NH $700M case against 2 oil companies begins

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Day one of what is expected to be a marathon pollution trial over the gasoline additive MTBE ended Monday with lawyers for the state of New Hampshire and two big oil companies heatedly accusing each other of misleading jurors.The judge denied demands for a mistrial made by Citgo‘s lawyer, Nathan Eimer, but may give jurors a special instruction when the trial resumes Tuesday with...

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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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Seized guns on display weren't from 2013

Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy looks over an assortment of weapons representing, but not the actually, those...

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West African army chiefs to approve Mali troops plan

BAMAKO (Reuters) - West African defense chiefs will on Tuesday approve plans to speed up the deployment of African troops against Islamist rebels in northern Mali, with some regional soldiers seen arriving next week. France has already poured hundreds of troops into Mali and carried out days of air strikes in a vast desert area seized last year by an Islamist alliance that combines al...

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Yen pressured, Asian stocks subdued

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The yen plumbed a 2-1/2 year low against the dollar on Monday as Japan's central bank faced relentless political pressure to deliver bold stimulus, while Asian stocks got off to subdued start with Tokyo closed for a public holiday. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday said the Bank of Japan (BOJ) must set a 2 percent inflation target and make it a medium-term, not long-term,...

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Bryant's late FG lifts Falcons over Seattle 30-28

ATLANTA (AP) — Matt Bryant pumped his fist and celebrated atop the Falcons logo in the middle of the field. Tony Gonzalez broke down in tears. Matt Ryan relished the thought of not having to answer a familiar question.The Atlanta Falcons finally showed they could win a playoff game.And, wow, what a game it was!After a meltdown in the fourth quarter, the Falcons pulled off a comeback that will long...

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Views on Gay People Shift in Singapore

Americans’ views about gay people have shifted dramatically in the past few decades. For instance, a Gallup poll last month showed that support for same-sex marriage in the United States stands at 53 percent — still a polarizing figure, but about double what it was in 1996.New research shows that positive attitudes toward homosexuals are becoming more common in other countries, too, like Singapore,...

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Quest: U.S. economy to dominate Davos

The United States and the sorry state of its political and budgetary process will be the center of attention at Davos, writes QuestSTORY HIGHLIGHTSQuest: Davos is a chance to see where the political and economic landmines are in 2013Quest: People will be speculating about how dysfunctional the U.S. political process has becomeQuest: Davos has been consumed by eurozone sovereign debt crises for three...

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Dozens of business leaders endorse gay marriage in Illinois

Dozens of Illinois business leaders and several companies publicly endorsed gay marriage on Sunday, a week after a proposed...

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France bombs Islamist strongholds in north Mali

BAMAKO/PARIS (Reuters) - French fighter jets pounded Islamist rebel strongholds deep in northern Mali on Sunday as Paris poured more troops into the capital Bamako, awaiting a West African force to dislodge al Qaeda-linked insurgents from the country's north. The attacks on Islamist positions near the ancient desert trading town of Timbuktu and Gao, the largest city in the north, marked a decisive...

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