Obama Unveils Sweeping Plan to Curb Gun Violence

Flanked by four children from across the country, President Obama today unveiled a sweeping plan to curb gun violence in America through an extensive package of legislation and executive actions not seen since the 1960s.Obama is asking Congress to implement mandatory background checks for all gun purchases, including private sales; reinstate a ban on some assault-style weapons;...

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Are gun curbs just symbolism?

STORY HIGHLIGHTSGun violence recommendations are expected from Vice President Biden on TuesdayThe proposals are expected to contain substantive and symbolic ideas to curb gun violencePresidents use symbolism to shift public opinion or affect larger political or social changeWashington (CNN) -- The pictures told the story: Vice President Joe Biden looked solemn, patrician and in control as he sat at...

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Hagel wins key endorsement for Pentagon job

WASHINGTON: US defence secretary-designate Chuck Hagel cleared a key bar to his Senate confirmation Tuesday, winning the backing of a powerful Democrat who had been concerned about his stances on Iran and Israel.Senator Chuck Schumer said he met Hagel for 90 minutes on Monday and had been convinced to endorse the blunt former Republican senator to run the Pentagon in Obama's second term...

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U.S. quietly giving up its oil addiction

President Obama at an oil and gas production field near Maljamar, New Mexico in March, 2012. STORY HIGHLIGHTSFrida Ghitis: The U.S. will become the world's leading oil producer in a few years Ghitis: It is truly transformational that the U.S. is giving up its addiction to foreign oil Despite energy independence, we need to keep looking into green energy, she says Ghitis: It's beneficial for the U.S....

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Facebook announces new site search feature

Facebook announced that it is launching a search engine for the social network called "graph search." At a press event in Menlo Park, Calif., Tuesday CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the social network is launching a search engine that will run inside of Facebook. "What is graph search? It's not web search," Zuckerberg told reporters. During a comparison of graph search with a web search, Zuckerberg demonstrated...

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Secret Revealed: Facebook Announces New Tool

How you search Facebook is about to change. In fact, just the act of searching Facebook is probably about to start.Facebook is trying to give Google a run for its money, with a new product called "Graph Search." It turns some of the personal information people have shared on Facebook into a powerful searchable database.For the social network's 170 million users in the U.S., it's...

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Is China easing up on local media?

A protester calls for greater media freedom outside the headquarters of Nanfang Media Group in Guangzhou on Jan. 9.STORY HIGHLIGHTSYoung: Handling of Southern Weekly row demonstrated tolerant side of new leadershipTraditional, newer media can serve as tools for achieving goals in China's modernizationThe fight against corruption in China is at the top of the list for incoming leader, Xi JinpingYoung:...

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Sri Lanka seals impeachment with new judge

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's president completed the controversial impeachment of the chief justice by choosing a successor Monday, his spokesman said, as lawyers vowed to keep up a battle for judicial independence.President Mahinda Rajapakse nominated a new chief justice who is expected to be confirmed by a parliamentary panel on Tuesday, his spokesman Mohan Samaranayake said.Rajapakse selected...

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Oscar's message: Reality bites

STORY HIGHLIGHTSA.S. Hamrah: Oscar-nominated films deal in disaster, trauma, upheaval, ruined livesHe says filmmakers this year depict consequences of exposure to violenceHe says "Argo," "Zero Dark Thirty," "Lincoln" show grim events; "Les Mis" shows miseryFilms also long, adding to ordeal, he says. Filmmakers' message: Deal with itEditor's note: A.S. Hamrah is film critic at n+1, a print magazine...

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George H.W. Bush discharged from hospital

Former US President George H.W. Bush gestures during a commemorative event in Berlin on October 31, 2009. The event under the motto "The Fall of the Wall and Reunification - the Victory of Freedom" was organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. AFP PHOTO DDP/ MICHAEL GOTTSCHALK GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read MICHAEL GOTTSCHALK/AFP/Getty...

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