Report: Top Syrian general joins opposition

The general who heads Syria's military police has defected and joined the uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime, one of the highest walkouts by a serving security chief during the country's 21-month uprising, a pan Arab TV station has reported.Maj. Gen. Abdul-Aziz Jassem al-Shallal appeared in a video aired on Al Arabiya TV late Tuesday saying he is joining "the people's revolution."Al-Shallal's...

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Iraq: New protests break out in Sunni heartland

RAMADI, Iraq (AP) — Thousands of Iraqi demonstrators massed in a Sunni-dominated province west of Baghdad Wednesday, determined to keep up the pressure on a Shiite-led government that many accuse of trying to marginalize them.It was the third major protest in less than a week in Anbar, Iraq's largest province, once the heart of the deadly Sunni insurgency that erupted after the U.S.-led invasion in...

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Soccer-Swansea hot-shot Michu set for Spain debut

 Swansea City's free-scoring striker Michu is set to make his Spain debut early next year following a sensational start to his career in the English Premier League.Vicente del Bosque, coach of European and world champions Spain, told Spanish television that the 26-year-old will play in the Feb. 6 friendly against Uruguay in Doha.Michu will be joined in the Spain squad by Iago Aspas, currently...

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Zambia retain faith in winning squad

All but two of the squad who took Zambia to the last African Nations Cup title have been retained by coach Herve Renard for their defence in South Africa next month.Renard named a provisional list of 26 players on Monday for the tournament, keeping faith in the rump of the squad who won a first continental championship for Zambia.The only players left out are defender Nyambe Mulenga, who has lost...

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Swansea hot-shot Michu set for Spain debut

Swansea City's free-scoring striker Michu is set to make his Spain debut early next year following a sensational start to his career in the English Premier League.Vicente del Bosque, coach of European and world champions Spain, told Spanish television that the 26-year-old will play in the February 6 friendly against Uruguay in Doha.Michu will be joined in the Spain squad by Iago Aspas, currently being...

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Soccer-Scottish Premier League fixtures

Dec 25 (Infostrada Sports) - Fixtures from the Scottish Premier League matches on TuesdayWednesday, December 26 (GMT)Dundee United v St. Johnstone (1200)Hibernian v Ross County (1500)Inverness Caledonian Thistle v St. Mirren (1500)Kilmarnock v Hearts (1500)Motherwell v Aberdeen (1500)Dundee v Celtic (1930)Saturday, December 29 (GMT)Dundee v Aberdeen (1500)Hibernian v Celtic (1500)Motherwell v Kilmarnock...

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Soccer-English premier league fixtures

Dec 25 (Infostrada Sports) - Fixtures from the English premier league matches on TuesdayWednesday, December 26 (GMT)Everton v Wigan Athletic (1500)Fulham v Southampton (1500)Manchester United v Newcastle United (1500)Norwich City v Chelsea (1500)Queens Park Rangers v West Bromwich Albion (1500)Reading v Swansea City (1500)Sunderland v Manchester City (1500)Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur (1730)Stoke...

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Japan's incoming PM keeps up pressure on BOJ to attack deflation

 Incoming Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated calls for the Bank of Japan to conduct bold monetary easing to beat deflation by setting an inflation target of 2 percent.Abe, to be sworn in as Japan's next premier on Wednesday when he is also expected to name his cabinet, said his new government hopes to sign an agreement with the BOJ to aim for 2 percent inflation, double the central...

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China may require real name registration for internet access

China may require real name registration for internet access China may require internet users to register with their real names when signing up to network providers, state media said on Tuesday, extending a policy already in force with microblogs in a bid to curb what officials call rumors and vulgarity.A law being discussed this week would mean people would have to present their government-issued...

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Sony says China business has recovered, foresees growth

 Sony Corp's business in China has "more or less" returned to levels seen before recent protests against Japan's actions over a group of disputed islands, the Japanese company's China chief, Nobuki Kurita, told reporters on Tuesday.Calls for boycotts of Japanese products broke out across China in September after Japan nationalized two of a group of disputed East China Sea islands, known as the...

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