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Pelosi: Abortion Issue Won't Sink Health Care Bill
In an NPR interview, the House speaker predicted she can corral enough votes from moderate Democrats to guarantee final passage of health care legislation — even if it contains the less-restrictive rules on abortion contained in the Senate version of the bill.
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Geithner: Use Leftover Bailout Money To Cut Deficit
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said the government's $700 billion bailout program will end "as soon as we can," and that part of it will be used to lower the record deficit. He urged Congress to move quickly in overhauling the nation's financial rules, which he says is key to a healthy economy.
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Police, Courthouse Targeted In Pakistan Attacks
Two police officers were killed by a suicide bomber a day after 19 people were killed outside a courthouse in Peshawar. The bombings brought to eight the number of militant attacks in less than two weeks in the city on the Afghan border.
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Karzai Sees Afghan Security Control Within 5 Years
Afghan President Hamid Karzai pledged Thursday to prosecute corrupt officials, and said the country would control it own security within five years. Karzai's comments came in an inauguration speech that kicked off his second term of office amid a growing Taliban insurgency and a cloud of corruption allegations.
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Former Top Military Chiefs To Lead Fort Hood Review
Defense Secretary Robert Gates named former Army Secretary Togo West and former chief of naval operations Adm. Vernon Clark to review a broad range of Pentagon programs. The review will try to find gaps in procedures for identifying service members who could pose threats to others, he said.
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Breast Cancer Advocates Not Buying New Guidelines
Studies show that testing women in their 40s could save a small percentage of lives. But to some public health officials, it isn't worth the possible harm the excess testing causes. Cancer survivors and advocacy groups say the screening tool isn't perfect, but it's worth the risk.
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Computer Glitch, Grounds Flights, Passengers
A computer glitch at the Federal Aviation Administration caused widespread flight cancellations and delays, causing air travelers across the nation to revise their plans. The glitch was reminiscent of a software malfunction that delayed flights around the country last year. Matthew Wald, a reporter for The New York Times, says there have been intermittent systemic disruptions for years.
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Health Bill Hopes To Sway Reluctant Democrats
The Senate needs 60 votes to bring its health care bill to the floor. To round up those votes, the bill unveiled Wednesday costs less than the House version, and delays the effective date for many provisions to 2014. Republicans are denouncing the cost cuts as mere gimmicks. Will those measures be enough to persuade wavering Democrats to vote at least to bring the bill up?
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On Capitol Hill, Geithner Defends Policies
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner defended Thursday the administration's handling of the financial crisis, as he again urged Congress to pass a regulatory overhaul that has been months in the making. Geithner faced tough questioning on the bailout of insurance giant AIG and Wall Street bonuses. Republican Congressman Kevin Brady even demanded Geithner's resignation.
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Senate Health Bill Strives To Balance Many Interests
Majority Leader Harry Reid added new taxes and modified major provisions from earlier Senate committee bills. The bill is expected to go to the Senate floor.
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Sen. Kerry's Daughter Arrested On Suspicion Of DUI
Alexandra Kerry, 36, was stopped by officers on a Hollywood street at about 12:40 a.m. Thursday and tested positive for driving under the influence, police say. She is the eldest daughter of the Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, the Democrats' 2004 presidential nominee.
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Postal Service Cancels Letter To Santa Program
The U.S. Postal Service is dropping a popular national program begun in 1954 in the small Alaska town of North Pole, where volunteers open and respond to thousands of letters addressed to Santa each year. Replies come with North Pole postmarks.
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South African Runner Will Keep Gold Medal
Caster Semenya will keep her 800-meter gold medal from the world championships in Berlin, but the results of her gender tests will be kept confidential, the South African sports ministry says.
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Economic Indicators Signal Slow Growth Ahead
A forecast of economic activity for the next six months edged up less than expected in October, signaling slow growth next year. The Conference Board says its index of leading economic indicators rose 0.3 percent last month. Economists had expected a larger increase.
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GOP Uses Mammogram Study To Attack Health Bill
Republicans are suggesting that the new guidelines for breast cancer screening reinforce their nightmare scenario about health care rationing under President Obama's proposed overhaul. The political brouhaha comes as the Senate is about to take up its health care overhaul bill.
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New Karzai Term, But Same Old Problems
Afghan President Hamid Karzai was inaugurated in Kabul on Thursday for a new term amid tight security and ceremonial flourishes. But his second term is already beset by severe doubts that he will be any more effective at tackling the country's rampant corruption.
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Recovery In Developed Economies Gathering Pace
Recovery will accelerate next year due to "substantial improvements" in financial markets and fast-growing Asian countries, but is likely to remain fragile, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said. The OECD more than doubled its estimate for 2010 growth in its 30 member countries to 1.9 percent, from the 0.7 percent forecast in June.
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New Weekly Jobless Claims Unchanged
New jobless claims were unchanged last week at 505,000, matching analysts' expectations, but the four-week moving average of claims dropped to its lowest in almost a year, the Labor Department said Thursday.
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Reid Introduces Senate Health Care Plan
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has unveiled the Democrat's bill overhauling health care. It costs less than the health care bill the House passed earlier this month, and its expansion of insurance coverage is somewhat more limited.
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