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Nation and World

 
Cheerios stands by TV ad showing mixed-race family

NEW YORK — A mom sits at her kitchen table writing something down when her grade schooler saunters up with a big box of Cheerios.

 
Attorney: Paris Jackson hospitalized but OK

LOS ANGELES — The 15-year-old daughter of Michael Jackson is physically fine after being taken to a hospital early Wednesday, an attorney for Jackson’s mother said.

U.S. soldier pleads guilty in Afghan massacre

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — The American soldier charged with killing 16 Afghan civilians during nighttime raids on two villages last year pleaded guilty Wednesday to avoid the death penalty, setting the stage for him to recount the horrific slaughter in a military courtroom.

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France, Britain confirm use of sarin gas in Syria

PARIS — France said Tuesday it has confirmed that the nerve gas sarin was used “multiple times and in a localized way” in Syria, including at least once by the regime. It was the most specific claim by any Western power about chemical weapons attacks in the 27-month-old conflict.

Judge accepts insanity plea in Colorado movie theater shooting case

CENTENNIAL, Colo. — A judge accepted James Holmes’ long-awaited plea of not guilty by reason of insanity Tuesday and ordered him to undergo a mental evaluation — an examination that could be a decisive factor in whether the Colorado theater shooting suspect is convicted and sentenced to die.

 
Watchdog: IRS officials enjoyed luxury rooms at conference

WASHINGTON — Already heavily criticized for targeting conservative groups, the Internal Revenue Service absorbed another blow Tuesday as new details emerged about senior officials enjoying luxury hotel rooms, free drinks and free food at a $4.1 million training conference. It was one of many expensive gatherings the agency held for employees over a three-year period.

 
Latest deadly Oklahoma tornado widest on record, rare EF5

NORMAN, Okla. — The deadly tornado that struck near Oklahoma City late last week had a record-breaking width of 2.6 miles and was the second top-of-the-scale EF5 twister to hit the area in less than two weeks, the National Weather Service reported Tuesday.

Mississippi man indicted in poisoned letters case

A Mississippi man suspected of sending poison-laced letters to President Barack Obama and two other officials was charged in a five-count federal indictment made public Monday that could send him to prison for life if he’s convicted.

 
Man hunting for pythons in Florida finds mysterious jewelry

MIAMI — Like most people who signed up for Florida’s official Burmese python hunt last winter, Mark Rubinstein slogged a couple times through the Everglades without ever seeing one of the elusive snakes.

Dunkin’ taking doughnut bacon sandwich national

NEW YORK — Even as fast-food chains tout their healthy offerings, they’re also coming up with fatty new treats to keep customers interested. Case in point: Dunkin’ Donuts is adding a doughnut breakfast sandwich to its national menu this week.

 
Residents watched, waited until flames descended

Smelling smoke, Scott Reader watched and waited for hours as a huge plume drew ever closer to his home in the rural community of Lake Hughes in northern Los Angeles County.

Court: Police can take DNA swabs from arrestees

A sharply divided Supreme Court on Monday said police can routinely take DNA from people they arrest, equating a DNA cheek swab to other common jailhouse procedures like fingerprinting.