Obama Invokes Newtown on 'Cliff' Deal

Invoking the somber aftermath of the school massacre in Newtown, Conn., President Obama today appealed to congressional Republicans to embrace a standing "fair deal" on taxes and spending that would avert the fiscal cliff in 13 days."If there's one thing we should have after this week, it should be a sense of perspective about what's important," Obama said at a midday news conference."I...

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Today on New Scientist: 18 December 2012

Violent polar storms help control the world's weather Without the mini-hurricanes which form over the Arctic, the world could face massive weather disruptionAncient city of Troy rebranded itself after war Changing styles of pottery 3200 years ago show the Trojans were quick to align themselves with the region's new political powerCourt ruling will clarify end-of-life decisions Canada's supreme...

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Squash: Nicol David in quest for 7th world title

GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands: Nicol David has discovered that greater self-knowledge is helping her deal with the pressures as she tries to extend her all-time record of world titles to seven.The already legendary Malaysian has made a flying start to her campaign here, but has had to take profound and very personal measures to help endure the stresses which only increase with time.David...

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Benghazi investigation finds 'failures' at State Department

By Elise Labott, CNNupdated 10:01 PM EST, Tue December 18, 2012Attack on the U.S. Consulate in LibyaAttack on the U.S. Consulate in LibyaAttack on the U.S. Consulate in LibyaAttack on the U.S. Consulate in LibyaAttack on the U.S. Consulate in LibyaAttack on the U.S. Consulate in LibyaAttack on the U.S. Consulate in LibyaAttack on the U.S. Consulate in LibyaAttack on the U.S. Consulate in LibyaAttack...

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Texas school district encourages armed teachers for protection

HARROLD, Texas -- There's at least one school that welcome firearms to class. It believes nothing makes a school safer than teachers who are armed, The Harrold Independent School District is one building with 103 students. It's 20 minutes away from the nearest sheriff's station. Superintendent David Thweatt created what he calls a "guardian plan" after the attack at Virginia Tech. "These people...

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Newtown Shooting: Bushmaster Under Fire

When the private investment firm Cerberus Capital Management announced Tuesday it would unload its interest in Bushmaster – the company that built the weapon used in last week's mass murder of 20 Connecticut first graders -- it marked the beginning of what experts say is likely to be a challenging period for the North Carolina-based weapons manufacturer."They are looking at...

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Fungal frog killer hops into crayfish

Crayfish are vulnerable to the same fungus that is killing frogs all over the world. The discovery helps explain how the disease spreads even after all the amphibians in an area have been wiped out. Worryingly, chemicals released by the fungus may alone be enough to kill. ...

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US schools yearn for security 'bubble' after shooting

WASHINGTON: Except in tragedy-hit Newtown, pupils returned to class around the United States on Monday, three days after an elementary school shooting massacre that triggered debate over school security.Parents and teachers alike are intent now more than ever on making sure the "protective bubble" at schools is impenetrable to outside threats.At Kensington Parkwood Elementary School just...

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Watch Dallas Mavericks try to sing

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More details about Newtown school gunman emerge

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- Like a lot of people who interacted with Lanza, Dot Stansy said he was "just quiet" Adam Lanza./AP Photo "On one side, he did something unspeakable, but on the other, that's not how I remember him," Stansy said. "I remember him as the nice kid that, you know, I sat near to in class. We'd joked, he'd laugh, that kind of thing." Investigators probe life of mass-murderer Adam LanzaIn...

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