http://www.mail.com/subjects/304-general-news.html Mail.com - the best personalized free web-based Email en en http://sec-s.uicdn.com/mail.com/2.20/img/mailcom_logo_rss.png http://www.mail.com/subjects/304-general-news.html http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1763286-chicago-vows-to-fight-concealed-carry-ruling.html CHICAGO (AP) — With parts of the city in the grip of gang warfare and spiking homicide rates, Chicago aldermen urged state officials to appeal an appellate court's decision tossing Illinois' ban on concealed weapons, with some suggesting they might launch their own legal battle. Outside a City Council meeting Wednesday, one alderman after another said the... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:41:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1763286-chicago-vows-to-fight-concealed-carry-ruling.html 2012-12-13T11:41:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763736-vatican-austerity-donated-nativity-scene.html VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican has happily accepted a donated Nativity scene for St. Peter's Square this Christmas after its previous €550,000 ($717,000) setup was exposed by the embarrassing scandal over leaked Vatican documents. Monsignor Giuseppe Sciacca, the No. 2 administrator of the Vatican city state, told reporters Thursday that the Vatican was s... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:38:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763736-vatican-austerity-donated-nativity-scene.html 2012-12-13T11:38:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763234-un-nuke-inspectors-renew-efforts-to-engage-iran.html TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Envoys from the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency opened talks with Iranian officials on Thursday, seeking ways to restart negotiations with world powers and gain access to a site with suspected links to past atomic tests. The mission by the International Atomic Energy Agency underscores the stalemate atmosphere over Tehran's nuclear progra... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:37:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763234-un-nuke-inspectors-renew-efforts-to-engage-iran.html 2012-12-13T11:37:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1763714-opec-concerned-us-pickup-oil-output.html VIENNA (AP) — A senior OPEC official says the organization does not see increased U.S. oil output as a threat to its interests. OPEC Secretary General Abdullah Al-Badry also says figures supplied to OPEC by Iran show it producing around 3.7 million barrels a day. That is about the same amount as Tehran pumped before international embargos on its crude tha... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:34:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1763714-opec-concerned-us-pickup-oil-output.html 2012-12-13T11:34:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763704-somali-rebels-up-to-8k-to-kill-kenyan-forces.html NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A Kenyan official says a message intercepted from the Somali Islamist extremist group al-Shabab shows that rebels are being offered up to $8,000 to kill Kenyan security officers. Garissa County Commissioner Maalim Mohammed said Thursday the rewards are enough incentive to motivate some youths in the eastern Kenyan county to carry out... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:32:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763704-somali-rebels-up-to-8k-to-kill-kenyan-forces.html 2012-12-13T11:32:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1763554-italy-raises-cash-easily-berlusconi-vacillates.html MILAN (AP) — Silvio Berlusconi's vacillations over whether or not to run for Prime Minister of Italy failed to dent investor demand for the country's debt, leaving borrowing costs steadfastly low in a bond auction on Thursday. Italy easily raised €3.5 billion ($4.5 billion) in the sale of 3-year bonds Thursday that saw interest rates, or yields, drop to t... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:31:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1763554-italy-raises-cash-easily-berlusconi-vacillates.html 2012-12-13T11:31:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1763722-egypt-reinstates-judge-probing-violence.html CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's official news agency says the nation's top prosecutor has reinstated the judge investigating last week's deadly violence between supporters and opponents of President Mohammed Morsi. The question of who to blame for the deaths of at least nine people in the clashes has become a sensitive political issue. The violence began Dec. 5 when... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:31:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1763722-egypt-reinstates-judge-probing-violence.html 2012-12-13T11:31:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763340-blast-damascus-kills-16-media.html BEIRUT (AP) — A bomb blast Thursday near a school in a Damascus suburb killed 16 people, at least half of them women and children, the state news agency reported. Russia, Syria's most important international ally, said for the first time that President Bashar Assad is increasingly losing control and the opposition may win the civil war. The statement by R... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:29:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763340-blast-damascus-kills-16-media.html 2012-12-13T11:29:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/us/1763560-victim-us-rendition-wins-europe-court-ruling.html PARIS (AP) — The European Court of Human Rights ruled Thursday in favor of a German man who says the CIA illegally kidnapped him and took him to a secret prison in Afghanistan in 2003. The decision was hailed by critics of the so-called extraordinary renditions programs in the U.S. war on terrorism. It's Khaled El-Masri's first major judicial victory afte... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:26:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/us/1763560-victim-us-rendition-wins-europe-court-ruling.html 2012-12-13T11:26:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763480-danish-historian-finds-unknown-andersen-fairy-tale.html COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A Danish historian says he has discovered what he believes is a previously unknown fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen. Retired historian Esben Brage said Thursday he found the six-page text in early October while searching in the National Archives through boxes that had belonged to wealthy families from Andersen's hom... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:23:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763480-danish-historian-finds-unknown-andersen-fairy-tale.html 2012-12-13T11:23:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1763698-leading-conservative-obama-will-win-tax-fight.html WASHINGTON (AP) — A leading conservative who's resigning from the Senate is predicting that President Barack Obama will win the battle over raising taxes. South Carolina Republican Jim DeMint calls it "a political trophy" within Obama's grasp. Appearing Thursday on "CBS This Morning," DeMint says, quote, "The president's proposal is not a plan, it's not a... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:21:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1763698-leading-conservative-obama-will-win-tax-fight.html 2012-12-13T11:21:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763426-russia-acknowledges-assad-losing-control.html MOSCOW (AP) — Syria's most powerful ally, Russia, said for the first time Thursday that President Bashar Assad is losing control of his country and the rebels might win the civil war, dramatically shifting the diplomatic landscape at a time of enormous momentum for the opposition. While Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov gave no immediate signal tha... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:20:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763426-russia-acknowledges-assad-losing-control.html 2012-12-13T11:20:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/markets/1763424-market-enthusiasm-fed-stimulus-fades.html LONDON (AP) — Any enthusiasm over another monetary stimulus from the Federal Reserve faded Thursday as investors monitored the progress of budget discussions in the U.S. As had been widely predicted, the Fed said Wednesday it will spend $85 billion a month on bond purchases to drive down long-term borrowing costs and stimulate economic growth. The total i... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:18:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/markets/1763424-market-enthusiasm-fed-stimulus-fades.html 2012-12-13T11:18:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/us/1763684-russias-putin-calls-us-trade-bill-unfriendly.html MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's President Vladimir Putin says a U.S. bill imposing sanctions on Russian officials accused of human rights violations is "unfriendly" and is hurting Russian-American relations. Congress last week passed a bill imposing sanctions on Russian officials accused of human rights violations. The Russians have bristled at the bill, which the... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:09:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/us/1763684-russias-putin-calls-us-trade-bill-unfriendly.html 2012-12-13T11:09:00Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/health/1763450-inquest-nurse-british-royal-hoax-hanging.html LONDON (AP) — A nurse duped by a hoax call from Australian DJs about the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge was found hanging in her room and left three notes, a coroner's inquest was told Thursday. Coroner's officer Lynda Martindill said nurse Jacintha Saldanha was discovered hanging by a scarf from a wardrobe in her nurses' quarters on Friday by a colleague ... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:07:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/health/1763450-inquest-nurse-british-royal-hoax-hanging.html 2012-12-13T11:07:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1763678-spanish-botched-fresco-artist-sells-work-ebay.html MADRID (AP) — The 80-year-old Spanish artist who became famous because of her botched restoration of a Christ fresco in a small-town church is auctioning one of her works on eBay for charity. Celia Gimenez's oil painting "Las Bodegas de Borja" ("Borja's Wine Cellar"), was fetching €620 ($808) Thursday, doubling its starting price after 31 bids. The sale c... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:06:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1763678-spanish-botched-fresco-artist-sells-work-ebay.html 2012-12-13T11:06:00Z http://www.mail.com/entertainment/music/1763598-pennies-patriotism-stars-move-to-tax-havens.html PARIS (AP) — France's Socialist government is introducing a 75-percent income tax on those earning over €1 million ($1.3 million), leading some of the country's rich and famous to set up residency in less fiscally demanding countries. Here's a look at some big names in France and elsewhere whose changes of address over the years have meant lighter taxes. ... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:01:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/entertainment/music/1763598-pennies-patriotism-stars-move-to-tax-havens.html 2012-12-13T11:01:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1760584-euro-ministers-greece-bailout-payment.html BRUSSELS (AP) — Greece's euro partners agreed Thursday to hand over the next disbursement of the country's bailout loans that will prevent it from going bankrupt and potentially trigger more turmoil in financial markets. The cash-strapped country will get a total of €49.1 billion ($64 billion) between now and March, with €34.3 billion due in the coming da... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:59:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1760584-euro-ministers-greece-bailout-payment.html 2012-12-13T10:59:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763138-pakistan-extends-refugee-status-afghans.html ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan has extended refugee status for over a million Afghans in the country by an additional six months, the government announced — a move likely to ease fears of Afghans living in Pakistan that they would soon have to return home. Pakistan has been hosting hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees dating back to the Soviet invasion of ... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:59:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763138-pakistan-extends-refugee-status-afghans.html 2012-12-13T10:59:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1759934-nkorea-years-credible-missiles.html SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — They don't call it rocket science for nothing. North Korea's first successful launch of a three-stage, long-range rocket has outraged world leaders who consider it similar to a missile capable of attacking the United States, Europe and other far-away targets. But experts say Pyongyang is years away from even having a shot at deve... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:52:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1759934-nkorea-years-credible-missiles.html 2012-12-13T10:52:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/us/1554422-10-things-to-today.html Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and stories that will be talked about today: 1. WHY NORTH KOREA'S ROCKET MAY NOT BE A THREAT YET Experts say North Korea is still years away from developing nuclear missiles that could hit targets. 2. SYRIA'S CLOSEST ALLY SAYS ASSAD IS LOSING CONTROL ... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:48:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/us/1554422-10-things-to-today.html 2012-12-13T10:48:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763388-rights-group-accuses-pakistani-military-abuse.html ISLAMABAD (AP) — Amnesty International accused the Pakistani military on Thursday of carrying out widespread human rights abuses in the country's northwest tribal region where the army is fighting a domestic Taliban insurgency. The military has regularly held people without charges and tortured or otherwise mistreated them in custody, the London-based rig... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:47:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763388-rights-group-accuses-pakistani-military-abuse.html 2012-12-13T10:47:00Z http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1763664-uk-govt-approval-to-resume-fracking.html LONDON (AP) — Britain's government has given the go-ahead to resume fracking — the controversial practice of drilling for gas trapped in shale — in the U.K.. Shale gas exploration had been suspended in Britain last year after a series of small tremors near an exploration site in Lancashire in northwest England. Edward Davey, the energy and climate change ... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:44:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/scitech/news/1763664-uk-govt-approval-to-resume-fracking.html 2012-12-13T10:44:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1763580-fda-review-tobacco-products-grinds-to-halt.html RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Talk about a smoke break. Tobacco companies have introduced almost no new cigarettes or smokeless tobacco products in the U.S. in more than 18 months because the federal government has prevented them from doing so, an Associated Press review has found. It's an unprecedented pause for an industry that historically h... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:30:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1763580-fda-review-tobacco-products-grinds-to-halt.html 2012-12-13T10:30:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1763660-ukraine-parliament-speaker-elected-amid-brawls.html KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's newly elected parliament has chosen a pro-government speaker amid violent brawls between supporters of the president and opposition lawmakers. The Party of Regions led by President Viktor Yanukovych secured a slim majority in the Verkhovna Rada Thursday following an October election condemned as unfair by the West. But three... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:28:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/politics/1763660-ukraine-parliament-speaker-elected-amid-brawls.html 2012-12-13T10:28:00Z http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1763606-review-meyerbeers-rare-robert-staged-london.html LONDON (AP) — Degas painted it. Chopin wrote variations on it. Balzac and Dumas mentioned it in their fiction. The Paris Opera performed it 100 times in just three years. For more than a half-century after its premiere in 1831, Giacomo Meyerbeer's "Robert le Diable" was everywhere. Then, as its composer's reputation plummeted, it all but disappeared. Now ... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:23:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/entertainment/lifestyle/1763606-review-meyerbeers-rare-robert-staged-london.html 2012-12-13T10:23:00Z http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1763594-spain-sees-cost-borrowing-fall-auctions.html MADRID (AP) — Spain has seen the interest rate it has to pay to get investors to buy its benchmark bond fall in an auction that signals rising confidence in the government's management of its finances. The Treasury sold €802 million ($1.05 billion) of its key 10-year bonds Thursday with the rate dropping to 4.2 percent from 4.47 percent in the last such a... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:22:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/business/economy/1763594-spain-sees-cost-borrowing-fall-auctions.html 2012-12-13T10:22:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763564-moroccos-biggest-opposition-leader-dies.html RABAT, Morocco (AP) — The founder of Morocco's most powerful religious opposition movement and one of the few men to challenge the monarchy's quasi-religious status died Thursday at 87, according to an online statement by his group. Abdessalam Yassine, founder of the Justice and Spirituality Movements, "has returned to God," the organization's guiding cou... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:13:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763564-moroccos-biggest-opposition-leader-dies.html 2012-12-13T10:13:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763562-pakistanis-naming-college-shot-girl.html MINGORA, Pakistan (AP) — A Pakistani government official says several hundred students have rallied against naming their college after an activist schoolgirl shot by the Taliban, saying the move would be a security risk. The Taliban shot and wounded 15-year-old Malala Yousufzai in October in Mingora, the main town in the northwest Swat Valley, because of ... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:12:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763562-pakistanis-naming-college-shot-girl.html 2012-12-13T10:12:00Z http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763538-south-africa-deputy-president-race-to-lead-anc.html JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A spokesman for South Africa's Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe says the politician has accepted a nomination to run for the top position in the governing African National Congress party. Thabo Masebe told The Associated Press on Thursday that Motlanthe had accepted nominations to run for president, deputy president and another posit... Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:03:00 GMT http://www.mail.com/news/world/1763538-south-africa-deputy-president-race-to-lead-anc.html 2012-12-13T10:03:00Z