Politics

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This undated handout image provided by the Library of Congress shows a letter written by Mary Todd Lincoln to Julia Ann Sprigg, May 29, 1862, which is part of an exhibit at the Library of Congress of letters and diaries saved for 150 years from those who lived through the Civil War that offer a new glimpse at the arguments that split the nation. The Library of Congress holds the largest collection of Civil War documents. It has pulled 200 items from its holdings for a new exhibit to reveal both private and public thoughts from dozens of famous and ordinary citizens who lived in the North and the South. (AP Photo/Library of Congress)

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**FILE** Rep.-elect Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Democrat, lost both of her legs when her helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. During her recovery, she found a new mission — taking care of those she describes as her military brothers and sisters. (Associated Press)

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Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is more of a team player than President Obama, some observers say. (Preston Keres / The Washington Times)

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Artur Mas, the leader of center-right Catalan Nationalist Coalition, votes during Sunday’s elections. He is in a power struggle over Catalonia with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (left). (Associated Press)

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Congolese government soldiers patrol the streets of Minova under their control on Sunday. Government troops remain in Minova after a failed attack on M23 on Thursday. Regional leaders meeting in Uganda called for an end to the advance by rebels toward the capital. (Associated Press)

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Bryce Courtenay, author of “The Power Of One,” died Thursday. “It’s been a privilege to write for you …,” he told readers in his latest book’s epilogue. (Associated Press)

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Marvin Kincaid, 85, of Thayer, Mo., a private in the Army infantry during World War II, made it to the World War II Memorial in June as honor flight veterans visited on the 68th anniversary of D-Day. As many as 100 veterans of the war missed their chance to travel to D.C. after money disappeared from a Kansas nonprofit that organized free trips for them. (Associated Press)

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Artur Mas, leader of the center-right Catalan Nationalist Coalition (CiU) party, casts his vote in Barcelona during Catalan regional elections on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

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In this image taken from video that has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, smoke rises from buildings after government shelling in the Damascus suburb of Zabadani, Syria, on Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network via AP video)

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Pakistani security officials check the site of a bomb blast as the minority Muslim Shiite sect observed the annual Ashoura holiday in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Kashif Naveed)

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Supporters of center-right Catalan Nationalist Coalition (CiU) leader Artur Mas wave their pro-independence "estelada" flags on Friday, Nov. 23, 2012, the last day of campaigning before Sunday's parliamentary elections. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)