10 things you need to know today: February 13, 2012
Obama introduces his budget, Adele wins big, and more in our roundup of the stories that are making news and driving opinion
1. OBAMA UNVEILS HIS 2013 BUDGET
President Obama will send Congress his 2013 budget proposal on Monday. It aims to cut the deficit by $4 trillion over the next ten years by increasing taxes on the wealthy, slashing spending, and imposing a new $61 billion tax on big banks over the next decade to offset the cost of the financial bailout. The proposal is expected to trigger an election-year battle with Republicans, who oppose the tax hikes and want deeper spending cuts. [Associated Press]
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2. ADELE SWEEPS GRAMMYS
Neo-soul chanteuse Adele went six for six at the Grammys Sunday night, winning in all six categories she was nominated in. She took record and song of the year for "Rolling in the Deep" and album of the year for 21, which was also the best-selling album of 2011. Her six wins tie Beyonce's record of the most Grammy wins in a night for a female artist. The ceremony featured a tribute to singer Whitney Houston, who was found dead in a hotel room the night before the awards. [Associated Press]
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3. SYRIA REJECTS ARAB LEAGUE PEACE PLAN
The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Sunday that it "completely rejected" an Arab League resolution seeking a UN peacekeeping mission to end the bloodshed that has plagued the country for 11 months. On Monday, more violence was reported in the embattled city of Homs. [New York Times]
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4. RIOTS IN ATHENS AS GREECE PASSES NEW AUSTERITY MEASURES
The Greek Parliament passed a series of hotly contested spending and wage cuts on Sunday, in order for the debt-burdened country to secure a much-needed bailout. Tens of thousands protested in Athens. Rioters set businesses on fire, and at least 70 people were reported injured. [Wall Street Journal]
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5. SANTORUM SAYS ROMNEY RIGGED HIS CPAC WIN
Appearing on CNN's State of the Union, Rick Santorum suggested Mitt Romney had paid for votes to win Saturday's Conservative Political Action Conference presidential straw poll. "You have to talk to the Romney campaign and how many tickets they bought, we've heard all sorts of things," Santorum said. "We didn't pay them to turn out." Romney also prevailed in the Maine caucuses on Saturday, giving his campaign some much-needed momentum after Santorum's three-state sweep last week. [Politico]
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6. CHINA'S LIKELY NEW LEADER COMES TO WASHINGTON
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, who is expected to be the country's next president, arrives in Washington on Monday for a visit that is said to be "crucial" both to his political career and to diplomatic relations between the two superpowers. In the run-up to his trip, Xi warned the U.S. against increasing its military presence in Asia. [Washington Post]
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7. PAKISTAN CHARGES PRIME MINISTER WITH CONTEMPT
On Monday, Pakistan's Supreme Court charged Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani with contempt for refusing to reopen an old corruption case against the country's president, Asif Ali Zardari. Gilani pleaded not quilty to the charges. If convicted, he could lose his job and face imprisonment, potentially deepening the country's political instability. [CBS News]
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8. OFFICIALS AWAIT WHITNEY HOUSTON AUTOPSY RESULTS
It could take weeks for investigators to determine exactly how Whitney Houston died. The legendary singer was found unresponsive in her Beverly Hills hotel room on Saturday, hours before she was set to appear at a pre-Grammy party. While there were no indications of foul play, officials say they will wait for toxicology reports to determine an official cause of death. [Associated Press]
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9. TIGER WOODS "MELTS DOWN" AT PEBBLE BEACH
After a strong showing Saturday at Pebble Beach, Tiger Woods was poised to make a comeback and capture his first official PGA Tour win since 2009. Instead, he played abysmally on Sunday, with adversary Phil Mickelson besting him by 11 shots in a single round to win the tournament. [Yahoo Sports]
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10. OVEREATING COULD CAUSE MEMORY LOSS
Researchers have found that a hefty caloric intake may have the potential to double the risk of mild cognitive impairment in individuals over 70. [Fox News]
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