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A political tip sheet for the rest of us outside the Washington Beltway, for Thursday, April 5, 2012:...

A political tip sheet for the rest of us outside the Washington Beltway, for Thursday, April 5, 2012:...

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- An art and photo show focusing on the trade in firearms and their deadly effects in Mexico may soon be going to the United States, the same place where many of the weapons come from....

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- An art and photo show focusing on the trade in firearms and their deadly effects in Mexico may soon be going to the United States, the same place where many of the weapons come from....

SEATTLE (AP) -- A venture capitalist who wants to build a sports arena to bring professional basketball back to Seattle will pay for a study to determine the impacts on traffic and parking following objections by his potential neighbor - the Seattle Mariners....

SEATTLE (AP) -- A venture capitalist who wants to build a sports arena to bring professional basketball back to Seattle will pay for a study to determine the impacts on traffic and parking following objections by his potential neighbor - the Seattle Mariners....

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum met privately with conservative leaders on Thursday to craft plans to try to stop Mitt Romney's march to the nomination. Pressuring rival Newt Gingrich to leave the race was part of their overall strategy....

DUBLIN (AP) -- "Banjo" Barney McKenna, the last original member of the Irish folk band The Dubliners, died Thursday while having a morning cup of tea with a friend. He was 72 and had just marked his 50th year with the troupe....

DUBLIN (AP) -- "Banjo" Barney McKenna, the last original member of the Irish folk band The Dubliners, died Thursday while having a morning cup of tea with a friend. He was 72 and had just marked his 50th year with the troupe....

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- Puerto Rico officials threatened the island's Occupy Movement with legal action Thursday if its supporters do not clean up a public park they occupied for five months and abandoned suddenly this week....

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- Puerto Rico officials threatened the island's Occupy Movement with legal action Thursday if its supporters do not clean up a public park they occupied for five months and abandoned suddenly this week....

GENEVA (AP) -- World powers share a belief that Syria could descend into civil war and plan to map out possible ways to avoid such a disaster for the region, a deputy to international envoy Kofi Annan said Wednesday....

GENEVA (AP) -- Satellite imagery and other credible reports show that, despite its claims, Syria has failed to withdraw all of its heavy weapons from populated areas as required by a cease-fire deal, international envoy Kofi Annan's spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said Tuesday....

NEW YORK (AP) -- A defiant Russian arms dealer dubbed the Merchant of Death for his history of arming violent dictators and regimes was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison, far short of the life term prosecutors sought for his conviction on terrorism charges that grew from a U.S. sting operation....

NEW YORK (AP) -- A defiant Russian arms dealer dubbed the Merchant of Death for his history of arming violent dictators and regimes was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison, far short of the life term prosecutors sought for his conviction on terrorism charges that grew from a U.S. sting operation....

OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA (AP) -- The U.S. Coast Guard unleashed cannon fire Thursday at a Japanese vessel set adrift by last year's tsunami, stopping the ship's long, lonely voyage across the Pacific Ocean....

HELENA, Mont. (AP) -- "Three Cups of Tea" author Greg Mortenson will remain the face of the charity he co-founded, despite his having to repay $1 million after an investigative report released Thursday concluded he mismanaged the organization and misspent its money....

TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. (AP) -- Mitt Romney is sharpening his focus on President Barack Obama and broadening his pitch to independents and Democrats. He has more security around him, his campaign team is growing and his crowds appear more excited to see him. It's a different world for Romney now that he's the almost-certain Republican presidential nominee....

TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. (AP) -- Mitt Romney is sharpening his focus on President Barack Obama and broadening his pitch to independents and Democrats. He has more security around him, his campaign team is growing and his crowds appear more excited to see him. It's a different world for Romney now that he's the almost-certain Republican presidential nominee....

TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. (AP) -- Mitt Romney is sharpening his focus on President Barack Obama and broadening his pitch to independents and Democrats. He has more security around him, his campaign team is growing and his crowds appear more excited to see him. It's a different world for Romney now that he's the almost-certain Republican presidential nominee....