# USA

Congress, White House Passes Bill to Allow Unlocking of Cell Phones

Mobile phone service just got a little easier for Americans who want to keep the phone they have, and shop around for service providers. President Obama yesterday signed the bill from Congress to make it legal for people to unlock their cell phones, and in doing so, achieved a rare trifecta, according to the White House.

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Veterans Volunteer for One More Mission, a Hurricane Sandy Response Team

Armed simply with chainsaws, a corps of military veterans has arrived on the Jersey Shore to help Sandy-stricken residents trapped by a maze of downed trees and debris.

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Contest Produces 5 Outside-The-Box Ideas To Change U.S. Cities

The Mayor's Challenge is a contest run by Bloomberg Philanthropies to find the best ideas bubbling out of our cities--from data mining to turning foreclosed houses into urban farms. New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg is funding the best ideas of local governments using the competition that will result in the winner taking home $5 million and four runners-up getting $1 million each.

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New York City Pay Phones Get 21st Century Makeover

You can still see more than 10,000 coin-operated phones around New York City today. What seems a relic of the past in this age of mobile technology, became a vital link in an emergency for those who had no power to charge their devices during Hurricane Sandy. Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched a design contest to reinvent the lowly payphone and bring it into the 21st Century.

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To Help During Shutdown, Man Mows Lawn Around Lincoln Memorial (NEW Video)

A guy from South Carolina who wanted to keep the Washington monuments clean during the DC government shutdown was seen mowing the lawn around the Lincoln Memorial yesterday. Reporters later interviewed the South Carolina man named Chris Cox, who bought an old lawn mower at a thrift store and hit the National Mall carrying a large flag and trash bags to empty the overflowing bins.

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Senate Leaders Announce Budget Deal to Reopen Government

The U.S. government is expected to reopen tomorrow after legislation passes tonight based on a bipartisan deal reached today by Senate leaders. Speaker of the House John Boehner said his chamber will not block the bill when it comes to the floor tonight.

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Firefighters Welcome Gang Members

In a neighborhood full of gang activity, where bullets sometimes fly, Fire Station No. 68 serves the community of central Los Angeles, instead of keeping a low profile. The Fire Department has opened its doors to the community.

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Time Capsule Buried by Paul Revere and Sam Adams Discovered in Boston

A time capsule buried in the cornerstone of the Massachusetts statehouse by Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, might have remained hidden forever had it not been for water damage in the building that required structural repairs. The small copper box dating back to 1795 was discovered by repair workers and carefully extracted from plaster by museum experts.