Chicago’s Cook County OKs gun tax to defray costs of violence

affiliate marketing CHICAGO (Reuters) – The county that includes Chicago approved a tax on firearms on Friday to help pay healthcare costs from gun violence, making it what is believed to be the first major U.S. metropolitan area to enact such a levy as a form of gun control.The Cook County Board of Commissioners voted 9-7 to impose...

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It’s Global Warming, Stupid

affiliate marketing Yes, yes, it’s unsophisticated to blame any given storm on climate change. Men and women in white lab coats tell us—and they’re right—that many factors contribute to each severe weather episode. Climate deniers exploit scientific complexity to avoid any discussion at all.Clarity, however, is not beyond reach. Hurricane...

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Gruesome video raises concerns about Syria rebels

affiliate marketing BEIRUT (AP) — A video that appears to show a unit of Syrian rebels kicking terrified, captured soldiers and then executing them with machine guns raised concerns Friday about rebel brutality at a time when the United States is making its strongest push yet to forge an opposition movement it can work with.U.N. officials...

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Apple rolls out iPad mini in Sydney to shorter lines

affiliate marketing SYDNEY (Reuters) – Apple fans lined up in Sydney, Australia, to get their hands on the iPad mini on Friday, but the device, priced above rival gadgets from Google and Amazon.com, attracted smaller crowds than at the company’s previous global rollouts.About 50 people waited for the Apple store to open, where in the...

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Jodie Foster to get lifetime achievement award at Golden Globes

affiliate marketing LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Double-Oscar winner Jodie Foster will receive a lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes ceremony in January, recognizing her 40-year career as an actress, director and movie producer, organizers said on Thursday.The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which organizes the annual...

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NICE backs melanoma drugs after price cuts

affiliate marketing LONDON (Reuters) – Two new drugs for skin cancer have been recommended for use on Britain’s state-run health service after the rival manufacturers – Roche and Bristol-Myers Squibb – agreed to cut their prices.The move underscores the growing pressure on drug companies to cut deals with austerity-hit European governments...

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Shut That Taxi Window! China’s Leaders Are Meeting

affiliate marketing How does China prepare for its biggest political event of the decade? That’s the meeting of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party, opening Nov. 8 in Beijing, which will see a historic shift in top leadership. For starters, dramatically beef up security in Beijing, while beautifying the city with elaborate...

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Canada will push to keep bank capital rules on schedule

affiliate marketing OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada will urge all countries to stick to the agreed schedule for implementing tougher bank capital rules at a November 4-5 meeting of finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 nations, a senior finance ministry official said on Thursday.The so-called Basel III rules are the world’s...

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TSX climbs to one-week high as mining stocks surge

affiliate marketing TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada‘s main stock index rose on Wednesday, as stronger commodity prices drove materials stocks higher and Research in Motion charged ahead after it said it was on track to launch its new BlackBerry 10 next year.The materials group rose 1.2 percent as gold prices reached their highest in a week...

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Broadway lights go up in post-Sandy NYC

affiliate marketing NEW YORK (AP) — The lights went up again on Broadway Wednesday for the first time since Hurricane Sandy hit New York, as entertainers headed back to work in a city still wracked by power-outages and a suspended subway system.Though some Broadway shows, including Disney’s “Mary Poppins” and “The Lion King” remained...

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