Gold falls from record, dips below $1,050

By Miho YoshikawaTOKYO (Reuters) - Gold fell to below $1,050 per ounce on Friday as the dollar edged up, snapping a rally that took prices to all-time highs for three consecutive days.Spot gold hit a record high of $1,061.20 on Thursday as the dollar's weakness increased bullion's traditional appeal as a hedge against the U.S. currency.The dollar rose on Friday, with comments from Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that indicated monetary policy might have to be tightened as a recovery takes hold, helping to pull the greenback off 14-month lows against a basket of currencies.Apart from its strong inverse correlation with the dollar, fears of inflation...

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Palace says it will no longer ‘tolerate’ intrusion by paparazzi

The Queen has issued a blunt warning that the Royal Family stands ready to take legal action against harassment and intrusion by paparazzi.After years of what one aide yesterday called “a growing feeling of frustration” over repeated breaches of privacy, lawyers operating for the Queen have reminded newspapers of their obligations under the industry’s own code of practice.Photographers will be closely monitored around the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, where the Queen and members of her family will gather for Christmas.The use of telephoto lenses by paparazzi — who sometimes conceal themselves in the undergrowth or wear camouflage to snatch pictures...

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Obama’s Sunday on Capitol Hill

A Call for Making ‘History’ | 5:13 p.m. President Obama exhorted Senate Democrats on Sunday to put aside their fierce policy differences and to make history by passing landmark health care legislation, according to The Times article now posted on our Web site.Original Post | 2:35 p.m. President Obama arrived on Capitol Hill shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday for his meeting with Senate Democrats.Mr. Obama offered a “Hey, guys, good to see you” greeting to the Capitol press corps but otherwise did not say anything as he walked briskly into the Mansfield Room, where Democrats hold their weekly party luncheon.The Sunday session is unusual. Democrats remain...

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Climate change protesters take to London streets

Thousands of people marched through central London on Saturday calling for a deal on climate change at next week's conference in Copenhagen.Organizers of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition had originally estimated that more than 10,000 people would participate in the event that began at Grosvenor Square and made its way to the Houses of Parliament on the River Thames.But London's Metropolitan Police said there were about 20,000 people at the march."We wanted to make a positive statement," retired teacher Pip Cartwright, 72, from Witney, Oxfordshire said. "It's for the future. It's not my generation that's going to have the problem to solve."The...

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The Post-Imperial Presidency

Even as Obama increases troop levels, he is scaling back American foreign policy.If you take just one sentence out, Barack Obama's speech on Afghanistan last week was all about focusing and limiting the scope of America's mission in that country. His goal, he said, was "narrowly defined." The objectives he detailed were exclusively military—to deny Al Qaeda a safe haven, reverse the Taliban's momentum, and strengthen the Kabul government's security forces. He said almost nothing about broader goals like spreading democracy, protecting human rights, or assisting in women's education. The nation that he was interested in building, he explained,...

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