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Loretta Ruppert, of Cary, shops for holiday gifts during her first time to the Deco Raleigh store. She found a unique gift for her Secret Santa that she says "couldn't be found anywhere else." Customers got treated to an after-hours holiday shopping party there in downtown Raleigh, N.C. on Monday, December 9, 2013. Owner Pam Blondin (not seen) partnered with Yellow Dog Creative in Hillsborough, N.C. and the graphic design firm sent out about 200 invitations to their clients. The store donated 10% of their profits from the day to Dress for Success and Yellow Dog Creative matched with 15%. The Dress for Success organization helps disadvantaged women to get support and career advice and attire for their professional wardrobes.

Holiday Faces 2013

A collection of images by N&O photojournalists featuring people in the area that capture the spirit of the holidays. Go to newsobserver.com/videos to see videos of some of the people featured

No arms were twisted by Wake Forest in its process of hiring a new football coach. Dave Clawson made that abundantly clear Tuesday upon his introduction as Jim Grobe's successor. "I really wanted to be at Wake Forest," Clawson said. "The second this...

Local/State News

After a clinic some players from the Cary High School soccer team (from left) Morgan Sullivan, Katie Carter and Cayla Rodney, greet players from Iraq like Aylin Adel, 16, right. Carter and the visiting team had met earlier in the week, when her club team scrimmaged and had lunch with the foreign students. As part of the State Department Sports Visitor Program, 13 female Iraqi soccer players will receive soccer instruction during a clinic at the indoor XL Soccer World arena. The high school age girls, who are in the U.S. for 10 days, worked out with the Women's Head Soccer Coach at Cary High Laura Kerrigan.

Iraqi girls' soccer team visits Triangle to receive training, inspiration

The first all-girl soccer team to visit the United States as part of the State Department's Iraq Soccer Visitor Program have spent much of their 10-day trip in the Triangle learning from and being inspired by women here who are active in sports.

Business

Spent fuel rods are arranged in a grid in a pool under about 30 feet of water seen during a tour of the Crystal River Nuclear Plant held for broadcast and print media , in Crystal River, Fla., Tuesday, June 14, 2011. Duke Energy Florida has decided to close the plant, which suffered concrete problems after a botched repair.

Duke Energy files $1.2B nuclear shutdown plan

Duke Energy has filed with federal regulators a nearly $1.2 billion plan to decommission its shuttered Crystal River nuclear plant in south Florida.

Politics

House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., right, accompanied by House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, left, and Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., answers reporters questions during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013, as House Republicans signaled support for a budget deal he worked out yesterday with Senate Budget Committee Chair Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. The budget deal was one of a few major measures left on Congress' to-do list near the end of a bruising year that has produced a partial government shutdown, a flirtation with a first-ever federal default and gridlock on President Obama's agenda.

House Republicans signal support for budget deal

House Republicans signaled support Wednesday for a budget deal worked out a day earlier, a plan narrowly drawn but promoted as a way to stabilize Congress' erratic fiscal efforts, avert another government shutdown and mute some of the partisan rancor... 2 minutes ago

Nation/World News

Pope Francis leads a mass on the occasion of All Saints' day on November 1st, 2013 at Campo di Verano cemetery in Rome.

Pope Francis is Time's Person of the Year

Time magazine selected Pope Francis as its Person of the Year on Wednesday, saying the Catholic Church's new leader has changed the perception of the 2,000-year-old institution in an extraordinary way in a short time. 7 minutes ago

Living

Winning recipes in our Holiday Treat contest

There are some amazing, creative bakers among our readers. Check out their winning recipes in this year's contest for the best holiday cookie, candy and brittle.

Entertainment

Scotty McCreery accepts the breakthrough artist of the year award onstage at the American Country Awards at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013, in Las Vegas, Nev. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP)

Scotty McCreery, Florida Georgia Line touted at American Country Awards

The fans of country music love Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line and they proved it again Tuesday during the American Country Awards. Garner's Scotty McCreery also left Las Vegas with an American Country Award guitar for being the best breakthrough...