1. Crimean lawmakers propose leaving Ukraine to join Russia
Lawmakers in the Ukraine's semi-autonomous Crimea region have voted to hold a March 16 referendum on whether to break away and become part of Russia. "This is our response to the disorder and lawlessness in Kiev," lawmaker Sergei Shuvainikov said Thursday. "We will decide our future ourselves." The move came a day after United Nations envoy Robert Serry left Crimea after being threatened and told by armed men to leave. [The Associated Press, The Washington Post]
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2. A second baby born with HIV inspires hope for a cure
Doctors said Wednesday that a child born with the AIDS virus might be in remission after intense drug treatment that began hours after birth. The announcement, made at an AIDS conference in Boston, backed up earlier evidence that early treatment works. Doctors announced a similar case last year. It's too early to say whether the second child is cured, said Dr. Yvonne Bryson, a UCLA infectious disease specialist, "but that's obviously our hope." [The Associated Press]
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3. SAT gets a major redesign
The College Board announced Wednesday that it was giving the SAT a major overhaul for the first time since 2005. The new test, which will go into use in 2016, will once again have a 1600-point scale, with no penalties for guessing incorrectly. It also will replace obscure "SAT words" with "words that are widely used in college and career." The College Board designed the changes to modernize the exam and make it fairer for low-income students. [The Miami Herald, College Board]
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4. Europe offers Ukraine a bailout and freezes Yanukovych's assets
The European Union revealed Thursday that it was freezing the assets of ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and more than a dozen others who allegedly stole state funds. The blacklist includes two of Yanukovych's sons. The European Union also showed support for the embattled, broke new government by offering up to $15 billion in grants and loans to help it get on its feet after the pro-Russia Yanukovych fled to Moscow. [Los Angeles Times]
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5. Senate rejects Obama's nominee for a civil rights post
Republicans, with the help of several Democrats, on Wednesday blocked the nomination of Debo Adegbile, President Obama's nominee to head the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. Conservatives oppose Adegbile over his participation in an appeal for Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted for the 1981 murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner. Obama called the filibuster a "travesty based on wildly unfair character attacks." [The Washington Post]
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6. Target's CIO steps down after breach
Target's chief information officer, Beth Jacob, resigned Wednesday as part of the retail giant's security shake-up in the aftermath of its massive pre-Christmas data breach. Jacob had been in the post since 2008. The company reported on December 19 that 40 million credit and debit card accounts had been compromised, only to later say that account information was stolen from up to 70 million customers. [The Associated Press]
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7. Fed says arctic blast hurt the economy
Harsh winter weather slowed the nation's economic growth in January and February, according to a Federal Reserve survey released Wednesday. Despite the chill, most regions posted slight gains in critical areas, including employment and commercial real estate. In those areas hardest hit by the cold, including New York and Philadelphia, the numbers were especially grim as retail sales and manufacturing slowed down. [The New York Times]
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8. CIA looks into charge of spying on Senate staff
The Central Intelligence Agency is looking into allegations that its officers improperly spied on congressional staffers investigating its interrogation program. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that the CIA allegedly tracked committee staff's use of computers the CIA provided so they could review classified documents. CIA Director John Brennan called the allegations "spurious." [Voice of America]
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9. One of Gadhafi's sons sent back to Libya
Niger on Thursday extradited Saadi Gadhafi to Libya to face charges that he participated in abuses during the 40-year rule of his late father, Col. Moammar Gadhafi. Saadi Gadhafi fled during the rebellion that toppled his father three years ago. Niger's justice minister, Marou Amadou, said his country had accepted Gadhafi on condition that he and his entourage "stay quiet and do nothing to destabilize Libya," and said they broke their promise. [The New York Times]
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10. Witnesses save kids after their mom drives into the ocean
Onlookers rescued three children — ages 3, 9, and 10 — from a minivan after their mother drove it into the ocean in Florida. Rescuer Tim Tesseneer, a North Carolina truck driver, said he heard one child shout, "Help us — our mom is trying to kill us," as the vehicle plunged into the waves. "All I could think about was we're getting the kids out," Tesseneer said. The mother, who is pregnant, is undergoing a mental check. [NBC News]
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