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Thursday, January 12, 2012 12:03 AM PST

Today's Reuters News Headlines - Yahoo! News: Republicans head to South Carolina, guns blazing Bomb kills Iran nuclear scientist as crisis mounts Republicans move to control Keystone approval Greek bond swap falling short, governments may fill gap: sources RBS to cut 3,500 jobs in investment bank cull Japan vows "concrete" steps to cut Iran oil reliance Marine abuse tape may dent Afghan peace talk drive Samsung may consider alliance with Olympus: source Buffett to Republicans: if you pay, so will I Allen Stanford lawyers want out just before trial Exclusive: Second Arab monitor may quit Syria over violence Fannie Mae CEO to leave after successor chosen Republicans head to South Carolina, guns blazing Exclusive: Microsoft Web TV subscription plan on hold Exclusive: Republicans move to control Keystone approval Bomb kills Iran nuclear scientist as crisis mounts Olympus considering capital tie-up: report U.S. Marines probe video of men urinating on Taliban corpses U.S. business executives to visit Myanmar Santorum runs out of steam in New Hampshire EU wants fiscal pact in force by Jan 2013: draft Hostess returns to bankruptcy over pensions Prepaid college plans: shrinking options, rising risks Arab monitors say unable to halt Syrian killings Gates, U.S. corporate captains to visit Myanmar At Nomura, future direction hangs on who succeeds Exclusive: Dell plots late-2012 consumer tablet launch Growing wealth divide puts globalization at risk China defends Iran oil trade despite U.S. push Romney leads Republicans, narrows gap with Obama: poll States oppose Obama healthcare Medicaid law EU must recognize Italy's debt crisis efforts: Monti Bomb blast kills nuclear scientist in Iran; Israel accused EU ministers plan Iran oil embargo, IAEA team to visit SEC to put U.S. audit watchdog under microscope In New Hampshire, another solid finish for Ron Paul Top Obama aide Daley steps down, budget chief takes over Romney wins New Hampshire primary, CNN projects Olympus sues execs over scandal, shares surge Romney strives for big win in New Hampshire Republicans head to South Carolina, guns blazing Wed,11 Jan 2012 10:20 PM PST Reuters - COLUMBIA, South Carolina (Reuters) - Republican presidential contenders brought buckets of cash and sharp rhetoric to South Carolina on Wednesday for an intense 10-day battle that may determine whether anyone can stop front-runner Mitt Romney's march to the party's nomination. A Romney victory in the January 21 South Carolina primary, the next in a series of state-by-state contests among the Republican candidates, could extinguish his rivals' hopes of keeping him from becoming the nominee to take on Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 general election. ... Full Story Top Bomb kills Iran nuclear scientist as crisis mounts Wed,11 Jan 2012 07:43 PM PST Reuters - TEHRAN (Reuters) - An Iranian nuclear scientist was blown up in his car by a motorbike hitman, prompting Tehran to blame Israeli and U.S. agents but insist the killing would not derail a nuclear program that has raised fears of war and threatened world oil supplies. The fifth daylight attack on technical experts in two years, the magnetic bomb delivered a targeted blast to the door of 32-year-old Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan's car during Wednesday's morning rush-hour. The chemical engineer's driver also died, Iranian media said, and a passer-by was slightly hurt. ... Full Story Top Republicans move to control Keystone approval Wed,11 Jan 2012 07:35 PM PST Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Republicans, who are urging President Barack Obama to give a permit to the Canada-to-Texas Keystone XL oil pipeline project, are working on a plan to take the reins of approval from the president should the White House say no. Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota, a state counting on TransCanada Corp's pipeline to help move its newfound bounty of shale oil, is drafting contingency legislation that would see Congress green-light the project, an aide told Reuters. ... Full Story Top Greek bond swap falling short, governments may fill gap: sources Wed,11 Jan 2012 02:43 PM PST Reuters - FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Talks about private sector creditors paying for part of a second Greek bailout are going badly, senior European bankers said on Wednesday, raising the prospect that euro zone governments will have to increase their contribution to the aid package. "Governments are mulling an increase of their share of the burden," said one of the bankers, who is familiar with the talks. ... Full Story Top RBS to cut 3,500 jobs in investment bank cull Wed,11 Jan 2012 11:43 PM PST Reuters - LONDON (Reuters) - Royal Bank of Scotland is to axe about 3,500 investment bank jobs and sell or shut equities and advisory business under a 3-year plan to further reduce risk and focus more on domestic retail and corporate banking. RBS, 83 percent owned by the UK government, on Thursday said it will exit from cash equities, corporate broking, equity capital markets and mergers and acquisitions businesses. It aims to cut the balance sheet of its former global banking and markets (GBM) business by 120 billion pounds ($184 billion) to 300 billion in the next three years. ... Full Story Top Japan vows "concrete" steps to cut Iran oil reliance Wed,11 Jan 2012 10:19 PM PST Reuters - TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan pledged on Thursday to take concrete action to cut Iranian oil imports in response to an appeal for support from visiting Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, as Washington steps up efforts to sanction Tehran over its disputed nuclear program. Geithner welcomed Tokyo's cooperation, an encouraging sign for U.S. foreign policy after China rebuffed U.S. sanctions aimed at starving Iran of the oil revenues that provide the country of 74 million people with a vital economic support. ... Full Story Top Marine abuse tape may dent Afghan peace talk drive Wed,11 Jan 2012 11:47 PM PST Reuters - KABUL (Reuters) - A video showing what appear to be American forces in Afghanistan urinating on dead Taliban fighters could set back efforts to broker peace talks just as the Obama administration is launching a fresh round of shuttle diplomacy. The video, which was posted on YouTube and other websites, shows four men in camouflage Marine combat uniforms urinating on three corpses. One of them jokes: "Have a nice day, buddy." Another makes a lewd joke. It is likely to stir up already strong anti-U.S. ... Full Story Top Samsung may consider alliance with Olympus: source Wed,11 Jan 2012 11:42 PM PST Reuters - SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - South Korea's Samsung Electronics is open to forging an alliance with Japan's troubled Olympus Corp, potentially joining other electronics firms in circling one of the world's biggest names in medical equipment, sources said. Samsung's major Japanese rivals, Sony and Panasonic, have already shown interest in Olympus, now in need of capital after being swamped by a $1.7 billion accounting scandal over the past three months, sources in Tokyo have told Reuters. ... Full Story Top Buffett to Republicans: if you pay, so will I Wed,11 Jan 2012 03:18 PM PST Reuters - WASHINGTON/BOSTON (Reuters) - Warren Buffett is willing to put his money where his mouth is, if only congressional Republicans would join him. The American billionaire investor, in the new issue of Time magazine, says he would donate $1 to paying down the national debt for every dollar donated by a Republican in Congress. The only exception is Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell - for whom Buffett said he would go $3-to-$1. The idea stems from a New York Times opinion piece Buffett wrote last August in which he said the rich ought to pay more taxes. ... Full Story Top Allen Stanford lawyers want out just before trial Wed,11 Jan 2012 06:38 PM PST Reuters - (Reuters) - Just 12 days before jury selection is to begin in a much-delayed case, lawyers for Allen Stanford, accused of running a $7.2 billion Ponzi scheme, have asked to withdraw from the case. The request by Ali Fazel and Robert Scardino is the latest twist in a case in which Stanford, once believed to be a billionaire but who later claimed to be indigent, has employed roughly 14 different lawyers, and spent several months under medical care after being ruled incompetent to stand trial. ... Full Story Top Exclusive: Second Arab monitor may quit Syria over violence Wed,11 Jan 2012 03:50 PM PST Reuters - CAIRO (Reuters) - An Arab observer delegation in Syria is running into further difficulties, with two members either quitting or threatening to do so within 24 hours because their mission is proving ineffectual in ending the suffering of civilians. An observer who declined to give his name said on Wednesday he was ready to walk out, exposing rifts in an Arab peace effort a day after Anwar Malek, an Algerian observer, told Al Jazeera TV he had quit Syria because the peace mission was a "farce. ... Full Story Top Fannie Mae CEO to leave after successor chosen Wed,11 Jan 2012 05:37 AM PST Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fannie Mae Chief Executive Michael Williams said on Tuesday he was stepping down from the government-controlled mortgage firm, which is at the center of a fight over how to reduce foreclosures. He will depart after a successor is appointed to lead the country's largest provider of U.S. residential mortgage funding, the company said in a statement. With Williams' announced departure, the government now needs to find leaders for both of the two largest U.S. housing finance companies. Freddie Mac CEO Charles Haldeman announced plans to step down in October. ... Full Story Top Republicans head to South Carolina, guns blazing Wed,11 Jan 2012 01:07 PM PST Reuters - COLUMBIA, South Carolina (Reuters) - Republican presidential contenders brought buckets of cash and sharp rhetoric to South Carolina on Wednesday for an intense 10-day battle that may determine whether anyone can stop front-runner Mitt Romney's march to the party's nomination. Despite fierce attacks from his rivals, the former Massachusetts governor captured New Hampshire's primary 16 percentage points ahead of the rest of the field on Tuesday to go two-for-two at the start of the Republican nomination race after his narrow victory in Iowa's caucuses a week earlier. ... Full Story Top Exclusive: Microsoft Web TV subscription plan on hold Wed,11 Jan 2012 02:31 PM PST Reuters - NEW YORK (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp has put its talks with media companies about an online subscription service for TV shows and movies on hold, according to people familiar with the discussions. The technology giant had been in intense talks with potential programming partners for over a year and was hoping to roll out the service in the next few months. But it pulled back after deciding that the licensing costs were too high for the business model Microsoft envisaged, according to these people. ... Full Story Top Exclusive: Republicans move to control Keystone approval Wed,11 Jan 2012 02:54 PM PST Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Republicans, who are urging President Barack Obama to back the Canada-to-Texas Keystone XL oil pipeline, are now working on plans to take the reins of approval from the hands of the president should the White House say no. North Dakota Senator John Hoeven, whose state is counting on the pipeline to help move its newfound bounty of shale oil, is drafting legislation that would see Congress give the green light to the project by using its constitutional powers to regulate commerce with foreign nations, an aide told Reuters. ... Full Story Top Bomb kills Iran nuclear scientist as crisis mounts Wed,11 Jan 2012 02:28 PM PST Reuters - TEHRAN (Reuters) - An Iranian nuclear scientist was blown up in his car by a motorbike hitman on Wednesday, prompting Tehran to blame Israeli and U.S. agents but insist the killing would not derail a nuclear program that has raised fears of war and threatened world oil supplies. The fifth daylight attack on technical experts in two years, the magnetic bomb delivered a targeted blast to the door of 32-year-old Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan's silver sedan as he was driven down a busy street near a Tehran university during the morning rush hour. ... Full Story Top Olympus considering capital tie-up: report Wed,11 Jan 2012 03:25 PM PST Reuters - TOKYO (Reuters) - Olympus Corp is considering an equity tie-up with five candidate companies including Japanese electronics makers Sony Corp and Panasonic Corp, as well as South Korea's Samsung Electronics, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper said on Thursday. Olympus is planning to decide on the tie-up as soon as February, the Asahi said, citing sources familiar with the matter. The other candidates are Japan's Terumo Corp and Fujifilm Holdings, the daily said. (Created by Chikafumi Hodo; Editing by Joseph Radford) Full Story Top U.S. Marines probe video of men urinating on Taliban corpses Wed,11 Jan 2012 03:05 PM PST Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Marine Corps said on Wednesday it would investigate a video showing what appears to be American forces in Afghanistan urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters. The video, which was posted on YouTube and other websites, shows four men in camouflage combat uniforms urinating on the bodies of three dead Taliban. One of them jokes: "Have a nice day, buddy." The other makes a lewd joke about a shower. A copy of the video can be seen at http://www.youtube. ... Full Story Top U.S. business executives to visit Myanmar Wed,11 Jan 2012 02:31 PM PST Reuters - YANGON (Reuters) - A delegation of American business leaders will visit Myanmar soon, Myanmar industry officials said on Wednesday, another sign of strengthening U.S. ties with the long-isolated state despite sanctions. The visit would come less than three months after Hillary Clinton became the first U.S. secretary of state to visit Myanmar in more than 50 years and said Washington stood ready to support reforms in the country and possibly lift sanctions. The trip, expected in February, is unusual given the presence of U.S. ... Full Story Top Santorum runs out of steam in New Hampshire Wed,11 Jan 2012 05:49 AM PST Reuters - MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) - Rick Santorum never showed up for a scheduled Election Day stop at the busiest voting ward in this New Hampshire city on Tuesday. The voters of New Hampshire didn't show up for him either. Just one week after Santorum surprised the U.S. Republican presidential field by nearly winning the Iowa caucuses, his hopes of facing off against President Barack Obama came crashing back to Earth on Tuesday with a lackluster finish in the New Hampshire primary. ... Full Story Top EU wants fiscal pact in force by Jan 2013: draft Wed,11 Jan 2012 12:43 PM PST Reuters - BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A European Union treaty to tighten budget controls in the euro zone should be in place by January1, 2013, according to a draft agreement that spells out concessions in an effort to win broad support within the debt-laden bloc. Drafted amid a deep-seated crisis that threatens the currency union's future and has sent borrowing costs soaring for many states, the document obtained by Reuters on Wednesday sets out a temporary escape clause for members that cannot meet the stricter new standards. ... Full Story Top Hostess returns to bankruptcy over pensions Wed,11 Jan 2012 05:48 AM PST Reuters - (Reuters) - Twinkies and Wonder Bread maker Hostess Brands Inc filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in less than three years, after failing to reach an agreement with workers on pension and health benefits. Hostess' declining financial performance, crippling legacy costs associated with its pension plans and massive debt levels led the company to Chapter 11 bankruptcy, court papers showed on Wednesday. The company, which has about $860 million in debt, said it does not expect disruptions in the manufacturing and delivery of its products during the bankruptcy process. ... Full Story Top Prepaid college plans: shrinking options, rising risks Wed,11 Jan 2012 09:25 AM PST Reuters - (Reuters) - Jim and Celeste Durkin thought when they began investing six years ago in Illinois state's prepaid college savings plan that they were locking in a bargain price if their daughter Caroline, who is now 10, eventually attended the University of Illinois. That might not be the case. The plan took some risky bets on private equity and hedge funds and is now 30 percent underfunded and temporarily closed to new investments. ... Full Story Top Arab monitors say unable to halt Syrian killings Wed,11 Jan 2012 03:54 PM PST Reuters - BEIRUT (Reuters) - An Algerian has quit the Arab League team sent to check Syria's compliance with an Arab peace plan, and a second monitor said he might leave because the mission was failing to end the killing of civilians protesting against the president's rule. The 22-member League, which suspended Syria in November, sent the monitors last month to verify if Syria was carrying out an agreement to halt its crackdown on protests against President Bashar al-Assad. ... Full Story Top Gates, U.S. corporate captains to visit Myanmar Wed,11 Jan 2012 03:40 AM PST Reuters - YANGON (Reuters) - A delegation of American business leaders, including Microsoft Corp chairman Bill Gates, will visit Myanmar soon, Myanmar industry officials said on Wednesday, another sign of strengthening U.S. ties with the long-isolated state despite sanctions. The visit would come less than three months after Hillary Clinton became the first U.S. secretary of state to visit Myanmar in more than 50 years and said Washington stood ready to support reforms in the country and possibly lift sanctions. The trip, expected in February, is unusual given the presence of U.S. ... Full Story Top At Nomura, future direction hangs on who succeeds Wed,11 Jan 2012 02:38 AM PST Reuters - HONG KONG/TOKYO (Reuters) - The abrupt exit of Jasjit Bhattal, the highest-ranking ex-Lehman executive at Nomura Holdings, marks a crucial juncture for Japan's top brokerage as it decides whether to replace him with an experienced global banker to foster expansion, or with an in-house local to focus on the home market. ... Full Story Top Exclusive: Dell plots late-2012 consumer tablet launch Wed,11 Jan 2012 04:51 AM PST Reuters - LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Dell Inc intends to launch its first consumer tablet computer in late 2012, marking its entry into a hotly contested and increasingly crowded arena that has already claimed arch-foe Hewlett Packard. The once-dominant corporation founded by Michael Dell has seen a growing crop of tablets and smartphones entice consumers away from PCs. But Dell learned from the hastiness of some of its peers and understands better now how consumers value the "ecosystem" of a tablet as much as the hardware, chief commercial officer Steve Felice said. ... Full Story Top Growing wealth divide puts globalization at risk Wed,11 Jan 2012 07:17 AM PST Reuters - LONDON (Reuters) - A backlash against rising inequality - evident from the Occupy movement to the Arab Spring - risks derailing the advance of globalization and represents a threat to economies worldwide, according to the World Economic Forum. Severe income disparity and precarious government finances rank as the biggest economic threats facing the world, according to the group's 2012 Global Risks report released on Wednesday. ... Full Story Top China defends Iran oil trade despite U.S. push Wed,11 Jan 2012 09:41 AM PST Reuters - BEIJING (Reuters) - China gave no hint on Wednesday of giving ground to U.S. demands to curb Iran's oil revenues, rejecting Washington's sanctions on Tehran as overstepping even as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner lobbied for Beijing's support. Geithner met Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday, before Wen's trip starting on Saturday to top oil supplier Saudi Arabia, whose output could be important if China turns elsewhere for crude it would otherwise buy from Iran. ... Full Story Top Romney leads Republicans, narrows gap with Obama: poll Tue,10 Jan 2012 03:17 PM PST Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has sailed farther ahead of rival Republican candidates nationally and narrowed President Barack Obama's lead in the White House race, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll on Tuesday. Thirty percent of Republicans in the poll would vote for Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, compared to 18 percent a month ago. The poll suggests Romney has consolidated support among Republicans since winning the first nominating contest in Iowa by a slim margin last week. ... Full Story Top States oppose Obama healthcare Medicaid law Tue,10 Jan 2012 03:35 PM PST Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Twenty-six states challenging President Barack Obama's sweeping healthcare overhaul filed a U.S. Supreme Court brief on Tuesday arguing the law unconstitutionally expands the Medicaid program for the poor and disabled. By threatening a loss of federal funds, Congress unconstitutionally coerced states into expanding their Medicaid programs, the states led by Florida argued. They said states have no real alternative but to keep participating in Medicaid. ... Full Story Top EU must recognize Italy's debt crisis efforts: Monti Tue,10 Jan 2012 04:15 PM PST Reuters - BERLIN (Reuters) - The European Union must recognize Italy's efforts in fighting the sovereign debt crisis or risk the third-largest euro zone economy falling into the hands of anti-EU populists, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said in an interview. Monti, who took office less than two months ago at the head of a technocrat government, told the German daily Die Welt that he was asking Italians for big sacrifices. ... Full Story Top Bomb blast kills nuclear scientist in Iran; Israel accused Tue,10 Jan 2012 11:50 PM PST Reuters - TEHRAN (Reuters) - An Iranian nuclear scientist was killed by a bomb placed on his car by a motorcyclist in Tehran on Wednesday, and a city official blamed Israel for the attack, similar to attacks on nuclear scientists just over a year ago. Fars news agency identified the victim as Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan, a 32-year-old graduate of an oil industry university. It said he had supervised a department at Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment facility. Iran's atomic energy organization said it would issue a statement shortly. ... Full Story Top EU ministers plan Iran oil embargo, IAEA team to visit Tue,10 Jan 2012 11:26 AM PST Reuters - TEHRAN/VIENNA (Reuters) - Europe and Japan moved ahead Tuesday in planning for punitive cuts in oil imports from Iran, where a senior official dismissed Western anger at news Tehran is enriching uranium deep underground as cover for ulterior motives. A day after Iran confirmed the start of enrichment at a mountain bunker near the holy city of Qom - and sentenced an American to death for spying - the European Union brought forward a ministerial meeting that is likely to match new U.S. measures to hamper Iran's oil exports. ... Full Story Top SEC to put U.S. audit watchdog under microscope Tue,10 Jan 2012 03:08 PM PST Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. securities regulators will question the top U.S. audit watchdog about his budget and policy priorities on Wednesday, in a rare public meeting designed to shed more transparency on the agency that has tightened the screws on the auditing profession over the past year. The meeting at the Securities and Exchange Commission will be styled like a congressional hearing, with Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Chairman James Doty on hand to answer questions and make the case for why the SEC should agree to give the PCAOB a budget boost. ... Full Story Top In New Hampshire, another solid finish for Ron Paul Tue,10 Jan 2012 07:50 PM PST Reuters - MANCHESTER, N.H./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Outside of his campaign, few people think he is a threat to win the Republican nomination for president. And yet, Texas Congressman Ron Paul has pulled in a big chunk of the votes in both states where Republicans have voted on potential nominees. On Tuesday, Paul finished second in the New Hampshire primary with nearly one-quarter of the vote, a week after finishing third in the Iowa caucuses. ... Full Story Top Top Obama aide Daley steps down, budget chief takes over Tue,10 Jan 2012 03:09 PM PST Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama announced an election year shake-up at the White House on Monday, choosing budget director Jack Lew to replace chief of staff Bill Daley, who resigned after a troubled one-year tenure. The switch at the top of the White House power chain comes as Obama prepares for a tough re-election battle that will require support from his left-leaning base. Daley, who as chief of staff was Obama's top aide, was unpopular with that base, which saw him as too close to big business and too soft on Republicans. ... Full Story Top Romney wins New Hampshire primary, CNN projects Tue,10 Jan 2012 05:08 PM PST Reuters - MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) - Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney won the New Hampshire Republican U.S. presidential primary on Tuesday by a comfortable margin in the second nominating contest of the 2012 election season, CNN projected. The network said with more than 10 percent of the vote counted, Romney won 36 percent of the vote and congressman Ron Paul was second with 25 percent. The primary in New Hampshire, a small northeastern U.S. ... Full Story Top Olympus sues execs over scandal, shares surge Tue,10 Jan 2012 02:45 PM PST Reuters - TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's disgraced Olympus Corp is suing its president and 18 other executives, past and present, for up to $47 million in compensation, as it struggles to recover from one of the nation's worst accounting scandals. The maker of cameras and medical equipment said on Tuesday all board members subject to the lawsuit would quit in March or April, leaving it in the extraordinary position for now of continuing with its most senior executive, Shuichi Takayama, and five other directors it is suing for mismanagement. ... Full Story Top Romney strives for big win in New Hampshire Tue,10 Jan 2012 03:42 PM PST Reuters - MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) - Mitt Romney was poised to win his second straight battle in the race for the Republican U.S. presidential nomination on Tuesday but it remained to be seen whether his anticipated victory in New Hampshire would be sizeable enough to put to rest doubts about his candidacy. The former investment firm chief maintained a sizable lead in opinion polls in the New Hampshire primary contest despite rivals' fierce 11th-hour attacks painting him as a heartless corporate raider who enjoys cutting jobs. ... Full Story Top

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