Baby Panda Rings in 2013

This little panda cub rang in the New Year with a clean bill of health.At a checkup Tuesday (Jan 1), caretakers determined that Xiao Liwu — the latest giant panda born at the San Diego Zoo — is healthy and getting stronger. The cub continues to sprout baby teeth and is mouthing, chewing and teething a bit, zoo officials said. At 22 weeks old, the baby bear weighs 16 pounds (7.3 kilograms) and measures...

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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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Taxes to rise for most Americans despite 'fiscal cliff' deal

President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans looked...

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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...

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Senate approves "fiscal cliff" deal, crisis eased

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate moved the U.S. economy back from the edge of a "fiscal cliff" on Tuesday, voting to avoid imminent tax hikes and spending cuts in a bipartisan deal that could still face stiff challenges in the House of Representatives. In a rare New Year's session at around 2 a.m. EST (0700 GMT), senators voted 89-8 to raise some taxes on the wealthy while making permanent...

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Reid among 7 NFL coaches sacked in firing frenzy

Andy Reid is the winningest coach in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles. Lovie Smith led the Chicago Bears to the 2007 Super Bowl.Now they're looking for work.Seven coaches and five general managers were fired Monday in a flurry of pink slips that were delivered the day after the regular-season ended.Ken Whisenhunt is out after helping Arizona reach the Super Bowl following the 2008 season. Also...

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How Gratitude Can Improve Your Life

As the new year begins, good things, however small, are happening.Someone’s loved one got a new job in San Francisco. In Charlottesville, a canceled reservation allowed someone else to get a seat on a sold-out train and arrive in time for a wedding. The storybook characters Pooh and Piglet made someone in East Sussex, England, happy, and in Colorado Springs, ever-reliable bacon brightened someone’s...

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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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Bears general manager: 'We need to consistently be in the playoffs'

A day after the Chicago Bears fired head coach Lovie Smith, general manager Phil Emery explained his decision to the media at...

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About 60 crushed to death in Ivory Coast stampede

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - About 60 people were crushed to death in a stampede outside a stadium in Ivory Coast's main city of Abidjan after a New Year's Eve fireworks display, the government said on Tuesday. The incident took place near Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium where a crowd had gathered to watch fireworks, emergency officials said. One of the injured, speaking to Reuters...

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