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Holidays

Pope presides over trimmed Easter Vigil service
Pope Francis celebrated a trimmed back Easter Vigil service Saturday after having reached out to Muslims and women during a Holy Week in which he ...
Pope refers to "Muslim brothers" on Good Friday
Pope Francis reached out in friendship to "so many Muslim brothers and sisters" during a Good Friday procession dedicated to the suffering of ...
BracketRacket: A quiz, a thought and Peeps
Welcome to BracketRacket, your one-stop shopping place for all things NCAA. For our first Sweet 16 edition, we've got a geography quiz by Shockers and ...
Ohio prosecutor drops charge against Pa. groundhog
Phil is off the hook. A winter-weary Ohio prosecutor who filed a tongue-in-cheek criminal indictment against the famous Pennsylvania groundhog over ...
Pa. groundhog's handler taking blame for forecast
An Ohio prosecutor who light-heartedly filed a criminal indictment against the famous Pennsylvania groundhog who fraudulently "predicted" an early ...
Belgium's chocolate stamps offer lick with a kick
Feel like having chocolate at Easter in Belgium? Well, send a letter and really lick that chocolate-flavored postal stamp. The Belgian post office ...
Israelis get kosher cigarettes for Passover
Observant Jews in Israel craving a smoke during the week-long Passover holiday that starts at sundown Monday can now enjoy a rabbi-approved puff.
Groundhog Phil a furry felon over false forecast
A shadow of a different kind is hanging over Punxsutawney Phil. Authorities in still-frigid Ohio have issued an "indictment" against the famed ...
First lady bears Easter gifts to military families
Michelle Obama marked the first day of spring with an early Easter celebration as she handed out holiday treats to military families and children.
Biden honors Irish prime minister, heritage
Vice President Joe Biden is stretching the luck of the Irish a few more days as he hosts the country's prime minister for a St. Patrick's Day ...
Obama, lawmakers bring Irish culture to US
President Barack Obama and top lawmakers brought a wee bit of Ireland to Washington, donning green ties and a festive mood in a belated celebration ...
Statue of Liberty to reopen by Independence Day
The Statue of Liberty, closed since Superstorm Sandy damaged the island where it stands, will reopen to the public in time for Independence Day, ...
Easter egg roll still planned at White House
The White House says that though tours of the White House have been halted because of cuts in government spending, the popular Easter Egg roll on the ...
Dublin tourists lead icy St. Patrick's Day parade
Never mind the fickle Irish weather. A chilly, damp Dublin celebrated St. Patrick's Day with artistic flair anyway Sunday as the focal point for a ...
AP PHOTOS: St. Pat's day across the nation
A sea of emerald green is sweeping the nation this weekend as crowds gather in big cities and small towns to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. In New York, ...
Revelers from NYC to Dublin mark St. Patrick's Day
Crowds cheered and bagpipes bellowed during New York City's annual St. Patrick's Day parade Saturday, and people with a fondness for anything Irish ...
Game on: Early GOP auditions for 2016 election
The auditions have begun. Just two months into President Barack Obama's second term, Republican leaders are lining up to diagnose the GOP's ills while ...
Politician's rise highlights NYC parade dispute
She's a leading candidate to be New York's next mayor. She's already one of its top Irish-American officials. Christine Quinn is also a lesbian and ...
Sarah Palin writing book about Christmas
Sarah Palin has a new book coming, this time about Christmas. The former Republican vice presidential candidate and Alaska governor has a deal with ...
Hot chicks: At 60, Peeps more popular than ever
It's Easter morning. A boy rouses his younger brother, and they run to the living room to find their baskets filled with - what else? - Peeps.
White House tours off, Easter egg roll on for now
The White House says it is going forward with plans for its 135-year tradition of the Easter egg roll, while dashing the hopes of some Iowa children ...
Boehner: Capitol tours to go on under budget cuts
If your public tour of the White House has now been canceled, House Speaker John Boehner says come visit the Capitol instead. Boehner says tours of ...
Rapist sentenced to life in prison
A Connecticut man accused of being the "East Coast Rapist" in a series of assaults over more than a decade from Rhode Island to Virginia was sentenced ...
TransUnion: Late auto-loan payments rose in 4Q
More Americans fell behind on their auto loan payments in the last three months of 2012, a time of the year when some borrowers' financial obligations ...
NY assemblyman apologizes for blackface costume
A New York assemblyman who at first vigorously defended wearing blackface, an Afro wig and a basketball jersey to a costume party apologized Monday, ...