The $60 Billion Federal Bailout Named Sandy

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, federal lawmakers from both parties were quick to heap words of compassion upon the storm victims. Now those politicians are debating how much taxpayer money to put behind their rhetoric. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund barely adds up to $ 6 billion. So the Senate and the White House are each proposing to give New York,...

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Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy welcome a baby boy

NEW YORK (AP) — Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy‘s “Homeland” just got bigger.Danes’ rep confirms the couple welcomed a baby boy named Cyrus Michael Christopher.People.com first reported Monday’s birth.It’s the first child for 33-year old Danes and 37-year-old Dancy. They were married in 2009.There’s no word yet whether the new mom will attend the Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 13. She’s nominated for Best...

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Canada serial killer inquiry finds “systemic bias” by police

(Reuters) – Police made critical errors in pursuing Canadian serial killer Robert Pickton partly because of “systemic bias” against his victims, sex trade workers from a rough Vancouver neighborhood, according to the final report from a public inquiry released on Monday.Commissioner Wally Oppal was asked by the British Columbia government to investigate, in effect, why Pickton was not caught sooner....

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Merck KGaA cancer drug Stimuvax fails late-stage trial

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – German drugmaker Merck KGaA‘s cancer vaccine Stimuvax has failed to meet its goal of improving the survival of lung cancer patients in a late-stage trial.“It is disappointing that the… trial did not meet its primary endpoint, in particular for patients suffering from NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer),” the trial’s coordinating investigator, Frances Shepherd, said in a statement...

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After Ghana vote, investors turn to economy

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – A closely fought but peaceful election in Ghana this month has burnished the international image of the west African oil, gold and cocoa producer as “the Switzerland of Africa.”But to win economic bragging rights too, Ghana’s new government will have to convince investors that it can tame a swelling fiscal deficit, stabilize a volatile currency and rebuild foreign exchange...

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“Zero Dark Thirty” review: Like a really good “Law & Order” – with waterboarding

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – It’s always a challenge to tell a story where the audience knows the ending. The trick comes in offering a new perspective on familiar events or at least generating suspense in a way that makes us nervous that Apollo 13 might not land safely, even when history tells us otherwise.“Argo” and “Lincoln” are two films that successfully tread these waters, and now comes “Zero...

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Syrian rebels take control of Damascus Palestinian camp

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian rebels took full control of the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp on Monday after fighting raged for days in the district on the southern edge of President Bashar al-Assad‘s Damascus powerbase, rebel and Palestinian sources said.The battle had pitted rebels, backed by some Palestinians, against Palestinian fighters of the pro-Assad Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General...

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Hairstyles may keep some black women from exercise

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – A number of obstacles may stand between a person and exercise, and hairstyles may be one of them for African-American women, according to a new study.Researchers found about two of every five African-American women said they avoid exercise because of concerns about their hair, and researchers say that is concerning given the United States’ obesity epidemic.“As an African-American...

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Sweden cuts main interest rate to 1 percent

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden‘s central bank has cut its key interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 1 percent as inflationary pressures remain benign and problems in Europe weigh on the Scandinavian country’s economy.Tuesday’s decision was widely expected.The Riksbank also says that its main interest rate will likely “remain at this low level for the coming year” due to the economic slowdown,...

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“The Playroom” lands distributor

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – Freestyle Releasing and Freestyle Digital Media have acquired the theatrical, DVD and VOD rights to “The Playroom,” a drama directed by Julia Dyer (“Late Bloomers”), which stars John Hawkes (“Winter’s Bone,” “The Sessions”) and Molly Parker (“Dexter,” “The Firm”).The film is slated for a day-and-date theatrical release and on DVD/VOD on February 8, 2013.“The Playroom” premiered...

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