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Republican presidential candidate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, accompanied by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., left, greets residents during a caucus day rally at the Temple for Performing Arts in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Charlie Neibergall / AP)

New violins on par with the classics

What gives a violin made by Stradivari or Guarneri del Gesu its remarkable sound? Researchers examine even the varnish for anything that might explain the instruments’ almost magical properties.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Blog:

Double-blind violin test: Can you pick the Strad or the Guarneri from a new violin?

NPR

Online gambling fight now about when, who — not if

A recent U.S. Justice Department opinion opened the door for cash-strapped states and their lotteries to bring online gambling to their residents, as long as it does not involve sports betting.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

NJ lawmaker pushing online gaming

Politico

Republicans make final campaign push

After six months of campaigning, 13 Republican presidential debates and millions of dollars spent on ads, voters finally get a say in the race for the GOP presidential nomination.

CNN

Tight race in Iowa kicks off 2012 campaign

Reuters

Gingrich: Mitt Romney is a liar

CBS News

Iran warns US to keep ship out of Gulf

A senior Iranian Army commander has warned the U.S. Navy not to move an aircraft carrier which left the Persian Gulf during Iran‘s recent military drills back into the body of water.

CBS News

Arab league calls urgent meeting

The Arab League has called for a meeting to discuss whether to withdraw the group‘s monitors from Syria after reports that Syrian security forces have killed protesters despite the monitors’ presence.

ABC News

Special section:

Syria uprising

Al Jazeera

Are grand juries a vital tool?

In recent years, a nationwide push has been gaining momentum to reform grand juries — which critics say give prosecutors too much power, are too secretive and are open to abuse.

Detroit Free Press

The World in Photos .........................................................................
A lone walker braves falling snow at the Cleveland Metroparks South Chagrin Reservation in Bentleyville, Ohio. (Photo by Amy Sancetta / AP)	China Airlines’ float “Spirit of Prosperity and Harmony” moves during the 123rd Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif. (Photo by Ringo H.W. Chiu / AP)	Thai Buddhists offer food to a Buddhist monk during a morning alms at Marble temple in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo by Sakchai Lalait / AP)

NATION

Americans buy record numbers of guns for Christmas

According to the FBI, more than 1.5 million background checks on customers were requested by gun dealers to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System in December.

Telegraph.co.uk

Gun sales up this holiday season

KIAH-TV

US deaths in Afghanistan declined in 2011

U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan declined in 2011, the first drop in four years, amid a string of battlefield successes against Taliban insurgents by U.S. and other coalition forces.

USA TODAY

Colorado legislator’s bill seeks cooling-off period before getting divorce

A state lawmaker who wants to make it more difficult for parents to divorce said he initially had no idea that legislators a decade ago killed a similar proposal dubbed the “Dr. Laura” bill.

Denver Post

POLITICS

US election 2012: the dramatic impact of attack advertising on American politics

Super PACs were made possible by “Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission,” a landmark Supreme Court case between a right-wing pressure group and the U.S. election watchdog last year.

Telegraph.co.uk

Biden will helm US-China policy

Recognizing that Chinese Vice Premier Xi Jinping will be China‘s president-in-waiting through much of 2012, the White House will move Vice President Joe Biden to the helm of the administration’s U.S.-China policy.

The Atlantic

BUSINESS

Men grab most new US jobs

Men are claiming more than two-thirds of the private-sector jobs created as the economy recovers, reversing a trend that came close to giving the U.S. its first-ever majority-female workforce.

USA TODAY

Online holiday gift returns to hit record

With a Christmas season that has seen record e-commerce sales coming to a close, returns should hit an all-time high for United Parcel Service.

Msnbc.com

Coca-Cola accused of aiding dictator

Coca-Cola has been accused of propping up one of Africa‘s most notorious dictators, Swaziland’s King Mswati III who has been accused of human rights abuses and of looting national wealth.

Guardian

EDUCATION

Challenges lie ahead for early-learning grant winners

The nine states splitting $500 million in Race to the Top early-learning grants face many challenges as they try to put into practice their pledges to set standards.

Education Week

Florida school cafeterias could get corporate sponsors

In Duval County, Fla., public school cafeterias could undergo a name change with a proposed state bill that would allow local school boards to sell the naming rights to school property, including buses.

Florida Times-Union

HEALTH

The FDA fast tracks a vaccine to fight pneumonia in older adults

U.S. health regulators approved the expansion of Pfizer Inc.’s blockbuster Prevnar vaccine for use in adults 50 and older to fight pneumonia, meningitis and other diseases cause by pneumococcus.

The Atlantic

Lean beef OK for certain diets

People using a diet centered on fruits and vegetables to lower their cholesterol may be able to introduce lean beef and get similar results, suggests a new study.

Baltimore Sun

Critics assail crime laws aimed at people with HIV

A man in Texas is serving a 35-year prison sentence for spitting at a police officer — because he has the virus that causes AIDS and his saliva was deemed a deadly weapon.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY

The accidental yogi

“You are your own best teacher,” Ken Schweiger tells students in his hot yoga class at CorePower Studios in St. Paul. “Try not to judge, and do the best you can.”

Star Tribune

US Catholic ordinariate for former Anglicans formed

Pope Benedict XVI established a new nationwide U.S. ordinariate Jan. 1 for U.S. Anglicans (Episcopalians) who wish to become Catholic. It will be based in Houston.

National Catholic Reporter

Cool Stuff

The Daily Quote

“The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.”

Henry Miller

American novelist

Daily Quote Archives

Columns And Op-Ed

The opinions in the items below are not necessarily those of DailySource or our editors. Read more.

Column (Gabriel Roth):

The prevailing trouble with the federal financing of transportation

Philadelphia Inquirer

Column (Mary Sanchez):

Getting America back to work is challenge for 2012

McClatchy Newspapers

Blog (George Packer):

Un-American activities

(The New Yorker)

Daily Comment

Column (Patricia Morrisroe):

How Gucci got its groove back

Slate

Column (Steven Green):

The battle over school prayer and why it matters

Huffington Post

Column (Irin Carmen):

Abortion pioneer: Defend rights or lose them

Salon

Blog (Howard S. Friedman, Ph.D.):

The worst New Year’s resolutions you can make

(Psychology Today)

Secrets of Longevity

Editorial:

Good riddance to ethanol subsidies

San Francisco Chronicle

Live Chats All times are E.T.

ComPost live: Alexandra Petri Jan. 3 at 11 am

Washington Post

Financial resolutions: Bill Harris Jan. 3 at 11 am

Boston Globe

Property insurance: Alan Garfinkel Jan. 3 at 2 pm

Lawyers.com

Ron Paul: Nicholas Lemann Jan. 3 at 2 pm

The New Yorker

Site edited by: Brian Kendall, Cynthia Vidal, Maria Laverghetta, Diana Shaw, Kathie Raikes, Harsha Malik, Tanya Flowers, Brooke Coggiano, Jessica Duncan, Brian Lam, Sarah Alender and Laura Hardman.

GOOD NEWS

Mom reunites with biological child 77 years later

For most of her 100 years, Minka Disbrow tried to find out what became of the precious baby girl she gave up for adoption after being raped as a teen.

Houston Chronicle

Tutors teach seniors high-tech tricks

Many older Americans are trying to figure out how to use the high-tech gadgets they got as gifts. A number of programs are finding just the right experts to help usher older adults into the digital age.

NPR

Nurses can now combat ‘compassion fatigue’

With the help of an innovative program, nurses can now combat an occupational hazard they haven’t previously been prepared for: compassion fatigue.

Wall Street Journal

WORLD

Israelis, Palestinians to meet but prospects bleak