Wall Street Week Ahead: Bears hibernate as stocks near record highs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks have been on a tear in January, moving major indexes within striking distance of all-time highs. The bearish case is a difficult one to make right now. Earnings have exceeded expectations, the housing and labor markets have strengthened, lawmakers in Washington no longer seem to be the roadblock that they were for most of 2012, and money has returned to stock...

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At least 30 die in riots over Egyptian death sentences

PORT SAID, Egypt/CAIRO (Reuters) - At least 30 people were killed on Saturday when Egyptians rampaged in protest at the sentencing of 21 people to death over a soccer stadium disaster, violence that compounds a political crisis facing Islamist President Mohamed Mursi. Armored vehicles and military police fanned through the streets of Port Said, where gunshots rang out and protesters burned...

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Hackers claim attack on Justice Department website

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Hackers sympathetic to the late computer prodigy Aaron Swartz claimed on Saturday to have infiltrated the website of the U.S. Justice Department’s Sentencing Commission, and said they planned to release government data.The Sentencing Commission site, www.ussc.gov , was shut down early Saturday.Identifying themselves as Anonymous, a loosely organized group of unknown provenance...

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Joe Manganiello Is Dating Model Bridget Peters

By Monica Rizzo 01/25/2013 at 03:45 PM EST Joe Manganiello and Bridget Peters Seth Browarnik/Startraks Joe Manganiello has a new lady love. The True Blood hunk, 36, has been spending time with the beautiful brunette model Bridget Peters, PEOPLE has learned. Manganiello...

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Penalty could keep smokers out of health overhaul

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of smokers could be priced out of health insurance because of tobacco penalties in President Barack Obama's health care law, according to experts who are just now teasing out the potential impact of a little-noted provision in the massive legislation.The Affordable Care Act — "Obamacare" to its detractors — allows health insurers to charge smokers buying individual policies...

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S&P 500 heads for longest winning streak in eight years

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rose on Friday, with the S&P 500 on track to close above 1,500 for the first time in more than five years on bullish data from Europe and strong earnings reports. The benchmark was on track to extend its winning streak to eight days, the longest since a nine-day run in late 2004. Data showed sales of new U.S. single-family homes fell in December...

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Violence flares on anniversary of Egypt uprising

CAIRO/ALEXANDRIA, Egypt (Reuters) - On the second anniversary of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak, demonstrators clashed with police during protests across Egypt against the Islamist president they accuse of betraying the revolution. At least 186 civilians and 45 security personnel were injured, officials said. Thousands of opponents of President Mohamed Mursi and...

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Everything You Need to Know About Kim Dotcom’s Mega

Click here to view the gallery: Hands On With MegaMega — the long-anticipated file sharing and cloud storage site from Kim Dotcom — is now open to the public.[More from Mashable: Google Glasses Spotted and Two Other Stories You Need to Know]Thanks to its association with the now-defunct Megaupload — and the legal issues facing its founder Kim Dotcom — the amount of press, user interest and hype surrounding...

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Puppy Bowl's Starting Lineup Revealed

People Pets By Amy Jamieson 01/24/2013 at 03:45 PM EST It's time to set your DVRs, people. Animal Planet has revealed Puppy Bowl IX's starting lineup, and it would be a crime to miss this much cuteness.Thirty-five doe-eyed doggies are primed to strut their adorable assets on Feb. 3 at 3 p.m. ET/PT – and each...

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Penalty could keep smokers out of health overhaul

WASHINGTON (AP) — Here's a possible new cost for people with the cigarette habit.Experts say millions of smokers could be priced out of health insurance because of tobacco penalties under President Barack Obama's health care lawThe Affordable Care Act allows health insurers to charge smokers buying an individual policy up to 50 percent higher premiums starting next Jan. 1.A 60-year-old smoker could...

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