Euro, shares gain on brighter economic outlook

LONDON (Reuters) - The euro hit an 11-month high against the dollar and European shares rose on Monday as the region's improving economic growth outlook and the declining prospects of further monetary easing bolstered demand.The common currency peaked at $1.3404, its highest level since February 2012, producing a hefty gain of 2.5 percent since European Central Bank President Mario Draghi gave a...

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Oil rises near $94 on China, US recovery hopes

BANGKOK (AP) — Oil prices rose to near $94 on Monday, supported by signs of economic recovery in the U.S. and China.Benchmark oil for February delivery was up 33 cents to $93.89 per barrel at late afternoon Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract dropped 26 cents to finish at $93.56 a barrel in New York on Friday.Gordon Kwan, head of energy research at...

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China mulls hiking investment quota for foreigners

HONG KONG (AP) — The head of China's securities regulator says Beijing is considering substantially raising the quota that foreign institutions are allowed to invest in the country's stock markets.Guo Shuqing said at a conference on Monday that there was room to raise the limit by "at least 10 times, nine times."He said that money invested through the quota system for foreign investors accounted...

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Soccer-Playmaker Sahin to return to Borussia Dortmund - media reports

BERLIN, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Playmaker Nuri Sahin will return to Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund after unsuccessful spells at Real Madrid and Liverpool, several German media said on Friday.The 24-year-old Turkey international, who left for Real in 2011 after helping Dortmund to the Bundesliga title, failed to win a starting spot in Spain before joining Liverpool in August 2012 on a loan deal.Dortmund...

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UPDATE 1-Soccer-I feel fine, Terry says after comeback from injury

LONDON, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Chelsea's former England captain John Terry said his knee felt "totally fine" after making his comeback for the club's under-21 team following two months on the sidelines.The 32-year-old central defender played for 45 minutes on Thursday night, featuring as an over-age player in a 2-0 victory over neighbours Fulham.Chelsea's interim manager Rafa Benitez confirmed the centre...

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Soccer-City's Arsenal curse brings memories of the dark days

LONDON, Jan 11 (Reuters) - When Manchester City face Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday, the Premier League champions will be looking to end a 37-year hoodoo and perhaps remove the last symbolic reminder of a period of tumultuous decline and fall.The last time the blue half of Manchester's current Premier League duopoly tasted league victory in the red half of north London was on Oct. 4, 1975.It would...

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Sony No Longer Shipping PlayStation 2 in Japan

You may have grown up with it. Your children may have, too.Sony's PlayStation 2 home game console, released in 2000, was one of the most popular game consoles of all time, rivaled in sales only by the different kinds of Nintendo DS handheld console. It continued to be sold new on store shelves until just recently, even years after Sony launched its PlayStation 3 successor.Now, however, Sony's sent...

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Ubuntu se mete en los celulares con un sistema operativo propio

Al igual que otras plataformas que buscan una convergencia entre el mundo móvil y la PC, Canonical confirmó el arribo de su sistema operativo Ubuntu a los dispositivos móviles. Disponible en una primera instancia como una instalación no oficial para la línea de smartphones Nexus 3, la versión de Linux utilizada en más de 20 millones busca posicionarse como una alternativa ante un mercado dominado...

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Samsung’s New Smart TV Software Development Kit Supports Linux and Mac O/S

Samsung Electronics announced that it will be releasing the Smart TV SDK (Software Development Kit) 4.0 at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) from January 8th to 11th, 2013. The Smart TV SDK will allow Smart TV software development on Linux and Mac, in addition to Windows O/S. Up till now, Samsung's Smart TV software development only supported...

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Japan's Abe to visit Southeast Asia to boost economic ties

26, 2012. REUTERS/Toru HanaiTOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's first overseas trip will see him visit Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand in January, aiming to bolster ties with the growing Asian economies as relations with Beijing stay tense.Abe had hoped to first visit Washington in order to strengthen Japan's alliance with the United States, but the visit was postponed due to President...

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China newspaper publishes after deal ends standoff

GUANGZHOU, China (AP) — An influential weekly newspaper whose staff rebelled to protest heavy-handed censorship by China's government officials published as normal Thursday after a compromise that called for relaxing some intrusive controls but left lingering ill-will among some reporters and editors.The latest edition of the Southern Weekly bore no hints of the dispute that erupted last week over...

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US missiles kill 5 suspected militants in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan intelligence officials say U.S. drone-fired missiles have hit a house in the country's northwest tribal region, killing five suspected militants.The officials say the attack occurred Thursday in a village near Mir Ali, one of the main towns in the North Waziristan tribal area, the main sanctuary for Taliban and al-Qaida militants in Pakistan.The officials spoke...

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Report: Armstrong weighs doping admission

AUSTIN, Texas - The New York Times reported Friday that Lance Armstrong, who has strongly denied the doping charges that led to him being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles, has told associates he is considering admitting to the use of performance-enhancing drugs.The report cited anonymous sources and said Armstrong was considering a confession to help restore his athletic career in triathlons...

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If Lance Armstrong is coming clean, he owes hundreds of apologies to those he bullied

So now, according to the New York Times, Lance Armstrong is considering coming clean and admitting the entire thing was a lie; that he did indeed use performance-enhancing drugs and blood transfusions to win all those Tour de France titles. And this would be news to … um, anyone? Certainly not the anti-doping officials and cycling administrators who the Times reports Armstrong...

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Report: Lance Armstrong weighs doping admission

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The New York Times reported Friday that Lance Armstrong, who has strongly denied the doping charges that led to him being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles, has told associates he is considering admitting to the use of performance-enhancing drugs.The report cited anonymous sources and said Armstrong was considering a confession to help restore his athletic career in...

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Pennies over patriotism? Stars move to tax havens

 France's Socialist government is introducing a 75-percent income tax on those earning over €1 million ($1.3 million), leading some of the country's rich and famous to set up residency in less fiscally demanding countries.Here's a look at some big names in France and elsewhere whose changes of address over the years have meant lighter taxes.DEPARTING DEPARDIEUThe French prime minister has accused...

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State tax revenues continue growing in third quarter

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - State tax revenues have grown for more than two years, but they are still suffering the effects of the 2007-2009 recession, according to a report released by the Rockefeller Institute of Government on Thursday.Using preliminary data, the New York research group found that collection from major taxes increased in 47 states in the third quarter of 2012 from a year before, marking...

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Muni tax break under threat from bipartisan scrutiny in congress

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The tax break that U.S. states, cities and counties get on the bonds they issue is in growing jeopardy now that Republicans, in addition to Democrats, are considering limits on the exemption.As part of the "fiscal cliff" negotiations to raise more federal government tax revenue, Republican lawmakers have joined Democrats in reevaluating the costly tax break, said Republican...

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Cricket-South Africa beat New Zealand by an innings and 27 runs

CAPE TOWN, Jan 4 (Reuters) - South Africa beat New Zealand by an innings and 27 runs on the third day of the first test on Friday.Scores: New Zealand 45 (V. Philander 5-7) and 275 (D. Brownlie 109, B. McCullum 51); South Africa 347 for eight declared (A. Petersen 106, A.B. de Villiers 67, H. Amla 66, J. Kallis 60). (Reporting by Michael Todt; Editing by John Mehaff...

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Cricket-South Africa v New Zealand 1st test scoreboard

CAPE TOWN, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Scoreboard on the third day ofthe first test between South Africa and New Zealand at Newlandson Friday.New Zealand first innings 45 (V. Philander 5-7)South Africa first innings 347 for eight declared(A.Petersen 106, H.Amla 66, J.Kallis 60, AB de Villiers 67)New Zealand second inningsM. Guptill c Amla b Steyn 0B. McCullum lbw b Peterson 51K. Williamson c Petersen b Kallis...

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UPDATE 1-Cricket-South Africa complete innings victory

CAPE TOWN, Jan 4 (Reuters) - South Africa completed an innings victory over New Zealand on Friday in a result which was never in doubt after the visitors collapsed to 45 all out before lunch on the opening day of the first test.Dean Brownlie's maiden test century helped New Zealand to 232 for five at lunch on the third day after South Africa had declared their first innings closed at 347 for eight...

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The 2012 sporting year in quotes

These were happy and glorious Games," - IOC president Jacques Rogge at the closing ceremony."I did everything I wanted to. I finished my career the way I wanted to," - American swimmer Michael Phelps after retiring with 18 gold medals."I hope that this medal inspires the kids at home to put down guns and knives and pick up a pair of trainers instead," - Erick Barrondo, winner of Guatemala's first-ever...

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Timeline: The 2012 sporting year

 Here are the key moments from the world of sports in 2012.January 28 - Victoria Azarenka becomes the first Belarusian to win a grand slam singles title in tennis by claiming the Australian Open.January 29 - Novak Djokovic won his third Australian Open, beating Rafa Nadal 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7 7-5 in a five hour 53 minute slugfest, the longest tennis grand slam final played.February 5 - The New York...

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Tears and smiles by the billion at London Games

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain spent nearly nine billion pounds ($14.42 billion) to create a magical and ambitious wonderland of venues for the 2012 Olympic Games, where fans were thrilled across a capital whose grime and grandeur alike got a makeover of global glamour.The Games proved a timely shot in the arm, spiritually if not financially, for a bruised nation struggling with economic recession. The...

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Legal Scholar Robert Bork Dies

American legal scholar Robert Bork, who was nominated by Ronald Reagan for the U.S. Supreme Court, died on Wednesday morning. He was 85.The Senate rejected Bork’s nomination to the high court following objections from civil rights groups over his views of the federal government and voting rights.Conservatives blamed his failed nomination on partisanship.During the 2012 election, Mitt Romney made Bork...

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Republicans Turn to Bush for Inspiration

As Republicans reassess their future in the presidential wilderness, seeking a message and messenger to resonate with a new generation of voters, one unlikely name has popped up as a role model: former President George W. Bush.Prominent Republicans eager to rebuild the party in the wake of the 2012 election are pointing to Bush’s successful campaigns for Hispanic votes, his efforts to pass immigration...

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Senators Screen 'Lincoln' with Stars Tonight

As lawmakers struggle to solve the fiscal cliff, they're set for a movie night tonight in the Senate.Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.,will meet with the cast and crew of "Lincoln" including Director Steven Spielberg and actor Daniel Day-Lewis in the Capitol before the special showing.Then each senator, along with their spouse, will be invited to watch the film in the Capitol Visitors Center...

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In crusade against guns, Bloomberg finds platform beyond City Hall

NEW YORK—Just days after he publicly scolded President Barack Obama for not being more aggressive in his efforts to curb gun violence, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he was “very encouraged” to see Obama pressing for new gun measures in the wake of last week’s deadly school shooting in Connecticut.“His announcement is an important step in the right direction,” Bloomberg said in response...

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Gun lobbyists plan media push after Newtown massacre

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One week after a school shooting that shocked Americans - with many of the 27 victims buried and time allowed for prayers and investigation - the National Rifle Association will dive in to the fierce national debate about gun control.The largest U.S. gun rights lobby plans a well-coordinated public entrance to the conversation on how to prevent such tragedies, starting with...

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