Athletics: 'Blade Runner' Pistorius charged in girlfriend's murder

PRETORIA: South African police held Olympic amputee sprint star Oscar Pistorius in custody Thursday after charging him with the Valentine's Day murder of his model girlfriend, who was shot four times with a gun registered in his name.Blonde cover girl Reeva Steenkamp died after suffering wounds to the head and hand in the shooting in the early hours of Thursday.Police played down reports...

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Mom of boy held in bunker is worried

STORY HIGHLIGHTSPhil McGraw speaks with mother of former Alabama child hostageShe tells him she worried about trying to put him back on a school busEthan told her the Army killed the 'bad man'The 6-year-old tells his mom that 'My bus driver is dead'(CNN) -- Jennifer Kirkland says she caught her 6-year-old son Ethan just staring at a school bus the other day.He was mesmerized, his eyes locked on the...

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Ex-San Diego mayor gambled away charity funds

Updated at 4:04 p.m. ET SAN DIEGO Former San Diego Mayor Maureen O'Connor acknowledged Thursday in federal court that she misappropriated $2 million from her late husband's charitable foundation due to a gambling addiction in which she won more than $1 billion but lost even more over nearly a decade. O'Connor made the acknowledgement in an agreement with the government to defer prosecution for...

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Cruise Passengers 'Upbeat' as They Near Land

The 4,000 passengers and crew aboard the stricken Carnival Triumph cruise ship will disembark after dark tonight from the fetid cruiser dubbed "the poop deck" on social media, according to officials."It will come in. It will not stop," Alabama State Port Authority Director Jimmy Lyons said at a news conference today. "We're going to do everything we can from our standpoint to...

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Obama speech 'relied on amnesia'

STORY HIGHLIGHTSMatt Welch: State of the Union featured content-free calls to action for action's sakeHe says governed might want to know what they've gotten in return for ballooning debtDidn't we try repairing infrastructure with the stimulus package? he asksWelch: Rand Paul spoke to those who think government should get out of wayEditor's note: Matt Welch is editor in chief of Reason and co-author...

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Tennis: Federer speeds to opening Rotterdam win

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands: Roger Federer began the defence of his Rotterdam World Tennis title by crushing Slovenia's Grega Zemlja 6-3, 6-1 in just 57 minutes on Wednesday.Federer advanced effortlessly into the second round over last autumn's Vienna finalist and next faces Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker.The Swiss top seed, and world number two, improved to 22-5 in Rotterdam as he plays the event...

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Body found in cabin may be Christopher Dorner

STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Slain officer's widow thanks mourners: "A lot of people loved Mike" Authorities have a "reasonable belief" that Dorner died in a mountain standoffAuthorities have not conclusively identified the body found near Big Bear LakeThe LAPD is still guarding some people named in Dorner's manifestoFollow the story here and at CNN affiliates KCBS/KCAL, KABC and KTLA. Anderson Cooper 360º...

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American, US Airways set to clinch merger

(MoneyWatch) American Airlines and US Airways (LCC) are set to announce a merger that would create the world's biggest carrier. Under the deal, which is expected to be unveiled Thursday if the timeline isn't moved up sooner and there are no last-minute snags, the combined airline would keep the "American" name. It would still require federal approval, although that is virtually ensured. US Air CEO...

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Dorner Hid Just Steps From Command Center

Christopher Dorner, the fugitive ex-cop who authorities believe died in a fiery standoff with police Tuesday night, was apparently holed up in a snow-covered cabin in the California mountains just steps from where police had set up a command post and held press conferences during a five-day manhunt.The charred remains of a body believed to be Dorner was removed from another...

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Was euro ever 'about to collapse'?

By Ramy Inocencio, for CNNFebruary 12, 2013 -- Updated 0948 GMT (1748 HKT)STORY HIGHLIGHTSFormer European Central Bank chief says euro was never going to collapseIn 2012, critics predicted at least partial breakup of 17-member eurozoneEuro plunged to 25-month low against U.S. dollar in July 2012Currency war fears prevail in run-up to G20 finance ministers meeting this weekHong Kong (CNN) -- Less than...

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