The Senate has voted, 71-27, to end debate on the confirmation of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense. Hagel’s confirmation will be voted on later Tuesday afternoon. The 27-vote margin represents a floor for opposition to Hagel’s confirmation; the final
(AP) SAfrica: judge in Pistorius case suffers lossBy CHRISTOPHER TORCHIAAssociated PressJOHANNESBURG Last week, the judge who granted bail to Oscar Pistorius was in the international spotlight, presiding over dramatic hearings in a courtroom as the Olympic athlete sat in the
(AP) Pistorius plans his own service for SteenkampBy CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA and RAF CASERTAssociated PressJOHANNESBURG Oscar Pistorius planned a personal memorial service on Tuesday for Reeva Steenkamp, the 29-year-old model he shot at his home on Valentine’s Day. The evening service
The US Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday approved President Barack Obama’s nominee Jack Lew to be the new Treasury secretary, replacing Timothy Geithner who stepped down last month. Senators voted 19-5 in favor of Lew, with several Republicans joining with
Father-to-be Kanye West showed he has a little work to do regarding his anger control issues. The rapper, currently dating pregnant reality superstar Kim Kardashian, kept up his feud with President Barack Obama during a London concert appearance.West’s Obama slam,
Monday night, the Boston Herald ran an editorial calling for President Obama to pull Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel: The fact Chuck Hagel’s nomination for defense secretary has dragged on so long and caused so much teeth-gnashing means it’s
(Reuters) – France will not negotiate with gunmen claiming to be from Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram who have taken a French family of seven hostage, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Tuesday. The three adults and four children
The Embassy of India criticized Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel for remarks he made in 2011 at Cameron University in Oklahoma, in which he alleged that India was using Afghanistan to sponsor terrorist attacks against neighboring Pakistan. The remarks
US Secretary of State John Kerry insisted on Tuesday there was a “diplomatic path” to be forged with Iran on its disputed nuclear programme, as world powers and Tehran held crunch talks.
New picks to lead the Pentagon and the US Treasury face key hurdles Tuesday in the Senate, as President Barack Obama fleshes out his second-term cabinet amid trying times for defense and finance. If they are confirmed as expected, as
The German government is prepared to give the go-ahead to the revolutionary oil and gas technique of “fracking” in Germany, but under certain conditions, according to a ministry paper obtained by AFP on Tuesday. Under a draft proposal by the
On Monday, the Steering Committee of the Alabama Republican Party passed a resolution demanding that Sen. Richard Shelby retract his support of former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) to be Secretary of Defense, according to a report in the American Spectator. The
By MARTHA IRVINEAP National WriterCHICAGOTechnology is supposed to make us easier to reach, and often does. But the same modes of communication that have hooked us on the instant reply also can leave us feeling forgotten. We send an email,
(AP) JERUSALEMIsraeli police say a rocket has been fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel. A police spokesman says there was damage to a road but no injuries. It’s the first such rocket from the Palestinian territory to land in Israel
(AP) Dennis Rodman worms his way into North Korea By JEAN H. LEEAssociated Press PYONGYANG, North KoreaFlamboyant former NBA star Dennis Rodman is heading to North Korea with VICE media company–tattoos, piercings, bad-boy reputation and all. The American known as
(AP) Chandler leads Nuggets past Lakers, 119-108 By ARNIE STAPLETONAP Sports Writer Wilson Chandler scored 23 points in place of an injured Danilo Gallinari, and Ty Lawson added 22 in the Denver Nuggets’ 119-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers
(AP) No. 6 Kansas rallies past Iowa State in OT 108-96 By LUKE MEREDITHAP Sports WriterAMES, Iowa Elijah Johnson scored a career-high 39 points –12 in overtime–and No. 6 Kansas rallied to beat Iowa State 108-96 on Monday night for
The voice of a generation speaks. Or Twits. @lenadunham Ladies: Anne Hathaway is a feminist and she has amazing teeth. Let’s save our bad attitudes for the ones who aren’t advancing the cause. This is ethically retarded (and I
(AP) Television ratings up for Oscars, to 40.3M peopleNEW YORKThe Oscars telecast was seen by 40.3 million people, a slight increase over last year’s show. The Nielsen Company said Monday it was the most-watched Oscars telecast in three years. Last
In response to Seth MacFarlane’s Terrific Oscar-Opener; Way to Go, Ben Affleck!: He put on a showcase for Seth McFarlane. It’s like those SNL Guest Monologues where the guest wants to sing and dance, to demonstrate he can. Except in
Baratunde R. Thurston, a former staffer at the liberal humor newspaper The Onion, took to his Facebook page today to address the furor over the outlet’s Tweet targeting young actress Quvenzhane Wallis. The newspaper’s Twitter feed sent out a vulgar joke
In response to The Irony of Michelle Obama’s Oscar Moment: The media and government fused to present an award to a movie about government/media fusion.
In response to 12 Reasons Your Man Doesn’t Respect You (or Your Body): But I wanted to share a great joke from Just Shoot Me. Maya had written an article called “The Lost Art of Listening,” but Jack, the cynical
(AP) The Onion apologizes for ‘crude’ actress tweetBy MARK KENNEDYAssociated PressNEW YORKThe Onion is apologizing for calling the 9-year-old star of “Beasts of the Southern Wild” a vulgar and offensive name on Twitter, an attack that led to a firestorm
(Reuters) – Spectators injured when they were hit by wreckage from a crash at a NASCAR race on Saturday face a significant obstacle if they want to pursue injury lawsuits against Daytona International Speedway, its owner and the sport’s governing
