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| Evacuations, market shutdowns as U.S. braces for storm Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 08:30 PM PDT  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hurricane Sandy, which could become the largest storm ever to hit the United States, is set to bring much of the East Coast, including New York and Washington, to a virtual standstill in the next few days with battering winds, flooding and the risk of widespread power outages. About 50 million people are in the path of the massive storm, which has already killed 66 people in the Caribbean and is expected to hit the U.S. Eastern Seaboard on Tuesday morning. ... Full Story | Top |
| Syria air force bombs cities, truce "practically over" Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 02:30 PM PDT  AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian jets bombarded Sunni Muslim regions in Damascus and around the country on Sunday, activists said, as President Bashar al-Assad kept up air strikes against rebels despite a U.N.-brokered truce that now appears to be in tatters. The Local Coordination Committees activists' organization said air raids killed 14 civilians, including women and children, in the town of Bara in the northern province of Idlib, where fighting has continued between Assad's forces and rebels who have seized large parts of the rugged region. "The ceasefire is practically over. ... Full Story | Top |
| Petronas agrees to Canada extension on $5.2 billion Progress bid: sources Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 08:48 PM PDT  KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian state oil firm Petronas has agreed to the Canadian government's extension of a review of its C$5.17 billion ($5.2 billion) bid for gas producer Progress Energy Resources, said two Petronas sources familiar with the deal. The decision was made by a regular monthly Petronas board meeting, the sources told Reuters, adding the Malaysian firm is also studying additional steps to reassure Canada that the proposed acquisition will have a "net benefit" for the country, the sources said. "Petronas will go all the way to secure this deal. ... Full Story | Top |
| Insight: China grassroots democracy challenge awaits new leaders Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 05:59 PM PDT  XIAOSHAN/WUKAN, China (Reuters) - Hua Youjuan is an unlikely Chinese official. Free-spirited but driven, she left her village at age 17, got a degree in marketing, and opened a string of businesses in nearby cities in eastern China before settling in the coastal boomtown of Ningbo, 160 km (100 miles) from home. ... Full Story | Top |
| Hurricane Sandy blows U.S. election off course Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 07:21 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hurricane Sandy blew the U.S. presidential race off course on Sunday even before it came ashore, forcing Republican Mitt Romney to shift his campaign inland and fueling fears that the massive storm bearing down on the East Coast could disrupt an election that is already under way. As he juggled his governing duties with his re-election effort, President Barack Obama said the heavily populated East Coast could face power failures and other disruptions for several days. ... Full Story | Top |
| Greece says EU/IMF lenders refuse to concede on reforms Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 01:44 PM PDT ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's foreign lenders have refused to make any further concessions on changes to labour laws contested by a junior coalition partner, the country's finance minister said on Sunday, prolonging an impasse on a crucial austerity package. Athens has been locked in talks with its European Union and International Monetary Fund lenders on the austerity package for months, but a final agreement has been held up by the small Democratic Left party's refusal to back the new wage laws. ... Full Story | Top |
| Analysis: Oh, what a sinking feeling: Toyota misfires with Chinese buyers Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 02:22 PM PDT  BEIJING (Reuters) - The roots of Toyota Motor Corp's China troubles run far deeper than the anti-Japan protests that have swept the country, stretching back to the 2008 launch of the Yaris subcompact -- a spectacular flop with price-conscious Chinese buyers. The car, a success elsewhere, was meant to help build brand loyalty and send Toyota hurtling towards a still-unattained goal of selling one million vehicles annually in the world's largest auto market. However the Yaris missed the mark with China's traditional higher-end customers as well as its new emerging middle class. ... Full Story | Top |
| Governments to debate 50 billion euro cut to EU budget Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 12:58 PM PDT BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union governments will debate a cut of at least 50 billion euros this week as the starting point for negotiations on the bloc's proposed 1 trillion-euro ($1.3 trillion) long-term budget, a source familiar with the issue said. The cut will be proposed in the latest EU negotiating text on the bloc's spending plan for 2014-2020, but is unlikely to be deep enough to satisfy Britain, Germany, France and other net budget contributors. ... Full Story | Top |
| Suicide bomber kills 8, wounds 100 in Nigerian church Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 12:11 PM PDT  KADUNA, Nigeria (Reuters) - A suicide bomber drove a jeep full of explosives into a Catholic church during morning mass in northern Nigeria on Sunday, killing at least eight people, wounding more than 100 and triggering reprisal attacks that killed at least two more. There was no claim of responsibility but Islamist sect Boko Haram has bombed several churches in the past in its fight to create an Islamic state in Nigeria where the 160 million population is evenly split between Christians and Muslims. ... Full Story | Top |
| Presidential contenders await payroll fallout Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 05:04 PM PDT (Reuters) - The last employment report before the U.S. presidential election is likely to have something for everyone - for those bullish and bearish on the economy and for Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Non-farm payrolls in October are forecast to have risen 124,000, barely more than September's 114,000 gain, according to 78 economists polled by Reuters. The unemployment rate probably edged back up to 7.9 percent after falling to 7.8 percent from 8.1 percent last month. The figures are due on Friday. ... Full Story | Top |
| U.S. Congress may face another debt-limit showdown in 2013 Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 11:39 AM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. debt-ceiling increase could be headed for a Wall Street-rattling showdown in 2013 if Congress, as expected, shuns a quick and easy fix at the end of this year in favor of another round of last-minute brinkmanship. Regardless of who wins the November 6 elections, many congressional aides and Capitol Hill observers are predicting that lawmakers will go right up to the deadline - probably around mid-February or early March - before increasing the $16.4 trillion limit on borrowing that is nearly exhausted. ... Full Story | Top |
| Insight: China grassroots democracy challenge awaits new leaders Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 02:01 PM PDT XIANGSHAN/WUKAN, China (Reuters) - Hua Youjuan is an unlikely Chinese official. Free-spirited but driven, she left her village at age 17, got a degree in marketing, and opened a string of businesses in nearby cities in eastern China before settling in the coastal boomtown of Ningbo, 160 km (100 miles) from home. ... Full Story | Top |
| Evacuations, shutdowns on East Coast before storm Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 03:21 PM PDT  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tens of millions of East Coast residents scrambled on Sunday to prepare for Hurricane Sandy, which could make landfall as the largest storm to hit the United States, bringing battering winds, flooding and even heavy snow. The massive storm, which has already killed 66 people in the Caribbean, was headed toward a densely populated region that includes Washington, New York and Boston and its effects could be felt for hundreds of miles, officials warned. It could be the largest storm to hit the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. ... Full Story | Top |
| Hurricane Sandy blows election off course Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 03:18 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hurricane Sandy blew the U.S. presidential race off course on Sunday even before it came ashore, forcing Republican Mitt Romney to shift his campaign inland and fueling fears that the massive storm bearing down on the East Coast could disrupt an election that is already under way. As he juggled his governing duties with his re-election effort, President Barack Obama said the heavily populated East Coast could face power failures and other disruptions for several days. ... Full Story | Top |
| Presidential contenders await payroll fallout Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 04:22 PM PDT (Reuters) - The last employment report before the U.S. presidential election is likely to have something for everyone - for those bullish and bearish on the economy and for Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Non-farm payrolls in October are forecast to have risen 124,000, barely more than September's 114,000 gain, according to 78 economists polled by Reuters. The unemployment rate probably edged back up to 7.9 percent after falling to 7.8 percent from 8.1 percent last month. The figures are due on Friday. ... Full Story | Top |
| Analysis: Fiscal cliff could hit economy harder than many expect Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 10:50 AM PDT  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States runs the risk of a recession far deeper than many investors and policymakers may think if lawmakers fail to avert looming tax hikes and cuts to public spending. Absent action by Congress, the country will face the so-called fiscal cliff at the start of next year, a combination of lower spending and higher taxes that is expected to extract about $600 billion from the economy. Many economists think every dollar of deficit reduction will subtract nearly the same amount from economic growth. ... Full Story | Top |
| Analysis: What's eating Australia? Foreign buyers at the farm gate Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 12:04 PM PDT SYDNEY/CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia risks losing an opportunity to become a farmyard for Asia, as growing unease over foreigners buying rural land threatens to provoke protectionist policies that may deter much needed investment in agriculture. With its vast landmass, abundant natural resources and stable government, Australia has relied on foreign farm investments for more than 100 years, with interest set to grow as the world looks to dramatically boost food production to feed Asia's booming middle class over the next 40 years. "I think we are going to see a continued interest. ... Full Story | Top |
| Wall Street to open Monday as storm hobbles New York Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 04:40 PM PDT  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street firms prepared to open for business on Monday at least with skeletal staff, booking hotel rooms for key employees and leaning on offices in other cities as Hurricane Sandy forced the New York mass transit system to shut down, leaving tens of thousands of employees stuck at home. ... Full Story | Top |
| Analysis: Employees to face healthcare sticker shock Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 10:46 AM PDT NEW YORK (Reuters) - Visit to New York City orthopedist: $223. One X-ray: $50. One follow-up magnetic resonance imaging test: $766. Total bill for checking out that aching shoulder: $1,039 - all to be paid by the patient, rather than the insurer. Healthcare has gone retail. Over the next 18 months, between one quarter and one half of Americans who get insurance coverage through their employers will pay more of their doctor bills themselves as companies roll out healthcare plans with higher deductibles, benefits consultants say. The result: sticker shock. ... Full Story | Top |
| Obama at 49 percent, Romney 46 percent nine days before election: Reuters/Ipsos poll Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 09:56 AM PDT  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama has extended his narrow lead over Republican challenger Mitt Romney among likely voters in a race that remains statistically tied nine days before the election, according to a Reuters/Ipsos tracking poll released on Sunday. Obama has a 49 percent to 46 percent edge over Romney, marking a 1 point increase from Saturday but still within the daily online survey's 4 percentage-point credibility interval for likely voters. Swings could be possible in the remaining days of the campaign, however. ... Full Story | Top |
| Hawaii tsunami warning canceled after lower than expected waves Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 03:12 PM PDT  HONOLULU (Reuters) - Hawaii state officials on Sunday canceled a tsunami advisory prompted by a powerful earthquake off the Canadian coast that sent thousands of people fleeing to higher ground, but did not cause major damage. The advisory was canceled shortly before 4 a.m. local time (1400 GMT) after the anticipated waves rolled in lower than expected, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Kevin Richards, earthquake and tsunami manager for Hawaii State Civil Defense, said water, gas and power lines were not damaged by the smaller-than-expected waves. ... Full Story | Top |
| 7.7 magnitude quake hits Canada's British Columbia Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 12:20 PM PDT (Reuters) - A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 hit Canada's Pacific coastal province of British Columbia late Saturday, setting off a small tsunami, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, officials said. The U.S. Geological Survey said an earthquake with a 7.7 magnitude had hit the province, centered 123 miles south-southwest of Prince Rupert at a depth of 6.2 miles. Earthquakes Canada said the quake in the Haida Gwaii region has been followed by numerous aftershocks as large as 4.6 and said a small tsunami has been recorded by a deep ocean pressure sensor. ... Full Story | Top |
| Will Supreme Court turn up its nose at drug-sniffing dogs? Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 10:34 AM PDT  (Reuters) - Two dogs, a chocolate Labrador retriever named Franky and a German shepherd named Aldo, should have their day at the U.S. Supreme Court. The court is scheduled on Wednesday to hear Florida's appeal of two decisions by that state's highest court that found the detection of drugs by trained police dogs had violated the constitutional ban on unreasonable searches and seizures under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. ... Full Story | Top |
| Indonesia militant arrests show shift to violence Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 01:05 AM PDT  JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's arrest of 11 suspected Islamic militants it said planned to attack the U.S. embassy and a plaza near Australia's embassy is evidence that legal extremist groups are turning to violence, analysts said on Sunday. The arrests could also step up pressure on the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, criticized for doing too little to curb religious intolerance in the country which has the world's largest Muslim population. ... Full Story | Top |
| NYSE still planning Monday morning open Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 08:20 AM PDT  (Reuters) - The New York Stock Exchange will open on Monday morning as usual, a spokesman for the stock exchange said after officials announced plans to close all area public transportation at 7 p.m. EDT to prepare for Hurricane Sandy. "We continue to monitor the situation and to communicate with government officials, regulators, and markets participants," NYSE spokesman Rich Adamonis said. (Reporting By John McCrank; Editing by Maureen Bavdek) Full Story | Top |
| Israel kills Hamas gunman, Gaza salvo hits Israeli city Sunday, Oct 28, 2012 08:57 AM PDT GAZA (Reuters) - Israel killed a Hamas gunman it accused of preparing to fire a rocket from the Gaza Strip on Sunday and a separate Palestinian salvo struck a southern Israeli city, causing no damage. The incidents followed a three-day lull since an upsurge in violence last week in which Israel killed at least four Gaza militants as dozens of rockets were fired at Israeli towns, damaging some homes and wounding several agricultural workers. ... Full Story | Top |
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