Reuters News

Russia's Putin accuses U.S. of damaging world order

2014-10-24T08:02:00.001-07:00

Russia's Putin accuses U.S. of damaging world order

Russia's Putin accuses U.S. of damaging world order
Kurds deny Erdogan report of deal with Syrian rebels to aid besieged Kobani
Doctor with Ebola in New York hospital after return from Guinea
Ford's lower profit beats estimates; sales down on F-150 launch
U.S. new home sales up in September, but August pace cut
Security tight in Canada as police probe Parliament gunman's ties
New York police officer critically wounded in hatchet attack
Deutsche Bank braces for $1.3 billion in U.S., UK Libor fines: sources
Stagnating euro zone seeks German shift
Protesters in Hong Kong to vote on government proposals
Exclusive: Chad says Nigeria deal with Boko Haram to free girls still on
Pfizer's $11 billion buyback plan deflates AstraZeneca bid hopes
EU strikes compromise to set new climate target
Specter of no-inflation world looms over Fed's return to normal
Hong Kong protesters set for the long haul at self-sustaining village
Merkel says EU will discuss bridging finance for Ukraine next week
Venezuela seizes warehouses packed with medical goods, food
EU strikes compromise to set new climate target
EU reaches deal to cut emissions by at least 40 percent versus 1990 levels
Microsoft sales beat Street hopes, cloud profits up
New York tests doctor who was in West Africa for Ebola
Iran will be seen as responsible if nuclear talks fail: U.S.
Syria's Kobani less at risk but could still fall: U.S. officials
Amazon's holiday-quarter forecast disappoints, shares dive

Russia's Putin accuses U.S. of damaging world order

Posted: 24 Oct 2014 07:29 AM PDT

LAURA Russia (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin accused the United States on Friday of making the world a more dangerous place by imposing a "unilateral diktat" in international diplomacy and denied Russia wanted to build a new empire.

Kurds deny Erdogan report of deal with Syrian rebels to aid besieged Kobani

Posted: 24 Oct 2014 07:20 AM PDT

ISTANBUL/BEIRUT (Reuters) - A senior Syrian Kurdish official on Friday denied a report from Turkey's president that Syrian Kurds had agreed to let 1,300 Free Syrian Army fighters enter the border town of Kobani to help defend it against besieging Islamic State insurgents.

Doctor with Ebola in New York hospital after return from Guinea

Posted: 24 Oct 2014 07:18 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A doctor who worked in West Africa with Ebola patients was in an isolation unit in New York City on Friday after testing positive for the virus, becoming the fourth person diagnosed with the disease in the United States and the first in its largest city.

Ford's lower profit beats estimates; sales down on F-150 launch

Posted: 24 Oct 2014 07:07 AM PDT

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co on Friday reported a 34 percent drop in third-quarter earnings, and revenue fell due to the cost of introducing the F-150 pickup truck.

U.S. new home sales up in September, but August pace cut

Posted: 24 Oct 2014 07:05 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sales of new U.S. single-family homes rose to a six-year high in September, but a sharp downward revision to August's sales pace indicated that the housing recovery remains fragile.

Security tight in Canada as police probe Parliament gunman's ties

Posted: 24 Oct 2014 07:04 AM PDT

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's capital faced a third day of heightened security on Friday as police searched for any clues that the man who shot and killed a soldier and charged into the parliament building had help in plotting his attack.

New York police officer critically wounded in hatchet attack

Posted: 24 Oct 2014 06:49 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A hatchet-wielding attacker charged a group of New York City police officers posing for a photograph on Thursday, wounded two, one critically, before the assailant was shot dead, police said.

Deutsche Bank braces for $1.3 billion in U.S., UK Libor fines: sources

Posted: 24 Oct 2014 06:44 AM PDT

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank is bracing to pay almost 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) for Libor-related fines as it nears a deal with U.S. and UK authorities to settle allegations it attempted to manipulate the benchmark interest rate, two sources familiar with the matter said on Friday.

Stagnating euro zone seeks German shift

Posted: 24 Oct 2014 05:20 AM PDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - France and Italy sought on Friday to bridge stark differences with Germany over how to avert economic stagnation and deflation, but Chancellor Angela Merkel warned her peers against repeating the euro zone's debt crisis.

Protesters in Hong Kong to vote on government proposals

Posted: 24 Oct 2014 04:49 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong protesters plan to hold a straw poll on government proposals they rejected earlier in the week as their street campaign pushing for democracy for the Chinese-controlled city entered its fifth week on Friday.

Exclusive: Chad says Nigeria deal with Boko Haram to free girls still on

Posted: 24 Oct 2014 04:22 AM PDT

N'DJAMENA (Reuters) - Chad said it believed Nigeria's secret deal with Boko Haram Islamists to free more than 200 kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls would go ahead despite the breakdown of a truce, and revealed that the key to the agreement was a prisoner swap.

Pfizer's $11 billion buyback plan deflates AstraZeneca bid hopes

Posted: 24 Oct 2014 01:11 AM PDT

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. drugmaker Pfizer is to continue buying back stock, with the board authorizing a new $11 billion share repurchase plan, deflating expectations that it will make a new bid for AstraZeneca.

EU strikes compromise to set new climate target

Posted: 24 Oct 2014 12:40 AM PDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders struck a deal on a new target to cut carbon emissions out to 2030, calling it a new global standard but leaving critics warning that compromises had undermined the fight against climate change.

Specter of no-inflation world looms over Fed's return to normal

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 10:06 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After months of focus on slack in U.S. labor markets, the Federal Reserve faces a new challenge: the possibility that weak inflation may be so firmly entrenched it upends the return to normal monetary policy.

Hong Kong protesters set for the long haul at self-sustaining village

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 09:06 PM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong protesters have created a self-sustaining village within a month of taking their call for democracy to the streets, setting up changing rooms, tents for hire, a study area, first-aid stations and even their own security patrols as they ready for the long haul.

Merkel says EU will discuss bridging finance for Ukraine next week

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:15 PM PDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union and Ukraine will discuss a bridging loan to Kiev next week so that the country can pay in advance for Russian gas deliveries for the coming months, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday.

Venezuela seizes warehouses packed with medical goods, food

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 05:06 PM PDT

CARACAS (Reuters) - President Nicolas Maduro's government said on Thursday it had taken over warehouses around Venezuela crammed with medical goods and food that "bourgeois criminals" were hoarding for speculation and contraband.

EU strikes compromise to set new climate target

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 04:28 PM PDT

EU reaches deal to cut emissions by at least 40 percent versus 1990 levels

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 04:20 PM PDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders reached a deal early on Friday to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 percent in 2030 versus 1990 levels, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said in a Twitter message.

Microsoft sales beat Street hopes, cloud profits up

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 04:17 PM PDT

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp reported higher-than-expected quarterly revenue, helped by stronger sales of its phones, Surface tablets and cloud-computing products for companies, while keeping its profit margins largely intact.

New York tests doctor who was in West Africa for Ebola

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 04:16 PM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A physician with Doctors without Borders who returned from West Africa recently and developed potential symptoms was being tested for Ebola at a New York City hospital, health officials said on Thursday, setting off fresh fears about the spread of the virus.

Iran will be seen as responsible if nuclear talks fail: U.S.

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 04:02 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran will be widely seen to be responsible if a comprehensive deal to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief is not reached, the top U.S. negotiator said on Thursday.

Syria's Kobani less at risk but could still fall: U.S. officials

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 03:49 PM PDT

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE Fla. (Reuters) - The Syrian border town of Kobani appears in less danger of falling to the Islamic State, but the threat still remains, U.S. officials said on Thursday, offering a measured view of a key battle against the militant group.

Amazon's holiday-quarter forecast disappoints, shares dive

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 03:44 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc's sales projections for the crucial holiday quarter disappointed Wall Street and third-quarter results missed forecasts, sending the online retailer's shares 9 percent lower on Thursday.

Man arrested near Canada's prime minister in sign of tensions

2014-10-23T08:03:00.001-07:00

Man arrested near Canada's prime minister in sign of tensions

Man arrested near Canada's prime minister in sign of tensions
U.S.-led air strikes killed 521 fighters, 32 civilians in Syria: monitor
Exclusive: Charred tanks in Ukraine point to Russian involvement
Drugmakers may need indemnity for fast-tracked Ebola vaccines
U.S. factory activity growth slips in October: Markit
GM posts higher-than-expected profit on strong North American demand
GT Advanced settles with Apple, to exit sapphire production
U.S. jobless claims data point to firming labor market
Mexico says mayor, wife were behind student-teacher disappearances
Special Report: Why Ukraine's revolution remains unfinished
Business activity improves in China, euro zone but little sign of turnaround
U.S. prosecutors probe Takata Corp over statements: WSJ
Eight Pakistani Shi'ites killed in sectarian attack
Europe's banks face moment of truth from ECB review
At U.N., China asked to back rights case against North Korea
Man arrested after jumping White House fence, causing lockdown
Man arrested after jumping White House fence, causing lockdown
Suspended South Carolina speaker to plead guilty to ethics charges: report
Palestinian driver rams Jerusalem station killing baby
Man jumps White House fence, causes lockdown
Canada's parliament attacked, soldier fatally shot nearby
AT&T revenue misses forecasts as more customers bring own phones
Iraqi Kurds approve sending fighters to aid Syrian town
Mexico says mayor, wife were behind student-teacher disappearances
U.S. tightens Ebola monitoring for West African visitors

Man arrested near Canada's prime minister in sign of tensions

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 07:42 AM PDT

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Police arrested a man at gunpoint just steps from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Thursday, underscoring tensions in the capital Ottawa a day after a gunmen killed a soldier and rampaged through parliament.

U.S.-led air strikes killed 521 fighters, 32 civilians in Syria: monitor

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 07:14 AM PDT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Air strikes by U.S.-led forces have killed 521 Islamist fighters and 32 civilians during a month-long campaign in Syria, a monitoring group which tracks the violence said on Thursday.

Exclusive: Charred tanks in Ukraine point to Russian involvement

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 07:02 AM PDT

HORBATENKO Ukraine (Reuters) - The burnt-out remains of dozens of tanks and armored vehicles in fields near this small village bear witness to the ferocity of a battle that turned the tide of the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Drugmakers may need indemnity for fast-tracked Ebola vaccines

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:55 AM PDT

LONDON/GENEVA (Reuters) - Drugmakers are looking for some kind of indemnity from governments or multilateral agencies against possible losses or claims arising from the widespread emergency use of new Ebola vaccines in Africa.

U.S. factory activity growth slips in October: Markit

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:50 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. manufacturing sector slowed in October to its lowest rate of growth since July, while a gauge of new orders hit its lowest level since January, an industry report showed on Thursday.

GM posts higher-than-expected profit on strong North American demand

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:36 AM PDT

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co on Thursday reported a higher-than-expected profit in the third quarter on strong demand for its redesigned full-size pickup trucks in North America.

GT Advanced settles with Apple, to exit sapphire production

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 06:04 AM PDT

(Reuters) - GT Advanced Technologies Inc said it reached an agreement with Apple Inc under which it will stop making sapphire materials and focus on supplying equipment to make sapphire crystals.

U.S. jobless claims data point to firming labor market

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 05:58 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose last week, but the underlying trend firmly pointed to strengthening labor market conditions.

Mexico says mayor, wife were behind student-teacher disappearances

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 04:39 AM PDT

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A Mexican mayor and his wife were "probable masterminds" behind the disappearance of 43 student-teachers last month in the restive southwest, the country's attorney general said on Wednesday.

Special Report: Why Ukraine's revolution remains unfinished

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 04:07 AM PDT

(Note: Contains language readers may find offensive in paragraph 12 of section headed 'FEB 21: THE DOWNFALL')

Business activity improves in China, euro zone but little sign of turnaround

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 03:47 AM PDT

LONDON/BEIJING (Reuters) - Euro zone businesses performed much better than forecasters expected this month and China's vast factory sector grew a shade faster but there were worrying signs that the upturn could be short-lived.

U.S. prosecutors probe Takata Corp over statements: WSJ

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 03:35 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. federal prosecutors are trying to determine whether Japanese auto parts maker Takata Corp misled U.S. regulators about the number of defective air bags it sold to automakers, including Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co Ltd , The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

Eight Pakistani Shi'ites killed in sectarian attack

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 03:05 AM PDT

QUETTA Pakistan (Reuters) - Eight Shi'ite members of Pakistan's ethnic Hazara minority were killed, and one wounded, on Thursday, after gunmen opened fire on a bus in the volatile province of Baluchistan, police said.

Europe's banks face moment of truth from ECB review

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 03:02 AM PDT

LONDON/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - At around noon on Thursday, the euro zone's 130 biggest banks will receive the European Central Bank's final verdict on their finances after a review aimed at drawing a line under persistent doubts about the health of the region's banking sector.

At U.N., China asked to back rights case against North Korea

Posted: 23 Oct 2014 12:52 AM PDT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The chief U.N. investigator into human rights cases in North Korea said on Wednesday he has appealed to China to support calls to refer Pyongyang's actions to The Hague on suspicion of crimes against humanity.

Man arrested after jumping White House fence, causing lockdown

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 07:30 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A man jumped the White House fence on Wednesday evening and was attacked by Secret Service dogs before being arrested, a Secret Service spokesman said.

Man arrested after jumping White House fence, causing lockdown

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 07:29 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A man jumped the White House fence on Wednesday evening and was attacked by Secret Service dogs before being arrested, a Secret Service spokesman said.

Suspended South Carolina speaker to plead guilty to ethics charges: report

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 05:31 PM PDT

CHARLESTON S.C. (Reuters) - Suspended South Carolina House of Representatives Speaker Bobby Harrell is expected to plead guilty to criminal ethics charges related to misuse of campaign money and misconduct in office, a local newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Palestinian driver rams Jerusalem station killing baby

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 04:57 PM PDT

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A baby died and eight other people were hurt when a Palestinian man slammed his car into pedestrians at a Jerusalem light railway stop, then police shot the driver as he fled, police and a hospital official said.

Man jumps White House fence, causes lockdown

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 04:46 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A man jumped the White House fence on Wednesday and was attacked by Secret Service dogs, a Secret Service spokesman said.

Canada's parliament attacked, soldier fatally shot nearby

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 04:38 PM PDT

OTTAWA (Reuters) - A gunman attacked Canada's parliament on Wednesday, with gunfire erupting near where Prime Minister Stephen Harper was speaking, and a soldier was fatally shot at a nearby war memorial, stunning the Canadian capital.

AT&T revenue misses forecasts as more customers bring own phones

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 04:28 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - AT&T Inc on Wednesday reported a rise in quarterly revenue, but the increase was less than Wall Street expected as a wave of subscribers plugged into the network using pre-purchased devices.

Iraqi Kurds approve sending fighters to aid Syrian town

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 04:14 PM PDT

ARBIL Iraq/MURSITPINAR Turkey (Reuters) - Iraqi Kurdish lawmakers approved a plan on Wednesday to send fighters to the Syrian town of Kobani to relieve fellow Kurds under attack by Islamic State militants, marking the semi-autonomous region's first military foray into Syria's war.

Mexico says mayor, wife were behind student-teacher disappearances

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 04:13 PM PDT

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A Mexican mayor and his wife were "probable masterminds" behind the disappearance of 43 student teachers last month in the restive southwest, the country's attorney general said on Wednesday.

U.S. tightens Ebola monitoring for West African visitors

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 04:12 PM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States imposed new constraints on Wednesday on people entering the country from three nations at the center of West Africa's Ebola epidemic, mandating that they report their temperature daily and stay in touch with health authorities.

Air strikes kills around 25 Islamic State fighters in Iraq: residents

2014-10-22T08:04:00.001-07:00

Air strikes kills around 25 Islamic State fighters in Iraq: residents

Air strikes kills around 25 Islamic State fighters in Iraq: residents
Kerry welcomes North Korea's release of American, restates terms for resuming talks
Brazil's Rousseff pulls ahead of Neves as election nears
U.S. consumer prices rise on shelter costs, but inflation muted
Drugmakers to join forces to make millions of Ebola vaccine doses
Amid regional turmoil, Israel looks to its firm bond with Jordan
EU okays new executive as Juncker vows to seize 'Europe's last chance'
Kerry says status quo between Israel, Palestinians 'unsustainable'
North Korea unexpectedly frees American Jeffrey Fowle
Russia says Ukraine should find money to pay for gas within a week
U.S. government probes medical devices for possible cyber flaws
U.S. to funnel travelers from Ebola-hit region through five airports
Hong Kong protesters march after fruitless talks with government
Former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee dies at 93
Special Report: Traffickers use abductions, prison ships to feed Asian slave trade
Yahoo ekes out third quarter revenue gain despite display ad weakness
Consumed by Islamic State, Iraq's Anbar province a key battleground again
Indiana police search vacant houses after arrest of suspected killer
New York financial regulator pushes banks to plug gaps in cybersecurity
Canada police talked to militant suspect, couldn't stop attack
Three Denver girls reportedly en route to Turkey detained, sent home
U.S. to funnel travelers from Ebola-hit region through five airports
Yahoo ekes out third quarter revenue gain despite display ad weakness
Three Denver girls reportedly en route to Turkey detained, sent home

Air strikes kills around 25 Islamic State fighters in Iraq: residents

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 07:43 AM PDT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Coalition air strikes killed around 25 Islamic State fighters on Wednesday near the northern Iraqi city of Baiji, residents told Reuters.

Kerry welcomes North Korea's release of American, restates terms for resuming talks

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 07:42 AM PDT

BERLIN/SEOUL (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed the release of one of three Americans held in North Korea and said Washington is willing to resume talks with Pyongyang if it takes steps towards de-nuclearization.

Brazil's Rousseff pulls ahead of Neves as election nears

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 07:23 AM PDT

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff pulled ahead of opposition candidate Aecio Neves in another poll on Wednesday and looks like a slight favorite heading into what is expected to be the country's tightest election in decades.

U.S. consumer prices rise on shelter costs, but inflation muted

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 06:18 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer prices rose marginally in September, painting a weak inflation picture that should give the Federal Reserve ample room to keep interest rates low for a while.

Drugmakers to join forces to make millions of Ebola vaccine doses

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 05:52 AM PDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Leading drugmakers plan to work together to accelerate development of an Ebola vaccine and produce millions of doses of the most effective experimental product for use next year.

Amid regional turmoil, Israel looks to its firm bond with Jordan

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 05:45 AM PDT

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - If there were a heat map showing instability in the Middle East, the area around most of Israel's borders would have turned a steadily deeper shade of red over the past few years.

EU okays new executive as Juncker vows to seize 'Europe's last chance'

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 05:16 AM PDT

STRASBOURG France (Reuters) - The European Union will have a new executive in place next month led by Jean-Claude Juncker following its approval in a vote by the European Parliament on Wednesday.

Kerry says status quo between Israel, Palestinians 'unsustainable'

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 05:10 AM PDT

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday that current relations between Israel and Palestine were "unsustainable" and that the United States was conscious of the urgency of the situation.

North Korea unexpectedly frees American Jeffrey Fowle

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 04:44 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea has freed Jeffrey Fowle, one of three Americans detained by the country, and he is being flown home to his family, Washington said on Tuesday, amid growing international pressure on Pyongyang over its human rights record.

Russia says Ukraine should find money to pay for gas within a week

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 04:14 AM PDT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Ukraine should be able to find ways of paying for Russian gas supplies within a week, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday, suggesting a standoff would end once Moscow received financial guarantees from Kiev.

U.S. government probes medical devices for possible cyber flaws

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 04:11 AM PDT

BOSTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is investigating about two dozen cases of suspected cybersecurity flaws in medical devices and hospital equipment that officials fear could be exploited by hackers, a senior official at the agency told Reuters.

U.S. to funnel travelers from Ebola-hit region through five airports

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 03:36 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States ratcheted up its safeguards against Ebola on Tuesday, requiring travelers from three countries at the center of an epidemic in West Africa to fly into one of five major airports conducting enhanced screening for the virus.

Hong Kong protesters march after fruitless talks with government

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 03:24 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - About 200 Hong Kong protesters marched to the home of the city's Beijing-backed leader on Wednesday to push their case for greater democracy a day after talks between student leaders and senior officials failed to break the deadlock.

Former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee dies at 93

Posted: 22 Oct 2014 12:04 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ben Bradlee, the hard-driving editor who reigned over the Washington Post with the style of a well-dressed swashbuckler and the profane vocabulary of a dockworker as the newspaper helped topple President Richard Nixon, died on Tuesday aged 93.

Special Report: Traffickers use abductions, prison ships to feed Asian slave trade

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 10:05 PM PDT

PHANG NGA Thailand (Reuters) - When Afsar Miae left his home near Teknaf in southern Bangladesh to look for work last month, he told his mother, "I'll see you soon." He said he expected to return that evening.

Yahoo ekes out third quarter revenue gain despite display ad weakness

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 08:59 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc reported a modest increase in revenue during the third quarter, exceeding lackluster Wall Street targets, as the Internet company's online display advertising business continued to struggle.

Consumed by Islamic State, Iraq's Anbar province a key battleground again

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 06:59 PM PDT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - In recent weeks, the world has watched the battle to save Syria's border town of Kobani from Islamic State. But the radical jihadists have for longer been engulfing another strategically more vital target - Iraq's western Anbar province and its road to Baghdad.

Indiana police search vacant houses after arrest of suspected killer

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 06:20 PM PDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Indiana police used a dog trained to hunt for cadavers to search more than 120 vacant structures in the city of Gary on Tuesday, following the discovery of the bodies of six women who may have been victims of a serial killer.

New York financial regulator pushes banks to plug gaps in cybersecurity

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 06:17 PM PDT

(Reuters) - Following the massive cyber attack on the biggest U.S. bank JPMorgan Chase & Co disclosed in August, and other financial institutions, government authorities in United States are pushing financial institutions and brokerage houses to close glaring gaps in cybersecurity.

Canada police talked to militant suspect, couldn't stop attack

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 05:38 PM PDT

SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU Quebec (Reuters) - Canadian police said on Tuesday they had arrested a suspected militant as he was leaving the country, took away his passport and talked to him several times but had no chance of preventing him from killing a soldier.

Three Denver girls reportedly en route to Turkey detained, sent home

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 05:35 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three teenage girls from Denver who had been missing since last week and were reported to be traveling to Turkey were picked up in Germany and sent back home, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.

U.S. to funnel travelers from Ebola-hit region through five airports

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 04:51 PM PDT

Yahoo ekes out third quarter revenue gain despite display ad weakness

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 04:19 PM PDT

Three Denver girls reportedly en route to Turkey detained, sent home

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 03:12 PM PDT

Pistorius starts five-year term for killing Reeva Steenkamp

2014-10-21T08:11:00.001-07:00

Pistorius starts five-year term for killing Reeva Steenkamp

Pistorius starts five-year term for killing Reeva Steenkamp
Consumed by Islamic State, Iraq's Anbar province a key battleground again
U.S. existing home sales hit one-year high, prices up
Hong Kong students put their case to government, but no breakthrough
Total CEO de Margerie killed in Moscow as jet hits snow plow
Ebola crisis turns a corner as U.S. issues new treatment protocols
War heroes and activists to shape new-look Ukraine parliament
Ukraine, Russia, EU energy chiefs meet to finalize gas deal
Palestinians downbeat on promised rebuilding of ruined Gaza Strip
Special Report: U.S. visa program for crime victims is hit-or-miss prospect
Islamic State wins ground from Syrian government in east: monitor
Britain sends drones to fly surveillance missions over Syria
Juncker's EU team members get parliamentary approval
India warns Pakistan of more pain in Kashmir fighting
China's growth slowest since global crisis, annual target at risk
Ukraine vote candidate survives gun and grenade attack: party
Exclusive: Iran offers 'compromises' in nuclear talks, West unmoved
Alabama state House speaker indicted on corruption charges
China-backed hackers may have infiltrated Apple's iCloud: blog
Total CEO Christophe de Margerie killed in Moscow plane accident: airport spokeswoman
China-backed hackers may have infiltrated Apple's iCloud: blog
Alabama state House speaker indicted on corruption charges

Pistorius starts five-year term for killing Reeva Steenkamp

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 07:47 AM PDT

PRETORIA (Reuters) - Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius started his five-year jail sentence on Tuesday for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, marking the end of a trial that has gripped South Africa and millions around the world.

Consumed by Islamic State, Iraq's Anbar province a key battleground again

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 07:46 AM PDT

U.S. existing home sales hit one-year high, prices up

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 07:45 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. home resales jumped to their highest level in a year in September, the latest indication that the housing market recovery is gradually getting back on track.

Hong Kong students put their case to government, but no breakthrough

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 07:44 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Thousands of Hong Kong protesters listened raptly from the streets on Tuesday as student leaders debated their call for full democracy for the Chinese-run city with government leaders to try end a weeks-long occupation of major traffic arteries.

Total CEO de Margerie killed in Moscow as jet hits snow plow

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 07:44 AM PDT

MOSCOW/PARIS (Reuters) - Christophe de Margerie, the charismatic and outspoken chief executive of the French oil company Total , was killed when his private jet hit a snow plow as it was taking off from Moscow's Vnukovo airport on Monday night.

Ebola crisis turns a corner as U.S. issues new treatment protocols

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 07:41 AM PDT

DALLAS (Reuters) - The United States issued stringent new protocols on Monday for health workers treating Ebola victims, directing medical teams to wear protective gear that leaves no skin or hair exposed to prevent medical workers from becoming infected.

War heroes and activists to shape new-look Ukraine parliament

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 07:36 AM PDT

KIEV (Reuters) - Out will go the bodyguards and mistresses, in are likely to come the street activists and war veterans: Ukraine's next parliament will be pro-Western and strongly nationalist, and it won't be to Russia's liking.

Ukraine, Russia, EU energy chiefs meet to finalize gas deal

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 06:53 AM PDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Russia and Ukraine aim to resolve an impasse over natural gas supplies on Tuesday as their energy ministers meet in Brussels for talks brokered by the European Union's energy commissioner.

Palestinians downbeat on promised rebuilding of ruined Gaza Strip

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 06:27 AM PDT

GAZA/RAMALLAH West Bank (Reuters) - The first torrential downpour of an approaching winter has already soaked the Gaza Strip, compounding the misery of thousands of Palestinians who scrambled to patch homes wrecked by the summer war with Israel.

Special Report: U.S. visa program for crime victims is hit-or-miss prospect

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 06:18 AM PDT

(Reuters) - It was the week of Chinese New Year, and Jian Zhen Huang was climbing her sister's doorstep in Brooklyn with cups and other supplies for the celebration inside. Suddenly, a young man grabbed her, punched her in the face several times, knocked her down to the pavement and stole her phone.

Islamic State wins ground from Syrian government in east: monitor

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 05:58 AM PDT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State won territory from Syrian government forces in the eastern city of Deir al-Zor on Tuesday, its first gain there in about two months, a group that tracks the civil war reported.

Britain sends drones to fly surveillance missions over Syria

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 05:25 AM PDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said on Tuesday it was authorizing spy planes and armed drones to fly surveillance missions over Syria "very shortly" in order to gather intelligence on Islamic State (IS) militants.

Juncker's EU team members get parliamentary approval

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 04:28 AM PDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The incoming EU executive led by Jean-Claude Juncker looks set to take office on schedule next month after lawmakers said committees in the European Parliament had endorsed a final two nominees on Tuesday.

India warns Pakistan of more pain in Kashmir fighting

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 04:18 AM PDT

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India warned Pakistan on Tuesday of more "pain" if it continued to violate a ceasefire on their disputed border in Kashmir and said it was up to Islamabad to create the conditions for a resumption of peace talks.

China's growth slowest since global crisis, annual target at risk

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 03:22 AM PDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - China grew at its slowest pace since the global financial crisis in the September quarter and risks missing its official target for the first time in 15 years, adding to concerns the world's second-largest economy is becoming a drag on global growth.

Ukraine vote candidate survives gun and grenade attack: party

Posted: 21 Oct 2014 02:52 AM PDT

KIEV (Reuters) - A Ukrainian election candidate allied to the prime minister was shot at and came under a grenade attack as he left his home late on Monday, and only survived because he was wearing body armor, his party said.

Exclusive: Iran offers 'compromises' in nuclear talks, West unmoved

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 10:15 PM PDT

ANKARA/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Iran is pushing what it portrays as a new compromise proposal in nuclear talks, but Western negotiators say it offers no viable concessions, underscoring how far apart the two sides are as they enter crunch time before a Nov. 24 deadline.

Alabama state House speaker indicted on corruption charges

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 07:32 PM PDT

BIRMINGHAM Ala. (Reuters) - A grand jury has indicted Alabama's powerful Republican state house speaker on 23 criminal counts of corruption, court records released on Monday showed.

China-backed hackers may have infiltrated Apple's iCloud: blog

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 07:00 PM PDT

BOSTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - Apple Inc's iCloud storage and backup service in China was attacked by hackers trying to steal user credentials, a Chinese web monitoring group said, adding that it believes the country's government is behind the campaign.

Total CEO Christophe de Margerie killed in Moscow plane accident: airport spokeswoman

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 04:59 PM PDT

(Reuters) - Total SA CEO Christophe de Margerie was killed in an airplane accident at Moscow's Vnukovo airport, airport spokeswoman Elena Krylova said on Tuesday.

China-backed hackers may have infiltrated Apple's iCloud: blog

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 04:42 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc's iCloud storage and backup service in China was attacked by hackers trying to steal user credentials and other information, a cyber security blog charged on Monday, saying it believes the country's government is behind the campaign.

Alabama state House speaker indicted on corruption charges

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 04:37 PM PDT

(Reuters) - Alabama's powerful Republican state house speaker was indicted on 23 criminal counts of corruption by a grand jury, court records released on Monday show.

Turkey to let Iraqi Kurds reinforce Kobani as U.S. drops arms to defenders

2014-10-20T08:41:00.001-07:00

Turkey to let Iraqi Kurds reinforce Kobani as U.S. drops arms to defenders

Turkey to let Iraqi Kurds reinforce Kobani as U.S. drops arms to defenders
Ebola fear ends for dozens on U.S. watch lists
Aquino rejects call to annul U.S.-Philippines forces agreement over murder case
Deaths linked to GM ignition-switch defect rise to 29
Hope and obstacles as Russia and Ukraine seek gas deal
Reform-minded outsider Widodo takes over as Indonesia's president
Brazilian poll shows Rousseff gaining momentum as election nears
Ukraine, Russia gas deal may be just enough to get through winter
U.N. nuclear chief suggests progress slow in Iran investigation
U.S. Ebola czar seeks to reverse government mistakes, step up response
EU's Ashton to stay on until end of Iran nuclear talks
After clashes, Hong Kong students, government stand their ground before talks
Japanese PM Abe suffers setback as two ministers quit
Sweden says credible reports of foreign submarine in its waters
Small avalanches hamper final search for Nepal storm survivors
Kerry in Indonesia seeking Asian support against Islamic state
Japan METI minister expected to resign in blow to PM Abe: media
Microsoft plans to launch smartwatch within weeks: Forbes
Sweden says credible reports of foreign submarine in its waters
Trekking tragedy shakes Nepal's faith in shoestring tourism
U.S. Marines tap female executives for advice on growing women in ranks
Lufthansa cancels flights due to pilots strike; train stoppage strands millions

Turkey to let Iraqi Kurds reinforce Kobani as U.S. drops arms to defenders

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 08:27 AM PDT

ANKARA/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Turkey said on Monday it would allow Iraqi Kurdish fighters to reinforce fellow Kurds in the Syrian town of Kobani, while the United States air-dropped arms for the first time to help the defenders resist an Islamic State assault.

Ebola fear ends for dozens on U.S. watch lists

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 08:18 AM PDT

DALLAS (Reuters) - Weeks of worry about Ebola infection ended for dozens of people who came off watch lists in the United States on Monday, but scores were still being monitored after potential exposure to the virus, Texas health officials said.

Aquino rejects call to annul U.S.-Philippines forces agreement over murder case

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 08:10 AM PDT

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Benigno Aquino rejected on Monday calls to tear up the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States after an American serviceman was charged with the murder of a transgender Filipino outside a former U.S Navy base.

Deaths linked to GM ignition-switch defect rise to 29

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 07:45 AM PDT

DETROIT (Reuters) - A program to compensate victims of a faulty ignition switch in General Motors Co vehicles has approved two new death claims, bringing the total number of deaths linked so far to the switch to 29, according to a report released on Monday by the lawyer overseeing the program.

Hope and obstacles as Russia and Ukraine seek gas deal

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 07:39 AM PDT

MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) - A tentative agreement between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents has raised hopes of ending a dispute in which Moscow has halted natural gas supplies to Kiev, but several obstacles still have be overcome.

Reform-minded outsider Widodo takes over as Indonesia's president

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 07:34 AM PDT

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's Joko Widodo took over as president of the world's third-largest democracy on Monday with supporters' hopes high, but pressing economic problems and sceptical rivals set to test the former furniture salesman.

Brazilian poll shows Rousseff gaining momentum as election nears

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 07:16 AM PDT

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - President Dilma Rousseff gained steam but remained locked in a dead heat for votes with challenger Aecio Neves ahead of Brazil's Oct. 26 presidential runoff, an opinion poll showed on Monday.

Ukraine, Russia gas deal may be just enough to get through winter

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 07:14 AM PDT

LONDON (Reuters) - An interim natural gas deal by Moscow and Kiev, reached over the weekend, could supply just enough to get Ukraine through the winter as long as the weather does not become unusually cold, Reuters research shows.

U.N. nuclear chief suggests progress slow in Iran investigation

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 05:24 AM PDT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran has still not implemented all the nuclear transparency measures it had agreed to carry out by late August, the head of the U.N. atomic energy agency said on Monday, suggesting little headway in an inquiry into suspected bomb research.

U.S. Ebola czar seeks to reverse government mistakes, step up response

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 04:17 AM PDT

CHICAGO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Ebola czar Ron Klain faces a hefty to-do list when he begins his new role: soothe Americans' jitters about the virus, fix federal coordination with states, and restore a sense of control over the crisis that the White House had lost.

EU's Ashton to stay on until end of Iran nuclear talks

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 04:04 AM PDT

LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will continue leading nuclear negotiations with Iran until a deal is reached, even if a November deadline is missed, she said on Monday.

After clashes, Hong Kong students, government stand their ground before talks

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 03:29 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong students and the government stood their ground on Monday ahead of talks aimed at defusing more than three weeks of pro-democracy protests that have blocked traffic around the Chinese-controlled city, but expectations of a breakthrough were low.

Japanese PM Abe suffers setback as two ministers quit

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 03:27 AM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Two Japanese cabinet ministers resigned on Monday over the dubious use of political funds, dealing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe his biggest setback since he took office in December 2012.

Sweden says credible reports of foreign submarine in its waters

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 02:37 AM PDT

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden released on Sunday a grainy photo of a mysterious vessel in Stockholm's archipelago, as the military hunted for a foreign submarine or divers in the country's biggest such mobilization since the Cold War.

Small avalanches hamper final search for Nepal storm survivors

Posted: 20 Oct 2014 12:12 AM PDT

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Small avalanches hampered the search for Nepali porters and guides missing for six days after a devastating Himalayan storm, officials said on Monday, as rescue crews began to scale back the hunt for survivors of a disaster that killed 40 people.

Kerry in Indonesia seeking Asian support against Islamic state

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 05:53 PM PDT

JAKARTA (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Indonesia for Joko Widodo's presidential inauguration on Monday, seeking more help from Southeast Asian leaders in the U.S.-led effort against Islamic State in the Middle East.

Japan METI minister expected to resign in blow to PM Abe: media

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 04:58 PM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's new trade and industry minister was expected to resign on Monday, domestic media said, over allegations that her support groups misused political funds, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he faces tough policy decisions including whether to raise an already unpopular sales tax.

Microsoft plans to launch smartwatch within weeks: Forbes

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 03:36 PM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. is preparing to launch a smartwatch within the next few weeks that will passively track a user's heart rate and work across different mobile platforms, Forbes reported on Sunday.

Sweden says credible reports of foreign submarine in its waters

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 03:15 PM PDT

Trekking tragedy shakes Nepal's faith in shoestring tourism

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 03:11 PM PDT

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - German tourist Tobias Pantel is determined to leave soon on a five-day hike in the Annapurna region, the very place where dozens were killed by a freak blizzard and avalanches in Nepal's most deadly trekking disaster.

U.S. Marines tap female executives for advice on growing women in ranks

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 02:18 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Last spring, U.S. Marine Corps Commandant General James Amos did not even know who Sheryl Sandberg was.

Lufthansa cancels flights due to pilots strike; train stoppage strands millions

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 02:03 PM PDT

FRANKFURT/BERLIN (Reuters) - German airline Lufthansa canceled 1,450 flights after a pilots union called for a strike on Monday and Tuesday, adding to travelers' misery after millions were left stranded by a weekend-long train drivers' stoppage.

Texas lab worker on cruise tests negative for Ebola

2014-10-19T08:02:00.001-07:00

Texas lab worker on cruise tests negative for Ebola

Texas lab worker on cruise tests negative for Ebola
Hong Kong street clashes erupt despite imminent talks
Fiercest fighting in days hits Syrian border town
Texas lab worker tests negative for Ebola after cruise in isolation
Nigerians doubtful of girls' release after Boko Haram 'truce' breached
China says it's hard to resume cyber security talks with U.S.
Shelling in east Ukraine's Donetsk kills four civilians
Germany blames pro-Russian rebels for MH17 passenger plane crash: Spiegel
Blast kills six security forces in Egypt's Sinai
Brazil's Rousseff on the offensive a week from runoff vote
Hopes fade for 40 missing after Nepal blizzard
North and South Korea exchange gunfire at border in latest clash
Sweden steps up hunt for 'foreign underwater activity'
Resignation of Japan minister over scandal seen imminent: media
Chinese coastguard vessels patrol disputed waters
Maduro supporters, foes stage rival protests in Venezuela
Bermuda fares better than expected after hurricane's direct hit
Companies look for more fairness as China eyes legal reforms at key meeting
Maduro supporters, foes stage rival protests in polarized Venezuela
Ukraine says it agrees on interim gas price with Russia
U.S.-led coalition jets strike Kobani, Islamic State shells hit Turkey
Missouri officer says he feared for life before shooting unarmed teen: report

Texas lab worker on cruise tests negative for Ebola

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 07:44 AM PDT

GALVESTON Texas (Reuters) - A Dallas hospital lab worker who spent much of a cruise holiday in isolation after possible exposure to Ebola has tested negative for the disease, and in Texas some of the dozens of people still being monitored were expected to be cleared on Sunday and Monday.

Hong Kong street clashes erupt despite imminent talks

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 07:39 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Violent clashes erupted in Hong Kong early on Sunday for a second night, deepening a sense of impasse between a government with limited options and a pro-democracy movement increasingly willing to confront police.

Fiercest fighting in days hits Syrian border town

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 07:33 AM PDT

URFA Turkey (Reuters) - The fiercest fighting in days shook the Syrian border town of Kobani overnight as Islamic State fighters attacked Kurdish defenders with mortars and car bombs, sources in the town and a monitoring group said on Sunday.

Texas lab worker tests negative for Ebola after cruise in isolation

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 06:50 AM PDT

GALVESTON Texas (Reuters) - A Dallas hospital lab worker who spent much of a cruise holiday in isolation after possible exposure to Ebola, has tested negative for the disease, Carnival Cruise Lines said on Sunday.

Nigerians doubtful of girls' release after Boko Haram 'truce' breached

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 06:46 AM PDT

LAGOS (Reuters) - - A wave of violence hours after Nigeria's government announced a truce with Boko Haram raised doubt on Sunday about whether more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by the Islamist militants will really be released, deflating the new hopes of their parents.

China says it's hard to resume cyber security talks with U.S.

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 06:26 AM PDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - Resuming cyber security cooperation between China and the United States would be difficult because of "mistaken U.S. practices", China's top diplomat told U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

Shelling in east Ukraine's Donetsk kills four civilians

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 06:13 AM PDT

DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) - Four civilians were killed and nine wounded by shrapnel during fighting on Saturday and Sunday in eastern Ukraine's separatist stronghold city of Donetsk, local officials said.

Germany blames pro-Russian rebels for MH17 passenger plane crash: Spiegel

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 06:09 AM PDT

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency has concluded that pro-Russian rebels are to blame for the downing of Malaysia Airline MH17 in Ukraine in July, Der Spiegel weekly reported on Sunday, the first European agency to say so.

Blast kills six security forces in Egypt's Sinai

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 06:07 AM PDT

CAIRO (Reuters) - At least six Egyptian security force personnel were killed by a remotely detonated roadside bomb in the Sinai Peninsula on Sunday, medical and security sources said.

Brazil's Rousseff on the offensive a week from runoff vote

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 05:24 AM PDT

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Opposition candidate Aecio Neves is heading into the final week of Brazil's presidential race with a razor-thin lead in polls, but it's the incumbent Dilma Rousseff who appears to be gaining momentum in the homestretch.

Hopes fade for 40 missing after Nepal blizzard

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 04:48 AM PDT

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Hopes faded on Sunday for survivors of one of Nepal's worst mountain disasters as villagers joined an intensive search by troops and government officials for as many as 40 people missing after an unseasonal blizzard killed 39.

North and South Korea exchange gunfire at border in latest clash

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 04:45 AM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - North and South Korea exchanged gunfire on Sunday when the North's soldiers approached the military border and did not retreat after the South fired warning shots, the South Korean Defence Ministry said.

Sweden steps up hunt for 'foreign underwater activity'

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 01:41 AM PDT

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden beefed up its military presence in the Stockholm archipelago on Saturday to scour its waters for "foreign underwater activity", a mobilization of Swedish ships, troops and helicopters unseen since the Cold War.

Resignation of Japan minister over scandal seen imminent: media

Posted: 19 Oct 2014 12:43 AM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - In a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan's new trade and industry minister will resign as soon as Sunday over allegations that groups backing her misused political funds, Japanese media said.

Chinese coastguard vessels patrol disputed waters

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 07:56 PM PDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has sent coastguard vessels to disputed waters in the East China Sea after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe angered Beijing by sending a ritual offering to a Tokyo shrine that honors the dead from Japan's wars.

Maduro supporters, foes stage rival protests in Venezuela

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 07:17 PM PDT

CARACAS (Reuters) - Red-clad "Chavistas" rallied in central Caracas on Saturday to protest the killing of a young ruling party lawmaker, while across town a protest called by the opposition's new leader failed to attract as big a crowd.

Bermuda fares better than expected after hurricane's direct hit

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 05:58 PM PDT

HAMILTON Bermuda (Reuters) - Hurricane Gonzalo scored a direct hit on Bermuda Friday night into Saturday morning, pummeling the tiny island chain with rain and howling winds that downed trees and knocked out power but spared it catastrophic damage or death.

Companies look for more fairness as China eyes legal reforms at key meeting

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 04:06 PM PDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is set to unveil key legal reforms this week that will try to limit the influence local officials have on court cases, a move being closely watched by company executives who hope it will make the legal system more impartial.

Maduro supporters, foes stage rival protests in polarized Venezuela

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 02:50 PM PDT

Ukraine says it agrees on interim gas price with Russia

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 02:17 PM PDT

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine's and Russia's leaders have reached a preliminary agreement on a price for gas supplies this winter but Kiev may need international help to pay, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Saturday.

U.S.-led coalition jets strike Kobani, Islamic State shells hit Turkey

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 02:00 PM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey/BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S.-led coalition jets pounded suspected Islamic State targets at least six times in the besieged Syrian town of Kobani on Saturday after the fiercest shelling in days by the insurgents shook the town's center and hit border areas within Turkey.

Missouri officer says he feared for life before shooting unarmed teen: report

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 11:27 AM PDT

(Reuters) - A white police officer who shot and killed an unarmed black teenager in Missouri in August told investigators he was in fear for his life after the young man grabbed at his gun, which was discharged twice in his patrol car, the New York Times reported.

Supreme Court denies request to block Texas voter ID law

2014-10-18T08:02:00.001-07:00

Supreme Court denies request to block Texas voter ID law

Supreme Court denies request to block Texas voter ID law
Power out for thousands in Bermuda as hurricane moves away
Nepal blizzard death toll rises to 39, more than 370 rescued
Nigeria aims to have abducted girls freed by Tuesday: government sources
Obama says Ebola travel ban could make things worse
U.S.-led coalition jets strike Kobani after Islamic State shelling
Greece's anti-bailout party leads conservatives, margin slips: poll
German train strike leaves millions stranded
Houthis, Sunni supporters clash in central Yemen
British police to join Thai investigation into tourist murders
Hong Kong activists regroup; police chief warns safety at risk
Japan ministers visit war dead shrine day after Abe sends offering
In blow to Abe, Japan trade minister to resign over funds scandal: media
Rebels kill more than 20 people in east Congo village
Hurricane Gonzalo scores bull's eye hit on Bermuda
Obama names Ebola 'czar,' bolsters Texas response
Islamic State flying three jets in Syria: monitor
In blow to Abe, Japan trade minister to resign over funds scandal: media
Obama names Ebola 'czar' as West Africa death toll rises
Brazil election poll gives Neves wide advantage over Rousseff
Obama signs order to tighten security for federal credit cards

Supreme Court denies request to block Texas voter ID law

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 07:27 AM PDT

(Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Saturday denied a request to block a Texas law requiring residents to show certain forms of identification before they vote, a measure that supporters say prevents voter fraud but opponents decry as discriminatory.

Power out for thousands in Bermuda as hurricane moves away

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 07:09 AM PDT

HAMILTON Bermuda (Reuters) - Power was out for nearly 30,000 customers in Bermuda, and many roads were impassable on Saturday after Hurricane Gonzalo pummeled the island with rain and howling winds through the night, but there were no reports of serious injuries or deaths.

Nepal blizzard death toll rises to 39, more than 370 rescued

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 07:06 AM PDT

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - The death toll in a blizzard that engulfed trekkers on Nepal's popular Annapurna trail in the Himalayas has risen to 39, police and army sources said on Saturday.

Nigeria aims to have abducted girls freed by Tuesday: government sources

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 06:58 AM PDT

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria aims to secure the release by Tuesday of more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by Islamist Boko Haram militants, two senior government sources said on Saturday, although they declined to comment on where this handover would take place.

Obama says Ebola travel ban could make things worse

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 06:52 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Saturday urged Americans to avoid hysteria over Ebola, and played down the idea of travel bans from Ebola-ravaged countries in West Africa, explaining that restrictions could make things worse.

U.S.-led coalition jets strike Kobani after Islamic State shelling

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 05:52 AM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey (Reuters) - U.S.-led coalition jets struck suspected Islamic State targets at least twice in the besieged Syrian town of Kobani on Saturday after fierce shelling by the insurgents hit the town center.

Greece's anti-bailout party leads conservatives, margin slips: poll

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 05:01 AM PDT

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's radical leftist Syriza party would beat Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' New Democracy party if an election were held today, but its lead has slipped, said an opinion poll published on Saturday.

German train strike leaves millions stranded

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 04:36 AM PDT

BERLIN (Reuters) - Millions of passengers were left stranded across Germany on Saturday after train drivers began a 50-hour strike that halted two thirds of long-distance trains in a dispute over pay and negotiation rights.

Houthis, Sunni supporters clash in central Yemen

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 03:52 AM PDT

SANAA (Reuters) - Yemeni Shi'ite Houthi fighters and supporters of the Sunni Muslim party Islah clashed in central Yemen on Saturday, residents and local officials said, another sign of sectarian warfare in the violence-prone country that borders Saudi Arabia.

British police to join Thai investigation into tourist murders

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 03:49 AM PDT

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand has agreed to allow British police to join an investigation into the murder of two backpackers on a Thai island, after local authorities came under criticism for their handling of the case.

Hong Kong activists regroup; police chief warns safety at risk

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 02:20 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong pro-democracy activists recaptured parts of a core protest zone from police early on Saturday after hours of turmoil that the city's police chief warned undermined order and jeopardized public safety.

Japan ministers visit war dead shrine day after Abe sends offering

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 01:50 AM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Three Japanese cabinet members visited a shrine for war dead on Saturday a day after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe drew angry responses from China and South Korea by sending a ritual offering there.

In blow to Abe, Japan trade minister to resign over funds scandal: media

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 01:33 AM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - In a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan's newly appointed trade and industry minister plans to resign following reports that some of her support groups misused political funds, Japanese media said on Saturday.

Rebels kill more than 20 people in east Congo village

Posted: 18 Oct 2014 12:45 AM PDT

KINSHASA (Reuters) - Suspected Ugandan rebels killed more than 20 people overnight in their second attack near the eastern Congolese town of Beni in 48 hours, a civic group said on Saturday.

Hurricane Gonzalo scores bull's eye hit on Bermuda

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 11:22 PM PDT

HAMILTON Bermuda (Reuters) - Hurricane Gonzalo slammed into Bermuda on Friday, knocking out most of the electricity as it lashed the tiny Atlantic island chain with pounding surf, torrential rain and howling wind, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.

Obama names Ebola 'czar,' bolsters Texas response

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 10:24 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama appointed a former White House adviser as Ebola "czar" on Friday and named officials to bolster the response to the disease in Texas, the center of U.S. Ebola cases, as the death toll in three West African nations topped 4,500.

Islamic State flying three jets in Syria: monitor

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 06:11 PM PDT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Iraqi pilots who have joined Islamic State in Syria are training members of the group to fly in three captured fighter jets, a group monitoring the war said on Friday, saying it was the first time the militant group had taken to the air.

In blow to Abe, Japan trade minister to resign over funds scandal: media

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 03:45 PM PDT

Obama names Ebola 'czar' as West Africa death toll rises

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 03:30 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama appointed a former White House adviser as U.S. Ebola "czar" on Friday as the global death toll from the disease that has ravaged three West African countries rose to more than 4,500.

Brazil election poll gives Neves wide advantage over Rousseff

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 02:29 PM PDT

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Opposition candidate Aecio Neves would defeat President Dilma Rousseff by almost 13 percentage points in the Oct. 26 runoff to Brazil's presidential election, according to a poll published on Friday.

Obama signs order to tighten security for federal credit cards

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 11:12 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama signed an executive order on Friday to beef up security measures for federal credit cards, and urged banks and retailers to follow suit in an effort to combat the growing threat of identity fraud.

Fans at South Korea pop concert plunge into ventilation shaft, 14 dead

2014-10-17T08:02:00.001-07:00

Fans at South Korea pop concert plunge into ventilation shaft, 14 dead

Fans at South Korea pop concert plunge into ventilation shaft, 14 dead
GE profit tops views as cost cuts drive margins; shares up
Philippine militants free German hostages: police official
Morgan Stanley profit jumps as trading activity rebounds
Islamic State training pilots to fly in three jets: Syria monitor
Russia and Ukraine fail to make progress in testy Milan talks
Obama open to appointing Ebola 'czar', opposes travel ban
Fresh clashes in Hong Kong as pro-democracy activists regroup
U.S. housing recovery rolls on as groundbreaking rises
Sunni tribesmen and Houthi fighters clash in Yemen, eight dead
Pistorius should serve at least 10 years in prison: prosecutor
Japan PM sends offering to war dead shrine, angering China
China, Vietnam pledge to 'address and control' maritime disputes
Google's revenue falls short despite curbing price declines
Obama approves reservists for Ebola fight, government under fire
Apple's new iPads sport modest upgrades but short on 'wow'
Milan summit offers Putin and Poroshenko time to talk
Britain warns of 'exceptionally high' level of anti-terrorism activity
U.S. lawmakers blast government's Ebola response, urge travel ban
Google's revenue falls short despite curbing price declines

Fans at South Korea pop concert plunge into ventilation shaft, 14 dead

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 07:33 AM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - Fourteen people were killed at a open-air pop concert in South Korea on Friday when the cover of a ventilation shaft they were standing on gave way, officials and media said.

GE profit tops views as cost cuts drive margins; shares up

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 07:30 AM PDT

(Reuters) - General Electric Co reported a slightly higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Friday, with cost cuts that helped boost margins across its industrial businesses offsetting revenue that missed analysts' targets.

Philippine militants free German hostages: police official

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 07:17 AM PDT

MANILA (Reuters) - Al Qaeda-linked Islamist militants in the Philippines released two German hostages on Friday, a senior police official said. The Abu Sayyaf group had originally threatened to behead one of the captives earlier in the day.

Morgan Stanley profit jumps as trading activity rebounds

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 07:09 AM PDT

(Reuters) - Morgan Stanley reported an 87 percent rise in third-quarter earnings as the Wall Street bank's trading, investment banking and wealth management businesses benefited from increased client activity and a hot equity market.

Islamic State training pilots to fly in three jets: Syria monitor

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 06:38 AM PDT

Russia and Ukraine fail to make progress in testy Milan talks

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 06:16 AM PDT

MILAN (Reuters) - Russia, Ukraine and European governments failed to make any progress towards solving the crisis in Ukraine on Friday in talks that the Kremlin said were "full of misunderstandings and disagreements".

Obama open to appointing Ebola 'czar', opposes travel ban

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 06:14 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said he was considering appointing an Ebola "czar" to coordinate the fight against the virus in the United States, but he remained opposed to a ban on travel from West Africa.

Fresh clashes in Hong Kong as pro-democracy activists regroup

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 06:13 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong riot police used pepper spray and baton charged crowds of pro-democracy protesters on Friday evening as tension escalated after a pre-dawn clearance of a major protest zone in the Chinese-controlled financial hub.

U.S. housing recovery rolls on as groundbreaking rises

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 05:58 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. housing starts and permits rose in September, a signal the market's modest recovery is supporting what appears to be growing strength in the broader economy.

Sunni tribesmen and Houthi fighters clash in Yemen, eight dead

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 05:10 AM PDT

SANAA (Reuters) - At least eight people were killed in heavy fighting between Sunni Muslim tribesmen and Shi'ite Houthi rebels in central Yemen on Friday, as the battle crept closer to an al Qaeda stronghold, increasing fears of outright sectarian warfare.

Pistorius should serve at least 10 years in prison: prosecutor

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 05:06 AM PDT

PRETORIA (Reuters) - Prosecutors called on Friday for South African Olympic and Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius to be jailed for at least 10 years for killing his girlfriend on Valentine's Day last year, and sentencing in his sensational trial was set for Tuesday.

Japan PM sends offering to war dead shrine, angering China

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 04:12 AM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine on Friday, prompting sharp rebukes from China and South Korea even as Abe seeks meetings with their leaders to improve strained ties.

China, Vietnam pledge to 'address and control' maritime disputes

Posted: 17 Oct 2014 02:11 AM PDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - China and Vietnam have agreed to "address and control" maritime disputes, state media said on Friday, as differences over the potentially energy-rich South China Sea have roiled relations between the two countries and other neighbors.

Google's revenue falls short despite curbing price declines

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 05:35 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc's revenue fell short of Wall Street's expectations as growth in Internet advertising slowed in the most-recent quarter, offsetting a modest improvement in ad pricing, sending its shares down about 3 percent.

Obama approves reservists for Ebola fight, government under fire

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 04:42 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama authorized calling up military reservists for the U.S. fight against Ebola in West Africa on Thursday, as lawmakers criticized his administration's efforts to contain the disease at home.

Apple's new iPads sport modest upgrades but short on 'wow'

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 04:17 PM PDT

CUPERTINO Calif. (Reuters) - Apple Inc's faster, slimmer iPads come with modest improvements, such as a fingerprint sensor, but some analysts say it offers few other features to wow consumers ahead of a holiday shopping season expected to be swamped by mobile devices.

Milan summit offers Putin and Poroshenko time to talk

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 04:14 PM PDT

MILAN (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko are looking to patch up a faltering ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and resolve a dispute over natural gas supplies when they meet in Milan on Friday.

Britain warns of 'exceptionally high' level of anti-terrorism activity

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 04:08 PM PDT

LONDON (Reuters) - British police are carrying out security investigations at an "exceptionally high" pace not seen in years to disrupt potentially deadly plots directed from abroad, notably Syria, the country's top counter-terrorism officer said on Friday.

U.S. lawmakers blast government's Ebola response, urge travel ban

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 03:51 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional lawmakers criticized the government's response to Ebola in the United States on Thursday as some called, at a congressional hearing probing efforts to contain the virus, for a ban on travel from epidemic-stricken West Africa.

Google's revenue falls short despite curbing price declines

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 03:16 PM PDT

Iran, US say some headway made in 'difficult' nuclear talks

2014-10-16T08:04:00.001-07:00

Iran, US say some headway made in 'difficult' nuclear talks

Iran, US say some headway made in 'difficult' nuclear talks
Ramped up air strikes stall Islamic State advance on Syrian town
Brazil's Neves closing campaign cash gap thanks to banks and ethanol
U.S. factories help drive big gain in industrial output in September
Data show U.S. economic pulse still strong
Goldman's focus on bond trading pays off as profit soars
New U.N. rights boss says in talks with China on Tibet visit
Hong Kong leader hopes for fresh talks after night of clashes
U.S. health official allowed new Ebola patient on plane with slight fever
Chrysler recalls more than 900,000 vehicles globally in two actions
China to strengthen auditing of military in battle on graft
White House shifts into crisis mode on Ebola response
Pistorius 'can't get away with this', Steenkamp's cousin tells court
Merkel urges EU to keep up reforms as crisis not over
Merkel ally leaves option open of arming PKK
Exclusive: Commerzbank settlement with U.S. postponed amid probe
Taiwan considers permanent armed ships for disputed South China Sea island
Argentina's lawyers meet debt mediator, but not to negotiate
U.S. foreclosure activity falls to eight-year low
Brazil presidential race heading for Oct 26 photo finish
U.S.-led air strikes intensify as Syria conflict destabilizes Turkey
Time Warner to launch HBO as streaming broadband service

Iran, US say some headway made in 'difficult' nuclear talks

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 07:49 AM PDT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran and the United States said they made some progress in high-level nuclear talks but much work remained to clinch a breakthrough deal by a late-November deadline.

Ramped up air strikes stall Islamic State advance on Syrian town

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 07:38 AM PDT

MURSITPINAR (Reuters) - The advance of Islamic State fighters on Kobani stalled on Thursday according to a monitoring group, after U.S.-led coalition warplanes launched their heaviest bombardment yet on the militants, who have been assaulting the Syrian border town for nearly a month.

Brazil's Neves closing campaign cash gap thanks to banks and ethanol

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 07:13 AM PDT

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - A late injection of campaign cash is helping business-friendly opposition candidate Aecio Neves push Brazil's presidential runoff against incumbent Dilma Rousseff down to the wire, eroding her huge fundraising advantage.

U.S. factories help drive big gain in industrial output in September

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 07:05 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. industrial production posted the biggest gain in nearly two years in September as factory activity quickened and utilities output logged a big-weather related jump, a welcome sign on the pace of the economy's recovery.

Data show U.S. economic pulse still strong

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 07:04 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits fell to a 14-year low last week, while industrial output rose sharply in September, positive signals that could help ease fears over the economic outlook.

Goldman's focus on bond trading pays off as profit soars

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 06:48 AM PDT

(Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc reported a 50 percent jump in quarterly profit as last month's pickup in bond market activity helped to boost trading revenue, showing that banks sticking with the notoriously volatile business can reap big rewards.

New U.N. rights boss says in talks with China on Tibet visit

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 06:41 AM PDT

GENEVA (Reuters) - The new United Nations human rights chief said on Thursday at his first media briefing in the job that he wanted to visit Tibet and was talking to Chinese authorities about a trip there.

Hong Kong leader hopes for fresh talks after night of clashes

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 06:33 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying sought to defuse tension with pro-democracy protesters on Thursday, saying he hopes the two sides can talk next week, but anger over police violence and continued street scuffles suggest the students are not about to give up.

U.S. health official allowed new Ebola patient on plane with slight fever

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 05:44 AM PDT

DALLAS (Reuters) - A second Texas nurse who has contracted Ebola told a U.S. health official she had a slight fever and was allowed to board a plane from Ohio to Texas, a federal source said on Wednesday, intensifying concerns about the U.S. response to the deadly virus.

Chrysler recalls more than 900,000 vehicles globally in two actions

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 04:55 AM PDT

DETROIT (Reuters) - Chrysler Group on Thursday announced two global recalls of more than 900,000 cars and SUVs combined for problems that could cause fires.

China to strengthen auditing of military in battle on graft

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 04:54 AM PDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will toughen audits of its military and target older officers to ensure that corrupt individuals are denied promotion and cannot get away with their crimes, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

White House shifts into crisis mode on Ebola response

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 04:45 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rising public anxiety about the Ebola virus has forced the White House to shift into crisis mode and cancel two days of planned political events as President Barack Obama strives to show he has control over stopping the spread of the deadly disease.

Pistorius 'can't get away with this', Steenkamp's cousin tells court

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 04:19 AM PDT

PRETORIA (Reuters) - Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius needs to go to jail for the killing of his 29-year-old girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine's Day last year, a cousin of the slain model told a South African court on Thursday.

Merkel urges EU to keep up reforms as crisis not over

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 02:24 AM PDT

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel told parliament on Thursday that Europe must push ahead with efforts to cut public deficits and improve competitiveness because the euro zone debt crisis has not yet been overcome and its causes have not been eliminated.

Merkel ally leaves option open of arming PKK

Posted: 16 Oct 2014 12:55 AM PDT

BERLIN (Reuters) - A senior ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel has left open the possibility of arming the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as part of efforts to defeat Islamic State (IS) militants.

Exclusive: Commerzbank settlement with U.S. postponed amid probe

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 11:32 PM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Commerzbank AG's settlement with U.S. authorities over alleged sanctions violations has been postponed, possibly until the end of the year, as prosecutors seek to coordinate the resolution of a separate probe stemming from transactions at the German bank connected to the massive Olympus Corp accounting fraud, according to people familiar with the matter.

Taiwan considers permanent armed ships for disputed South China Sea island

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 09:19 PM PDT

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan is considering stationing armed vessels permanently on a disputed South China Sea island, officials said, a move bound to renew friction in a region claimed almost wholly by China, with Vietnam already dismissing such a plan as "illegal".

Argentina's lawyers meet debt mediator, but not to negotiate

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 09:15 PM PDT

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina's lawyers met with a court-appointed debt mediator on Wednesday, but they attended only as officers of the court rather than representing the country in its years-old legal battle with holdout hedge funds.

U.S. foreclosure activity falls to eight-year low

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 09:08 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Foreclosure activity across the United States declined last month to the lowest level since July 2006, as banks reclaimed fewer homes, according to a report released on Thursday.

Brazil presidential race heading for Oct 26 photo finish

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 05:17 PM PDT

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's most unpredictable presidential election in a generation is heading toward a photo finish on Oct. 26 between leftist incumbent Dilma Rousseff and pro-business challenger Aecio Neves, two new polls showed on Wednesday.

U.S.-led air strikes intensify as Syria conflict destabilizes Turkey

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 05:07 PM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey/ISTANBUL (Reuters) - American-led forces have sharply intensified air strikes in the past two days against Islamic State fighters threatening Kurds on Syria's Turkish border after the jihadists' advance began to destabilize Turkey.

Time Warner to launch HBO as streaming broadband service

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 04:20 PM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time Warner Inc's HBO will launch a standalone online streaming service next year to make hit shows such as "Game of Thrones" available to people who do not subscribe to cable television.

U.S. retail sales, producer prices give cautionary signs on economy

2014-10-15T08:03:00.001-07:00

U.S. retail sales, producer prices give cautionary signs on economy

U.S. retail sales, producer prices give cautionary signs on economy
Second Texas healthcare worker tests positive for Ebola
U.S. says no talk now about extending Iran nuclear negotiations
Bank of America posts loss on mortgage settlement
Putin, Poroshenko to discuss Ukraine peace, gas supplies in Milan
U.S.-led air strikes intensify as Syria conflict destabilizes Turkey
Hong Kong tycoon calls for protests to end after tension over police beating
Yemen's Houthis advance near al Qaeda stronghold
U.S. retail sales give cautionary sign on consumer demand
Exclusive: Tech firms HP, EMC call off merger talks - sources
AbbVie cools on $55 billion Shire deal after U.S. tax changes
North, South Korea militaries hold talks after border firing
Houthi rebels take over Yemen's Hodeidah port: residents
U.S. encouraged by progress with Japan on Pacific trade pact, but 'tough' issues remain
Toyota recalls 1.67 million Toyota, Lexus cars
Brazil election candidates spar over corruption, nepotism
Citi pulls out of consumer banking in 11 countries, profit jumps
U.S. sets up rapid-response Ebola team; Dallas nurse improves
Supreme Court blocks Texas abortion restrictions
Police say tests show teen shot by St. Louis officer had gun residue on hands
Intel gives rosy fourth-quarter revenue forecast as PCs recover
U.S. Supreme Court blocks Texas abortion restrictions
Probe of Bergdahl capture by Taliban complete, under Army review

U.S. retail sales, producer prices give cautionary signs on economy

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 07:48 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. retail sales declined in September and producer prices also fell, worrisome signals on the economy's health that heightened financial market worries over faltering global growth.

Second Texas healthcare worker tests positive for Ebola

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 07:45 AM PDT

DALLAS (Reuters) - A second Texas healthcare worker who treated the first patient to be diagnosed with Ebola in the United States has tested positive for the disease, the Texas Department of State Health Services said on Wednesday.

U.S. says no talk now about extending Iran nuclear negotiations

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 07:33 AM PDT

VIENNA (Reuters) - A senior U.S. official said on Wednesday a deal on Iran's nuclear program was still possible by late next month and there were no talks now about extending the deadline, after Tehran and Moscow indicated more time may be needed.

Bank of America posts loss on mortgage settlement

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 07:12 AM PDT

(Reuters) - Bank of America Corp reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss for common shareholders as a pickup in profits from trading helped make up for a $5.6 billion charge related to its record settlement with the government over shoddy mortgages.

Putin, Poroshenko to discuss Ukraine peace, gas supplies in Milan

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 07:04 AM PDT

MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) - A long-running dispute over natural gas supplies will be on the agenda when Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko hold talks in Italy later this week, the Kremlin said.

U.S.-led air strikes intensify as Syria conflict destabilizes Turkey

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 06:58 AM PDT

Hong Kong tycoon calls for protests to end after tension over police beating

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 06:52 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong's most prominent tycoon, Li Ka-shing, on Wednesday urged protesters who have occupied parts of the city since late last month to go home, after police mounted their toughest action against the democracy activists in more than a week.

Yemen's Houthis advance near al Qaeda stronghold

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 06:36 AM PDT

SANAA (Reuters) - Yemen's new Shi'ite Muslim powerbrokers sent fighters towards an al Qaeda stronghold on Wednesday, raising the possibility of a showdown between the politically ascendant Houthi movement and the hardline Sunnis of the transnational militant network.

U.S. retail sales give cautionary sign on consumer demand

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 05:43 AM PDT

WASHINGTON - U.S. retail sales declined in September even when factoring out weakness at auto dealers and gasoline stations, providing a surprisingly cautionary sign for the strength of consumer demand.

Exclusive: Tech firms HP, EMC call off merger talks - sources

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 05:17 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hewlett-Packard Co has ended merger talks with EMC Corp and may announce this development as soon as Wednesday, deciding to walk away after months of fruitless negotiations, people briefed on the matter told Reuters.

AbbVie cools on $55 billion Shire deal after U.S. tax changes

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 04:51 AM PDT

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. pharmaceutical company AbbVie said it was reconsidering its $55 billion takeover of Shire in the wake of U.S. government moves to curb deals designed to cut tax, wiping $13 billion off the London-listed firm's stock price.

North, South Korea militaries hold talks after border firing

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 02:15 AM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - High-ranking military officials from North and South Korea met on Wednesday to discuss recent border altercations including exchanges of fire but they did not resolve their differences, South Korea's Defence Ministry said.

Houthi rebels take over Yemen's Hodeidah port: residents

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 01:46 AM PDT

SANAA (Reuters) - The Shi'ite Muslim Houthi movement which seized Yemen's capital Sanaa last month has extended its control to the Red Sea port of Hodeidah, deploying checkpoints and also taking control of the city's airport, local officials said.

U.S. encouraged by progress with Japan on Pacific trade pact, but 'tough' issues remain

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 12:50 AM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Progress in U.S. talks with Japan towards a Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact is encouraging, but difficult issues remain, the acting deputy U.S. trade representative said on Wednesday.

Toyota recalls 1.67 million Toyota, Lexus cars

Posted: 15 Oct 2014 12:17 AM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Toyota Motor Corp said on Wednesday it would recall a total 1.67 million vehicles globally in a voluntary move to address three separate defects including a faulty brake master cylinder that could hinder the brake's performance.

Brazil election candidates spar over corruption, nepotism

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 10:42 PM PDT

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's two presidential candidates traded accusations of lies, corruption and nepotism on Tuesday night in a bruising television debate that had no clear winner ahead of the hotly contested Oct. 26 election runoff.

Citi pulls out of consumer banking in 11 countries, profit jumps

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 07:53 PM PDT

(Reuters) - Citigroup Inc said it is pulling out of consumer banking in 11 markets, including Japan and Egypt, as the U.S. bank with the biggest international business looks to cut persistently high costs.

U.S. sets up rapid-response Ebola team; Dallas nurse improves

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 06:55 PM PDT

DALLAS (Reuters) - The United States is establishing a rapid-response team to help hospitals "within hours" whenever there is a case of Ebola, the top doctor leading the fight against the deadly virus said on Tuesday.

Supreme Court blocks Texas abortion restrictions

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 06:23 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked certain restrictions on abortion contained in a Texas state law that abortion rights groups said would have forced all but a handful of clinics to shut down in the state of 26 million people.

Police say tests show teen shot by St. Louis officer had gun residue on hands

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 05:34 PM PDT

St. Louis (Reuters) - A black teenager fatally shot last week in St. Louis by an off-duty police officer had gunshot residue on his hands, jeans and T-shirt, according to crime lab results released on Tuesday after four days of protests in the city against police violence.

Intel gives rosy fourth-quarter revenue forecast as PCs recover

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 05:10 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp gave a current-quarter revenue forecast above expectations and said the supply chain was in good shape ahead of holiday season as demand for personal computers recovered.

U.S. Supreme Court blocks Texas abortion restrictions

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 04:50 PM PDT

Probe of Bergdahl capture by Taliban complete, under Army review

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 03:55 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the capture of Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl by Taliban militants in Afghanistan has been completed, but it is unclear when the military will finish its report, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

Mideast crisis widens as Turkey bombs Kurdish militants

2014-10-14T08:02:00.001-07:00

Mideast crisis widens as Turkey bombs Kurdish militants

Mideast crisis widens as Turkey bombs Kurdish militants
Ukraine acts against corruption, protests mar election run-up
Iran expects progress, if no breakthrough, in nuclear talks with EU, U.S.
Citi pulls consumer banks from 11 markets, profit tops estimates
Wells Fargo profit rises 1.7 percent as mortgage business steadies
JPMorgan posts profit as trading picks up and legal costs ease
Chrysler recalls 184,215 SUVs for possible air bag issue
North Korea leader Kim re-appears, with walking stick: state media
HK police use sledgehammers, chainsaws to clear protest barriers, open road
Special Report: How Mosul fell - An Iraqi general disputes Baghdad's story
Iraqi Kurds say they sent arms to Kobani; Syrian Kurds say they didn't arrive
Catalonia calls off independence referendum from Spain, will hold 'consultation'
Syrian Kurds get arms from Iraq, but cannot send them to Kobani
Turkish warplanes hit Kurdish militant targets in southeast: media
Americans face post-foreclosure hell as wages garnished, assets seized
Obama, foreign military chiefs, to thrash out Islamic State plans
Russian hackers target NATO, Ukraine and others: iSight
Police arrest at least 50 protesting shootings of blacks in St. Louis area
Hong Kong police make fresh attempt to clear barricaded roads
Alaska gay couples apply for marriage licenses after judge drops ban
U.S. needs to rethink Ebola infection controls, says CDC chief
North Korean leader Kim makes first appearance since September 3
U.S. needs to rethink Ebola infection controls, says CDC chief
Spain's Catalonia to seek alternatives to independence referendum

Mideast crisis widens as Turkey bombs Kurdish militants

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 07:24 AM PDT

ISTANBUL/SURUC Turkey (Reuters) - War against Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq threatened on Tuesday to unravel the delicate peace in neighbouring Turkey after the Turkish air force bombed Kurdish fighters furious over Ankara's refusal to help protect their kin in Syria.

Ukraine acts against corruption, protests mar election run-up

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 06:59 AM PDT

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine on Tuesday voted sweeping laws to stamp out corruption and curb Soviet-era state surveillance of political life as its pro-Western leaders acted to meet the demands of its future European partners before an election.

Iran expects progress, if no breakthrough, in nuclear talks with EU, U.S.

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 06:57 AM PDT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran does not expect a breakthrough in high-level nuclear talks with the United States and the European Union this week but hopes they will help pave the way for a final deal, its foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Citi pulls consumer banks from 11 markets, profit tops estimates

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 06:45 AM PDT

(Reuters) - Citigroup Inc said it would pull out of consumer banking in 11 markets, including Japan and Egypt, as the most international U.S. bank focuses on more profitable businesses.

Wells Fargo profit rises 1.7 percent as mortgage business steadies

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 05:56 AM PDT

(Reuters) - Wells Fargo & Co , the fourth largest U.S. bank, reported a 1.7 percent rise in third-quarter profit on Tuesday as its mortgage business stabilized.

JPMorgan posts profit as trading picks up and legal costs ease

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 05:54 AM PDT

(Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co reported a third-quarter profit as the biggest U.S. bank boosted revenue from trading and investment banking, and moved past the huge legal claims that pushed it into a rare loss in the same quarter last year.

Chrysler recalls 184,215 SUVs for possible air bag issue

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 05:51 AM PDT

DETROIT (Reuters) - Chrysler Group said on Tuesday it is recalling an estimated 184,215 sport utility vehicles globally because a possible short circuit in a part could disable air bags and seat-belt pretensioners.

North Korea leader Kim re-appears, with walking stick: state media

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 05:32 AM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, shown using a cane for support, re-appeared in state media on Tuesday after a lengthy public absence that had fueled speculation over his health and grip on power in the secretive, nuclear-capable country.

HK police use sledgehammers, chainsaws to clear protest barriers, open road

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 04:17 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hundreds of Hong Kong police used sledgehammers and chainsaws on Tuesday to tear down barricades erected by pro-democracy protesters near government offices and the financial centre, reopening a major road for the first time in two weeks.

Special Report: How Mosul fell - An Iraqi general disputes Baghdad's story

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 03:35 AM PDT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Lieutenant General Mahdi Gharawi knew an attack was coming.

Iraqi Kurds say they sent arms to Kobani; Syrian Kurds say they didn't arrive

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 03:02 AM PDT

BAGHDAD/BEIRUT (Reuters) - A senior Iraqi Kurdish official said on Tuesday that Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) had provided military assistance to Syrian Kurdish forces battling Islamic State fighters in the town of Kobani.

Catalonia calls off independence referendum from Spain, will hold 'consultation'

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 02:39 AM PDT

MADRID (Reuters) - Catalonia has dropped plans to hold a referendum on independence from Spain next month but will instead hold a "consultation of citizens", the region's head said on Tuesday.

Syrian Kurds get arms from Iraq, but cannot send them to Kobani

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 02:37 AM PDT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian Kurds have received a "symbolic" amount of military aid from Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) that is meant for Kobani but is stuck in northeastern Syria because Turkey will not open an aid corridor, a Syrian Kurdish official said.

Turkish warplanes hit Kurdish militant targets in southeast: media

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 12:37 AM PDT

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish warplanes attacked Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) targets in southeast Turkey on Sunday in the first significant air operation against the militants since the launch of a peace process two years ago, Hurriyet news website said on Tuesday.

Americans face post-foreclosure hell as wages garnished, assets seized

Posted: 14 Oct 2014 12:35 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Many thousands of Americans who lost their homes in the housing bust, but have since begun to rebuild their finances, are suddenly facing a new foreclosure nightmare: debt collectors are chasing them down for the money they still owe by freezing their bank accounts, garnishing their wages and seizing their assets.

Obama, foreign military chiefs, to thrash out Islamic State plans

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 10:16 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will hash out a strategy to counter Islamic State on Tuesday with military leaders from some 20 countries including Turkey and Saudi Arabia amid growing pressure for the U.S.-led coalition to do more to stop the militants' advance.

Russian hackers target NATO, Ukraine and others: iSight

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 09:05 PM PDT

BOSTON (Reuters) - Russian hackers exploited a bug in Microsoft Windows and other software to spy on computers used by NATO, the European Union, Ukraine and companies in the energy and telecommunications sectors, according to cyber intelligence firm iSight Partners.

Police arrest at least 50 protesting shootings of blacks in St. Louis area

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 08:16 PM PDT

FERGUSON Mo. (Reuters) - More than 50 people were arrested in a series of peaceful rolling protests in the St. Louis area on Monday, staged to draw attention to police violence more than two months after a white officer killed an unarmed black teenager in a local suburb.

Hong Kong police make fresh attempt to clear barricaded roads

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 07:22 PM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong police made fresh attempts on Tuesday to unblock streets that have been occupied for two weeks by pro-democracy protesters, removing more barricades a day after clashes broke out as opponents of the protest movement tried to reclaim roads.

Alaska gay couples apply for marriage licenses after judge drops ban

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 06:46 PM PDT

JUNEAU Alaska (Reuters) - Alaska officials began accepting marriage license applications from gay couples on Monday, even as the state sought to appeal a weekend ruling by a federal judge that struck down the state ban's on same-sex nuptials.

U.S. needs to rethink Ebola infection controls, says CDC chief

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 05:55 PM PDT

DALLAS (Reuters) - Medical experts need to rethink how highly infectious diseases are handled in the United States, a U.S. health official said on Monday, after a Dallas nurse contracted Ebola despite wearing protective gear while caring for a dying Liberian patient.

North Korean leader Kim makes first appearance since September 3

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 04:21 PM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a residential district and a science academy, state media reported early on Tuesday, ending a lengthy absence from public view that had fueled speculation over his health and grip on power in the secretive country.

U.S. needs to rethink Ebola infection controls, says CDC chief

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 04:08 PM PDT

Spain's Catalonia to seek alternatives to independence referendum

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 03:48 PM PDT

MADRID (Reuters) - The leader of Spain's Catalonia region will call off a referendum on independence from Spain planned for Nov. 9 and look for alternative ways to consult Catalans, a key regional political party said on Monday.

Ford to add 850 jobs at Dearborn factories for new F-150 truck

2014-10-13T08:03:00.001-07:00

Ford to add 850 jobs at Dearborn factories for new F-150 truck

Ford to add 850 jobs at Dearborn factories for new F-150 truck
Fiat Chrysler crowns merger with Wall Street debut
Islamic State suicide bomber detonates truck near Syria-Turkey border
Taliban ambush in Afghan north, bombs in capital and elsewhere kill 25
Russia signs deals with China to help weather sanctions
Work on 'taming' firms wins Frenchman economics Nobel
Pistorius should get house arrest, community service, social worker says
Scuffles break out in HK as anti-protest groups tear down barricades
Pistorius faces sentencing over girlfriend's death
Marchers confront riot police over Missouri shootings, more protests planned
Did Israel's 'Hannibal directive' lead to a war crime in Gaza?
St. Louis area police arrest at least 17 during weekend of protests
U.S. banks ramp up credit card lending but margins may suffer
South Korea warns North of 'strong' response after exchange of fire
Bolivia's Morales claims re-election victory
CDC head criticized for blaming 'protocol breach' as nurse gets Ebola
Hong Kong police remove barricades, say protesters can remain
Alaska ban on same-sex marriage ruled unconstitutional
Alaska ban on same-sex marriage ruled unconstitutional
Kurds hold off Islamic State in Kobani; fighters strike in Iraq
French bank, Twitter team up for money transfers via tweets

Ford to add 850 jobs at Dearborn factories for new F-150 truck

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 07:52 AM PDT

DEARBORN Mich. (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co said on Monday it will add 850 hourly jobs at its Dearborn, Michigan, facilities to support the launch of the redesigned, aluminum-intensive 2015 F-150 pickup truck.

Fiat Chrysler crowns merger with Wall Street debut

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 07:49 AM PDT

MILAN/DETROIT (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) made its Wall Street debut to great fanfare on Monday, shifting the carmaker's center of gravity away from Italy and capping a decade of canny dealmaking and tough restructuring by CEO Sergio Marchionne.

Islamic State suicide bomber detonates truck near Syria-Turkey border

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 07:34 AM PDT

AMMAN (Reuters) - An Islamic State suicide bomber detonated a truck laden with explosives on Monday in the besieged Kurdish town of Kobani, near the Turkish border crossing with Syria, a monitoring group and Kurdish sources said.

Taliban ambush in Afghan north, bombs in capital and elsewhere kill 25

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 07:30 AM PDT

KABUL (Reuters) - Taliban insurgents ambushed a convoy of Afghan security forces in a mountainous northern area on Monday, killing 22 soldiers and police, an official said, as bombs in Kabul and another area killed three.

Russia signs deals with China to help weather sanctions

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 07:23 AM PDT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia and China signed energy, trade and finance agreements on Monday proclaimed by Moscow as proof that a policy turn to Asia is bearing fruit and will help it to weather Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.

Work on 'taming' firms wins Frenchman economics Nobel

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 07:11 AM PDT

STOCKHOLM/TOULOUSE France (Reuters) - French economist Jean Tirole won the 2014 Nobel Prize for economics for work that has shed light on how governments can "tame" the big businesses that dominate once-public monopolies like railways, highways and telecommunications.

Pistorius should get house arrest, community service, social worker says

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 07:02 AM PDT

PRETORIA (Reuters) - South African track star Oscar Pistorius should serve three years of partial house arrest and community service for the negligent killing of his girlfriend, a witness said on Monday at the first day of the athlete's sentencing.

Scuffles break out in HK as anti-protest groups tear down barricades

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 04:52 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hundreds of people, some wearing surgical masks and armed with crowbars and cutting tools, tore down protest barriers in the heart of Hong Kong's business district on Monday, scuffling with protesters who have occupied the streets for two weeks.

Pistorius faces sentencing over girlfriend's death

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 02:33 AM PDT

PRETORIA (Reuters) - Disgraced South African track star Oscar Pistorius arrived at the Pretoria High Court on Monday for a sentencing hearing that will determine whether he serves jail time for the negligent killing of his girlfriend, or walks out a free man.

Marchers confront riot police over Missouri shootings, more protests planned

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 01:55 AM PDT

ST. LOUIS Mo. (Reuters) - More than 1,000 protesters shouted slogans at riot police in St Louis in the early hours of Monday near the climax of four days of street rallies and sit-ins over the police shootings of two black 18-year-olds.

Did Israel's 'Hannibal directive' lead to a war crime in Gaza?

Posted: 13 Oct 2014 01:47 AM PDT

KEREM SHALOM Israel/GAZA (Reuters) - The July-August war in Gaza drew international condemnation for a number of reasons, but one episode proved more deadly than any other: an Israeli air and artillery bombardment on Aug. 1 that killed 150 people in a matter of hours.

St. Louis area police arrest at least 17 during weekend of protests

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 11:15 PM PDT

FERGUSON Mo. (Reuters) - Hundreds of civil rights activists and protesters applauded speakers, preachers and poets on Sunday in a an arena in St. Louis, Missouri, capping a weekend of protests against police violence that included 17 arrests earlier in the day.

U.S. banks ramp up credit card lending but margins may suffer

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 10:19 PM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - As traditional Wall Street moneymakers like stock and bond trading suffer, banks are growing increasingly willing to invest in less glamorous operations: their credit card businesses.

South Korea warns North of 'strong' response after exchange of fire

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 09:55 PM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Monday it had warned North Korea of a "strong" response if it provoked an incident similar to one last week that sparked an exchange of machinegun fire across their border.

Bolivia's Morales claims re-election victory

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 09:07 PM PDT

LA PAZ (Reuters) - Bolivian President Evo Morales declared a landslide re-election victory on Sunday, hailing it as a triumph for socialist reforms that have cut poverty and vastly expanded the state's role in the booming economy.

CDC head criticized for blaming 'protocol breach' as nurse gets Ebola

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 09:04 PM PDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Some healthcare experts are bristling at the assertion by a top U.S. health official that a "protocol breach" caused a Dallas nurse to be infected with Ebola while caring for a dying patient, saying the case instead shows how far the nation's hospitals are from adequately training staff to deal with the deadly virus.

Hong Kong police remove barricades, say protesters can remain

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 06:50 PM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong police removed some barricades erected by pro-democracy protesters at key sites in the heart of the city on Monday to relieve traffic chaos that has plagued some districts during rush hour.

Alaska ban on same-sex marriage ruled unconstitutional

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 05:52 PM PDT

JUNEAU Alaska (Reuters) - A U.S. federal judge on Sunday ruled that the state of Alaska's ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.

Alaska ban on same-sex marriage ruled unconstitutional

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 04:47 PM PDT

JUNEAU Alaska (Reuters) - A U.S. federal judge on Sunday ruled that the state of Alaska's ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.

Kurds hold off Islamic State in Kobani; fighters strike in Iraq

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 04:41 PM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey/BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Kurdish defenders held off Islamic State militants in Syria's border town of Kobani on Sunday, but the fighters struck with deadly bombings in Iraq, killing dozens of Kurds in the north and assassinating a provincial police commander in the west.

French bank, Twitter team up for money transfers via tweets

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 12:58 PM PDT

PARIS/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - One of France's largest banks is teaming up with social network Twitter Inc. this week to allow its customers to transfer money via tweets.

Texas health worker tests positive for Ebola

2014-10-12T08:02:00.001-07:00

Texas health worker tests positive for Ebola

Texas health worker tests positive for Ebola
Kerry pushes for Middle East peace, pledges $212 million aid for Gaza
Cyclone Hudhud blasts India's east coast, at least three dead
Putin orders Russian troop withdrawal from Ukrainian border
Obama hangs tough on migrant detention despite slowing influx
Texas health care worker tests positive for Ebola
Pistorius faces sentencing over girlfriend's death after divisive trial
Fiat Chrysler crowns merger with Wall Street debut
Kurds urge more air strikes in Kobani; monitor warns of defeat
Pakistan says 12 dead in border clashes with India, appeals to U.N.
Hong Kong's leader warns protesters as tent city sprouts up
Libya's overstretched border police struggle to secure border
Nigeria's 'megachurches': a hidden pillar of Africa's top economy
U.S. military faces new kind of threat with Ebola
Modi's bravado ups the ante in India-Pakistan fighting
Thousands march in St Louis area to protest police violence
World economies warn of global risks, call for bold action
Bombings kill 45 in Shi'ite areas of Baghdad and outskirts: police
World economies warn of global risks, call for bold action
Fed officials say global slowdown could push back U.S. rate hike
Bombings kill 45 in Shi'ite areas of Baghdad and outskirts - police, medical officials
Banks accept derivatives rule change to end 'too big to fail' scenario
Fed's Evans says dollar putting downward pressure on inflation

Texas health worker tests positive for Ebola

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 07:06 AM PDT

SAN ANTONIO Texas (Reuters) - A health worker in Texas at the hospital where the first person diagnosed with Ebola in the United States died last week has tested positive for the deadly virus in a preliminary test, the state's health department said on Sunday.

Kerry pushes for Middle East peace, pledges $212 million aid for Gaza

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 06:18 AM PDT

CAIRO (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called on Sunday for a renewed commitment to achieving Middle East peace, saying a lasting deal between Israel, the Palestinians and all their neighbors could be achieved.

Cyclone Hudhud blasts India's east coast, at least three dead

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 06:02 AM PDT

VISAKHAPATNAM India (Reuters) - Cyclone Hudhud blasted India's eastern seaboard on Sunday with gusts of up to 195 kilometers an hour (over 120 mph), uprooting trees, damaging buildings and killing at least three people despite a major evacuation effort.

Putin orders Russian troop withdrawal from Ukrainian border

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 05:53 AM PDT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian troops to withdraw to their permanent bases after military exercises in Rostov region near the border with Ukraine, the Kremlin said, in a sign of some tension easing before a key meeting next week.

Obama hangs tough on migrant detention despite slowing influx

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 05:06 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The surge in child migration from Central America is receding but the United States is aggressively pushing ahead with plans to expand detentions, a little-publicized part of a broader campaign to deter illegal migrants.

Texas health care worker tests positive for Ebola

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 04:48 AM PDT

(Reuters) - A Texas health worker who provided care for the first person diagnosed with Ebola in the United States has tested positive for the deadly virus in a preliminary examination, a state health official said on Sunday.

Pistorius faces sentencing over girlfriend's death after divisive trial

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 04:40 AM PDT

PRETORIA (Reuters) - Disgraced South African track star Oscar Pistorius returns to court on Monday to find out whether he will serve a long stretch behind bars for the negligent killing of his model girlfriend, or walk out a free man.

Fiat Chrysler crowns merger with Wall Street debut

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 03:42 AM PDT

MILAN (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) makes its Wall Street debut to great fanfare on Monday, shifting the carmaker's center of gravity away from Italy and capping a decade of canny dealmaking and tough restructuring by CEO Sergio Marchionne.

Kurds urge more air strikes in Kobani; monitor warns of defeat

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 03:09 AM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Kurdish forces defending Kobani urged a U.S.-led coalition to escalate air strikes on Islamic State fighters who tightened their grip on the Syrian town at the border with Turkey on Saturday.

Pakistan says 12 dead in border clashes with India, appeals to U.N.

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 02:35 AM PDT

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Indian firing across a disputed border with Pakistan has killed 12 civilians and injured 52 in Pakistan so far this month, according to a Sunday press release from the Foreign Ministry.

Hong Kong's leader warns protesters as tent city sprouts up

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 02:05 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong's embattled leader Leung Chun-ying vowed on Sunday to stay in office, warning students demanding his resignation that their pro-democracy movement was out of control.

Libya's overstretched border police struggle to secure border

Posted: 12 Oct 2014 01:24 AM PDT

MUSAID Libya (Reuters) - When the man in charge of Libya's main border crossing with Egypt checks his staff rota every morning, he can count on a maximum of just 30 officers.

Nigeria's 'megachurches': a hidden pillar of Africa's top economy

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 11:17 PM PDT

OTA Nigeria (Reuters) - When a guesthouse belonging to one of Nigeria's leading Christian pastors collapsed last month, killing 115 mostly South African pilgrims, attention focused on the multimillion-dollar "megachurches" that form a huge, untaxed sector of Africa's top economy.

U.S. military faces new kind of threat with Ebola

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 10:57 PM PDT

(Reuters) - At Fort Campbell in Kentucky, spouses of U.S. soldiers headed to Liberia seem to be lingering just a bit longer than usual after pre-deployment briefings, hungry for information about Ebola.

Modi's bravado ups the ante in India-Pakistan fighting

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 10:39 PM PDT

NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - To judge from the shrill outrage of India's TV news channels, the past week's bloody clashes along the border dividing Kashmir are all Pakistan's fault: one network has been plugging the Twitter hashtag #PakBorderDare.

Thousands march in St Louis area to protest police violence

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 10:20 PM PDT

FERGUSON Mo (Reuters) - The mother of an unarmed black teenager shot dead by a white officer in Ferguson, Missouri, walked with hundreds of protesters on Saturday in the St. Louis suburb, as part of a weekend of demonstrations against police violence.

World economies warn of global risks, call for bold action

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 09:39 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund's member countries on Saturday said bold action was needed to bolster the global economic recovery and they urged governments not to squelch growth by tightening budgets too drastically, although Germany poured cold water on the idea of a new global "crisis."

Bombings kill 45 in Shi'ite areas of Baghdad and outskirts: police

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 06:38 PM PDT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - At least 45 people were killed in bombings in Baghdad and its rural outskirts on Saturday as the government continued to defend the capital against jihadists who four months ago seized major cities in northern Iraq.

World economies warn of global risks, call for bold action

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 04:49 PM PDT

Fed officials say global slowdown could push back U.S. rate hike

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 04:37 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve officials on Saturday took stock of a slowdown in the global economy and said it could delay an increase in U.S. interest rates if serious enough.

Bombings kill 45 in Shi'ite areas of Baghdad and outskirts - police, medical officials

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 03:30 PM PDT

Banks accept derivatives rule change to end 'too big to fail' scenario

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 02:12 PM PDT

LONDON (Reuters) - The $700 trillion financial derivatives industry has agreed to a fundamental rule change from January to help regulators to wind down failed banks without destabilising markets.

Fed's Evans says dollar putting downward pressure on inflation

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 01:55 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A stronger dollar and weak global inflation are putting downward pressure on the pace of price increases in the U.S. economy, posing a challenge for the Federal Reserve, a top Fed official said on Saturday.

Kurds urge more air strikes in Kobani; monitor warns of defeat

2014-10-11T08:03:00.001-07:00

Kurds urge more air strikes in Kobani; monitor warns of defeat

Kurds urge more air strikes in Kobani; monitor warns of defeat
Weekend rally in St. Louis against police violence starts peacefully
Pimco's Mather says bond investors must revise return expectations
Fed's Tarullo: global downside risks are policy factor
Tunisia cracks down on jihadists as elections loom: PM
Pitching tents, Hong Kong democracy protesters dig in for long haul
Ten Chinese workers among 27 hostages freed in Cameroon
North Korean state media warn talks with the South in danger
Cities, states scramble after Dallas's Ebola missteps expose planning gaps
India, Pakistan in new gunfire in Kashmir
U.S. begins enhanced Ebola screening program at New York's JFK airport
China sentences two cult members to death for McDonald's murder
Suicide bomber attacks Afghan provincial police HQ, killing one
Idaho and North Carolina are latest states to allow gay marriage
Gaza aid conference may fall short of $4 billion sought by Palestinians: U.S. officials
Pakistani teen, Indian activist win Nobel Peace Prize
North Korea leader Kim is still in charge, has leg injury: source
Las Vegas sounds false alarm as global Ebola fears spread
St. Louis braces for weekend of protests after new shooting
After gaffe, Microsoft board to look at gender pay gap, male culture
Greek PM wins confidence vote, snap election fears remain
Exclusive: Somalia army weapons sold on open market - U.N. monitors

Kurds urge more air strikes in Kobani; monitor warns of defeat

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 07:39 AM PDT

Weekend rally in St. Louis against police violence starts peacefully

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 07:25 AM PDT

FERGUSON Mo (Reuters) - Weekend protests in the St. Louis area against police violence have made a tense but peaceful start, with none of the clashes with police that have affected Missouri in recent weeks.

Pimco's Mather says bond investors must revise return expectations

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 07:05 AM PDT

BERLIN (Reuters) - Bond investors need to revise their expectations of the returns they can make in the years ahead, said Scott Mather, one of three Pimco managers who run the firm's Total Return Fund following the shock exit of co-founder Bill Gross last month.

Fed's Tarullo: global downside risks are policy factor

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 06:45 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Governor Daniel Tarullo on Saturday cited downside risks to the global economy as a factor that U.S. monetary policy would need to take into account even as the American economy recovers.

Tunisia cracks down on jihadists as elections loom: PM

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 05:50 AM PDT

TUNIS (Reuters) - - Tunisia has arrested some 1,500 suspected jihadists this year, Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa told Reuters, part of a security crackdown aimed at safeguarding the North African country's fragile transition to democracy.

Pitching tents, Hong Kong democracy protesters dig in for long haul

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 05:46 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hundreds of student activists camped overnight at major protest sites in Hong Kong as the democracy movement sought to regather momentum after the government called off talks with its leaders aimed at defusing unrest in the global financial hub.

Ten Chinese workers among 27 hostages freed in Cameroon

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 05:27 AM PDT

YAOUNDE (Reuters) - Twenty-seven hostages seized by militant group Boko Haram in Cameroon in May and July have been released, including 10 Chinese workers and the wife of Cameroon's vice-prime minister, authorities said on Saturday.

North Korean state media warn talks with the South in danger

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 04:57 AM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's state media said on Saturday that expected talks with the South to try to improve ties between the rivals were in danger of being canceled because authorities in Seoul allowed a group to send leaflets hostile to Pyongyang.

Cities, states scramble after Dallas's Ebola missteps expose planning gaps

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 04:08 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The missteps in Dallas's handling of the first Ebola case diagnosed in the United States have revealed an uncomfortable reality: state and city plans for handling the deadly virus are based on generic recommendations for everything from measles to floods, to hurricanes and dirty bombs.

India, Pakistan in new gunfire in Kashmir

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 03:57 AM PDT

JAMMU India (Reuters) - India and Pakistan exchanged gunfire across the Kashmir frontier on Saturday, Indian military officials said, ending a pause in fighting that has already killed 17 civilians in the two countries in the worst skirmishes in a decade.

U.S. begins enhanced Ebola screening program at New York's JFK airport

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 01:37 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stepped up efforts by the U.S. to halt the spread of the Ebola virus will start at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on Saturday, where teams armed with thermal guns and questionnaires will screen travelers from West African countries hit hardest by the outbreak.

China sentences two cult members to death for McDonald's murder

Posted: 11 Oct 2014 01:36 AM PDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Saturday sentenced two members of a banned religious cult - a father and daughter - to death for the murder in a McDonald's restaurant of a woman who refused an apparent attempt by the group to recruit her, state media said.

Suicide bomber attacks Afghan provincial police HQ, killing one

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 10:40 PM PDT

KABUL (Reuters) - A suicide attacker wearing a police uniform attacked a provincial police headquarters in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, killing one officer and wounding four other people, an official said.

Idaho and North Carolina are latest states to allow gay marriage

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 07:03 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - County clerks in Idaho and North Carolina began issuing their states' first marriage licenses to gay couples on Friday after court actions that capped a week of victories for supporters of same-sex matrimony in America.

Gaza aid conference may fall short of $4 billion sought by Palestinians: U.S. officials

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 06:59 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior U.S. officials voiced doubts on Friday that an international donors conference to be held in Cairo this weekend will meet the Palestinians' full request for $4 billion in aid pledges to rebuild the Gaza Strip after it was devastated by a 50-day war between Israel and Hamas.

Pakistani teen, Indian activist win Nobel Peace Prize

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 05:51 PM PDT

OSLO (Reuters) - Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for advocating girls' right to education, and Indian campaigner against child trafficking and labor Kailash Satyarthi won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday.

North Korea leader Kim is still in charge, has leg injury: source

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 05:34 PM PDT

BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is in firm control of his government but hurt his leg taking part in a military drill, a source with access to the secretive North's leadership said, playing down speculation over the 31-year-old's health and grip on power in the nuclear-capable nation.

Las Vegas sounds false alarm as global Ebola fears spread

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 04:09 PM PDT

(Reuters) - A commercial plane was briefly quarantined on a Las Vegas airport tarmac on Friday, sending airline shares down as worldwide fears increased that Ebola could spread outside West Africa, where it has killed more than 4,000 people.

St. Louis braces for weekend of protests after new shooting

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 04:06 PM PDT

CLAYTON Mo. (Reuters) - Hundreds of protesters marched through the rain on Friday afternoon to the St. Louis County courthouse, kicking off a weekend of demonstrations against police violence after eight people were arrested in protests overnight.

After gaffe, Microsoft board to look at gender pay gap, male culture

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 03:55 PM PDT

SEATTLE/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A well-known picture in tech circles, taken in 1978, shows the first 11 employees at Microsoft. Two are women. One of them left two years later after a pay dispute.

Greek PM wins confidence vote, snap election fears remain

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 03:54 PM PDT

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras comfortably won a confidence vote aimed at rallying support for his plan to abandon a widely-reviled EU/IMF aid package and ending speculation that his government is on its last legs.

Exclusive: Somalia army weapons sold on open market - U.N. monitors

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 12:02 PM PDT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Somali army weapons and ammunition continue to be diverted to open markets despite the government's pledges to prevent its arms from leaking and ending up in the hands of Islamist militants, U.N. investigators said in a new report.

Fears grow in United States over Ebola's spread outside West Africa

2014-10-10T08:03:00.001-07:00

Fears grow in United States over Ebola's spread outside West Africa

Fears grow in United States over Ebola's spread outside West Africa
Thousands of Hong Kong protesters regroup after government rejects talks
Thousands 'will most likely be massacred', U.N. warns, as fighters push into Kobani
Iran: nuclear talks might be extended if November deadline missed
Pakistani teen, Indian activist win Nobel Peace Prize
Pause in India-Pakistan fighting brings respite for civilians
Special Report: Flaws found in Ukraine's probe of Maidan massacre
Somalia's Islamist rebels down but not out after military setbacks
Mexico finds more graves at site of suspected student massacre
North Korea leader Kim is still in charge, has leg injury: source
As Obama gave Syria nod, his coalition was still unclear
Anti-EU party wins first British parliament seat in landslide victory
Rousseff and Neves neck-and-neck ahead of Brazil runoff
Brazil's Silva not yet ready to endorse Neves in runoff
Mexico finds more graves at site of suspected student massacre
U.S. Air Force probed for scrapping costly planes bought for Afghans
Sunny September sales unlikely to brighten retailers' holiday prospects
Fears grow in United States over Ebola's spread outside West Africa
Anti-EU party poised to win first British parliament seat
EU nominee bows to lawmakers' snub as Juncker team near complete

Fears grow in United States over Ebola's spread outside West Africa

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 07:36 AM PDT

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fears are growing in the United States about Ebola with about 200 airline cabin cleaners walking off the job in New York and some lawmakers demanding the government ban travelers from the West African countries hit hardest by the virus.

Thousands of Hong Kong protesters regroup after government rejects talks

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 07:25 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Thousands of protesters regrouped in central Hong Kong on Friday to push their call for democracy, a day after the government called off talks with students amid a two-week standoff that has shaken communist China's capitalist hub.

Thousands 'will most likely be massacred', U.N. warns, as fighters push into Kobani

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 07:20 AM PDT

GENEVA/MURSITPINAR Turkey (Reuters) - Thousands of people "will most likely be massacred" if Kobani falls to Islamic State fighters, a U.N. envoy said on Friday, as militants fought deeper into the besieged Syrian Kurdish town in full view of Turkish tanks that have done nothing to intervene.

Iran: nuclear talks might be extended if November deadline missed

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 07:04 AM PDT

ANKARA (Reuters) - Talks over Iran's nuclear program might be extended if disagreement over remaining issues cannot be resolved by a November deadline, Iran's top negotiator was quoted as saying on Friday, in the first hint an extension was being contemplated.

Pakistani teen, Indian activist win Nobel Peace Prize

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 06:27 AM PDT

OSLO (Reuters) - Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for advocating girls' right to education, and Indian children's right activist Kailash Satyarthi won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday.

Pause in India-Pakistan fighting brings respite for civilians

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 05:15 AM PDT

SRINAGAR (Reuters) - Fighting between India and Pakistan paused on Friday after days of heavy shelling and gun battles across their disputed Himalayan border, the worst skirmishes between the nuclear-armed rivals in more than a decade.

Special Report: Flaws found in Ukraine's probe of Maidan massacre

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 03:12 AM PDT

KIEV (Reuters) - For millions of Ukrainians, it was a crime against humanity. In February, more than 100 protesters were gunned down in the Maidan uprising that toppled the president, Viktor Yanukovich. The victims are now known as "the Heavenly Hundred."

Somalia's Islamist rebels down but not out after military setbacks

Posted: 10 Oct 2014 02:01 AM PDT

BARAWE Somalia (Reuters) - Military strikes that drove al Shabaab rebels from a strategic Somali port this week and killed their leader last month have dealt the group a hefty blow, but it is far too soon to declare victory say Somalis, Western diplomats and military commanders.

Mexico finds more graves at site of suspected student massacre

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 11:25 PM PDT

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican authorities have found four more clandestine graves containing charred human remains at a site in the restive southwest of the country, where officials fear missing students were massacred by gang members and police.

North Korea leader Kim is still in charge, has leg injury: source

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 11:11 PM PDT

As Obama gave Syria nod, his coalition was still unclear

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 10:24 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The effectiveness of the U.S.-led coalition effort in Syria is under scrutiny as Islamic State fighters try to overrun a strategic Syrian town on Turkey's border.

Anti-EU party wins first British parliament seat in landslide victory

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 07:58 PM PDT

CLACTON-ON-SEA England (Reuters) - Britain's anti-EU UK Independence Party won its first elected seat in parliament on Friday by a huge margin and came a close second in another vote, proving it poses a threat to the country's two main parties in a national election next year.

Rousseff and Neves neck-and-neck ahead of Brazil runoff

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 06:15 PM PDT

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Pro-business opposition candidate Aecio Neves has gained support and is running neck-and-neck with leftist President Dilma Rousseff ahead of Brazil's Oct. 26 presidential runoff, two polls showed on Thursday.

Brazil's Silva not yet ready to endorse Neves in runoff

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 04:53 PM PDT

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Environmentalist Marina Silva said on Thursday she will wait for political pledges from pro-business opposition candidate Aecio Neves before backing him in the Oct. 26 runoff to Brazil's presidential election.

Mexico finds more graves at site of suspected student massacre

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 04:07 PM PDT

U.S. Air Force probed for scrapping costly planes bought for Afghans

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 03:33 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. government watchdog agency is asking the Air Force to explain why it decided to destroy 16 aircraft initially bought for the Afgan air force and turn them into $32,000 of scrap metal instead of finding other ways to salvage nearly $500 million in U.S. funds spent on the program.

Sunny September sales unlikely to brighten retailers' holiday prospects

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 03:18 PM PDT

(Reuters) - A resurgence in spending helped by an improving U.S. economy bolstered back to school season sales for retailers in September, but stagnant wages may force more discounting in the coming months, keeping pressure on margins.

Fears grow in United States over Ebola's spread outside West Africa

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 02:17 PM PDT

Anti-EU party poised to win first British parliament seat

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 01:08 PM PDT

CLACTON-ON-SEA England (Reuters) - Britain's anti-EU UK Independence Party was poised to win its first elected seat in parliament on Thursday, highlighting the threat it poses to Prime Minister David Cameron seven months before a national election.

EU nominee bows to lawmakers' snub as Juncker team near complete

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 10:56 AM PDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The incoming head of the EU executive, Jean-Claude Juncker, was in urgent talks with Slovenia's prime minister on Thursday to find a replacement for the Slovenian who quit his team after a humiliating rejection by the European Parliament.

North Korea leader Kim is still in charge, has injured leg: source

2014-10-09T08:14:00.001-07:00

North Korea leader Kim is still in charge, has injured leg: source

North Korea leader Kim is still in charge, has injured leg: source
Islamic State seizes large areas of Syrian town despite air strikes
Drop in U.S. jobless claims points to labor market strength
Hong Kong calls off talks with student activists as city leader investigated
Icahn urges Apple to buy back more shares
Iran refused to let in U.S. member of U.N. nuclear team: sources
PepsiCo profit grows, boosts outlook for year; shares rise
Pressure mounts on Hong Kong leader over payout amid crisis
White policeman kills black teen in St Louis, triggering fresh protests
Families torn apart as Western girls join Islamist cause
Thousands march in Mexico to demand action over massacre
Yemen's new prime minister quits after Houthis call mass protest
Ebola patient dies in Texas; five U.S. airports to screen for fever
Brazil's PSB party to back Neves in October 26 runoff
U.S. Fed frets over strong dollar, global woes: minutes
GT Advanced bankruptcy offers warning to Apple suppliers
U.S. military says air power may not save Syrian town of Kobani
Fayetteville: A Military Town's Second Thoughts

North Korea leader Kim is still in charge, has injured leg: source

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 07:58 AM PDT

BEIJING/SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is in firm control of his government but has hurt his leg, a source with access to the secretive North's leadership said on Thursday, playing down speculation over the 31-year-old's health and grip on power.

Islamic State seizes large areas of Syrian town despite air strikes

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 07:53 AM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State fighters seized more than a third of the Syrian border town of Kobani, a monitoring group said on Thursday, as U.S.-led air strikes failed to halt their advance and Turkish forces nearby looked on without intervening.

Drop in U.S. jobless claims points to labor market strength

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 07:46 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week to nearly its lowest level since before the 2007-09 recession, a sign of growing steam in the U.S. labor market.

Hong Kong calls off talks with student activists as city leader investigated

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 07:37 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong called off talks with protesting students on Thursday, dealing a heavy blow to attempts to defuse a political crisis that has seen tens of thousands take to the streets to demand free elections and calling for leader Leung Chun-ying to resign.

Icahn urges Apple to buy back more shares

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 06:52 AM PDT

(Reuters) - Billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn said Apple Inc's shares could double in value and urged the company's board to buy back more shares using its $133 billion cash pile.

Iran refused to let in U.S. member of U.N. nuclear team: sources

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 06:44 AM PDT

VIENNA (Reuters) - A United Nations atomic agency official recently denied entry into Iran as part of a team investigating suspected bomb research is believed to be an American nuclear weapons expert, diplomatic sources said.

PepsiCo profit grows, boosts outlook for year; shares rise

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 05:28 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - PepsiCo Inc raised its full-year earnings forecast and said snack sales helped its quarterly profit beat expectations, sending its shares up more than 1 percent in premarket trading.

Pressure mounts on Hong Kong leader over payout amid crisis

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 03:50 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Democratic lawmakers in Hong Kong demanded anti-graft officers investigate a $6.4 million business payout to Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying on Thursday, as political fallout grows from massive student-led protests calling for democracy in the Chinese-controlled city.

White policeman kills black teen in St Louis, triggering fresh protests

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 02:59 AM PDT

ST LOUIS Mo (Reuters) - A white off-duty policeman shot and killed a black teenager in St Louis on Wednesday, officers said, triggering a night of protests just miles from the site of another police shooting of another black youth in the suburb of Ferguson.

Families torn apart as Western girls join Islamist cause

Posted: 09 Oct 2014 02:49 AM PDT

PARIS (Reuters) - Foad, a French truck driver of Moroccan origin, traveled alone through Syria to rescue his 15-year-old sister from an Islamist group she said was holding her captive. But when they finally stood face to face, in tears, she would not leave.

Thousands march in Mexico to demand action over massacre

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 09:51 PM PDT

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Thousands marched through the Mexican capital on Wednesday to demand the government find out what happened to dozens of missing students, who are feared to have been massacred by gang members and police.

Yemen's new prime minister quits after Houthis call mass protest

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 04:55 PM PDT

SANAA (Reuters) - Yemen's new Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak quit his post early on Thursday hours after the Houthi militia called for mass protests against the "foreign interference" they said was behind his appointment.

Ebola patient dies in Texas; five U.S. airports to screen for fever

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 04:39 PM PDT

DALLAS (Reuters) - The first person diagnosed with Ebola in the United States died on Wednesday, underscoring questions about the quality of care he received, and the government ordered five airports to start screening passengers from West Africa for fever.

Brazil's PSB party to back Neves in October 26 runoff

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 04:07 PM PDT

BRASILIA (Reuters) - The political party that launched environmentalist Marina Silva's unsuccessful presidential bid threw its support behind pro-business candidate Aecio Neves on Wednesday for Brazil's Oct. 26 runoff vote against leftist President Dilma Rousseff.

U.S. Fed frets over strong dollar, global woes: minutes

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 03:45 PM PDT

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Federal Reserve officials want to tie an interest-rate rise to U.S. economic progress, but the minutes of their last policy meeting show they are struggling with how to come to grips with the dual threats of a stronger dollar and a global slowdown.

GT Advanced bankruptcy offers warning to Apple suppliers

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 03:41 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO/TOKYO (Reuters) - The financial implosion of Apple Inc supplier GT Advanced Technologies Inc this week offers a dramatic illustration of how the iPhone maker can put the screws to suppliers willing to take a short-term risk for future riches.

U.S. military says air power may not save Syrian town of Kobani

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 01:38 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military on Wednesday said air power alone may not save the Syrian town of Kobani from Islamic State militants as U.S. officials appeared to brace for the town's fall.

Fayetteville: A Military Town's Second Thoughts

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 10:02 AM PDT

FAYETTEVILLE, NC, Oct 8 (Reuters) - After 13 years of war, life outside the gates of the United States' largest military base has settled into a familiar ebb and flow.

Riots in Turkey kill 19 over failure to aid besieged Syrian Kurds

2014-10-08T08:02:00.001-07:00

Riots in Turkey kill 19 over failure to aid besieged Syrian Kurds

Riots in Turkey kill 19 over failure to aid besieged Syrian Kurds
Iran defends refusal to let in U.N. nuclear expert
Prosecutors 'failed' to prove case against Kenya's president: attorney
Dallas Ebola patient on ventilator and receiving kidney dialysis
EU chastises Turkey over interference in courts, freedom of speech
Iran nuclear talks set for next week in Vienna: Iran foreign ministry
Kurds say air strikes push Islamic State back from Kobani
Japan sees growing chance of Abe holding talks with China's Xi
Exclusive: Actavis plans new merger approach for Allergan - sources
For South Korea's Park, talks with North could rejuvenate her tenure
Turkey says Syria town about to fall as Islamic State advances
U.S. court to hear appeal over keeping U.S. demands for telecom records secret
Australian PM orders crackdown on visas for radical preachers
Captain of doomed South Korean ferry apologizes for failure to rescue
Hong Kong protests dwindle, but talks with government likely to go nowhere
Gay marriage bans fall in Idaho, Nevada after high court decision
Wal-Mart raises healthcare costs, cuts benefits for some part-timers
Mexican students recall clashes with police as massacre probed
Senegalese peacekeeper killed in rocket attack on northern Mali base
Exclusive: Missouri police plan for possible riots if Brown cop not charged
Old soldiers to meet as Thai PM makes Myanmar his first foreign visit
Poland warns Russia it could face tougher EU sanctions over Ukraine
Rousseff's election strategy digs deeper hole for Brazil economy

Riots in Turkey kill 19 over failure to aid besieged Syrian Kurds

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 07:24 AM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey/ANKARA (Reuters) - At least 19 people were reported killed in riots across Turkey, the deadliest street unrest in years, after the Kurdish minority rose up in fury at the government's refusal to protect a besieged Syrian town from Islamic State.

Iran defends refusal to let in U.N. nuclear expert

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 07:22 AM PDT

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran has dismissed criticism by the International Atomic Energy Agency of its refusal earlier this year to let one IAEA expert into the country as part of a team investigating allegations of nuclear weapons research.

Prosecutors 'failed' to prove case against Kenya's president: attorney

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 06:51 AM PDT

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - A defense attorney for President Uhuru Kenyatta called on judges at the International Criminal Court to throw out allegations of crimes against humanity, saying prosecutors had failed to prove their case after five years of investigations.

Dallas Ebola patient on ventilator and receiving kidney dialysis

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 05:14 AM PDT

DALLAS (Reuters) - The Ebola patient fighting for his life in a Dallas hospital is on a ventilator and a kidney dialysis machine to help stabilize his health, the hospital said on Tuesday.

EU chastises Turkey over interference in courts, freedom of speech

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 05:05 AM PDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union reprimanded EU candidate Turkey on Wednesday for political meddling in the judiciary, saying a response to a government corruption scandal has harmed the independence of the judiciary and weakened civil rights.

Iran nuclear talks set for next week in Vienna: Iran foreign ministry

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 04:16 AM PDT

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran and major powers are set to hold multilateral and bilateral nuclear talks in the coming days in Vienna, Iran's foreign ministry said on Wednesday, less than two months ahead of a deadline for a deal to end their dispute.

Kurds say air strikes push Islamic State back from Kobani

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 02:33 AM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey (Reuters) - U.S.-led air strikes on Wednesday pushed Islamic State fighters back to the edges of the Syrian Kurdish border town of Kobani, which they had appeared set to seize after a three-week assault, Kurdish officials in the town said.

Japan sees growing chance of Abe holding talks with China's Xi

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 01:55 AM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Expectations are growing in Japan that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for an ice-breaking chat next month, while an aide signaled Abe may postpone visits to a shrine for war dead that have infuriated Beijing in the past.

Exclusive: Actavis plans new merger approach for Allergan - sources

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 01:50 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Actavis Plc plans to approach Allergan Inc again about a potential merger, as the Botox maker warms up to the possibility of a sale, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

For South Korea's Park, talks with North could rejuvenate her tenure

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 01:22 AM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea is prepared to discuss its sanctions against the North in a rare meeting with Pyongyang officials, a sign of flexibility as the South's Park Geun-hye seeks to reenergize her presidency with a breakthrough in bilateral ties.

Turkey says Syria town about to fall as Islamic State advances

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 12:22 AM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Turkey's president said on Tuesday the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani was "about to fall" as Islamic State fighters pressed home a three-week assault that has cost a reported 400 lives and forced thousands to flee their homes.

U.S. court to hear appeal over keeping U.S. demands for telecom records secret

Posted: 08 Oct 2014 12:17 AM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court is set to hear arguments on Wednesday on whether the Federal Bureau of Investigation can force Internet and telecommunications firms to turn over customer records without revealing the government's demands.

Australian PM orders crackdown on visas for radical preachers

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 10:07 PM PDT

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Wednesday that he was ordering a crackdown to prevent radical Islamist preachers entering the country, amidst rising tension with the Muslim community following a series of security-related raids.

Captain of doomed South Korean ferry apologizes for failure to rescue

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 09:55 PM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - The captain of a South Korean ferry that capsized in April killing about 300 people, most of them school children, apologized in court on Wednesday for his failure to rescue passengers in the country's worst maritime disaster for decades.

Hong Kong protests dwindle, but talks with government likely to go nowhere

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 09:54 PM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong pro-democracy protests that brought tens of thousands on to the streets last week dwindled to a few hundred on Wednesday after activist leaders agreed to talks with the government which are all but certain to go nowhere.

Gay marriage bans fall in Idaho, Nevada after high court decision

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 07:47 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Legal momentum for extending U.S. marriage rights to same-sex couples accelerated on Tuesday as a federal appeals court struck down bans on gay matrimony in Idaho and Nevada a day after the U.S. Supreme Court let stand similar rulings for five other states.

Wal-Mart raises healthcare costs, cuts benefits for some part-timers

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 04:33 PM PDT

(Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the biggest U.S. private sector employer, said on Tuesday that its 1.3 million workers would have to pay more for healthcare and it would end benefits for some part-time staff in a move that could prompt other companies to follow suit.

Mexican students recall clashes with police as massacre probed

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 03:58 PM PDT

AYOTZINAPA Mexico (Reuters) - Mexican police killed three trainee teachers, shot another in the head and another in the face, and herded dozens more into police trucks to what investigators fear was a massacre on a remote hillside, survivors of the incident say.

Senegalese peacekeeper killed in rocket attack on northern Mali base

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 03:54 PM PDT

BAMAKO (Reuters) - A Senegalese United Nations peacekeeper was killed on Tuesday when a joint French-U.N. military camp in the northern Malian town of Kidal was hit by rocket fire, the U.N. mission and Senegal's state television said.

Exclusive: Missouri police plan for possible riots if Brown cop not charged

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 03:37 PM PDT

FERGUSON MISSOURI (Reuters) - Missouri authorities are drawing up contingency plans and seeking intelligence from U.S. police departments on out-of-state agitators, fearing that fresh riots could erupt if a grand jury does not indict a white officer for killing a black teen.

Old soldiers to meet as Thai PM makes Myanmar his first foreign visit

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 02:18 PM PDT

BANGKOK (Reuters) - When retired general Prayuth Chan-ocha lands in Myanmar on Thursday, his first overseas trip as Thailand's new prime minister, he can expect a little love and a lot of understanding.

Poland warns Russia it could face tougher EU sanctions over Ukraine

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 12:05 PM PDT

WARSAW (Reuters) - The European Union will impose tougher sanctions on Russia unless Moscow's policy in Ukraine changes, Polish Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna said on Tuesday.

Rousseff's election strategy digs deeper hole for Brazil economy

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 10:56 AM PDT

SAO PAULO/BRASILIA (Reuters) - President Dilma Rousseff's strategy of slamming bankers and playing up class divisions may give her the edge in this month's election but it further strains relations with business leaders just as Brazil's stagnant economy badly needs fresh investment.

U.S. job openings at highest level since 2001

2014-10-07T08:02:00.001-07:00

U.S. job openings at highest level since 2001

U.S. job openings at highest level since 2001
Bruised Rio Tinto rebuffs Glencore takeover approach
Retail group expects brighter holiday season sales in 2014
Turkey says Syrian town about to fall as Islamic State moves in
Hong Kong protests at crossroads as traffic, frustration pile up
Chrysler recalls cargo vans due to inadvertent airbag deployments
U.S. drone strike in Pakistan kills six suspected militants
Myanmar says it will release more than 3,000 prisoners
Street fighting rages in Syrian town as Islamic State moves in
Pimco's outflow headaches only just beginning
Brazil's Rousseff, Neves race for support in election runoff
U.S. working on new screenings for Ebola but no travel ban
Hong Kong democracy protests fade, face test of stamina
South, North Korea ships fire shots at disputed sea border
White House defends Biden after gaffes, apologies to allies
Supreme Court dodges gay marriage, allowing weddings in five more states
U.S. sees North Korean leader's absence, talks as tactical
Dearth of doctors drags on China private healthcare drive
New EU executive hits obstacle in parliament

U.S. job openings at highest level since 2001

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 07:31 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. job openings rose to a seasonally adjusted 4.835 million in August, the highest level since January 2001, the Labor Department said on Tuesday in its monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey.

Bruised Rio Tinto rebuffs Glencore takeover approach

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 07:19 AM PDT

MELBOURNE/LONDON (Reuters) - Rio Tinto has rejected a takeover approach from smaller rival Glencore Plc, snubbing a blockbuster deal that would have created a $160 billion mining and commodities trading giant.

Retail group expects brighter holiday season sales in 2014

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 07:07 AM PDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. retail sales are expected to rise 4.1 percent this holiday season to $616.9 billion, outpacing last year's gains, the world's largest retail trade association said on Tuesday.

Turkey says Syrian town about to fall as Islamic State moves in

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:54 AM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Turkey's president said Kobani was "about to fall" after Islamic State fighters advanced into the south west of the Syrian Kurdish town, pressing home a three-week assault has cost a reported 400 lives.

Hong Kong protests at crossroads as traffic, frustration pile up

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:13 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong's dwindling pro-democracy protesters relaxed blockades of key places on Tuesday, allowing some business supplies in and out, although traffic was still largely snarled and talks with the government offered little hope of a quick solution.

Chrysler recalls cargo vans due to inadvertent airbag deployments

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 05:04 AM PDT

DETROIT (Reuters) - Chrysler Group LLC said on Tuesday it is recalling about 22,100 small cargo vans because of inadvertent side air bag deployments, the company and U.S. safety regulators said.

U.S. drone strike in Pakistan kills six suspected militants

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 02:22 AM PDT

DERA ISMAIL KHAN Pakistan (Reuters) - Missiles from a U.S. drone on Tuesday slammed into a suspected militant training camp in northwest Pakistan, killing six, intelligence officials said, in the third such strike in as many days.

Myanmar says it will release more than 3,000 prisoners

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 01:49 AM PDT

YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar on Tuesday pledged to release thousands of prisoners a month before a Southeast Asian summit, which U.S. President Barack Obama and other leaders from outside the region are expected to attend.

Street fighting rages in Syrian town as Islamic State moves in

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 11:21 PM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey (Reuters) - Street fighting raged between Kurdish defenders and Islamic State militants who advanced into Kobani on Monday after subjecting the Syrian border town to an assault lasting almost three weeks, residents and fighters said.

Pimco's outflow headaches only just beginning

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 10:29 PM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Outflows from Pimco may be far from over as many investors have yet to decide whether to stick with the Newport Beach, California-based asset manager.

Brazil's Rousseff, Neves race for support in election runoff

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 09:06 PM PDT

SAO PAULO/BRASILIA (Reuters) - A tight runoff campaign for Brazil's presidency kicked off on Monday with leftist incumbent Dilma Rousseff and pro-business rival Aecio Neves racing to win over supporters of the third-placed candidate after she was knocked out of the election.

U.S. working on new screenings for Ebola but no travel ban

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 09:04 PM PDT

WASHINGTON/DALLAS (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Monday that the government would develop expanded screening of airline passengers for Ebola, both in the West African countries hit by the disease and the United States.

Hong Kong democracy protests fade, face test of stamina

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 09:02 PM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong rolled into early Tuesday with hundreds of students remaining camped out in the heart of the city after more than a week of rallies and behind-the-scenes talks showing modest signs of progress.

South, North Korea ships fire shots at disputed sea border

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 08:57 PM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - A South Korean naval ship fired warning shots on Tuesday after a North Korean patrol boat crossed a disputed sea border off the peninsula's west coast and fired shots back before retreating, a South Korean defense official said.

White House defends Biden after gaffes, apologies to allies

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 07:56 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House defended Vice President Joe Biden on Monday after he was forced to call leaders in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates to apologize for remarks he made suggesting they had supported Islamist militants in Syria.

Supreme Court dodges gay marriage, allowing weddings in five more states

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 07:22 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to decide once and for all whether states can ban gay marriage, a surprising move that will allow gay men and women to get married in five additional states, with more likely to follow quickly.

U.S. sees North Korean leader's absence, talks as tactical

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 03:49 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A surprise visit by a senior North Korea delegation to South Korea and the disappearance from public view of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for the past month have triggered speculation about Kim's health and the stability of his government.

Dearth of doctors drags on China private healthcare drive

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 03:00 PM PDT

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - As China tries to privatize an overburdened public healthcare system, private hospitals face a shortage ... of doctors.

New EU executive hits obstacle in parliament

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 02:21 PM PDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The formation of a new EU executive hit a fresh snag on Monday when a parliamentary committee rejected the Hungarian nominated to run education and culture due to his record in a government accused of curbing civic rights.

Islamic State raises flag in eastern Kobani, Kurds say town has not fallen

2014-10-06T08:03:00.001-07:00

Islamic State raises flag in eastern Kobani, Kurds say town has not fallen

Islamic State raises flag in eastern Kobani, Kurds say town has not fallen
Supreme Court dodges gay marriage, allowing weddings in five states
American Ebola patient arrives in U.S., man in Dallas still 'critical'
Hewlett-Packard to split into two public companies, lay off 5,000
Brazil's Rousseff, Neves race for support in tight election runoff
U.S. regulators probe steering in estimated 938,000 Ford vehicles
Chrysler recalls 31,497 commercial vans in U.S. to replace head restraints
Crime and gangs: the path to battle for Australia's Islamist radicals
Hong Kong democracy protests fade, face test of stamina
Iran releases journalist, American husband still in jail
Parents of American held by Islamic State release photos, letter
New NATO chief says wants constructive ties with Russia
Typhoon heads out to sea after leaving at least one dead in Japan
Mexico security officials likely conspired in massacre: state government
Becton Dickinson to buy CareFusion for $12 billion in cash, stock
Sierra Leone records 121 Ebola deaths in a single day
Ebola patient in Dallas struggling to survive, says CDC head
Becton Dickinson to buy CareFusion for $12 billion in cash, stock
Mexico massacre victims feared to be missing students
Silicon Valley giant Hewlett-Packard to split in two: WSJ
African Union and Somali forces claim Shabaab stronghold of Barawe

Islamic State raises flag in eastern Kobani, Kurds say town has not fallen

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 07:41 AM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey (Reuters) - Islamic State raised its flag on a building on the outskirts of the Syrian frontier town of Kobani on Monday after an assault of almost three weeks, but the town's Kurdish defenders said its fighters had not reached the city centre.

Supreme Court dodges gay marriage, allowing weddings in five states

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 07:32 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to decide once and for all whether states can ban gay marriage, a surprise move that will allow gay men and women to marry in five states where same-sex weddings were previously forbidden.

American Ebola patient arrives in U.S., man in Dallas still 'critical'

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 07:20 AM PDT

DALLAS/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The fifth American to contract Ebola in West Africa arrived in the United States for treatment on Monday as the first patient diagnosed with the deadly virus on U.S. soil fought for his life at a Dallas hospital, officials said.

Hewlett-Packard to split into two public companies, lay off 5,000

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 06:58 AM PDT

(Reuters) - Hewlett-Packard Co said it would split into two listed companies, separating its computer and printer businesses from its faster-growing corporate hardware and services operations, and eliminate another 5,000 jobs as part of its turnaround plan.

Brazil's Rousseff, Neves race for support in tight election runoff

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 06:48 AM PDT

SAO PAULO/RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - An unexpectedly competitive runoff campaign for Brazil's presidency kicked off on Monday with leftist incumbent Dilma Rousseff and her pro-business rival Aecio Neves racing to win over supporters of an ousted third-place candidate and other voters frustrated with a stagnant economy.

U.S. regulators probe steering in estimated 938,000 Ford vehicles

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 06:12 AM PDT

DETROIT (Reuters) - U.S. safety regulators have opened a probe of an estimated 938,000 Ford Motor Co mid-sized sedans due to complaints about steering issues.

Chrysler recalls 31,497 commercial vans in U.S. to replace head restraints

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 06:10 AM PDT

DETROIT (Reuters) - Chrysler Group said on Monday that it is recalling an estimated 31,497 commercial full-size vans in the United States to replace their head restraints.

Crime and gangs: the path to battle for Australia's Islamist radicals

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 04:16 AM PDT

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The children of refugees who fled Lebanon's civil war for peaceful Australia in the 1970s form a majority of Australian militants fighting in the Middle East, according to about a dozen counter-terrorism officials, security experts and Muslim community members.

Hong Kong democracy protests fade, face test of stamina

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 03:00 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Pro-democracy protests in Chinese-controlled Hong Kong subsided on Monday as students and civil servants returned to school and work after more than a week of demonstrations, but activists vowed to keep up their campaign of civil disobedience.

Iran releases journalist, American husband still in jail

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 02:58 AM PDT

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran has released an Iranian journalist on bail after more than two months held without charge, but her husband, a dual nationality Iranian-American who reports for the Washington Post, remains in jail, her family said on Monday.

Parents of American held by Islamic State release photos, letter

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 01:44 AM PDT

(Reuters) - The parents of an U.S. aid worker held hostage by Islamic State militants on Sunday released photographs of their son and parts of a letter he wrote them from captivity in which he says he is scared to die but at peace with his belief.

New NATO chief says wants constructive ties with Russia

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 01:05 AM PDT

WARSAW (Reuters) - NATO wants constructive relations with Russia even as it increases its presence in its member states in eastern Europe, the alliance's new secretary-general told a Polish newspaper on Monday.

Typhoon heads out to sea after leaving at least one dead in Japan

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 10:22 PM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - A typhoon lashed Japan with torrential rain on Monday after killing at least one person, forcing the cancellation of flights and prompting warnings to more than 200,000 people to evacuate their homes before heading out to sea.

Mexico security officials likely conspired in massacre: state government

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 09:13 PM PDT

IGUALA Mexico (Reuters) - Missing students were likely among charred corpses found in mass graves in southwest Mexico and local security officials are suspected of conspiring with gang members to kill them, authorities said on Sunday.

Becton Dickinson to buy CareFusion for $12 billion in cash, stock

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 07:08 PM PDT

(Reuters) - Medical equipment supplier Becton Dickinson & Co has agreed to buy CareFusion Corp , a maker of infusion pumps and other medical devices, for $12.2 billion in cash and stock, marking the latest multibillion-dollar healthcare sector deal.

Sierra Leone records 121 Ebola deaths in a single day

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 05:13 PM PDT

FREETOWN (Reuters) - Sierra Leone recorded 121 deaths from Ebola and scores of new infections in one of the single deadliest days since the disease appeared in the West African country more than four months ago, government health statistics showed on Sunday.

Ebola patient in Dallas struggling to survive, says CDC head

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 04:41 PM PDT

DALLAS/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The first person diagnosed with Ebola in the United States was fighting for his life at a Dallas hospital on Sunday and appeared to be receiving none of the experimental medicines for the virus, a top U.S. health official said.

Becton Dickinson to buy CareFusion for $12 billion in cash, stock

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 02:51 PM PDT

Mexico massacre victims feared to be missing students

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 02:39 PM PDT

IGUALA Mexico (Reuters) - Bodies found in mass graves in southwestern Mexico are feared to be those of students who went missing last month after they clashed with corrupt local police, authorities said on Sunday.

Silicon Valley giant Hewlett-Packard to split in two: WSJ

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 02:20 PM PDT

(Reuters) - Silicon Valley stalwart Hewlett-Packard Co, which has struggled to adapt to the new era of mobile and online computing, plans to split into two companies as it looks to put more focus on the faster-growing corporate services market, according to a Wall Street Journal report on Sunday.

African Union and Somali forces claim Shabaab stronghold of Barawe

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 12:57 PM PDT

BARAWE Somalia (Reuters) - African Union and Somali troops on Sunday took control of Barawe, a port town used by al Shabaab to bring in arms and fighters from abroad, after the al Qaeda-linked militants fled without a fight, the AU and a Somali official said.

Ukraine military says separatists violate month-old ceasefire

2014-10-05T08:05:00.001-07:00

Ukraine military says separatists violate month-old ceasefire

Ukraine military says separatists violate month-old ceasefire
Hong Kong protesters pull back from some areas, fear crackdown in city center
Kurds battle Islamist militants closing in on Syrian town
Crisis-hit Bulgaria votes in 'last chance' snap election
Surging dollar may be triple whammy for U.S. earnings
Chinese troops play symbolic role in Hong Kong drama over democracy
Loyal depositors shoulder Turkey's Bank Asya while political war rages
Inmate beards, Facebook threats on U.S. top court's docket
Typhoon Phanfone churns toward Tokyo with heavy wind, rain
Mass graves with charred victims found in southern Mexico
Supreme Leader's health raises questions about Iranian succession
Juncker's team likely to survive EU power struggle
Ebola patient in Dallas turns critical, no new U.S. cases
Brazilians go to the polls in nail-biter election for president
'No problem at all' for North Korea leader Kim's health, says official
Japan PM still 'neutral' on tax hike but recovery weak: economy minister
Former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier dies at 63
Neves passes Silva in polls on eve of Brazil election
Ebola patient in Dallas takes turn for worse
Parents of American held by Islamic State appeal for his release
Latest GM recalls cover 57,000-plus vehicles

Ukraine military says separatists violate month-old ceasefire

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 07:21 AM PDT

KIEV/DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) - Ukraine's military accused Russian-backed separatists of again violating a month-old ceasefire on Sunday, saying their forces came under attack in several parts of the east including the airport at the big city of Donetsk.

Hong Kong protesters pull back from some areas, fear crackdown in city center

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 06:50 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Some Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters, many in tears, began leaving the Mong Kok area of the city late on Sunday, pulling back from the scene of recent clashes with those who back the pro-Beijing government.

Kurds battle Islamist militants closing in on Syrian town

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 06:47 AM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey / BEIRUT (Reuters) - Kurdish forces battled overnight with Islamists trying to seize a hill overlooking a Syrian border town with Turkey as U.S.-led coalition warplanes carried out raids on the militants, a Kurdish official and a monitoring group said on Sunday.

Crisis-hit Bulgaria votes in 'last chance' snap election

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 06:33 AM PDT

SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgarians voted in a "last chance" snap general election on Sunday, a poll that could leave them with another shaky coalition struggling to solve a bank crisis and revive growth in the European Union's poorest member state.

Surging dollar may be triple whammy for U.S. earnings

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 05:43 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The suddenly unstoppable U.S. dollar is posing a triple threat to American companies' profits: driving up the costs of doing business overseas, suppressing the value of non-U.S. sales and, perhaps most worryingly, signaling weak international demand.

Chinese troops play symbolic role in Hong Kong drama over democracy

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 05:33 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Major General Tan Benhong, the commander of the People's Liberation Army in Hong Kong, was a picture of uniformed calm as he shared champagne toasts with Chinese officials on Wednesday at local celebrations marking China's national day.

Loyal depositors shoulder Turkey's Bank Asya while political war rages

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 04:25 AM PDT

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Selling everything from their sofas to their wedding rings, Bank Asya clients are battling to shore up the Turkish lender against what they say is a government-orchestrated bid to scuttle it.

Inmate beards, Facebook threats on U.S. top court's docket

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 04:21 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court opens on Monday a new term in which the nine justices will decide issues such as whether a Muslim prison inmate can have a beard and whether a man can be prosecuted for making threatening statements on Facebook.

Typhoon Phanfone churns toward Tokyo with heavy wind, rain

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 03:41 AM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - A powerful typhoon was on course to hit the Tokyo area on Monday, after barreling into southwestern Japan with heavy rain and wind that caused flights to be canceled and knocked out power.

Mass graves with charred victims found in southern Mexico

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 03:00 AM PDT

IGUALA Mexico (Reuters) - Authorities have found mass graves with the charred remains of up to 20 people in the restive southern Mexican state of Guerrero, at a time when police are scouring the area for nearly four dozen missing students after a rash of violence.

Supreme Leader's health raises questions about Iranian succession

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 01:27 AM PDT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Images of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appearing frail and in bed have raised questions about the seriousness of his condition, and who might eventually succeed him.

Juncker's team likely to survive EU power struggle

Posted: 05 Oct 2014 01:12 AM PDT

PARIS (Reuters) - Party politics seems set to trump concerns about the competence and suitability of several candidates for the European Commission when lawmakers pass judgment on Jean-Claude Juncker's most controversial nominees this week.

Ebola patient in Dallas turns critical, no new U.S. cases

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 11:29 PM PDT

DALLAS (Reuters) - The first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States took a turn for the worse on Saturday, slipping from serious to critical condition in a Dallas hospital, as health officials reported tracking scores of possible cases around the country that proved to be false alarms.

Brazilians go to the polls in nail-biter election for president

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 10:10 PM PDT

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazilians vote Sunday in the most unpredictable presidential election in decades and the first since the end of an economic boom underpinning the leftist Workers' Party's 12-year rule.

'No problem at all' for North Korea leader Kim's health, says official

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 07:16 PM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - A senior North Korean official on a rare visit to South Korea has denied reports that the country's young leader Kim Jong Un is ill, saying there is "no problem at all," a South Korean minister said on Sunday.

Japan PM still 'neutral' on tax hike but recovery weak: economy minister

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 06:59 PM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe remains "completely neutral" on whether to raise the national sales tax, Economy Minister Akira Amari said on Sunday even as he expressed concern about the strength of the country's economic recovery.

Former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier dies at 63

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 04:13 PM PDT

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Deposed Haitian dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier died of a heart attack on Saturday, closing the book on a political dynasty notorious for human rights abuses and corruption in the poorest country in the Americas.

Neves passes Silva in polls on eve of Brazil election

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 03:59 PM PDT

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian presidential hopeful Aecio Neves is heading into Sunday's election with a slight edge over environmentalist Marina Silva in the race to advance to an expected runoff against the incumbent, three new polls showed on Saturday.

Ebola patient in Dallas takes turn for worse

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 01:52 PM PDT

DALLAS (Reuters) - The first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States took a turn for the worse on Saturday, slipping from serious to critical condition, as health officials reported fielding scores of possible cases around the country that proved to be false alarms.

Parents of American held by Islamic State appeal for his release

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 12:54 PM PDT

(Reuters) - The parents of an American humanitarian worker held hostage by Islamic State militants appealed for his release on Saturday, speaking in a statement and a video message that highlighted his aid work and mentioned his conversion to Islam.

Latest GM recalls cover 57,000-plus vehicles

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 10:53 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - General Motors Co said on Saturday it was recalling more than 57,000 vehicles in the United States for potential problems ranging from a wiring problem in the steering column to inadvertent shutdown of the engine.

Syrian border town still under siege by Islamic State despite allied air strikes

2014-10-04T08:02:00.001-07:00

Syrian border town still under siege by Islamic State despite allied air strikes

Syrian border town still under siege by Islamic State despite allied air strikes
Rival protesters face off in gritty Hong Kong neighborhood
Cameron, British Muslims condemn beheading of aid worker Alan Henning
Islamic State video shows second British hostage beheaded
Hackers who hit JPMorgan attacked some nine other firms: report
Ukraine says its forces killed 12 rebels at Donetsk airport
Latvians seen re-electing center right as Russia overshadows poll
Italy's GTECH calls extraordinary meeting to approve IGT buyout
Syria's Assad pictured at Eid prayers in Damascus
U.S. hiring accelerates, jobless rate hits six-year low
Top North Korea officials make rare visit to South as diplomacy ramps up
U.S. defends Ebola response, about 50 under observation
Islamic State says beheads British hostage in new video
Obama envoy sees long road ahead in war with Islamic State
Violence in eastern Ukraine strains ceasefire: U.S. official
A year after tragedy, PM says Italy will not stop sea rescues
Brazil's Silva slips, Neves may make runoff, Sensus poll shows

Syrian border town still under siege by Islamic State despite allied air strikes

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 07:48 AM PDT

MURSITPINAR/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State forces shelled the Syrian border town of Kobani on Saturday and its Kurdish defenders said they were expecting a new assault to try to capture it.

Rival protesters face off in gritty Hong Kong neighborhood

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 07:15 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - More than a thousand rival protesters, some wearing helmets, faced off in a densely populated, gritty district of Hong Kong on Saturday, fuelling concerns that the Chinese-controlled city's worst unrest in decades could take a more violent turn.

Cameron, British Muslims condemn beheading of aid worker Alan Henning

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 07:13 AM PDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Muslim groups across Britain united on Saturday to join Prime Minister David Cameron in condemning the beheading of aid worker Alan Henning by Islamic State insurgents, with one leading cleric calling it a "despicable and offensive act".

Islamic State video shows second British hostage beheaded

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 07:07 AM PDT

WASHINGTON/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State militants beheaded British aid worker Alan Henning in a video posted on Friday, triggering swift condemnation by the British and U.S. governments.

Hackers who hit JPMorgan attacked some nine other firms: report

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 07:03 AM PDT

(Reuters) - About nine other banks and brokerages were infiltrated by the same group of hackers who recently attacked computer systems at JPMorgan Chase & Co, the New York Times reported late on Friday, citing unnamed people briefed on the matter.

Ukraine says its forces killed 12 rebels at Donetsk airport

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 06:52 AM PDT

KIEV (Reuters) - Pro-Russian separatists have suffered their worst casualties since a ceasefire officially began on Sept.5, losing 12 men in attacks on buildings at Donetsk airport, Ukrainian military officials said on Saturday.

Latvians seen re-electing center right as Russia overshadows poll

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 05:18 AM PDT

RIGA (Reuters) - Latvia's center government looks set to be re-elected in a general election on Saturday after taking a hard line over the actions of neighbors and former ruler Russia in Ukraine.

Italy's GTECH calls extraordinary meeting to approve IGT buyout

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 04:55 AM PDT

MILAN (Reuters) - Italian gaming group GTECH said on Saturday it will hold an extraordinary shareholders' meeting on Nov. 4 to approve steps needed for the completion of its $4.7 billion buyout of U.S. slot machine maker International Game Technology.

Syria's Assad pictured at Eid prayers in Damascus

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 03:01 AM PDT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has made a rare public appearance at a mosque in Damascus at the start of a Muslim holiday, a photo posted on the presidency's official Twitter feed on Saturday showed.

U.S. hiring accelerates, jobless rate hits six-year low

Posted: 04 Oct 2014 12:05 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. employers ramped up hiring in September and the jobless rate fell to a six-year low, bolstering bets the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates in mid-2015.

Top North Korea officials make rare visit to South as diplomacy ramps up

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 11:46 PM PDT

INCHEON South Korea (Reuters) - Isolated North Korea sent its highest level delegation to South Korea on Saturday to attend the Asian Games closing ceremony amid a flurry of diplomatic activity which has raised hopes for improved ties between the arch rivals.

U.S. defends Ebola response, about 50 under observation

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 06:37 PM PDT

DALLAS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials on Friday broadly defended the response to the country's first case of Ebola, although one acknowledged that while the government was confident of containing the virus, it had been "rocky" in Dallas where the patient is in serious condition.

Islamic State says beheads British hostage in new video

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 04:47 PM PDT

WASHINGTON/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State militants fighting in Iraq and Syria posted a video on Friday that appeared to show the beheading of British aid worker Alan Henning, triggering condemnation by the British and U.S. governments.

Obama envoy sees long road ahead in war with Islamic State

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 01:51 PM PDT

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. envoy charged by President Barack Obama with building a coalition to fight the militant group Islamic State warned on Friday that the war against the jihadists was in its early stages.

Violence in eastern Ukraine strains ceasefire: U.S. official

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 12:42 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Violence in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists has put a strain on a ceasefire clinched nearly a month ago between the sides, the State Department said on Friday.

A year after tragedy, PM says Italy will not stop sea rescues

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 12:01 PM PDT

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's Mediterranean Sea mission, which has rescued more than 90,000 migrants in the past year, will go on, the prime minister said on Friday, vowing to continue navy patrols a year after a shipwreck that killed hundreds sparked international outrage.

Brazil's Silva slips, Neves may make runoff, Sensus poll shows

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 11:52 AM PDT

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff continues to broaden her advantage ahead of Sunday's election, but it is not clear which of her rivals she will face in an expected second-round runoff, a new poll showed on Friday.

Special report: Why Brazil's would-be first black president trails among blacks

2014-10-03T08:02:00.001-07:00

Special report: Why Brazil's would-be first black president trails among blacks

Special report: Why Brazil's would-be first black president trails among blacks
U.S. hiring accelerates, jobless rate hits six-year low
Texas apartment where U.S. Ebola patient stayed to be cleaned: official
New settlements plan threatens ties with Israel, EU says
British PM meets Afghan unity government, praises troops
GM recalls 524,384 cars and SUVs globally in two actions
Moscovici set new quiz as EU executive hits political turbulence
Kurds warn of massacre by Islamic State, Turkey stops short of action
Hong Kong clashes break out away from Central protest site
Two Myanmar men admit to murders of Britons in Thailand; DNA matches: police
Australia authorizes special forces troops to go to Iraq
Pimco CEO says ‘our DNA is fundamentally unchanged’ after Gross
Exclusive: Facebook plots first steps into healthcare
American cameraman for NBC News diagnosed with Ebola in Liberia
JPMorgan hack exposed data of 83 million, among biggest breaches in history
BP asks judge to reconsider 'gross negligence' ruling
Japan's Obuchi: Political 'princess' could be first female PM
Turkey steels for action as Islamic State advances on Syrian border town
Obama tells angry Hispanics he won't give up on immigration reform
Exclusive: North Korea envoy says door is open on nuclear issues, rights, abductees
Japan's Obuchi: Political 'princess' could be first female PM
Swiss Red Cross worker killed by shell in Ukraine's Donetsk

Special report: Why Brazil's would-be first black president trails among blacks

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 07:16 AM PDT

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilians could make history this month by electing Marina Silva, the daughter of impoverished rubber tappers from the Amazon, as their first black president.

U.S. hiring accelerates, jobless rate hits six-year low

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 07:03 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. employers stepped up hiring in September and the jobless rate fell to a six-year low, bolstering bets on a Federal Reserve rate hike in mid-2015.

Texas apartment where U.S. Ebola patient stayed to be cleaned: official

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 06:39 AM PDT

(Reuters) - U.S. health officials on Friday said Dallas authorities planned to properly dispose of items in the apartment where the first person diagnosed with Ebola in the country had stayed and where four people close to him are quarantined.

New settlements plan threatens ties with Israel, EU says

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 06:37 AM PDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Plans for new settlements in East Jerusalem pose a threat to peace and Israel's relations with the European Union, the 28-member bloc said on Friday, joining the United States in its criticism of the decision.

British PM meets Afghan unity government, praises troops

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 05:46 AM PDT

KABUL (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Friday to meet the new unity government, the first major Western leader to visit since an election stalemate was resolved, easing threats of armed conflict.

GM recalls 524,384 cars and SUVs globally in two actions

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 05:45 AM PDT

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co said on Friday it is recalling 524,384 cars and sport utility vehicles globally in two actions dealing with potential latch and loose part issues.

Moscovici set new quiz as EU executive hits political turbulence

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 05:04 AM PDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Pierre Moscovici, the French Socialist nominated to run the EU's economic affairs, must answer a new round of written questions from skeptical conservative lawmakers after the vetting of a new EU executive became entangled in political score-settling.

Kurds warn of massacre by Islamic State, Turkey stops short of action

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 04:57 AM PDT

SURUC Turkey/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Kurdish fighters defending a Syrian border town warned on Friday of a likely massacre by Islamic State insurgents as the Islamists encircled the town with tanks and bombarded its outskirts with artillery fire.

Hong Kong clashes break out away from Central protest site

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 04:31 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Violent scuffles broke out in one of Hong Kong's most famous and congested shopping districts on Friday, as hundreds of supporters of Chinese rule stormed tents and ripped down banners belonging to pro-democracy protesters, forcing many to retreat.

Two Myanmar men admit to murders of Britons in Thailand; DNA matches: police

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 04:12 AM PDT

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Two Myanmar workers have confessed to killing two British tourists in Thailand and a DNA match has been found, police said on Friday, adding that a case that damaged the country's tourism industry had almost been resolved.

Australia authorizes special forces troops to go to Iraq

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 02:47 AM PDT

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian special forces troops will be deployed in Iraq to assist in the fight against Islamic State militants, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Friday, and its aircraft will also join U.S.-led coalition strikes.

Pimco CEO says ‘our DNA is fundamentally unchanged’ after Gross

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 02:21 AM PDT

(Reuters) - Pimco CEO Doug Hodge played defense on Thursday, reiterating that Bill Gross's departure has not affected the way the U.S. bond giant functions.

Exclusive: Facebook plots first steps into healthcare

Posted: 03 Oct 2014 01:50 AM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook Inc already knows who your friends are and the kind of things that grab your attention. Soon, it could also know the state of your health.

American cameraman for NBC News diagnosed with Ebola in Liberia

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 09:53 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - An American freelance cameraman working for NBC News in Liberia has tested positive for Ebola, the network said on Thursday, making him the fifth citizen of the United States and its first journalist known to have contracted the virus in West Africa.

JPMorgan hack exposed data of 83 million, among biggest breaches in history

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 07:31 PM PDT

(Reuters) - Names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of the holders of some 83 million households and small business accounts were exposed when computer systems at JPMorgan Chase & Co were recently compromised by hackers, making it one of the biggest data breaches in history.

BP asks judge to reconsider 'gross negligence' ruling

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 07:28 PM PDT

HOUSTON (Reuters) - BP Plc on Thursday asked a U.S. court to reconsider a September ruling that found the company "grossly negligent" for the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a finding that boosted its potential liabilities by about $18 billion.

Japan's Obuchi: Political 'princess' could be first female PM

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 06:58 PM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - With a telegenic presence, powerful ruling party mentors and a talent for avoiding making political enemies, Japan's new trade and industry minister, Yuko Obuchi, may have what it takes to become the country's first female prime minister.

Turkey steels for action as Islamic State advances on Syrian border town

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 06:37 PM PDT

SURUC Turkey/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Turkey's parliament authorized the government on Thursday to order military action against Islamic State as the insurgents tightened their grip on a Syrian border town, sending thousands more Kurdish refugees into Turkey.

Obama tells angry Hispanics he won't give up on immigration reform

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 06:27 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama sought to rally frustrated Latinos on Thursday with a firm promise to keep fighting for immigration reform and a renewed pledge to take executive action this year to reduce deportations of undocumented immigrants.

Exclusive: North Korea envoy says door is open on nuclear issues, rights, abductees

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 02:42 PM PDT

GENEVA (Reuters) - North Korea is ready to resume six-party talks on its nuclear program but must maintain its readiness in the face of joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises, a senior envoy in Geneva said on Thursday.

Japan's Obuchi: Political 'princess' could be first female PM

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 02:05 PM PDT

Swiss Red Cross worker killed by shell in Ukraine's Donetsk

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 02:03 PM PDT

DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) - A Swiss Red Cross worker was killed by a shell that landed near the international organization's office in Ukraine's separatist-held city of Donetsk on Thursday.

U.S. jobless claims drop, point to stronger labor market

2014-10-02T08:24:00.001-07:00

U.S. jobless claims drop, point to stronger labor market

U.S. jobless claims drop, point to stronger labor market
Dallas Ebola patient vomited outside apartment on way to hospital
Hong Kong police warn protesters against occupying buildings
Islamic State presses assault on Syrian border town, Kurds warn Turkey
Supreme Court takes no immediate action on gay marriage cases
Islamic State committing 'staggering' crimes in Iraq: U.N. report
U.N. nuclear watchdog pushes for headway in Iran inquiry: diplomats
Third American held in North Korea appeals to U.S. for help: report
North Korea prepares launch site for longer-range rockets: report
As PIMCO bleeds assets, Gross shows risk of star culture
Taliban bomber in Afghan capital targets army bus, kills three
At least 10 killed in shelling of school and mini-van in Ukraine
Obama seeks to restore trust with disappointed Latinos
Exclusive: U.S. nears solution for safe disposal of Ebola waste
Palestinians draft U.N. resolution on ending Israel occupation
Turkey vows to fight Islamic State, coalition strikes near border
Special Report: In 'Umbrella Revolution,' China confronts limits of its power
Secret Service director resigns under fire
Pimco Total Return Fund posts record $23.5 billion net outflow in September
U.S. cautions Israel about settlement plans in East Jerusalem
Special Report: In 'Umbrella Revolution,' China confronts limits of its power

U.S. jobless claims drop, point to stronger labor market

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 07:57 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, a sign the labor market may be tightening.

Dallas Ebola patient vomited outside apartment on way to hospital

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 07:41 AM PDT

DALLAS (Reuters) - Two days after he was sent home from a Dallas hospital, the man who is the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the United States was seen vomiting on the ground outside an apartment complex as he was bundled into an ambulance.

Hong Kong police warn protesters against occupying buildings

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 07:25 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong police promised on Thursday to respond firmly to any attempt by thousands of pro-democracy protesters to occupy administrative buildings, and authorities urged people to immediately end their blockade of the city centre.

Islamic State presses assault on Syrian border town, Kurds warn Turkey

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 06:59 AM PDT

SURUC Turkey/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State insurgents tightened their grip on a Syrian border town on Thursday despite coalition air strikes meant to weaken them, sending thousands more Kurdish refugees into Turkey and dragging Ankara deeper into the conflict.

Supreme Court takes no immediate action on gay marriage cases

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 06:56 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday took no action over whether it plans to take up the question of whether states can ban gay marriage.

Islamic State committing 'staggering' crimes in Iraq: U.N. report

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 05:24 AM PDT

GENEVA (Reuters) - Islamic State insurgents in Iraq have carried out mass executions, abducted women and girls as sex slaves, and used child soldiers in what may amount to systematic war crimes that demand prosecution, the United Nations said on Thursday.

U.N. nuclear watchdog pushes for headway in Iran inquiry: diplomats

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 02:24 AM PDT

VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear agency is expected to make a new attempt soon to advance its investigation into suspected atomic bomb research by Iran, diplomats said on Thursday, more than a month after Tehran missed a deadline for cooperation.

Third American held in North Korea appeals to U.S. for help: report

Posted: 02 Oct 2014 02:13 AM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - One of three Americans held in North Korea on charges of crimes against the state said he was anxiously awaiting his trial and appealed for U.S. government help to secure their freedom, a news report said on Thursday.

North Korea prepares launch site for longer-range rockets: report

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 11:37 PM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea, already heavily sanctioned by the United Nations for its missile and nuclear tests, has completed a major overhaul of its rocket launch site, a U.S. think tank said on Thursday, enabling it to fire larger, longer-range rockets.

As PIMCO bleeds assets, Gross shows risk of star culture

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 11:06 PM PDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Bill Gross' exit from Pimco has seen billions of dollars leave the fund group and even more value wiped off the share price of its parent company, offering a warning both to firms who rely on star managers and the investors who chase them.

Taliban bomber in Afghan capital targets army bus, kills three

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 10:16 PM PDT

KABUL (Reuters) - A Taliban suicide bomber targeted an Afghan army bus in Kabul on Thursday, killing three people and wounding 10, the interior ministry said, the fourth high-profile attack in the capital since Monday when the new president was sworn in.

At least 10 killed in shelling of school and mini-van in Ukraine

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 10:07 PM PDT

DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) - At least 10 people were killed on Wednesday when shells hit a school playground and a public transit mini-van in a nearby street in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, underscoring the fragility of a ceasefire between separatists and government forces.

Obama seeks to restore trust with disappointed Latinos

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 10:05 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After enraging Latino voters last month by delaying promised immigration reforms, President Barack Obama is expected to assure Hispanic-American lawmakers on Thursday that he is on their side and help is on the way.

Exclusive: U.S. nears solution for safe disposal of Ebola waste

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 09:03 PM PDT

WASHINGTON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - The United States is days away from settling the critical question of how hospitals should handle and dispose of medical waste from Ebola patients, a government official said on Wednesday.

Palestinians draft U.N. resolution on ending Israel occupation

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 08:43 PM PDT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The Palestinians have drafted a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an end to Israeli occupation by November 2016, which they have shared informally with Arab states and some council members, U.N. diplomats said on Wednesday.

Turkey vows to fight Islamic State, coalition strikes near border

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 06:28 PM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Turkey signalled it may send troops into Syria or Iraq and let allies use Turkish bases to fight Islamic State, as coalition jets launched air strikes on Wednesday on insurgents besieging a town on its southern border with Syria.

Special Report: In 'Umbrella Revolution,' China confronts limits of its power

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 05:41 PM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - In the heart of Mong Kok, one of the most densely populated districts on earth, an abandoned Hong Kong police van is enveloped in the student-led demonstrations paralyzing swathes of the city. Along with yellow ribbons and flowers, symbols of the city's pro-democracy movement, protesters have taped a hand-written placard in Chinese and English to the side of the locked and undamaged vehicle.

Secret Service director resigns under fire

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 04:22 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secret Service Director Julia Pierson resigned under fire on Wednesday after a series of security lapses came to light that exposed gaping holes in the protective cocoon around President Barack Obama.

Pimco Total Return Fund posts record $23.5 billion net outflow in September

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 03:56 PM PDT

(Reuters) - Pacific Investment Management Co suffered a record $23.5 billion of withdrawals from its flagship Pimco Total Return Fund in September, with its largest daily outflow occurring on the day of Bill Gross's surprise resignation from the firm.

U.S. cautions Israel about settlement plans in East Jerusalem

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 03:04 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States expressed concern on Wednesday about reports that Israel had moved forward plans for settlements in East Jerusalem, warning the move would call into question Israel's commitment to peace with the Palestinians.

Special Report: In 'Umbrella Revolution,' China confronts limits of its power

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 01:40 PM PDT

U.S. health experts in Dallas review potential Ebola exposure

2014-10-01T08:11:00.001-07:00

U.S. health experts in Dallas review potential Ebola exposure

U.S. health experts in Dallas review potential Ebola exposure
Turkey vows to fight Islamic State, coalition strikes near border
At least 10 killed in shelling of school and mini-van in Ukraine
Defiant Hong Kong protesters demand leader steps down
Japanese rescuers find more dead on volcano, toll at 47
Special Report: In foreign hands, British automakers overtake France
An environmentalist's calculated push toward Brazil's presidency
Coalition jets strike Islamic State near Turkish border: Kurdish sources
At least 10 people killed in shelling on and near school in Ukraine's Donetsk: city authorities
Taliban bomb Afghan army vehicles in Kabul, seven dead
Ackman's Pershing Square raises $3 billion in fund listing
Australian aircraft to support U.S.-led air strikes in Iraq: PM
In attack by al Qaeda, lines blur between Pakistan's military, militants
Asian factories slow in September, push inflation ever lower
Amid differences, Israel's Netanyahu to seek reassurances from Obama on Iran
U.S. orders airlines to replace cockpit displays on 1,300 Boeing airplanes
Obama, Modi work to deepen improving U.S.-India ties
Kurds seize Iraq/Syria border post; Sunni tribe joins fight against Islamic State
Brazil's Rousseff widens lead over Silva in fresh polls
First Ebola case diagnosed in the United States: CDC
In al Qaeda attack, lines between Pakistan military, militants blur
Obama, Modi work to deepen improving U.S.-India ties
Canada murder trial hears of body parts in mailed parcels

U.S. health experts in Dallas review potential Ebola exposure

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 08:00 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health experts in Dallas were taking stock Wednesday of how many people may have been exposed to Ebola, just a day after the first case of the deadly virus was diagnosed in the United States, the nation's top public health official said.

Turkey vows to fight Islamic State, coalition strikes near border

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 07:14 AM PDT

At least 10 killed in shelling of school and mini-van in Ukraine

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 07:00 AM PDT

Defiant Hong Kong protesters demand leader steps down

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 06:34 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Thousands of pro-democracy protesters thronged the streets of Hong Kong on Wednesday, some of them jeering National Day celebrations, and students threatened to ramp up demonstrations if the city's pro-Beijing leader did not step down.

Japanese rescuers find more dead on volcano, toll at 47

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 06:00 AM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - The death toll from a Japanese volcano eruption rose to 47 on Wednesday, the worst in 88 years, after more victims were discovered on the ash-covered mountain.

Special Report: In foreign hands, British automakers overtake France

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 04:46 AM PDT

LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) - When Britain lost its last native car company 20 years ago, it was lamented across the political spectrum as a national catastrophe.

An environmentalist's calculated push toward Brazil's presidency

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 04:05 AM PDT

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - In March 2003, three months into her tenure as Brazil's environment minister, Marina Silva gathered a half-dozen aides at the modernist ministry building in Brasilia, the capital.

Coalition jets strike Islamic State near Turkish border: Kurdish sources

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 03:58 AM PDT

MURSITPINAR Turkey (Reuters) - U.S.-led forces launched air strikes on Islamic State fighters who are besieging a Kurdish town near the Syrian border with Turkey on Wednesday, Kurdish sources in the town and a monitoring group said, a rare daylight coalition attack.

At least 10 people killed in shelling on and near school in Ukraine's Donetsk: city authorities

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 03:54 AM PDT

DONETSK Ukraine (Reuters) - At least 10 people were killed on Wednesday when shells hit a school playground and a mini-van in a nearby street in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, city authorities and Reuters witnesses said.

Taliban bomb Afghan army vehicles in Kabul, seven dead

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 03:42 AM PDT

KABUL (Reuters) - Two Taliban suicide bombers carried out separate attacks on Afghan army vehicles in Kabul on Wednesday, killing seven people and injuring 19, the government said, a day after Afghanistan signed security deals with NATO and the United States.

Ackman's Pershing Square raises $3 billion in fund listing

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 03:36 AM PDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Pershing Square Holdings, a fund managed by activist investor Bill Ackman, raised $3.07 billion ahead of a stock market listing in Amsterdam, the company said on Wednesday.

Australian aircraft to support U.S.-led air strikes in Iraq: PM

Posted: 01 Oct 2014 12:40 AM PDT

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian aircraft will join the U.S.-led coalition in air strikes against Islamic State insurgents in Iraq in an initial support role, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Wednesday, ahead of a final decision to undertake bombing missions.

In attack by al Qaeda, lines blur between Pakistan's military, militants

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 11:39 PM PDT

KARACHI Pakistan/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Months after Owais Jakhrani was sacked from the Pakistan navy for radical Islamist views, he led an audacious mission to take over a warship and turn its guns on a U.S. naval vessel in the open seas.

Asian factories slow in September, push inflation ever lower

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 10:38 PM PDT

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Factory activity stumbled across much of Asia in September, with slowdowns in India, Japan and Taiwan and an outright decline in South Korea delivering a setback to hopes for a pick in world growth this year.

Amid differences, Israel's Netanyahu to seek reassurances from Obama on Iran

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 10:09 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu meet for a new round in their often-tense relationship on Wednesday, facing differences over Iran diplomacy and Middle East peace efforts as well as complications from the U.S.-led fight against Islamic State militants.

U.S. orders airlines to replace cockpit displays on 1,300 Boeing airplanes

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 08:35 PM PDT

(Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is requiring airlines to replace cockpit displays on more than 1,300 Boeing Co airplanes to avoid interference from Wi-Fi and cellular devices.

Obama, Modi work to deepen improving U.S.-India ties

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 06:23 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed on Tuesday to deepen U.S.-Indian cooperation on maritime security to ensure freedom of navigation in what amounts to a response to China's naval muscle-flexing in Asia.

Kurds seize Iraq/Syria border post; Sunni tribe joins fight against Islamic State

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 05:58 PM PDT

ARBIL Iraq/MURSITPINAR Turkey (Reuters) - Iraqi Kurdish troops drove Islamic State fighters from a strategic border crossing with Syria on Tuesday and won the support of members of a major Sunni tribe, in one of the biggest successes since U.S. forces began bombing the Islamists.

Brazil's Rousseff widens lead over Silva in fresh polls

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 04:51 PM PDT

BRASILIA/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - President Dilma Rousseff has solidified her lead over opposition candidate Marina Silva and would win a runoff vote to Brazil's presidential election, two new polls showed on Tuesday.

First Ebola case diagnosed in the United States: CDC

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 04:45 PM PDT

(Reuters) - U.S. health officials said on Tuesday the first patient infected with the deadly Ebola virus had been diagnosed in the country after flying from Liberia to Texas, in a new sign of how the outbreak ravaging West Africa can spread globally.

In al Qaeda attack, lines between Pakistan military, militants blur

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 04:26 PM PDT

Obama, Modi work to deepen improving U.S.-India ties

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 03:19 PM PDT

Canada murder trial hears of body parts in mailed parcels

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 03:01 PM PDT

MONTREAL (Reuters) - A Canadian man who has admitted to killing and dismembering a Chinese student sent packages of body parts, pink tissue paper and hand-written notes to elementary schools and political parties, jurors were told on Tuesday.

Hong Kong protesters stockpile supplies, fear fresh police advance

2014-09-30T08:10:00.001-07:00

Hong Kong protesters stockpile supplies, fear fresh police advance

Hong Kong protesters stockpile supplies, fear fresh police advance
U.S. strikes help Iraq Kurds, army advances against Islamic State
U.S. signs pact to keep troops in Afghanistan past 2014
Ukraine prosecutor opens criminal case against Russian officials
EU says Ireland tax deal with Apple was state aid
U.S. home prices rise less than expected in July: S&P/Case-Shiller
EBay follows Icahn's advice, plans PayPal spinoff in 2015
Special Report: Islamic State uses grain to tighten grip in Iraq
Afghan, U.S. officials sign long-delayed security pact
Euro zone inflation slows in September, weakens euro versus dollar
Vanguard, BlackRock may reap billions from Pimco after Gross exit
China OKs iPhone 6 sale after Apple addresses security concerns
U.S.-led air strikes pose problem for Assad's moderate foes
Recovery of Japan volcano victims suspended amid signs of rising activity
Pimco staff 'frantic and sad' in wake of Bill Gross sudden exit
Obama, Modi vow to boost strategic ties, create model for world
Fence-jumper ran through much of main floor of White House
Israel PM tries to shift focus from Islamic State to Iran at U.N
U.S. judge holds Argentina in contempt over bond payment plan
Brazil's Rousseff extends lead over Silva in election poll
Secret Service director faces grilling over security breaches
India's Modi promises U.S. CEOs a return to market reforms
U.S. judge holds Argentina in contempt over bond payment plan

Hong Kong protesters stockpile supplies, fear fresh police advance

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 07:17 AM PDT

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters extended a blockade of Hong Kong streets on Tuesday, stockpiling supplies and erecting makeshift barricades ahead of what some fear may be a push by police to clear the roads before Chinese National Day.

U.S. strikes help Iraq Kurds, army advances against Islamic State

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 07:14 AM PDT

ARBIL Iraq/MURSITPINAR Turkey (Reuters) - Iraqi Kurdish forces captured a strategic border crossing and several villages from Islamic State fighters in northern Iraq on Tuesday, scoring gains as the militants were pounded by heavy U.S.-led air strikes and the Iraqi army advanced from the south.

U.S. signs pact to keep troops in Afghanistan past 2014

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 07:12 AM PDT

KABUL (Reuters) - Officials from Afghanistan and the United States on Tuesday signed a long-delayed security agreement to allow American troops to stay in the country after the end of the year, filling a campaign promise by new President Ashraf Ghani.

Ukraine prosecutor opens criminal case against Russian officials

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 07:02 AM PDT

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian state prosecutors said on Tuesday they had opened a criminal investigation against a Russian law enforcement agency, accusing it of supporting separatist and "terrorist" groups in the east of the country.

EU says Ireland tax deal with Apple was state aid

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 06:24 AM PDT

BRUSSELS/LONDON (Reuters) - The European Union has accused Ireland of giving Apple Inc. state aid by letting the iPhone maker shelter profits worth tens of billions of dollars from tax, in return for maintaining jobs.

U.S. home prices rise less than expected in July: S&P/Case-Shiller

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 06:22 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. single-family home prices rose in July on a year-over-year basis but fell short of expectations, a closely watched survey said on Tuesday.

EBay follows Icahn's advice, plans PayPal spinoff in 2015

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 05:54 AM PDT

(Reuters) - EBay Inc said it would spin off PayPal, its fast-growing payments business, into a publicly traded company in the second half of 2015, marking an about-face for the company.

Special Report: Islamic State uses grain to tighten grip in Iraq

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 05:22 AM PDT

SHEKHAN Iraq (Reuters) - For Salah Paulis, it came down to a choice between his faith and his crop.

Afghan, U.S. officials sign long-delayed security pact

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 03:55 AM PDT

KABUL (Reuters) - Officials from Afghanistan and the United States on Tuesday signed a long-delayed security agreement to allow American troops to stay in the country after the end of the year, fulfilling a campaign promise by new President Ashraf Ghani.

Euro zone inflation slows in September, weakens euro versus dollar

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 03:30 AM PDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Euro zone inflation slowed further in September on falling prices of unprocessed food and energy, a first estimate showed on Tuesday, sending the euro lower against the dollar on expectations of further European Central Bank policy easing.

Vanguard, BlackRock may reap billions from Pimco after Gross exit

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 02:38 AM PDT

NEW YORK/BOSTON - Vanguard Group and BlackRock Inc could be prime destinations for hundreds of billions of dollars in assets that may flee Pimco in the wake of the sudden exit of Bill Gross, the celebrated "Bond King" of U.S. mutual funds. His new company, Janus Capital Group Inc, may see Gross's cachet attract tens of billions of dollars, investors and analysts said.

China OKs iPhone 6 sale after Apple addresses security concerns

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 12:50 AM PDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - The iPhone 6 will be sold in China from Oct 17, after rigorous regulator scrutiny led to Apple Inc reassuring the Chinese government that the smartphones did not have security "backdoors" through which U.S. agencies can access users' data.

U.S.-led air strikes pose problem for Assad's moderate foes

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 12:48 AM PDT

REYHANLI Turkey (Reuters) - U.S.-led air strikes against al Qaeda-inspired militants in Syria pose a problem for moderate rebel opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Recovery of Japan volcano victims suspended amid signs of rising activity

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 12:20 AM PDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Search and recovery efforts for at least two dozen victims of Japan's worst volcanic eruption in decades were called off on Tuesday due to worries about rising volcanic activity, including the chance of another steam explosion.

Pimco staff 'frantic and sad' in wake of Bill Gross sudden exit

Posted: 30 Sep 2014 12:17 AM PDT

NEW YORK, Reuters - Shock and disbelief lingered at Pimco's sleek Newport Beach, California, headquarters on Monday, 72 hours after the investment firm was rocked by the sudden defection of co-founder Bill Gross to far-smaller rival Janus Capital Group.

Obama, Modi vow to boost strategic ties, create model for world

Posted: 29 Sep 2014 10:30 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama and new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed on Monday to expand and deepen their countries' strategic partnership and make it a model for the rest of the world.

Fence-jumper ran through much of main floor of White House

Posted: 29 Sep 2014 08:32 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The man who breached security at the White House this month raced through several rooms on the main floor, penetrating farther into the building than previously disclosed, a Republican congressman said on Monday.

Israel PM tries to shift focus from Islamic State to Iran at U.N

Posted: 29 Sep 2014 06:37 PM PDT

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday tried to shift the spotlight away from the Islamic State militant group and back to Iran, warning the United Nations that a nuclear-armed Tehran would pose a far greater threat than "militant Islamists on pickup trucks."

U.S. judge holds Argentina in contempt over bond payment plan

Posted: 29 Sep 2014 06:32 PM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - In a rare move, a U.S. judge held Argentina in contempt on Monday, saying the country is taking "illegal" steps to evade his orders in a longstanding dispute with hedge funds over defaulted debt.

Brazil's Rousseff extends lead over Silva in election poll

Posted: 29 Sep 2014 04:42 PM PDT

BRASILIA (Reuters) - President Dilma Rousseff's expected victory margin over closest rival Marina Silva has surged to 9 percentage points in a second-round runoff in Brazil's presidential election, an opinion poll showed on Monday, causing stocks and the real currency to tumble.

Secret Service director faces grilling over security breaches

Posted: 29 Sep 2014 04:34 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Secret Service is expected to face blistering questions from lawmakers on Tuesday about the latest White House security breach and a string of scandals that have tarnished the image of the agency charged with protecting the president.

India's Modi promises U.S. CEOs a return to market reforms

Posted: 29 Sep 2014 03:52 PM PDT

(Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told nearly a dozen U.S. company chiefs on Monday that he is committed to liberalizing his country's economy, which has underperformed other emerging markets recently after years of breakneck growth.

U.S. judge holds Argentina in contempt over bond payment plan

Posted: 29 Sep 2014 03:23 PM PDT