Yen falls, Nikkei surges as Japan gets a new government

TOKYO (Reuters) - The yen fell to a 20-month low against the dollar on Wednesday, buoying the benchmark Nikkei stock average to nine-month highs, as Japan swore in a new prime minister eager to pursue drastic stimulus steps to drive the country's economy out of deflation. Asian shares and other assets were capped in thin holiday trade, with investors focusing on the fate of U.S. negotiations...

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Lakers beat Knicks 100-94 to get to .500

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The pieces of the puzzle that have been the Lakers' confounding season so far are starting to fall into place.Kobe Bryant engineered a second-half comeback, the defense stepped up, and Los Angeles beat the New York Knicks 100-94 on Tuesday, extending its winning streak to five games."We're .500," a smiling Dwight Howard said. "We did it on Christmas, too. I knew this day would come."Bryant...

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Tornado touches down in downtown Mobile, Alabama; damage reported

MOBILE, Alabama (Reuters) – A tornado hit downtown Mobile, Alabama at about 5 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.NWS observing program leader Gene Jacobi of the service’s Mobile office said it had confirmed reports of a tornado, but did not yet know its size.Local media reports are describing property damage, downed trees and power lines, and widespread power outages. (Reporting...

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Shootings across city wound at least 3 on Christmas

Police outside the crime scene on 69th Street, where an 18-year-old man was shot before midnight on Christmas. ...

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Egypt approves constitution drafted by Mursi allies

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian voters overwhelmingly approved a constitution drafted by President Mohamed Mursi's allies, results announced on Tuesday showed, proving that liberals, leftists and Christians have been powerless to halt the march of Islamists in power. Final elections commission figures showed the constitution adopted with 63.8 percent of the vote in the referendum held over...

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Yen on defensive on U.S. fiscal worry, helps Nikkei

TOKYO (Reuters) - Uncertainty over whether U.S. lawmakers will strike a deal by an end-of-year deadline to avert a severe fiscal retrenchment undermined the yen and bolstered Japanese shares on Tuesday in low volume, with many participants away on Christmas holiday. The dollar rose to a 20-month high of 84.965 yen early on Tuesday in Asia, as Japanese markets caught up with global investors...

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Pagano back to coach Colts after cancer treatment

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Chuck Pagano stepped to the podium Monday, hugged his team owner, thanked his family for its support and wiped a tear from his eye.He might, finally, turn out the lights in his office, too.Nearly three months to the day after being diagnosed with leukemia, the Colts' first-year coach returned to a team eager to reunite with a boss healthy enough to go back to work."I told you my...

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Utilities keeping eye on expected snow storm

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Utility companies are watching and waiting as a Christmas Day storm is expected in Oklahoma and Arkansas.The National Weather Service says 4 to 8 inches of snow is possible from western Oklahoma to the Arkansas state line and up to 10 inches could fall in the Ozark Mountains of northwest Arkansas.Kathleen O’Shea with Oklahoma Gas and Electric — which has about 798,000 customers...

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Six political lessons of 2012

2012: The year in pictures2012: The year in pictures2012: The year in pictures2012: The year in pictures2012: The year in pictures2012: The year in pictures2012: The year in pictures2012: The year in pictures2012: The year in pictures2012: The year in pictures2012: The year in pictures2012: The year in pictures2012: The year in pictures2012: The year in pictures2012: The year in pictures2012: The...

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6 shot within hours; 5 seriously hurt

Six people were hurt, five seriously, in shootings on the South and West sides late Monday.Four of the injured were hurt in...

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