House drops bills on guns, marijuana, but pension fix alive

SPRINGFIELD — With time running short in the lame-duck session, state lawmakers on Sunday dropped hot-button issues dealing...

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Activists wary as India rushes to justice after gang rape

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - It's no surprise the Indian street wants faster, harsher justice for sexual crimes after a horrific gang rape that rocked the nation, but some activists worry the government will trample fundamental rights in its rush to be in tune with popular rage. Last month's rape of a physiotherapy student on a moving bus and her death on December 28 in hospital triggered a...

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"Cliff" concerns give way to earnings focus

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors' "fiscal cliff" worries are likely to give way to more fundamental concerns, like earnings, as fourth-quarter reports get under way next week. Financial results, which begin after the market closes on Tuesday with aluminum company Alcoa , are expected to be only slightly better than the third-quarter's lackluster results. As a warning sign, analyst current...

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Scores by Harris, Kuhn put Packers up 17-3 at half

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — DuJuan Harris and John Kuhn had short touchdown runs, and Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers took a 17-3 lead over the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday night in their NFC wild-card playoff game.Christian Ponder was inactive for the Vikings because of a right elbow injury so Joe Webb started at quarterback for the first time all season, and Rodgers made the passing gap between...

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Here, Bella! Top Pet Names for 2012

Move over, Rover, there’s a new top dog in town, and her name is Bella. For 2012, the “Twilight Saga”-inspired moniker was the most popular for dogs and second-most popular for cats, according to a survey by one veterinary organization. For dogs, Max took second place.The survey gathered names of 2.5 million dogs and cats at the Banfield Pet Hospital, a veterinary network in Portland, Ore.The top...

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Storm over Depardieu's 'pathetic' move

STORY HIGHLIGHTSRussian President Vladimir Putin has bestowed Russian citizenship on actor Gérard DepardieuFor Depardieu, a public war of words erupted, with many in France disgusted by his moveDepardieu more than anyone, represents the Gallic spirit, says Agnes PoirierMajority of French people disapprove of his action but can't help loving him, she addsAgnes Poirier is a French journalist and political...

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Englewood shooting victim dies

An afternoon shooting in the Englewood neighborhood left a man dead on Saturday, a day in which at least nine people have been...

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Venezuela lawmakers elect Chavez ally as Assembly chief

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan lawmakers re-elected a staunch ally of Hugo Chavez to head the National Assembly on Saturday, putting him in line to be caretaker president if the socialist leader does not recover from cancer surgery. By choosing the incumbent, Diosdado Cabello, the "Chavista"-dominated legislature cemented the combative ex-soldier's position as the third most powerful...

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S&P 500 finishes at 5-year high on economic data

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The benchmark Standard & Poor's 500 index ended at a five-year high on Friday, lifted by reports showing employers kept up a steady pace of hiring workers and the vast services sector expanded at a brisk rate. The gains on the S&P 500 pushed the index to its highest close since December 2007 and its biggest weekly gain since December 2011. Most...

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AP Source: Browns close to deal with Kelly

CLEVELAND (AP) — Chip Kelly is close to taking his fast-paced offense to the NFL.A person familiar with the negotiations says the Cleveland Browns are nearing a deal with Oregon's offensive mastermind to be their next coach.The Browns interviewed Kelly on Friday and the Ducks coach was supposed to meet with Philadelphia in Arizona. However, a person familiar with the interviews says the Eagles are...

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