Oscar Pistorius gets bail as murder trial looms

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — Oscar Pistorius walked out of court Friday — free at least for now — after a South African magistrate released him on bail, capping four days of often startling testimony that foreshadowed a dramatic trial in the Valentine's Day slaying of his girlfriend.But as he was driven away, chased by photographers and cameramen, questions continued to hound the double-amputee Olympian...

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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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Regulator raps Big Four accountants

22 February 2013 Last updated at 06:09 ETPlease turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. PWC’s Richard Sexton says there is no conflict of interest in auditing and being appointed by company managementBritain’s four biggest accountancy firms have been heavily criticised by the Competition Commission.The regulator has accused PWC, Ernst & Young, Deloitte and KPMG of being too dominant...

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Ronda Rousey makes historic UFC debut in Anaheim

Ronda Rousey has an Olympic judo medal, an undeniable personal magnetism and a merciless string of victories in her short mixed martial arts career.Now she’s finally got a showcase worthy of her talent.Rousey and Liz Carmouche will make history Saturday night at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., when they meet in the first women’s bout in UFC history. They’re the main event at UFC 157, and Rousey is...

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Investors face another Washington deadline

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors face another Washington-imposed deadline on government spending cuts next week, but it's not generating the same level of fear as two months ago when the "fiscal cliff" loomed large. Investors in sectors most likely to be affected by the cuts, like defense, seem untroubled that the budget talks could send stocks tumbling. Talks on the U.S. budget...

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NFL exec: HGH testing resolution needed

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — NFL senior vice president Adolpho Birch says the league and players association need to reach agreement soon on HGH testing.The NFL and the union agreed in principle to HGH testing when a new 10-year labor agreement was reached in August 2011. But protocols must be approved by both sides and the players have questioned the science in the testing procedures, stalling implementation.Speaking...

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Obama a marker on post-racial path

Donna Brazile says Black History Month is a time to note crossroads the nation has faced. STORY HIGHLIGHTSDonna Brazile: Black History Month themed crossroads, "tied to two pivotal U.S. eventsEmancipation Proclamation, March on Washington were crossroads, she saysShe says crossroad decisions are threaded along U.S. road to post-racial societyBrazile: We're not there yet, but re-election of Obama a...

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In the Debate Over French Labor, Everyone Is Wrong

Maurice Taylor Jr., the blunt-talking chairman and chief executive officer of U.S. tiremaker Titan International (TWI), has outraged France by claiming that the country’s “so-called workers” fritter away their working days with breaks and chitchat.In a letter to French Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg, Taylor said Titan had no interest in taking over a factory in the city of Amiens that Goodyear...

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Genetic Technologies Announces Financial Results for Half-Year Ended 31 December 2012

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA–(Marketwire – Feb 22, 2013) – Genetic Technologies Limited ( ASX : GTG ) ( NASDAQ : GENE )Increases in BREVAGen™ samples received demonstrate clear market tractionEncouraging early results achieved in the new molecular diagnostics reimbursement environmentIncreased licensing revenues show renewed success from global assertion programsGenetic Technologies Limited ( ASX : GTG )...

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Stock index futures signal a rebound

LONDON (Reuters) - Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Friday, rebounding after the S&P 500 <.spx> posted its worst two-day loss since November. Futures for the S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 were up 0.2-0.3 percent at 0958 GMT. European shares rose and German Bund futures fell on Friday after a better-than-expected German...

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Prosecutors: Detective should be dropped from case

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority acknowledged that the timing of attempted murder charges against a police detective leading the investigation into Oscar Pistorius is "totally weird" and that he should dropped from the case against the world-famous athlete.Bulewa Makeke, spokeswoman for the NPA, said Thursday that detective Hilton Botha should be replaced,...

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How secure is the papal election?

The Conclave of Cardinals that will elect a new pope will meet in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. STORY HIGHLIGHTSBruce Schneier: Rules for picking a new pope are very detailedHe says elaborate precautions are taken to prevent election fraudEvery step of the election process is observed by people who know each otherSchneier: Vatican's procedures, centuries in the making, are very secureEditor's...

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Sony Seeks an Extra Life in the New PlayStation 4

Trinitron. Betamax. Walkman. CD. MiniDisc. PlayStation. Blu-ray.All of those things have come from Sony (SNE). Only one of them remains at all relevant. (I’ll give you a hint: It’s not the MiniDisc.)Wednesday, Sony introduced its new PlayStation 4 gaming console to the world. The last time Sony had such a major upgrade to its gaming system was November 2006, which seems like eons ago. Think about...

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Shares, euro extend losses as Europe recovery hopes dim

LONDON (Reuters) - European shares and the single currency fell sharply on Thursday when surprisingly weak euro zone economic data dashed hopes of an early recovery for the recession-hit region this year. Economists had forecast the euro zone purchasing managers' indexes (PMIs), based on surveys of business activity, would add to tentative signs a recovery was under way, but instead they...

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Police oppose bail for Pistorius

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — Killing suspect Oscar Pistorius is a flight risk and should not be granted bail, South African police argued in court Wednesday.Pistorius is charged with premeditated murder for the Valentine's Day shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp with a 9 mm pistol.Pistorius asserted in a court affidavit Tuesday that the shooting was accidental and he thought the model was...

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Obama can't kick his legacy down road

By Gloria Borger, CNN Chief Political AnalystFebruary 19, 2013 -- Updated 2122 GMT (0522 HKT)President Obama has a small window of opportunity to get Congress to act on his priorities, Gloria Borger says.STORY HIGHLIGHTSGloria Borger: Prospect of deep budget cuts was designed to compel compromiseShe says the "unthinkable" cuts now have many supportersThe likelihood that cuts may happen shows new level...

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