Saudi execution: Brutal and illegal?

STORY HIGHLIGHTSSaudi authorities beheaded Rizana Nafeek, a Sri Lankan womanShe was convicted of killing a baby of the family employing her as a housemaidThis was despite Nafeek's claims that the baby died in a choking accidentBecker says her fate "should spotlight the precarious existence of domestic workers"Jo Becker is the Children's Rights Advocacy Director for Human Rights Watch and author of...

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Jazz world mourns Montreux founder “Funky Claude”

GENEVA (Reuters) – Claude Nobs, who founded the Montreux Jazz Festival nearly 50 years ago, has died after several weeks in a coma following a skiing accident, the festival said on Friday.The Swiss impresario immortalized by rock group Deep Purple as “Funky Claude” in the song “Smoke on the Water” and who lured the biggest stars of the music world to his festival on the shores of Lake Geneva died...

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Fiscal Cliff Deal + Obamacare = Higher Taxes

How much will your 2013 tax bill rise as a result of the yearend deal in Congress and the Affordable Care Act? Using Tax Policy Center data and three hypothetical taxpayers, here’s a look at what’s new—and what stays the same. The figures in green represent additional taxes. Calculate your own at calculator.taxpolicycenter.org.Businessweek.com — Top NewsTitle Post: Fiscal Cliff Deal + Obamacare =...

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RAPPEL-Sondage de BMO : La date limite de cotisation au REER est source de stress pour les Canadiens

MONTREAL, QUEBEC–(Marketwire – Jan 12, 2013) – Alors que le 1er mars, date limite de cotisation à un régime enregistré d”épargne-retraite (REER), arrive à grands pas, un sondage de BMO Groupe financier révèle que cette date butoir cause du souci à nombre de Canadiens qui ont du mal à trouver l”argent nécessaire pour faire une cotisation. Le sondage démontre toutefois que la majorité des Canadiens...

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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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Report: Lance to admit doping in Oprah interview

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Lance Armstrong plans to admit to doping throughout his career during an upcoming interview with Oprah Winfrey, USA Today reported late Friday.The interview, scheduled to be taped Monday and broadcast Thursday night on the Oprah Winfrey Network, will be conducted at Armstrong's home in Austin, Texas.Citing an anonymous source, USA Today reported that the disgraced cyclist plans...

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Why global labor reforms are vital

STORY HIGHLIGHTSSaudi authorities beheaded Rizana Nafeek, a Sri Lankan womanShe was convicted of killing a baby of the family employing her as a housemaidThis was despite Nafeek's claims that the baby died in a choking accidentBecker says her fate "should spotlight the precarious existence of domestic workers"Jo Becker is the Children's Rights Advocacy Director for Human Rights Watch and author of...

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‘Argo,’ ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ win at Critics Choice

(Reuters) – Ben Affleck’s Iran hostage drama “Argo,” “Lincoln” star Daniel Day-Lewis and “Zero Dark Thirty”‘s Jessica Chastain were among big winners at the Critics Choice Movie Awards on Thursday, taking honors for best picture, actor and actress, with Affleck nabbing the prize for best director.The all-star “Silver Linings Playbook” swept the comedy awards, winning best comedy film, best comedy...

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TSX may open lower, markets pause after 10-month high

(Reuters) – Canada’s main stock index looked set to open lower on Friday, mirroring Wall Street losses, as investors book profits after the index hit a 10-month high in the previous session.TOP STORIESGermany’s economic performance declined in the fourth quarter as industry reduced its production in line with weak European demand, the country’s Economy Ministry said.Mobile operator Vodafone said some...

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Silver Falcon Mining, Inc. (SFMI) Provides Bullish Outlook on Its 2013 Mining Operations

BRADENTON, FL–(Marketwire – Jan 11, 2013) – Silver Falcon Mining, Inc. ( OTCBB : SFMI ) reports on its mining and milling operations, as management remains bullish on anticipated 2013 activities.Diamond Creek MillThe Company’s Diamond Creek Mill’s designed gravity feed circuit has been temporarily shut-down for its yearly heavy maintenance and component recalibrations. At the same time, the integration...

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Wall Street to open firm after Thursday's gains, Wells Fargo results

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks were set to firm at the open on Friday after the S&P 500 climbed to a five-year high a day earlier, as record profit from Wells Fargo failed to excite investors who awaited fresh trading incentives. "The bigger news lies ahead of us in terms of earnings and also reports on Christmas sales, which seem to be poor so far," said Rick Meckler, president of investment...

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Browns name Rob Chudzinski new coach

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Browns hauled their coaching search to Arizona and back. They talked to high-profile college coaches, NFL assistants and a fired pro coach who took a team to a Super Bowl.None of them was hired.Instead, Rob Chudzinski became their pick.With no experience as a head coach at any level, Chudzinski was hired Thursday night by the Cleveland Browns, the team he cheered for as a kid....

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TNT Orders Dick Wolf Series “Cold Justice”

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – TNT has ordered eight episodes of a new procedural from “Law & Order” boss Dick Wolf, the network said Wednesday.The series bears the working title “Cold Justice” and is billed as an “unscripted procedural drama.” It will follow Texas prosecutor Kelly Siegler and Yolanda McClary, a crime-scene investigator for the Las Vegas Police Department, as they help local law-enforcement...

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Draghi urges eurozone governments to fix economies

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — European Central Bank head Mario Draghi says the struggling eurozone should leave recession later this year — provided European leaders keep working on economic reforms.Draghi said Thursday at a news conference that some indicators “have broadly stabilized” although at low levels. He said that later this year “economic activity should gradually recover.”He warned that “downside...

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Zale holiday sales metric up 2.3 pct, backs view

DALLAS (AP) — Zale Corp. said Thursday that a key sales measure rose 2.3 percent during the critical holiday shopping season, and the jewelry chain still expects to post a profit this year.Zale hasn’t posted an annual profit since 2008. Its fiscal year ends in July.Its revenue at stores open at least a year rose 2.3 percent during the holiday shopping season. November and December are important for...

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Wall Street climbs at open on China data

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks advanced at the open on Thursday as stronger-than-expected exports in China, the world's second-biggest economy, raised hopes for a more robust recovery in the global economy this year. The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> gained 51.22 points, or 0.38 percent, to 13,441.73. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.spx> climbed 8.01 points, or 0.55...

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NFL player Junior Seau had brain disease CTE

Junior Seau, one of the NFL's best and fiercest players for nearly two decades, had a degenerative brain disease when he committed suicide last May, the National Institutes of Health told The Associated Press on Thursday.Results of an NIH study of Seau's brain revealed abnormalities consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)."The brain was independently evaluated by multiple experts, in...

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Karzai's U.S. visit a time for tough talk

The last time Presidents Obama and Karzai met was in May in Kabul, when they signed a pact regarding U.S. troop withdrawal.STORY HIGHLIGHTSAfghan President Karzai meeting with President Obama in Washington this weekFelbab-Brown: Afghan politics are corrupt; army not ready for 2014 troop pulloutShe says Taliban, insurgents, splintered army, corrupt officials are all jockeying for powerU.S. needs to...

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“Lincoln” leads BAFTA film nominations with 10

LONDON (Reuters) – “Lincoln”, the story of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln’s battle to end slavery starring Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role, won 10 BAFTA nominations on Wednesday, putting it ahead of the pack at Britain’s top film honors.The biopic was shortlisted in categories including best film, actor, supporting actor (Tommy Lee Jones) and supporting actress (Sally Field), but director Steven...

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Stock futures rise after Alcoa starts earnings season

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stock index futures rose modestly on Wednesday as Alcoa got the earnings season under way with better-than-expected revenue.Alcoa Inc also gave a positive outlook for 2013, but kept a cautious tone as worries lingered over a looming U.S. budget confrontation. Shares of Alcoa, the largest aluminum producer in the United States, rose 2.5 percent to $ 9.33 in premarket trade.Even...

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How to start a retirement fund in your 50s

Dear Dr. Don,What’s the best way to start a retirement fund in your 50s? I realize that it’s a late start, but my husband was laid off and just began working again in June. We do not have a lot of money for a retirement fund, and we don’t know where to begin. Should we invest in stocks, bonds or certificates of deposit? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.– Denise DiligenceDear Denise,If...

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Wall Street edges up at open after Alcoa results

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks opened slightly higher on Wednesday after Alcoa got the earnings season under way with better-than-expected revenue and an encouraging outlook for the year. The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> gained 36.93 points, or 0.28 percent, to 13,365.78. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.spx> rose 2.64 points, or 0.18 percent, to 1,459.79. The Nasdaq...

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Redskins' RG3 has surgery on torn knee ligament

WASHINGTON (AP) — Robert Griffin III had surgery Wednesday morning to repair a torn ligament and to determine whether there was any other damage in his ailing right knee.A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that the procedure was expected to last about two hours. The person said orthopedist James Andrews planned to repair a torn lateral collateral ligament and examine the...

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Australian firefighters battle bush blazes, intense heat

STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Federal government steps in with fuel, personnel to help NSW fire effortMore than 130 fires are burning across NSW during one of the hottest days on record 90% of the Australian state is under "severe" or higher fire warningsHigh temperatures and dry conditions have combined to create "dangerous day"Editor's note: Are you there? Send your stories, images to iReport(CNN) -- Soaring...

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