Reuters: Top Global and Breaking News

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CHICAGO (Reuters) - From traditional lures like slashed prices on hot electronics to a "Santa-Sing-A-Ma-Jig" toy, U.S. retailers are pushing to attract shoppers into their doors on Black Friday.

Black Friday lures include price cuts, Sing-A-Ma-Jig

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DAKAR (Reuters) - Pope Benedict's qualified backing of condom use to help prevent AIDS marks a small breakthrough for efforts to fight the scourge in Africa, giving health workers and clergy more scope to broach a still-taboo subject.

Pope words on condoms bolster AIDS fight in Africa

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KOKOMO, Indiana (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Tuesday the United States must extend tax cuts for the middle class but could not afford to do so for the wealthy, laying out his position before next week's meeting on the issue with Republicans.

Obama: eager to extend middle-class tax cuts

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GENEVA (Reuters) - Major advances in enforcing an international ban on landmines were made in 2009 as casualties fell sharply and Russia reported it was no longer deploying the weapon, campaigners said Wednesday.

Big progress seen in landmine ban, worries persist

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LISBON (Reuters) - Portuguese labor unions mounted a general strike on Wednesday, pressing the government to scrap austerity measures intended to ward off a debt crisis that is spreading through the euro zone.

Portugal unions strike over austerity measures

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - More Americans will be out shopping this year on Black Friday -- or at least that's how it looks from outer space.

Crowded parking lots hint at Black Friday sales

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Millions of Americans took to the skies on Wednesday for the start of the Thanksgiving holiday but air travel flowed smoothly as passengers largely ignored calls to protest more invasive security procedures.

Holiday travel smooth despite new security

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AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A Texas jury on Wednesday found former Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, dubbed "The Hammer" for his hard-driving style, guilty of money laundering and conspiracy.

Ex-House leader Tom DeLay guilty of money-laundering

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PARIS (Reuters) - The search for the wreckage and black boxes of an Air France aircraft which crashed into the Atlantic last year killing all 228 people on board will resume in February, the French government said on Thursday.

Search for Air France crash black box revived

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LONDON (Reuters) - A man posing as a Taliban leader who had talks with Afghanistan's president was paid and promoted by British intelligence, a newspaper said on Friday.

Afghan "peace talks" impostor paid by MI6: report