Vatican vows to fight gay marriage after gains in U.S., Europe

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican, reacting to strong gains for gay marriage in the United States and Europe, on Saturday pledged never to stop fighting attempts to “erase” the privileged role of heterosexual marriage, which it called it “an achievement of civilization”.For the second consecutive day, Vatican media weighed in with forceful editorials...

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Goldman in settlement talks with U.S. over trading loss

(Reuters) – Goldman Sachs Group Inc is in settlement talks with the U.S. government over an $ 8.3 billion position that one of the investment bank’s traders had concealed five years ago, according to a published report.The Financial Times said a settlement with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which regulates U.S. futures and options markets,...

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Twin explosions strike southern Syrian city

BEIRUT (AP) — Syria‘s state-run news agency says two large explosions have struck the southern city of Daraa, causing multiple casualties and heavy material damage.SANA did not immediately give further information or say what the target of Saturday’s explosions was. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights...

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Korea Linux Forum 2012: Maximizing Utility

Hosted by the Linux Foundation Korea Linux Forum 2012, the first Linux Forum in Korea, was held at the JW Marriott (Central City, Seoul) on October 11th and 12th. Samsung, a key sponsor of the event, has long been partnered with Linux. Currently a platinum member of the Linux Foundation, which is the highest level, it is cooperating actively as a director...

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So You Think Obamacare is Radical? Take a Look at China

While the United States was wringing its hands over passage of the Affordable Care Act during President Barack Obama’s first term, the Chinese government was plowing ahead with health reform measures of its own. Now the world’s largest society is on the cusp of delivering on its promise to ensure that all of its citizens have some level of health insurance...

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Consumer sentiment at five-year high; inventories jump

NEW YORK (Reuters) – An increasingly upbeat view of the economy and jobs market drove U.S. consumer sentiment to a more than five-year high in early November, while a jump in wholesale inventories suggested the economy grew more than initially estimated last quarter.It was the fourth month that Americans adopted a rosier economic outlook, even as financial...

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Syria opposition bloc elects Christian as leader

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Syria‘s main opposition group in exile has elected a Christian Paris-based former geography teacher as its new president.George Sabra said Friday that his election as head of the Syrian National Council is a sign that the opposition is not plagued by sectarian divisions. Sabra says the SNC‘s main demand...

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Pope to join celebs, presidents with Twitter feed

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Celebrities do it. Presidents do it. Now even the pope will do it.The Vatican spokesman said Thursday that Pope Benedict XVI will start tweeting from a personal Twitter account, perhaps before the end of the year. The 85-year-old Benedict sent his first tweet from a Vatican account last year when...

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James Bond returns: 007 things to know before seeing “Skyfall’

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) – Fifty years after Sean Connery traveled to Jamaica in “Dr. No,” James Bond is back for the 23rd time in “Skyfall,” an instant classic in the Bond canon and a breath of fresh air for the franchise.Bond has been on hiatus for close to four years, leaving some with the sour taste of “Quantum of Solace” – a bloated, action-heavy film...

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Pfizer expects generic competition in Canada after Viagra ruling

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Drug firm Pfizer Inc said on Thursday it expects generic drug companies to start producing their own versions of the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra after Canada‘s Supreme Court ruled the patent was invalid.The top court upheld an argument by Israel’s Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, which said Pfizer’s patent application had not...

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