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Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Myanmar pardons political offenders

Myanmar pardons political offenders

Myanmar pardons political offenders

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:30 PM PST

Released political prisoner Yan Naing Tun, listens to a reporter's question outside Insein Prison, in Yangon, Myanmar, Tuesday, Dec.31, 2013. Myanmar freed five prisoners Tuesday and more are expected to be released next week as part of pledge by the country's president to free all political prisoners by the end of 2013. President Thein Sein granted a pardon Monday to those convicted of or charged with a variety of political offenses, such as unlawful association, high treason, contempt of government and violations of the peaceful assembly law. The placard in the background reads: YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Myanmar freed five prisoners Tuesday and more are expected to be released next week as part of a pledge by the country's president to free all political prisoners by the end of 2013.

Utah asks Supreme Court to block same-sex unions

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:27 PM PST

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah took its fight against gay marriage to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, asking the high court to suspend same-sex unions that became legal when a judge struck down the state's voter-approved ban.

Jets' Rex, Idzik show unified front into offseason

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:26 PM PST

New York Jets coach Rex Ryan, right, and general manager John Idzik react as they speak to the media during an NFL football news conference Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013, in Florham Park, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Rex Ryan and John Idzik were all smiles, laughing a few times while wrapping up the New York Jets' season and looking to the future.

Millsap's effort leads NBA Hawks in slim win at Boston

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:26 PM PST

Paul Millsap of the Atlanta Hawks in action at Philips Arena on December 16, 2013 in Atlanta, GeorgiaPaul Millsap scored 34 points and grabbed 15 rebounds Tuesday to lead the Atlanta Hawks over the Boston Celtics 92-91 in an NBA matchup. The Hawks, one of only three teams in the Eastern Conference with winning records, improved to 18-14. They are 2-1 since Al Horford was lost for the season with a torn right pectoral. Since Horford's departure, Millsap has stepped up with an average of 28 points and 11.7 rebounds a game.

Mexico subway dig turns up unusual Aztec offering

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:26 PM PST

In this May 26, 2009 image released by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the skeleton of a person lies next to an incense holder after it was found during excavations for the newest line 12 of the subway in Mexico City. The institute says several Aztec offerings were found during the construction of the subway line performed between 2008 and 2011, and announced it on Tuesday Dec. 31, 2013. (AP Photo/INAH)MEXICO CITY (AP) — Archaeologists announced Tuesday that excavations for a Mexico City subway extension have turned up what appears to be an unusual Aztec offering: a dog's skull with holes that indicate it was displayed on a ritual skull rack normally reserved for human sacrifice victims.

US stocks cap stunning year with fresh records

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:24 PM PST

A street sign reads Wall Street in front of the New York Stock Exchange on February 4, 2013 in New York CityNew York (AFP) - US stock markets rang out 2013's final session Tuesday with new record closes for both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500.

Revelers welcome 2014 with huge fireworks displays

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:20 PM PST

Fireworks explode over the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House during New Year's Eve celebrations in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — With fireworks, dancing and late-night revelry, millions around the world welcomed 2014 on Tuesday, gathering for huge displays of jubilation and unity as the new year arrived.

Obama ringing in new year in low-key fashion

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:17 PM PST

President Barack Obama is seen through the window of his motorcade vehicle as he is driven through the Kailua, Hawaii, neighborhood where he is spending his annual holiday vacation with his family, Monday, Dec. 30, 2013, en route to Makiki Valley Loop Trail in Honolulu to hike with family and friends. The first family is in Hawaii for their annual holiday vacation. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)HONOLULU (AP) — President Barack Obama is closing out a difficult year in low-key fashion, with hopes for better results to come in 2014, particularly for his troubled health care law.

Dubai dazzles in global 2014 party

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:15 PM PST

A lightshow illuminates the Great Wall during a New Year countdown event at the Great Wall in Beijing on December 31, 2013Dubai attempted to smash the fireworks world record as it ushered in 2014 with a bang, as a wave of pyrotechnics swept around the globe to celebrate the New Year. The Middle East hub was hoping to break the Guinness World Record for the largest-ever display, pledging to set off more than 400,000 fireworks. To the strains of Arabic pop music, the five-minute thundering display filled the skies above the United Arab Emirates' main city. Fireworks shot off the Opera House for the first time in more than 10 years as part of the extravaganza, focused on the Harbour Bridge.

US stocks move higher on the last day of 2013

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:15 PM PST

Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)NEW YORK (AP) — The Standard & Poor's 500 index is closing out its best year since 1997 as traders wrap up a record-setting year on Wall Street.

South Sudan government, rebels set for New Year's Day talks

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:11 PM PST

By Carl Odera and Aaron Maasho JUBA (Reuters) - South Sudan's government and rebels are set for New Year's Day peace talks in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, to thrash out a ceasefire to end weeks of ethnic bloodletting in the world's newest state. Both sides agreed to a ceasefire on Tuesday, mediators said, but fighting between government troops and militias loyal to former Vice President Riek Machar raged in Bor, the capital of the vast Jonglei state and site of an ethnic massacre in 1991. "I'm worried that the continued fighting in Bor might scupper the start of these talks," said Ethiopian Foreign Minister Dr. Tedros Adhanom, who is chairman of the regional Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) bloc that is mediating the talks. Western and regional powers have pushed both sides to end the fighting that has killed at least 1,000 people, cut South Sudan's oil output and raised fears of a full-blown civil war in the heart of a fragile region.

Oil ends the year at $98 a barrel

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:11 PM PST

The price of oil retreated from its recent high to end the year at $98.42 Tuesday.

Putin vows to annihilate "terrorists" after suicide bombings

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:11 PM PST

By Sergei Karpov VOLGOGRAD, Russia (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday vowed to annihilate all "terrorists" following two deadly bomb attacks in the southern Russian city of Volgograd that raised security fears ahead of the Winter Olympics. The uncompromising remarks in a televised New Year address were Putin's first public comments since suicide bombers killed at least 34 people in attacks less than 24 hours apart on a railway station and a trolleybus on Sunday and Monday. But after two decades of violence in the North Caucasus, Islamist militants continue to pose a threat beyond their home region. Russia's Olympic Committee chief said no more could be done to safeguard the Games since every measure possible was already in place around Sochi, beneath the Caucasus mountains.

Egypt seizes Brotherhood, Islamist leaders' assets

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:09 PM PST

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's interim government has ordered the assets of more than 500 Muslim Brotherhood and Islamist leaders seized - including those of the country's ousted president — as part of an ever-tightening crackdown on the group, senior judicial and security officials said Tuesday.

'Murder, She Wrote' star Angela Lansbury honored

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:08 PM PST

FILE - In this Jan. 7, 2013 file photo, actress Angela Lansbury poses for photos in Sydney, Australia. Lansbury the 88-year-old actress was one of more than 1,000 people who were recognized by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in the New Year's Honors List. For the first time since the Order of the British Empire was founded in 1917, most of them were women. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)LONDON (AP) — Honor, She Got.

Revelers usher in 2014 with fireworks, festivities

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:07 PM PST

Fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre during a pyrotechnic show to celebrate the New Year in Hong KongBy Victoria Cavaliere NEW YORK (Reuters) - From Sydney to Dubai, revelers welcomed 2014 with extravagant fireworks displays, while London prepared to celebrate by spraying clouds of fruit-flavored mist and Chicago and San Francisco planned massive outdoor celebrations. In New York, about one million people were expected to gather in Times Square for the New Year's Eve street party as Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge and hip-hop artists Macklemore & Ryan Lewis headline the festivities and the dropping of a 11,875-pound, crystal-encrusted ball marks the start of 2014. "If New York can drop a ball... then we can lower the opossum," organizers explained on their website. Chicago, which could see a significant snow storm amid its flurry of festivities, was offering free rides on trains and buses from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. to ensure revelers make it home safely.

MSNBC host apologizes for jokes about Romney baby

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:03 PM PST

FILE - This March 15, 2013 file photo shows former Massachusetts Gov., and 2012 Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney at the 40th annual Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md. MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry is apologizing to Mitt Romney's family after a picture of the Romney holiday card that showed the 2012 Republican presidential candidate's adopted, African-American grandson was joked about on her show. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)NEW YORK (AP) — An MSNBC host is apologizing to Mitt Romney's family after she and guests on her show joked about a Christmas picture that showed the 2012 Republican presidential candidate's adopted, African-American grandson.

All-clear coming for ND town near oil train derail

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 01:03 PM PST

A fireball goes up at the site of an oil train derailment Monday, Dec 30, 2013, in Casselton, N.D. The train carrying crude oil derailed near Casselton Monday afternoon. Several explosions were reported as some cars on the mile-long train caught fire. (AP Photo/Bruce Crummy)CASSELTON, N.D. (AP) — A southeastern North Dakota town narrowly escaped tragedy when a train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded nearby, the mayor said Tuesday, calling for changes in how the fuel is transported across the U.S.

Obama's tarnished health care law at a crossroads

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:58 PM PST

Howard Kraft discusses signing up for health insurance as he sits in his Lincolnton, N.C. home Monday, Dec. 30, 2013. All things good, bad and unpredictable converge Jan. 1 for President Barack Obama's health care overhaul as the law's major benefits take effect, along with an unpopular insurance mandate and a real risk of more nerve-wracking disruptions to coverage. For some, the changes bring big improvements, including Kraft. A painful spinal problem left him unable to work as a hotel bellman. But he's got coverage because federal law now forbids insurers from turning away people with health problems. WASHINGTON (AP) — All things good, bad and unpredictable converge with the new year for President Barack Obama's health care overhaul as the law's major benefits take effect, along with an unpopular insurance mandate and a risk of more nerve-wracking disruptions to coverage.

Egypt security forces arrest Brotherhood leader's son

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:56 PM PST

By Asma Alsharif CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian security forces have arrested the son of a Muslim Brotherhood leader on charges of inciting violence, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday, the latest move in a crackdown against the group now branded a terrorist organization. Anas Beltagi was arrested with two others in an apartment in Nasr City, the same district where security forces in August broke up protests calling for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Mursi, a Muslim Brotherhood leader who was ousted by the army in July. They were found in possession of a shotgun and ammunition, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. Beltagi's father, Mohamed Beltagi, is in jail facing trial for inciting violence along with other Muslim Brotherhood leaders.

Evacuation orders lifted in Casselton after North Dakota derailment

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:51 PM PST

Emergency responders lifted mandatory evacuation orders on Tuesday afternoon in Casselton, North Dakota, where a BNSF train carrying oil collided with another on Monday setting off a series of blasts and a fire that is still raging. "The environment within the city limits of Casselton is now safe for residents to return to their homes," the emergency responders said in a statement. One or two of the train cars carrying oil was still burning, said Casselton Mayor Ed McConnell. One of the trains was carrying oil from the Bakken shale in North Dakota.

Pot, guns and paparazzi: New laws run gamut in US

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:51 PM PST

FILE - In this Aug. 13, 2013, file photo, actress Halle Berry urges lawmakers to support a bill that would limit the ability of paparazzi to photograph children of celebrities and public figures, at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. The bill, by state Sen. Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, left, was approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, is one of the more than 800 new laws to take effect Jan. 1. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)The new year is bringing a host of new laws taking effect in January or thereabouts. A look at some state and local laws that are making news:

Putin breaks tradition, gives 2 New Year's talks

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:51 PM PST

Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, during a recording of his annual televised New Year's message a New Year dinner in Khabarovsk, Russia's Far East, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013. Displaying the killer instincts of a chess grandmaster, Vladimir Putin rang out 2013 with an exceptional list of accomplishments.(AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Presidential Press Service)MOSCOW (AP) — Vladimir Putin has added a twist to the stolid ritual of Russian presidential New Year's Eve address by doing two versions this year.

Millsap's 34 leads Hawks in 92-91 win vs Celtics

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:51 PM PST

Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver, left, drives past Boston Celtics forward Gerald Wallace, right, in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013, at the TD Garden in Boston. The Hawks defeated the Celtics 92-91. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)BOSTON (AP) — Paul Millsap had season highs with 34 points and 15 rebounds and the Atlanta Hawks rallied for a 92-91 win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday afternoon.

Iran says nuclear deal to be implemented in late January

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:50 PM PST

By Marcus George DUBAI (Reuters) - World powers and Iran have agreed to start implementing in late January an agreement obliging Tehran to suspend its most sensitive nuclear work, an Iranian official was quoted as saying on Tuesday. There was no immediate confirmation of the agreement from the six powers - the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany - or the European Union, which oversees contacts with Iran on behalf of the six. The reported agreement follows nearly 23 hours of talks between nuclear experts from Iran and the six powers held in Geneva on Monday and Tuesday.

Kerry to push for solutions as Israeli-Palestinian peace talks intensify

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:48 PM PST

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks during a joint news conference with Philippines' Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario in ManilaBy Lesley Wroughton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry hopes to narrow differences between Israelis and Palestinians in peace talks this week that are intended to guide the sides toward a deal in April, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday. Kerry departs for the region on Wednesday in his first trip after a Christmas break. Israel and Palestinians resumed peace talks in July after a three-year break aimed at producing a peace agreement within nine months to end their decades-old conflict. Such a step would also demonstrate to both Israelis and Palestinians that progress is being made.

Murder-suicide possible in 4 deaths at Calif. home

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:46 PM PST

Neighbors look on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013, as Fontana, Calif. police investigate the house where a family of four were found shot to death on Monday night. (AP Photo/The Press-Enterprise, Kurt Miller)FONTANA, Calif. (AP) — The investigation into the deaths of two children, a woman and a man in a home indicates a possible murder-suicide, a police spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Football leads NBC to ratings win

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:46 PM PST

NEW YORK (AP) — Football proved a dependable draw during a quiet week in television over the Christmas holiday.

Abbas warns of legal action on Israel settlements before Kerry visit

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:42 PM PST

Prisoner releaseRamallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas warned Tuesday of legal and diplomatic action to stop Israeli settlement expansion, on the eve of a new peace mission by US Secretary of State John Kerry. Abbas's warning came after Israel freed 26 prisoners earlier in the day, as part of US-brokered peace talks, which Kerry hopes to reinvigorate during his visit. The release prompted celebration among Palestinians, who welcomed the prisoners back into the West Bank and Gaza Strip after they had spent two to three decades in Israeli jails. But as Kerry geared up for his 10th visit since March, an anticipated announcement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of further settlement construction looked set to cast a new cloud over the talks.

No. 3 Ohio St. pulls away from Purdue 78-69

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:38 PM PST

Ohio State's Lenzelle Smith Jr. (32) drives to the basket against Purdue's Terone Johnson (0) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013, in West Lafayette, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — LaQuinton Ross had 25 points and 12 rebounds, both career bests, and Shannon Scott added a career-high 18 points to lead No. 3 Ohio State to a 78-69 victory Tuesday at Purdue.

S.Sudan rebel chief sends peace envoys but still fighting

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:37 PM PST

A South Sudanese woman with a child sits on December 25, 2013 at the main hospital in BorSouth Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar agreed to send envoys to peace negotiations in Ethiopia Tuesday, but rejected face-to-face talks with President Salva Kiir, warning that his forces would continue to fight. As the United Nations condemned "in the strongest possible terms" atrocities committed against innocent civilians, former vice president Machar said his troops were still marching on the capital after claiming to have recaptured a key town. "Our forces are still marching on Juba, there is no cessation of hostilities yet," Machar told AFP via satellite telephone from an undisclosed location inside South Sudan. The United States, which was a key backer of South Sudan's independence struggle, said the sending of negotiators was an "important first step".

Apple says never worked with NSA on iPhone backdoors

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:37 PM PST

People check out several versions of the new iPhone 5C after Apple Inc's media event in CupertinoApple Inc has never worked with the U.S. National Security Agency and is unaware of efforts to target its smartphones, the company said in response to reports that the spy agency had developed a system to hack into and monitor iPhones. Germany's Der Spiegel reported this week that a secretive unit of the NSA, which is under fire for the extent and depth of its spying programs around the world, makes specialized gear and software to infiltrate and monitor a plethora of computing devices, including mobile phones. (http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/a-941262.html) The report included an NSA graphic dated 2008 that outlined a system in development called DROPOUTJEEP, described as a "software implant" that allows infiltrators to push and pull and retrieve data from iPhones such as contact lists. In a statement issued Tuesday, the NSA did not comment on any specific allegations but said that its interest "in any given technology is driven by the use of that technology by foreign intelligence targets." "The United States pursues its intelligence mission with care to ensure that innocent users of those same technologies are not affected," the agency added.

NHL hopes bigger makes the Winter Classic better

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:34 PM PST

The hockey rink in Michigan Stadium is shown for the NHL Winter Classic outdoor hockey game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2013, in Ann Arbor, Mich. The game is scheduled for New Year's Day. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The NHL is hoping bigger is better at its Winter Classic.

Astros agree to deal with reliever Jesse Crain

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:29 PM PST

HOUSTON (AP) — All-Star free-agent reliever Jesse Crain has agreed to a one-year deal with the Houston Astros.

US frees last 3 Uighur prisoners from Guantanamo

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:27 PM PST

ADDS TO CLARIFY THAT THE MEN PICTURED WERE RESETTLED AT AN UNKNOWN DATE - FILE - In this June 1, 2009 file photo reviewed by the U.S. military, Chinese Uighur Guantanamo detainees, who at the time were cleared for release but had no country to go to, show a home-made note to visiting members of the media, at Camp Iguana detention facility, at Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base, Cuba. Officials said on Tuesday Dec. 31, 2013, that Slovakia has accepted the last three Chinese Uighur prisoners from Guantanamo Bay who had posed a difficult resettlement challenge. Authorities eventually determined that the 22 Uighurs in its custody had no involvement in terrorism. The men in this photo were resettled at an unknown date. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, Pool, File)MIAMI (AP) — Three members of a persecuted ethnic minority from China have been released from Guantanamo Bay and sent to the Central European country of Slovakia, officials said Tuesday, resolving a diplomatic dilemma that had kept the men imprisoned long after a judge had ordered their release.

The top 10 songs and albums on the iTunes Store

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:27 PM PST

FILE - This Sept. 15, 2012 file photo released by Point Foundation shows Robin Thicke performing at "Voices On Point" Concert & Gala in Los Angeles. Thisck's iTunes' Official Music Charts for the week ending Dec. 30, 2013:

The top iPhone and iPad apps on App Store

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:24 PM PST

App Store Official Charts for the week ending Dec. 30, 2013:

Early Lagerfeld designs up for auction in Florida

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:23 PM PST

In this Monday, Dec. 30, 2013 photo, one of the few signed drawings that Karl Lagerfeld did, hang on the wall of the Modern Auction house in West Palm Beach, Fla. Most in-house designers are not allowed to sign their work. A 50-year-old archive of some of Karl Lagerfeld's early fashion designs is going up for auction in Florida. In the 1960s, Lagerfeld was designing for Elizabeth Taylor and other celebrities while working for the House of Tiziani in Rome. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Half a century after Karl Lagerfeld first drew her in a blue tunic and a plaid, buckled coat, the woman in a fashion sketch for the House of Tiziani still seems ready to saunter off the page and into the street.

Machinists chief once called pensions 'sacred'

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:20 PM PST

Puget Sound-area political leaders, from left, former Snohomish County Executive Bob Drewel, Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke, Snohomish County Executive John Lovick, Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson, Renton Mayor Denis Law and Port of Everett Commissioner Troy McClelland, smile at a news conference where they urged Boeing Machinists to vote in favor of a contract offer to build the new 777X, Monday, Dec. 30, 2013, in Everett, Wash. The Boeing Co. told the government leaders earlier Monday that this week's vote will determine the fate of some jobs on the new 777X airplane. Boeing executive Ray Conner told them earlier in the day that an accepted contract will ensure that the wing work stays in the Puget Sound, but a vote to reject the deal will ensure the jobs go elsewhere. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)SEATTLE (AP) — The national union chief who has forced a vote on a pension-freezing Boeing contract proposal once called those retirement plans sacred and derided alternatives as risky.

Spotify's Top 10 most streamed tracks

Posted: 31 Dec 2013 12:11 PM PST

FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2012 file photo, musician Robin Thicke performs during Macy's Passport presents Glamorama 2012 at The Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. Thicke's "Blurred Lines (feat. T.I. & Pharrell)" was the top streamed tracks on Spotify from Monday, June 10, to Sunday, June 16, 2013. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File)The following list represents the top streamed tracks on Spotify from Monday, Dec. 23, to Sunday Dec. 29:
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