Pakistan terror incidents threaten peace talks

ISLAMABAD The killing of 41 people in two separate terrorist incidents in Pakistan appeared on Sunday to temporarily halt prospects for immediate peace talks between Pakistani authorities and Taliban militants, two senior Pakistani intelligence officers and a senior western diplomat in Islamabad warned. Both intelligence officers said that the fallout of the killings may even harm U.S. plans to...

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President Suggests Small 'Cliff' Deal Likely

With less than two days remaining for Congress to reach a budget agreement that would avoid the so-called “fiscal cliff,” President Obama today suggested that a small deal remains the best hope to avoid the perilous package of spending cuts and tax increases.In an interview aired this morning on NBC’s “Meet the Press” the president said if Republicans agreed to raising taxes on top income earners...

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Today on New Scientist: 28 December 2012

Best videos of 2012: Rare view of Challenger tragedy Watch a rare amateur video of the Challenger explosion, our most-viewed video of the year Strong jet stream super-charged US Christmas storms Record snowfall and dozens of tornadoes snarled holiday travel as a powerful winter storm plowed across much of the US, while rainstorms battered the UK 2012 review: The year in life science The year's...

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Obama, congressional leaders to meet on fiscal cliff

STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: GOP Sen. Alexander says a deal will be reached, either now or soonPresident Obama calls congressional leaders to the White House Democrats, Republicans trade blame over who is preventing an agreementWithout an agreement, everyone's taxes go up next weekAs the fiscal cliff looms, what's your New Year's message to Washington? Go to CNNiReport to share your video.Washington (CNN)...

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East, Gulf Coast port strike averted, for now

Last Updated 12:15 p.m. ET NEW YORK The union for longshoremen along the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico has agreed to extend its contract for 30 days, averting a possible strike that could have crippled operations at ports that handle about 40 percent of all U.S. container cargo, a federal mediator announced Friday.The extension came after the union and an alliance of port operators and shipping lines...

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'Mom' Loses Russian Girl Weeks From Adoption

After a roller coaster week, Kendra Skaggs sat down to vent on her blog. She had used that space to document her 13 month journey of adopting a young girl named Polina from Russia. But now, with that dream just weeks away from fulfillment, she described her frustration, fear and anger as she watched it being snatched away."I have no control. I'm on the other side of the world...

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Today on New Scientist: 28 December 2012

Best videos of 2012: Rare view of Challenger tragedy Watch a rare amateur video of the Challenger explosion, our most-viewed video of the year Strong jet stream super-charged US Christmas storms Record snowfall and dozens of tornadoes snarled holiday travel as a powerful winter storm plowed across much of the US, while rainstorms battered the UK 2012 review: The year in life science The year's...

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China sets date for 12th National People's Congress

BEIJING: China has fixed March 5, 2013, as the date it will convene a key legislative session, state media reported Friday, with new Communist Party chief Xi Jingping set to become president during the two-week meeting.The date for the start of the first annual session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) was approved at an NPC Standing Committee meeting Friday, the official Xinhua...

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TV

updated 9:03 AM EST, Thu December 20, 2012Earlier this month, we asked CNN readers to vote for their favorite TV shows of 2012. To make narrowing it down a little bit easier, we divided up a long list of contenders into three categories: comedies, dramas and reality series. Here's how you voted:Readers' favorites: Top 15 TV shows of 2012Comedies: No. 5: 'How I Met Your Mother'No. 4: 'The Daily Show...

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Free gun training offered to 200 Utah teachers

(CBS/AP) SALT LAKE CITY - Gun rights advocates plan to offer gun training for 200 Utah teachers Thursday, saying that classroom teachers could stop school shootings by carrying concealed weapons. The Utah Shooting Sports Council said it would waive its $50 fee for concealed-weapons training for the teachers. Instruction featuring plastic guns is set to begin at noon Thursday inside a conference...

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