France keeps up Mali air strikes, African troop plan advances

BAMAKO (Reuters) - France hit Islamist rebels in Mali with fresh air strikes and deployed armored cars on Tuesday, stepping up its intervention in the West African state as regional allies struggled to accelerate their plans to send in troops. Paris has poured hundreds of soldiers into Mali and carried out air raids since Friday in the northern half of the country, which was seized last...

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Stock futures mixed as investors eye earnings, Apple

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures were mixed on Monday as investors faced a busy week of corporate earnings results, while Apple fell on concerns of decreased demand. Shares of Apple slid more than 3 percent in premarket trade after a report that the tech giant has cut orders for LCD screens and other parts for the iPhone 5 this quarter due to weak demand. The stock was down 3.5...

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Title games feature Ravens-Pats, 49ers-Falcons

One game is a rematch. The other might feel like one — at least to one of the teams.For the second straight year in the AFC, the New England Patriots will host the Baltimore Ravens with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.In the NFC, it will be San Francisco traveling to Atlanta, with the Falcons defense trying to stop a versatile, running quarterback for the second straight week."Russell Wilson...

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Space Station Astronaut Calls for Peace on Earth

From high above Earth, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield is broadcasting a message of peace for the people of Earth, with a little help from 200,000 Twitter fans.The three-time spaceflyer, a flight engineer and prolific Twitter user on the International Space Station, spoke solemnly Thursday (Jan. 10) about a picture he recently took of war-torn Syria.The picture had special poignancy given that the...

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Is China easing up on local media?

A protester calls for greater media freedom outside the headquarters of Nanfang Media Group in Guangzhou on Jan. 9.STORY HIGHLIGHTSYoung: Handling of Southern Weekly row demonstrated tolerant side of new leadershipTraditional, newer media can serve as tools for achieving goals in China's modernizationThe fight against corruption in China is at the top of the list for incoming leader, Xi JinpingYoung:...

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Deadly West Side shooting spills over onto Eisenhower

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Decision on immunity for U.S. troops by year-end: Karzai

KABUL (Reuters) - A decision on immunity for U.S. troops staying in Afghanistan after the 2014 planned withdrawal will be made by the end of the year, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Monday. "The issue of immunity is under discussion (and) it is going to take eight to nine months before we reach agreement," Karzai told a news conference in the capital, Kabul, after returning from...

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Wall Street Week Ahead: Attention turns to financial earnings

NEW YORK (Reuters) - After over a month of watching Capitol Hill and Pennsylvania Avenue, Wall Street can get back to what it knows best: Wall Street. The first full week of earnings season is dominated by the financial sector - big investment banks and commercial banks - just as retail investors, free from the "fiscal cliff" worries, have started to get back into the markets. ...

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Ravens shock Broncos; 49ers rout Packers

The 49ers and Ravens are getting another shot at making the Super Bowl.Losers in tight conference championship games a year ago, they are returning to the final step before the big game in the Big Easy after wins Saturday.Baltimore took the long, frigid route, rallying at Denver for a 38-35 victory in an AFC divisional playoff. The Ravens will go to either New England, where they lost 23-20 in the...

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EPA issues Shell violation notices

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency has issued Royal Dutch Shell PLC notices of air quality violations for emissions involving its Arctic drilling operation in 2012.The EPA late Thursday issued the notices saying that Shell violated permits for nitrous oxides emissions coming from its drill rig and drill ship. The federal agency says Shell had multiple permit violations for...

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