Syria rebels in push to capture air base

AZAZ, Syria (Reuters) - Rebels battled on Thursday to seize an air base in northern Syria, part of a campaign to fight back against the air power that has given President Bashar al-Assad's forces free rein to bomb rebel-held towns. More than 60,000 people have been killed in the 21-month-old uprising and civil war, the United Nations said this week, sharply raising the death toll estimate...

Read More..

Wall Street extends gains on "cliff" deal

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks jumped on the year's first day of trading, after Washington lawmakers cut a last-minute deal to avert automatic tax hikes that threatened to stunt economic growth. With the gains, the S&P 500 was on target for its highest close since October 19. The rally was broad-based, with nine stocks rising for every one falling on the New York Stock...

Read More..

Ray Lewis to retire after playoffs

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Ray Lewis spent 17 seasons deftly patrolling the middle of the football field and serving as an inspirational leader for the Baltimore Ravens.Now he's poised and eager to become a full-time dad.Lewis announced Wednesday that he will end his brilliant NFL career after the Ravens complete their 2013 playoff run.Lewis has been sidelined since Oct. 14 with a torn right triceps....

Read More..

Congress extends wind, biofuels tax credits

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The bill Congress approved Tuesday night providing tax relief for most taxpayers also helps wind energy and ethanol producers by extending tax credits designed to encourage continued development.States like Texas, the nation’s leading wind energy producer, and Iowa, the leading ethanol maker, should benefit from the incentives. Many of the credits had expired in 2012.The bill...

Read More..

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,...

Read More..

'Fiscal cliff' aftermath: Fights loom on spending cuts, debt ceiling

President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans looked...

Read More..

U.N. lifts Syria death toll to "truly shocking" 60,000

AMMAN/GENEVA (Reuters) - More than 60,000 people have died in Syria's uprising and civil war, the United Nations said on Wednesday, dramatically raising the death toll in a struggle that shows no sign of ending. In the latest violence, dozens were killed in a rebellious Damascus suburb when a government air strike turned a petrol station into an inferno, incinerating drivers who had rushed...

Read More..

"Fiscal cliff" moves to House, timing and outcome uncertain

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Washington's last-minute scramble to step back from a recession-inducing "fiscal cliff" shifted to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives on Tuesday after the Senate approved a bipartisan deal to avoid steep tax hikes and spending cuts. In a rare late-night show of unity, the Senate voted 89 to 8 to raise some taxes on the wealthy while keeping income...

Read More..

NHL, union dig in for a long day of talks

NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL and the union are back at the bargaining table and seem determined to work toward a deal to save the hockey season.A full day of talks was planned for Tuesday, one day after negotiations resumed following nearly three weeks apart. On Monday, the players' association presented a counterproposal to an offer made by the league late last week. The NHL spent Monday night reviewing...

Read More..

7 Ways to Have a Happy New Year

Feeling grateful makes people feel good: That’s not just intuition, it’s science.Research also shows it’s possible to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. One of the creators of the World Gratitude Map, Jacqueline Lewis, shares some tips on how to feel more grateful, and happier, in your New Year.Once you find your sources of gratitude, you can post them to the web-based Map, which helps people around...

Read More..