is in charge of federal buildings and supplies.
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Clemens' Jury Not Filled with Sports Fans
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 16 2012 4:11PM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - It looks like the pool of prospective jurors for the Roger Clemens perjury trial isn't filled with baseball fans.
One prospect, who works as a cashier at a grocery store, said, "I'm not a fan of sports -- period."
Ninety potential jurors gathered today in a federal courtroom in Washington, for the start of jury selection. Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young award winner who had a 24-year major league career, stood and greeted them, and then swiveled in his chair as if trying to make eye contact with as many of them as possible.
But it soon became clear that many of them had no idea who he was. Three of the first four who were questioned said they didn't know anything about Clemens. Another, when asked what she thought about the use of steroids in sports, said, "I really don't care." She's still in the jury pool.
Clemens is accused of lying to Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs. His first trial, last summer, ended quickly in a mistrial when jurors saw evidence that wasn't supposed to be admitted.
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Tornado Warning Sends Kan. H.S. Prom into Storm Shelter
by CBS
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posted Apr 16 2012 10:37AM
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As tornadoes bore down on central Kansas, students from one Wichita high school were forced into a storm shelter - on their prom night. Jeff Glor reports.
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Coast Guard Ends Search for Missing Yacht Crew
by AP
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posted Apr 16 2012 7:56AM
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The U.S. Coast Guard ended its search for four missing crew members from a racing yacht off San Francisco. A fifth crew member was found dead and three were rescued alive after the yacht accident on Saturday.
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Residents Digging Out After Tornadoes
by AP
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posted Apr 16 2012 6:11AM
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At least 120 tornadoes were reported across the Midwest and Plains states early Sunday. The severe weather left at least five people dead in Oklahoma and hundreds of thousands of families without electricity.
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Congress Panels Probe GSA Spending Spree
by AP
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posted Apr 16 2012 6:10AM
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Congressional committees want to know more about how the General Services Administration violated its own rules in spending more than $800,000 at a conference in Las Vegas a year and a half ago.
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Nearly 100 Tornadoes Rip Central US, 5 Dead
by AP
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posted Apr 16 2012 5:48AM
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UNDATED (AP) - A weather system that's triggered thunderstorms and spawned tornadoes in the nation's midsection is weakening but the threat of wicked weather remains for some areas.
Storms sweeping across central and southern Minnesota Sunday have dumped heavy rain and hail but caused no major damage.
The National Weather Service says three tornadoes were spotted in two Minnesota counties but no damage or injuries are reported.
Meanwhile, residents in western Oklahoma and Iowa are sifting through the wreckage of their homes after overnight tornadoes crashed into several communities.
In the western Iowa town of Thurman, piles of toppled trees lined the streets in front of homes with missing walls and roofs. No serious injuries were reported.
But five people were killed, three of them children, when an overnight tornado ripped through a mobile home park in Woodward in northwestern Oklahoma. Dozens more were injured. The town manager says 89 homes and 13 businesses were destroyed.
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin toured the town Sunday.
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Newark Mayor Rescues Neighbor From Burning House
by AP
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posted Apr 13 2012 11:24AM
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<VIDEO>
Newark Mayor Cory Booker says he's a neighbor, not a superhero, a day after rescuing a woman from a burning house. Booker was treated and released from a hospital after suffering from smoke inhalation and second-degree burns on his right hand.
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AG: Bodies of NH Shooting Suspect, Woman Found
by AP
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posted Apr 13 2012 9:06AM
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<VIDEO>Authorities say a man opened fire on police during a drug bust in Greenland, New Hampshire, killing the police chief and injuring four other officers.
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Zimmerman Lawyer Says Case Could Last a Year
by AP
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posted Apr 13 2012 9:03AM
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<VIDEO>George Zimmerman's defense lawyer says the murder case against his client could take a year, but won't rule out plea deal.
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Raw Video: Flames Seen Near Calif. Standoff
by AP
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posted Apr 13 2012 8:59AM
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<VIDEO>Large flames shot late Thursday night from a Modesto apartment building where a suspect is believed holed up following the shooting deaths of a deputy and a civilian.
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Jury Selection Under Way in Edwards Trial
by AP
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posted Apr 13 2012 8:53AM
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<VIDEO>After years of investigation, denials and delays, jury selection began Thursday for the criminal trial of former presidential candidate John Edwards.
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Hispanic Group Launches Colo. River Campaign
by AP
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posted Apr 13 2012 8:51AM
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A new conservation campaign is sending a musical message to policy makers and Hispanics in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado, urging them to protect the Colorado River.
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The Battle for Women Voters Hits a Fever Pitch
by AP
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posted Apr 13 2012 6:25AM
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After a Democratic consultant's comments about Romney's wife sparked outrage, the likely GOP nominee looked to turn the "War on Women" narrative back against President Obama. Kelly Daschle takes a look at the battle to win over women voters.
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Albanian Pleads Guilty to Terrorism Charges in New York
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 12 2012 6:47PM
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NEW YORK (AP) - An Albanian citizen living in Brooklyn has pleaded guilty to a terrorism charge in New York after admitting he tried to go to Pakistan to join a radical jihadist insurgent group.
Agron Hasbajrami (ah-GRAHN' hahs-bah-ruh-MEE') entered the plea Thursday in federal court in Brooklyn to trying to provide material support to terrorists. He faces up to 15 years in prison. He also has agreed to be deported.
Authorities say he sent more than $1,000 abroad to support terrorist activities in Pakistan and Afghanistan and communicated with someone in Pakistan who said he was a member of an armed group that had murdered American soldiers. Authorities also say he expressed a desire to die as a martyr.
Hasbajrami was arrested at Kennedy Airport last September, preparing to go to Pakistan.
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Bomb Threats Have Pitt Students on Edge
by a
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posted Apr 12 2012 9:40AM
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Authorities investigating dozens of bomb threats at the University of Pittsburgh said Wednesday they've made significant progress with help from the public. The Pitt threats began in mid-February.
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Prosecutor: Body Identified As Missing Student
by AP
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posted Apr 12 2012 6:10AM
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<VIDEO>Seven weeks of searching and hoping for their son's safe return dissolved into grief Wednesday for the parents of a Boston College student who said police pulled his remains from the water of a reservoir near the campus.
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Murder Charge Brought in Trayvon Martin Case
by AP
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posted Apr 12 2012 5:53AM
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<VIDEO> SANFORD, Fla. (AP) - Neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman has been arrested and is charged with second-degree murder for the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26.
Special prosecutor Angela Corey announced the charge at a news conference Wednesday, seven weeks after the killing.
Trayvon Martin's parents, civil rights leaders and other people have portrayed the case as racially charged, saying the 28-year-old Zimmerman would have been arrested immediately had he been black and the victim white. Martin was black.
Some explanations, key quotes, and questions and answers in the case:
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CHARGES EXPLAINED:
Second-degree murder means a killing that was not premeditated but resulted instead from an "imminently dangerous act" that showed a "depraved" lack of regard for human life.
THE PROSECUTOR'S CHALLENGE:
Under Florida's "stand your ground" law, which gives people wide latitude to use deadly force rather than retreat during a fight, Corey must first prove to a judge that Zimmerman wasn't defending himself when he killed Trayvon Martin. Only then can she take the case to a jury, in front of which she will face a high legal burden to prove that the killing wasn't in self-defense.
KEY QUOTES:
-Trayvon's father, Tracy Martin, of Zimmerman: "The question I would really like to ask him is, if he could look into Trayvon's eyes and see how innocent he was, would he have then pulled the trigger? Or would he have just let him go on home?"
-Zimmerman's new lawyer, Mark O'Mara: "He is troubled by everything that has happened. I cannot imagine living in George Zimmerman's shoes for the past number of weeks. Because he has been at the focus of a lot of anger, and maybe confusion and maybe some hatred and that has to be difficult. ... I'm expecting a lot of work and hopefully justice in the end."
-O'Mara on Zimmerman: "I'm not concerned about his mental well-being."
-Special prosecutor Angela Corey: "We do not prosecute by public pressure or by petition."
-Stacy Davis, who is black, reacting to Zimmerman's arrest: "It's not a black or white thing for me. It's a right or wrong thing. He needed to be arrested. I'm happy because maybe that boy (Martin) can get some rest."
-George Zimmerman to a 911 dispatcher the night of the shooting: "This guy looks like he is up to no good - he is on drugs or something."
-President Barack Obama, earlier in the case: "If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon."
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Romney Rebuts Claims That He, GOP Are Anti-women
by AP
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posted Apr 12 2012 5:50AM
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<VIDEO> HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Presidential candidate Mitt Romney is intensifying his rebuttal of claims that he and fellow Republicans are insufficiently supportive of women, or even hostile to them.
For the second straight day the presumptive GOP nominee campaigned Wednesday at a female-owned work site and denounced Democrats for saying his party is waging "a war on women."
Romney said the real war on women is being waged by what he called President Barack Obama's failed economic policies.
The former Massachusetts governor said Obama's economic policies have caused disproportionately high job losses for women.
Independent groups say the claim distorts the larger employment picture by ignoring key facts.
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Defense Attorney: Zimmerman to Plead Not Guilty
by AP
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posted Apr 12 2012 5:45AM
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<VIDEO>The attorney for neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman says his client will plead not guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin.
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Martin Parents: 'Thank God' for Zimmerman Arrest
by AP
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posted Apr 12 2012 5:42AM
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<VIDEO>Trayvon Martin's parents expressed relief Wednesday over a special prosecutor's decision to charge the man responsible for the 17-year-old's death.
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Woman Charged With Faking Cancer for Wedding
by AP
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posted Apr 12 2012 5:40AM
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<VIDEO>Authorities in New York have indicted 25-year-old Jessica Vega, 25 on charges of fraud and grand larceny for getting her "dream wedding" by falsely claiming she was dying of leukemia. She will be arraigned in New York on Friday.
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Quake Strike off Oregon's Coast
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 11 2012 8:01PM
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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A 5.9-magnitude earthquake has struck about 160 miles off the Oregon coast, but there are no reports of damage.
The quake was reported at about 3:40 p.m. local time Wednesday, west-northwest of the coastal city of Bandon, Ore.
The West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center says no tsunami is expected.
Doug Gibbons of the U.S. Geological Survey says the earthquake is not related to two massive earthquakes in Indonesia on Wednesday.
Gibbons says the earthquake was about 8 miles below the earth's surface.
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Second Degree Murder Charge in Trayvon Martin Case
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 11 2012 7:54PM
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SANFORD, Fla. (AP) - George Zimmerman has been arrested and is being charged with second-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26.
Special prosecutor Angela Corey announced the charge at a news conference Wednesday, seven weeks after the homicide took place.
Trayvon Martin's parents, civil rights leaders and other people have portrayed the case as racially charged, saying Zimmerman would have been arrested immediately had he been black and the victim white. Martin was black.
The case has raised a multitude of questions, some of which remain unanswered.
Q: WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG FOR ZIMMERMAN TO BE ARRESTED?
A: Special prosecutor Angela Corey says that probable cause had to be determined before authorities could arrest Zimmerman. She said there was only a slight delay, when she took it over from the previous prosecutor, who recused himself from the case.
Zimmerman told police he acted in self-defense after Martin pursued and attacked him. Florida is among 21 states with a "stand your ground law," which gives people wide latitude to use deadly force rather than retreat during a fight. The Florida law lets police on the scene decide whether they believe the self-defense claim.
In many cases, the officers make an arrest and leave it to the courts to work out whether the deadly force is justified. In this case, however, police have said they are confident they did the right thing by not charging Zimmerman.
Q: ON WHAT EVIDENCE IS THE PROSECUTOR BASING THE CHARGE OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER?
A: Corey did not disclose how she arrived at the charge, saying that was information to be revealed in court.
Q: WHAT'S NEXT?
A: Zimmerman will appear in court within 24 hours, Corey said.
Q: DOES ZIMMERMAN HAVE LEGAL COUNSEL?
A: Yes, Mark O'Mara of Orlando, who became Zimmerman's new attorney after his former lawyers announced Tuesday that they were dropping the case. They said they couldn't keep representing Zimmerman because he had stopped communicating with them.
Q: WHAT HAPPENED?
A: Martin, 17, was shot and killed by a single gunshot wound to the chest Feb. 26 during a confrontation with Zimmerman, a 28-year-old neighborhood watch volunteer in a gated community of townhomes in Sanford, Fla., about 20 miles northeast of Orlando.
Zimmerman was driving through the neighborhood when he spotted Martin, who was unarmed and walking to the home of his father's fiancee. She lived in the same gated community as Zimmerman.
Martin was returning from a trip to the convenience store with an iced tea and a bag of Skittles. It was raining, and Martin was walking with the hood of his sweatshirt pulled over his head. He talked to his girlfriend on a cellphone moments before the shooting, according to Martin's family's attorney.
Q: WHAT IS GEORGE ZIMMERMAN'S SIDE OF THE STORY?
A: On his website, therealgeorgezimmerman.com, Zimmerman has described the shooting as "a life altering event" but he says he can't go into details about what happened.
"As a result of the incident and subsequent media coverage, I have been forced to leave my home, my school, my employer, my family and ultimately, my entire life," he said on the site.
Zimmerman has told police that he spotted Martin as he was driving through his neighborhood and called 911 to report a suspicious person.
"This guy looks like he is up to no good. He is on drugs or something," Zimmerman told the dispatcher from his truck. He added that the teen had his hand in his waistband and was walking around looking at homes.
"These a-------. They always get away," Zimmerman said on a 911 call.
There had been several break-ins in the community in the past year, including one in which burglars took a TV and laptops.
A dispatcher told Zimmerman he didn't need to follow Martin after Zimmerman got out of his truck and started following the teen.
Zimmerman told police he lost sight of the teenager and was walking back to his vehicle when he was attacked. He and Martin fought, according to witnesses. Zimmerman said Martin punched him in the nose and slammed his head against the ground.
At some point, Zimmerman pulled a gun and shot Martin. Zimmerman told police he acted in self-defense.
Police said Zimmerman was bleeding from his nose and the back of his head. He told police he had yelled out for help before he shot Martin.
He has not been arrested or charged, but a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the special prosecutor in the case plans to arrest and charge him. The prosecutor has announced a news conference for 6 p.m. Wednesday, but hasn't said what information she will release.
Q: WHAT IS THE MARTIN FAMILY'S SIDE OF THE STORY?
A: Much of Martin's side of the story comes from a cellphone conversation he had with his girlfriend moments before the shooting. She was interviewed by the family's attorney, Benjamin Crump, and he released much of what she said to the news media. She has not been identified.
In the interview, she said Trayvon Martin told her that he was being followed.
"She says: 'Run.' He says, 'I'm not going to run, I'm just going to walk fast,"' Crump said, quoting the girl.
The girl later heard Martin say, "Why are you following me?" Another man asked, "What are you doing around here?" Crump said.
After Martin encountered Zimmerman, the girl thinks she heard a scuffle "because his voice changes like something interrupted his speech," Crump said. The phone call ended before the girl heard any gunshots.
Martin's parents said their son made the pleas for help that witnesses heard.
Q: WHAT IS GEORGE ZIMMERMAN'S RACIAL AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND?
A: Zimmerman's father is white, and his mother is Hispanic of Peruvian descent.
Q: WHERE IS GEORGE ZIMMERMAN?
A: Zimmerman is in the custody of law-enforcement officials in Florida, Corey said. She said he turned himself in.
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Obama Presses 'Buffett Rule' Tax Pitch
by AP
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posted Apr 11 2012 11:32AM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says his call for raising taxes on millionaires is not a redistribution of wealth, but a way to free up money for crucial investments in the U.S. economy.
Pitching the so-called Buffett rule for the second straight day, Obama dismissed the notion that the plan is a gimmick. He says it is necessary in order to tackle the country's massive deficits.
The rule is named after billionaire investor Warren Buffett, who says he pays a lower tax rate than his secretary. Obama was flanked during his remarks at the White House Wednesday by several business executives and their assistants who he says agree with the principles in the Buffett rule.
The Senate will vote on the plan next week, though it has little chance of passing Congress.
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NTSB Releases Recommendations for Air Races
by AP
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posted Apr 11 2012 11:29AM
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Nearly seven months after an air race crash in Reno, Nevada killed 11 people and seriously injured dozens of spectators, the NTSB has issued a number of recommendations to make this kind of competition safer.
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Santorum Doesn't Reveal Much About Future
by AP
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posted Apr 11 2012 9:41AM
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Rick Santorum didn't reveal much when asked what's next for him, other than to say that he'd like to get some sleep. He spoke Tuesday night at Lancaster Bible College, just hours after he'd announced an end to his campaign for president.
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Fmr. Zimmerman Attorney: He 'Won't Answer Us"
by AP
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posted Apr 11 2012 9:35AM
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George Zimmerman's attorneys quit Tuesday, complaining that they have lost all contact with him. Hal Uhrig tells the AP he still believe in Zimmerman's innocence and he would probably represent him again if he contacted them and requested it.
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Romney: Santorum Still Has 'Major Role' in GOP
by AP
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posted Apr 11 2012 7:50AM
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<VIDEO> Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney says Rick Santorum will continue to play an important role in the Republican Party and the nation's politics. The comments came just a few hours after Santorum suspended his presidential bid.
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Wireless Providers to Disable Stolen Phones
by AP
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posted Apr 11 2012 7:48AM
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<VIDEO> Major wireless service companies have agreed to disable cellphones after they are reported stolen under a strategy intended to deter the theft and resale of wireless devices.
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Tax Day: a Hazardous Deadline
by AP
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posted Apr 11 2012 7:45AM
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<VIDEO> New research shows that tax day could be hazardous to your health. An analysis of car crash data found that more fatal auto accidents happen on the tax filing day than on other days in April.
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Counsel Withdraws in Florida Neighborhood Watch Case
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 10 2012 5:43PM
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<VIDEO>ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Attorneys for a Florida neighborhood watch volunteer who fatally shot an unarmed black teen have withdrawn as his counsel, saying they haven't heard from him since Sunday.
Attorney Craig Sonner said Tuesday in a news conference that against their advice, George Zimmerman contacted the special prosecutor who will decide if he should face charges.
A spokeswoman for Angela Corey's office didn't immediately respond to an email and two phone calls requesting comment.
Zimmerman is at the center of an investigation over the shooting of Trayvon Martin, 17. Zimmerman says he shot Martin in self-defense after following him in a gated community in Sanford on Feb. 26.
Martin, who was unarmed, was black. Zimmerman's father is white and his mother is Hispanic.
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Santorum suspends GOP presidential campaign
by AP
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posted Apr 10 2012 2:20PM
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GETTYSBURG, Pa. (AP) - Rick Santorum is suspending his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination, clearing a path for Mitt Romney to become the nominee.
A Republican close to the campaign says the former Pennsylvania senator made the announcement Tuesday in his home state of Pennsylvania, two weeks before the GOP presidential primary there. Santorum faced a tough fight in his home state against Romney.
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Raw Video: Brush Fire Near Conn. Rail Tracks
by AP
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posted Apr 10 2012 9:06AM
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Trains are running again after a brush fire forced service to be suspended through Milford, Connecticut on Monday. There were no injuries from the blaze that burned in a wooded area between tracks.
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Facebook Buying Instagram for $1 Billion
by AP
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posted Apr 10 2012 6:51AM
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Facebook is spending $1 billion to buy the photo-sharing company Instagram in the social network's largest acquisition ever.
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Raw Video: Five Children Rescued at Sea
by AP
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posted Apr 10 2012 6:50AM
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A Good Samaritan in South Florida helps save a family, including five children, tossed into the water when their boat capsized in Biscayne Bay. Ten people ended up overboard. Rough surf may have contributed to the accident.
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Two Appear in Court in Tulsa Shooting Rampage
by AP
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posted Apr 10 2012 6:49AM
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Two Oklahoma men suspected in a shooting rampage that left three people dead and terrorized Tulsa's African-American community appeared in court Monday and had bond set at more than $9 million each.
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AOL to Sell Over 800 Patents to Microsoft
by AP
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posted Apr 10 2012 6:46AM
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AOL shares have surged to their highest level in more than a year after it said it has agreed to sell 800 of its patents and license others to Microsoft for about $1 billion in cash.
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Why Gas Prices Spike in the Spring
by AP
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posted Apr 10 2012 6:44AM
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The average price of gasoline could surpass $4 per gallon nationwide as early as this week. It's already $3.93 per gallon, a record for this time of year.
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Another Mega Millions Winner Comes Forward
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 9 2012 6:19PM
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BALTIMORE (AP) - Maryland lottery officials say a holder of a winning Mega Millions ticket has come forward to claim a share of the record-breaking, $656 million prize.
Lottery spokeswoman Carole Everett says the winner claimed the prize with the winning ticket at lottery headquarters on Monday. She says she wouldn't give any details about the winner until a news conference on Tuesday morning.
Maryland's winner bought the ticket at a 7-Eleven store in Milford Mill outside Baltimore. That person will split the prize with winners in Illinois and Kansas.
Lottery officials increased the final jackpot to $656 million after tallying sales from the 44 state lotteries.
Maryland has been the home of Mega Millions winners in the past. In 2007, Ellwood "Bunky" Bartlett won roughly $27 million after taxes.
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Tulsa Resident: "We Can't Just Hate One Another
by AP
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posted Apr 9 2012 9:37AM
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TULSA, Okla. (AP) - Police in Tulsa, Okla., have arrested two men in a shooting rampage that killed three people, terrorizing the local African-American community, and said one suspect might have been trying to avenge his father's shooting two years ago by a black man.
Police arrested 19-year-old Jake England and 32-year-old Alvin Watts about 2 a.m. Sunday at a home north of Tulsa. Police said Sunday both suspects are white and all five victims in the early Friday were black.
Police cautioned that it was too early to say whether the attacks in Tulsa's predominantly black north side were racially motivated. However, a police spokesman said that based on Facebook postings being attributed to England, it appeared that a wish to avenge the death of his father might have been a factor.
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Tulsa Police Say Revenge One Motive in Shooting
by AP
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posted Apr 9 2012 7:51AM
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Police say a shooting spree that spread fear in Tulsa's black community and left three people dead may have been partly motived by an Oklahoma man's desire to avenge his father's shooting by a black man.
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Female Veterans Come Home to Scarce Resources
by AP
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posted Apr 9 2012 7:48AM
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Once primarily male veteran problems, homelessness and economic struggles are escalating among female veterans, whose numbers have grown during the past decade of U.S. wars while resources for them haven't kept up.
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Raw Video: Tanker Fire Near LA Stymies Traffic
by AP
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posted Apr 9 2012 7:48AM
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A tanker that was struck from behind by another vehicle burst into flames late Saturday, shutting down parts of California's 134 freeway near Los Angeles. No one was injured, but the driver of the car that hit the tanker faces DUI charges.
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Police: 2 Suspects Arrested in Oklahoma Shooting
by AP
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posted Apr 9 2012 7:43AM
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Police backed by a helicopter arrested two white men early Sunday and said they would face murder charges in the recent shootings that terrorized Tulsa and left three people dead and two others critically wounded, all black.
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US Economy Adds 120K Jobs
by AP
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posted Apr 6 2012 10:46AM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - Employers pulled back sharply on hiring last month, a reminder that the U.S. economy may not be growing fast enough to sustain robust job growth. The unemployment rate dipped, but mostly because more Americans stopped looking for work.
The Labor Department says the economy added 120,000 jobs in March, down from more than 200,000 in each of the previous three months.
The unemployment rate fell to 8.2 percent, the lowest since January 2009. The rate dropped because fewer people searched for jobs. The official unemployment tally only includes those seeking work.
The economy has added 858,000 jobs since December - the best four months of hiring in two years. But Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has cautioned that the current hiring pace is unlikely to continue without more consumer spending.
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Attorney: Russian Arms Dealer Gets 25 Years
by AP
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posted Apr 6 2012 7:13AM
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Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer, was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison, far short of the life term prosecutors sought for his conviction on terrorism charges that grew from a U.S. sting operation.
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Obama Signs Rare Bipartisan Jobs Bill
by AP
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posted Apr 6 2012 7:12AM
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In an election-year rarity, President Obama has been joined by congressional Republicans as he signed a jobs bill that aims to make it easier for small companies to get financing.
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Detroit, State to Fix City's Finances
by AP
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posted Apr 6 2012 6:46AM
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Detroit and Gov. Rick Snyder's administration made a deal Wednesday to repair the city's poor finances, including the creation of a financial advisory board and the hiring of a chief financial officer.
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Shooting Victim's Husband: Suspect Was Violent
by AP
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posted Apr 6 2012 6:42AM
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Efanye Chibuko, husband of nursing student Doris Chibuko who was one of seven people killed at a Christian college in Oakland, says his wife and other classmates lived in fear of the alleged gunman.
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Charles Manson Parole Hearing Ahead
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 5 2012 6:13PM
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LOS ANGELES (AP) - California prison officials have released a photo of mass murderer Charles Manson, showing him at 77 as a graying, bearded, shaggy-haired old man with a sad expression.
The photo was released in advance of Manson's parole hearing next Wednesday. Manson has told authorities he does not plan to attend the hearing, but they say he could change his mind at the last minute.
He has not appeared at a parole hearing since 1997.
The photo shows Manson with a craggy face and, on his forehead, the swastika he carved there during his 1970 trial.
It is a stark change from a previous photo showing him with a shaved head.
Manson has not been a model prisoner, having been found with smuggled cell phones and a handmade weapon in his cell.
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Evicted 101-year-old Detroiter Returns Home
by AP
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posted Apr 5 2012 8:20AM
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A 101-year-old Detroit woman who was evicted from her foreclosed house seven months ago has it back again. Texana Hollis returned Wednesday to the home she had lived in for 60 years
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DA: Calif. University Shooter a 'Loner'
by AP
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posted Apr 5 2012 6:46AM
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43-year-old One Goh, the man accused of Monday's shooting spree at Oikos University, was charged with seven counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder with premeditation clauses Monday morning.
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Govt. Investigates Sushi in Salmonella Outbreak
by AP
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posted Apr 5 2012 6:45AM
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A Food and Drug Administration memo says spicy tuna sushi rolls could be the culprit in a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 90 people in 19 states and DC.
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Romney Slams Obama 'Hide and Seek' Campaign
by AP
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posted Apr 5 2012 6:42AM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - Republican Mitt Romney says President Barack Obama is misrepresenting GOP budget priorities as both men gear up for the fall election.
Romney told newspaper editors and publishers Wednesday that Obama is exaggerating the likely impact of a House Republican budget plan Romney supports. He said Obama claims the plan would make damaging, across-the-board cuts to many federal programs. Romney said the plan instead would eliminate targeted programs such as the 2010 Democratic overhaul of health care.
Romney also said Obama is being coy about his long-term plans for a missile defense system in Europe and other issues. He said now is not the time for a "hide and seek" strategy by a president seeking a second term.
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Holder Could be Interviewed in Flawed "Fast and Furious" Operation
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 4 2012 6:40PM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - Attorney General Eric Holder says he expects to be interviewed by investigators looking into Operation Fast and Furious, a flawed Justice Department gun trafficking probe in which federal agents were allegedly ordered by superiors to allow hundreds of weapons to flow illicitly from U.S. gun shops in Arizona into Mexico.
During an appearance in Chicago, the attorney general made the comment about the Justice Department's inspector general's office, which has been examining who is responsible for employing the risky tactic known as gun-walking. Many of the weapons in Fast and Furious were recovered from crime scenes on both sides of the border, including the scene of the killing of U.S. border agent Brian Terry.
Holder said he would talk to the inspector general investigators when they request it.
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Man Charged in California Shooting Spree
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 4 2012 6:21PM
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OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The man accused of fatally shooting seven people and wounding three at a California college has been charged with seven counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder.
One Goh (WON GOH) appeared briefly in court Wednesday afternoon. Prosecutors also charged him with a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders that could make him eligible for the death penalty.
Goh was dressed in a red jail jumpsuit and was shackled at the waist. He was soft-spoken and said only "yes" when the judge asked him if he understood the charges.
Goh did not enter a plea and was ordered to return to court April 30.
He is being represented by the public defender's office.
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Raw Video: Storm Aftermath in Lancaster, Texas
by AP
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posted Apr 4 2012 9:57AM
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In the Dallas suburb of Lancaster, some homes are in ruins, while others are still standing -- in the aftermath of tornadoes that appear to have bounced in and out of neighborhoods, destroying homes at random.
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Mother: Fatal Police Shooting 'Ruined My Life'
by AP
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posted Apr 4 2012 9:54AM
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The parents of a college student who was shot and killed by Pasadena police alleged in a federal lawsuit that their son's death was part of a pattern of abuse by the department and that the investigation "reeks" of a cover up.
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Storms Pound Texas
by AP
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posted Apr 4 2012 9:51AM
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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Storm surveyors are fanning across North Texas today trying to determine how many tornadoes touched down in the region yesterday, as people sift through the debris that used to be their homes.
The National Weather Service says possibly as many as a dozen twisters moved across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, bouncing in and out of neighborhoods, destroying homes at random. The Red Cross estimates that 650 homes were damaged in the Dallas suburb of Lancaster, one of the hardest hit areas.
There are reports of at least 15 injured across the region, two of them severely.
About 14,000 homes and business, mostly in the Arlington area, remain without power.
Officials at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field say hundreds of flights have been canceled.
April is usually the worst month in the March to June tornado season. Meteorologist Matt Bishop says "we're on pace to be above normal."
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NYC Crane Accident Kills 1
by AP
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posted Apr 4 2012 8:34AM
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NEW YORK (AP) - A crane that came off its base and crashed to the ground at a Manhattan construction site killed one worker and injured four others.
The worker who died was identified by police as 30-year-old Michael Simmermeyer of Burlington, N.J.
Officials say he was pronounced dead after the accident at the site of the No. 7 subway line extension. One other person was hospitalized in serious condition. Three other people were treated for minor injuries.
Jack Sullivan, deputy chief for the FDNY EMS, said it was possible one of the workers had been struck by the crane's boom. The crane operator and someone who worked with him were among those who were injured.
The cause of the collapse is under investigation.
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More Than a Dozen Hurt As Tornadoes Hit Dallas
by AP
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posted Apr 4 2012 8:32AM
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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Thousands are still without power and hundreds of homes are damaged after tornadoes ripped across Dallas and Fort Worth.
The National Weather Service planned to survey the destruction Wednesday before saying exactly how many tornadoes swept through the region. Early reports gathered by meteorologists indicated that as many as a dozen twisters touched down during a wrecking-ball swath of violent weather Tuesday.
Despite the intensity of the slow-moving storms, as of late Tuesday no fatalities or serious injuries had been reported, though there were several less serious injuries.
The Red Cross put a preliminary estimate of damaged homes at 650.
Among the hardest cities hit was the southern Dallas suburb of Lancaster. Around 150 people remained in a shelter there late Tuesday.
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Cops Search Waterway for Gun Used in CA Shooting
by AP
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posted Apr 4 2012 8:24AM
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Police investigating a deadly shooting rampage at a Northern California college are searching a nearby waterway for the weapon used by the gunman.
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911 Calls Show Panic Over Colo. Wildfires
by AP
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posted Apr 4 2012 8:22AM
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Emergency officials told confused residents not to worry after they reported a fire on the outskirts of Denver, including at least two residents who later were found dead in their burning home, 911 calls showed on Tuesday.
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Romney Rolls Ahead, Wins 3 More
by AP
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posted Apr 4 2012 8:21AM
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MILWAUKEE (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney assailed President Barack Obama as an "out of touch" liberal Tuesday night as he looked past three primary victories and toward the fall's general election.
"Out of touch liberals like Barack Obama say they want a strong economy, but they really don't like businesses very much," the former Massachusetts governor told supporters gathered in the Grain Exchange in downtown Milwaukee as he celebrated wins in Wisconsin, Maryland and the District of Columbia.
"Years of flying around on Air Force One, surrounded by an adoring staff of true believers telling you what a great job you are doing, well, that might be enough to make you a little out of touch," he said.
Romney's decisive win over rival Rick Santorum in Wisconsin moves him closer to becoming the presumptive nominee to run against Obama in a general election contest that's all but begun.
Obama's re-election campaign is running an ad in six swing states attacking Romney. The president jabbed at Romney on Tuesday during a speech to the annual meeting of The Associated Press. And Romney is starting to push Santorum to the sidelines, telling conservative radio host Sean Hannity that "it's time to get going" in the race against Obama.
Romney on Tuesday cast the election as a "basic choice" between what he called Obama's "government-centered society" and the "opportunity society" he says he would pursue as president.
He painted a dire portrait of the state of the country, saying that more Americans have lost their jobs under Obama than under any other president since the Depression. Romney blamed Obama for the economic recession that began under Republican President George W. Bush.
"These last few years have been difficult, made worse by mistakes and failures of leadership," Romney said.
The front-runner was set to press forward with the still-ongoing nomination fight with stops in Pennsylvania on Wednesday and Thursday - the primary there, in Santorum's home state, is April 24.
But he pushed his rivals toward the exits. "I want to have our nominee start raising money, start organizing a national campaign and focus on President Obama and his agenda because this is time for us to start focusing on him rather than standing and focusing on one another in these primary contests," he said.
The three-week lull before contests in late April promises a flurry of behind-the-scenes general election activity - including hiring staff and fundraising - as well as campaigning in the northeast. Pennsylvania is also a key battleground state in the fall.
"The White House is engaging more," said Romney strategist Stuart Stevens. "They've already been obsessed with Mitt Romney."
Stevens called the general election "an MRI of Obama's record," a rejoinder to Obama strategist David Axelrod's assertion that presidential campaigns are "MRIs of the soul."
Romney is still on pace to rack up in June the delegates he needs to win the nomination at the Republican National Convention. On Tuesday, he won at least 74 delegates in the three races, with 21 yet to be allocated.
That pushed his total to 646 of the 1,144 needed to clinch the nomination. Santorum has 272 delegates, Gingrich 135 and Paul 51.
| | | Tags : Topics: PoliticsSocial: PoliticsLocations: District Of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Milwaukee, Pennsylvania, WisconsinPeople: Barack Obama, David Axelrod, George W. Bush, Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Sean Hannity, Stuart Stevens
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Santorum Says GOP Contest Only at Halftime
by AP
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posted Apr 4 2012 4:46AM
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Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum says the race for the Republican nomination is only halfway over. He spoke to supporters in Pennsylvania after losing the Maryland and District of Columbia primaries to rival Mitt Romney.
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Feds in LA Seize 16 Upscale Cars Bound for Asia
by AP
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posted Apr 4 2012 4:42AM
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There were no models or thumping music, but a Southern California customs building looked a lot more like a car show than an evidence warehouse on Tuesday.
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Obama Blast's GOP's 'Radical Vision'
by AP
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posted Apr 4 2012 4:38AM
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In a speech that aims to set the tone for the next phase of the campaign, President Obama is blasting the GOP as a party of extremists and holding up the new House budget as 'Exhibit A.'
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Raw Video: Tx. Driver Records Tornado
by AP
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posted Apr 4 2012 4:37AM
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Jeffery Haas was driving in Kennedale, Texas, south of Fort Worth, when he recorded video of an apparent tornado.
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Auto Sales Surge in March, Led by Small Cars
by AP
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posted Apr 4 2012 4:35AM
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Appealing small cars, low interest rates, truck deals and unseasonably warm weather helped the auto industry achieve its best monthly performance in almost four years in March.
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Major Damage from Texas Storms
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 3 2012 8:08PM
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DALLAS (AP) - More than a dozen injuries ranging from minor to severe have been reported after tornadoes and violent storms raked through the Dallas area.
Officer Paul Beck in the Dallas suburb of Lancaster says 10 people were injured when a reported tornado touched down there Tuesday. He says two of those injuries are severe but did not have further details.
Assistant Arlington fire chief Jim Self says three people suffered minor injuries there. They include two residents of a nursing home who were taken to a hospital after swirling winds clipped the building.
The National Weather Service has confirmed at least two tornadoes tore through the area Tuesday, and several others have been reported.
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Romney Adds a Big Lead
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 3 2012 8:05PM
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WASHINGTON (AP) - Mitt Romney has added to his big lead in the race for convention delegates by winning the Maryland Republican presidential primary.
Romney won at least 28 delegates in Maryland, with nine left to be awarded.
Voters also went to the polls Tuesday in the District of Columbia, with 16 delegates at stake, and Wisconsin, where 42 delegates were up for grabs.
Romney leads the race for delegates with 600. He is on pace to reach the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination - 1,144 - in early June.
Romney's closest rival, Rick Santorum, has 272 delegates. Santorum would need 76 percent of the remaining delegates to clinch the nomination before the party's national convention - a nearly impossible task because most states award delegates proportionally.
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Police: Calif. Shooter Tried to Line-up Victims
by AP
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posted Apr 3 2012 11:44AM
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Police in Oakland, California say the alleged shooter in a religious school shooting began shooting after some of the victims refused to cooperate with his request that they line-up against a wall.
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Obama's Uncle Gets Driver's License Back
by AP
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posted Apr 3 2012 11:43AM
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BOSTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's uncle has been granted a hardship driver's license by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles just a week after he lost the right to drive for 45 days in a deal in a drunken driving case.
The license granted Monday allows 67-year-old Onyango Obama to drive from noon to midnight to get to work as manager of a Framingham liquor store.
A Registry spokeswoman tells the Boston Herald that Obama "met all of the criteria" to qualify for the hardship license, including proof he was enrolled in an alcohol treatment program.
Obama is the half brother of the president's late father. He was arrested in August.
He pleaded to sufficient facts last week.
Onyango Obama is from Kenya. He's appealing a deportation order.
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Plane Hits Fla. Store
by AP
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posted Apr 3 2012 9:09AM
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DELAND, Fla. (AP) - Witnesses say the pilot and passenger of a small experimental plane climbed out with their clothing ablaze after it sputtered and crashed into a supermarket at a Florida shopping center.
Authorities say five people were injured and frightened shoppers ran from the complex.
Broadcast station WFTV reported on its website that a manager in the supermarket meat department was able to put out the fire in their clothes and rush the pilot and passenger outside for help.
Callers to 911 say the plane showed signs of trouble moments before it crashed.
Police say the plane had taken off from a nearby municipal airport in DeLand, near Daytona Beach.
The police spokesman added that three people had suffered severe burns and two others had moderate burns.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said a pilot and a passenger from the plane were airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center.
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Raw Video: Cheerleader in Court on Sex Charge
by AP
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posted Apr 3 2012 8:57AM
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The captain of the Cincinnati Ben-Gals cheerleading squad and her mother, a middle school principal, have pleaded not guilty in northern Kentucky to charges in a sex case involving a minor.
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Cops: 7 Dead, 3 Hurt in Calif. School Shooting
by AP
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posted Apr 3 2012 8:55AM
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A gunman opened fire at a Christian university in California Monday, killing at least seven people and wounding three, before being captured in a nearby city, authorities said. The gunfire erupted at Oikos University in Oakland, police said.
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'Taxi of Tomorrow' Unveiled in NYC
by AP
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posted Apr 3 2012 8:52AM
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Nissan brought its prototype, gas-powered 'Taxi of Tomorrow' NV200 to New York City for the annual auto show.
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New World Trade Center Reaches a Milestone
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 2 2012 5:42PM
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NEW YORK (AP) - The new World Trade Center has reached a milestone. The skyscraper being built to replace the terror-wrecked twin towers is now 100 stories high.
That's just four feet short of One World Trade Center becoming the tallest building in New York City and surpassing the Empire State Building.
There's a special twist when it comes to counting floors in what will be a 104-story building when it opens next year.
According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the tower grew from 93 stories last week to 100. That's because six floors don't actually exist. The numbers were skipped to make up for the building's massive base, plus mechanical equipment taking up space.
Conde Nast has signed a lease to move into the tower.
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Romney Seeks Another Primary Sweep
by Associated Press
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posted Apr 2 2012 5:40PM
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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - Mitt Romney is looking for a sweep in the next three Republican primaries, expecting to tighten his grasp on the party's nomination.
Regardless of the outcome in Tuesday's Wisconsin, Maryland and Washington, D.C., primaries, the GOP front-runner is rapidly shifting toward the general election. And that means facing challenges presented by President Barack Obama's better-financed and better-organized opposition.
These days, Romney is ignoring his Republican rivals and taking it to the Democratic president, whom he accused Monday of "crushing dreams" with what he called a "government-centered society."
The grinding Republican primary, already 3 months old, has complicated Romney's ability to re-focus his broader organization toward Obama. Aides concede that staff building and fundraising for the fall match-up are lagging.
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Report: Airline Performance Gets Slightly Better
by AP
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posted Apr 2 2012 10:42AM
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A new report on airline performances shows some airlines got a bit better last year in baggage, on-time, and other complaints. however, airfares will continue to remain high.
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Mega Millions Winners: Who Are They?
by ABC
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posted Apr 2 2012 9:54AM
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Raw Video: Deadly Motor Home Crash in Kansas
by AP
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posted Apr 2 2012 9:11AM
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Authorities are investigating the cause of a motor home crash in Kansas that killed 5 people from a Minnesota family and sent 13 others to hospitals.
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Romney: Obama "Out of Touch"
by AP
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posted Apr 2 2012 8:59AM
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GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney campaigned in Wisconsin, ahead of the state's Presidential primary on Tuesday. Romney said President Obama is far "out of touch."
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Two Crew Members Rescued From Damaged Yacht
by AP
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posted Apr 2 2012 4:45AM
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Two crew members were rescued from a damaged yacht off the California coast on Sunday. The yacht is taking part in the Clipper 11-12 Round the World Yacht Race.
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Pastor: "Churches Struggling With Trayvon Case"
by AP
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posted Apr 2 2012 4:36AM
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A Baptist minister in the town where Trayvon Martin was recently shot and killed is praying for reconciliation. He says churches can help heal the divisions that have grown since the teen was shot to death by a neighborhood watch volunteer.
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