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| Israeli settlers archaeology tourism plans seen deepening roots Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 11:53 PM PST  By Noah Browning HEBRON, West Bank (Reuters) - On an ancient hill dotted with 1,000-year-old olive trees, Israelis are busy excavating in search of the first palace of King David in the heart of the West Bank. The Jewish settlers who started the dig with the help of Israel's Antiquities Authority say they want to turn it into an archaeological park to celebrate its historical significance. But for Palestinians who hope the West Bank will someday form part of a Palestinian state, the move is a grab not only for land but also for their past - a ploy to cut them out of history and away from land they say is rightfully theirs. The Bible says David, the second king of the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah, first ruled in Hebron before conquering Jerusalem to the north. Full Story | Top |
| Mubarak-era networks return for new military man in Egypt Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 11:19 PM PST By Maggie Fick SHEBIN EL KOM, Egypt (Reuters) - When an uprising toppled Egyptian autocrat Hosni Mubarak, men like Ahmed Saif who helped run his vast patronage network melted away. Three years later, Saif and other former members of Mubarak's party are back in action in the populous countryside, offering everything from refrigerators for newlyweds to welfare-like stipends to the poor in exchange for votes. This time, the slick political machine is drumming up support for army chief Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who toppled Egypt's first freely-elected leader, Islamist Mohamed Mursi, and is expected to become president. Although Sisi is expected to win by a landslide, the backing these wealthy local kingpins are offering suggests he could entrench his rule much the same way Mubarak did. Full Story | Top |
| South African rand edges up on Turkey, spotlight on local central bank Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 11:18 PM PST  South Africa's rand pushed back above 11.00 against the dollar on Wednesday as moves by Turkey's central bank to defend its currency by hiking interest rates lifted emerging markets. The measures will put the spotlight on South Africa's own central bank, which is expected to keep rates unchanged on Wednesday to give the ailing economy breathing space, despite inflation pressures posed by the rand's sharp decline over the past year. "The rand has managed to gain ground against the developed world currencies overnight thanks in no small part to the sentiment around what Turkey did last night," Standard Bank trader Warrick Butler said in a client note. Analysts said the move by the Turkish central bank, following another rate hike in India on Tuesday, would add pressure on the South African Reserve Bank to do the same to keep local yields competitive among other emerging markets. Full Story | Top |
| Analysis: Obama avoids executive actions that could prompt lawsuits Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 11:16 PM PST  By David Ingram WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Despite anticipation that President Barack Obama would seize on his authority to act without U.S. congressional approval, his State of the Union speech appeared to mention only a handful of executive actions that could face legal challenges. In his Tuesday night speech, Obama stayed away from the kind of bold, detailed proposals that some lawmakers and media pundits said beforehand would shake up his relationship with Congress, legal experts said afterward. His proposals to go it alone included a minimum wage increase for federal contract workers, creation of a "starter savings account" to help millions of people save for retirement and plans to establish new fuel efficiency standards for trucks. Despite the administration's buildup before the speech, the high-flying rhetoric of the address itself and a promise of more such proposals, Curt Levey, president of the Committee for Justice, a conservative legal group, said the president was not very explicit about what executive actions he might take. Full Story | Top |
| For pot entrepreneurs, it's a 'Stoner Bowl' matchup made on high Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 11:08 PM PST  By Jonathan Kaminsky OLYMPIA, Washington (Reuters) - For Nate Johnson, the excitement surrounding the upcoming Super Bowl is two-fold. Not only are his hometown Seattle Seahawks taking on the Denver Broncos - football teams representing two major U.S. cities where recreational pot use is legal - but his medical weed dispensary is seeing green. Demand for "Beast Mode" - a strain named in honor of the Seahawks' hard-hitting running back, Marshawn Lynch - has been high at his Queen Anne Cannabis Club in Seattle, Johnson said, while pot-laced blue-and-green cupcakes are also selling fast. "Anything Seahawks colored or themed, it's 'Boom!'" Johnson said, referring to the brisk sales. Full Story | Top |
| Thailand to deploy 10,000 police in capital to secure voting Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 10:51 PM PST  By Amy Sawitta Lefevre BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's government will deploy 10,000 police in the capital for Sunday's election, which protesters have promised to disrupt as part of their drawn-out attempt to topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. "I ask Bangkok residents to come out and vote," Labour Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung told reporters on Wednesday. "The police will take care of security ... Those who are thinking of going and shutting polling stations in the morning should think twice because the police will not allow them to." Protesters prevented early voting at many polling stations in Bangkok last Sunday. They took to the streets in November in the latest eruption of a political conflict that has gripped Thailand for eight years. Full Story | Top |
| South Sudan rebel leader should face treason charge: minister Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 10:51 PM PST  By Carl Odera and Andrew Green JUBA (Reuters) - South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar and six others should be tried for treason for their role in weeks of bloodshed, the justice minister said on Tuesday, threatening to heighten tensions in already troubled peace talks. Minister Paulino Wanawilla Unago cushioned the blow by saying seven other political figures, arrested after the violence erupted, would be released, partly meeting one of the rebels' demands at the negotiations. President Salva Kiir accused Machar, the vice president he sacked in July, of launching a coup in the world's newest country. Unago said he believed there was enough of a case to take Machar and his six associates, who include Pagan Amum, the former Secretary General of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), to court. Full Story | Top |
| At the White House, the State of the Union is #social Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 10:49 PM PST By Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - High school teacher Jason Knoll came to the White House on Tuesday from Madison, Wisconsin, on a mission: to show his students that tweets can be used for "more than selfies at the mall," and that political Twitter can transcend petty snark. They paid their own way to sit in a darkened White House auditorium, far from the pomp of President Barack Obama's speech on Capitol Hill - but close enough to experience the moment. But the barrage of tweets from the "State of the Union Social" - a central part of the White House social media strategy for the speech - rolled down the computer screen like a blur on hashtag #SOTUSocial. "Lots of 'hard work and responsibility can make dreams come true' in speech so far," Knoll tweeted, saying he wished Obama would focus more on foreign policy. Full Story | Top |
| U.S. should consider re-design of missile defense system: report Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 10:45 PM PST By Andrea Shalal-Esa WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Missile Defense Agency should consider redesigning a key part of its ground-based missile defense system after a series of test failures in recent years, the Pentagon's chief arms tester said in a new report due to be released Wednesday. "The flight test failures that have occurred during the past three years raise questions regarding the robustness of the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV)," said the report, referring to the Raytheon Co-built part of the rocket used to hit enemy missiles and destroy them on impact. Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon's director of operational test and evaluation (DOT&E), said the agency should redo the intercept test that failed last July and consider whether to redesign the "kill vehicle" and shore it up against failure. Boeing Co manages the Pentagon's program to deal with long-range missile threats, while Raytheon and Orbital Sciences Corp build the interceptors and rockets used by the system. Full Story | Top |
| Central African Republic wants UN force as EU troops OKed Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 10:43 PM PST  By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council approved on Tuesday the planned deployment of European troops to Central African Republic in a bid to stop violence between Christians and Muslims as the country's president called for a U.N. peacekeeping mission. The United Nations has warned that the conflict in the landlocked former French colony could spiral into genocide. France sent 1,600 troops to Central African Republic last month to assist some 5,000 African Union peacekeepers, while the European Union agreed last week to send around 500 troops. Central Africa's interim President Catherine Samba-Panza said on Tuesday that she has written to the United Nations to call for the African peacekeeping force to be transformed into a larger U.N. operation. Full Story | Top |
| Russian consul general, wife stabbed in Sudan: police Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 10:42 PM PST A Russian diplomat and his wife were stabbed in Sudan's capital on Tuesday by a man from Central African Republic, Khartoum police said. Both Russia's consul general and his wife were in a stable condition, the statement added. Central African Republic, which borders Sudan, descended into chaos in March after a mostly Muslim rebel coalition, Seleka, marched into the capital, unleashing a wave of killings and looting. The European Union has also promised to send in soldiers, but Russia has no troops on the ground. Full Story | Top |
| Asia enjoys relief rally as Turkey takes bold step Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 10:40 PM PST  By Wayne Cole SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian markets rallied on Wednesday after Turkey stunned investors with a huge hike in interest rates, stirring hopes drastic action would short-circuit a vicious cycle of selling in emerging markets and revive risk appetite. The Aussie is often used as a proxy for hedging against stress in less liquid emerging markets. Full Story | Top |
| Death toll in northeast Nigeria attack rises to 85 Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 10:40 PM PST An attack by suspected Islamist Boko Haram insurgents on a northeast Nigerian village on Monday killed 85 people, up from 40 previously reported, officials said on Tuesday. Boko Haram wants to impose sharia (Islamic law) on a country split roughly equally between Christians and Muslims. Suspected Boko Haram rebels stormed the village of Kawuri, in remote northeastern Borno state where insurgents are resisting a military crackdown. In another attack on Sunday in neighbouring Adamawa state, suspected members of Boko Haram killed 22 people during an attack on a church service. Full Story | Top |
| War hero's story draws standing ovation in Obama's speech Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 10:34 PM PST  By Emily Stephenson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama invoked the struggles faced by a wounded Army Ranger as he urged the U.S. Congress on Tuesday to work with him to tackle big problems such as boosting the economy and promoting justice and fairness. Obama paid tribute in his State of the Union address to Sergeant First Class Cory Remsburg, who spent months in a coma after being wounded by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. Remsburg is blind in one eye and had to re-learn to speak and walk after he was left partially paralyzed. Remsburg sat next to first lady Michelle Obama in her box during the address, appearing calm and giving a thumbs up at a couple of moments during the president's remarks. Full Story | Top |
| Insight: Mubarak-era networks return for new military man in Egypt Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 10:07 PM PST By Maggie Fick SHEBIN EL KOM, Egypt (Reuters) - When an uprising toppled Egyptian autocrat Hosni Mubarak, men like Ahmed Saif who helped run his vast patronage network melted away. Three years later, Saif and other former members of Mubarak's party are back in action in the populous countryside, offering everything from refrigerators for newlyweds to welfare-like stipends to the poor in exchange for votes. ... Full Story | Top |
| Fed poised for $10 billion taper as Bernanke bids adieu Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 10:02 PM PST  Turmoil in emerging markets and a month of disappointing job growth at home are unlikely to deter the Federal Reserve from trimming its bond-buying stimulus on Wednesday, as Ben Bernanke wraps up his last policy meeting at the helm of the U.S. central bank. Overall signs of improvement in the U.S. economy suggest Fed officials will stay on track to cut monthly purchases of Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities by $5 billion each, bringing the total of their monthly asset purchases to $65 billion. The meeting is Bernanke's last before Vice Chair Janet Yellen moves into the top spot. Bernanke took the Fed far into uncharted territory during his eight years on the job, building a $4 trillion balance sheet and keeping interest rates near zero for more than five years to pull the economy from its worst downturn in decades. Full Story | Top |
| China smog fears spur call for ban on New Year fireworks Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 09:53 PM PST  Warnings of heavy smog over central and eastern China this week have prompted the country's weather forecaster to call for a ban on the fireworks traditionally let off at Lunar New Year, state media said on Wednesday. With smog expected to start blanketing central and eastern China from Thursday, Chen Zhenlin, spokesman for the China Meteorological Administration, said local governments should ban fireworks completely, the official China Daily said. Authorities, including those in Beijing, have asked people to set off fewer fireworks this year to help improve air quality, though in the capital at least there have been no moves to close down the temporary stalls that sell the fireworks. Sales of fireworks have been flat so far in Beijing, the China Daily said, as people heed the calls for clearer skies. Full Story | Top |
| Obama warns divided Congress that he will act alone Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 09:49 PM PST  By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama vowed on Tuesday to bypass a divided Congress and take action on his own to bolster America's middle class in a State of the Union address that he used to try to breathe new life into his second term after a troubled year. Standing in the House of Representatives chamber before lawmakers, Supreme Court justices and VIP guests, Obama declared his independence from Congress by unveiling a series of executive orders and decisions - moves likely to inflame already tense relations between the Democratic president and Republicans. While his rhetoric was high flying, Obama's actions were relatively modest, collectively amounting to an outpouring of frustration at the pace of legislative action with Republicans in control of the House of Representatives and able to slow the president's agenda. "I'm eager to work with all of you," Obama told the lawmakers gathered for the annual speech. Full Story | Top |
| Analysis: Obama offers prescription for Democrats in tough election year Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 09:36 PM PST  By Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Tuesday offered a campaign blueprint for fellow Democrats who are facing a tough election this November: Challenge Republicans who criticize his signature healthcare law to come up with something better. The president had barely mentioned the healthcare law known as Obamacare during his previous two State of the Union addresses to the U.S. Congress. This time, Obama gave a robust defense of his signature domestic policy accomplishment in what seemed to be an effort to give Democrats who are fighting to keep their seats some ammunition to counter a blitz of Republican attacks over their support of the healthcare law. Obama made no mention of last fall's botched rollout of the healthcare program, or the disappointment of those who found that their insurance premiums had increased beyond what they could afford. Full Story | Top |
| China convicts two anti-graft activists in crackdown Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 09:28 PM PST By Sui-Lee Wee BEIJING (Reuters) - China convicted two anti-graft campaigners on Wednesday for their roles in a protest urging officials to reveal their assets, the latest measures in a crackdown that has sparked international criticism. The government has waged a 10-month drive on the "New Citizens' Movement", which advocates working within the system to press for change. Wednesday's convictions came just three days after movement founder Xu Zhiyong, one of China's most prominent rights activists, was sentenced to four years in prison. The United States, the European Union and rights groups condemned his sentence. Full Story | Top |
| Obama touts 'responsible' energy development measures, climate goals Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 09:26 PM PST By Valerie Volcovici WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama told lawmakers on Tuesday his energy strategy had boosted the economy and reduced carbon emissions, but he did not address the question of whether he will approve the politically charged Keystone XL oil pipeline. In his annual State of the Union address, Obama touted the role natural gas had played in cutting U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and creating jobs. "The all-of-the-above energy strategy I announced a few years ago is working, and today, America is closer to energy independence than we've been in decades," he said. Supporters say Keystone XL would create thousands of jobs and cut U.S. fuel costs by reducing the nation's reliance on oil imports from nations that are less friendly than Canada. Full Story | Top |
| South Korea urges North to hasten reunions but vows to continue drills Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 09:25 PM PST  South Korea urged the North on Wednesday to speed efforts for reunions of families separated since the war that divided the neighbors, but vowed to continue joint military drills with the United States, despite protests from Pyongyang. Uncertainty remained whether the North would keep its pledge to hold the reunions ahead of the start of the drills, but the South said it would not use the military exercises as a means to secure the family event. The North proposed the family reunions last week in a move welcomed by both China, its sole major ally, and the United States. But the North has yet to respond to a call by the South for the event to be held over six days in February and for a meeting to hammer out location and logistics. Full Story | Top |
| China decor magnate arrested for suspected bribery Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 09:17 PM PST A billionaire who Chinese media say is linked to the downfall of the former mayor of Nanjing has been arrested on suspicion of corruption, the company he founded, Suzhou Gold Mantis Construction Decoration Co Ltd, said. The family of Zhu Xingliang, who ranked no.55 on the 2013 Forbes China Rich List with a fortune worth $2.04 billion, informed Gold Mantis of his arrest, the firm said in a statement to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange posted on Tuesday. "The company received notification from family on January 27 that Director and the person in actual control (of the firm) Mr. Zhu Xingliang was arrested on suspicion of bribery with the approval of the prosecutor," the company filing said. The arrest comes as China's President Xi Jinping makes the fight against endemic corruption a central theme of his administration. Full Story | Top |
| Malaysia navy chief denies Chinese incursion Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 09:09 PM PST Malaysia's navy chief has denied a report that three Chinese navy ships patrolled an area claimed by the Southeast Asian country, saying the Chinese exercise took place hundreds of miles to the north in international waters. Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported that an amphibious landing craft and two destroyers patrolled the James Shoal on Sunday, 50 miles off the coast of Malaysia's Sarawak state, and held a ceremony in which they swore to safeguard Chinese sovereignty. The reported activity at the southernmost tip of Beijing's sweeping claims over the South China Sea appeared to be the latest sign of its territorial assertiveness that has boosted tensions with claimants such as the Philippines and Vietnam. Full Story | Top |
| Obama speech calls for U.S. housing system overhaul Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 09:05 PM PST President Barack Obama renewed his call on Tuesday to wind down mortgage-finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and revamp the housing finance system to include a more limited government backstop. In his State of the Union address, Obama urged Congress to pass legislation that rebuilds the mortgage market to rely more on private capital but that also maintains support for creditworthy borrowers. "Send me legislation that protects taxpayers from footing the bill for a housing crisis ever again, and keeps the dream of homeownership alive," Obama said. "The most important investment many families make is their home." Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two government-run companies that own or guarantee 60 percent of all U.S. home loans, play a huge role in keeping borrowing costs low for homeowners. Full Story | Top |
| Obama urges Guantanamo closure this year, shift from 'permanent war footing' Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 09:01 PM PST By Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama told Americans on Tuesday that 2014 should be the year to finally close the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay as the United States winds down its military role in Afghanistan and shifts away from a "permanent war footing." In his annual State of the Union address, Obama renewed his old vow - dating back to the start of his presidency five years ago - to shut the internationally condemned jail at the U.S. Naval Base in Cuba, and he called on Congress for further action to help him do so. "This needs to be the year Congress lifts the remaining restrictions on detainee transfers and we close the prison at Guantanamo Bay," Obama said. "Because we counter terrorism not just through intelligence and military action, but by remaining true to our constitutional ideals and setting an example for the rest of the world." While seeking to add a sense of urgency to the issue, Obama stopped short of offering any new prescriptions on how he intends to empty Guantanamo of its remaining 155 prisoners. Full Story | Top |
| Long lunar night wait for China's malfunctioning Jade Rabbit moon rover Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 08:58 PM PST  Chinese scientists will have to wait until the end of a long lunar night, lasting about 14 earth days, to see if repair efforts on the country's first moon rover, dubbed Jade Rabbit, were successful, state media said. Jade Rabbit began experiencing "mechanical control abnormalities" on Saturday when entering the lunar night, which exposes the surface to extreme cold over about 14 earth days. "The complicated environment on the moon's surface is frequently the main reason leading to abnormalities in the lunar vehicle," Pang Zhihao, an expert from the China Academy of Space Technology, told state media. China landed Jade Rabbit, named after a lunar goddess in traditional Chinese mythology, in mid-December to domestic fanfare on a mission to conduct geological surveys and search for natural resources. Full Story | Top |
| A-12 settlement won't extend Boeing's F/A-18 production line Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 08:56 PM PST By Andrea Shalal-Esa NEW YORK (Reuters) - A settlement of a dispute over the canceled A-12 aircraft calls for Boeing Co to build three more EA-18G electronic attack planes for the U.S. Navy, but those jets will not extend the F/A-18 production line in St. Louis, according to Navy officials and company executives. A new report by the Pentagon's top arms tester, meanwhile, criticized the Navy for failing to address longstanding deficiencies with the radar used on the F/A-18E/F model of the plane. The U.S. Justice Department announced a $400 million settlement agreement with Boeing and General Dynamics Corp last week that includes providing the additional jets, which will be paid for by Boeing. Boeing officials said the additional jets would not extend production of the F/A-18 line beyond the currently planned date of the end of 2016. Full Story | Top |
| Text of official Republican response to Obama's speech Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 08:46 PM PST Following is a text of the official Republican response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday as delivered by U.S. Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, chairwoman of the House of Representatives Republican Caucus. Tonight we honor America, a nation that has witnessed the greatest rise of freedom and opportunity our world has ever seen, a nation where we are not defined by our limits, but by our potential, and a nation where a girl who worked at the McDonald's drive-through to help pay for college can be with you from the United States Capitol. They're in your homes, kissing your kids good night, figuring out how to pay the bills, getting ready for tomorrow's doctor's visit, waiting to hear from those you love serving in Afghanistan, or searching for that big job interview. After all, "We the People" have been the foundation of America since her earliest days - people from all walks of life, and from all corners of the world - people who come to America because here, no challenge is too great and no dream too big. Full Story | Top |
| Republicans respond and respond to Obama State of Union Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 08:46 PM PST  By Richard Cowan and Thomas Ferraro WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in the U.S. Congress responded in competing voices on Tuesday to President Barack Obama's annual State of the Union address as various wings of the party vied to advance their prescriptions for the country's best way forward. Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who delivered the sanctioned Republican response to Obama, queued up long-standing party doctrine that "champions free markets and trusts people to make their own decisions, not a government that decides for you." McMorris Rodgers, a five-term congresswoman from Washington state, took a broad swipe at Obamacare, the 2010 landmark healthcare law that Republicans have tried to repeal, delay or significantly alter nearly 50 times since its enactment. "We've all talked to too many people who have received cancellation notices they didn't expect or who can no longer see the doctors they always have," McMorris Rodgers said of the Affordable Care Act, which got off to a troubled start. Full Story | Top |
| Obama takes tough line against Iran sanctions to Congress Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 08:45 PM PST By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama took his hard line against new sanctions over Iran's nuclear program directly to U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday by pledging in his annual State of the Union address to veto any legislation that threatens talks with Tehran. Obama said an interim agreement seeking to curb Iran's nuclear program was already taking effect, and the ongoing diplomacy was important for U.S. safety. But let me be clear: if this Congress sends me a new sanctions bill now that threatens to derail these talks, I will veto it," Obama said in his speech in the House of Representatives chamber. He reassured Israel, a U.S. ally that is extremely wary of Iran's nuclear program, referring to "a Jewish state that knows America will always be at their side." He added that all options - including the military option - were on the table for keeping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon if need be. Full Story | Top |
| Supreme Court stays execution of Missouri murderer Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 08:43 PM PST By Carey Gillam and Kevin Murphy KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court late Tuesday ordered Missouri to stay the execution of a murderer who had raised a series of objections to his death sentence, including that the drugs used could subject him to cruel and unusual punishment. Herbert Smulls, 56, was scheduled to be executed with a lethal dose of pentobarbital, a fast-acting barbiturate, shortly after midnight local time (0600 GMT) on Wednesday at a state prison in Missouri. Full Story | Top |
| Factbox: Highlights of Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 08:18 PM PST (Reuters) - The following are highlights from U.S. President Barack Obama's State of the Union address in Washington on Tuesday. JOBS AND THE ECONOMY To help Americans prepare for retirement, Obama will use executive authority to create a "starter" retirement savings account available through employers for workers who can afford to save only small amounts at a time. Through an executive order, Obama said he would raise the minimum wage for workers holding federal contract jobs to $10.10 and will continue pressing Congress to make that rate the prevailing federal minimum wage nationally. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. Full Story | Top |
| South Korea approves $7 billion reactor plans in boost for nuclear power Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 08:15 PM PST South Korea approved on Wednesday a $7 billion project to build two nuclear plants, a boost for an industry struggling to emerge from the shadow of Japan's Fukushima disaster and the first approval since a policy review sparked by a safety scandal at domestic reactors. The greenlight for the plants comes only two weeks after Asia's fourth-largest economy announced a policy shift to cut its reliance on nuclear power to 29 percent of total power supply by 2035, down from a planned 41 percent by 2030. A series of nuclear reactor shutdowns since last year due to safety issues have raised the risk of blackouts, putting pressure on policy makers to maintain power supplies in a economy relying on energy intensive industries such as autos, steel and electronics. The approvals will also encourage South Korea's nuclear power industry, which still aims to export its expertise into a global market dominated by France, the United States and Russia. Full Story | Top |
| Pentagon report sees delays in testing of new Boeing tanker Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 08:10 PM PST A new Boeing Co aerial tanker that will refuel warplanes during flight is expected to see operational testing slip by at least 6 to 12 months, according to a U.S. Defense Department report due to be officially released on Wednesday. The $52 billion KC-46 tanker program, one of the Pentagon's biggest arms programs, calls for Boeing to deliver the first 18 of 179 new planes to the Air Force by 2017 to replace the current fleet of 50-year-old KC-135 tankers. The new report by the Pentagon's chief weapons tester, Michael Gilmore, said Boeing and the Air Force needed more time to complete developmental testing and initial training before operational testing could begin. Full Story | Top |
| Text of Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 08:08 PM PST Following is a text of the annual State of the Union address delivered by U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, my fellow Americans, today in America, a teacher spent extra time with a student who needed it and did her part to lift America's graduation rate to its highest levels in more than three decades. (APPLAUSE) An autoworker fine-tuned some of the best, most fuel-efficient cars in the world and did his part to help America wean itself off foreign oil. And in tight-knit communities all across America, fathers and mothers will tuck in their kids, put an arm around their spouse, remember fallen comrades, and give thanks for being home from a war that, after 12 long years, is finally coming to an end. Full Story | Top |
| U.N. envoy urges action on Yemen, Security Council to draft resolution Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 08:01 PM PST  By Louis Charbonneau UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations' envoy on Yemen urged the Security Council on Tuesday to "do its part" in helping stop those attempting to obstruct the Yemeni transition, which diplomats said was a call for possible sanctions against former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Jordan's U.N. ambassador and president of the Security Council this month, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein, told reporters that the council would start "drafting a resolution in the coming days which will support the wishes and aspirations of the government and people of Yemen." "Council members also expressed their readiness to look into taking measures against any side that attempts to place obstacles to subvert," stability in Yemen, Prince Zeid told reporters. Full Story | Top |
| Factbox: Quotes from President Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 07:30 PM PST Selected quotes from U.S. President Barack Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday: * "After five years of grit and determined effort, the United States is better positioned for the 21st century than any other nation on Earth." * "Let's make this a year of action. That's what most Americans want - for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations." * "... America does not stand still - and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that's what I'm going to do." * "... I will act on my own to slash bureaucracy and streamline the permitting process for key projects, so we can get more construction workers on the job as fast as possible." * "We need to work together on tools like bipartisan trade promotion authority to protect our workers, protect our environment, and open new markets to new goods stamped 'Made in the USA.' China and Europe aren't standing on the sidelines. Full Story | Top |
| Indonesians still world's most bullish consumers, Americans less upbeat: survey Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 07:02 PM PST  The Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index stayed at 94 in the fourth quarter for a third straight quarter, but was up 3 points from the same period a year earlier. Consumer sentiment in the United States slipped four points from a six-year high in the third quarter although it was five points higher than in the fourth quarter of 2012. "The lack of additional recent improvement in U.S. consumer sentiment is, in some measure, surprising given the improvements in employment, stock market values and housing that occurred over 2013," said Venkatesh Bala, chief economist at The Cambridge Group, a part of Nielsen. "It is likely that this is a reflection of the uneven manner in which such gains have been made, and also that levels of underemployment and long-term unemployment remain high, with many workers remaining discouraged and not participating in the workforce." In Japan, stock market gains did seem to have an impact, Nielsen said, helping consumer confidence jump by 6 points from the third quarter to its highest level since 2005. Full Story | Top |
| Mexico launches anti-kidnapping squad after abductions soar Tuesday, Jan 28, 2014 06:55 PM PST  Mexico's government on Tuesday created an anti-kidnapping agency after abductions soared 20 percent last year despite President Enrique Pena Nieto's vow to reduce the crime. The new department will answer to the country's interior ministry, where Pena Nieto has centered his anti-crime programs after his predecessor relied on police and the military. Government data showed that reported kidnapping jumped to 1,695 cases last year compared with 1,407 in 2012 in an embarrassment for Pena Nieto, who said he would shift the government's focus from hunting drug lords to reducing kidnappings and extortion. Since taking office in December 2012, Pena Nieto has sought to draw public attention to his efforts to reform the economy and away from grisly violence that has killed more than 80,000 people since his predecessor, Felipe Calderon, launched a military offensive against drug cartels seven years ago. Full Story | Top |
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