Gaza militants fire rocket into Israel, police there say

JERUSALEM Israeli 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 since Israeli-Gaza fighting last November. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says the remains of a rocket were found on Tuesday near the city of Ashkelon, in southern Israel....

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Americans Targeted for Allegedly Running Underage Prostitution in Philippines

Arthur Benjamin is sitting at the edge of a small stage, wearing a lavender Hawaiian shirt and nursing a bottle of San Miguel Light beer. The 6-foot-6 mustachioed Texan lazily watches the half dozen or so girls dancing rather unenergetically around the stage's pole."I forgot your gift again, it's in the car," Benjamin says to one of the girls on stage, shouting above the pop music...

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Vatican 'Gay lobby'? Probably not

STORY HIGHLIGHTSBenedict XVI not stepping down under pressure from 'gay lobby,' Allen saysAllen: Benedict is a man who prefers the life of the mind to the nuts and bolts of government However, he says, much of the pope's time has been spent putting out firesEditor's note: John L. Allen Jr. is CNN's senior Vatican analyst and senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter.(CNN) -- Suffice...

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Putin signs law banning smoking in public places

  MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin signed a law banning smoking in public places in Russia from June, a cornerstone of the government's bid to improve public health, the Kremlin said Monday. The law, called "On protecting the health of citizens from the danger of passive smoking and the consequences of the use of tabacco," makes smoking illegal in restaurants, cafes, hotels, trains...

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South Korea swears in first woman president

STORY HIGHLIGHTSThe inauguration of Park Geun-hye is held in Seoul, South KoreaPark becomes the East Asian nation's first female presidentHer father was Park Chung-hee, who ruled South Korea from 1961 to 1979She's vowed a softer approach to North Korea, hoping to build a "zone of trust"(CNN) -- Park Geun-hye made history Monday by becoming South Korea's first female president, pledging to secure South...

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Michelle Obama makes surprise Oscars appearance

First lady Michelle Obama, on a video screen, announces the winner for best picture along with actor Jack Nicholson at the 85th annual Academy Awards on Feb. 24, 2013, in Hollywood, Calif. / Getty First lady Michelle Obama made a surprise appearance at the Oscars, opening the envelope that contained the name of the best-picture winner, "Argo." 51 PhotosOscars 2013: Show highlightsAppearing...

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Oscars 2013: 'Argo' Wins Best Picture

"Argo" took home the top prize as best picture at the Oscars Sunday night, with first lady Michelle Obama announcing the winner from the White House."You directed a hell of a film," co-producer Grant Heslov told director and fellow producer Ben Affleck. "I couldn't be more proud of the film and more proud of our director."Affleck was snubbed in the directing category but humbly...

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Analysis: Italian election explained

Austerity-hit Italy chooses new leaderAusterity-hit Italy chooses new leaderAusterity-hit Italy chooses new leaderAusterity-hit Italy chooses new leaderSTORY HIGHLIGHTSSilvio Berlusconi is campaigning to win his old job back for the fourth timeThe eurozone's third largest economy is hurting, with unemployment surpassing 11%Pier Luigi Bersani of the center-left Democratic Party is expected to narrowly...

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Apple, Samsung face onslaught at mobile fair

BARCELONA - Chinese handset makers will lead an onslaught on smartphone titans Samsung and Apple when the world's biggest mobile fair opens on Monday in Barcelona, Spain.Offering big-screen, slick, slim smartphones at lower prices, Chinese manufacturers Huawei, ZTE and Lenovo will leverage the Mobile World Congress to chip away at the mighty duopoly, analysts say.The handset battle is...

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Police identify Las Vegas shooting suspect

By Greg Botelho, CNNupdated 10:29 PM EST, Sat February 23, 2013Ammar Asim Faruq Harris, 26, suspected in a shooting on the Las Vegas Strip on Thursday, is still at large, police said. STORY HIGHLIGHTS The suspect fired from his Range Rover at a Maserati in Las Vegas, police say 26-year-old Ammar Harris is at large, though his car has been impounded, they add The Maserati's driver was shot, then hit...

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