Football: Inter Milan held by Genoa, nine points behind Juve

ROME: Inter Milan fell further behind Serie A leaders Juventus on Saturday after being held 1-1 at home to struggling Genoa.Inter, nine points behind the defending champions who beat Cagliari 3-1 on Friday, had to rely on a goal from Argentinian veteran Esteban Cambiasso five minutes from time to rescue a point.Genoa's Ciro Immobile had given the visitors the lead in the 77th minute with...

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Pope pardons ex-butler jailed over leaks

By Laura Smith-Spark and Saskya Vandoorne, CNNupdated 11:46 AM EST, Sat December 22, 2012Pope Benedict's former butler Paolo Gabriele leaves after the verdict in his trial at the Vatican in October.STORY HIGHLIGHTSVatican spokesman: Pope Benedict XVI pardons his former butler, Paolo GabrieleGabriele was given an 18-month prison term in October for aggravated theftHe was convicted after leaking private...

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Rebels threaten to storm 2 Syrian Christian towns

BEIRUT Rebels have threatened to storm two predominantly Christian towns in central Syria, saying regime forces are using them to attack nearby areas, an activist group said Saturday. It says such an attack could force thousands of Christians from their homes. Russia's foreign minister, meanwhile, said that Damascus has consolidated its chemical weapons into one or two locations to protect them...

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'Fiscal Cliff' Leaves Boehner a Wounded Speaker

John Boehner is a bloodied House speaker following the startling setback that his own fractious Republican troops dealt him in their "fiscal cliff" struggle against President Barack Obama.There's plenty of internal grumbling about the Ohio Republican, especially among conservatives, and lots of buzzing about whether his leadership post is in jeopardy. But it's uncertain whether...

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Goodbye, U.S. Postal Service?

This Christmas could be the Post Office's last, says John Avlon. STORY HIGHLIGHTSThe U.S. Postal Service is bleeding money and heading toward insolvency John Avlon: Congress can save the postal service in deal on the fiscal cliff He says the urgency is clear, let's hope for a Christmas miracle Avlon: But be prepared that Washington dysfunction can doom the postal service Editor's note: John Avlon...

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Moments of silence, bells mark US school shooting

NEWTOWN: Mourners in Newtown, Connecticut, stood in silence under heavy rain while church bells rang to honour the 20 young children and six staff massacred in a school shooting a week ago.The sombre scene at 9:30 am local time, the moment a week earlier when a deranged local man armed with semiautomatic weapons burst into the Sandy Hook Elementary School, was echoed around the country...

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Best moments

STORY HIGHLIGHTSCNN asked people from all over the world to send in their best moments of 2012From the Philippines to Scotland, hundreds of people sent their most memorable images Submissions include exhilarating holidays, the birth of kids, the realization of dreamsWhat was your best moment of 2012? Send us your pictures(CNN) -- For some it was an exhilarating holiday to an exotic place, finding...

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John Kerry tapped to be next Secretary of State

President Obama is nominating Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, CBS News has learned. An official announcement is forthcoming later today. Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, has widely been seen as the frontrunner for the position since U.N. ambassador Susan Rice withdrew her name from consideration. Rice came under heavy fire from Republican...

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Amid Protest, NRA Calls for Armed Guards in Schools

The National Rifle Association stood its ground today in arguing that the answer to gun violence in schools is an armed security force that can protect students, while blaming the media and violent entertainment and video games for recent deadly shootings."The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre...

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Is Newtown tipping point for change?

By Piers Morgan, CNNDecember 20, 2012 -- Updated 1627 GMT (0027 HKT)STORY HIGHLIGHTSPiers Morgan: Past gun-related tragedies haven't led to any actionHe says that must change, and he hosted a debate on the issueMorgan: Laws must be changed to limit weapons, ammunition and enforce background checksRights of Americans who use guns for hunting and sport must be respected, he says(CNN) -- On Wednesday...

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Russia's Putin denies propping up Assad

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday denied propping up Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and stressed that Moscow was only seeking to avert a perpetual civil war."We are not concerned about (Bashar Assad's fate. We understand that the family has been in power for 40 years and there is a need for change," Putin told a major Moscow press briefing.But he made no call on Assad...

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Blizzard blasts upper Midwest

STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: A 30-car pileup in Iowa is blamed on blowing snow; one person is deadHeavy snow and high winds stretch from Iowa to Wisconsin in the season's first blizzardTens of thousands are without power in Nebraska and IowaThe storm is forecast to crawl from the Midwest to New England by FridayIs the storm hitting near you? Share your photos and videos on CNN iReport.(CNN) -- Does the end...

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New York Stock Exchange to be sold

NEW YORK The New York Stock Exchange (NYX) is being sold to a rival exchange for about $8 billion, ending more than two centuries of independence for the iconic Big Board. The buyer, IntercontinentalExchange Inc. (ICE), an upstart exchange based in Atlanta, made clear Thursday that little would change for the iconic trading floor in Manhattan's financial district if regulators approve the deal....

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Winter Weather Threatens Christmas Travel

A pre-Christmas blizzard that is battering at least eight states in the middle of the nation could trip up travelers headed home for Christmas in the coming days.Nearly 20 inches of snow have been reported in Colorado just west of Denver. Nebraska has reported 6-to-10 inches so far. Between 3 and 8 inches have accumulated in Iowa already and more is possible. Snow is falling...

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Arming teachers would halt massacres

William Bennett argues that schools would be safer with at least one armed person there who is well-trained in firearms use.STORY HIGHLIGHTSWilliam Bennett: Arming, training one person in a school could help prevent shootingsHe says armed people have stopped instances of mass killingKillers may target places where they know they can't be shot down, Bennett saysBennett: Guns help prevent crime and...

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Football: Wilshere, four others sign new Arsenal deals

LONDON: Arsenal were given a major fillip on Wednesday when they announced that English midfielder Jack Wilshere and four other players have agreed new long-term contracts with the club.Wilshere joins fellow England internationals Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs and Carl Jenkinson and Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey in committing his future to the Emirates Stadium."We are delighted...

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Ex-judge Robert Bork dies

By Bill Mears, CNN Supreme Court Producerupdated 12:08 PM EST, Wed December 19, 2012Robert Bork, ex-federal judge Robert Bork, ex-federal judge Robert Bork, ex-federal judge Robert Bork, ex-federal judge Robert Bork, ex-federal judge Robert Bork, ex-federal judge STORY HIGHLIGHTSConservative judge Robert Bork died WednesdayHe was best known for contentious confirmation battle over his Supreme Court...

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State Dept. official resigns following Benghazi report

Eric Boswell, the head of diplomatic security at the State Department, has resigned, CBS News confirmed, following the release of a harsh report detailing State Department missteps that led to the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. Boswell's resignation from his post as assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security is effective immediately. Sources say he will stay on as director...

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Inside One School's Extraordinary Security Measures

While schools across America reassess their security measures in the wake of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., one school outside of Chicago takes safety to a whole new level.The security measures at Middleton Elementary School start the moment you set foot on campus, with a camera-equipped doorbell. When you ring the doorbell, school employees inside are...

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