Posted: Wednesday, December 26, 2012 -- 7:20 a.m.

1. WHAT THE NEW YORK SHOOTER'S NOTE SAID

William Spengler wanted to burn down the neighborhood and "do what I like doing best, killing people" before shooting at firefighters.

2. SAME WEAPON USED IN NEW YORK AND NEWTOWN

Police in Webster, N.Y., recovered a .223-caliber semiautomatic Bushmaster rifle -- the same caliber and make used to kill 26 people at a Connecticut elementary school.

3. TORNADOES FOR CHRISTMAS

The twisters spun across Texas and Alabama, blew the roofs off homes and killed three people.

4. SCARED TO SHOP

Retail spending grew at the slowest pace since the 2008 recession in a holiday season dampened by economic uncertainty.

5. REPUBLICANS LOOKING FOR COMPROMISE

After President Obama's re-election, many are willing to bend on immigration, taxes and gun issues.

6. BACK TO THE OLD IN JAPAN

Shinzo Abe was voted back into office, restoring power to the conservatives that ran Japan for most of the post-World War II era.

7. CRASH LANDING FOR CHRISTMAS TOURISTS

A flight headed for a popular spot in Myanmar slammed into a road, killing at least two people and injuring 11.

8. A DIRECTOR AND ACTOR, BUT NOT A POLITICIAN

Ben Affleck took himself out of the running for U.S. Sen. John Kerry's Massachusetts seat.

9. EASY TO GET A ROOM FOR INAUGURATION

Obama's Jan. 21 second-term festivities are expected to draw up to 800,000 visitors, down from 1.8 million in 2008.

10. HERO DOG FROM PHILIPPINES BEATS CANCER

Kabang, who lost her snout when she jumped in front of a motorcycle to save two young girls, is in remission after six weeks of chemotherapy.

Copyright 2012: Associated Press