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| Army warns unrest pushing Egypt to the brink Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 10:16 AM PST  CAIRO, Egypt (Reuters) - Egypt's army chief said political unrest was pushing the state to the brink of collapse - a stark warning from the institution that ran the country until last year as Cairo's first freely elected leader struggles to curb bloody street violence. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a U.S.-trained general appointed by President Mohamed Mursi last year to head the armed forces, added in a statement on Tuesday that one of the primary goals of deploying troops in cities on the Suez Canal was to protect the waterway that is vital for Egypt's economy and world trade. ... Full Story | Top |
| Home prices see best yearly gain since 2006 Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 10:55 AM PST  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Home prices rose in November, climbing more than five percent from a year ago in the biggest increase since August 2006 when the housing market was starting to collapse. Data on consumer confidence on Tuesday was less encouraging, with moods falling to their lowest level in more than a year as Americans became more pessimistic about the economic outlook and their financial prospects in the wake of higher taxes for many. In a fresh sign the housing sector is on the mend, the S&P/Case Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas gained 0. ... Full Story | Top |
| Senate panel approves Kerry for secretary of state Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 09:18 AM PST  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senator John Kerry won the unanimous support of the chamber's Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday to replace Hillary Clinton as President Barack Obama's new secretary of state. The full Senate was expected to confirm Kerry later on Tuesday, setting in motion a special election for his Massachusetts Senate seat. The five-term senator and losing presidential candidate in 2004 has broad support from fellow Democrats as well as Republicans in the Senate. He is expected to be sworn in as the top U.S. diplomat later this week. ... Full Story | Top |
| Judge approves BP agreement for Gulf oil spill Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 11:41 AM PST  (Reuters) - A U.S. judge has accepted an agreement by BP Plc to plead guilty for its role in the Deepwater Horizon disaster and pay $4.0 billion in penalties for the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history, a court official said on Tuesday. The company had said previously it would plead guilty to 11 felony counts related to the workers' deaths, a felony related to obstruction of Congress and two misdemeanors. It also faces five years' probation and the imposition of two monitors who will oversee its safety and ethics for the next four years. ... Full Story | Top |
| Apollo, Metropoulos near deal for Hostess Twinkies: sources Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 11:05 AM PST  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Private equity firms Apollo Global Management LLC and C. Dean Metropoulos & Co are near a deal to buy snack cake brands including Hostess Twinkies and Donettes, two sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. A deal for roughly $400 million, part of Hostess Brands Inc's bankruptcy process, could be announced as soon as Tuesday, said one of the sources, who declined to be identified as the discussions are not public. ... Full Story | Top |
| North Korea's Kim dashes early hope but U.S. still seeks change: Clinton Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 09:43 AM PST  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea's missile tests and menacing rhetoric have disappointed U.S. expectations that young leader Kim Jong-un would be different than his father but Washington still hopes to persuade Pyongyang to change course, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday. "With a new young leader we all expected something different," Clinton said in a town hall-style session put together by the State Department and broadcast worldwide. "We expected him to focus on improving the lives of the North Korea people, not just the elite, but everyone. ... Full Story | Top |
| Sixty-five found executed in Syria's Aleppo: activists Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 10:09 AM PST  BEIRUT (Reuters) - At least 65 people were found shot dead with their hands bound in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Tuesday in a "new massacre" in the near two-year revolt against President Bashar al-Assad, activists said. Opposition campaigners blamed the government but it was impossible to confirm who was responsible. Assad's forces and rebels have been battling in Syria's commercial hub since July and both have been accused of carrying out summary executions. ... Full Story | Top |
| Obama to tread carefully in immigration debate Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 10:01 AM PST  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will move cautiously into the debate over U.S. immigration reform on Tuesday, seeking to build momentum for a new bipartisan plan to offer a pathway to citizenship for the country's 11 million illegal immigrants. Reflecting the growing clout of Hispanic voters, Obama will travel to Nevada little more than a week after his second inauguration and make the case for swift action by Congress to overhaul immigration laws. The trip comes a day after a group of influential Senate Democrats and Republicans laid out a broad plan of their own. ... Full Story | Top |
| Mali secures retaken towns, donors pledge funds Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 11:04 AM PST  DOUENTZA/GAO, Mali (Reuters) - French-backed Malian troops searched house-to-house in Gao and Timbuktu on Tuesday uncovering arms and explosives abandoned by Islamist fighters, and France said it would look to hand over longer-term security operations in Mali to an African force. An 18-day offensive in France's former West African colony has pushed the militants out of major towns and into hideouts in the deserts and mountains. French and Malian troops retook the two Saharan trading towns of Timbuktu and Gao at the weekend virtually unopposed. ... Full Story | Top |
| Ford sees $2 billion loss, slumping sales in Europe Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 10:48 AM PST  DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co forecast a $2 billion loss in Europe this year, pointing to a punishing recession that could drive down industry sales in the region to a 20-year low. By contrast, Ford expects to make more money this year in North America, its most profitable region. But the No. 2 U.S. automaker also predicted 10-percent operating margins in North America, smaller than the 10.4 percent reported last year. The weak outlook overshadowed Ford's better-than-expected fourth-quarter results, and sent the company's shares tumbling as much as 6.5 percent. ... Full Story | Top |
| Transportation chief LaHood to step down Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 11:40 AM PST  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said on Tuesday he planned to resign, marking the latest departure from President Barack Obama's Cabinet as the administration tries to find the root cause of safety problems with Boeing's Dreamliner plane. The Republican and former congressman brought a bipartisan element to the Democratic president's team, and his legislative skills helped Obama win approval of a new highway funding bill last year that had been stalled due to political bickering. ... Full Story | Top |
| UK ups offer for Mali, African anti-Islamist effort Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 04:32 AM PST  LONDON (Reuters) - Britain on Tuesday boosted its offer of aid to help France fight Islamist rebels in Mali, and pledged troops to help other African governments in the region counter a rising tide of Islamist radicalism. Up to 240 British troops could be deployed as part of two missions to train African troops, 40 in Mali as part of a European Union mission, and a further 200 in anglophone West African countries, Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman said. At least 70 more British personnel could be involved in logistical and support missions. ... Full Story | Top |
| Sixty-five found executed in Syria's Aleppo: activists Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 06:18 AM PST BEIRUT (Reuters) - At least 65 people, apparently shot in the head, were found dead with their hands bound in a district of the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Tuesday, activists said. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which says it provides objective information about casualties on both sides of Syria's war from a network of monitors, said the death toll could rise as high as 80. It was not clear who had carried out the killings. ... Full Story | Top |
| Passenger plane crash kills 21 in Kazakhstan Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 05:29 AM PST  KYZYL TU, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - A passenger plane crashed in thick fog near Kazakhstan's commercial capital Almaty on Tuesday and broke into pieces when it hit the ground, killing all 21 people on board. After several hours, rescue teams recovered the plane's flight recorder, the central communications service for Kazakhstan's president said on its Twitter page. A list published by the prosecutor-general's office showed there had been 16 passengers and five crew members on board. The Canadian-built Bombardier Challenger CRJ-200 belonged to private Kazakh airline SCAT. ... Full Story | Top |
| CNN's managing editor Whitaker to leave network Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 08:39 AM PST (Reuters) - CNN's managing editor, Mark Whitaker, said he will be leaving the cable network, two months after CNN tapped Jeff Zucker, the former CEO of NBC Universal, to be the news channel's worldwide chief. Whitaker, in a memo to CNN staff, wrote that Zucker "deserves his own team and management structure and the freedom to communicate one clear vision to the staff." Reuters obtained a copy of the memo on Tuesday. CNN, which is owned by Time Warner Inc, has been struggling with poor ratings. Its prime-time ratings hit historical lows last year, losing out to both Fox and MSNBC. ... Full Story | Top |
| Niger gives green light to U.S. drone deployment: source Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 03:06 AM PST  NIAMEY (Reuters) - Niger has given permission for U.S. surveillance drones to be stationed on its territory to improve intelligence on al Qaeda-linked Islamist fighters in northern Mali and the wider Sahara, a senior government source said. The U.S. ambassador to Niger, Bisa Williams, made the request at a meeting on Monday with President Mahamadou Issoufou, who immediately accepted it, the source said. ... Full Story | Top |
| Financial fears hit consumer confidence in January Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 07:34 AM PST  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Consumer confidence dropped in January to its lowest level in more than a year as Americans were more pessimistic about the economic outlook and their financial prospects, according to a private sector report released on Tuesday. The Conference Board, an industry group, said its index of consumer attitudes fell to 58.6 from an upwardly revised 66.7 in December, falling short of economists' expectations for 64. It was the lowest level since November 2011. The index for December was originally reported as 65.1. At the start of the year, U.S. ... Full Story | Top |
| Japan PM says open to summit with China to help economic ties Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 04:22 AM PST  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday he was open to a meeting with Chinese leaders to rebuild ties damaged by a territorial dispute but said there was no room for negotiations on their row over a group of small islands. The remarks came after China's Communist Party chief, Xi Jinping, told a Japanese envoy sent to Beijing last week that he was committed to developing bilateral ties and would consider holding a summit meeting. ... Full Story | Top |
| Japan approves $1.02 trillion budget for 2013/14, borrowing at new highs Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 02:54 AM PST  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's government approved on Tuesday a $1.02 trillion draft budget for the next fiscal year that aims to nudge tax revenues above new bond sales for the first time in four years, but still relies on borrowing to cover 46.3 percent of its spending. The first full-year draft budget compiled under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who led his Liberal Democratic Party back to power last month with promises of economic revival, marks symbolic improvement after years of deterioration. With the 92.6 trillion yen ($1. ... Full Story | Top |
| Syrian refugees top 700,000, U.N. struggling to cope Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 03:58 AM PST  GENEVA (Reuters) - More than 700,000 Syrian refugees have fled to other countries in the region and aid workers are struggling to keep up with the exodus, the United Nations said on Tuesday. The number of refugees passed the 500,000 mark on Dec 11, meaning more than 200,000 have fled the war-torn country in the past seven weeks. "We have seen an unrelenting flow of refugees across all borders. We are running double shifts to register people," Sybella Wilkes, spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told Reuters in Geneva. ... Full Story | Top |
| Yahoo sees revenue climb this year, but long road ahead Monday, Jan 28, 2013 06:54 PM PST  (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc forecast a modest uptick in revenue for the current year as it revamps its family of websites but Chief Executive Marissa Mayer warned it would be a long journey to revive the Internet company's fortunes. In Yahoo's first financial outlook since Mayer became CEO in July, the company outlined a plan to trigger a "chain reaction of growth" by overhauling a dozen of its online services to increase the amount of time users spent on its websites. It also pointed to strength in its search advertising business and progress made in improving its internal operations. ... Full Story | Top |
| Suicide bomber kills two near Somali presidential palace Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013 02:16 AM PST MOGADISHU (Reuters) - A suicide bomber blew himself up near the Somali presidential palace on Tuesday, killing at least two soldiers in a strike apparently aimed at the country's leaders, a palace guard at the scene said. Officials working in the palace and guards said Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was abroad at the time of the blast and Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon Saaid, whose house was near the site of the explosion, was safe. ... Full Story | Top |
| Senators unveil immigration reform as Hispanic influence grows Monday, Jan 28, 2013 05:07 PM PST  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Reflecting the growing influence of Hispanics in American politics, a group of Republican and Democratic U.S. senators on Monday said they will move quickly with legislation giving 11 million illegal immigrants a chance to become citizens. That new political reality, and a change in public opinion on immigration, makes this effort at comprehensive reform more likely to succeed than those of the past, they said, acknowledging that it still won't be easy. ... Full Story | Top |
| Brazil detains band, club owners after deadly nightclub fire Monday, Jan 28, 2013 06:15 PM PST  SANTA MARIA, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazilian police investigating a nightclub fire that killed 231 people detained on Monday the owners of the club and two band members whose pyrotechnics show authorities say triggered the blaze. No charges were filed against the four men, but prosecutors said they could be held for up to five days as police press them for clues as to how the fire early Sunday morning could have caused so many deaths. Stunned residents in the southern city of Santa Maria attended a marathon of funerals beginning in the pre-dawn hours. ... Full Story | Top |
| French seal off Mali's Timbuktu, rebels torch library Monday, Jan 28, 2013 01:03 PM PST  GAO, Mali (Reuters) - French and Malian troops retook control of Timbuktu, a UNESCO World Heritage site, on Monday after Islamist rebel occupiers fled the ancient Sahara trading town and torched several buildings, including a library holding priceless manuscripts. The United States and the European Union are backing a French-led intervention in Mali against al Qaeda-allied militants they fear could use the West African state's desert north as a springboard for international attacks. ... Full Story | Top |
| Senate approves $50.5 billion in long-delayed Superstorm Sandy aid Monday, Jan 28, 2013 05:26 PM PST  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A long-delayed $50.5 billion aid package for victims of Superstorm Sandy cleared the Senate on Monday, three months after the storm destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in coastal New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The package, approved 62-36 in the Democratic-controlled Senate, now goes to President Barack Obama to be signed into law. Added to flood insurance legislation passed by Congress earlier this month, it brings Sandy aid appropriations to $60.2 billion. All the opposing lawmakers were Republicans. ... Full Story | Top |
| Iran launches monkey into space, showing missile progress Monday, Jan 28, 2013 12:51 PM PST  DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran said on Monday it had launched a live monkey into space, seeking to show off missile systems that have alarmed the West because the technology could potentially be used to deliver a nuclear warhead. The Defense Ministry announced the launch as world powers sought to agree a date and venue with Iran for resuming talks to resolve a standoff with the West over Tehran's contested nuclear program before it degenerates into a new Middle East war. ... Full Story | Top |
| Insight: Apple's grip on carriers, suppliers loosens Monday, Jan 28, 2013 01:21 PM PST  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc's shareholders have been hit by one of the bloodiest weeks in the history of the stock, but wider fallout from such weakness might be more important to the long-term value of their investments. While Apple's iPhones, iPads and Macs remain gold standards, signs the company is losing some of its edge in the smartphone market suggest its clout with business partners could wane. Recent comments from executives at phone carriers and component suppliers show they see room for at least some shift in the balance of power. In particular, a move by No. ... Full Story | Top |
| Dutch Queen abdicates, Willem-Alexander to succeed Monday, Jan 28, 2013 12:33 PM PST  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch Queen Beatrix, who turns 75 on Thursday, announced she was abdicating in favor of her son, Prince Willem-Alexander, telling her country it was time to hand the crown to the next generation after more than three decades on the throne. Willem-Alexander, 45, who will be sworn in as king on April 30, is married to Princess Maxima, who comes from Argentina, and has three young children. ... Full Story | Top |
| Egyptian protesters defy curfew, attack police stations Monday, Jan 28, 2013 02:52 PM PST  CAIRO/ISMAILIA, Egypt (Reuters) - Egyptian protesters defied a nighttime curfew in restive towns along the Suez Canal, attacking police stations and ignoring emergency rule imposed by Islamist President Mohamed Mursi to end days of clashes that have killed at least 52 people. At least two men died in overnight fighting in the canal city of Port Said in the latest outbreak of violence unleashed last week on the eve of the anniversary of the 2011 revolt that brought down autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Political opponents spurned a call by Mursi for talks on Monday to try to end the violence. ... Full Story | Top |
| Brazil detains band, club owners after deadly nightclub fire Monday, Jan 28, 2013 02:33 PM PST  SANTA MARIA, Brazil (Reuters) - Brazilian police investigating a nightclub fire that killed 231 people detained on Monday the owners of the club and two band members whose pyrotechnics show authorities say triggered the blaze as the focus turned to finding those responsible for the tragedy. No charges were filed against the four men, but prosecutors said they could be held for up to five days as police press them for clues as to how the fire early Sunday morning could have caused so many deaths. ... Full Story | Top |
| Senate immigration reform backers seek quick action Monday, Jan 28, 2013 01:18 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of senators who have agreed on an immigration reform plan said on Monday they hope to move quickly with legislation giving 11 million illegal immigrants a chance to eventually become American citizens. The four Democrats and four Republicans released the outline of a comprehensive immigration reform effort - one with plenty of details missing - that still must be turned into legislation. ... Full Story | Top |
| Caterpillar sets cautious tone for year after low profit Monday, Jan 28, 2013 12:49 PM PST  (Reuters) - Caterpillar Inc , the world's largest maker of construction equipment, posted a 55 percent drop in quarterly profit on Monday and set a cautious tone for the year, citing weak demand and oversupply. Executives at the company, which last year slashed production to reduce inventory, balanced their optimism on recent improvements in U.S. housing starts with concern about China's slowing growth, the U.S. deficit and eurozone instability. However, investors took heart in Caterpillar's 2013 profit forecast of $7 to $9 per share, lifting the stock 1.8 percent in afternoon trading. ... Full Story | Top |
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