Top U.S. General Says Stopping a Syrian Chemical Attack Is 'Almost Unachievable'

If Syrian dictator Bashar Assad decides to use his chemical weapons, there won’t be a thing the U.S. military can do to stop him, America’s top military officer conceded on Thursday. Nor will the U.S. step into a “hostile” atmosphere, with or without Assad, to keep those chemicals under control.It’s been a month since U.S. intelligence learned that Assad’s forces were mixing some of their...

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Kimmel’s pot jokes earn invite from Calif. college

ARCATA, Calif. (AP) — Humboldt State University in California has invited Jimmy Kimmel to deliver the school’s commencement address after he joked about its marijuana research program.The host of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” devoted three minutes of his late-night show in November to poking fun at the new program.Kimmel’s faux recruiting commercial said students could look forward to low-pressure careers...

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Children’s Flu Medicine in Short Supply

As influenza cases surge around the country, health officials say they are trying to stem a shortage of treatments for children. Pharmacies around the country have reported dwindling supplies of liquid Tamiflu, a prescription flu medicine that can ease symptoms if taken within 48 hours of their onset. The drug is available in capsules for adults and a liquid suspension for children and infants....

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American Express to Cut 5,400 Jobs

LOS ANGELES (AP) — American Express Co. said Thursday that it will slash about 5,400 jobs, mainly in its travel business, as it seeks to cut costs and transform its operations as more of its customers shift to online portals for booking travel plans and other needs. The job cuts will be partly offset by jobs that the company expects to add this year. American Express said the jobs...

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In China, press censorship protests continue

GUANGZHOU, China — Like wedding guests separated across the aisle, the protesters assembled on either side of a gated driveway...

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Watch Live: Former Doomsday Asteroid Apophis Flies by Earth

Watch as the asteroid 99942 Apophis, once classified as the most likely asteroid to hit the Earth, zooms past our planet during two live shows today from the Slooh Space Camera collaboration. The first show begins at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET and the second will start at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET.When it was discovered in 2004, Apophis was calculated to have a 1 in 45 chance...

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Postponed by U.S. violence, “Gangster Squad” opening in theaters

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – After having its release delayed and scenes reshot because of last summer’s mass movie-theater killing in Aurora, Colorado, crime drama “Gangster Squad” finally hits theaters on Friday.“Gangster,” set in 1949 Los Angeles, stars Sean Penn as real-life gangster Mickey Cohen, who is ultimately brought down by a band of cops led by Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling.After the Colorado...

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Americans Under 50 Fare Poorly on Health Measures, New Report Says

Younger Americans die earlier and live in poorer health than their counterparts in other developed countries, with far higher rates of death from guns, car accidents and drug addiction, according to a new analysis of health and longevity in the United States. Researchers have known for some time that the United States fares poorly in comparison with other rich countries, a trend established...

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Solis Stepping Down as Labor Secretary

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced on Wednesday that she was stepping down, becoming the latest woman to leave President Obama’s cabinet at a time when his personnel choices are drawing scrutiny for their lack of female candidates. Ms. Solis, a former congresswoman from California, told colleagues in an e-mail that she had submitted her resignation letter to Mr. Obama...

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Ada Louise Huxtable dies at 91; renowned architecture critic

Ada Louise Huxtable, the architecture critic who in two decades of writing for the New York Times became a powerful force in...

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