1. Congress unveils a trillion-dollar spending bill
Congressional negotiators released a $1.1 trillion spending bill on Monday that fills in the details of a December budget deal aimed at avoiding another government shutdown through the end of the fiscal year. The measure would boost funding slightly for military and domestic programs, but not for ObamaCare, which was at the heart of the last crisis. Congress needs to approve the new spending authority by midnight Wednesday. [Reuters]
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2. Egypt begins voting on a new constitution
Egyptians lined up at the polls under heavy security Tuesday morning, the start of a two days' vote on a draft constitution. The vote is seen as a referendum on last year's ouster of Egypt's elected Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi. It marks a crucial step in the restoration of democracy promised by the military-backed government, and could set the stage for a presidential bid by military chief Gen. Abdul Fattah al-Sisi. [TIME]
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3. Young people are warming to ObamaCare slower than older ones
More older Americans than younger, healthier ones are signing up for health coverage in the Affordable Care Act's online marketplaces, according to the federal government's first release of demographic information on the program. The trend could push up premiums if it persists, but Obama administration officials say they hope to address the issue with more aggressive youth outreach. [The New York Times]
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4. Key Obama judicial nominee wins confirmation
A month after Democrats changed Senate rules to stop Republicans from blocking judicial and executive-office nominees with filibusters, the Senate on Monday confirmed U.S. District Judge Robert Wilkins to a spot on a key federal appeals court. The GOP had blocked Wilkins' nomination two months ago. Republicans have called the weakening of the filibuster a naked power grab, while Democrats said it was a necessary move to fight GOP obstructionism. [Reuters]
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5. Cops cleared in killing of homeless man
A California jury on Monday found two former police officers not guilty of killing Kelly Thomas, a schizophrenic homeless man. The defendants — Manuel Ramos and Jay Cicinelli — were charged with hitting Thomas with a baton and zapping him with a stun gun, leaving him in a coma until he died five days later. Thomas' father called the verdict a miscarriage of justice. Ramos' lawyer said the cops were just "doing their jobs." [Los Angeles Times]
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6. Southwest suspends pilots who landed at the wrong airport
Southwest Airlines has grounded two pilots after they landed their jet at the wrong Missouri airport with 124 passengers on board, a spokesperson for the airline said Monday. The captain has 15 years of experience with Southwest. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigation how the Boeing 737-700 wound up at a small airfield when it was supposed to land at the much larger Branson, Mo., airport, seven miles away. [Reuters]
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7. Kerry slams Nigeria's new gay-marriage ban
Nigeria has approved a law banning same-sex marriage and criminalizing gay-rights groups and meetings. The law, which includes penalties of up to 14 years in prison, was signed by President Goodluck Jonathan a week ago, although its passage was kept quiet. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the U.S. is "deeply concerned" by the legislation because it "dangerously restricts freedom of assembly, association, and expression for all Nigerians." [Associated Press]
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8. Charities join forces to save Detroit's art collection
Several philanthropic foundations have pooled their money to save Detroit's famous art collection from being sold off to cover the bankrupt city's debts, officials said Monday. The organizations, including the Ford, Kresge, and Knight foundations, have pledged $330 million to preserve the Detroit Institute of Arts' works and to avoid cuts in retiree pensions. The museum might be moved from city to state ownership. [The New York Times]
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9. Arrests requested in Madeleine McCann investigation
British police are reportedly poised to make an arrest in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, a 3-year-old who disappeared nearly seven years ago during a family vacation in Portugal. Scotland Yard is working with authorities in Portugal to detain and interview three alleged burglars who were believed to have been operating in the neighborhood of the resort when the girl disappeared from her bed while her parents were at dinner. [ABC News]
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10. A-Rod sues to overturn suspension
New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez filed a lawsuit on Monday against Major League Baseball and his players' union, seeking to throw out an arbitrator's decision to suspend him for a season for allegedly using performance-enhancing drugs. The suit says the union "completely abdicated its responsibility to Mr. Rodriguez to protect his rights," and let the league trample his confidentiality rights. [Los Angeles Times]
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