Reuters News

Russian gas flow halted through Ukraine to Europe

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:05:55 GMT

MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) - Russian gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine shut down completely Wednesday, leaving growing numbers of European Union member states without Russian fuel in freezing mid-winter temperatures.

Egypt floats truce plan after Gaza school deaths

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:44:32 GMT

GAZA (Reuters) - Israel and Hamas studied an Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday that won immediate backing from the United States and Europe, hours after Israeli shells killed 42 Palestinians at a U.N. school.

Germany adds to global job woes

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:14:44 GMT

LONDON/BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany posted its first rise in unemployment in almost three years on Wednesday, a day after the global economic downturn forced U.S. aluminum giant Alcoa to announce 15,000 job cuts and slash output.

Cambodians mark 30 years since fall of Pol Pot

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:06:47 GMT

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Thousands of Cambodian survivors of the Khmer Rouge "Killing Fields" marked 30 years Wednesday since the fall of Pol Pot's ultra-Maoist regime, blamed for the deaths of 1.7 million people.

Madoff victims may get some cash within a month: report

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:03:57 GMT

(Reuters) - Investors who lost money in Bernard Madoff's alleged $50 billion fraud might begin recovering some of their funds as soon as next month, Securities Investor Protection Corp, President Stephen Harbeck told Bloomberg in an interview.

Pakistani spy chief says no war with India

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:52:06 GMT

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The chief of Pakistan's powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency has said there will not be a war with India over November's militant attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai, Der Spiegel reported. Lieutenant-General Ahmed Shujaa Pasha told the German magazine in an interview terrorism, not India, was Pakistan's enemy, and he said he took orders from the civilian president.

Apartment rents show first decline in over 5 years

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:46:38 GMT

BOSTON (Reuters) - Average rents for U.S. apartments fell in the fourth quarter, as a sharp economic downturn and rising unemployment left Americans unwilling to pay higher prices, according to data released on Wednesday.

Obama says deficit may approach $1 trillion

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:13:13 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama said on Tuesday he expects to inherit a U.S. budget deficit approaching $1 trillion and his administration would have to make some tough budget choices.

Alcoa to slash jobs and sell 4 units

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:44:06 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Alcoa Inc said on Tuesday it would slash more than 15,000 jobs, halve capital spending and sell four businesses as it reduces aluminum production in the face of the global economic downturn.

Gates projects Pentagon needs $70 billion more for wars

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:03:31 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates estimates the Pentagon will need about $70 billion more to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan this year, on top of the $65.9 billion already approved by Congress.

Australia rejects Guantanamo resettlement requests

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:34:47 GMT

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia has rejected all U.S. requests so far to resettle detainees from Guantanamo Bay, the most recent being on Friday night, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said on Saturday.

Israeli air strike kills top Hamas military leader

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:18:51 GMT

GAZA (Reuters) - An Israeli air strike killed a senior commander of Hamas's armed wing on Saturday while the Islamist group's leader warned the Israeli army, currently massing on the border, would be defeated if it invaded Gaza.

Chrysler gets $4 billion U.S. government loan

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:11:31 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chrysler LLC on Friday received an initial $4 billion emergency loan from the U.S. government, two days after the government completed a parallel payout to its larger rival General Motors Corp.

Madoff money chase offers long road and little reward

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:29:44 GMT

LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Everyone caught up in the scandal of accused Wall Street swindler Bernard Madoff wants to know where the money is.

Raul Castro says hopes too high for Obama

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 19:49:16 GMT

HAVANA (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama appears to be an honest and sincere man, but his election has awakened "excessive hopes" that the United States will change, Cuban President Raul Castro said in a television interview broadcast on Friday.

Obama, Congress leaders to meet Monday on economy

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:07:02 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Both President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden will huddle with Democratic and Republican congressional leaders on Monday to try to advance a huge economic stimulus bill that Obama hopes can be enacted quickly, despite Republican reservations.

Private equity group buying IndyMac assets

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:47:51 GMT

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The assets of failed U.S. mortgage lender IndyMac are being bought by a group of private equity and hedge fund firms, including Dune Capital Management and J.C. Flowers & Co, which are putting up $1.3 billion in cash.

U.S. governors seek $1 trillion federal assistance

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 14:48:56 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Governors of five U.S. states urged the federal government to provide $1 trillion in aid to the country's 50 states to help pay for education, welfare and infrastructure as states struggle with steep budget deficits amid a deepening recession.

Ford sees sharp drop in U.S. sales

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 10:28:53 GMT

DEARBORN, Mich (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co expects industry-wide December U.S. auto sales to drop by some 35 percent from a year earlier with no sign of a turnaround in the first quarter of this year.

GM, GMAC loosen finance pact after lender bailout

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 09:37:09 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - GMAC LLC on Friday said that as part of its $6 billion federal bailout and decision to become a bank, it will no longer have the exclusive right to provide low-interest loans to borrowers who buy General Motors Corp cars and trucks.

Israeli planes strike government buildings in Gaza

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:32:17 GMT

GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli warplanes attacked government buildings in the Gaza Strip early on New Year's Day after Israel and its Islamist Hamas foe both spurned ceasefire calls in a conflict that has killed about 400 Palestinians.

High drama in Illinois over Obama Senate seat

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:54:57 GMT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Criticism rained down on embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday for his defiance in appointing the state's new U.S. senator but doubts persisted that anyone could block the move.

U.S. troops under Iraq's authority for first time

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:19:41 GMT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military in Iraq falls under Iraqi authority on Thursday for the first time since the U.S.-led invasion ousted Saddam Hussein in 2003, a milestone in the war-weary country's path to restoring sovereignty.

Oil jumps 14 percent, products up

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:53:27 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil rose 14 percent on the final trading day of 2008 in thin pre-holiday trade on Wednesday, tracking a jump in gasoline as a slowdown in domestic refinery activity sparked fears of tightening fuel supply this winter.

Israel rebuffs call for Gaza truce

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:41:58 GMT

GAZA (Reuters) - Israel on Wednesday rejected calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and stepped up preparations for a possible ground offensive after Hamas's long-range rockets hit another major population center.

More economic pain seen in 2009, but some hope too

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:27:11 GMT

SINGAPORE/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Many investors said good riddance on Wednesday to one of the worst years on record and prayed that government rescue plans will pull the global economy out of its fierce tailspin later in the new year.

High drama in Illinois over Obama Senate seat

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:54:27 GMT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Criticism rained down on embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday for his defiance in appointing the state's new U.S. Senator, but doubts persisted that anyone could block the move.

Madoff complying with assets disclosure deadline

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:52:57 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Accused swindler Bernard Madoff was complying with a court-ordered deadline to tell U.S. regulators how much money he has left, as lawmakers prepared to take their first close look at the alleged scheme that duped investors worldwide.

Jobless claims dive while mortgage rates ease again

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 11:06:29 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. weekly jobless claims plummeted last week but the improvement was probably a seasonal quirk rather than a turning point for the recession-ravaged labor market.

Amid worries, Cuba to mark 50 years of revolution

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:55:40 GMT

HAVANA (Reuters) - Against a backdrop of economic gloom and the frail health of former leader Fidel Castro, Cuba will mark on Thursday the 50th anniversary of the revolution that turned the island into a communist state and Cold War hot spot at the doorstep of the United States.

U.S. vacates Baghdad palace ahead of handover

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:23:06 GMT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. officials withdrew on Wednesday from the Saddam Hussein-era palace they have occupied in Baghdad since 2003, a sign of the change of power when their troops come under Iraqi authority at midnight.

Pakistani investigators find Mumbai link: report

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:20:57 GMT

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A leader of a banned Pakistani Islamist militant group has confessed to being a main planner of the attack on Mumbai, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing a Pakistani investigator.

Online holiday sales fall 3 percent

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:05:00 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Online sales for the holiday period up to December 23 fell 3 percent from the same period last year, marking the first decline in online spending since comScore Inc started tracking online sales in 2001.

Israel rejects truce, presses on with Gaza strikes

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 03:55:26 GMT

GAZA (Reuters) - Israel on Tuesday rejected any truce with Hamas Islamists in the Gaza Strip before cross-border rocket fire ceased and said its air strikes, the fiercest in decades, heralded "long weeks of military action."

Researchers unlock secrets of 1918 flu pandemic

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 03:33:54 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers have found out what made the 1918 flu pandemic so deadly -- a group of three genes that lets the virus invade the lungs and cause pneumonia.

Congress to examine Madoff case on Monday

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 03:31:56 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers will take their first close look next Monday at financier Bernard Madoff's alleged $50 billion fraud and why the Securities and Exchange Commission failed to discover the scandal.

Pakistan urges India to stand down troops

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 03:16:19 GMT

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan urged India on Tuesday to reduce tension by deactivating its air bases and standing down troops, but New Delhi angrily rejected suggestions it was aggravating tension with its nuclear-armed rival.

Global growth seen weak as Japan mulls fresh aid

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:56:00 GMT

LONDON/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Global growth will be very weak next year, a senior European banker warned on Tuesday, while Japan reportedly considered a $110 billion scheme to buy bad loans from banks, the latest in a series of government moves aimed at fighting the worst downturn since the 1930s.

U.S. puts up $6 billion to support auto lender GMAC

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:18:30 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration on Monday expanded its bailout of the U.S. auto industry, saying it was buying $5 billion in equity in auto and mortgage finance company GMAC and increasing a loan to General Motors by $1 billion.

Impeachment panel offered tapes on Blagojevich

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:15:27 GMT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Prosecutors agreed on Monday to provide an impeachment panel with tape-recordings in which investigators say Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is heard scheming to sell the powers of his office.

Pakistan suspends NATO supplies to tackle militants

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:02:09 GMT

JAMRUD, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan suspended supplies going to foreign forces in Afghanistan on Tuesday as security forces launched an offensive against militants in the Khyber Pass region, a government official said.

Obama may set new policy on Cuba's aging revolution

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 01:01:02 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Five decades after Fidel Castro toppled a U.S.-backed dictator to take power in Cuba, the Cold War rivalry with Washington could be thawing as President-elect Barack Obama looks to ease sanctions against the communist-run island.

Kerkorian sells off Ford shares at deep loss

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:21:45 GMT

DETROIT (Reuters) - Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian has sold off all of his remaining shares of Ford Motor Co, completing a retreat from a high-profile stake in the No. 2 U.S. automaker that cost him hundreds of millions of dollars.

Japan unveils economic aid, Belgian government falls

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 12:36:38 GMT

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Japan, Germany and Canada pledged new measures on Saturday to confront a financial crisis that has toppled banks, endangered the global auto industry and now played a part in the demise of Belgium's government.

Picower Foundation closes due to Madoff investment

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 11:25:53 GMT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Picower Foundation, a charity that supports programs ranging from medical research to education, is shutting down due to losses from investments with Bernard Madoff, according to a statement released by the foundation.

Canada unveils C$4 bln plan to help auto industry

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 10:23:10 GMT

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada will follow the United States by providing C$4 billion ($3.3 billion) in emergency loans to the Canadian arms of Detroit's ailing automakers to keep them operating while they restructure their businesses, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Saturday.

Bush throws lifeline to U.S. automakers

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 10:22:40 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush bailed out U.S. automakers on Friday with $17.4 billion in emergency loans as he sought to stave off a collapse that would have cost hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Up to 30,000 new U.S. troops in Afghanistan by summer

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 10:11:46 GMT

KABUL (Reuters) - The United States is aiming to send 20,000 to 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan by the beginning of next summer, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Saturday.

Lebanon appoints ambassador to Syria as ties warm

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 07:50:58 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon appointed an ambassador to Syria on Saturday, the first time the Arab neighbors will have full diplomatic relations since gaining independence from France in the 1940s.

Obama picks climate specialist as science adviser

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:01:37 GMT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama underscored on Saturday his intent to push initiatives on climate change by naming John Holdren, an energy and climate specialist, as the new White House science adviser.

Iraq lawmakers reject law on British troops

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 04:55:42 GMT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's parliament voted on Saturday to reject a draft law that allows troops from Britain, Australia and several other countries to remain beyond the end of this year, Iraqi parliamentarians said.

Utilities and retailers in path of winter storm

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:59:45 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A blast of snow and freezing rain knocked out power, threatened wheat crops and could ruin the last shopping weekend before Christmas as a storm moved from the U.S. upper Midwest to the country's Northeast on Friday.

Retailers hope for crowds in final holiday push

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:21:46 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Retailers prepared to open their doors early on Saturday in a final, frenzied push to save holiday sales, with the added disruption of a winter storm hitting the country's Midwest and Northeast.

Illinois governor says innocent; won't resign

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:38:44 GMT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said on Friday he has done nothing wrong and will not resign in the wake of charges he tried to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

Bush throws lifeline to auto industry

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:22:40 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush announced $17.4 billion in emergency loans to faltering U.S. carmakers on Friday in a dramatic step to stave off collapse of the industry and save hundreds of thousands of jobs from falling victim to a deep recession.

Utilities and retailers in path of winter storm

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:46:18 GMT

Mugabe asks Tsvangirai to take up PM post

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:42:06 GMT

BINDURA, Zimbabwe (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe announced on Friday he had invited rival Morgan Tsvangirai to be sworn-in as prime minister in a shared government, but expressed doubt whether he would accept.

Madoff agrees to extension of asset freeze

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:30:20 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bernard Madoff, the Wall Street investment adviser accused of running a $50 billion securities fraud, has agreed to extend court orders freezing his assets and appointing a receiver for his firm, according to court documents.

Hamas on alert in Gaza after truce with Israel ends

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:02:25 GMT

GAZA (Reuters) - Armed Islamist factions in Gaza went on alert on Friday after declaring an end to a six-month truce with Israel and warned the Jewish state not to attack the coastal enclave.

Record low mortgage rates toss housing a lifeline

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:09:36 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - With the $500 of monthly savings Jim Hennessy of San Diego gained by cutting the rate on his $417,000 mortgage, he plans to rebuild his beaten-up retirement account and maybe even take a cruise.

Watergate "Deep Throat" Mark Felt dies at 95

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:49:52 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mark Felt, the mysterious "Deep Throat" source who helped Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein crack the Watergate scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon, has died at age 95.

From bridges to police: U.S. draws up stimulus plan

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 06:58:17 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic congressional leaders were negotiating details Thursday of a huge plan to jolt the American economy, including $85 billion for road, water and other construction projects in a bill that could total at least $600 billion.

Russia to axe some weapons if U.S. abandons shield

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 02:50:40 GMT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will stop developing some strategic weapons if the United States drops plans for a missile shield in Europe, Interfax news agency quoted the commander of Russia's strategic missile forces as saying on Friday.

Cracks open in EU and U.S. over how to rescue economies

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:50:57 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Cracks emerged in the global effort to drag the world out of recession on Thursday with Germany attacking Britain ahead of an EU summit for rushing into debt to bail out industries and pump up growth.

Recession to worsen, deflation a risk: report

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:49:58 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The "nasty" U.S. recession will tighten its grip next year as unemployment rises and weak home and stock prices imperil consumers, finance firms and debt-laden businesses, a UCLA Anderson Forecast report released on Thursday said.

Greek violence flares for sixth day, Athens calmer

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:42:10 GMT

ATHENS (Reuters) - Gangs of dozens of high school students hurled stones and fire bombs at police stations in several Athens suburbs on Thursday, in a sixth day of violence which has shaken Greece's conservative government.

House passes auto bailout, Senate prospects grim

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:28:58 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives approved bailout legislation on Wednesday that would force U.S. automakers to restructure or fail, sending the measure to the Senate where prospects for passage appeared grim.

War with Pakistan "no solution," India says

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:10:55 GMT

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - War with Pakistan is "no solution" to the problem of militants using Pakistani soil to launch anti-India attacks, India's foreign minister said on Thursday after demanding Pakistan hand over 40 people.

U.S. aims for more troops in Afghanistan, Gates says

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:49:51 GMT

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - The United States aims to send at least an extra 7,000 troops to Afghanistan by next summer but must also do more to involve Afghans in the fight against a rising insurgency, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday.

German, American, Britons caught in Thai sex raid

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:34:13 GMT

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai police arrested two Britons, an American and a German in the beach town of Pattaya on Thursday on suspicion of child sex abuse.

Obama to offer Israel "nuclear umbrella": report

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:14:34 GMT

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama plans to offer Israel a strategic pact designed to fend off any nuclear attack on the Jewish state by Iran, an Israeli newspaper reported on Thursday.

Obama to nominate Daschle for healthcare post

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:18:31 GMT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama turns his focus on Thursday to healthcare -- a key element of his election campaign -- when he nominates former Senate leader Tom Daschle as secretary of Health and Human Services.

Retail sales post big drop in November

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:38:42 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. retail sales excluding autos posted their biggest monthly drop in five years November, as consumers, spooked by a deepening recession, pared spending for a third straight month, a private report released on Thursday showed.

Rio Tinto to cut 14,000 jobs

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:53:22 GMT

MELBOURNE/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Global miner Rio Tinto , saddled with nearly $40 billion in net debt, said it would cut 13 percent of its workforce, slash capital spending by more than half and sell more assets as it battles a collapse in commodity prices.

"Conceptual agreement" reached on auto aid

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:46:51 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid announced on Wednesday a bill to provide $15 billion in short-term loans to the ailing U.S. auto industry had essentially been completed, but the White House said some details still had to be settled.

Clashes outside parliament as strike grips Greece

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:44:31 GMT

ATHENS (Reuters) - Protesters threw fire bombs at police outside parliament on Wednesday during a general strike which paralyzed Greece and piled pressure on a conservative government reeling from the worst riots in decades.

Pakistan's Lashkar arrests met with Indian mistrust

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:39:49 GMT

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan confirmed on Wednesday the arrest of two men named by India as planners of the militant attack on Mumbai, but a senior Indian official described Pakistani actions so far as "eyewash."

U.S. troops start to relax as Iraq security improves

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:37:26 GMT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A few months ago, Lieutenant Greg Bassett and other U.S. soldiers would move through Abu Dsheer in a leapfrog pattern, half of them down in the dirt, rifles at the ready, protecting the rest as they ran.

Forecasters see active 2009 hurricane season

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:32:18 GMT

MIAMI (Reuters) - A prominent team of U.S.-based researchers predicted 14 tropical storms in the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season on Wednesday and said seven would develop into hurricanes.

China slows, Europe contracts as U.S. auto deal near

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:27:41 GMT

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - China vowed renewed measures to revitalize its economy on Wednesday after exports tumbled and domestic demand shrank, with bleak figures from Europe showing how badly its major trading partners were faring.

Nobel peace laureate urges Mideast focus for Obama

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:47:13 GMT

OSLO (Reuters) - Nobel Peace Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari urged U.S. President-elect Barack Obama Wednesday to delve into solving the Middle East conflict in his first year in office, calling it a knot that could be untied.

U.S.-led forces kill 7 Afghans in friendly fire

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:31:34 GMT

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - U.S.-led coalition forces killed six Afghan policemen and one civilian in a case of mistaken identity while targeting a Taliban commander in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, the U.S. military and police said.

Obama seen untouched by Illinois governor charges

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 05:40:05 GMT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama's decision to keep a distance from his state's governor, who was arrested on corruption charges on Tuesday, should enable him to escape becoming tainted by the scandal, analysts said.

Illinois governor arrested on corruption charges

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:47:08 GMT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested on Tuesday on corruption charges, including that he tried to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by fellow Democrat and President-elect Barack Obama.

African Union rejects tougher steps against Mugabe

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:33:11 GMT

HARARE (Reuters) - The African Union rejected tougher action against Zimbabwe on Tuesday and said only dialogue could solve the deepening crisis, while U.S. President George W. Bush joined calls for President Robert Mugabe to step down.

Climate talks to fail without tough CO2 goals: U.N.

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:29:12 GMT

POZNAN, Poland (Reuters) - The United States and other rich nations must pledge by the end of next year specific targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 to win agreement on a U.N. climate pact, the U.N.'s top climate official said on Tuesday.

White House, Democrats push for auto bailout deal

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:10:24 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Negotiators from Congress and the White House pushed to clinch a deal on Tuesday that would clear the way for a $15 billion bailout of U.S. automakers, making them answer to a federal "car czar" and count the government as their largest shareholder.

Riots rock Greece, opposition calls for election

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:36:20 GMT

ATHENS (Reuters) - Riot police fought running battles with hundreds of protesters outside Greece's parliament on Tuesday while the opposition socialist party called for elections to end four days of protests.

Downturn deepens: Canada in recession, Sony cuts jobs

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:12:52 GMT

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Japan sank further into recession in the third quarter, new European economic indicators showed that the downturn there is deepening and Canada declared itself in recession on Tuesday.

Raids on militants show Pakistan's intent: Zardari

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:39:01 GMT

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan has arrested militants following several raids to show its intent to hunt down anyone who was behind the attack on the Indian city of Mumbai that killed at least 171 people, President Asif Ali Zardari said.

Sony to cut 16,000 jobs, slash costs

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:46:22 GMT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Sony Corp said it will cut 16,000 jobs, curb investment and pull out of businesses to save $1.1 billion a year as the financial crisis ravages demand for its electronics products.

U.S. declines to free Reuters photographer in Iraq

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:10:12 GMT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military in Iraq is not obliged to obey an Iraqi court order to release a freelance photographer working for Reuters news agency and will hold him into 2009, a spokesman said on Tuesday.

Regulators preparing rescue of credit unions: report

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 04:39:20 GMT

(Reuters) - Federal regulators are preparing a rescue plan to shore up the finances of some large credit unions, using billions of dollars in new government borrowings, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Police in riot-hit Greece brace for more unrest

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:39:23 GMT

ATHENS (Reuters) - The funeral on Tuesday of a teenager shot dead by police was expected to provoke more riots in Greece following three days of the country's worst unrest in decades.

Warnings saw loan problems at Freddie, Fannie: report

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:29:29 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Documents show that top executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were warned years ago that the firms were offering mortgages that could pose a long-term danger to the companies, borrowers and the industry, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

Fighter jet crash kills 3 on ground in San Diego

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:20:49 GMT

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - A military jet on a training mission crashed into a suburban San Diego neighborhood on Monday, destroying two houses, killing three people and leaving a third missing, although the pilot ejected safely, officials said.

Japan recession gloom deepens

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:25:01 GMT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Japan sank deeper into recession than previously thought and is reportedly mulling $216 billion in new stimulus spending to fend off the global financial crisis, while the United States worked toward a rescue package for its battered auto makers.

September 11 suspects bid for Guantanamo guilty pleas

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:50:58 GMT

GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba (Reuters) - Five Guantanamo defendants charged with orchestrating the September 11 attacks told a U.S. military judge on Monday that they wanted to confess and plead guilty to terrorism charges that could result in their execution.

Tribune files for bankruptcy protection

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:20:43 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The publisher of the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times declared bankruptcy on Monday as the U.S. newspaper industry's unrelenting loss of readers and advertisers claimed its biggest victim yet.

White House reviews Democrats' auto bailout

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:56:43 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House voiced concern about a Democratic plan on Monday to bail out stricken automakers with up to $15 billion in loans and provide longer-term help if certain conditions were met.

Blackwater guards charged in Iraq shooting

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:55:37 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Five Blackwater security guards were charged on Monday with killing 14 unarmed civilians and wounding 20 others in a 2007 shooting in Baghdad that outraged Iraqis and strained U.S.-Iraqi relations.

Dow Chemical to cut 5,000 jobs

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:47:22 GMT

MUMBAI/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dow Chemical Co said on Monday it will close 20 facilities, divest several businesses and cut 5,000 jobs, making it the latest large chemical company to throttle back operations due to the global economic slump.

Pakistan nabs Mumbai plot suspect

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:57:41 GMT

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani security forces have arrested a suspected planner of last month's militant attack on India's financial capital in Mumbai in a raid on a militant camp in Pakistani Kashmir, sources said on Monday.