Baseball-Nationals convince LaRoche to extend Washington stay

Jan 8 (Reuters) - The Washington Nationals finally persuaded Adam LaRoche to put pen to paper on Tuesday after spending the first half of the off-season courting their lead slugger.The free agent inked a two-year deal worth $24 million with an option for a third season, adding solidity to an improving Nationals team and rewarding the franchise for their patience.The 33-year-old had earlier declined...

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Nationals convince LaRoche to extend Washington stay

(Reuters) - The Washington Nationals finally persuaded Adam LaRoche to put pen to paper on Tuesday after spending the first half of the off-season courting their lead slugger.The free agent inked a two-year deal worth $24 million with an option for a third season, adding solidity to an improving Nationals team and rewarding the franchise for their patience.The 33-year-old had earlier declined to...

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Baseball-Record earnings for South Korean league

Jan 9 (Reuters) - South Korean baseball underlined its continuing growth by posting a record $33 million in revenue last year, local media reported on Wednesday.Winning gold at the Beijing Olympics and finishing runners-up at the 2009 World Baseball Classic boosted baseball's popularity and attendances crossed the 7 million-mark for the first time last year, Yonhap News agency reported.The league...

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Survivors still suffering after Concordia disaster

ROME (AP) — One can't stand being in a mall: It feels too much like the ship, with no visible exits. Another dreams she's walking on a tilt — a memory of having crawled up walls as the cruise liner rolled onto its side. A 4-year-old boy talks obsessively about the meal he had to leave behind when plates started to fly across the dining room.As if the nightmares, flashbacks and anxiety weren't enough,...

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Kurd protest in Paris demands justice in killings

PARIS (AP) — Thousands of Kurds from across Europe descended upon Paris on Saturday, demanding justice for three activists shot dead in the French capital.Turkey's leader, meanwhile, demanded to know why one of the victims — a founder of a Kurdish rebel group — had been granted asylum in France.Crowds of Kurds streamed to Paris from throughout Europe, marching through the neighborhood where Sakine...

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France ups terror threat level after Mali strike

PARIS (AP) — The French president says the country will raise its domestic terror threat level after military action in Mali and Somalia, promising to increase protection at public buildings and transportation networks.President Francois Hollande said Saturday he had ordered increased security after the French military operations in the two African countries against Islamist forces.France has some...

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16 Belfast cops hurt in Catholic-Protestant clash

BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) — Police say 16 officers have been injured in street clashes after about 1,000 Protestants marched on Belfast City Hall to protest its decision to reduce displays of the British flag.Violence broke out Saturday as Protestants passed Short Strand, the only Irish Catholic enclave in east Belfast. Masked, hooded Catholic youths tossed bottles, rocks and other makeshift...

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