Syrian vice president says neither side can win war

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian Vice President Farouq al-Sharaa said that neither the forces of President Bashar al-Assad nor rebels seeking to overthrow him can win the war which is now being fought on the outskirts of Assad's powerbase in Damascus. Sharaa, a Sunni Muslim in a power structure dominated by Assad's Alawite minority, has rarely been seen since the Syrian revolt erupted in March...

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Government can help in training of foreign workers: SNEF

SINGAPORE: The Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) says the government can help in defraying the cost of training foreign workers. In an interview with MediaCorp, SNEF president Stephen Lee said the federation is in discussions with various agencies to see how this can be done. Mr Lee pointed out that the productivity of foreign workers must be raised in order for Singapore...

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Multi-deal Monday: Ultrabooks, security software, games, and more!

Happy Free Shipping Day, fellow cheapskates. Nearly 1,700 online merchants are offering "free delivery by Christmas Eve," so today might be the ideal day to finish up your holiday shopping.That said, lots of stores offer free shipping every day, and I have no doubt we'll see lots of other "free shipping in time for Christmas" offers in the days to come, so don't fret too much if you miss FSD.Today...

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Kerry favorite to become Secretary of State

Longtime Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., seems poised to succeed Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, but no announcement appears imminent in the wake of recent mass shootings in Connecticut, and senior White House officials said that as of this weekend a decision had not yet been made. Kerry, who is currently chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and has made no secret of his desire for...

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Newtown Couple Vow to Live for Dead Daughter

The parents of Jessica Rekos, a 6-year-old girl who died during the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., said they are committed to keeping their daughter's memory alive despite their pain."We will talk about her every day, we will live for her," Krista Rekos told ABC News. "We will make sure her brother knows what an amazing person she was."Richard and...

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Japan's LDP surges back to power, eyes two-thirds majority with ally

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) surged back to power in an election on Sunday just three years after a devastating defeat, giving ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a chance to push his hawkish security agenda and radical economic recipe. An LDP win will usher in a government committed to a tough stance in a territorial row with China, a pro-nuclear energy...

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US school shooter blasted his way in: governor

  NEWTOWN, Connecticut: The gunman in the Connecticut school massacre that left 20 small children dead blasted his way through a locked glass door, climbed through and proceeded with his killing spree, the state governor said on Sunday."He shot his way into the school. The school was locked. He used a weapon to open up the glass, and then walked in," Governor Dan Malloy said on the...

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Sam's Club in unintentionally hilarious Twitter exchange

Membership has its privileges.(Credit:Screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET)If your job is to man a large company's Twitter account, it can be troubling task. It feels like you've been married to your customers for a very long time. They complain. They whine. They occasionally call you names.Still, it's best to read what they send to you before you emit a standard reply that has been agreed by marketing,...

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Losing our religion

(CBS News) The words "In God We Trust" can be found on all our currency, a reflection of the importance of religion in American lives. At least the lives of many of us, but not ALL. Our Sunday Morning Cover Story is reported by Lee Cowan: It's not just in Newtown, Connecticut, but in churches and synagogues - and any other building of faith - the question "why" is being asked over and over this...

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Conn. Community Mourns Victims of Massacre

President Obama will visit Newtown, Conn. today to meet with the grieving families and thank the first responders from Friday's school shooting, as the community begins the long process of healing.The pictures of the young victims killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School emerged Saturday, along with a remarkable story of survival.Twenty children and six adults were killed at the...

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