Obama: U.S. looking for dialogue with Iran

The United States is looking for opportunities for "face-to-face" dialogue with Iran after nearly three decades without diplomatic ties, President Barack Obama said Monday, but still has "deep concerns" about Tehran’s actions. “There’s been a lot of mistrust built up over the years, so it’s not going to happen overnight,” Obama said during his first prime-time news conference Monday night.

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Starbucks offers coffee-breakfast combos, cites economy

Starbucks, better known for amusingly complicated premium coffee offerings, took a cue from fast-food chains and announced a plan Monday to sell pairings of coffee and breakfast for $3.95, citing the economic downturn. With the $3.95 breakfast offer, customers will be able to get a 12-ounce coffee with a breakfast sandwich or roll or a 12-ounce latte with either oatmeal or a coffee cake. The company called the latest promotion an extension of various other recent Starbucks offers, including a loyalty card and discounting 16-ounce cold drinks to customers who made a purchase at Starbucks that morning

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Obama: This isn’t your ‘run-of-the-mill recession’

President Obama appeared before a national audience Monday night to make the case for his economic stimulus plan, saying this is not your "run-of-the-mill recession." The president stressed the urgency of passing the roughly $838 billion measure, which his administration and Democratic leaders say will help pull the U.S.

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Iranian lawmaker hopes ‘Americans change their strategy’

Iran’s powerful parliament speaker said Monday the Islamic nation hopes the United States changes its approach to the Middle East, and called the Obama administration "an exceptional opportunity for Americans." “I don’t want to be pessimistic. I hope the Americans change their strategy and respect the nations,” said Ali Larijani in a wide-ranging interview with CNN affiliate Cuatro TV in Spain

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Liberians facing mass deportation from U.S.

Thousands of Liberians living in the United States face deportation March 31 when a federal immigration status created for humanitarian purposes expires. In the 1990s, a bloody civil war raged through the West African nation, killing 250,000 people and displacing more than a million, according to a U.N. report.

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Pakistan unsure over identity of man beheaded in Taliban video

Pakistani authorities have not confirmed that a kidnapped Polish engineer is the man that was beheaded on a Taliban video, despite assertions from Polish officials that they are certain the man is Piotr Stanczak. “We want to be absolutely sure,” said Abdual Basit, a spokesman for Pakistan’s foreign office

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Comatose woman in euthanasia debate dies

An Italian woman who had been in a coma for 17 years and whose right-to-die case was being debated in the Italian Senate has died, according to her father. The speaker of the Senate announced the death of Eluana Englaro, 37, then called for a moment of silence in the Senate.

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