Texas board comes down on 2 sides of creationism debate

Dueling theories of how the universe was created got a split decision Friday night from the Texas Board of Education, which required examination of "all sides of scientific evidence" in new science standards, but rejected language requiring teachers to teach the "strengths and weaknesses" of scientific theories. The debate pitted proponents of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution against supporters of religion-based theories of intelligent design, or creationism. “Science loses

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Obama’s Budget: Earmarks Aren’t the Real Problem

When it comes to Congressional earmarks, it’s hard to decide who’s the biggest hypocrite. The current media favorite is President Obama, who sought earmarks as a senator, criticized earmarks as a candidate, and now plans to sign a spending bill stuffed with nearly 9,000 earmarks. But what about earmark-addicted Republicans, who oversaw an unprecedented explosion of earmarks when they controlled Congress, resisted efforts by Obama and other Democrats to inject accountability into the earmark process, and even grabbed over 40% of the earmarks in the current bill, yet have the gall to blast Obama’s cave-in

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Senate Democrats Optimistic on Health-Care Reform

As President Barack Obama prepares to convene a health-care summit at the White House later this week, Administration officials are signaling that he intends to pursue a very different strategy for getting reform passed from the one used by his Democratic predecessor in office. Unlike the failed effort of 1994, when Bill and Hillary Clinton presented Congress with a detailed blueprint for reform — and never saw a bill reach the floor of either the House or Senate — Obama is outlining broad principles, with a bottom line of universal coverage, and leaving it up to lawmakers to fashion a plan for meeting them.

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Obama puts forth ambitious agenda in speech

In his first speech to a joint session of Congress, President Obama outlined an ambitious agenda to revive the economy, saying it’s time to act boldly "to build a new foundation for lasting prosperity." Obama focused on the three priorities of the budget he will present to Congress later this week: energy, health care and education. The president said he sees his budget as a “vision for America — as a blueprint for our future,” but not something that will solve every problem or address every issue. Obama said his administration already has identified $2 trillion in government spending cuts that can be made over the next decade

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1 European killed, 9 others wounded in Egypt blast

An explosion in one of the Egyptian capital’s busy tourist districts Sunday left a French woman dead and wounded nine other Europeans, the country’s Health Ministry reported. Goody, 27 tied the knot with boyfriend Jack Tweed, 21, in Hatfield Heath, Essex, east of London, UK media report.

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Terminally-ill reality TV star Jade Goody marries

British reality TV star Jade Goody married Sunday after being told by doctors last week that her cancer is terminal, UK media have reported. Goody, 27 tied the knot with boyfriend Jack Tweed, 21, in Hatfield Heath, Essex, east of London, UK media report. After the ceremony Max Clifford, the couple’s publicist, told waiting reporters that there had been “lots of tears and smiles and laughter” and that the congregation gave the newlyweds a standing ovation after the signing of the register

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