Top Stories: 'Fiscal Cliff' Deadline Nears; New Year's Celebrations Begin

Good morning.

Our early headlines on this last day of 2012:

-- Year Ends As It Began, With Lawmakers Headed Toward The 'Fiscal Cliff'.

-- Secretary Clinton's Condition 'Extremely Common'.

Other stories making headlines include:

-- Newtown Killer Adam Lanza's Body Claimed. (The Hartford Courant)

-- "Under Pressure, India Fast Tracks Gang-Rape Case." (Morning Edition)

-- Venezuela's Chavez "Suffers New Complications In Cancer Fight." (The Associated Press)

-- New Year's Eve Celebrations Begin. (The Telegraph's live blog)

-- "Iraq Cities Hit By Wave Of Deadly Explosions." (BBC News)

-- Nine Killed, 36 Injured In Oregon Tour Bus Crash. (The Oregonian)

-- 14 Banks Reportedly Near $10 Billion Settlement Of Foreclosure Abuse Accusations. (The New York Times)

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