Featured wire stories

Turkish artillery targets Syria after fatal border-town shelling

Turkish artillery fired on Syrian targets after deadly shelling from Syria hit a Turkish border town, sharply raising tensions on a volatile border that has been crossed by tens of thousands of Syrian refugees.

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First debate is setting for high-risk theater

Tonight's debate on domestic policy between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney is sure to offer a blend of choreography and spontaneity: Both men have spent hours rehearsing smart lines and pithy comebacks with proxy opponents -- yet they know to expect the unexpected.
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Debates rarely influence election outcome

WASHINGTON -- Presidential debates have produced some of the most memorable moments of modern campaigns: A tanned and relaxed John Kennedy meeting a sweaty and pasty Richard Nixon in 1960. Gerald Ford denying Soviet domination of Eastern Europe in 1976. Al Gore sighing and rolling his eyes in 2000.
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Moderator: referee and, increasingly, target during debates

When Jim Lehrer takes the stage in Denver on Wednesday night, the tens of millions of people watching will see the same imperturbable voice of reason they have come to know in his quarter century as the country's go-to referee for the presidential debates.
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Style vs. substance: What to watch for

DENVER -- President Barack Obama will have the first word at the presidential debate. Mitt Romney will have the last word. But even before they step onto the stage and shake hands here Wednesday evening, voters across the country are already starting to have the final word.
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Candidates' claims -- and the facts

WASHINGTON -- The first presidential debate is likely to focus on economic issues as President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney clash over the size and role of government. Here are some topics that could come up.
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Judge halts Pennsylvania's tough new voter ID law

A judge has blocked Pennsylvania's divisive voter identification requirement from going into effect on Election Day, delivering a hard-fought victory to Democrats who said it was a ploy to defeat President Obama and to those who said it would prevent the elderly and minorities from voting.
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White House is widening covert operations in North Africa

Small teams of special operations forces arrived at American embassies throughout North Africa in the months before militants launched the fiery attack that killed the U.S. ambassador in Libya. The soldiers' mission: Set up a network that could quickly strike a terrorist target or rescue a hostage...
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U.S. said to be preparing targets tied to attack in Libya

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. military's top-secret Joint Special Operations Command is preparing detailed information that could be used to kill or capture some of the militants suspected in the attack last month in Libya that killed Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, senior ...
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American Express agrees to refund $85 million to card users

American Express has agreed to refund $85 million to 250,000 customers after an investigation uncovered numerous violations of consumer protection laws, ranging from illegal late fees to age discrimination against credit card applicants, federal regulators said Monday.
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Daredevil skydiver aims to break sound barrier in free fall

His blood could boil. His lungs could overinflate. The vessels in his brain could burst. His eyes could hemorrhage. And, yes, he could break his neck while jumping from a mind-boggling altitude of 23 miles.