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| Al Qaeda's Zawahri calls for kidnap of Westerners Friday, Oct 26, 2012 11:49 PM PDT  DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri has called on Muslims to kidnap Westerners, join Syria's rebellion and ensure Egypt implements sharia, SITE Monitoring reported, citing a two-part film posted on Islamist websites. "We are seeking, by the help of Allah, to capture others and to incite Muslims to capture the citizens of the countries that are fighting Muslims in order to release our captives," he said, praising the kidnapping of Warren Weinstein, a 71-year-old American aid worker in Pakistan last year. ... Full Story | Top |
| Muslim Rohingyas under "vicious" attack in Myanmar: rights group Friday, Oct 26, 2012 11:13 PM PDT  SITTWE, Myanmar (Reuters) - A human rights group expressed concern for the safety of thousands of Muslims on Saturday after revealing satellite images of a once-thriving coastal community reduced to ashes during a week of violence in western Myanmar. The images released by the New York-based Human Rights Watch show "near total destruction" of a predominantly Rohingya Muslim part of Kyaukpyu, one of several areas in Rakhine state where battles between Rohingyas and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists threaten to derail the former Burma's fragile democratic transition. ... Full Story | Top |
| Slow-moving Hurricane Sandy heads toward East Coast Friday, Oct 26, 2012 10:57 PM PDT  MIAMI (Reuters) - Hurricane Sandy pulled away from the Bahamas on Saturday after killing at least 41 people in the Caribbean, beginning a slow march toward the U.S. East Coast where it threatens to hit as one of the worst storms in decades. The late-season storm has been dubbed "Frankenstorm" by some weather watchers because it will combine elements of a tropical cyclone and a winter storm. Forecast models show it will have all the ingredients to morph into a massive and potentially catastrophic "super storm." Governors in states along the U.S. ... Full Story | Top |
| Obama, Romney line up elite lawyers for potential election disputes Friday, Oct 26, 2012 10:04 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney scramble to come out ahead in the November 6 election, two other men are preparing for a legal showdown that could begin the next day. They are the lawyers who have been tapped by the Obama and Romney teams to navigate any legal challenges to voting procedures or results in a tight contest that could dredge up memories of the disputed 2000 election that was settled by the U.S. Supreme Court. Leading Romney's team is Benjamin Ginsberg, chief legal counsel for George W. Bush's presidential campaigns in 2000 and 2004. ... Full Story | Top |
| Over a thousand protest over chemical plant in east China Friday, Oct 26, 2012 09:18 PM PDT NINGBO, China (Reuters) - More than a thousand people gathered in the eastern Chinese port city of Ningbo on Saturday to protest against plans to expand a petrochemical plant, highlighting a major challenge for the leadership as it readies for its once-in-a-decade power transition. On Friday, protesters overturned a police car and attacked the police. ... Full Story | Top |
| Obama administration looking at new tax cut: Washington Post Friday, Oct 26, 2012 09:16 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration is considering a possible tax cut that would increase workers' take-home salaries and replace the payroll tax reduction set to expire at the end of the year, The Washington Post reported on Friday. Citing sources familiar with the administration's thinking, the newspaper said the new tax reduction could add hundreds of dollars to employees' annual pay and show up in every paycheck. The White House said no new tax policy suggestion had been formulated. "There's no specific new proposal such as this one at this time," a White House official said. ... Full Story | Top |
| Badminton: "Facebook me!" Chong Wei invites fans to wedding Friday, Oct 26, 2012 09:06 PM PDT  (Reuters) - Anyone who wants to attend the wedding of Malaysian badminton player Lee Chong Wei could be one of 10 lucky fans winning invitations by posting on his Facebook page. The Olympic silver medalist is getting hitched to sweetheart Wong Mew Choo on November 9 and the chosen few will be able to rub shoulders with celebrities and government dignitaries, local media reported. The competition, likely to trigger some feverish online traffic, begins on Sunday and closes on November 5, Chong Wei's press office said. ... Full Story | Top |
| Obama says deficit reduction panel right on revenues, wrong on defense cuts Friday, Oct 26, 2012 06:53 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Friday a bipartisan panel's deficit reduction recommendation went too far on spending cuts, especially for defense, but set the right tone by also proposing revenue increases. Obama said the plan put forward by the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles commission - and held out by some as a model compromise that distributes the pain evenly - cut defense spending too deeply. "They wanted ... defense cuts that were steeper than I felt comfortable with as commander in chief," he said. ... Full Story | Top |
| Up to 40 percent may vote early in election; Obama ahead Friday, Oct 26, 2012 06:39 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Early voters could account for up to 40 percent of all ballots cast in the 2012 U.S. presidential election, and polls of people who already voted show President Barack Obama with a comfortable lead over Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Both candidates have been urging supporters not just to vote but to do it early as Republicans and Democrats campaign vigorously - particularly in key battleground states - to lock up as many votes as possible before Election Day on November 6. Polls of people who say they already have voted show Obama with a lead in many of the states. ... Full Story | Top |
| Taxpayer data exposed in cyber attack on South Carolina agency Friday, Oct 26, 2012 06:23 PM PDT CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) - As many as 3.6 million Social Security numbers and 387,000 credit and debit card numbers used by state taxpayers could have been exposed to a hacker in recent cyber attacks on the state Department of Revenue's computers, officials said on Friday. The vast majority of the credit card numbers used by South Carolina taxpayers were encrypted, but about 16,000 were not, meaning the data was fully exposed, state police said. None of the Social Security numbers were encrypted, said State Law Enforcement Division spokesman Thom Berry. ... Full Story | Top |
| Consumers drive growth as businesses hold back Friday, Oct 26, 2012 06:20 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Economic growth accelerated in the third quarter as a last minute spurt in consumer spending and a surprise turnaround in government outlays offset the first cutback in business investment in more than a year. Even so, the stronger pace of expansion fell short of what is needed to make much of a dent in unemployment, and it offered little cheer for the White House ahead of the closely contested November 6 presidential election. ... Full Story | Top |
| Minister casts doubt on Conservative tax pledge Friday, Oct 26, 2012 06:16 PM PDT  LONDON (Reuters) - A flagship tax policy promised by Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative party may not be delivered, a senior member of his government said on Saturday, inflicting a potentially damaging blow on the already gaffe-prone administration. Cabinet Minister Ken Clarke cast doubts over the chances of the government implementing the tax plans, which would benefit married couples, before the next national elections due in 2015. "We never committed ourselves to married couples' tax by the end of the parliament," Clarke told the Daily Telegraph in an interview. ... Full Story | Top |
| Obama shrugs off Romney adviser's comment on Powell endorsement Friday, Oct 26, 2012 05:44 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama shrugged off the suggestion by a top Mitt Romney adviser that former Secretary of State Colin Powell's endorsement of Obama was due to race rather than support for his positions. "Any suggestion that General Powell would make such a profound statement in such an important election based on anything other than what he thought was best for America, I think, doesn't make much sense," Obama told radio host Michael Smerconish. Obama and Republican challenger Romney are locked in a tight battle before the November 6 election. ... Full Story | Top |
| Gore's Current TV hires bankers to assess future: source Friday, Oct 26, 2012 05:39 PM PDT  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Current TV, the liberal cable news channel started by former Vice President Al Gore, has hired JP Morgan and The Raine Group to assess strategic options that may include a sale or strategic partnership with another media company, according to a person with knowledge of the operation. The channel, founded in 2005 by Gore and businessman Joel Hyatt, is also seeking new funding and talking with venture capitalists and other parties, the person said on condition of anonymity because the talks were private. ... Full Story | Top |
| Senator Reid treated for minor injuries in car crash Friday, Oct 26, 2012 05:17 PM PDT  LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was treated for minor rib and hip injuries on Friday after the vehicle in which he was riding was involved in an accident on a Las Vegas interstate highway, his office said. The 72-year-old Democratic senator, who was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the accident, walked in on his own to the University Medical Center Hospital, his office said in a statement. Reid was released from the hospital later on Friday. "He's fine," said University Medical Center spokeswoman Karen Gordon. ... Full Story | Top |
| U.S. Navy sends ships to sea ahead of "Frankenstorm" Friday, Oct 26, 2012 04:47 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy on Friday ordered all ships in the Norfolk, Virginia, area - including the nuclear-powered USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier - out to sea beyond the reach of approaching Hurricane Sandy. It was just one of the storm precautions being announced by the Pentagon, which said around 61,000 members of the National Guard were ready to respond, if needed. Sandy, dubbed a "Frankenstorm" by one government forecaster, has begun merging with a polar air mass over the eastern United States, potentially spawning a hybrid super-storm that could wreak havoc along the U. ... Full Story | Top |
| Former Senator McGovern remembered as passionate, principled Friday, Oct 26, 2012 04:40 PM PDT  SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota (Reuters) - Former Senator George McGovern was remembered on Friday as a man of principle and a passionate opponent of the Vietnam War who shaped the Democratic Party even in his lopsided 1972 presidential election loss to Richard Nixon. McGovern, who died on Sunday at age 90, was the son of a Methodist minister, a decorated bomber pilot in World War Two and a leading advocate in the fight against world hunger. ... Full Story | Top |
| Indicted Imam to receive new prosthetics in U.S. jail Friday, Oct 26, 2012 04:37 PM PDT  NEW YORK (Reuters) - A radical Islamist cleric facing U.S. terrorism charges will be outfitted with new prosthetics after authorities refused to allow him to wear metal hooks in place of his missing hands when he is outside of his jail cell, his lawyer said on Friday. The Egyptian-born preacher, Abu Hamza al-Masri, who is missing both hands and his right eye, appeared in Manhattan federal court for the third time since his October 6 extradition to the United States from Britain as prosecutors and lawyers discussed procedure with the judge. ... Full Story | Top |
| Training for U.S. "green jobs" falls far short of goals-watchdog Friday, Oct 26, 2012 04:36 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A $500-million "green jobs" program to train U.S. workers for new jobs and help spark recovery from the great recession has fallen far short of its goals, according to a report from the Labor Department's internal watchdog released on Friday. As of June 30, fewer than 31,000 people who went through training programs got green jobs, only 38 percent of what had been projected, the department's Inspector General said in the report. ... Full Story | Top |
| Florida judge delays gag order ruling in Trayvon Martin case Friday, Oct 26, 2012 04:25 PM PDT  SANFORD, Florida (Reuters) - A Florida judge on Friday delayed her ruling on whether to impose a gag order in the case of George Zimmerman, the former neighborhood watch captain charged with fatally shooting unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin. During a hearing in Seminole County Circuit Court, Judge Debra Nelson said that she plans to issue her ruling on Monday. A gag order would ban media, lawyers and others from publicly discussing the case. ... Full Story | Top |
| Judge rules for U.S. government in fatal Wyoming bear attack Friday, Oct 26, 2012 04:12 PM PDT (Reuters) - A judge has ruled the U.S. government cannot be held liable for a grizzly bear attack that killed a man hiking in Wyoming, just hours after the animal had been captured, collared and released by federal researchers. U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Freudenthal this week rejected a $5 million wrongful death suit brought by the widow of Erwin Evert, 70, who was fatally mauled by the male grizzly in June 2010. Evert's widow, Yolanda Evert, filed the lawsuit in U.S. ... Full Story | Top |
| New Yorker fined for hanging peace sign in window sues city Friday, Oct 26, 2012 03:54 PM PDT NEW YORK (Reuters) - A woman who was forced to pay an $800 fine for nailing a peace sign to her window frame in violation of zoning regulations sued New York City in U.S. federal court on Friday, claiming the law infringed upon her right to free speech. Brigitte Vosse, who owns a condominium on Manhattan's Upper West Side, received a ticket from the city's department of buildings for the peace symbol she hung in her living room window for a year and a half. ... Full Story | Top |
| Shot Pakistani girl recovering fast in UK: father Friday, Oct 26, 2012 03:08 PM PDT  BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - The father of a Pakistani girl shot in the head by the Taliban for advocating girls' education said on Friday she would "rise again" to pursue her dreams after hospital treatment. Malala Yousufzai, 15, was flown from Pakistan to Britain for specialist treatment after the October 9 attack, which drew widespread international condemnation. The father Ziauddin Yousufzai and other family members arrived in Britain on Thursday to help her recovery. "They wanted to kill her. But she fell temporarily. She will rise again. ... Full Story | Top |
| In shaky Syrian holiday truce, enemies eye victory Friday, Oct 26, 2012 03:05 PM PDT LONDON (Reuters) - Lakhdar Brahimi's holiday truce may have saved Syrian lives on Friday, as government troops and rebels drew breath on several fronts - though dozens still shed blood on Eid al-Adha, the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice. The U.N. envoy, discreetly downbeat since he succeeded a disillusioned Kofi Annan two months ago, could scarcely be surprised at ceasefire breaches that included tank fire and a car bombing; two previous attempts to end the conflict over the past year both quickly descended into ever more bitter fighting. ... Full Story | Top |
| Factbox: The wealthy behind presidential race Friday, Oct 26, 2012 02:54 PM PDT (Reuters) - Individual donors to presidential candidates can contribute up to $2,500 for the state-by-state party nominating contests and another $2,500 for the general election. But independent groups called Super PACs have no limits on what they can raise from individuals, corporations or labor unions. Here is a look at wealthy individuals who have contributed at least $1 million to the major "super" political action committees as disclosed to the Federal Election Commission. RESTORE OUR FUTURE Total raised as of October 17: $130. ... Full Story | Top |
| Hurricane Sandy rains on presidential campaign Friday, Oct 26, 2012 02:42 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hurricane Sandy threw a wrench into the last hectic days of the U.S. presidential campaign on Friday, as the threat of torrential rains and strong winds over much of the eastern half of the country put both candidates' camps on high alert. Republican challenger Mitt Romney canceled a rally scheduled for Sunday evening in Virginia Beach, along the state's southeast coast, an aide said. ... Full Story | Top |
| Clinton says she is still on track for State Department exit Friday, Oct 26, 2012 02:29 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton says she still intends to step down as U.S. secretary of state sometime around January's presidential inauguration, dispelling speculation over reports she might opt to stay in the post amid numerous diplomatic crises if President Barack Obama wins re-election. "It's really still my same time-frame," Clinton told the Washington Post in an interview published on Friday, repeating her plan to step down after one term even if voters on November 6 give Obama another four years in office. "I'm aiming to leave shortly after the inauguration; that's my plan. ... Full Story | Top |
| Anti-bullying program draws more participants despite boycott call Friday, Oct 26, 2012 02:25 PM PDT TUPELO, Mississippi (Reuters) - A record number of schools will participate in a national anti-bullying program, organizers said, despite a conservative Christian group's push for a boycott of the event on the grounds it would "promote the homosexual lifestyle in public schools." Nearly 3,000 schools nationwide - about 30 percent more than last year - will take part on Tuesday in "Mix It Up at Lunch Day," an annual event that encourages students to sit by someone in the cafeteria with whom they would not normally socialize. ... Full Story | Top |
| Planned Parenthood sues again over Texas health program Friday, Oct 26, 2012 02:10 PM PDT (Reuters) - Planned Parenthood family planning providers in Texas filed a new lawsuit on Friday over a rule that bars its clinics from a state health program for low-income women because the organization performs abortions. The suit was filed in state court, after a federal appeals court declined on Thursday to reconsider a ruling allowing Texas to withhold funding for women's healthcare from Planned Parenthood clinics. The new lawsuit tries a different legal tactic, filing in state rather than federal court, and arguing that the way the Texas rule is written violates state law. ... Full Story | Top |
| Final farewell set for former Senator George McGovern Friday, Oct 26, 2012 02:05 PM PDT  SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota (Reuters) - Mourners gathered on Friday for the funeral of former U.S. Senator George McGovern, a soft-spoken South Dakota native and passionate opponent of the Vietnam war who shaped the Democratic Party even in a landslide defeat in the 1972 presidential race. Close friends, family and those he mentored directly and indirectly called McGovern a man of principle and decency during a prayer service on Thursday night. ... Full Story | Top |
| U.S. food movement seeks election-year vault to political force Friday, Oct 26, 2012 01:51 PM PDT WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. food movement, which groups a kaleidoscope of causes from inner-city gardens to hunger prevention and no-biotech crops, plans to link the farmers market to the ballot box as it challenges large-scale agriculture this year. It is the first attempt to turn a largely unorganized social movement into a political force. The most important initiative for the movement is a November 6 referendum in California to require labels on genetically engineered food sold in grocery stores. ... Full Story | Top |
| In echoes of Obama, Romney seeks to adopt mantle of change Friday, Oct 26, 2012 01:45 PM PDT  AMES, Iowa (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney attempted to adopt the mantle of change on Friday in an economic speech in which he vowed to bring a fresh start to Washington to generate stronger job growth. Romney's address in the swing state of Iowa was an effort to take on the role President Barack Obama played in 2008, that of an outsider who would represent an abrupt change if he wins the tight 2012 presidential race. ... Full Story | Top |
| U.S. looks to old Arctic ship logs for climate change clues Friday, Oct 26, 2012 01:40 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A project to help track Arctic climate change using volunteers to transcribe U.S. ship logs online was launched on Wednesday by the National Archives and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Using citizen scientists to transcribe thousands of pages of logbooks from Navy, Coast Guard and other ships from 1850 to World War Two will fill a big data gap, NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco said. Scientists in recent decades have gotten weather data from satellites and ground observations, and such tools as ice samples show ancient patterns, she said. ... Full Story | Top |
| Analysis: Arms makers' margins solid despite some strain Friday, Oct 26, 2012 01:19 PM PDT  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Weapons makers reported surprisingly strong profit margins this week, even as budget cuts are starting to weigh on revenues. That has prompted a big question: how long can the defense industry sustain good margins? The sector is clearly facing leaner times, with $487 billion in spending reductions slated for the next decade and another $500 billion in cuts due to kick in next year under the process known as sequestration. But experts expect a year or more to elapse before those changes ripple through to corporate income statements. ... Full Story | Top |
| Small fire breaks out near Khartoum arms factory Friday, Oct 26, 2012 01:17 PM PDT KHARTOUM (Reuters) - A small fire broke out on Friday near Sudan's biggest arms factory in the capital Khartoum, a witness and state media said, two days after Sudan accused Israel of bombing the site. Sudan, which analysts say is used as an arms-smuggling route to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip via neighboring Egypt, said on Wednesday an Israeli air strike had caused a huge explosion and fire at the plant. Israel has declined to comment. ... Full Story | Top |
| Statue of Liberty's renovated crown to reopen this weekend Friday, Oct 26, 2012 01:08 PM PDT NEW YORK (Reuters) - The crown of the Statue of Liberty will reopen to the public on Sunday - the 126th anniversary of its dedication - after a year-long renovation to make the New York landmark safer and more accessible to people in wheelchairs. The $30 million renovation of the statue, which towers over Liberty Island in New York Harbor, improved fire alarms, sprinkler systems and exit routes to bring Lady Liberty in line with New York City safety codes, the National Park Service said. ... Full Story | Top |
| Pennsylvania judge rejects request for fast ruling on voter ID law ads Friday, Oct 26, 2012 01:07 PM PDT PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania judge on Friday rejected a push by civil libertarians to issue a ruling this week in a battle over advertisements publicizing a new voter identification law in the state. Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson said that he would stick with an October 30 deadline requiring the state respond to the American Civil Liberties Union's complaint that the advertisements are misleading. ... Full Story | Top |
| Merkel's conservatives reach three-year high in key opinion poll Friday, Oct 26, 2012 01:05 PM PDT  BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives climbed to their highest level in more than three years in a leading opinion poll published on Friday, but the results pointed to no outright winner emerging from next September's election. The closely watched Politbarometer for ZDF TV indicated neither Merkel's center-right coalition nor a center-left alliance would be able to win a majority. The ZDF poll also showed a 48 to 44 percent majority of Germans now believe Greece should remain in the euro zone, up two points from the previous poll. ... Full Story | Top |
| Rival jailed, Ukraine president on path to victory Friday, Oct 26, 2012 12:48 PM PDT  KIEV (Reuters) - President Viktor Yanukovich looks set for victory in a national election in Ukraine this weekend, despite his jailed rival Yulia Tymoshenko calling on voters to stop an imminent "dictatorship". Yanukovich's Party of the Regions and a union of opposition forces backing Tymoshenko held final public rallies on Friday in the capital Kiev ahead of Sunday's poll for a new parliament. No opinion polls have been published since October 18, under an official information blackout. ... Full Story | Top |
| Insight: Red flags ignored for years at firm in meningitis crisis Friday, Oct 26, 2012 12:40 PM PDT  BOSTON (Reuters) - A cracked vial here, a missing label there. The complaints coming into New England Compounding Center, the firm at the heart of the deadly U.S. meningitis outbreak, were piling up. In March, regulators responded to a complaint from the prestigious Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary about a potency concern involving one of the eye medications it purchased from NECC. The investigation is ongoing. Over the summer, physicians at Ruby Memorial Hospital in West Virginia returned a bag of cardioplegia solution used in heart surgery after a patient did not respond as expected. ... Full Story | Top |
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