LOS ANGELES | Fri Dec 14, 2012 8:10pm EST LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Newcomer British boy band One Direction joined R&B diva Rihanna and British singer Adele to top Billboard's year-end music charts, released on Friday. One Direction, who topped the Billboard 200 album chart twice this year with their debut, "Up All Night" in March and their sophomore a...

NEW YORK | Fri Dec 14, 2012 8:09pm EST NEW YORK (Reuters) - A piano used in the classic film "Casablanca" sold for just over $600,000 on Friday, falling far short of predictions that it could fetch $1 million or more. The 58-key upright piano on which actor and singer Dooley Wilson performed "As Time Goes By," the signature song of the 1942 film's star-c...

By Aruna Viswanatha and Rick Rothacker WASHINGTON/CHARLOTTE | Fri Dec 14, 2012 8:09pm EST WASHINGTON/CHARLOTTE (Reuters) - Securities regulators have made inquiries into the mortgage repurchase practices at Bank of America Corp's Countrywide unit, according to a transcript filed in a lawsuit against the bank by insurer MBIA Inc. The details of th...

By David Ingram WASHINGTON | Fri Dec 14, 2012 7:40pm EST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The mass killing on Friday at a Connecticut school put renewed pressure on U.S. President Barack Obama and other Democrats to reverse their years of caution about gun control laws and address the easy availability of firearms. The scenes from Sandy Hook Elementary - o...

By Alistair Barr SAN FRANCISCO | Fri Dec 14, 2012 7:03pm EST SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Friday that it began selling Apple Inc's flagship iPhone 5 smartphone at a big discount in thousands of its stores. Wal-Mart said it is selling the 16 GB Apple iPhone 5 for $127, versus an original price of $189.97. The price is vali...

DETROIT | Fri Dec 14, 2012 6:36pm EST DETROIT (Reuters) - Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is carefully assessing legislation passed late on Thursday that would allow certain gun owners to bring concealed weapons to schools, churches and other areas that are currently gun-free, his office said. Snyder, a Republican, has not said if he will sign the bill, pa...

By Doug Palmer WASHINGTON | Fri Dec 14, 2012 6:24pm EST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday signed a bill that brings U.S. trade relations with Russia into the 21st century but also ushers in a testy era in which the United States could publicly "name and shame" Russian human rights violators. The measure, which Congress passe...

ISTANBUL | Fri Dec 14, 2012 6:23pm EST ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Ryan Lochte of the United States smashed his own world record to win the 200 meters individual medley at the world short-course championships on Friday and then shocked the crowd by giving his medal to a fan. Lochte finished in one minute 49.63 seconds to shatter the mark of 1:50.08 he set in De...

By Katharina Bart and Huw Jones ZURICH/LONDON | Fri Dec 14, 2012 5:24pm EST ZURICH/LONDON (Reuters) - UBS (UBSN.VX) will admit to criminal wrongdoing by its Japanese arm, where one of the Swiss bank's traders manipulated yen Libor and euroyen contracts, to secure a $1-billion-plus settlement with regulators, people familiar with the matter said o...

LOS ANGELES | Fri Dec 14, 2012 5:16pm EST LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - An auction of film legend Greta Garbo's belongings got off to a roaring start on Friday, with her clothing, jewelry and other memorabilia fetching more than ten times pre-sale estimates in many cases. Bidding was brisk and high as more than 800 items belonging to the reclusive Swedish actr...

By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK | Fri Dec 14, 2012 5:01pm EST NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The information sheets that come stapled to certain prescriptions picked up at the pharmacy are too complex and difficult for people to understand, according to a new study. "Anyone who's seen these are not going to be surprised by the fact that they're difficu...

Fri Dec 14, 2012 4:59pm EST (Reuters) - New York Giants rookie running back David Wilson, who had a breakout game last week, could play a bigger role against the Atlanta Falcons in Sunday's NFL showdown after injuries ruled out starter Ahmad Bradshaw. Bradshaw, who has knee and foot injuries, was declared out for the possible playoff preview between the NFC East-...

By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK | Fri Dec 14, 2012 4:56pm EST NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Setting the clock ahead for daylight savings time may set the scene for a small increase in heart attacks the next day, according to a small new study that suggests sleep-deprivation might be to blame. Researchers at two Michigan hospitals reviewed six years of...

By Julian Linden NEW YORK | Fri Dec 14, 2012 4:27pm EST NEW YORK (Reuters) - These are uncertain times in Laker Land. One of the National Basketball Association's glamour teams is struggling and no-one is sure why, or how to fix it. The Los Angeles Lakers, a team packed with superstars and a history steeped with success, are off to their worst st...

By Ben Hirschler LONDON | Fri Dec 14, 2012 4:04pm EST LONDON (Reuters) - A novel drug to fight alcohol dependency was given a green light by European regulators on Friday, providing a boost to Danish drugmaker Lundbeck at a time when its top product faces a big drop in sales. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Friday it recommended appro...

By Kerry Grens NEW YORK | Fri Dec 14, 2012 4:02pm EST NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Menopausal women who took soy supplements during a two-year trial reported no differences in quality of life compared to their counterparts taking placebo pills, U.S. researchers report. It's possible that soy could still offer women some benefits through menopause,...

Fri Dec 14, 2012 3:55pm EST (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday granted earlier-than-expected approval to Ariad Pharmaceuticals Inc's drug for two rares types of leukemia, but is requiring that patients be warned of potential side effects, sending the company's shares down nearly 20 percent. The drug, given the brand name Iclusig, was appr...

By Lisa Richwine Fri Dec 14, 2012 3:52pm EST (Reuters) - The first of three "Hobbit" movies kicked off its box office quest with an estimated $13 million in ticket sales from showings at U.S. and Canadian theaters just after midnight on Friday, a record for a December debut. The performance topped the $8 million from midnight sales for December 2003 film ...

NEW YORK | Fri Dec 14, 2012 3:25pm EST NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Open tennis tournament has extended its schedule to a Monday men's finish next year after a fifth year of weather delays disrupted the event in September, the U.S. Tennis Association said on Friday. The new program will feature a Sunday women's final followed by the men's title match on...

By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON | Fri Dec 14, 2012 3:11pm EST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Friday tightened limits on harmful soot pollution from sources including power plants, diesel engines and burning wood. The new standards, which the Environmental Protection Agency was under court order to finalize, limit annual average ...

By Susan Heavey WASHINGTON | Fri Dec 14, 2012 3:02pm EST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama says federal authorities should not target recreational marijuana use in two Western states that voted to make it legal, given limited government resources and growing public acceptance of the controlled substance. Obama's first comments on the ...

LOS ANGELES | Fri Dec 14, 2012 2:04pm EST LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - L.A. Reid, "The X Factor" judge, says he is leaving the TV talent show next season after two years on the panel. Reid, 56, chairman and chief executive of Epic Records, told "Access Hollywood," the television program and website, he has decided to leave the Fox reality singing show to retu...

By Alissa de Carbonnel MOSCOW | Fri Dec 14, 2012 1:58pm EST MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia moved closer on Friday to adopting a law barring entry to Americans who violate human rights, the same day U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law a rights-linked trade bill Moscow finds objectionable. The tit-for-tat response came in a near-unanimous vote i...

By Genevra Pittman NEW YORK | Fri Dec 14, 2012 1:53pm EST NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Having twins as a result of in vitro fertilization (IVF) carries higher risks of complications for both mother and babies than having two single babies from separate IVF procedures, according to a new Swedish study. The extra concerns that come with multiple bir...

By Julian Linden NEW YORK | Fri Dec 14, 2012 1:01pm EST NEW YORK (Reuters) - The race is on for the National Football League (NFL) playoffs. The pressure is building by the day with teams knowing one mistake could cost them a chance to be a contender for the Super Bowl. With just three weeks left in the regular season only four teams, the New Eng...

By Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON | Fri Dec 14, 2012 12:55pm EST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The "fiscal cliff" impasse is raising the odds that Congress will fail to meet a year-end deadline to avert steep tax hikes and budget cuts that could push the nation into another recession. With talks between President Barack Obama and House of Representatives Spea...

FRANKFURT | Fri Dec 14, 2012 12:35pm EST FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German drugmaker Bayer said on Friday it requested approval from U.S. regulators for an experimental prostate cancer drug that could eventually generate more than 1 billion euros ($1.31 billion) in annual sales. Radium-223 dichloride, which Bayer used to call Alpharadin, is designed to target...

By Nina Chestney and Alister Doyle LONDON | Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:20am EST LONDON (Reuters) - International climate scientists are more certain than ever that humans are responsible for global warming, rising sea levels and extreme weather events, according to a leaked draft report by an influential panel of experts. The early draft, which is still...

By Jim Finkle Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:12am EST (Reuters) - U.S. software pioneer John McAfee said that he will not return to Belize where police want to question him about a murder case, but that he is willing to let authorities from the Central American nation interview him in a "neutral country." McAfee, 67, went into hiding after his American neighbor Greg...

By Dhanya Skariachan and Nivedita Bhattacharjee Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:09am EST (Reuters) - Best Buy Co Inc (BBY.N) agreed to extend the deadline to February 28 for founder Richard Schulze to make a bid for the company, continuing the uncertainty for shareholders over whether he can put a bid together. Best Buy shares fell 14.2 percent to $12.12 on the New Y...

By Naomi O'Leary ROME | Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:07am EST ROME (Reuters) - A lighthearted Christmas comedy film that stormed Italian box offices this winter is the vehicle for an unusual sponsor: a funeral home. It is a sign of how Italian cinema, traditionally reliant on public funds that have halved since the 2007-2008 financial crisis, is seeking d...

By Himank Sharma Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:03am EST (Reuters) - Apple Inc shares fell 3.9 percent on Friday after the iPhone 5 debuted in China to a cool reception and two analysts cut shipment forecasts. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek trimmed his iPhone shipment estimates for the Jan-March quarter, saying that the technology company had started cutting orders t...

By Sonia Elks MOSCOW | Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:02am EST MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia took a step towards clamping down on the tobacco industry on Friday as a bill to ban smoking in public spaces and to restrict tobacco sales sailed through its first reading in parliament. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has said that 44 million Russians, nearly one in th...

Fri Dec 14, 2012 11:01am EST (Reuters) - Warren Buffett is mulling the prospect of owning at least one of Tribune Co's newspapers. Buffett told The Morning Call in Allentown, Pennsylvania that "Allentown is our kind of place," in response to a question of whether his conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway was interested in the 84,000 daily circulation paper.Tribune is e...

By Dan Williams JERUSALEM | Fri Dec 14, 2012 10:50am EST JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's offensive on Gaza has deterred Hamas from new hostilities despite its claims of victory and the front is now at its quietest in 20 years, a senior Israeli military officer said. Vastly lopsided shelling exchanges over eight days killed 170 Palestinians and 6 I...

LONDON | Fri Dec 14, 2012 10:48am EST LONDON (Reuters) - European regulators recommended against approval of Sanofi and Isis Pharmaceutical's Kynamro drug for treatment of a rare genetic disorder that causes unusually high cholesterol. The European Medicines Agency said it was concerned about the medicine's safety, noting that a high proportion of patien...

By Yasmine Saleh CAIRO | Fri Dec 14, 2012 10:46am EST CAIRO (Reuters) - Stone-throwing supporters and opponents of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi clashed in the Egyptian city of Alexandria on Friday ahead of a referendum on a new constitution that has divided the Arab world's most populous nation. Dozens of activists fought with clubs and sword...

By Jim Finkle and Rick Rothacker BOSTON/CHARLOTTE, North Carolina | Fri Dec 14, 2012 10:44am EST BOSTON/CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp, JPMorgan Chase & Co and U.S. Bancorp and other major U.S. banks seem to have stopped a group of hacker activists from seriously disrupting their online banking operations. A financ...

By Jack Kim SEOUL | Fri Dec 14, 2012 10:43am EST SEOUL (Reuters) - When North Korea's Kim Jong-un commemorates a year of his rule next week, he will be able to declare he has fulfilled the country's long-held dream of becoming a "space powerhouse". In a mass parade in Pyongyang on Friday, tens of thousands of soldiers dressed in olive green and s...

By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON | Fri Dec 14, 2012 10:41am EST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Factory output posted its sharpest increase in nearly a year in November as auto production staged a rebound, while consumer prices slipped, welcome signs for the struggling economic recovery. A separate report on Friday suggested the manufacturing strength continu...