Panetta Orders Deployment of U.S. Antimissile Units in Turkey

Manu Brabo/Associated PressIn a part of Aleppo controlled by the Free Syrian Army, a woman hurt by Syrian Army shelling was wheeled in front of a hospital. INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey — Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta signed an official deployment order on Friday to send 400 American military personnel and two Patriot air defense batteries to Turkey as its tensions intensify with neighboring Syria,...

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Valve Confirms New Game Console on Its Way

In an interview with Kotaku’s Jason Schreier at the Spike TV Video Game Awards, Valve co-founder Gabe Newell confirmed that a “living-room-friendly PC package,” designed to “compete with next-gen consoles from companies like Microsoft and Sony,” will be available for purchase starting next year.What makes a PC a PCMost of the machines Newell described, which he expected “companies” would “start selling”...

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Gunman's Father and Brother Are 'in Shock,' Says a Source

By Diane Herbst 12/14/2012 at 08:50 PM EST State police personnel lead children to safety away from the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shannon Hicks/Newtown Bee/Reuters/Landov The father and older brother of the gunman who was blamed for the Connecticut school shooting are being questioned by...

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Fewer health care options for illegal immigrants

ALAMO, Texas (AP) — For years, Sonia Limas would drag her daughters to the emergency room whenever they fell sick. As an illegal immigrant, she had no health insurance, and the only place she knew to seek treatment was the hospital — the most expensive setting for those covering the cost.The family's options improved somewhat a decade ago with the expansion of community health clinics, which offered...

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Wall Street Week Ahead: Holiday "on standby" as clock ticks on cliff

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The last two weeks of December are traditionally quiet for stocks, but traders accustomed to a bit of time off are staying close to their mobile devices, thanks to the "fiscal cliff." Last-minute negotiations in Washington on the so-called fiscal cliff - nearly $600 billion of tax increases and spending cuts set to take effect in January that could cause a sharp slowdown...

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News Analysis: China Stays Beside North Korea, a Buffer Against the U.S.

BEIJING — Even though North Korea ignored China’s appeal not to test its new longer-range missile, the new leadership here appears intent on remaining a steadfast supporter of its wayward neighbor because it considers the North a necessary buffer against the United States and its allies. Analysts said that China’s overriding fear was of a collapse of the hard-line Communist government in...

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Sweet and Lowe: How a captivating Twitter feed sealed Rob Lowe’s comeback

By Virginia Heffernan@RobLowe follows 135 people on Twitter. Among them is not @HilaryASwank, the Oscar-winning ex-wife of his brother, @ichadlowe.@RobLowe does, however, follow @ikimlowe, the new wife of his brother, who helpfully identifies herself on the site as “wife of @ichadlowe.” Would @HilaryASwank, a formidable actor who does not use Twitter very often, have consented to live in her lesser-known...

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Chris Pratt Loves Anna Faris's Post-Baby Booty

Mom & Babies Celebrity Baby Blog 12/13/2012 at 11:00 AM ET CL/Splash News OnlineFor actor Chris Pratt, bigger is better — at least when it comes to his wife’s body after baby.Since welcoming their first child, Jack, the actress has been taking her time to shed the pregnancy pounds, attributing any...

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Fewer health care options for illegal immigrants

ALAMO, Texas (AP) — For years, Sonia Limas would drag her daughters to the emergency room whenever they fell sick. As an illegal immigrant, she had no health insurance, and the only place she knew to seek treatment was the hospital — the most expensive setting for those covering the cost.The family's options improved somewhat a decade ago with the expansion of community health clinics, which offered...

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Stock futures rise with Wall Street set for bounce back

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures rose on Friday, pointing to a modest rebound for Wall Street after Thursday's retreat, though investors remained concerned about a lack of progress by politicians in ongoing fiscal negotiations. Economic data out of China showed that manufacturing in the world's second-largest economy grew at its fastest pace in 14 months in December. That...

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Moscow Journal: Russian Web Site Roszkh Fights Corruption Through Housing

MOSCOW — Not since Joe the Plumber have contractors taken on such political overtones. In a city where it is often impossible to get a plumber or any other repairman, somebody just figured out how to fix the pipes — and replace light bulbs, scrub off graffiti and patch leaky roofs. Throughout Moscow and other Russian cities, such elementary building repairs are suddenly in full swing as the...

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Google Maps finally comes to iOS. Again [updated]

Apple has had quite a bumpy car ride so far with it’s mapping product. That all ends in just a couple hours, however, because late Wednesday evening Google is planning on bringing Maps back to iOS with the release of the company’s own software. AllThingsD is reporting that Google’s app will be available for download in the App Store shortly, and we’ll provide some initial thoughts on it soon after.UPDATE:...

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John McAfee Deported from Guatemala, Back in U.S.

By Tim Nudd 12/13/2012 at 07:50 AM EST John McAfee in Guatemala Guatemala's National Police/AP The latest chapter in the John McAfee saga was written Wednesday, as the anti-virus software pioneer was released from Guatemalan custody and flown to Miami, where...

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Stock futures mixed on "fiscal cliff" worries

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock futures were mixed on Thursday as a new round of stimulus for the economy was not enough to offset worries over the impact of the impending "fiscal cliff". * In the European Union, finance ministers reached a deal to make the European Central Bank the bloc's top banking supervisor. The move could boost confidence in leaders' ability to tackle the region's sovereign...

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Pope Benedict offers blessings with his first tweet

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – After weeks of anticipation, Pope Benedict sent his first tweet on Wednesday.“Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart.”The tweet was sent when the 85-year-old pope tapped on a touch screen at the end of his weekly general audience in the Vatican before thousands of people.(Reporting...

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The Voice: Team Blake Goes Two-For-Two

TV Watch The Voice By Julia Haskins 12/12/2012 at 07:40 AM EST From left: Judges Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton Trae Patton/NBC And then there were three – thanks to Tuesday night's episode of The Voice.Team Blake's Cassadee Pope...

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DA investigating Texas' troubled $3B cancer agency

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Turmoil surrounding an unprecedented $3 billion cancer-fighting effort in Texas worsened Tuesday when its executive director offered his resignation and the state's chief public corruption prosecutor announced an investigation into the beleaguered agency.No specific criminal allegations are driving the latest probe into the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, said...

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Stock futures edge higher as investors focus on Fed

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock futures edged higher on Wednesday, setting Wall Street up for a sixth day of gains, as investors anticipated the U.S. Federal Reserve will announce a new round of bond buying to support the economy. * The Fed is expected to unveil a fresh round of bond buying on Wednesday as part of efforts to support a fragile economic recovery threatened by political wrangling...

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Mali’s Prime Minister Arrested by Military

BAMAKO, Mali – Soldiers arrested Mali’s prime minister at his residence late Monday night, in new turmoil in a West African nation racked by military interference and an Islamist takeover in the north. Associated PressPrime Minister Cheikh Modibo Diarra appeared on state television and announced his government’s resignation on Tuesday. Hours...

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Amanda Seyfried: 'Everyone Wants to Have Sex' with Channing Tatum

By Maggie Coughlan 12/11/2012 at 08:00 AM EST Amanda Seyfried has worked with a lot of good-looking men, but there's one in particular who rises to the top of her list."Channing [Tatum] was amazing. He's a superstar," the actress, 27, tells the January issue of InStyle about PEOPLE's 2012 Sexiest Man Alive. Seyfried,...

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Stock futures rise after German data; Fed eyed

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock futures were higher on Tuesday after unexpectedly cheery data out of Europe and as the Federal Reserve was set to kick off its two-day policy meeting. Though the pace of talks in Washington to avert impending U.S. tax hikes and spending cuts quickened, senior politicians on both sides cautioned that an agreement on all the outstanding issues remained uncertain....

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India Ink: Congress Party Craters in Gujarat

KESHOD, IndiaThe prospects of the Indian National Congress party in the battleground state of Gujarat are dwindling by the day, analysts and potential voters say, a situation that could ultimately advance Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s bid to become prime minister.Sonia Gandhi, the president of the Congress party, drew smaller-than-expected crowds in Gujarat this weekend, just days ahead of...

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Prince Harry Will Be a 'Wonderful Uncle,' Says Family Friend

By Simon Perry 12/10/2012 at 07:45 AM EST He may be serving in Afghanistan, but Prince Harry is already gearing up for uncle duty when sister-in-law Kate gives birth.And expect fun and fireworks from the playful prince. "He will be a wonderful uncle – [think of] the mischief he will want to get up to with the [children]!" a friend tells...

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Smokers celebrate as Wash. legalizes marijuana

SEATTLE (AP) — The crowds of happy people lighting joints under Seattle's Space Needle early Thursday morning with nary a police officer in sight bespoke the new reality: Marijuana is legal under Washington state law.Hundreds gathered at Seattle Center for a New Year's Eve-style countdown to 12 a.m., when the legalization measure passed by voters last month took effect. When the clock struck, they...

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