Start of "Santa Claus rally" dampened by "cliff' worries

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks edged lower on Monday as caution over the potential for volatility driven by worries about the U.S. "fiscal cliff" dampened enthusiasm at the start of a seasonally strong period for equities. Investors are betting Congress will reach a deal to avert most of the austerity measures due to come into force at the start of next year. That has led to the best...

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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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Weather Service: Gulf Coast Christmas could bring thunderstorms with strong winds, tornadoes

NEW ORLEANS – Nasty weather that includes a chance of strong tornadoes and howling thunderstorms is forecast on Christmas Day along the Gulf Coast from east Texas to north Florida.The National Weather Service says people should prepare their yards for high winds Monday, securing lawn furniture or anything that might be blown into a home or car.Weather service meteorologist Bob Wagner says the weather...

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Shootings: Suicide risk gives clues

A sign near a cemetery of a victim in the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.STORY HIGHLIGHTSDaniel Flannery: Studies show there is no distinct profile of school shooters Flannery: We can take lessons from what we know about risk for suicideHe says we can do better to assess a person's risk for violent action toward others Flannery: Communities and schools should pay more attention to kids' mental...

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Bronzeville among city sites seeking to build Obama library

The site where Michael Reese Hospital once stood isn't much to look at, just a 37-acre swath of overgrown land in Bronzeville,...

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Afghan policewoman kills coalition contractor in Kabul: NATO

KABUL (Reuters) - An Afghan woman wearing a police uniform shot dead on Monday a civilian contractor working for Western forces in the police chief's compound in Kabul, NATO said. The incident is likely to raise troubling questions about the direction of an unpopular war. It appeared to be the first time that a woman member of Afghanistan's security forces carried out such...

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Asian shares steady, U.S. budget concerns weigh

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares steadied in quiet pre-holiday trade after a slump late last week, with markets cautious over whether the United States can avoid a fiscal crisis. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan <.miapj0000pus> was up 0.6 percent after falling to a near two-week low on Friday when House of Representatives Speak John Boehner failed to gain...

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Colts, Bengals make playoffs with wins

One year after putting together the NFL's worst record, the Indianapolis Colts are headed to the playoffs.Joining them on Sunday were the Cincinnati Bengals, finishing out the field in the AFC.The Colts (10-5) equaled the 2008 Miami Dolphins as the only teams to win at least 10 games after losing 14 or more the previous season. Top overall draft pick Andrew Luck completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to...

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Bad weather prompts flight cancellations, delays at SFO

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Egyptians back new constitution in referendum

CAIRO (Reuters) - An Islamist-backed Egyptian constitution won approval in a referendum, rival camps said on Sunday, after a vote the opposition said would sow deep social divisions in the Arab world's most populous nation. The Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, which propelled President Mohamed Mursi to power in a June election, said an unofficial tally showed 64 percent of voters backed the...

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