Male model sentenced in NY murder

Renato Seabra was convicted of the 2011 murder of a Portuguese news anchor in New York City. STORY HIGHLIGHTSMale model Renato Seabra killed, mutilated Carlos Antonio De Castro, jury findsBoth men were from Portugal visiting New York City in late 2010, early 2011Castro, 65, a TV journalist, broke off the relationship with Seabra, then 20Castro was found bludgeoned and castrated on the floor of their...

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Newtown swamped by charity for victims, families

NEWTOWN, Conn. Peter Leone was busy making deli sandwiches and working the register at his Newtown General Store when he got a phone call from Alaska. It was a woman who wanted to give him her credit card number. "She said, 'I'm paying for the next $500 of food that goes out your door,'" Leone said. "About a half hour later another gentleman called, I think from the West Coast, and he did the same...

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'Fiscal Cliff' Leaves Boehner a Wounded Speaker

John Boehner is a bloodied House speaker following the startling setback that his own fractious Republican troops dealt him in their "fiscal cliff" struggle against President Barack Obama.There's plenty of internal grumbling about the Ohio Republican, especially among conservatives, and lots of buzzing about whether his leadership post is in jeopardy. But it's uncertain whether...

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Goodbye, U.S. Postal Service?

This Christmas could be the Post Office's last, says John Avlon. STORY HIGHLIGHTSThe U.S. Postal Service is bleeding money and heading toward insolvency John Avlon: Congress can save the postal service in deal on the fiscal cliff He says the urgency is clear, let's hope for a Christmas miracle Avlon: But be prepared that Washington dysfunction can doom the postal service Editor's note: John Avlon...

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Psy's 'Gangnam Style' reaches one billion views

SEOUL: Psy's "Gangnam Style" became the first video to hit a billion views on YouTube on Friday, marking a fresh milestone in the global craze for the South Korean rapper and his horse-riding dance.The view counter attached to "Gangnam Style," which was only posted on the video-sharing site July 15, clicked over into 10 figures, confirming its status as the most viewed video in the site's...

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Miss anything in 2012?

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Boehner's Take on Fiscal Cliff Deal: 'God Only Knows'

Dec 21, 2012 11:00am Speaker of the House John Boehner bluntly acknowledged Friday morning he did not have the votes to pass his “Plan B” and said the only real solution is a broad agreement to cut spending and reform the tax code. Then he added these words:“How we get there, God only knows.”That about sums up the whole “fiscal cliff” situation after a chaotic Thursday...

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Is Newtown tipping point for change?

By Piers Morgan, CNNDecember 20, 2012 -- Updated 1627 GMT (0027 HKT)STORY HIGHLIGHTSPiers Morgan: Past gun-related tragedies haven't led to any actionHe says that must change, and he hosted a debate on the issueMorgan: Laws must be changed to limit weapons, ammunition and enforce background checksRights of Americans who use guns for hunting and sport must be respected, he says(CNN) -- On Wednesday...

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Football: Newcastle powerless to keep Ba admits Pardew

LONDON: Newcastle manager Alan Pardew admitted on Thursday that his club are powerless to keep Demba Ba if the Senegal striker wants to quit St James' Park.Ba has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave if another team offers 7.5 million pounds and Pardew knows the former West Ham star could attract interest from several clubs during the January transfer window.The 27-year-old,...

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Mayans don't buy it

STORY HIGHLIGHTSSome believe a major calamity will occur Friday based on the Mayan calendarThe Mayans don't think that's trueThe end of the winter solstice marks the end of a 394-year period on the calendarPredictions mention a deity but not the end of the world, an archeologist saysMerida, Mexico (CNN) -- There may be no one left on Earth to say TGIF this week.Some believe the world is coming to...

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House GOP: We have the votes for "Plan B"

Play VideoCantor: "We're going to have the votes" to pass "Plan B"Updated 1:45 p.m. ETAs the House readies for an expected vote on an alternate plan, dubbed "Plan B," to avoid massive tax hikes on all income earners, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., said he is confident he will have enough support to pass their plan. "We're going to have the votes," Cantor told reporters this morning. "Plan...

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Arming teachers would halt massacres

William Bennett argues that schools would be safer with at least one armed person there who is well-trained in firearms use.STORY HIGHLIGHTSWilliam Bennett: Arming, training one person in a school could help prevent shootingsHe says armed people have stopped instances of mass killingKillers may target places where they know they can't be shot down, Bennett saysBennett: Guns help prevent crime and...

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Obama calls for gun violence proposals within a month

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama on Wednesday set up a task force to frame "concrete proposals" on ending mass shootings by next month and called for new laws, but denied he had been on "vacation" on gun control.With trauma still raw after the Connecticut school massacre last week, Obama put Vice President Joe Biden in charge of an inter-agency effort on gun control and mental health,...

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President to GOP: Fiscal cliff is not about me

STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: President Obama suggests Republicans are fixated on besting him personallyNEW: Obama: It's "puzzling" that GOP leaders have yet to agree to a dealNEW: Speaker Boehner's office says Obama's latest proposal is lackingWithout a deal, everyone's taxes go up in the new yearWashington (CNN) -- In a candid assessment of the tough fiscal cliff negotiations, President Barack Obama said...

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State Dept. officials resign following Benghazi report

Eric Boswell, the head of diplomatic security at the State Department, has resigned, CBS News confirmed, following the release of a harsh report detailing State Department missteps that led to the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. Two other officials are resigning as well, CBS News has confirmed: Charlene Lamb, the deputy assistant secretary responsible for embassy security, and an unnamed...

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Inside One School's Extraordinary Security Measures

While schools across America reassess their security measures in the wake of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., one school outside of Chicago takes safety to a whole new level.The security measures at Middleton Elementary School start the moment you set foot on campus, with a camera-equipped doorbell. When you ring the doorbell, school employees inside are...

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On gun control, two places to start

Reaction to Newtown school killingsReaction to Newtown school killingsReaction to Newtown school killingsReaction to Newtown school killingsReaction to Newtown school killingsReaction to Newtown school killingsReaction to Newtown school killingsReaction to Newtown school killingsReaction to Newtown school killingsReaction to Newtown school killingsReaction to Newtown school killingsReaction to Newtown...

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Users riled Instagram will have its way with pictures

SAN FRANCISCO: Instagram faced a backlash Tuesday as users debated whether to dump the smartphone-sharing service due to a rule change giving it a royalty-free, worldwide license to posted images.Changes to the privacy policy and terms of service at Facebook-owned Instagram taking effect on January 16 include wording that lets people's pictures be used by advertisers at either online venue."You...

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