| Pope challenges Congress to be better; Congress continues as usual Posted:  His powerful message of "social responsibility" stands in stark contrast to the rest of the congressional day.
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| Catholic Justices Scalia, Alito, Thomas are no-shows for the pope Posted:  Conservatives Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito, and Clarence Thomas skip the House chamber speech.
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| 6 killed in Texas while being transported by smuggling ring Posted: 24 Sep 2015 04:54 PM PDT  EDNA, Texas (AP) — Six people who were killed when the SUV they were in crashed following a police chase were being transported by a smuggling organization, federal officials said Thursday.
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| China's Xi arrives in Washington for first U.S. state visit Posted: 24 Sep 2015 02:23 PM PDT  By Matt Spetalnick and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington on Thursday for a state visit and talks with President Barack Obama expected to be clouded by differences over alleged Chinese cyber spying, Beijing's economic policies and territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Vice President Joe Biden led the welcoming delegation as Xi's plane touched down at Andrews Air Force Base on the second leg of a weeklong trip that began in Seattle, where the Chinese leader sought to reassure U.S. companies that he is working to create a more favorable Chinese investment climate.
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| Before Congress, pope urges U.S. to end hostility to immigrants Posted: 24 Sep 2015 02:41 PM PDT  By Philip Pullella and Scott Malone WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pope Francis beseeched Americans to end hostility toward immigrants in a historic speech before the U.S. Congress on Thursday, weighing in forcefully on a divisive issue that is stirring debate in the 2016 presidential campaign. Bringing a message that America's power and wealth should be used to serve humanity, the 78-year-old pontiff said the United States must not turn its back on "the stranger in our midst." "Building a nation calls us to recognize that we must constantly relate to others, rejecting a mindset of hostility," Francis told the Republican-led Congress a day after he met with Democratic President Barack Obama. Francis, born in Argentina to an Italian immigrant family, delivered a wide-ranging speech that addressed issues dear to liberals in the United States but also emphasized conservative values and Catholic teachings on the family.
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| Senate stops bill defunding Planned Parenthood Posted: 24 Sep 2015 12:43 PM PDT  Democrats in the U.S. Senate, joined by some Republicans, on Thursday blocked an effort denying federal funds for the women's healthcare group Planned Parenthood in a move that could help avoid a government shutdown on Oct. 1. Most Senate Republicans had supported the plan to attach the Planned Parenthood defunding to a bill keeping government operating with the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1. At least one of the Republicans, Tom Cotton of Arkanas, said he cast his vote against the bill to protest inadequate military funding.
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| Over 700 killed in crush of hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia Posted: 24 Sep 2015 01:42 PM PDT  Hundreds of others were injured in the crush on the outskirts of the holy city of Mecca.
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| Photos, tweets and more as Pope Francis addresses Congress Posted: |
| Xi trades football for hardball political negotiations Posted: 24 Sep 2015 06:11 AM PDT  SEATTLE (AP) — With his feel-good tours of Boeing, Microsoft and a local high school complete, Chinese President Xi Jinping departs Washington state Thursday for the other Washington, where tougher discussions on cybersecurity, intellectual property protections and human rights await.
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