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Long road to South Korean stage for Syrian drama
Thu,10 May 2012 07:58 PM PDT
Reuters - SEOUL (Reuters) - A woman who was imprisoned in a Syrian jail buries her head in her arms, haunted by the faces of the people who betrayed her to the government. A man uses a mirror to look at the scars from torture on his body. The wrenching new drama enacted by a Syrian troupe, given fresh urgency by the recent months of fighting and arrests in their nation, would not have come to the stage at all if not for two people at a theatre in Seoul. ... Full Story | Top |
Syria suicide bombers kill 55, ceasefire in tatters
Thu,10 May 2012 07:47 PM PDT
Reuters -  BEIRUT (Reuters) - Two suicide car bombers killed 55 people and wounded 372 in Damascus on Thursday, state media said, the deadliest attacks in the Syrian capital since an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began 14 months ago. The blasts further shredded a ceasefire that was declared by international mediator Kofi Annan on April 12 but that has failed to halt bloodshed pitting Assad's security forces against peaceful demonstrators and an array of armed insurgents. Opposition leaders said Annan's peace plan was dead, while Western powers insisted it remained the best way forward. ...
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Egypt rivals trade barbs in historic debate
Thu,10 May 2012 07:25 PM PDT
Reuters - CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian presidential hopefuls Amr Moussa and Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh traded barbs about their past in a debate that captured the historic moment facing a nation preparing for its first real election for head of state. Viewers tuned in across the Arab world for a spectacle unthinkable before Hosni Mubarak was swept from power by a mass uprising 15 months ago. The election gets under way in two weeks, the climax of an army-led transition to civilian rule. ... Full Story | Top |
Former Republican Bachmann to withdraw Swiss citizenship
Thu,10 May 2012 07:23 PM PDT
Reuters -  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former Republican White House candidate Michele Bachmann sought to withdraw her Swiss citizenship on Thursday and dismissed any questions about her allegiance to the United States. Bachmann, a U.S. representative from Minnesota and a favorite of the conservative Tea Party movement, became eligible for dual U.S.-Swiss citizenship in 1978 when she married her husband, who is Swiss. She activated that right because three of their five children wanted to do so and they went through the process as a family, a spokeswoman said. ...
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Venezuela's Paralympians aided by Chavez's socialism
Thu,10 May 2012 07:23 PM PDT
Reuters -  CARACAS (Reuters) - Willy Martinez was a highly-ranked Venezuelan boxer at the age of 18 when an enraged man chopped off his hand with a machete. Martinez's boxing days were over -- but not his athletic ambitions. Now aged 27 and a father-of-three, he is training to qualify as a sprinter for the London Paralympics with the help of President Hugo Chavez's socialist government. "The machete appeared so quickly. When my hand was chopped off I didn't feel anything, but there was blood everywhere," he said, recalling the traumatic incident over a pre-training breakfast. ...
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Long road to South Korean stage for Syrian drama
Thu,10 May 2012 07:19 PM PDT
Reuters - SEOUL (Reuters) - A woman who was imprisoned in a Syrian jail buries her head in her arms, haunted by the faces of the people who betrayed her to the government. A man uses a mirror to look at the scars from torture on his body. The wrenching new drama enacted by a Syrian troupe, given fresh urgency by the recent months of fighting and arrests in their nation, would not have come to the stage at all if not for two people at a theatre in Seoul. ... Full Story | Top |
Too early to call U.N.-Syria peace plan failure: U.S.
Thu,10 May 2012 07:19 PM PDT
Reuters - BOCA RATON, Florida (Reuters) - It is too early to write off as a failure U.N.-Arab League mediator Kofi Annan's efforts to bring an end to 14-months of violence in Syria, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said on Thursday. Rice spoke to Reuters in Florida hours after two suicide car bombers killed 55 people and wounded 372 in Damascus, Syrian state media said, the deadliest attacks in the Syrian capital since an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began last year. "I don't think it's time yet to say that the (U.N. ... Full Story | Top |
French left set to win parliament vote: polls
Thu,10 May 2012 07:04 PM PDT
Reuters -  PARIS (Reuters) - The French left will trounce the conservative UMP party of outgoing President Nicolas Sarkozy in parliamentary elections next month after Francois Hollande won a presidential runoff vote at the weekend, two polls indicated on Friday. Hollande's Socialists and other left-wing partner parties could together win 45-46 percent of the vote in the June 10 first round of the election, compared with about one-third for the UMP. ...
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Head of abortion-rights group NARAL to leave
Thu,10 May 2012 06:30 PM PDT
Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nancy Keenan will step down as head of the abortion-rights advocacy group NARAL Pro-Choice America at the end of the year, a change she said on Thursday was timed to coincide with the rise of a new generation voters. Keenan, 60, who has led NARAL for nearly eight years, has chosen not to renew her contract, which expires at the end of December. Under Keenan's tenure, NARAL has supported dozens of candidates elected to Congress and has earned a reputation for helping to sway close races. ... Full Story | Top |
Rights group seeks probe of border complaints
Thu,10 May 2012 06:26 PM PDT
Reuters -  SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - A leading civil rights group asked on Thursday for a federal investigation into complaints from people who said they were abused by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents when they entered the United States legally from Mexico. The American Civil Liberties Union report, which cited 11 examples of abuse, said legal border crossers were subjected to excessive force, detentions based on mistaken identity, and unnecessary seizure of documents and property. The organization's report follows a pair of high-profile deaths near the border in 2010. ...
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Government rests its case against ex-Senator Edwards
Thu,10 May 2012 06:09 PM PDT
Reuters -  GREENSBORO, North Carolina (Reuters) - Prosecutors wrapped up their case against former Senator John Edwards on Thursday in dramatic fashion, playing a video of a 2008 TV interview in which the married politician said he wanted to tell the truth about his affair with Rielle Hunter. But Edwards lied to ABC "Nightline" reporter Bob Woodruff when he denied paternity of a child he later admitted having fathered with Hunter. ...
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Obama: Europe should have followed U.S. economic lead
Thu,10 May 2012 06:02 PM PDT
Reuters -  SEATTLE (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Thursday that Europe was still in a difficult place economically in part because it did not take some of the steps the United States did. Addressing about 70 people at a fundraiser in Seattle, Obama said Europe's troubles were among the factors that could affect U.S. growth, also mentioning high gasoline prices as a potential economic drag. "We've still got headwinds. Europe is still ... ...
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Bank of Canada's Carney rejects higher-inflation policies
Thu,10 May 2012 06:01 PM PDT
Reuters -  LONDON (Reuters) - Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney said on Friday that now is not the time for central banks to abandon trusted frameworks, such as flexible inflation targeting, with "low-for-long" policies. Carney said that although current frameworks do not guarantee financial stability, pursuing a policy of temporary higher inflation is an uncertain and extreme response. "Moving temporarily to a higher inflation target risks un-anchoring inflation expectations and squandering the hard-won gains of entrenched price stability," Carney said in the opinion piece in the Financial Times. ...
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Drop in jobless claims eases labor market fears
Thu,10 May 2012 05:52 PM PDT
Reuters -  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans submitting new applications for jobless benefits edged down last week, easing concerns the labor market was deteriorating after surprisingly weak employment growth in April. Another report on Thursday showed the U.S. trade deficit widened in March, with exports surging to a record high and a rise in imports highlighting the economy's firming underlying demand. Together, the reports indicated the economy remains on a moderate growth path, despite the softer jobs growth and signs the service sector slowed in April. ...
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U.S. official doubts Iran can find alternative to central bank
Thu,10 May 2012 05:47 PM PDT
Reuters -  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top U.S. Treasury official said on Thursday that he was skeptical that Iran could find an alternative payment system to its central bank, which is the target of U.S. sanctions aimed at depriving Tehran of funds needed to develop its nuclear program. "It's fair to say that we are going to be very skeptical about efforts to develop alternative payment methods," David Cohen, Treasury's Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said at an event in Washington. ...
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China's Chen says officials "going crazy" with reprisals
Thu,10 May 2012 05:43 PM PDT
Reuters -  BEIJING (Reuters) - Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng and a family lawyer have accused local officials of detaining two of his relatives and hounding and harassing others in revenge for his recent escape from house arrest and for sparking an international furor. Chen, whose escape last month caused embarrassment for China and led to a diplomatic crisis in U.S.-Sino relations, said a sister-in-law and nephew had both been detained, though the lawyer added that Chen's sister-in-law had since been released. ...
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Obama places big bet on gay marriage issue
Thu,10 May 2012 05:17 PM PDT
Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama called his decision to support same-sex marriage the result of a personal evolution but it also appears to have been a calculated political choice made with an eye on the November 6 election. In becoming the first U.S. president to publicly support gay marriage, polling analysts said Thursday, Obama essentially is betting that his decision will generate enough enthusiasm among young people to offset any votes he will lose from moderate and conservative whites who disagree with him. ... Full Story | Top |
FDA panel backs Gilead's Truvada to prevent HIV
Thu,10 May 2012 05:07 PM PDT
Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel of outside experts recommended Gilead Sciences Inc's Truvada as a treatment for preventing HIV infection among people at risk for contracting AIDS, including homosexual and bisexual men. In a move that could lead to a new milestone for treatment in the evolution of the worldwide AIDS epidemic, the FDA advisory committee voted 19-3 to endorse the drug's use for controlling HIV infection among the highest risk group - men who have sex with men. ... Full Story | Top |
Islamists poised for strong showing in Algeria vote
Thu,10 May 2012 04:46 PM PDT
Reuters -  ALGIERS (Reuters) - Results of an Algerian parliamentary election to be announced on Friday were likely to hand an unprecedented share of seats to moderate Islamists, easing pressure for change in a country left behind by last year's "Arab Spring." But many people were mistrustful of promises from the ruling elite - in power uninterrupted since independence 50 years ago - that it was embarking on genuine democratic reform. ...
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Biden apologizes to Obama for same-sex marriage remark
Thu,10 May 2012 04:43 PM PDT
Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has apologized to President Barack Obama for remarks backing gay marriage that forced Obama's hand to publicly declare his own support for same-sex marriage, according to sources familiar with the situation. Biden made the apology in the Oval Office on Wednesday, before Obama's own announcement in a television interview with ABC's Robin Roberts in which he said he believed same-sex couples should be allowed to wed, the sources said. ... Full Story | Top |
Obama talks gay rights before Clooney fundraiser
Thu,10 May 2012 04:42 PM PDT
Reuters -  SEATTLE (Reuters) - President Barack Obama drew cheers and applause for his endorsement of same-sex marriage during a fundraising spree on Thursday that will culminate in a multimillion-dollar extravaganza at the home of Hollywood movie star George Clooney. Obama's campaign revved up supporters with teases about Clooney, encouraging fans to donate as little as $3 online for a chance to dine with the Oscar-winning actor and the president in Los Angeles. ...
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Oklahoma senators approve open-carry gun bill
Thu,10 May 2012 04:40 PM PDT
Reuters -  OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - A bill to allow Oklahomans with a concealed-carry permit to openly carry their handguns is headed to the governor, who is expected to sign the legislation that passed the state Senate on Thursday. The bill, approved by a 33-10 vote, would allow those with a concealed-carry handgun permit to openly carry their firearms in holsters from November 1. Those without such permits could obtain a gun permit and openly carry a firearm if they meet legal criteria, pass a background check and undergo firearms training. ...
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Romney apologizes for bullying incident at school
Thu,10 May 2012 04:23 PM PDT
Reuters -  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney apologized on Thursday for what he called high school pranks that may have hurt others, after a report that he and other students at a Michigan school bullied a student who was presumed to be gay. "I did some dumb things and if anybody was hurt by that or offended ... obviously, I apologize," Romney said in response to a Washington Post story that detailed a 1965 incident in which Romney pinned down a fellow student and cut his hair. ...
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Drop in jobless claims eases labor market fears
Thu,10 May 2012 04:18 PM PDT
Reuters -  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans submitting new applications for jobless benefits edged down last week, easing concerns the labor market was deteriorating after surprisingly weak employment growth in April. Another report on Thursday showed the U.S. trade deficit widened in March, with exports surging to a record high and a rise in imports highlighting the economy's firming underlying demand. Together, the reports indicated the economy remains on a moderate growth path, despite the softer jobs growth and signs the service sector slowed in April. ...
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British played central role in foiled bomb operation - sources
Thu,10 May 2012 04:17 PM PDT
Reuters -  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - British intelligence played a central role in the undercover operation to foil an underwear bomb plot involving al Qaeda's Yemeni offshoot, counterterrorism sources told Reuters. The undercover informant in the plot linked to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, was a British citizen, possibly of Saudi origin, the sources said on condition of anonymity. The informant was working in cooperation with Britain's two principal spy agencies. U.S. ...
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British played central role in foiled bomb operation: sources
Thu,10 May 2012 04:17 PM PDT
Reuters -  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - British intelligence played a central role in the undercover operation to foil an underwear bomb plot involving al Qaeda's Yemeni offshoot, counterterrorism sources told Reuters. The undercover informant in the plot linked to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, was a British citizen, possibly of Saudi origin, the sources said on condition of anonymity. The informant was working in cooperation with Britain's two principal spy agencies. U.S. ...
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U.S. official doubts Iran can find alternative to cenbank
Thu,10 May 2012 04:13 PM PDT
Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top U.S. Treasury official said on Thursday that he was skeptical that Iran could find an alternative payment system to its central bank, which is the target of U.S. sanctions aimed at depriving Tehran of funds needed to develop its nuclear program. "It's fair to say that we are going to be very skeptical about efforts to develop alternative payment methods," David Cohen, Treasury's Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said at an event in Washington. ... Full Story | Top |
Colorado governor seeks legislative session on civil unions
Thu,10 May 2012 04:12 PM PDT
Reuters -  DENVER (Reuters) - Colorado's Democratic governor called on Thursday for a special legislative session to consider a civil unions bill that would grant legal rights to same-sex couples, setting up a potential showdown with Republican lawmakers. Governor John Hickenlooper said in an executive order calling for the session, due on Monday, that the bill was needed so couples, regardless of their sexual orientation, could "take care of each other and their families. ...
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U.S. sues controversial Arizona sheriff for discrimination
Thu,10 May 2012 04:06 PM PDT
Reuters -  PHOENIX (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department sued a controversial Arizona sheriff on Thursday for civil rights violations, saying he and his office intentionally engaged in racial profiling and unlawful arrest of Latinos in violation of their constitutional rights. Joe Arpaio, who bills himself as "America's toughest sheriff," vowed to fight the suit, which he blamed on forces who do not like the way he enforces immigration laws. ...
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Bernanke warns lawmakers on looming fiscal risks
Thu,10 May 2012 04:06 PM PDT
Reuters -  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke reminded lawmakers at a closed-door meeting on Thursday that failing to address automatic spending cuts and tax increases at the end of the year could damage an already fragile economic recovery, congressional aides said. The Fed chairman has repeatedly sounded a warning that congressional inaction on what has come to be known as "the fiscal cliff" could dent growth if left untended. ...
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UK cost body backs Botox for some migraine patients
Thu,10 May 2012 04:05 PM PDT
Reuters - LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's healthcare cost-effectiveness body NICE has changed its mind on Allergan's anti-wrinkle injection Botox and decided it is worth paying for on the state-funded health service for some patients suffering migraines. Botox is licensed to prevent headaches in adults with chronic migraine but the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) had previously said it was not convinced of the value of funding the treatment on the country's National Health Service (NHS). ... Full Story | Top |
Exclusive: SEC investigator on leave after threat allegations
Thu,10 May 2012 03:56 PM PDT
Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The new lead investigator at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's watchdog office has been placed on administrative leave after he talked openly about wanting to carry a concealed firearm at work and some employees complained he was a physical threat, according to people familiar with the matter. David Weber, who joined the SEC only a few months ago as the new assistant inspector general for investigations, was placed on leave Tuesday after internal security personnel revoked his SEC identification and banned him from entering SEC headquarters in Washington D.C. ... Full Story | Top |
Yankees GM balked at hiring trainer in Clemens case
Thu,10 May 2012 03:55 PM PDT
Reuters -  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The New York Yankees' general manager testified at ex-pitching ace Roger Clemens perjury trial on Thursday that he opposed hiring the trainer who later alleged he injected Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs. General Manager Brian Cashman said a "frustrated" Clemens, his injured right leg iced up, asked that the Yankees sign trainer Brian McNamee after he had bombed out of a 1999 American League playoff game. Outlining McNamee's seesaw career with the Yankees, Cashman said the team's late owner George Steinbrenner agreed to the star pitcher's request. ...
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Chavez rival struggles to close gap in Venezuela race
Thu,10 May 2012 03:51 PM PDT
Reuters -  CARACAS (Reuters) - On a heady night in mid-February, Henrique Capriles roared himself hoarse with optimism at his victory rally in Caracas after trouncing rivals to win the Venezuelan opposition's presidential ticket. Three months later, despite an exhausting "house-by-house" tour intended to galvanize the nation behind him, Capriles remains firmly stuck behind President Hugo Chavez in most polls. In some, he has even slipped since his campaign began. ...
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Guinea security forces clash with protesters
Thu,10 May 2012 03:49 PM PDT
Reuters -  CONAKRY (Reuters) - Guinea security forces used guns, teargas and truncheons on Thursday to scatter protesters angered by the government's handling of upcoming parliamentary elections, witnesses said. The government said later in the day that 17 members of the security forces had been injured and, amid rumors of further protests planned for Friday, banned all demonstrations. Tensions have been rising in the West African country between the administration of President Alpha Conde and the opposition, which has accused him of attempting to consolidate power by pre-rigging the polls in his favor. ...
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House panel focuses on China's defense buildup
Thu,10 May 2012 03:45 PM PDT
Reuters -  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers in the House of Representatives are pushing for the Pentagon to provide more accurate reports on China's military development and for tighter controls on defense-related technology transfers to foreign countries. Randy Forbes, chairman of the House of Representatives Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee, said on Thursday the measures - which his panel included in next year's defense authorization bill - were aimed at addressing China's two decades of double-digit military budget growth and "aspirations of supplanting the U.S. ...
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U.N. says three Libya prisoners likely tortured to death
Thu,10 May 2012 03:39 PM PDT
Reuters - UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Several prisoners likely were tortured to death at a detention center in Libya under government control, the United Nations said on Thursday as it urged the country to make stamping out such practices a top priority. Libya's Justice Ministry has control of 31 detention centers with some 3,000 detainees, but about 4,000 prisoners are still in the custody of Libyan revolutionary brigades, U.N. special envoy for Libya Ian Martin told the U.N. Security Council. ... Full Story | Top |
Spain gov't to approve banks cleanup after tough talks
Thu,10 May 2012 03:38 PM PDT
Reuters -  MADRID (Reuters) - Spain is expected to present new reforms to complete the clean-up of its banks on Friday after difficult last-minute talks between the government and lenders. At its weekly cabinet meeting, the government will approve a plan to force banks to park their toxic real estate assets in holding companies that would later sell them off. The cabinet is also expected to announce demands for the banks to set aside a further 35 billion euros ($45 billion) to cover sound loans in their real estate portfolios. ...
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British PM faces scrutiny over ties to Murdoch
Thu,10 May 2012 03:36 PM PDT
Reuters -  LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron faces potentially embarrassing scrutiny of his ties to Rupert Murdoch on Friday when Rebekah Brooks, a former top lieutenant in the tycoon's media empire, appears at an inquiry into press standards. Brooks, once editor of the News of the World tabloid at the heart of the phone hacking scandal, is expected to be grilled about her ties with Cameron, who was eager to secure the support of Murdoch's newspapers ahead of the 2010 national election. ...
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Coalition hopes in doubt as Greek parties meet
Thu,10 May 2012 03:33 PM PDT
Reuters -  ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos meets conservative Antonis Samaras on Friday in a possibly doomed attempt to form a government and avoid a repeat election, while EU leaders are warning that Greece's membership of the euro is at stake. Voters enraged by record unemployment and a deep recession punished both the Socialists and conservatives - the only two parties backing an EU/IMF bailout - in an election on Sunday, backing smaller parties that reject the wage cuts and tax hikes required in return for international aid. ...
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