13 key stories to watch for in 2013

Among the few virtual certainties of 2013 is the ongoing anguish of Syria and the decline of its president, Bashar al-Assad.STORY HIGHLIGHTSLook for more unrest amid power transitions in the Middle EastDisputes and economic worries will keep China, Japan, North Korea in the newsEurope's economy will stay on a rough road, but the outlook for it is brighterEvents are likely to draw attention to cyber...

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List: No love for ‘fiscal cliff,’ ‘spoiler alert’

DETROIT (AP) — Spoiler alert: This story contains words and phrases that some people want to ban from the English language. “Spoiler alert” is among them. So are “kick the can down the road,” ”trending” and “bucket list.”A dirty dozen have landed on the 38th annual List of Words to be Banished from the Queen’s English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness. The nonbinding, tongue-in-cheek decree...

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Wall Street up slightly in choppy trade over "cliff" worry

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street mostly edged higher on Monday, with the S&P 500 on track for double-digit gains for the year, as politicians bargained for a deal to avert the "fiscal cliff." Equities are coming off a five-day streak of losses, driven by the growing concern that there wouldn't be a deal before the midnight deadline to avoid the combination of tax hikes and spending...

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Commissions banned on new sales

31 December 2012 Last updated at 07:37 ETFinancial advisers and sales staff can no longer be paid commissions by the firms whose policies they are selling.New rules, aimed at eradicating the long-standing practice, are being imposed by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) from now.The aim is to stop policies – such as private pensions and investments – being mis-sold by sales staff, motivated by...

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Petrolympic Announces Closing of A Private Placement

TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Dec 31, 2012) – Petrolympic Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:PCQ) (“Petrolympic“) announced that it has closed a private placement (the “Offering“) on Friday December 28, 2012. The Offering is a combination of 3,285,715 flow-through units (“FT Units“) at a price of $ 0.07 per FT Unit and 333,333 common share units (“Common Unit“) at a price of $ 0.06 per Common Unit for a total gross...

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Eagles fire Andy Reid after 14 seasons

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Andy Reid's worst coaching season with the Philadelphia Eagles ended Monday after 14 years when he was fired by owner Jeffrey Lurie, who said it was time "to move in a new direction."The dismissal came one day after Reid and the Eagles were humiliated 42-7 by the New York Giants and ended their season at 4-12."Andy leaves us with a winning tradition that we can build upon. And...

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Hot spots draw believers, but not doomsday

As the sun rose from time zone to time zone across the world on Friday, there was still no sign of the world’s end — but that didn’t stop those convinced that a 5,125-year Mayan calendar predicts the apocalypse from gathering at some of the world’s purported survival hot spots.Many of the esoterically inclined expected a new age of consciousness — others wanted a party. But, in some places said to...

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Obama says failure to reach fiscal deal would hurt markets

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Financial markets would be affected adversely if U.S. lawmakers fail to agree on a "fiscal cliff" deal before Tuesday, President Barack Obama said in an interview broadcast on Sunday, while urging Congress to act quickly to extend tax cuts for middle-class Americans. Lawmakers are seeking a last-minute deal that would set aside $600 billion in tax increases and...

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We’re Paying Off Our Debts, At Least At Home

Had it with the so-called fiscal cliff? Wondering what comes next now that Republicans pulled the plug on House Speaker John Boehner’s Plan B? Take a break from the frenzy in Washington and ignore for the moment the federal government’s red ink. Focus instead on another balance sheet that isn’t getting enough attention: The household balance sheet. Over the past five turbulent years, despite high...

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Harper Government Announces Federal Income Support for Parents of Murdered or Missing Children Grant to Be Available on January 1, 2013

OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Dec 30, 2012) – Dr. Kellie Leitch, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, announced that the new Federal Income Support for Parents of Murdered or Missing Children grant will be available as of Tuesday.“Our government is taking action to provide more support for victims of crime and their families,”...

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Michigan State edges TCU 17-16 in BWW Bowl

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Michigan State labored on offense throughout the first half, unable to get anything going on the ground, in the air, anywhere.For a team that had lost five games by a combined 13 points during the regular season, it was starting to feel familiar.The Spartans changed their luck by turning to brutally effective running back Le'Veon Bell in the second half, setting up Dan Conroy for...

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2013: A year for big issues in the courts

By Jeffrey Toobin, CNN Senior Legal AnalystDecember 27, 2012 -- Updated 1445 GMT (2245 HKT)Chief Justice John Roberts re-administers the oath of office to Barack Obama at the White House on January 21, 2009. STORY HIGHLIGHTSJeffrey Toobin: 2013 will see pivotal decisions in several key areas of lawHe says Supreme Court could decide fate of same-sex marriageAffirmative action for public college admissions...

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