This was to be the first of many times, whether they be Independence Days, Memorial Days, or just random occasions where, out of the blue, the visions of the war would come rushing back.

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Saginaw, Michigan (CNN) -- Three days before Independence Day, Milton Hall died in a fusillade of police gunfire outside a strip mall.

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However, America's ties to this city -- and to this country -- stretch back further, to the earliest days of America's independence.

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The shadow chancellor announced two U-turns - on Bank of England independence and the minimum wage - within days of taking on the role.

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They got a glimpse of a different Kenya, displaying a spirit of unity and solidarity that, to those old enough to remember, brought back the days when Kenya won its independence 35 years ago.

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Call me crazy, but I can't help thinking this very public show of independence by the Office for Budget Responsibility, 10 days before the Budget, could end up being more helpful for the government than it seems today.

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But they often lack independence, and bring to the office a sense of entitlement not seen since the days when bosses regularly hired their sons-in-law to learn the family business.

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To that end, Mr Salmond has promised that within 100 days of taking office he would publish a bill setting out a date for a referendum on Scottish independence.

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