BAGHDAD — While U.S. troops left Iraq two weeks ago, Saturday marked the official end of the security agreement between the two countries, and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was quick to take political advantage of the occasion via the podium and a text message to citizens. Recipients reported getting their texts over a period of at least 75 minutes. Read full article > >

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Maliki celebrates end of U.S.-Iraq pact

LONDON — Britain faced pointed criticism from across the English Channel on Tuesday for thwarting a European Union pact aimed at shoring up the foundations of the euro. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said London’s refusal to compromise left the rest of Europe no choice but to move ahead without it , while another official warned that Britain — which had sought assurances that London’s financial district would not be harmed by future E.U. rules — must still submit to regional regulations, like it or not. Read full article > >

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Europe tense over British veto at summit

Adele’s album 21 has become the UK’s biggest-seller of the 21st century, according to the Official Charts Company.

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Adele overtakes Winehouse record

The Speaker is captured on canvas by British artist Brendan Kelly for the official Speaker’s portrait.

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Commons unveils Bercow portrait

For the moment, let’s say we’re not buying the official, nothing-to-see-here story the White House is dishing about the gaping hole being ripped into the lawn outside the Oval Office. Let’s say we suspect the construction crews that have been dipping their backhoes into the most secure soil in the free world are doing something more complex than mere utility work. Read full article > >

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In the nation’s capital, underground is where it’s at

The Census Bureau on Monday released a new, comprehensive poverty measure that painted an even more dismal picture of the nation’s economic landscape than the official measure from two months ago. The report found that 49.1 million Americans — 16 percent of the population — lived in poverty in 2010, which is higher than the 46.2 million Americans found to live in poverty by the official measure released in September . Read full article > >

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Census Bureau measures more Americans living in poverty

If you’re a tourist riding Metro’s Red Line, and you accidentally get off at NoMa-Gallaudet U, where are you? The name “Gallaudet” might ring a bell, but “NoMa” is likely to leave you scratching your head. On Thursday, Metro’s board of directors changed the official name of the New York Ave-Florida Ave-Gallaudet U stop — what many have just referred to as “New York Ave.” — to NoMa-Gallaudet U. Read full article > >

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New York Avenue Metro stop is getting a new name. Will hipness follow?

Auditors in Prince George’s County looking into more than $1 million in spending at the publicly owned Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro said in a draft audit to top officials that they have identified numerous irregularities. The draft audit, examined by The Washington Post, raised questions about the arena’s operations and more than $200,000 in expenditures authorized by its top manager, William Chambers. Auditors have singled out Chambers for the use of his official car, payments to businesses and community groups, and pay they say he received for days he was not at work. Read full article > >

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Auditors look into spending at Show Place Arena in Prince George’s County

The Fukushima disaster provides no reason to restrict UK nuclear reactors or stop building new ones, the official nuclear regulator has concluded

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Go-ahead for UK nuclear programme

Kim Kardashian ’s two-part wedding spectacular will finally air this Sunday and Monday on E! , the official channel of the reality TV clan. Kardashian wed athlete Kris Humphries this August in an event surrounded by a media blitz so big it was blinding. So will there be anything left to see on “Kim’s Fairytale Wedding”? Read full article > >

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Kim Kardashian wedding special to air this Sunday: Will you watch? (video)

Doris Day becomes the oldest artist to score a UK Top 10 with an album of new material, according to the Official Charts Company.

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Doris Day, 87, makes UK chart history

Early Monday morning, Jack Layton, 61, Leader of the Official Opposition in Canada, passed away after losing his battle to cancer. His passing is an unequivocal tragedy in the Canadian political arena.

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Goodbye, Jack: Remembering Canada’s Beloved Public Servant

The first members of the public to see the official opening of Washington’s new $120 million memoria l to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. walked in quietly, smiling but “so slow it was like we were coming to see a body,” said Weldon Ferguson of the District. What they saw instead was stone and water, words and an iconic image on a picture-perfect summer day along the Tidal Basin. Some were weeping. Others were taking pictures of the statue and each other and giving high-fives, lending the unveiling of the memorial the feeling of one big block party. Read full article > >

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King memorial opens to the public today

Leading Egyptian blogger Asmaa Mahfouz is questioned by prosecutors for allegedly defaming the country’s military, the official Mena news agency reports.

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Egypt blogger ‘defamed’ military

Frustration with rumours about her personal life are among the details revealed by the official release of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s e-mails.

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Details emerge from Palin e-mails