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U.S. Museum Eyes Influences of Indian-Americans

Indian-Americans are doctors, engineers, motel owners, taxi drivers and spelling bee champs — just a few takeaways from a new exhibition at the Smithsonian.

Looking closer, though, curators are probing the history behind certain cultural stereotypes of this population of 3.3 million Americans in a new exhibit opening Thursday.

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Rare 'Mein Kampf' Copies Signed by Hitler to Be Auctioned

Two rare copies of "Mein Kampf" signed by the young Nazi leader Adolf Hitler are to go under the hammer in Los Angeles, auctioneers said Tuesday.

The two-volume set -- a first edition and a second edition -- of the future German Fuehrer's political manifesto will be sold online to the highest bidder Thursday, according to Nate D. Sanders Auctions.

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The Great War from A to Z

From Aircraft to Zeppelin, here is an A to Z of the Great War:

AIRCRAFT: Combat aviation was still in its infancy in 1914, but by the end of hostilities France alone had some 3,700 aircraft. Verdun, in eastern France, was host to the world's first large-scale aerial battle.

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Samurai Collection Spawns Museum, Touring Exhibit

Gabriel Barbier-Mueller bought his first samurai armor about 20 years ago from an antiques dealer in Paris, sparking a fascination that helped him create one of the most significant private collections in the world related to the Japanese warriors.

Although the vast majority of the Texas-based businessman's pieces come from auction houses, art dealers and collectors, he still relishes visiting small European antiques stores seeking hidden treasures and strolling flea markets, as he adds helmets, weapons and other samurai artifacts that span the centuries.

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Albom to Help Rebuild Libraries in Philippines

U.S. author Mitch Albom has launched a drive to rebuild 10 libraries in Tacloban, a central Philippine city ravaged by Typhoon Haiyan in November.

National Book Store Foundation, his Philippine partner in the project, said Tuesday that Albom has pledged to raise $160,000, starting with his own contribution of $10,000 for the libraries.

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Transgender Rights Repeal Misses California Ballot

A referendum to overturn a California law that gives transgender students protections including the right to use the public school restrooms of their choice will not appear on the November ballot after its backers failed to gather enough voter signatures to qualify the measure, the secretary of state said Monday.

The law's opponents were led by a coalition of religious conservative groups who said it violates the privacy of youngsters who may be uncomfortable sharing facilities with classmates of the opposite biological sex.

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U.S. Family Adopts 4 Kids Amid Ukraine Violence

An American couple knew adopting four orphans at once from Ukraine would be stressful.

But it wasn't until the bullets started flying and homemade bombs exploded outside the apartment where they were staying in the capital of the eastern European country that David and Lisa Bundy discovered just how stressful it could be.

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Spain's Paleolithic Altamira Cave to Reopen

The Altamira Cave in northern Spain and its well-preserved paintings will again be open to the public from Thursday, albeit to very small groups because of the spread of micro-organisms due to human visitors.

The cave located at Santillana del Mar, in the Cantabria region, was closed in 2002 after damages had been reported to its polychrome prehistoric paintings from the carbon dioxide in the breath of the large number of visitors.

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'Flight of the Angel' Launches Carnival of Venice

More than 100,000 revelers, many dressed in masks and period costume, packed into St Mark's Square for the "flight of the angel" that marks the traditional opening of the Carnival of Venice.

On the twelfth chime of midday from St Mark's Campanile, fearless 22-year-old student Julia Nasi leapt from the famous bell tower, 80 meters above the huge crowd that had gathered for one of the world's most celebrated carnivals.

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London Hosts Britain's First Scientology Wedding

Britain's first wedding to be held in a Scientology chapel took place in London on Sunday, the result of the newlyweds' triumphing in the Supreme Court last year.

Dressed in a traditional white wedding dress, bride Louisa Hodkin tied the knot with Alessandro Calcioli, both aged 25, in a Church of Scientology chapel in central London, despite earlier being told the venue was not legally listed as a place of religious worship.

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