Asia stocks eke out gains on China hopes, oil eases

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Most Asian stock markets edged higher on Thursday on hopes of a steady economic revival in China, although oil gave back part of the previous session's strong gains as investors took some money off the table and braced for more U.S. budget battles. The MSCI Asia Pacific ex-Japan index of stocks <.miapj0000pus> rose 0.2 percent following Wednesday's 2 percent...

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Louisville upsets Florida 33-23 in Sugar Bowl

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Terell Floyd and the Louisville Cardinals gave the embattled Big East Conference at least one more triumphant night in a major bowl — and at the expense of a top team from the mighty SEC.Floyd returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown on the first play, dual-threat quarterback Teddy Bridgewater directed a handful of scoring drives and No. 22 Louisville stunned the fourth-ranked...

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Cold weather businesses heating up

AKRON, Ohio – It may not be fun weather to experience as you walk outside to grab your morning paper or head off to work, but some businesses that thrive when the temperatures dip well below zero, are loving the cold snap.Business has been booming at Boston Mills Ski Resort. Workers continue to make snow as long as the temperature stays below 28 degrees.Steven Mackle, marketing director for Boston...

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How Donald Trump hijacks U.S. media

STORY HIGHLIGHTSHoward Kurtz: Donald Trump said the GOP can go nuclear in budget showdownKurtz: It's remarkable that Trump draw attention no what what he saysHe says it's so easy to hijack the media in the age of Twitter Kurtz: Journalists like sexy stories but shouldn't lose focus of what's importantEditor's note: Howard Kurtz is the host of CNN's "Reliable Sources" and is Newsweek's Washington bureau...

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Chicago man charged in estranged wife's slaying in Munster

A Chicago man with a history of domestic violence arrests has been charged with the murder of his estranged wife in Munster,...

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Central African Republic rebels halt advance, agree to peace talks

DAMARA, Central African Republic (Reuters) - Rebels in Central African Republic said they had halted their advance on the capital on Wednesday and agreed to start peace talks, averting a clash with regionally backed troops. The Seleka rebels had pushed to within striking distance of Bangui after a three-week onslaught and threatened to oust President Francois Bozize, accusing him of reneging...

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United States avoids calamity in "fiscal cliff" drama

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States averted economic calamity on Tuesday when lawmakers approved a deal to prevent huge tax hikes and spending cuts that would have pushed the world's largest economy off a "fiscal cliff" and into recession. The agreement hands a clear victory to President Barack Obama, who won re-election on a promise to address budget woes in part by raising taxes...

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Stanford holds off Wisconsin 20-14 in Rose Bowl

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Andrew Luck, Toby Gerhart and coach Jim Harbaugh started Stanford's improbable football renaissance, yet they never stood in the center of the Rose Bowl with the West Coast's most coveted trophy raised above their heads.In fact, the last Stanford team to do what the Cardinal did Tuesday night had a defense known as the Thunderchickens.Forty years after Stanford's last Rose...

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Europe Tackling Big Space Projects in 2013

LONDON — The European Space Agency has some ambitious resolutions for the New Year. The year 2013 will include the agency’s first spaceflight for its newest class of astronauts, the launch of its latest robot cargo ship Albert Einstein, and the development of new rockets and spacecraft, including a reusable space plane and work on NASA’s new Orion spacecraft.January and February should see agreements...

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Time to rebrand in Lincoln's image?

Wade Henderson thinks the modern Republican Party should look to Abraham Lincoln for some inspiration.STORY HIGHLIGHTSWade Henderson: January 1 is 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation He says GOP should look to Lincoln, a canny politician who led moral fight on civil rightsHe says GOP has history of civil rights support that it has largely abandoned in recent yearsHenderson: In 2012,...

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