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TOP STORIES
Foes of Egypt's Islamist president spurn dialogue offer
CAIRO - Egyptian opposition leaders reject a national
dialogue that the Islamist president has proposed as a way out
of a crisis that has polarised the nation and provoked deadly
street clashes. (EGYPT-POLITICS/ (UPDATE 3, PICTURE, TV), expect
by 1630 GMT/1130 AM ET, by Edmund Blair, 900 words)
+ See also:
- EGYPT POLITICS/COST (PICTURE), moved, by Tom Perry and
Edmund Blair, 1,200 words
- EGYPT-POLITICS/OBAMA (UPDATE 1), moved, 185 words
Rebels circle Damascus airport but no "endgame" in sight
BEIRUT - Rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad declare Damascus International Airport a battle zone,
warning civilians and airlines they will approach it "at their
own risk". (SYRIA-CRISIS/(WRAPUP 2, PICTURE, TV, GRAPHIC),
expect by 1600 GMT/1100 AM ET, by Erika Solomon, 1,000 words)
+ See also:
- SYRIA-CRISIS/UN (UPDATE 1), moved, by Hamdi Istanbullu,
250 words
- LEBANON-TRIPOLI/ (PICTURE, TV), moved, by Oliver Holmes
and Nazih Siddiq, 930 words
Hamas leader ends long exile, visits Gaza Strip
GAZA - Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal ends decades of exile
from Palestinian land with a triumphal first ever visit to the
Gaza Strip that underscores the Islamist group's growing
confidence following its latest conflict with Israel.
(PALESTINIANS-HAMAS/ (UPDATE , PICTURE, TV), expect by 1600
GMT/1100 AM ET, by Nidal al-Mughrabi and Marwa Awad, 1,000
words)
+ See also:
- PALESTINIANS-MESHAAL/GAZA (NEWSMAKER, UPDATE 1, PICTURE,
TV), moved, by Samia Nakhoul, 1,600 words
Flag riots mar Hillary Clinton's visit to Belfast
DUBLIN - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemns a
wave of street violence in Northern Ireland, saying it shows the
peace process she has long supported in the British province is
not yet complete. (USA-IRISH/CLINTON (UPDATE 2, PICTURE), moved,
by Ian Graham and David Brunnstrom, 800 words)
UNITED STATES
US 'Fiscal cliff' talks down to Obama and Republican Boehner
WASHINGTON - With about three weeks left before America's
"fiscal cliff" deadline, the task of avoiding the steep tax
hikes and spending cuts is coming down was down to talks between
Republican House Speaker Boehner and President Obama.
(USA-FISCAL/ (WRAPUP 1, PICTURE), expect by 1700 GMT/1200 ET, by
John Whitesides, 700 words)
US job growth quickens, jobless rate at 7.7 pct
WASHINGTON - U.S. employment grew faster than expected in
November as the hit from superstorm Sandy on payrolls was less
forceful than many feared. The jobless rate fell to a near
four-year low, largely because so many Americans gave up the
hunt for work. (USA-ECONOMY/ (WRAPUP 4), moving shortly, by
Lucia Mutikani, 700 words)
AMERICAS
Venezuela's Chavez back from Cuba medical treatment
CARACAS - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez makes a
theatrical return home after medical treatment in Cuba, walking
and joking in a first public appearance for three weeks that
quash rumors he may have been at death's door.(VENEZUELA-CHAVEZ/
(UPDATE 4, PICTURE, TV), moved, by Diego Ore and Efrain Otero,
350 words)
Amnesty sought for Venezuela's jailed, exiled Chavez
opponents
CARACAS - Venezuela's opposition is pressing President Hugo
Chavez for a Christmas amnesty for scores of his foes in jail
and exile over their roles in the many political conflicts of
his 14-year rule. (VENEZUELA-AMNESTY/, moved, by Diego Ore, 600
words)
+ See also:
- VENEZUELA-AMNESTY/CASES (FACTBOX), moved, 660 words
MIDDLE EAST
U.S. likely to extend Iran sanction waivers-sources
WASHINGTON - The United States is likely to exempt India,
South Korea, Turkey and others from Iranian financial sanctions
for another six months as a reward for reducing crude purchases
from the Islamic republic, two U.S. government sources say.
(USA-IRANSANCTIONS/ (EXCLUSIVE, UPDATE 3), moved, by Timothy
Gardner, 900 words)
AFRICA
Ghana votes in close-call test of stable democracy
ACCRA - Ghanaians wait in long lines to vote in presidential
elections they hope will entrench the country's reputation for
stable democracy in a part of the world better known for civil
wars, coups and corruption.(GHANA-ELECTION/ (UPDATE 2, PICUTRE,
TV), moved, by Kwasi Kpodo and Richard Valdmanis, 800 words)
ASIA
Strong quake hits off Japan near Fukushima disaster zone
TOKYO - A strong quake centred off northeastern Japan shook
buildings as far away as Tokyo and triggers a one-metre tsunami
in an area devastated by last year's Fukushima disaster, but
there are no immediate reports of deaths or serious damage.
(JAPAN-QUAKE/ (UPDATE 5, TV, PICTURE, GRAPHIC), moved, by Antoni
Slodkowski, 700 words)
Philippines buries dead, typhoon toll hits 418
NEW BATAAN, Philippines - Residents in the southern
Philippines bury their dead even as rescue workers continue
scouring remote areas for survivors of Typhoon Bopha, the
nation's strongest storm this year, which killed 418 people and
left nearly as many missing.(PHILIPPINES-TYPHOON/(UPDATE 1,
PICTURE, TV), moved, by Erik de Castro, 540 words)
China's Xi hits nationalist note with talk of 'revival'
SHANGHAI - In his first three weeks as China's Communist
Party boss, Xi Jinping has shown himself to be more confident,
direct and relaxed than his predecessor - but also quick to
invoke nationalistic themes to win public support and
legitimacy. (CHINA-XI/ (PICTURE), moved, by John Ruwitch, 825
words)
EUROPE
Historic Spanish hotels start two-day strike
MADRID - Workers at Spain's state-owned chain of luxury
parador hotels, often housed in historic castles and palaces,
start a two-day strike in protest at job cuts and threats to
close seven hotels. (SPAIN-HOTELS/, expect by 1200 GMT/7 AM ET,
by Sonya Dowsett, 500 words)
CLIMATE
Climate talks risk failure over aid row, lack of emissions
goals
DOHA - Wrangling over aid to the developing world and the
failure of rich countries to set tougher goals for fighting
global warming threaten to torpedo U.N. talks among 200 nations
on the final day. (CLIMATE-TALKS/ (UPDATE 1, TV, PICTURE),
moved, by Regan Doherty and Daniel Fineren, 600 words)