Iraq Sunni rallies gather steam

 Thousands of protesters from Iraq's Sunni Muslim minority kept up a week-old blockade on a key highway on Thursday and readied mass rallies for Friday to demand concessions from Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.Protests flared last week after troops loyal to Maliki, who is from the Shi'ite majority, detained bodyguards of his finance minister, a Sunni. Many Sunnis, whose community dominated Iraq...

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Egypt's opposition leaders under investigation

 Egypt's chief prosecutor ordered an investigation on Thursday into allegations that opposition leaders committed treason by inciting supporters to overthrow Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. The probe by a Morsi-appointed prosecutor was launched a day after the president called for a dialogue with the opposition to heal rifts opened in the bitter fight over an Islamist-drafted constitution...

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Iran's Ahmadinejad sacks only female government minister

 Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday dismissed his only female cabinet minister, Health Minister Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi, after she criticized her colleagues for failing to provide funds to import vital medicines.Appointed in 2009, Dastjerdi was the first woman government minister since the Islamic Republic was established in 1979. While seen as politically conservative, the gynecologist...

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Russia's Putin signals he will sign U.S. adoption ban

 President Vladimir Putin signaled on Thursday he would sign into law a bill barring Americans from adopting Russian children and sought to forestall criticism of the move by promising measures to better care for his country's orphans.In televised comments, Putin tried to appeal to people's patriotism by suggesting that strong and responsible countries should take care of their own and lent his...

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India gang rape spurs national dialogue

The Indian government’s crackdown on the anti-rape protests that have continued for nearly two weeks in New Delhi has only aggravated public anger and concern about women’s safety. The protests were sparked by the gang rape and brutal assault of a 23-year-old student on a bus in the elite South Delhi district on Dec. 16. As the girl battles for her life in a Singapore hospital, Indians are debating...

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"Fiscal cliff" creates waiting game for payrolls firms

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - At payroll processing businesses across the United States, the "fiscal cliff" stalemate in Washington means uncertainty over tax-withholding tables just days before the start of 2013.The U.S. Internal Revenue Service still has not issued the tables for next year that show how much money employers should hold back from workers' paychecks to cover federal income taxes.Payroll...

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Future of state estate taxes hangs on U.S. "fiscal cliff"

Not necessarily for some state governments that could begin collecting more in estate taxes on wealth left to heirs if the United States goes over the "cliff," allowing sharp tax increases and federal spending cuts to take effect in January.In an example of federal and state tax law interaction that gets little notice on Capitol Hill, 30 states next year could collect $3 billion more in estate taxes...

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Consumer Mattress Reviews Supports Findings in Mattress Inquirer’s Study of Best and Worst Mattresses

Mattress review website Consumer-Mattress-Reviews.com responds to and confirms a recently released study from Mattress-Inquirer.com regarding the best and worst rated mattresses.Tempe, AZ (PRWEB) December 26, 2012In an effort to provide consumers a consolidated resource for assessing the best mattress options, the blog Mattress Inquirer recently posted a revealing consumer opinion study. Consumer...

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Renowned Master of Wine Jeannie Cho Lee Appointed Professor of Practice (Wine) by PolyU

Jeannie Cho Lee, Asia’s foremost expert in wines, has been appointed by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) as Professor of Practice (Wine) at its School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) commencing 1 November 2012.(PRWEB) December 26, 2012Jeannie Cho Lee, Asia’s foremost expert in wines, has been appointed by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) as Professor of Practice (Wine)...

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Innovative VPN Routers Help Increase Internet Privacy for Home Users

As concerned consumers turn to VPN for privacy, Sabai Technology puts easiest to use VPN Routers on post-holiday discount.Simpsonville, SC (PRWEB) December 26, 2012December has been a tough month for internet security geeks. Between the authoritarian win at Dubai’s International Telecommunication Union conference and the continued crack down of the “Great Firewall” in China, even everyday users are...

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Colts, Bengals make playoffs with wins

One year after putting together the NFL's worst record, the Indianapolis Colts are headed to the playoffs.Joining them on Sunday were the Cincinnati Bengals, finishing out the field in the AFC.The Colts (10-5) equaled the 2008 Miami Dolphins as the only teams to win at least 10 games after losing 14 or more the previous season. Top overall draft pick Andrew Luck completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to...

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UPDATE 2-NFL-National Football League playoff picture

Dec 23 (Reuters) - The National Football League playoff picture with one week remaining in the regular season:Already qualified: (10) Atlanta Falcons (NFC South*) New England Patriots (AFC East*) Denver Broncos (AFC West*) Houston Texans (AFC South*) Baltimore Ravens (AFC North*) Cincinnati Bengals (AFC North) Indianapolis Colts (AFC South) Green Bay Packers (NFC North*) San Francisco 49ers (NFC West)...

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NFL standings

Dec 24 (Infostrada Sports) - Standings from the NFL on SundayAMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCEAFC EASTW L T OTL PF PA PCT1. New England 11 4 0 0 529 331 .7332. Miami 7 8 0 2 288 289 .4673. NY Jets 6 9 0 1 272 347 .4004. Buffalo 5 10 0 0 316 426 .333AFC NORTHW L T OTL PF PA PCT1. Baltimore 10 5 0 1 381 321 .6672. Cincinnati 9 6 0 0 368 303 .6003. Pittsburgh 7 8 0 1 312 304 .4674. Cleveland 5 10 0 1 292...

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UPDATE 2-NFL-Bengals and Colts claim playoff berths

* Colts complete turnaround season as AFC playoff list set* Ravens claim AFC North title, top-seed not yet decided* Seahawks crush 49ers to make postseason (Adds Seahawks' win in paras 6-7)Dec 23 (Reuters) - The Cincinnati Bengals edged the Pittsburgh Steelers to reach the NFL playoffs, and the Indianapolis Colts joined the postseason party by capping their remarkable turnaround in pressure-packed...

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UPDATE 1-NFL-Surging Seahawks hammer 49ers, take title race to wire

(Adds quotes, details)* Wilson throws four touchdown passes* 49ers suffer injuries to Davis, ManninghamDec 23 (Reuters) - The Seattle Seahawks ensured the NFC West title race will go down to the final week with a playoff-clinching 42-13 home rout of the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.The Seahawks dominated the 49ers from the start in rainy Seattle to remain unbeaten at home and move within half a game...

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Video game shares down in wake of shooting

Shares of video game makers and sellers fell Thursday in the aftermath of a mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school, which has renewed debate about violent games and their potential influence on crime.Shares of GameStop Corp., whose stores sell video games as well as systems like the Xbox and Wii, fell 5 percent in afternoon trading.Investors are seen as being increasingly concerned that...

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North Korea’s first video game: A boring version of ‘Crazy Taxi’ that nitpicks your bad driving

In theory, a driving game set in North Korea could be fun — it could revolve around delivering kidnapped movie stars from the airport to Dear Leader’s headquarters, for instance. In reality, though, it looks as though playing a driving game set in North Korea is about as much fun as actually living in North Korea. Business Insider’s Gus Lubin has posted his first impressions of “Welcome to Pyongyang,”...

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Brain Benefits for the Holidays? Stuff the Stocking with Video Games

Happy holidays! As the year draws to a close, one thing I'm celebrating is the fun I've had helping put together the magazine I edit, Scientific American Mind. I am looking forward to working on new articles and projects in 2013. (We have some surprises in store.) I'm pleased about my growing and attentive audience for Streams of Consciousness, too. Thank you for reading, thinking and, when you have...

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Video games and shooting: Is the NRA right?

After a week of silence following the Sandy Hook school shooting that killed 20 first graders and six staff in Newtown, Conn., the National Rifle Association blamed the entertainment industry – specifically the producers of violent video games for inciting what has become a pattern of gun violence in the United States.In describing the industry, NRA Vice President Wayne LaPierre said, “There exists...

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Atheist Kids and Bullying: Just an Xbox and a Football Game Away From Redemption

I’ll never forget the year my eight-year-old daughter came home from school saying she got in trouble for going to the bathroom.“I was afraid,” she said, “that the devil was coming out of the mirror to get me.... I wanted Aya to stay with me until I was done.”Like any parent, I sat her down and asked her to tell me why she would ever think a mirror could spawn something as terrifying as that.“Susie...

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World Music Awards postponed due to visa issues, Newtown tragedy

The World Music Awards was postponed on Thursday due to "logistical and multiple visa issue," organizers said, two days before the event was scheduled to be held in Miami.Event producers John Martinotti and Marcol International said in a statement that the December 22 awards ceremony also was being delayed in the wake of the elementary school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, last week."We are sorry...

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Hundreds pay tribute to legendary Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar

 Ravi Shankar's daughters, Norah Jones and Anoushka Shankar, along with the wife of late Beatle George Harrison said their final goodbyes to the Indian sitar virtuoso on Thursday at a public memorial service in Encinitas, California.The legendary musician and composer, who helped introduce the sitar to the Western world through his collaboration with The Beatles, died on December 11 in Southern...

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BMG Scores Rights to Nirvana, Tears for Fears Songs

 BMG has acquired the worldwide rights to several music catalogues, a deal that will give it songs from artists including Kurt Cobain, Tears for Fears, The Human League, Iggy Pop, and Take That.The company announced Friday that it will purchase the rights for the Virgin Music Publishing Companies, Famous UK Music Publishing and selected current songwriters from Sony/ATV and EMI Music Publishing.Sony...

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Nick Cassavetes Sued For Allegedly Stiffing Twin Canadian Pop Duo on $300K Movie Loan

 Nick Cassavetes, Canadian twins and incest - besides three phrases that you probably didn't expect to read in the same sentence today, they're also elements of a bizarre new lawsuit that hit the California court system this week.In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, TwinSpin music - home to twin Canadian pop duo Carmen & Camille - claim that "The Notebook" director failed...

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AP music writers' top 10 albums of the year

Mesfin Fekadu's picks:1. Nas, "Life is Good": "I am a graphic classic song composer," Nas raps on the intro to his latest album. And he's right. You may disagree, but Nas is the best rapper alive, and with "Life is Good," he's got the year's top album, regardless of genre. On "Life," he's spitting rhymes about his ex-wife, Kelis — like the soulful "Bye Baby" — his daughter on "Daughters" and his childhood...

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Americans answer D.C.'s siren song of employment, strong economy

Thirteen years ago the band The Magnetic Fields crooned that the U.S. capital city is "the greatest place to be," in the indie love song "Washington, D.C."Recently, a growing number of Americans are singing along as they move to the District in search of jobs, economic opportunity and cultural attractions.In a study on migration provided exclusively to Reuters that is set to be released next month,...

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