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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