Pakistan’s Hazara Shiites Under Siege

Declan Walsh/The New York TimesMany members of the Hazara Shiite community killed by Sunni extremists are buried in a graveyard in Quetta, Pakistan. QUETTA, Pakistan — Calligraphers linger at the gates of an ancient graveyard in this brooding city in western Pakistan, charged with a macabre and increasingly in-demand task: inscribing the tombstones of the latest victims of the sectarian death squads...

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NFC East wide open after Redskins top Giants 17-16

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — There was the fumble by Robert Griffin III that turned into a Washington Redskins touchdown. There was the fumble by teammate Alfred Morris that led to a melee of leg-pulling followed by a kick to the midsection and something dangerously close to a stomp.The quartet of flawed teams that make up the NFC East sure do make things interesting.The division title that seemingly belonged...

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The New Old Age Blog: On the Alert for Fraud

Unlike some forms of elder abuse, financial exploitation leaves no visible scars. It is under-reported and hard to prosecute. Adding to the tangled dynamics, the abuser is frequently a family member, increasing the victim’s humiliation and denial.Better by far to try to prevent financial abuse before it wipes out an older person’s assets and hopes for a secure retirement. Though this has proved easier...

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Young and Educated in France Find Employment Elusive

Colin Delfosse for The New York TimesJustine Forriez, 23, holds a master’s degree in health administration. But after an apprenticeship, she is living on state aid and working at off-the-books jobs. LILLE, France — Justine Forriez wakes up early to go onto the computer to look for a job. She calls university friends and contacts; she goes to the unemployment office every week, though mostly for the...

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U.S. election, iPhone 5, Kardashian top Yahoo! 2012 searches

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The U.S. presidential election became the most-searched item and Kim Kardashian was the most-searched person on Yahoo! in a year when online searches were dominated by big news stories and pop culture obsessions, the search engine company said on Monday.The search term “election” topped the list of searches, led not only by extensive media coverage but also widening conversation...

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Chiefs beat Panthers at somber Arrowhead Stadium

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brady Quinn tried to avoid looking at the empty locker when he arrived at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback couldn't bear the sight of Jovan Belcher's jersey hanging from a hook, just like it would have any other game day."That's when it kind of hit me," Quinn said. "It was kind of tough to step back and gain focus, what the task was in front of...

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Call That Kept Nursing Home Patients in Sandy’s Path

Chang W. Lee/The New York TimesWorkers were shocked that nursing and adult homes in areas like Rockaway Park, Queens, weren’t evacuated. Hurricane Sandy was swirling northward, four days before landfall, and at the Sea Crest Health Care Center, a nursing home overlooking the Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn, workers were gathering medicines and other supplies as they prepared to evacuate. ...

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Texas Business Incentives Highest in Nation

DALLAS — The Preston Hollow neighborhood has been home to many of Texas’ rich and powerful — George and Laura Bush, Mark Cuban, T. Boone Pickens, Ross Perot. So it is hardly surprising that a recent political fund-raiser was held there on the back terrace of a 20,000-square-foot home overlooking lush gardens with life-size bronze statues of the host’s daughters. The guest of honor was...

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Tunnel Collapse Outside Tokyo Traps Motorists

TOKYO — At least seven people were feared dead after part of a highway tunnel collapsed Sunday in eastern Japan, trapping them in their vehicles and starting a fire that filled the tunnel with thick, black smoke. Government officials said fear of an additional collapse had prevented rescuers from reaching the two trapped vehicles. The vehicles were crushed under concrete that fell from the...

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BCS bonanza: Alabama vs. Notre Dame

Alabama vs. Notre Dame. The BCS championship game couldn't get much bigger.The Crimson Tide locked up a spot in the title game in Miami on Jan. 7 with a 32-28 victory over Georgia for the Southeastern Conference championship Saturday.Sunday's selection show is just a formality.The hype can begin now for what could be the most-watched BCS title game since the system was implemented in 1998. It'd be...

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