Gruesome toll of cluster bombs in Syria

STORY HIGHLIGHTSHuman Rights Watch says cluster bombs were used on Syrian town of LatamnehCluster bombs release dozens of smaller bombs, which can maim or kill long after impactSyrian regime has previously denied cluster bombs on civiliansEditor's note: Mary Wareham is the Arms Division's Advocacy Director for Human Rights Watch and chief editor of 'Cluster Munition Monitor 2012.' (CNN) -- It was...

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US to recognise first Somali government in 20 years

WASHINGTON: The United States will on Thursday recognise the first Somali government in two decades, heralding a significant shift in ties since the deadly 1993 attack on US helicopters over Mogadishu.The beginning of the new chapter will come when US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton exchanges diplomatic notes with visiting Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, a top US official said...

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Opinion: Real hypocrites are at NRA

The National Rifle Association has released a video game, "Practice Range," a month after the Newtown, Connecticut, massacre.STORY HIGHLIGHTSNRA releases shooting video game rated for ages 4 and up for free downloadChristopher Ferguson: NRA condemned video game industry less than a month ago Ferguson says the NRA doesn't even take its own claims seriously As queasy as the app is, video games do not...

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13 home buying tips for 2013

(MoneyWatch) Although housing prices started to rebound last year and are expected to continue rising in 2013, it's still a buyer's market. Prices remain 30 percent below their peak before the housing crash and mortgage rates hovering at all-time lows. If you are ready to jump in to the real estate market, here are 13 house-hunting tips for 2013.1. Run the numbers. Put together a financial plan to...

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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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Thousands commemorate Kurds slain in France

VILLIERS-LE-BEL: Thousands of mourners gathered in the French capital on Tuesday to pay an emotional final tribute to three female Kurdish activists who were shot dead there last week.Coffins containing the bodies of the three women and draped in the Kurdish flag were carried by female pall-bearers into a community centre in the Paris suburb of Villiers-le-Bel.They were then placed on...

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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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The flu shot: What's stockpiled, why to get one now

Get a flu vaccine, it's not too late. That's the recommendation being urged by federal health officials, local doctors and most experts who are commenting on this year's flu epidemic. But what exactly is in the flu vaccine, what forms does it come in, and why should we get vaccinated if there's still a chance we can get sick?Play VideoFlu hits epidemic levels Last week, the flu reached "epidemic...

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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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