Are gun curbs just symbolism?

STORY HIGHLIGHTSGun violence recommendations are expected from Vice President Biden on TuesdayThe proposals are expected to contain substantive and symbolic ideas to curb gun violencePresidents use symbolism to shift public opinion or affect larger political or social changeWashington (CNN) -- The pictures told the story: Vice President Joe Biden looked solemn, patrician and in control as he sat at...

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New Holocaust museum opens at gruesome WW2 site

BRUSSELS: Belgium's newly-opened Holocaust and human rights museum stands symbolically on the site of barracks commandeered by the Nazis as a wartime transit centre for Jews and Gypsies being sent to the death camps.The new "Kazerne Dossin" in the Flemish town of Mechelen, comprising a museum, memorial and documentation centre, is located at the site of an 18th century barracks that officials...

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Clarence Thomas ends seven-year silence

By Bill Mears, CNN Supreme Court Producerupdated 8:17 PM EST, Mon January 14, 2013Clarence ThomasJohn G. RobertsAntonin ScaliaAnthony M. KennedyRuth Bader GinsburgStephen G. BreyerSamuel A. Alito Jr.Sonia SotomayorElena KaganSTORY HIGHLIGHTSClarence Thomas known for remaining quiet during oral argumentsOn Monday, he joked about lawyers educated at Yale, his alma materCurrent Supreme Court known as...

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Hillary Clinton to testify on Benghazi Jan. 23

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will testify Jan. 23 before the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the deadly Sept. 11 assault on the U.S. mission in Libya. That's the word from Rep. Ed Royce, chairman of the panel. He said in a statement late Monday that Clinton will answer questions about the raid that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans in Benghazi. Clinton...

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Armstrong Admits Doping in Tour, Sources Say

Lance Armstrong today admitted to Oprah Winfrey that he used performance enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France, sources told ABC News.A goverment source tells ABC News that Armstrong is now talking with authorities about paying back some of the US Postal Service money from sponsoring his team. He is also talking to authorities about confessing and naming names, giving up...

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Quest: U.S. economy to dominate Davos

The United States and the sorry state of its political and budgetary process will be the center of attention at Davos, writes QuestSTORY HIGHLIGHTSQuest: Davos is a chance to see where the political and economic landmines are in 2013Quest: People will be speculating about how dysfunctional the U.S. political process has becomeQuest: Davos has been consumed by eurozone sovereign debt crises for three...

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Halimah Yacob is first female Speaker

SINGAPORE: Madam Halimah Yacob is Singapore's first woman Speaker of Parliament.She took the Speaker's seat at the start of the sitting of the House on Monday afternoon.Madam Halimah, who resigned on Sunday as Minister for State, fills the position vacated by former People's Action Party Member of Parliament, Mr Michael Palmer, who stepped down on 12 December 2012 due to an extramarital...

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Fleischer: Hagel is wrong about Israel

Former Sen. Chuck Hagel was nominated by President Obama for defense secretary.STORY HIGHLIGHTSIn 2006, Hagel said 'the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here'Ari Fleischer: The support for Israel isn't because of 'intimidation,' but meritPolls show most Americans view Israel favorably, but don't support Iran or PalestiniansFleischer: Israel is a steady friend of the U.S. and a tolerant...

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"Argo," "Les Miserables" win best-picture Globes

Updated 11:28 p.m. ET"Argo" was the best drama winner at Sunday's Golden Globe Awards, beating out the Civil War epic "Lincoln," which had emerged as an awards-season favorite.The Iran hostage thriller also claimed the directing prize for Ben Affleck, a prize that normally bodes well for an Academy Award win -- except he missed out on an Oscar nomination this time.Affleck is now in an unusual position...

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'Argo' Wins the Golden Globe for Best Movie Drama

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler: The women of the night. Credit: Paul Drinkwater/NBC/AP Photo.11:06 p.m. ET: And finally, the Globes by the numbers: “Les Miserables” was the top winner, with three major trophies, followed by “Argo” and “Django Unchained, which each got two. On the TV side, “The Game Change” and “Homeland” scored three major awards, “Girls” got two.11:00 p.m. ET: Fey and Poehler...

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