A U.S. federal gun violence task force formed in response to the Connecticut school massacre met for the first time Thursday, with Vice President Joe Biden leading a group of government agency chiefs seeking solutions to gun violence. The meeting in Washington included Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Homeland Security Chief […]
Federal Gun Task Force Holds First Meeting
Posted December 20th, 2012 at 6:10 pm (UTC-5)
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Federal Gun Task Force Holds First Meeting
Posted December 20th, 2012 at 6:05 pm (UTC-5)
A U.S. federal gun violence task force formed in response to the Connecticut school massacre met for the first time Thursday, with Vice President Joe Biden leading a group of government agency chiefs seeking solutions to gun violence. The meeting in Washington included Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of Education Ann Duncan, Homeland Security Chief […]
US Economy Advanced Faster than First Thought in the Summer
Posted December 20th, 2012 at 3:55 pm (UTC-5)
The U.S. economy advanced a bit faster in the summer months than the government first estimated, but it may be tailing off at the end of 2012. The government Thursday said the economy, the world’s largest, grew at a 3.1 percent pace in the July-to-September period. That was up from an earlier estimate of 2.7 […]
New York Stock Exchange, Icon of US Capitalism, Is Sold to Upstart
Posted December 20th, 2012 at 3:15 pm (UTC-5)
An upstart competitor is buying the venerable New York Stock Exchange, long the symbol of robust American capitalism. The owner of the 220-year-old New York exchange, NYSE Euronext, said Thursday it has agreed to an $8.2 billion deal to sell the iconic Wall Street fixture to IntercontinentalExchange. The 12-year-old Atlanta-based bourse focuses on trading future […]
More Funerals in Newtown; More Debate on Gun Control
Posted December 20th, 2012 at 2:30 pm (UTC-5)
More funerals and memorial services were held Thursday in Newtown, Connecticut for victims of the second-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. The latest victims laid to rest were as young as six years old — some of the 20 children killed in Friday’s mass shooting. Twenty-six people died when a gunman opened fire on students […]
Zuma: Mandela’s Condition Improving
Posted December 20th, 2012 at 2:25 pm (UTC-5)
South Africa’s president says the health of Nelson Mandela is improving following gallstone surgery and treatment for a lung infection. Jacob Zuma spoke at the close of a ruling ANC party conference Thursday. He said Mr. Mandela’s condition was “serious” but added that he is “responding well to treatment and has steadily improved over the […]
Russian Protest Leader Charged with Fraud
Posted December 20th, 2012 at 2:15 pm (UTC-5)
A prominent Russian opposition leader has been charged with fraud and money laundering. Russia’s Federal Investigative Committee said Thursday that Alexei Navalny and his brother, Oleg, are accused of defrauding a mail transport company of $1.8 million. In a statement posted to his website (blog), Navalny said the charges were reprisals for his efforts to […]
Study: High Ozone Level Lowers Worker Productivity
Posted December 20th, 2012 at 12:45 pm (UTC-5)
A new study finds that ozone pollution — one of the main components of urban smog — can do more than cause respiratory illness and increase hospitalizations. It can also lower farmworker productivity. Columbia University researchers compared data about the productivity of agricultural field workers in California with information about environmental air-quality conditions. They found […]
Russian Court Cuts Khodorkovsky Jail Sentence
Posted December 20th, 2012 at 12:20 pm (UTC-5)
A Russian court has reduced the jail sentence of opposition leader and former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky by two years, clearing the way for him to walk free in 2014. The Moscow City Court says the decision, announced Thursday, came as a result of recent changes to Russian law regarding economic crimes. Khodorkovsky was arrested […]
China’s Xi Backs Beleaguered Hong Kong Leader
Posted December 20th, 2012 at 10:55 am (UTC-5)
China’s new leadership is lending its support to Hong Kong’s chief executive, who is under fire for a series of scandals. Chinese Communist party Chief Xi Jinping met Thursday with Leung Chun-ying in Beijing, and praised the work being done by Leung’s administration. Leung’s opponents are now calling for his impeachment following revelations that he […]
