Politics

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Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) catches a fly ball in left field as the Washington Nationals lose to the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-1 in Major League Baseball at Nations Ballpark, Washington, D.C., Tuesday, May 1, 2012. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Nationals General Manager Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo gives a hug to Bryce Harper (34) prior to the game as the Washington Nationals host the Colorado Rockies at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., Sunday, July 8, 2012. (Rod Lamkey Jr./The Washington Times)

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**FILE** Palestinians gather March 22, 2004, around a pool of blood and the remains of the wheelchair of Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, following an Israeli air strike that killed him, near his house in Gaza City. (Associated Press)

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After a seven-week pause, Congress returns Tuesday to a crowded agenda of unfinished business overshadowed by the urgent need for President Barack Obama and lawmakers to avert the economic double hit of tax increases and automatic spending cuts, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

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** FILE ** This July 22, 2012, file photo shows U.S. Gen. John Allen, top commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, during an interview with The Associated Press in Kabul, Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq, File)

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This image provided by Osram Sylvania shows what the company says is the first bulb that uses light-emitting diodes that shine as brightly as regular 100-watt bulbs. The bulbs provide an alternative to compact fluorescents. The federal government banned the production of regular 100-watt bulbs at the start of the year. (AP Photo/Osram Sylvania)

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Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said Monday the Obama administration is close to a decision on how many American troops will stay in Afghanistan after the U.S.-led combat mission ends in 2014, noting the decision could come in the “next few weeks.” (Associated Press)

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Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori noted that “the political landscape is the same” after voters on Election Day 2012 widely rejected Catholic stances on gay marriage and birth control. (Associated Press)

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Democratic Rep. Ron Barber of Arizona hugs his wife, Nancy, on Election Day. Mr. Barber has pulled ahead of challenger Martha McSally by almost 700 votes after the Republican led by less than 500 votes in the days immediately after the election. (Associated Press)

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Rep. Allen B. West, Florida Republican, will not concede his re-election bid, even though ballot counts show Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy has a slim lead. A partial recount was not close enough to trigger an automatic recount of all votes. (Associated Press)