White House releases state-by-state breakdown of sequester’s effects

The White House on Sunday detailed how the deep spending cuts set to begin this week would affect programs in every state and the District, as President Obama launched a last-ditch effort to pressure congressional Republicans to compromise on a way to stop the across-the-board cuts. But while Republicans and Democrats were set to introduce dueling legislative proposals this week to avert...

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Revisit issue of investigation into police brutality after proceedings end: Indranee

SINGAPORE: Issues relating to the investigation of claims of police brutality by former SMRT bus drivers will be dealt with once relevant proceedings are over. Senior Minister of State for Law, Indranee Rajah, said this in Parliament on Monday.She was responding to a question by Non-Constituency Member of Parliament, Yee Jenn Jong.Mr Yee asked whether the attempted retention and confiscation...

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Karunanidhi objects to Lankan minister's statement

CHENNAI: Objecting to a Sri Lankan minister's announcement that Lankan fishermen would rally against their Indian counterparts, DMK chief M Karunandihi on Monday described it as a "planned strategy" by Colombo to divert attention from the "tyrannies" of Rajapaksa government. Traditional industries and small enterprise development minister Douglas Devananda's statement warning of a protest "seem to...

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Picture Archive: Dorothy Lamour and Jiggs, Circa 1938

Dorothy Lamour, most famous for her Road to ... series of movies with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, never won an Oscar. In her 50-plus-year career as an actress, she never even got nominated.Neither did Jiggs the chimpanzee, pictured here with Lamour on the set of Her Jungle Love in a photo published in the 1938 National Geographic story "Monkey Folk."No animal has ever been nominated for...

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Oscars 2013: 'Argo' Wins Best Picture

"Argo" took home the top prize as best picture at the Oscars Sunday night, with first lady Michelle Obama announcing the winner from the White House."You directed a hell of a film," co-producer Grant Heslov told director and fellow producer Ben Affleck. "I couldn't be more proud of the film and more proud of our director."Affleck was snubbed in the directing category but humbly...

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Obama’s new political group to lure unlimited donations

In close consultation with President Obama, two of his top political strategists are designing an ambitious new organization funded by donations from wealthy individuals and corporations aimed at making political and legislative gains at the federal and state levels. The fledgling Organizing for Action says it will be nonpartisan and steer clear of election activity. But the line between...

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Several dead in Vietnam house explosions

HANOI: Several people were killed when twin blasts tore through a residential street and destroyed three houses in south Vietnam early Sunday, police said, with reports putting the death toll at around 10."We have been informed of two explosions this morning that killed about ten people... but we need to check the exact number of the victims," a local policeman told AFP following the blasts,...

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Shinde expressed regret, did not apologize for 'Hindu terror' remark: Govt

NEW DELHI: As dust settles on the 'Hindu terror' issue, government has said home minister Sushilkumar Shinde had not apologized for his controversial remarks but only expressed regret, which was accepted by the BJP. "Well, it is regret. That is the word that has been used. I cannot change the language once it is used," parliamentary affairs minister Kamal Nath told Karan Thapar on 'Devil's Advocate'...

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Elderly Abandoned at World's Largest Religious Festival

Every 12 years, the northern Indian city of Allahabad plays host to a vast gathering of Hindu pilgrims called the Maha Kumbh Mela. This year, Allahabad is expected to host an estimated 80 million pilgrims between January and March. (See Kumbh Mela: Pictures From the Hindu Holy Festival)People come to Allahabad to wash away their sins in the sacred River Ganges. For many it's the realization...

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Las Vegas Strip Shooting Suspect ID'd

Las Vegas police identified a suspect today in a shooting on the strip that caused a Maserati to hit a taxi and burst into flames, killing three people.Ammar Harris, 26, has been named a suspect in the Thursday skirmish that killed three people, including rapper Kenny Clutch.The altercation between Harris and Clutch, 27, whose legal name was Kenneth Cherry Jr., is believed to...

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