Dec
09

Fear of Fighting Haunts Once-Tranquil Damascus

Muzaffar Salman/ReutersDamascenes cling to the hope that the ethnic strife that has deepened when fighting has reached other areas will not arise in their city. DAMASCUS, Syria — Business has been terrible for Abu Tareq, a taxi driver, so last week, without telling his wife, he agreed to drive a man to the Damascus airport for 10 times the usual rate. But, he said later, he will not be doing that...
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Top 10 Tech This Week

1. Here Comes the First Real Alternative to iPhone and AndroidJolla, a Finnish startup, launched a new mobile OS called Sailfish, which the company believes will become a legitimate alternative to the Coke and Pepsi of smartphone platforms: Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. Learn more about the new OS.Click here to view this gallery.[More from Mashable: Jimmy Fallon and Mariah Carey Take on ‘All I...
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Smokers celebrate as Wash. legalizes marijuana

SEATTLE (AP) — The crowds of happy people lighting joints under Seattle's Space Needle early Thursday morning with nary a police officer in sight bespoke the new reality: Marijuana is legal under Washington state law.Hundreds gathered at Seattle Center for a New Year's Eve-style countdown to 12 a.m., when the legalization measure passed by voters last month took effect. When the clock struck, they...
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Wall St Week Ahead: "Cliff" worries may drive tax selling

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors typically sell stocks to cut their losses at year end. But worries about the "fiscal cliff" - and the possibility of higher taxes in 2013 - may act as the greatest incentive to sell both winners and losers by December 31. The $600 billion of automatic tax increases and spending cuts scheduled for the beginning of next year includes higher rates for capital...
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Dec
08

Shintaro Ishihara, Right-Wing Japanese Politician, Makes Gains

TOKYO — Shintaro Ishihara has been a rare, flamboyant presence in Japan’s otherwise drab political world for half a century. A novelist turned right-wing firebrand, he has long held celebrity status on the political margins, where he was known for dramatic flourish. He once signed a pact in blood to oppose diplomatic ties with China because of its communist government, and he published a book at the...
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Mario Lopez Is Spontaneous, Romantic, Says New Bride Courtney Mazza

By Dahvi Shira and Patrick Gomez 12/08/2012 at 03:30 PM EST Courtney Mazza, Mario Lopez and their daughter, Gia FameFlynet There's no lack of spice in the lives of newlyweds Mario and Courtney Lopez."The most romantic thing about Mario is his spontaneity," Courtney...
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Smokers celebrate as Wash. legalizes marijuana

SEATTLE (AP) — The crowds of happy people lighting joints under Seattle's Space Needle early Thursday morning with nary a police officer in sight bespoke the new reality: Marijuana is legal under Washington state law.Hundreds gathered at Seattle Center for a New Year's Eve-style countdown to 12 a.m., when the legalization measure passed by voters last month took effect. When the clock struck, they...
Read More..

Wall Street Week Ahead: "Cliff" worries may drive tax selling

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors typically sell stocks to cut their losses at year end. But worries about the "fiscal cliff" - and the possibility of higher taxes in 2013 - may act as the greatest incentive to sell both winners and losers by December 31. The $600 billion of automatic tax increases and spending cuts scheduled for the beginning of next year includes higher rates for capital...
Read More..
Dec
07

The Lede Blog: Updates on Protests in Egypt

“@ssaadani: محمد محمود في الإتحادية. http://t.co/cTfsNeKB”my favorite Mohamed Mahmoud graffiti made it to presidential palace— Abdel-Rahman Hussein (@ElFoulio) 7 Dec 12The Lede is following the political crisis in Egypt, where supporters and opponents of President Mohamed Morsi rallied on Friday....
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Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott Is Pregnant

By Stephen M. Silverman 12/07/2012 at 05:15 PM EST Chris Tyrrell and Hillary Scott Courtesy Hillary Scott First comes the sound of wedding bells, and next comes the baby rattle.Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott and drummer Chris Tyrrell, who became engaged on Independence...
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