Billings and Beirnes score two goals each as Toronto Rock beat Edmonton Rush 10-9

EDMONTON - Garrett Billings and Kasey Beirnes had two goals and two assists apiece as the Toronto Rock won 10-9 over the Edmonton Rush on Sunday in the National Lacrosse League.
Josh Sanderson and Scott Evans also had two-goal games while Stephan Leblanc and Rob Hellyer added each for the Rock. Toronto improved to 2-0 despite a difficult back-to-back start on the road, including a 13-11 win over the Calgary Roughnecks on Saturday.
Rookies Mark Matthews and Curtis Knight each had hat tricks and added two assists for the Rush, who were playing their season opener. Corey Small, Ryan Ward and Zack Greer also scored for Edmonton.
Matthews, the first overall pick from the 2012 NLL entry draft at six-foot-five, 230 pounds, made an immediate impact with a goal on his first shot of his pro debut, scoring less than two minutes in on the power play. The Oshawa, Ont., product then assisted on a goal less than a minute later on another power-play marker by second-round pick Knight, also making his pro debut for the Rush.
The two teams traded goals before the Rock made it 3-2 with a power-play goal by Billings.
Edmonton took a two-goal lead into the second quarter on a late goal by Ward.
The Rush went up by three on Knight’s second of the game on the power play, but Toronto came right back on goals by Beirnes, Sanderson and Billings to tie the game midway through the second.
The Rush went into the locker rooms at the half with a 6-5 lead on Matthews’ second of the match.
Greer gave the Rush back a two-goal edge early in the third and his long shot beat Toronto goalie Nick Rose.
However, Toronto came roaring back with three quick goals, two from Evans and one from Sanderson to take their first lead of the game, up 8-7 halfway through the third quarter.
Edmonton equalled things up with eight seconds remaining in the third on Knight’s hat trick goal.
The Rock’s Beirnes scored the only goal through the first 12 minutes of the fourth quarter to put Toronto up 9-8.
Toronto got a big insurance goal with three minutes left as Hellyer picked the top corner.
Edmonton got back into the game with two minutes left as Matthews scored his third goal on a diving play in front of the net, but the Rush could not force extra time.
The Rock return to Toronto for their home opener against Philadelphia on Saturday night. The Rush are in Washington to face the Stealth on Sunday.
Notes: Last season the Toronto Rock entered the playoffs atop the East Division with a 9-7 record. After defeating the rival Buffalo Bandits in the first-round of the 2012 playoffs, the Rock saw their season end with the 17-13 loss to the Rochester Knighthawks. ... The Knighthawks also ended the Rush’s season, albeit in the National Lacrosse League championship game. The Rush placed fourth in the West at 6-10 but caught fire in the post-season with wins over Calgary and Minnesota. ... Toronto came into the game with a 10-3 all-time record against Edmonton. ... It was the pro debut of not only first overall pick Matthews for the Rush, but also highly-touted second round pick Curtis Knight, also from Oshawa, Ontario… Canadian Football League star quarterback Ricky Ray dropped the ball for the ceremonial face-off. Ray won the Grey Cup championship with the Toronto Argonauts this season after being traded by the Edmonton Eskimos.

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Acceleration, not speed, behind BMW diesel launch in U.S.

WOODCLIFF LAKE, New Jersey (Reuters) - BMW has a message for the incorrigible speed freaks looking for a more politically correct set of wheels in this era of energy efficiency: switch to a diesel.
The German luxury carmaker is rolling out a new range of sporty new diesel sedans in the United States this year to complement its sole diesel on offer - the X5 xDrive 35d sport utility vehicle - and believes the hitherto unloved powertrain will find greater acceptance in an age of downsized engines.
Diesels boast roughly 25 percent improved fuel consumption versus conventional cars, but their renaissance in the U.S. market long prophesied by German automakers such as Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz has been an uphill battle due to a poor image, higher fuel prices relative to gasoline and a spotty filling station infrastructure.
"The X5 diesel is selling like hot cakes, so we know from the X5 how strong customer acceptance can be as long as you have the right product," said Ludwig Willisch, president of BMW of North America, during an interview at its Woodcliff Lake headquarters on the outskirts of New York City.
"The next step then is launching a four-cylinder diesel in the 3 Series and a six-cylinder diesel in the 5 Series in the market this year," he continued, speaking prior to this week's North American auto show in Detroit.
Roughly a quarter of the 56,800 X5 SUVs that BMW sold last year were equipped with a diesel engine rather than a conventional gasoline engine, which Willisch said makes the SUV the second-best-selling diesel in the United States after the much cheaper Volkswagen Jetta TDI.
A German national, Willisch previously headed up the group's sales activities for Europe, where diesel penetration steadily rose from over 20 percent in 1997 to 56 percent last year, due partly to a more beneficial tax treatment in many countries.
Luxury carmakers like BMW also tend to be more dependent on diesels than their mass-market peers. Fuel bills would make the total cost of owning a large sedan or a heavy SUV much higher in Europe were the vehicles powered by gasoline. Two-thirds of BMW brand cars sold in Germany last year were diesels.
Diesels traditionally aren't found in high-revving sports cars because they already generate at lower engine revolutions the maximum amount of force they can apply to the wheels, or torque, which is so crucial to quick acceleration. Their power curve tends to drop the faster the engine runs, making diesels ideal for towing heavy loads.
Yet BMW for the first time last year rolled out its first diesel-powered line of tuned M performance cars such as the M550d to send a statement - diesels are every bit as sporty.
CONSTRAINED OPTIMISM
"Torque is especially important to Americans. Flat-out top speed doesn't really count anymore," Willisch said.
"So I cannot imagine that the advantages of a diesel in terms of both torque and fuel consumption will not find appeal with customers in the U.S."
Whereas half of the new cars in Europe run on diesel, Americans have long eschewed the alternative powertrain due to the widespread image that stuck from the 1970s of loud, smelly cars that often could not start in the cold, and when they did, clouds of black soot would belch out of the tailpipe.
Diesels are, however, often better equipped to handle the long commutes typically driven in America than the densely congested areas of Europe, where a gasoline-electric hybrid is often more suitable.
A Toyota Prius operates more efficiently in stop-and-go traffic, for example, since it depends on recouping kinetic energy otherwise lost when the brakes are applied.
Mercedes currently plans to add diesel versions of the C-Class sedan and GLK mid-size SUV in addition to those on offer for its larger M-Class and GL-Class SUVs.
Despite its expansion plans, sales of Mercedes BlueTEC diesels rose 7.4 percent to just 15,416 vehicles last year, lagging the brand's overall growth rate in the U.S. market. VW saw its U.S. penetration rate of diesels drop one full percentage point to 20.6 percent last year.
In an attempt to rebrand the technology, the industry has taken to calling them "Clean Diesels". Sales did increase some 25 percent in 2012 in the United States, but this still lagged the near-68 percent gain in hybrid sales, according to data cited by industry group Diesel Technology Forum.
In an interview on Tuesday, the U.S. head of Mercedes said he had only a "constrained optimistic" view on diesels.
"The U.S. market is just not going to develop like Canada or Europe, period. There is nothing on the horizon that would indicate any strong movement either from a supply or a consumer demand standpoint that is going to move us towards diesel," Stephen Cannon told Reuters.

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UK finance job sackings and suspensions at five-year high: law firm

LONDON (Reuters) - The number of financial services staff sacked or suspended in Britain last year for reasons such as wrongdoing reached the highest level in five years, law firm Pinsent Masons said on Monday.
Citing figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request, Pinsent Masons said 1,373 individuals were dismissed or suspended from financial services jobs - as distinct from those who lost their jobs through general redundancy programs - a 56 percent increase on the previous 12 months.
The finding comes after a succession of financial scandals and efforts by regulators to clamp down on misdemeanors.
Britain's Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulator, due to be replaced later this year, has for instance beefed up its efforts to tackle market abuse over the last few years, successfully prosecuting a number of high-profile insider dealing cases.
Last year also saw a string of bank scandals, including mis-selling of financial products and the manipulation of global benchmark interest rates, as well as the prosecution of former UBS trader Kweku Adoboli for the biggest fraud in British history, which cost the Swiss bank $2.3 billion.
"The FSA has increasingly shown that it is cracking down on financial crime and market abuse. Financial services firms are operating under increased scrutiny and as a result employers are imposing industry rules more strictly," said Helen Farr, a London-based partner at Pinsent Masons.
"Enforcement activity has clearly had an impact on firms' willingness to tolerate wrongdoing. Firms now appear much more likely to discipline employees for offences," Farr said.
The law firm said the 1,373 total was based on changes to the employment status of individuals who have to be authorized by the FSA, and included people disciplined for poor performance or sacked for other reasons, as well as for wrongdoing.
It also said the overall number of job losses in the financial sector had reached its highest level since 2008, with 36,868 people losing their jobs last year.
That took the total number of people who had left their posts over the past five years to 177,697, it said.
Banks worldwide are shedding jobs as stricter regulations and euro zone worries take their toll on trading income and investment banking operations.
"The total number of job losses in the sector is striking," Farr said. "While it should be kept in mind that many of these people may have been re-employed and some will have simply transferred internally, the numbers certainly tell a story."

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UPDATE 1-Soccer-Ligue 1 summaries

Jan 11 (Infostrada Sports) - Summaries from the Ligue 1 matches on Friday
Paris St Germain 0
Red Card: Thiago Motta 45+1
Ajaccio 0
Halftime: 0-0; Attendance: 43,000
- - -
St Etienne 2 Loic Perrin 26, Yohan Mollo 62
Toulouse 2 Etienne Didot 27, Serge Aurier 43
Halftime: 1-2; Attendance: 18,410
- - -
Next Fixtures (GMT):
Saturday, January 12
ES Troyes AC v Olympique Lyon (1600)
AS Nancy v Lille (1900)
Evian Thonon Gaillard FC v Stade Brest (1900)
Montpellier HSC v FC Lorient (1900)
Stade Rennes v Girondins Bordeaux (1900)
Sunday, January 13
Stade de Reims v Bastia (1300)
Nice v Valenciennes (1600)
Sochaux v Olympique Marseille (2000)

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UPDATE 1-Soccer-Ligue 1 top scorers

Jan 11 (Infostrada Sports) - Top scorers of the Ligue 1 on Friday
18 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris St Germain)
11 Bafetimbi Gomis (Olympique Lyon)
10 Dario Cvitanich (Nice)
9 Anthony Modeste (Bastia)
Wissam Ben Yedder (Toulouse)
8 Julien Feret (Stade Rennes)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (St Etienne)
7 Jeremie Aliadiere (FC Lorient)
Yoan Gouffran (Girondins Bordeaux)
Romain Alessandrini (Stade Rennes)
Eden Ben Basat (Stade Brest)
6 Benjamin Nivet (ES Troyes AC)
Cedric Barbosa (Evian Thonon Gaillard FC)
Saber Khlifa (Evian Thonon Gaillard FC)
Alain Traore (FC Lorient)
Dimitri Payet (Lille)
Nolan Roux (Lille)
Younes Belhanda (Montpellier HSC)
Souleymane Camara (Montpellier HSC)
Lisandro Lopez (Olympique Lyon)
Andre-Pierre Gignac (Olympique Marseille)
Foued Kadir (Olympique Marseille)
Mevlut Erding (Stade Rennes)
Jonathan Pitroipa (Stade Rennes)

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UPDATE 1-Soccer-Ligue 1 results and standings

Jan 11 (Infostrada Sports) - Results and standings from the Ligue 1 matches on Friday
Friday, January 11
Paris St Germain 0 Ajaccio 0
St Etienne 2 Toulouse 2
Standings P W D L F A Pts
1 Paris St Germain 20 11 6 3 36 12 39
2 Olympique Lyon 19 11 5 3 33 17 38
-------------------------
3 Olympique Marseille 19 12 2 5 24 20 38
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4 Stade Rennes 19 10 2 7 29 24 32
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5 FC Lorient 19 8 7 4 32 29 31
6 Valenciennes 19 8 5 6 31 24 29
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7 Girondins Bordeaux 19 6 11 2 21 14 29
8 Lille 19 7 8 4 24 18 29
9 Nice 19 7 8 4 26 26 29
10 St Etienne 20 7 7 6 26 16 28
11 Toulouse 20 7 6 7 27 22 27
12 Montpellier HSC 19 7 5 7 29 24 26
13 Bastia 19 6 4 9 26 41 22
14 Stade Brest 19 6 3 10 20 28 21
15 Ajaccio 20 5 7 8 21 29 20
16 Stade de Reims 19 4 7 8 16 20 19
17 Evian Thonon Gaillard FC 19 5 4 10 22 32 19
-------------------------
18 Sochaux 19 4 4 11 17 29 16
19 ES Troyes AC 19 2 7 10 20 37 13
20 AS Nancy 19 1 8 10 15 33 11
-------------------------
Note: Ajaccio deducted 2 points.
1-2: Champions League / EC I
3: Champions League preliminary round
4: Europa League
5-6: Europa League depending on domestic cup
18-20: Relegation
Next Fixtures (GMT):
Saturday, January 12
ES Troyes AC v Olympique Lyon (1600)
AS Nancy v Lille (1900)
Evian Thonon Gaillard FC v Stade Brest (1900)
Montpellier HSC v FC Lorient (1900)
Stade Rennes v Girondins Bordeaux (1900)
Sunday, January 13
Stade de Reims v Bastia (1300)
Nice v Valenciennes (1600)
Sochaux v Olympique Marseille (2000)

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Locals say shifting sea ice frees trapped whales

MONTREAL (AP) — About a dozen killer whales trapped under sea ice appeared to be free after the ice shifted, village officials in Canada's remote north said Thursday, while residents who feared they would get stuck elsewhere hired a plane to track them down.
The whales' predicament in the frigid waters of Hudson Bay made international headlines, and locals had been planning a rescue operation with chainsaws and drills before the mammals slipped away.
Tommy Palliser said two hunters from remote Inukjuak village reported that the waters had opened up around the area where the cornered whales had been bobbing frantically for air around a single, truck-sized hole in the ice. Officials said shifting winds might have pushed the ice away.
"It's certainly good news — that's good news for the whales," said Palliser, a business adviser with the regional government.
But fears remained that the whales might have been trapped elsewhere by the ever-moving ice. Some villagers were skeptical the killer whales had escaped harm, so the community hired an airplane to scan the region Thursday for signs of the pod.
Mark O'Connor of the regional marine wildlife board said the aerial search did not locate the orcas, but he noted that large swaths of ice-free water were seen in the area.
"So as far as I could tell, the emergency, for sure, is averted," said O'Connor, the board's director of wildlife management.
"Whether the whales have found a passage all the way to the Hudson Strait, we probably will never know."
Locals said the whales had been trapped for at least two days. A recent, sudden drop in temperature may have caught the whales off guard, leaving them trapped The cornered animals were first seen Tuesday and appeared to have less energy by late Wednesday, Palliser said.
Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans said government icebreakers were too far from the area to smash the ice to free the whales, Inukjuak Mayor Peter Inukpuk said Wednesday.
After that, Palliser said, locals had agreed to try to enlarge the breathing hole in the ice and cut a second opening using chainsaws and drills.
"We certainly had our prayers with them last night during our meeting," he said.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans issued a statement Thursday saying two scientists were en route to gather information and will monitor the situation. Ice-trapped marine mammals are not unusual in the region.
Pete Ewins, an expert in Arctic wildlife at the World Wildlife Fund Canada, said the orca were still 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from where they should be at this time of year.
"They got stuck (in Hudson Bay) and they're unlikely to get out," said Ewins, adding that killer whales are not accustomed to ice.

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U.S. attack submarine strikes vessel in Gulf

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A nuclear-powered U.S. attack submarine struck a suspected fishing vessel shortly after passing through the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf on Thursday, damaging one of the submarine's periscopes but injuring no one, a Navy official said on the condition of anonymity.
The Navy's Fifth Fleet said in a statement the vessel appeared unaware of the incident, adding it "continued on a consistent course and speed offering no indication of distress or acknowledgment of a collision."
The USS Jacksonville, a Los Angeles-class, nuclear-powered submarine, did not appear to suffer further damage, the Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said.
"The reactor remains in a safe condition. There was no damage to the propulsion plant systems and there is no concern regarding watertight integrity," it said.
The incident, which took place at 5 a.m. local time and is under investigation, follows an August collision between a U.S. guided missile destroyer and an oil tanker.
Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz if its dispute with the United States over its nuclear program escalates. Washington says it maintains naval forces in the Gulf to ensure security in the region.

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From monkeys to surfers, San Diego braces for cold

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Strawberry growers covered their crops while San Diego zookeepers turned on heaters for the chimpanzees as Southern California braced for a cold snap that was expected to drop temperatures to a six-year low.
Forecasters warned that a low pressure trough sinking over San Diego County and parts of neighboring Orange County could keep nightly temperatures below freezing in coastal areas, the low deserts and inland valleys, threatening orange, avocado orchards and other sensitive plants. The coldest nights were expected to hit Friday and Saturday.
Farmers were prepared to pull out giant fans to circulate the frosty air and keep it from settling on their citrus trees, said Eric Larson of the San Diego County Farm Bureau. Other growers were placing soft cloth over their strawberries and flowers. The National Weather Service predicted overnight lows in the 20s in the lower deserts and inland valleys and 30s along the coast.
"These guys are going to be up all night watching thermometers," Larson said.
Freezing temperatures weren't the only weather challenge for a region boasting one of the planet's most temperate climates.
Forecasters say a combination of astronomical high tides, high surf and strong winds will bring minor flooding to low-lying areas of the Southern California coast. The weather service issued coastal flood advisories for all counties from San Luis Obispo south to San Diego through Saturday morning.
They also warned motorists to watch out for blowing sand across coastal highways and snow in the mountains down to 2,000 feet. Snow briefly closed the Grapevine section of Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles on Thursday. Several accidents and spinouts were reported in the mountain pass as the winter weather bore down on Southern California.
Winds could gust to 60 mph there and up to 45 mph in valleys and coastal areas. Highs will only hit the 50s and 60s and rain showers are expected throughout the region.
Families pushed aside boogie boards and pulled out sleds as snow fell Thursday in the mountains of San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Chains were required on all vehicles.
Workers at SeaWorld planned to crank up the heat for their macaws, toucans and parrots. San Diego zookeepers were also heating rooms for chimpanzees, apes and other tropical animals.
"They'll probably be huddling together and not be in areas where people will be able to see them," said zoo spokeswoman Christina Simmons.
Many local residents planned to do the same.
"We'll have to huddle up, drink coffee, and tell stories," joked J.P. Pierre, owner of Surfy Surfy Surf Shop in the beach town of Leucadia. "But there's a no whining rule around here because I have so many friends from the northeast and Canada. If everyone had a decent jacket it would be no big deal, but everyone is walking around in flip flops."
The so-called king tides will peak Friday morning around 7 feet, depending on location. The conditions may cause some flooding across beaches, parking lots and around estuaries, lagoons and harbors. Parts of Pacific Coast Highway between Sunset Beach and Seal Beach could see standing water.
San Diego's Mission Beach was nearly empty Thursday except for a few snowbirds who scoffed at a cold snap that seemed downright balmy to them. Some shot pictures of the wind-swept waves.
"We're from Chicago so to us this is like a heat wave," said Rod Erdohaty, 54, walking to the beach in blustering wind.

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Senator Reid rejects Boehner "fiscal cliff" backup plan

Congressional leaders and the Obama administration are attempting to negotiate a …more
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House Speaker John Boehner's backup plan that would simply extend low income tax rates for households with incomes below $1 million a year "cannot pass both houses of Congress," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said on Tuesday.
Reid, a Democrat, said Boehner instead should focus on reaching a broad deficit-reduction deal with President Barack Obama. "Now is the time to show leadership, not kick the can down the road," Reid said.
Last July, Reid's Democrats passed a bill in the Senate that would have continued low tax rates, which are set to expire on December 31, for families with net incomes below $250,000.
(Reporting by Richard Cowan)

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White House defends offer as 'good faith effort'

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is defending President Barack Obama's proposal to set a higher threshold for tax increases than what he vowed to do during his presidential campaign. The White House says Obama has moved halfway to meet House Speaker John Boehner on a "fiscal cliff" deal that raises $1.2 trillion in tax revenue, down from the $1.6 trillion Obama had initially requested.
White House spokesman Jay Carney says that offering to raise taxes on taxpayers earning more than $400,000 rather than the $200,000 he ran on demonstrates, in Carney's words, Obama's good faith effort to reach a compromise.
The new tax proposal is contained in a broader plan that Obama gave Boehner Monday that would cut spending further and lower cost-of-living increases for most Social Security beneficiaries.

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Factbox: U.S. House "Plan B" tax bill likely to have short shelf life

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives is likely to vote this week on what is being called "Plan B" on avoiding the "fiscal cliff."
The Republican-sponsored legislation aims to extend current low tax rates for most families. Without such action by Congress, across-the-board income tax rates will rise on January 1.
The combination of $500 billion in tax hikes and $100 billion in spending cuts, which are scheduled to start in the new year, could push the U.S. economy into recession, according to experts.
House Speaker John Boehner, the top Republican in Congress, and Democratic President Barack Obama have been trying for weeks to avoid the fiscal cliff with an alternative tax and spending-cut deal. Boehner says he is offering this very limited alternative in case negotiations with Obama fail.
Here are key elements of Boehner's Plan B:
* A House vote is expected on Thursday.
* Boehner expressed confidence on Wednesday that the measure would pass but some House Republican aides were not yet predicting that.
* The White House has said Obama would veto the Boehner Plan B in the unlikely event it made it to his desk.
* Democrats are viewing Plan B as nothing more than a diversion from attempts to reach a broad deficit-reduction deal to avoid the fiscal cliff. They see it as a way for Boehner to give his conservatives a vote on a measure that they can tout as a tax-cut bill for all but the wealthiest and inoculate them against Democratic accusations of obstruction.
* Republicans argue that they are acting responsibly by providing a backstop against massive tax increases in case the Obama-Boehner negotiations fail.
* Once Plan B is dealt with, all attention will shift to whether Obama and Boehner can work out a broad agreement by December 31 or whether the country will go off the cliff. If that happens, there is speculation that some sort of deal might be worked out in the early weeks of January to avoid the full brunt of the tax hikes and spending cuts.
* Under Boehner's Plan B, current low tax rates would be made permanent for families with net annual incomes of up to $1 million. The measure would let tax rates rise on income above $1 million. Without action by Congress, all income tax rates are set to rise on January 1 with the expiration of tax cuts enacted a decade ago by then-President George W. Bush.
* Plan B includes a grab bag of other expiring tax provisions. It would permanently fix the alternative minimum tax so that middle-class taxpayers do not creep into a tax bracket intended for the wealthiest. Annual AMT fixes have prevented tens of millions of households from paying a higher tax rate.
Also included are moves to maintain estate taxes at their current 35 percent rate per individual after a $5 million exemption. The White House backs reverting to the 2009 estate tax levels of 45 percent tax after a $3.5 million exemption per individual, though some moderate Democrats back keeping the current law.
Plan B legislation would raise dividend and capital gains tax rates for those earning $1 million and over to 20 percent, from its current 15 percent for most who pay such taxes. Most Democrats back raising the current 15 percent tax rate on investment income to 20 percent for households earning more than $250,000.
* The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates the plan would reduce U.S. revenues by around $4 trillion over 10 years.
* The plan does not address spending issues, including automatic across-the-board spending cuts also looming at year's end.
* The bill does not address how to resolve a looming stand-off over the government's borrowing authority. The government will need to raise the "debt ceiling" in the next few months to avoid default, and Obama wants higher borrowing authority approved promptly. House Republicans continue to want to hold back and use it as leverage in ongoing fiscal cliff talks, according to aides.
* Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid already has warned there are not the votes in his chamber to pass Boehner's plan. But if the House sent the Senate such a bill, Reid could respond in one of a few ways. He could declare that the Senate in July passed its version of this legislation, but with a $250,000 threshold, and take no further action. Or, he could offer a variation of the Senate-passed bill. Obama has proposed a $400,000 cut-off for maintaining low income tax rates. Reid could embrace that level or another one.
* The legislation is being inserted into an existing bill that originally had to do with Burma trade policy. A House Rules Committee spokesman said this was being done to avoid some potential procedural delays.

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UPDATE 1-NBA-Nuggets survive Kobe fireworks to ice Lakers

* Gasol, Howard banged up in loss
* Gallinari three-pointer snuffs out Lakers (Adds quotes)
LOS ANGELES, Jan 6 (Reuters) - The Denver Nuggets dropped the stumbling Los Angeles Lakers further into the doldrums on Sunday with a 112-105 win despite some fourth-quarter fireworks from Kobe Bryant.
Ty Lawson scored 21 points and 10 assists and Danilo Gallinari hit five of his 20 in the final seconds to kill the Lakers' rally and send them to a third successive defeat.
The Lakers (15-18) left with more than their pride bruised, Pau Gasol exiting the contest in the fourth quarter after having his nose bloodied by an elbow from JaVale McGee.
Center Dwight Howard also aggravated a right shoulder injury and will undergo scans on Monday.
"It's a great win for us but I'm not going to inflate it," Nuggets coach George Karl told reporters.
"I told the team before the game I don't remember the last time we won in here in the regular season."
Bryant did his best to rescue Los Angeles again by scoring 18 of his 29 points in the final quarter but the Lakers fell just short in front of a frustrated home crowd.
Los Angeles trailed by 10 midway through the fourth, although they fought back as Bryant twice made three-pointers to pull them within three in the final minute.
Gallinari drained a three of his own to halt the comeback with 13 seconds remaining and Denver (20-16) made four straight free throws to ice the game for their third win in four.
The Nuggets scored 60 points in the paint to punish Los Angeles inside. Howard put in a solid shift, recording 14 points and 26 rebounds in the loss but his injury will cause concern.
The Lakers have now lost four of five and are tumbling down the standings under new coach Mike D'Antoni and his star-studded roster.
Tempers flared as Steve Nash and Gasol were both assessed rare technical fouls.
"I think because of our record probably the pressure is building," admitted D'Antoni, whose team is currently out of the playoff picture. "But so be it. We have to overcome it."

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Nuggets survive Kobe fireworks to ice Lakers

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Denver Nuggets dropped the stumbling Los Angeles Lakers further into the doldrums on Sunday with a 112-105 win despite some fourth-quarter fireworks from Kobe Bryant.
Ty Lawson scored 21 points and 10 assists and Danilo Gallinari hit five of his 20 in the final seconds to kill the Lakers' rally and send them to a third successive defeat.
The Lakers (15-18) left with more than their pride bruised, Pau Gasol exiting the contest in the fourth quarter after having his nose bloodied by an elbow from JaVale McGee.
Center Dwight Howard also aggravated a right shoulder injury and will undergo scans on Monday.
"It's a great win for us but I'm not going to inflate it," Nuggets coach George Karl told reporters.
"I told the team before the game I don't remember the last time we won in here in the regular season."
Bryant did his best to rescue Los Angeles again by scoring 18 of his 29 points in the final quarter but the Lakers fell just short in front of a frustrated home crowd.
Los Angeles trailed by 10 midway through the fourth, although they fought back as Bryant twice made three-pointers to pull them within three in the final minute.
Gallinari drained a three of his own to halt the comeback with 13 seconds remaining and Denver (20-16) made four straight free throws to ice the game for their third win in four.
The Nuggets scored 60 points in the paint to punish Los Angeles inside. Howard put in a solid shift, recording 14 points and 26 rebounds in the loss but his injury will cause concern.
The Lakers have now lost four of five and are tumbling down the standings under new coach Mike D'Antoni and his star-studded roster.
Tempers flared as Steve Nash and Gasol were both assessed rare technical fouls.
"I think because of our record probably the pressure is building," admitted D'Antoni, whose team is currently out of the playoff picture. "But so be it. We have to overcome it."

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UPDATE 1-NBA-Paul keeps Clippers on top in Los Angeles battle

(adds quotes, detail)
* Lakers fall to 10-12 under D'Antoni
* Clippers win without Crawford
LOS ANGELES, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Chris Paul and the Clippers maintained a grip on top billing in Los Angeles with a tense 107-102 victory over the Lakers on Friday to cement their status as the city's best team.
Paul withstood a fierce challenge from Kobe Bryant, recording 30 points and 13 assists to Bryant's 38 points, and the Clippers moved further ahead in both the standings and the crosstown rivalry.
"It's a big win because it's a division game," Paul told reporters, after he carried the scoring load in the absence of injured reserve Jamal Crawford (sore foot).
"That was ugly down the stretch and it was all my fault. We had some terrible possessions (late) and made it interesting for the fans."
The Lakers did their best to tear up the script late on by climbing out of a 19-point deficit in the fourth quarter and closing to 99-97 with two minutes remaining.
However, Paul shut the door on the Lakers, scoring the final eight points for his team, including a tough step-back jumper over the outstretched Bryant in the waning moments.
Blake Griffin added 24 points in the winning effort while Dwight Howard put up 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers (15-17), who have lost three of their last four.
FAST BREAK
Despite sharing the Staples Center, the teams have had little else in common this season as the Clippers (26-8) have raced toward the top of the West while the Lakers are struggling to find an identity under new coach Mike D'Antoni.
The team is just 10-12 since D'Antoni took over.
"It's going to take time and we don't have a lot of it," said Lakers point guard Steve Nash, who finished with 12 points and 10 assists. "You just stick with it."
The Clippers ran off a franchise-record 17 straight wins before losing their previous two games but they quickly regained their form and grabbed a 10-point halftime lead on the Lakers.
The athletic Clippers used their defense to ignite their fast break and push the game's energy with crowd-pleasing dunks.
After their lead swelled to 19 early in the fourth, the Lakers chipped away behind Bryant, who delivered 16 points in the final quarter, to raise the stakes in his duel with Paul.
The two All Stars traded shots all night, with Bryant throwing down a ferocious dunk over Paul in the first quarter, but the Clippers point guard got the final say with a critical jumper and six free throws over the last minute.
"Chris made some amazing shots. It was a great matchup of two of the best in the game," D'Antoni said. "We had a shot at the end and we just didn't do it.

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US Drug Watchdog Now Urges a Blood Test for All DePuy Pinnacle Hip Implant Recipients and They Suggest Law Firms to Help Victims of a Failure Get Compensated

The US Drug Watchdog says, "As part of our enhanced 2013 DePuy Pinnacle Metal on Metal Hip Implant Initiative we want all recipients to get a blood test for cobalt, or chromium levels in their blood stream, and we want them to call us at 866-714-6466, for the names of the best possible attorneys if the metal levels are elevated." http://USDrugWatchdog.com

(PRWEB) January 08, 2013
The US Drug Watchdog says, "We are going to dramatically increase our public awareness campaign for recipients of a DePuy Pinnacle metal on metal hip implant in 2013. We are now urging all DePuy Pinnacle metal on metal hip implant recipients to have a simple blood test to see if they have elevated levels of cobalt, or chromium in their blood. If the cobalt, or chromium levels are elevated please call us immediately, and we will do our best to get you to the best possible attorneys." According to court records about 140,000 US citizens are recipients of a DePuy Pinnacle all metal hip implant. For more information about the DePuy Pinnacle hip implant, and or issues related to metal on metal hip implants please call the US Drug Watchdog at 866-714-6466, or contact the group via their web site at http://USDrugWatchdog.com
According to the US Drug Watchdog, "Symptoms of a DePuy Pinnacle metal on metal hip implant failure include pain, problems walking, swelling of the hip, lack of flexibility. Again, we believe elevated levels of cobalt, or chromium in the recipients blood, are the best indicator for a failed metal on metal hip implant." http://USDRugWatchdog.Com
The US Drug Watchdog is the premier medical device, and pharmaceutical watchdog, and advocate in the United States. The group says, "We want to make certain all metal-on-metal DePuy Pinnacle hip implant victims get to the actual trial law firms, or attorneys, that have the best record in achieving superior results for their clients, in these types of medical device lawsuits. Because compensation is vital, we think having the best, or most capable national caliber personal injury law firm is always the best choice." For more information please contact the US Drug Watchdog anytime at 866-714-6466. http://USDrugWatchdog.com

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More young directors and fewer female directors in Mansfield reports Duport

Research by company formation agents Duport.co.uk shows that the percentage of young director appointments in Mansfield is rising, while female director appointments are falling.

UK (PRWEB UK) 8 January 2013
Mansfield: Between July and September, the percentage of director appointments under the age of 25 in Mansfield rose, according to the latest Duport Business Confidence Report.
During this period, 6% of directors were under 25, compared to just 2% during the third quarter of 2011.
However, the third quarter also saw a drop in the number of female director appointments, with 15% of director appointments being female, compared to 21% in Q3 2011.
The area is currently undergoing a regeneration project that aims to kick-start economic growth and attract investment, whilst improving the town centre for residents and visitors.
Managing Director of Duport.co.uk, Peter Valaitis commented:
“The rising number of young directors in Mansfield is a really positive sign for the local economy, and should help bring fresh ideas to the business community.”
“A falling number of female directors is less positive, but I would hope the regeneration of the town centre will attract new companies and provide more opportunities for businesswomen.”
The Duport Business Confidence Report detailed economic data on the local economy of Mansfield. More information can be found at http://www.duport.co.uk/mansfield.
Duport Business Confidence Reports are generated and released by Duport Associates Ltd. The data contained in these reports is assimilated and analysed by Duport using public record data from sources including Companies House, Office for National Statistics and Ordnance Survey. Duport Associates Ltd is a leading UK company formation agent, established in 1997 and registering around 10,000 new companies each year through its Companies House approved software.

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JK Development Corp. Announces Eagle Crest, Orange County’s Newest Neighborhood of Custom Homes

Builder with history in local area designs unique modern homes in Warwick Valley, NY.

Sugarloaf, NY (PRWEB) January 08, 2013
Jon Shafran of JK Development Corp. announced his latest real estate development, Eagle Crest, located just outside the Hamlet of Sugarloaf in Orange County, New York. Eagle Crest will consist of custom single family homes on 25 residential lots in a subdivision that spans over 100 acres of prime real estate in Warwick Valley, NY with 50 acres dedicated to open space for the home owners use and enjoyment. The development features various custom home styles ranging in size from 2300 to 3731 square feet and priced from $419,900 to $599,900. Eagle Crest is located in the Warwick Valley Central School District.
JK Development has a long history in the area, having built more than 100 single family homes throughout Orange County, NY. "We take pride in building special homes you won’t see anywhere else. Each home is unique in design and we work with our buyers to customize the homes to their needs," explains Shafran. "We build beautiful, modern homes that are unique and innovative, while still maintaining a sense of tradition and respecting the architectural history of the Warwick Valley."
As part of maintaining that history, Shafran repurposed items that were already present on the historic farmland of Eagle Crest. Entrance pillars were sculpted from an original stone foundation, an original wood barn was dismantled so the beams and siding could be reused, and concrete from a silo and milking barn were crushed into concrete for future driveways." Shafran describes going through great pains to save as many trees as possible, including one that had grown around an old 12-cylinder truck engine.
Shafran has selected licensed real estate agent, Donna Gennaro of Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty to list and sell the new homes of Eagle Crest. "It’s very exciting to be part of this project" said Gennaro. "The feedback from the local real estate experts has been extraordinary. We have already had interest from agents interested in buying here for themselves. That’s when you know you have a special property.”
Located 50 minutes north of Manhattan, the area surrounding Eagle Crest is home to equestrian centers, ski-ready mountains, farmer’s markets, acres of apple orchards, innovative new restaurants, antique stores, arts and crafts villages, and a new state-of-the-art hospital, the Orange Regional Medical Center.
JK Development Corp and Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty have set up virtual tours online at http://www.eaglecrestsubdivision.com. This website can also be used to schedule an appointment to tour the new properties. Additionally, Donna Gennaro may be contacted to answer questions regarding Eagle Crest at 845-494-6917.
ABOUT JK DEVELOPMENT CORP

Founded in 1990 by Jon and Karen Shafran, JK Development is one of Orange County, NY's premier home builders and land developers. Jon Shafran is a former President of the Builders Association of the Hudson Valley and is currently one of the members of its Board of Directors.

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Ivory Coast New Year's death toll rises to 64

 Ivory Coast's health minister says the death toll in the New Year's stampede has risen to 64.
Health Minister Raymonde Goudou, speaking to the press, said three more people died in addition to the 61 who were killed from being trampled when thousands left a New Year's fireworks display. She said 26 people who had been missing after the chaos of the stampede were located in various hospitals in Abidjan.
Goudou said Thursday afternoon that the government will close its investigation into the tragic stampede on Friday and will issue a report later.
The Front Populaire Ivorien, the opposition party of former President Laurent Gbagbo, issued a statement criticizing Interior Minister Hamed Eakayoko for not taking adequate security measures for the fireworks display in central Abidjan on New Year's Eve.

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Mali's Ansar Dine: Islamists to resume hostilities

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — An Islamist group in northern Mali says it's suspending its pledge to halt hostilities less than a month after it agreed to do so.
The group Ansar Dine said negotiations with the Malian government are ultimately aimed at a military intervention to oust the Islamists, and are not true peace talks. Still, the group said that it remains committed to a dialogue with the Malian government in Bamako even though it is withdrawing its pledge to halt hostilities.
The original offer had drawn skepticism from some observers, who noted the group's links to al-Qaida's North Africa branch.
Ansar Dine also has been behind public executions, amputations and whippings in northern Mali. The group on its website says it seeks autonomy for northern Mali.

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