British Media to Challenge Secrecy Bid in Litvinenko Case

The British Broadcasting Corporation said it and other news organizations would oppose an effort on Tuesday by the British government to limit information disclosed to the planned inquest into the death of Alexander V. Litvinenko, a former officer in the KGB who died of radiation poisoning in London more than six years ago. The BBC reported that the government had planned to apply for a so-called...

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Charlize Theron & Channing Tatum's Oscars Dance - No Practice Makes Perfect!

By Oliver Jones and Tim Nudd 02/26/2013 at 08:35 AM EST Channing Tatum and Charlize Theron Getty Who knew Charlize Theron could dance? Or that Channing Tatum could do so with his clothes on?Together they wowed the Academy Awards on Sunday, performing a challenging ballroom dance in front of...

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Koop, who transformed surgeon general post, dies

With his striking beard and starched uniform, former Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop became one of the most recognizable figures of the Reagan era — and one of the most unexpectedly enduring.His nomination in 1981 met a wall of opposition from women's groups and liberal politicians, who complained President Ronald Reagan selected Koop, a pediatric surgeon and evangelical Christian from Philadelphia,...

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Futures rise in rebound after steep losses on Italy vote

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures rose on Tuesday, indicating equities would partially rebound from a steep drop over Italian election results as investors saw opportunities to buy beaten-down shares. Market participants speculated a coalition government would eventually emerge in Italy and ease worries about a new euro zone debt crisis. Groups in Italy opposed...

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India Ink: Laliji, the Octogenarian from Bihar

Why do millions of people, from entire Indian villages to urbane middle managers to foreign tourists, brave the crowds at the Kumbh Mela? During this year’s 55-day pilgrimage, to Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, an estimated 100 million Hindus and others are expected to take a holy dip in the Ganges River to wash away their sins. India Ink interviewed some of them.Laliji, 80, from Chhapra, Bihar, was one...

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Anne Hathaway's Oscar Dress Had You Talking

By Maggie Coughlan 02/25/2013 at 08:30 AM EST The Oscars may honor the best in film, but they'd be nothing without the fashion.When Anne Hathaway stepped on to the red carpet in a light pink backless Prada gown at Sunday's 85th Annual Academy Awards, she made quite the fashion statement. While the gown seemed simple from the front, at second...

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IHT Rendezvous: Opera for an Era When Money Is Tight

VIENNA—Not long ago it looked as if cuts in arts funding would sound the death knell of the Vienna Chamber Opera, known in German as the Kammeroper, an ensemble esteemed for its chamber-scale productions in an intimate, inviting setting. The Austrian federal government’s decision to eliminate entirely its support, which constituted half of the company’s governmental subsidies (the other half coming...

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You're Invited to PEOPLE.com's Oscars Party!

02/24/2013 at 08:40 AM EST From left: Bradley Cooper, Oscar, Jessica Chastain AFP/Getty; Wireimage; Splash News Online Oscars host Seth MacFarlane isn't the only one gearing up for Hollywood's biggest night – we are too! Be a part of the glamour and excitement Sunday at 6 p.m. ET when we...

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FDA approves new targeted breast cancer drug

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a first-of-a-kind breast cancer medication that targets tumor cells while sparing healthy ones.The drug Kadcyla from Roche combines the established drug Herceptin with a powerful chemotherapy drug and a third chemical linking the medicines together. The chemical keeps the cocktail intact until it binds to a cancer cell, delivering a potent...

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Investors face another Washington deadline

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors face another Washington-imposed deadline on government spending cuts next week, but it's not generating the same level of fear as two months ago when the "fiscal cliff" loomed large. Investors in sectors most likely to be affected by the cuts, like defense, seem untroubled that the budget talks could send stocks tumbling. Talks on the U.S. budget...

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