UNITED STATES

No Regular Aussie Troops in Afghanistan by 2013

Afghan Taliban Deny Mullah Omar Wrote to White House

The White House received a letter in 2011 that purported to come directly from Mullah Omar, asking the United States to deliver prisoners whose transfer is now central to American efforts to broker peace in Afghanistan, an Obama administration official said Friday. The Afghan Taliban denied on Saturday that the group's leader, Mullah Omar, wrote to the White House last year.

Police Begin Clearing Occupy D.C. Protest Site

Occupy DC
Police removed bedding and most tents on Saturday at an "Occupy" protest site just blocks from the White House, enforcing a no-camping rule at a public square that has housed protesters for months.
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Employees walk past the company logo at the new headquarters of Facebook in Menlo Park

Facebook's High Tax Rate Likely to Drop

Facebook, the social network giant on the verge of a huge initial public stock offering, pays an unusually high tax rate, but that is likely to change soon, analysts said.
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Disagreements on Cyber Risk East-West 'Cold War'

With worries growing over computer hacking, data theft and the risk of digital attacks destroying essential systems, western states and their allies are co-operating closer than ever on cyber security.
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Super Bowl 2012: Are Sports Stadiums Ripping Off Cities?

When the New York Giants and New England Patriots battle in Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, they'll be playing in a stadium that was largely financed by taxpayers. Some critics dispute the positive economic benefits of stadiums, which have received around $20 billion in subsidies in the last two decades.
Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi talks to journalists during a news conference in Tehran on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012

Ban on Crude-Oil Sales Will Not Stall Nuclear Program: Iran

Iran's oil minister said the Islamic state would not retreat from its nuclear program even if its crude-oil exports grind to a halt, the official IRNA news agency reported on Saturday. But Rostam Qasemi also called on the European Union to review its recent decision to ban Iranian oil imports as of July 1.
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Gold Dips 1% on U.S. Jobs Data, Posts Small Weekly Drop

Gold fell 1 percent on Friday, its biggest one-day loss in over a month, after encouraging U.S. payrolls data smashed hopes of extra stimulus from the Federal Reserve, which had been priced into bullion's recent rally.
Bloomberg

Boston, New York Mayors Aiming at Illegal Guns in Super Bowl Ad Spot

Among the slick, million-dollar ads airing during the Super Bowl this Sunday, viewers in New York and Boston will see a far more modest spot. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino will be sitting on a couch touting an issue most politicians avoid like the plague: gun control.
Demonstrators gather during a protest against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and Russia in Kafranbel near Idlib January 20, 2012.

Russia Warns of 'Scandal' in Vote at U.N. on Syria

Russia sought to delay a U.N. Security Council vote on a resolution aimed at ending the bloodshed in Syria, warning on Saturday of a so-called scandal should the current draft be put to council members, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.
Republican Debate in Arizona: LIVE COVERAGE

Nevada Caucus 2012: Where to Find Election Results and Caucus Details

The Nevada Republicans will head to their caucus stations on Saturday to choose the state's Republican nominee to fight Barack Obama in the Nov. general elections. According to the Nevada State Caucuses Web site, the state has 400,310 registered Republicans voting for 28 delegates.
A customer arrives at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Shamokin Dam, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2011.

Yum Brands Sees 130 New Africa Stores This Year: Report

U.S. fast-food giant Yum Brands Inc. plans to open 130 new KFC stores in Africa this year, bringing its presence on the continent to 1,000 restaurants, the Business Day newspaper in South Africa said on Friday, citing a senior executive.
Homs

Syrian Forces Shelling Kills over 200 in Homs

More than 200 people were killed in shelling by Syrian forces in the city of Homs, activists said on Saturday, as the U.N. Security Council prepared to vote on a draft resolution backing an Arab call for President Bashar al-Assad to give up power.
An Iranian man walks past a currency exchange shop in northern Tehran January 3, 2012.

Banking's SWIFT Working with EU, U.S. on Iran-Related Measures

The organization that provides the world's banks with a system for moving money said on Friday it is working with officials in the European Union and the United States to address concerns about the services it provides to blacklisted Iranian banks.

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