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Kuwait to allow protest march on eve of election: PM
KUWAIT (Reuters) – Authorities will allow a protest march to go ahead the day before the December 1 parliamentary election in Kuwait, the Gulf Arab state’s prime minister said in a move designed to ease tensions ahead of the poll. Thousands of people have staged regular demonstrations since late October against a decree issued by Kuwait’s ruler, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, which reduced the number of votes allowed per citizen to one from four. The opposition movement, which includes youth groups and former members of parliament, has called for a boycott of the election in the U.S. …

NHL, NHLPA agree to allow mediators into stalled CBA negotiations
The NHL and NHL Players’ Association are hoping some objective voices can help bring an end to their labour dispute.

Canadian PM's Conservatives hang on to Calgary seat
CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) – Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservatives narrowly hu ng onto what had been considered one of their safest seats on Monday as voters elected their candidate in a by-election that became a contentious referendum on the government's policies. In the electoral district of Calgary Centre, Conservative candidate Joan Crockatt, who had the support of the right wing of the party, was leading Liberal challenger Harvey Locke with 37.4 percent of the vote to 32.5 percent with most of the votes tallied. …

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Experts exhume Arafat, seek evidence of poison
RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) – The body of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was exhumed on Tuesday by a team of international experts trying to discover if he was poisoned, as many Palestinians believe. French magistrates opened a murder inquiry in August i nto Arafat's death in Paris after a Swiss institute said it had discovered high levels of radioactive polonium on his clothing, which was supplied by his widow, Suha. Arafat, who led the Palestinians' bid for a state through years of war and peacemaking, died in Paris aged 75 in 2004 after a short, mysterious illness. …

Analysis: Carney track record hints at Bank of England path
TORONTO (Reuters) – Britain can expect its next central bank chief to be tough with its banks while being more nimble on monetary policy than his recent hawkish talk might suggest. Canadian central bank ch ief Mark Carney, named on Monday as the next governor of the Bank of England, gained a reputation on the global stage by challenging some of the world's most powerful financial executives to make their banks less risky, even if it left them less profitable. Carney's approach to regulation has been "tough rules with some discretion, as opposed to tough rules with no discretion … …

Experts exhume remains of Palestinian leader
The remains of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat were exhumed from his grave on Tuesday so international forensic experts could search for additional clues to his death, Palestinian officials said.

Nicaraguan ships arrive in waters disputed by Colombia: Ortega
MANAGUA (Reuters) – Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said on Monday h is country's ships already were exercising sovereignty over resource-rich Caribbean waters claimed by Colombia but granted to the Central American nation by an international court last week. Ortega, however, added that he had been in touch with Colombia about implementing the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ruling, which grants disputed islands to Colombia while offering rights to fishing and oil-rich waters to Nicaragua. …

Conservative candidate Joan Crockatt claims narrow byelection win in Calgary
OTTAWA – Conservative Joan Crockatt has won a narrow byelection race in the Tory fortress of Calgary Centre.

Tourists trickle into western Myanmar to see its history, undeterred by sectarian strife
MRAUK-U, Myanmar – It was dusk in a corner of Myanmar recently shaken by some of the bloodiest sectarian violence in a generation, and a dozen Canadian tourists climbed to the top of a grassy hill, cameras ready to capture the sweeping view.

Judge mulls new trial for Illinois man convicted of murdering wife, 3 kids in family's SUV
JOLIET, Ill. – A judge will decide Tuesday whether an Illinois man convicted of killing his wife and three children deserves a new trial, based in part on claims that the behaviour of lawyers next door during Drew Peterson’s murder trial made it impossible for the man to get a fair trial.

Chrysler to showcase new glam minivan this week
DETROIT (Reuters) – Chrysler Group LLC , which popularized the minivan nearly 30 years ago, will showcase an upscale version of its Chrysler Town & Country family minivan at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week. The 2013 Town & Country S includes a standard Blu-Ray DVD player as well as a black chrome grill and black interior. The minivan is the third Chrysler model to join the automaker’s “S” lineup after the 200 and 300 sedans. Earlier this month, Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne told reporters that the automaker was “more or less” on track to launch a redesigned minivan by 2014. …

NM man in custody in NY murder-for-hire plot in Vermont; uncle nabbed at Canadian border
MONTPELIER, Vt. – A New Mexico man awaits extradition from New York in what authorities describe as a murder-for-hire plot that unraveled after he and his uncle got lost and found themselves inadvertently at a border crossing to Canada.

Pattern of broken bones, brain injuries flags possible elder abuse: study
elder abuse.

Experts exhume grave of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat searching for clues to death
Officials say the remains of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat have been exhumed from his grave so international forensic experts can search for additional clues to his death.

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Goldman's vice chairman sells stock, options for $13.2 million
(Reuters) – The vice chairman of Goldman Sachs Group Inc , J. Michael Evans, sold shares and exercised stock options that fetched about $13.2 million, according to a regulatory filing on Monday. The stock and option sales by Evans comes after Goldman completed most of a cost-saving program that aims to reduce annual expenses by $1.9 billion by cutting staff and other non-compensation expenses. Evans exercised 65,408 options granted 10 years ago, which were set to expire this month, and separately sold 90,000 shares, according to a filing made with the U.S. …

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Britain favours credentials over countrymen for BoE's top job
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Britain’s choice of a Canadian to run the Bank of England could usher central bankers into the realm of globe-trotting elites that dominate the top jobs in business and sports. When Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney takes over the Bank’s next summer, as announced Monday, it will be the first time a foreigner has held the top position at a major national central bank. Britons are used to not worrying about nationality and embracing professional credentials instead, allowing foreigners to run their national football teams as well as top companies. …

Justin Trudeau says he's not concerned about opponents scrutinizing his past
who had to apologize last week for negative comments about Alberta made in a interview two years ago -- shrugs when asked if he and his campaign team are poring over all his previous public statements for potential land mines as he seeks the federal Liberal leadership.

Syrian jets bomb rebel bases near Turkey border
BUKULMEZ, Turkey (Reuters) – Syrian warplanes bombed two rebel base s near the Turkish border on Monday sending hundreds of people fleeing across the frontier. The attacks on the Free Syrian Army positions (FSA) in Atima and nearby Bab al-Hawa came a day before NATO and Ankara were due to start assessing where to station surface-to-air missiles on the Turkish side of the 900-km (560-mile) boundary. Turkey, a big supporter of rebels fighting to oust Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, has repeatedly scrambled jets along the border. …

Asian shares, euro rise on Greek debt deal
TOKYO (Reuters) – The euro hit a one-month high and Asian shares climbed for a seventh consecutive day on Tuesday while commodities rose and the dollar eased after a deal on new debt targets for Greece and a political agreement on disbursing the next installment of aid. After 12 hours of talks at their third meeting in as many weeks, Greece's international lenders agreed on a package of measures to cut Greek debt to 124 percent of gross domestic product by 2020, and pledged to take further steps to lower the debt below 110 percent of GDP in 2022. …

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MF Global customers to seek subpoenas for Corzine, others
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A group of former MF Global customers on Monday asked a court for permission to subpoena the commodities broker’s executives, including former CEO Jon Corzine, who was blamed in a congressional report this month for MF Global’s collapse. The Commodity Customer Coalition, an advocate for trader customers who lost money when MF Global went under, is seeking to subpoena Corzine, Chief Financial Officer Henri Steenkamp, Chief Operating Officer Bradley Abelow and others, according to court papers filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan. …

Nobel winner Dr. Joseph Murray, who performed 1st successful kidney transplant, dies in Boston
BOSTON – A doctor who performed the world’s first successful kidney transplant and won a Nobel Prize for his pioneering work has died in Boston. Dr. Joseph E. Murray was 93.

Eurozone, IMF reach deal to reduce Greek debt
The 17 European Union nations that use the euro have struck an agreement with the International Monetary Fund on a program to reduce Greek debt and put Athens on the way to get the next installment of its much-needed bailout loans.

ResCap creditors target cash from Ally asset sales: WSJ
(Reuters) – A group of creditors of Ally Financial Inc's mortgage subsidiary is laying claim to cash from Ally asset sales that was intended to help repay the U.S. government, which funded a $17.2 billion bailout of the finan cing firm, the Wall Street Journal reported. The creditors of mortgage firm Residential Capital LLC (ResCap) are eyeing more than $9 billion that Ally plans to collect from sales of its international operations, the business daily said. Ally, which is 74 percent owned by the U.S. …

Tibetan students in west China clash with police
A U.S. broadcaster says 20 Tibetan students have been hospitalized after they clashed with police during a demonstration sparked by anger over a government booklet that called the Tibetan language irrelevant and criticized recent self-immolations.

Make early childhood education a priority when books balanced, TD report urges
TORONTO – A new report suggests governments need to be spending more money on early childhood education.

Tories to retire all but two Challenger VIP jets as budget-cutting measure
OTTAWA – More federal politicians and senior military officials could find themselves flying commercial in the years ahead as the Harper government plans to retire and not replace most of its VIP Challenger jets.

Satellite photo shows increased activity at North Korean launch site
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A new satellite image shows a marked increase in activity at a North Korean missile launch site, pointing to a possible long-range ballistic missile test by Pyongyang in the next three weeks, according to satellite operator DigitalGlobe Inc. The imagery was released days after a Japanese newspaper, the Asahi Shimbun, reported that U.S. intelligence analysts had detected moves that were seen as preparation by North Korea for a long-range missile launch as early as this month. DigitalGlobe, which provides commercial satellite imagery to the U.S. …

Could Catalonia's vote boost Basque independence?
The results of Sunday’s local elections in Catalonia will likely have most immediate impact in the independence-minded region and in the halls of Madrid’s central government. But their effects within other Spanish communities that harbor hopes for independence may prove just as profound.

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SKorea: US socialite to lose honorary consul title
South Korea will revoke an honorary title given to an American socialite tied to a scandal involving former CIA director David Petraeus, officials said Tuesday.

Man arrested in Britain over killing of Northern Irish policeman
LONDON (Reuters) – A man from Northern Ireland was arrested in Britain on Monday in connection with the death of Northern Ireland policeman Ronan Kerr, who was killed in April last year when a bomb exploded under his car, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said. The 22-year-old man, from Omagh in County Tyrone, was detained in Milton Keynes, England, as police widened their investigation to northwest England. Police said they were conducting searches in Northern Ireland and northwest England. Kerr, 25, was the first policeman killed in the British-controlled province for two years. …

Man arrested in Britain over killing of Northern Irish policeman
LONDON (Reuters) – A man from Northern Ireland was arrested in Britain on Monday in connection with the death of Northern Ireland policeman Ronan Kerr, who was killed in April last year when a bomb exploded under his car, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said. The 22-year-old man, from Omagh in County Tyrone, was detained in Milton Keynes, England, as police widened their investigation to northwest England. Police said they were conducting searches in Northern Ireland and northwest England. Kerr, 25, was the first policeman killed in the British-controlled province for two years. …

Credit Suisse to axe 100 UK jobs: FT
LONDON (Reuters) – Credit Suisse will cut about 100 investment banking jobs in Britain as part of its restructuring plans designed to find 4 billion Swiss francs ($4.31 billion) of savings by 2015, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. The newspaper, citing a person familiar wit h the situation, said the job losses will occur over the next 90 days, mainly affecting the investment bank's equities, fixed income and advisory businesses. …

Two people in Calgary hospital after bear attack near Kimberley, B.C.
KIMBERLEY, B.C. – A man and a woman who startled a female grizzly bear and at least one cub were airlifted to Calgary hospital after surviving serious injuries.

Analysis: Despite 2011 disaster, pro-nuclear party could win power in Japan
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese voters look likely to hand victory to a party that favors nuclear power in the first election since the March 2011 Fukushima radiation disaster – a result a baffled Greenpeace activist likens to one of the "wonders of the world". But even if the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) wins the December 16 election, it will not reflect any groundswell of popular support for nuclear power. …

Credit Suisse to axe 100 UK jobs - FT
LONDON (Reuters) – Credit Suisse will cut about 100 investment banking jobs in Britain as part of its restructuring plans designed to find 4 billion Swiss francs (2.7 billion pounds) of savings by 2015, the Financial Times reported on Tues day. The newspaper, citing a person familiar with the situation, said the job losses will occur over the next 90 days, mainly affecting the investment bank's equities, fixed income and advisory businesses. …

UN to vote Thursday on raising Palestinian status
The Palestinians said the U.N. General Assembly will vote Thursday afternoon on a resolution raising their status at the United Nations from an observer to a nonmember observer state, a move they believe is an important step toward a two-state solution with Israel.

Father's shadow looms over Australian billionaire's book launch
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian mining magnate Gina Rinehart, one of the world’s wealthiest people, has displayed a trait rarely revealed publicly among the super-rich: insecurity. Rinehart’s first book was eagerly awaited by an Australian public enthralled and sometimes appalled by her story of big business, family feuds and almost unimaginable wealth. But the 58-year-old widow with a fortune estimated by Forbes at $18 billion, played it safe at the launch of the book, ‘Northern Australia and Then Some: Changes we need to make our country rich’. …

South Korean official says US socialite, Petraeus friend ousted as country's honorary consul
SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea has decided to revoke an honorary title given to an American socialite tied to the scandal involving former CIA director David Petraeus.

SKorea says US socialite ousted as honorary consul
South Korea has decided to revoke an honorary title given to an American socialite tied to the scandal involving former CIA director David Petraeus.

Recent garment factory fires in Bangladesh
More than 315 people have died in fires in Bangladesh garment factories since 2006. The country has about 4,000 garment factories and earns about $20 billion a year from garment exports, mainly to the United States and Europe. Some recent deadly garment factory fires:

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New York police investigate shredded documents found at Thanksgiving Day parade
MINEOLA, N.Y. – Authorities are investigating how shredded police documents got tossed as confetti to spectators at last week’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

Tourists trickle into violence-hit western Myanmar
It was dusk in a corner of Myanmar recently shaken by some of the bloodiest sectarian violence in a generation, and a dozen Canadian tourists climbed to the top of a grassy hill, cameras ready to capture the sweeping view.

Rebels backed by Rwanda and Uganda hold positions in Goma, as deadline passes
GOMA, Congo – Rebels widely believed to be backed by Rwanda and Uganda held their positions in this key eastern Congolese city that they seized last week, letting a midnight deadline for their withdrawal expire in the early hours of Tuesday.

Euro zone, IMF reach deal on cutting long-term Greek debt
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Euro zone finance ministers and the International Monetary Fund clinched agreement on a new debt target for Greece on Monday in a breakthrough towards releasing an urgently needed tranche of loans to the near-bankrupt economy, officials said. After nearly 10 hours of talks at their third meeting on the issue in as many weeks, Greece's international lenders agreed to reduce Greek debt by 40 billion euros, cutting it to 124 percent of gross domestic product by 2020, via a package of steps. …

Convicted killer committed suicide before bear fed on his body: coroner
KAMLOOPS, B.C. – A coroner says a convicted killer whose body became food for a bear outside of Kamloops, B.C., last May had committed suicide.

Euro officials reach deal to reduce Greek debt
A European Union official tells The Associated Press that a deal has been reached under which Greece's debt would be reduced to 124 percent of GDP by 2020.

Ex Deutsche Bank CEO criticizes successor for skipping hearing
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The former head of Germa ny's Deutsche Bank Josef Ackermann criticized his successor Anshu Jain on Monday for not agreeing to appear at a German parliamentary hearing this week on Libor manipulation. Politicians have already accused Indian-born Jain, who became co-head of Germany's largest bank in June, of "chickening out" by sending his chief compliance officer in his place. "I always took these tasks upon myself," Ackermann said at a conference organized by business daily Handelsblatt in Frankfurt. …

Rebels patrol in Congo city as deadline passes
Rebels widely believed to be backed by Rwanda and Uganda held their positions in this key eastern Congolese city that they seized last week, letting a midnight deadline for their withdrawal expire in the early hours of Tuesday.

Pro-settler Israeli hardliners sweep Netanyahu party vote
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Pro-settler hardliners swept a vote on Monday held by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, effectively tossing four of his closest allies and backers of Middle East diplomacy off a list of candidates running with him in a January 22 election. Party members ranked candidates on a list for the national poll to determine which of dozens already nominated could actually be elected to parliament. …

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Northern Calif. community mourns family swept to sea; search for missing teenager stopped
SAN FRANCISCO – Howard Kuljian and his family were out for a walk on a damp, overcast morning at Big Lagoon beach, playing fetch with their dog as 10-foot surf churned the water just feet away like a washing machine.

New Zealand becomes Middle Earth as Hobbit mania takes hold
WELLINGTON (Reuters) ̵ 1; New Zealand's capital city was rushing to complete its transformation into a haven for hairy feet and pointed ears on Tuesday as stars jetted in for the long-awaited world premiere of the first movie of the Hobbit trilogy. Wellington, where director Peter Jackson and much of the post production is based, has renamed itself "the Middle of Middle Earth", as fans held costume parties and city workers prepared to lay 500 m (550 yards) of red carpet. A specially Hobbit-decorated Air New Zealand jet brought in cast, crew and studio officials for the premiere. …

Seen as GSP's heir apparent, Rory MacDonald prepares for B.J. Penn fight
TORONTO – Should Georges St-Pierre retire as UFC welterweight champion, the title may not have far to go.

Questions raised about 'draconian' law that saw Toronto's mayor ousted
TORONTO – Questions are being raised about an all-or-nothing provision in a previously little-known “draconian” law that was thrust into the spotlight Monday after it was used to unseat the mayor of Canada’s largest city.

Experts to exhume Arafat, seek evidence of poison
RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) – The body of the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will be exhumed on Tuesday by a team of international experts trying to discover if he was poisoned, as many Palestinians believe. French m agistrates opened a murder inquiry in August into Arafat's death in Paris after a Swiss institute said it had discovered high levels of radioactive polonium on his clothing, which was supplied by his widow, Suha. Arafat, who led the Palestinians' bid for a state through years of war and peace, died in Paris aged 75 in 2004 after a short, mysterious illness. …

Quebec corruption inquiry taking a longer-than-expected winter break
MONTREAL – Quebec’s high-profile corruption inquiry will take a longer-than-expected, unscheduled winter break.

Canada's SNC says Swiss police likely reviewing payments
TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada’s SNC-Lavalin Group Inc said on Monday that Swiss police were likely reviewing payments made to two companies it had retained for projects in Libya between 2001 and 2011 as part of a broader investigation into a former SNC executive. Canada’s largest publicly traded engineering and construction company said it could not confirm media reports that a former SNC vice president, Riadh Ben Aissa, had been indicted on allegations that he had laundered money in connection with $139 million in payments by SNC. …

Michigan governor says new Windsor-Detroit bridge on fast track
TORONTO – Waivers and approvals from American officials for a new international bridge linking Detroit with Windsor, Ontario are on the fast track and should be completed in a few months, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said Monday.

Wal-Mart distances itself from fire in Bangladesh
The garment factory in Bangladesh where a weekend fire killed at least 112 people had been making clothes for Wal-Mart without the giant U.S. retailer's knowledge, Wal-Mart said Monday.

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Star receiver Lewis says Stampeders had positive season despite Grey Cup loss
CALGARY – A sombre group of Calgary Stampeders returned to McMahon Stadium on Monday, a day after a 35-22 loss to the host Toronto Argonauts in the 100th Grey Cup.

Saudi-backed religious center opens in Austria
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged Israel and Hamas to respect their cease-fire but said only mutual recognition of Israel's right to exist and an independent Palestine could ensure permanent peace in the region.

Amid bitter leadership row, French conservatives tap Copé
An internal committee investigating the contentious Nov. 18 election for leadership of France’s right-wing opposition UMP party has declared a winner, but the struggle between two prominent French conservatives over the UMP’s top spot looks set to continue, likely in court.

Toronto Trump condo delays sale closing date amid buyer lawsuits
TORONTO (Reuters) – Developers of the Trump International Hotel in Toronto have pushed back the closing date for the sale of luxury condo units at the project, the latest delay in a venture plagued by bad press and lawsuits by and against disgruntled investors. Talon International Inc, which developed the 65-story granite and glass hotel-condominium tower that opened this year in Toronto’s business district, said it was pushing back the closing date by two weeks to December 13 to respond to an investigation by the Ontario Securities Commission. …

FDA halts operations at peanut butter plant after 41 sickened by salmonella poisoning
WASHINGTON – The Food and Drug Administration has halted operations of the country’s largest organic peanut butter processor, cracking down on salmonella poisoning for the first time with a new enforcement authority the agency gained in a 2011 food safety law.

Carney's deputy seen as favourite to take over at Bank of Canada
OTTAWA (Reuters) – The Bank of Canada’s senior deputy governor, Tiff Macklem, is the early favourite to replace Mark Carney as the head of the central bank, pointing to a steady-as-she-goes policy that points eventually to higher interest rates. The policy picture would be less clear, however, if an outsider were brought in for the top Bank of Canada job, something that the bank has done on the last two occasions. …

Carney's deputy seen as favorite to take over at Bank of Canada
OTTAWA (Reuters) – The Bank of Canada's senior deputy governor, Tiff Macklem, is the early favorite to replace Mark Carney as the head of the central bank, pointing to a steady-as-she-goes policy that points eventually to higher interest rates. The policy picture would be less clear, however, if an outsider were brought in for the top Bank of Canada job, something that the bank has done on the last two occasions. …

U.N. committee expresses concern for Myanmar's Muslims
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – A committee of the U.N. General Assembly expressed serious concern on Monday over violence in Myanmar between Rohingya Muslims and Budd hists and called upon the government to address reports of human rights abuses by some authorities. The 193-nation General Assembly's Third Committee, which focuses on rights issues, approved by consensus a non-binding resolution, which Myanmar said contained a "litany of sweeping allegations, accuracies of which have yet to be verified. …

Saskatchewan wants review of refugee health cuts after man denied chemotherapy
REGINA – Saskatchewan Health Minister Dustin Duncan wants the federal government to review its decision to cut health benefits to refugee claimants.

Backed by Hamas, Palestinians eye Thursday vote for U.N. upgrade
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The Palestinian Authority has circulated a revised draft resolution to U.N. member states calling for an upgrade of its U.N. status to an “observer state” ahead of a planned vote on the issue by the 193-member world body on Thursday. A senior Western diplomat said only minor changes were made to the text distributed on Monday, which seems certain to win U.N. approval as the General Assembly is mostly made up of post-colonial states historically sympathetic to the Palestinians. …

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Court denies aboriginal bid to block ruling on Jackpine expansion
EDMONTON – Two aboriginal groups have lost their bid to block a ruling on Shell’s Jackpine oilsands mine expansion in northern Alberta.

US 'cleaning fairy' who broke into home, cleaned it and left $75 bill gets year of probation
CLEVELAND – A woman dubbed the “cleaning fairy” after she broke into a home, cleaned it and left a $75 bill has been put on probation for one year.

Teen actor condemns CBS comedy 'Two and a Half Men' as 'filth,' urges viewers to stay away
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The teenage actor who plays the half in the hit CBS comedy “Two and a Half Men” says it’s “filth” and through a video posted by a Christian church has urged viewers not to watch it.

Lehman to sell Archstone to Equity Residential, AvalonBay for $6.5 billion
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Lehman Brothers Holding Inc has agreed to sell apartment owner Archstone to rivals Equity Residential and AvlanonBay Communities Inc for $6.5 billion in cash and stock, Lehman said on Monday. Lehman and its affiliate, Lehman Commercial Paper Inc, will receive $2.685 billion in cash, as well as about 34.5 million shares of Equity Residential stock and 14.9 million shares of AvalonBay. Based on Friday’s closing price, the shares have a value of $3.8 billion. Lehman Brothers will own 9.8 percent of Equity Residential and 13.2 percent of AvalonBay. …

Oakland Athletics sell infielder Brandon Hicks to New York Mets
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Oakland Athletics have sold infielder Brandon Hicks to the New York Mets.

US rescinds offer to send performer Andrew W.K. to Bahrain as cultural envoy
WASHINGTON – Andrew W.K. won’t be taking his party to Bahrain after all.

Average age of Rolling Stones members is older than average age of US Supreme Court justices
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The U.S. Supreme Court used to be called Nine Old Men. That’s nothing compared to the ageless Rolling Stones. The justices on average are the kid brothers and sisters of the forever young rock n’ rollers.

Death toll in Nigeria bombing rises to 15: army
KADUNA, Nigeria (Reuters) – - The death toll from a double suicide bomb attack on a church inside a military barracks in northern Nigeria stood at 15 on Monday, the state governor said. Two bombers struck a church on Sunday in the Jaji barracks in Kaduna state, one of many in the north where the Islamist sect Boko Haram is waging an insurgency to try to impose Sharia law on Nigeria. The previous death toll was announced as 11. Kaduna State Governor Ibrahim Yakowa gave the new figure while on a visit to Jaji late on Monday, but did not say why the toll had gone up. …

Elite cross-country skiers coming to Quebec City for World Cup event
QUEBEC – Elite cross-country skiers from around the world will be in Quebec City for World Cup races slated for Dec. 7-8.

NDP calls for digitized payment systems, business says tread carefully
OTTAWA – Small businesses are worried that so-called mobile wallets will give banks and credit card companies a new way to gouge them and consumers both.

Congo rebels dig in as leader heads for talks
GOMA/MINOVA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) – Rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo strengthened their positions around the eastern city of Goma, defying regional calls for them to leave by Monday even as their leader flew to Uganda for talks. Ugandan officials said they were hoping to persuade Colonel Sultani Makenga to withdraw and prevent a descent into all-out war in a region dogged by nearly two decades of conflict fuelled by competition over vast minerals resources. …

Bahrain police break up march after Ashura memorial service
DUBAI (Reuters) – Bahraini security forces used tear gas and stun grenades to scatter hundreds of youths who tried to march towards the centre of the c apital on Monday after annual Ashura services marking one of the holiest days in the Shi'ite Muslim calendar. Bahrain, an important U.S. ally and base for U.S. warships, last year used martial law and help from Gulf neighbors to crush an uprising mainly by its Shi'ite majority against alleged discrimination. But unrest has since resumed with frequent clashes between demonstrators and police. …

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'A bet is a bet:' Calgary mayor to honour Grey Cup wager despite opponent's fate
CALGARY – Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi (nah-HEAD’ NEHN’-shee) says he’ll honour a Grey Cup wager even though his Toronto counterpart has been ordered out of office.

Chrysler to showcase new glam minivan this week
DETROIT (Reuters) – Chrysler Group LLC , which popularized the minivan segment nearly 30 years ago, will showcase an upscale version of its Chrysler Town & Country family minivan at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week. The 2013 Town & Country S includes a standard Blu-Ray DVD player as well as a black chrome grill and black interior. The minivan is the third Chrysler model to join the automaker's "S" lineup after the 200 and 300 sedans. Earlier this month, Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne told reporters that the automaker was "more or less" on track to launch a resigned minivan by 2014. …

Jimmy Carter returns to Haiti to build houses
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on Monday urged donors to honor the billion-dollar pledges they made to help Haiti rebuild after its devastating 2010 earthquake.

Opposition sides with military ombudsman on access to cabinet secrets
OTTAWA – The federal Opposition is accusing the Harper government of obstructing the work of the military ombudsman following reports Pierre Daigle was recently refused access to cabinet documents.

Sources say NJ Gov. Christie files papers to seek re-election next year
TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has filed papers to seek re-election next year, while enjoying a popularity surge due to his hands-on response to Superstorm Sandy, the worst natural disaster in state history.

Egypt's Islamists cancel protests
A spokesman of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood says it has canceled a planned mass rally in support of President Mohammed Morsi's assumption of sweeping powers.

Lawyers for Big Tobacco want expert witness barred from Canadian trial
MONTREAL – Lawyers for three of Canada’s largest tobacco firms are attacking the credibility of a prominent witness in a massive class-action lawsuit against the industry.

Mexican beauty queen killed in shootout
Officials say a 20-year-old state beauty queen has been killed in northern Mexico during a running gun battle between soldiers and the gang of drug traffickers she was traveling with.

Organizers: Las Vegas marathon runners will see changes
including strict sanitation rules and a contractor supplying water to runners.

EU wants investor compensation for health and environment changes: documents
OTTAWA – Newly obtained documents show the European Union wants Canada to agree to compensate companies for any losses that stem from changes in health, environment or safety rules.

Boeing says more work needed before launch of stretch 787
(Reuters) – Boeing Co said on Monday it was moving ahead with plans for a stretch version of its fuel-efficient 78 7 Dreamliner but added that more work is needed before it obtained approval for an official launch. Boeing has said it has been talking with airlines and leasing companies to define specifications for the 787-10, which would be the biggest version of the revolutionary plane and a powerful rival to the Airbus A330. …

CP Railway plans Calgary HQ move to cut costs, say unions, source
(Reuters) – Canadian Pacific Railway is planning to relocate much of its head office from downtown Calgary, union officials and a so urce close to the company said, under a restructuring plan that its new chief executive will detail to investors in early December. Chief Executive Hunter Harrison told U.S. union leaders and a Canadian union president that Canada's second-biggest railroad will move employees out of its glass-towered headquarters as part of an ambitious cost-cutting plan. …

Nigeria Boko Haram member sends letter offering dialogue
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) – A purported senior member of Islamist militant group Boko Haram has distributed a letter requesting talks with the government, a day after a double suicide bombing blamed on the sect killed at least 11 and wounded 30 in an army barracks. The letter was signed by Sheik Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulazeez, a man known by local security sources to be a sect member but considered to be a moderate. …

Ancient Microbes Found in Buried Antarctic Lake
Beneath the icy surface of a buried Antarctic lake, in super-salty water devoid of light and oxygen that is also cold enough to freeze seawater, researchers have now discovered that a diverse community of bacteria has survived for millennia.

Online shopping surges in US holiday season; Cyber Monday likely to be busiest day of year
expected to be the biggest online shopping day of the year for the third straight year.

IOC to hold hearings for positive retests of 2004 Athens samples
LONDON – The IOC will hold hearings next month for the athletes whose doping samples came back positive in retests from the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Indebted Caribbean tax havens look to tax foreign investors
For a territory of just more than 56,000 people, the Cayman Islands boasts an impressive corporate roster: From some of the favorite US brands like Coca-Cola and Federal Express to the world's richest sports franchise, English football club Manchester United.

Strauss-Kahn awaits word on French sex inquiry
PARIS (Reuters) – Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn finds out on Wednesday whether the last sex offence case against him in France will be dropped, 18 months after rape accusations ended his presidential ambitions. The 63-year-old has asked a court in northern France to halt a judicial inquiry to determine whether he should stand trial on pimping charges related to sex parties attended by him and by prostitutes. …

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NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly expects CBA talks to resume soon
NEW YORK, – Bill Daly doesn’t think much time will pass before the NHL’s collective bargaining talks resume.

Turkish PM backs lifting Kurdish MPs immunity from prosecution
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday he was in favo r of lifting the immunity from prosecution of Kurdish deputies accused of links to militants, a move which would likely fuel tensions in the mainly Kurdish southeast. The comments came just a week after hundreds of militants ended a hunger strike in jail in response to an appeal from their leader and the government signaled it was open to talks to end a conflict which has killed more than 40,000 people. …

Thousands protest in Bangladesh, blaze draws U.S. scrutiny
DHAKA/CHICAGO (Reuters) – Thousands of angry textile workers demonstrated in the outskirts of Dhaka on Monday after a fire swept through a garment workshop at the weekend, killing more than 100 people in Bangladesh's worst-ever factory blaze. The fire has put a spotlight on global retailers that source clothes from Bangladesh, where the cost of labor is low – as little as $37 a month for some workers – and rights groups have called on big-brand firms to sign up to a fire safety program. A number of top U.S. …

Egypt's president stands by his decrees
Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi told the country's top judges Monday that he did not infringe on their authority when he seized near absolute powers, setting the stage for a prolonged showdown on the eve of mass protests planned by both supporters and opponents of the Islamist leader.

Ehud Barak says he's quitting Israeli politics
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak abruptly quit politics Monday, potentially robbing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a key ally who enabled his hardline government to present a moderate face to the world.

Steps stolen from Poe's former Baltimore home, vandals scribble illegibly on front door
BALTIMORE – Vandals have made off with wooden steps that once lead to the front door of Edgar Allan Poe’s Baltimore home and also scribbled on the door of the home.

Man behind anti-Islam film that stoked riots has no regrets: New York Times
(Reuters) – The Egyptian-born Coptic Christian who made the anti-Islam film that sparked protests across the Muslim world has no regrets about his insulting portrayal of the Prophet Mohammad, according to an interview with the New York Times. In his first public comments since the 14-minute trailer for his film, “Innocence of Muslims,” gained notoriety in September, Mark Basseley Youssef told the newspaper he wanted to reveal what he called “the actual truth” about Mohammad and raise awareness of the violence committed “under the sign of Allah. …

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Aboriginal flood evacuees pressure Manitoba, Ottawa to provide new homes
WINNIPEG – Aboriginal flood evacuees in Manitoba say they are being stonewalled in their search for a new place to live.

Dog days in Cuba: from shih tzus to schnauzers
The Cuban capital has played host to political summits and art festivals, ballet tributes and international baseball competitions. Now dog lovers are getting their chance to take center stage.

Accused reservist tells court martial he wasn't qualified to run firing range
CALGARY – A Calgary reservist charged in a fatal training accident in Afghanistan has taken the stand in his own defence at his court martial.

New chief of Sarkozy's dispute-racked party named
A hardliner has been confirmed the new chief of former President Nicolas Sarkozy’s conservative party after a recount, but the result is unlikely to end the leadership battle that has fractured the party.

Pakistani TV anchor survives attempted bombing
Police on Monday found and defused a bomb planted under the car of a prominent Pakistani TV anchor threatened by the Taliban for his coverage of a schoolgirl shot by the militants, police said.

Global first: Brit visits all 201 states without flying
A British adventurer has become the first person to travel to all 201 sovereign states in the world without flying, ending his four-year odyssey early Monday when he arrived in South Sudan, the world's newest nation.

Egypt's Morsi says he stands by his decrees
Egypt's Islamist president has told the nation's top judges that he acted within his rights when he issued a series of decrees giving him sweeping powers, according to his spokesman.

Factbox - Mark Carney, the Bank of England's next governor
(Reuters) – Here are some key facts about Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney, who will become governor of the Bank of England on July 1, 2013, and serve a five-year term. Key Facts: — Carney, 47, will be the first non-British governor of the Bank of England, replacing Mervyn King. He will stay in his position at Canada’s central bank until June 1 next year. …

Deadly Bangladesh garment factory fire spotlights poor working conditions
Just after a fire killed at least 112 workers at a garment factory in the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, another 10-story factory caught fire Monday morning, and thousands took to the streets to protest the factories' poor safety standards.

Ivory Coast arrests two over Swiss blackmail sex ring
GENEVA (Reuters) – Ivory Coast police arrested two people in a sting organized by Swiss investigators after multiple complaints in Switzerland about an Internet sex blackmail ring operating out of Abidjan. The two suspects were arrested in the West African country’s biggest city during a joint operation with local authorities after one of them went to pick up cash from a bank that had been designated by the blackmailers, Swiss police said. …

French hostage in Mali appeals for help from Paris
DAKAR (Reuters) – A French man kidnapped by Islamist rebels last week in southwest Mali said he blamed France’s foreign policy for his abduction and urged Paris to respond to his captors’ demands in a video shown on Monday. Gilberto Rodriguez Leal, 61, was taken hostage on November 20 after crossing from Mauritania into Mali, where Islamist militants took advantage of the chaos surrounding a March coup to seize the northern two thirds of the country. …

Factory fire in Bangladesh highlights poor safety
When the fire alarm went off, workers were told by their bosses to go back to their sewing machines. An exit door was locked. And the fire extinguishers didn't work and apparently were there just to impress inspectors and customers.

Syrian rebels struggle to keep regime Air Force on the ground
In recent weeks, Syrian opposition fighters have claimed a string of tactical gains, most recently capturing two regime bases, a helicopter base near Damascus, and a hydroelectric dam in the north of the country. The victories are said to have caused a significant blow to the morale of the embattled Syrian Army and brought the outgunned rebel forces closer to besieging the capital city and cutting off critical regime supply lines.

Assembling championship Argos team meant looking for more than talented players
TORONTO – Ricky Ray saw it coming out of training camp. These Toronto Argonauts had a special bond.

Canada's Carney set for new job as Bank of England governor
OTTAWA (Reuters) – Mark Carney, the surprise outsider choice to head the Bank of England is an overachiever with several big financial roles already notched into his belt, and is also a fan of rock band A C-DC whose lyrics can seem to mirror his life. "Coming on like a hurricane" and "take no prisoners," the words of AC-DC's song "Hells Bells" pretty much sum Carney up as he prepares to leave the Bank of Canada and take on the job of Governor of the Bank of England from July 1 2013. …

New Vienna interfaith center opens with Saudi help
VIENNA (Reuters)- A Saudi-backed center to promote interfaith dialogue worldwide began work in Vienna on Monday by bringing hundreds of religious activists together to discuss how to promote understand ing among different beliefs. Named after Saudi King Abdullah, the center is a welcome boost for bridge-building between faiths in an era of financial austerity but has drawn criticism because Saudi Arabia enforces a strict Islam and bans non-Muslim religious practice. …

US twin astronaut, Russian to spend year in orbit
A former space shuttle commander whose twin brother is married to former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will attempt the longest spaceflight ever by an American.

Russian NGOs say new law makes them look like spies
Russian nongovernmental organizations are holding their breath a few days after a new law came into effect, requiring those who receive any amount of outside funding and engage in “public outreach” that authorities deem political to register as “foreign agents” and identify themselves as such in all their materials.

Two Iranian navy ships to visit Sudan again
KHARTOUM (Reuters) – Two Iranian navy ships will dock in Sudan this week to refuel, state news agency SUNA said on Monday, the second such visit in a month since Sudan accused Israel of bombing an arms factory. Sudan blamed Israeli military planes for a huge explosion last month at the Yarmouk plant in Khartoum, the country’s biggest small arms and ammunition factory. Four people were killed during the blast, according to Sudan. …

Israel, Hamas teams in Cairo for more truce talks
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egyptian mediators began separate talks on Monday with Hamas and with Israel to flesh out details of a ceasefire agreed last week that ended eight days of fighting in the Gaza Strip. An Egyptian official told Reuters the talks would discuss Palestinian demands for the opening of more Israeli crossings into Gaza – a move that would help end six years of blockade of the coastal enclave ruled by the Islamist Hamas. The Egyptian-brokered ceasefire came into force last Wednesday, ending hostilities between the two sides that cost the lives of 167 Palestinians and six Israelis. …