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Man City and Aston Villa win to stay in touch with Premier League leader Arsenal

Manchester City and Aston Villa kept the pressure on Premier League leader Arsenal with wins on Sunday.

Nottingham Forest pulled further away from the relegation zone with a 3-0 victory against Tottenham and Sunderland beat Newcastle 1-0 in the Tyne-Wear derby after an own-goal from Nick Woltemade.

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James hits 2 late free throws, Lakers beat Suns 116-114 after blowing 20-point lead

LeBron James made two free throws with 3.9 seconds left, Luka Doncic scored 29 points and the Los Angeles Lakers recovered from blowing a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter to top the Phoenix Suns 116-114 on Sunday night.

Phoenix trailed 99-79 with 7:48 left, but took a 114-113 lead with 12.2 seconds left on Dillon Brooks' 3-pointer over James, who made contact with Brooks after the shot. Brooks bumped James on the way back down the court, earning his second technical foul and an ejection.

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Mariah Carey to perform at Milan Cortina opening ceremony

Mariah Carey is going to add some American pop-star pedigree to the opening ceremony for the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

The local organizing committee announced on Monday that the 56-year-old Carey — the "All I Want for Christmas is You" singer — is the first international star named to perform in the Feb. 6 ceremony at Milan's San Siro soccer stadium.

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Morocco aims to boost legal cannabis farming and tap a global boom

Since he started growing cannabis at 14, Mohamed Makhlouf has lived in the shadows, losing sleep while bracing for a knock on his door from authorities that could mean prison or his entire harvest confiscated.

But after decades of operating in secret, Makhlouf finally has gained peace of mind as Morocco expands legal cultivation and works to integrate veteran growers like him into the formal economy.

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Like many holiday traditions, lighting candles and fireplaces is best done in moderation

The warm spices in gingerbread, the woodsy aroma of pine and fir trees, and the fruity tang of mulled wine are smells synonymous with the holiday season. Many people enjoy lighting candles, incense and fireplaces in their homes to evoke the moods associated with these festive fragrances.

Burning scented products may create a cozy ambiance, and in the case of fireplaces, provide light and heat, but some experts want people to consider how doing so contributes to the quality of the air indoors. All flames release chemicals that may cause allergy-like symptoms or contribute to long-term respiratory problems if they are inhaled in sufficient quantities.

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Quarterly 'tankan' survey shows slight improvement as Bank of Japan weighs rate hike

A quarterly survey of major Japanese manufacturers released Monday shows business sentiment improving to its best level in four years, even after President Trump raised tariffs on goods from the U.S. ally to a baseline level of 15%.

The Bank of Japan is bound to take the results of its quarterly "tankan" survey into account during a policy meeting this week, when it is expected to raise its benchmark interest rate. Analysts said the stronger results may sway the BOJ toward pressing ahead with a 0.25 percentage point rate hike that will take the key rate to 0.75%.

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Asian shares slip after Wall Street logs its worst day in 3 weeks

Shares opened higher in Europe after a retreat Monday in Asia following Wall Street's worst day in three weeks. The price of bitcoin sank as traders braced for an interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan, expected later in the week.

Germany's DAX gained 0.3% to 24,254.58 and the CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.8% to 8,131.56. Britain's FTSE 100 advanced 0.6% to 9,711,10.

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Cambodia says Thai bombing hitting deeper into its territory near displaced shelters

Heavy combat between Thailand and Cambodia entered a second week on Monday, with Phnom Penh claiming that Thai bombing is hitting deeper into its territory, coming close to shelters for people who had already fled dangerous areas along the border.

According to Cambodia's defense and information ministries, Thai F-16 fighter jets dropped two bombs shortly after 10 a.m. near camps for displaced people in Oddar Meanchey and Siem Reap provinces.

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Iran's rial currency plummets to new low, sparking fears of higher food prices

Iran's rial slid further Monday to a new record low of more than 1.3 million to the U.S. dollar, deepening the currency's collapse less than two weeks after it first breached the 1.2-million mark amid sanctions pressure and regional tensions.

Currency traders in Tehran quoted the dollar above 1.3 million rials, underscoring the speed of the decline since Dec. 3, when the rial hit what was then a historic low. The rapid depreciation is compounding inflationary pressures, pushing up prices for food and other daily necessities and further straining household budgets, a trend that could be intensified by a gasoline price change introduced in recent days.

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Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai convicted of national security charges

Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy former Hong Kong media mogul and outspoken critic of Beijing, was convicted in a landmark national security trial in the city's court on Monday, which could send him to prison for the rest of his life.

Three government-vetted judges found Lai, 78, guilty of conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiracy to publish seditious articles. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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