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IMF warns UK against continuing austerity programme

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:53:31 -0400

LONDON In a critique of the United Kingdom's austerity programme, the International Monetary Fund Wednesday urged the Europe's third largest economy to rebalance the policy to make the transition to a high-investment and more export-oriented economy. "The UK could boost growth by bringing forward measures already included in its fiscal plan, such as spending on infrastructure and job skills," ...

Barroro voices concern over estimated one trillion euro tax evasion

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:12:09 -0400

BRUSSELS - Voicing concern about tax evasion that is estimated at one trillion euros, European Commission President Jose-Manuel Barroso said Tuesday that EU leaders will meet at a one-day summit on Wednesday to negotiate solution. The European Union can't afford to let tax evasion go on the way it is. Such large amounts of money, currently sitting in tax havens, would be greatly beneficial ...

German central bank sees signals of economic pick up in Q2

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:04:27 -0400

FRANKFURT - Germany's central bank Deutsche Bundesbank expects the country's economy to improve "markedly" in the second quarter relying on signals of pick up in industrial orders and likelihood of weather related downturn in construction sector no longer impacting investment sentiments a development that could boost the wider eurozone as it struggles to get out of recession. "Overall ...

U.S. dollar slips against euro after Fed official remarks

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:50:03 -0400

Beijing, May 22 (Xinhua-ANI): The U.S. dollar advanced against most major currencies on Tuesday, but weakened against the euro after a U.S. Federal Reserve official indicated that the central bank may not taper its bond-purchasing program soon. St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard said at an event in Frankfurt that the Fed should continue with the quantitative easing to boost ...

Live chat Xboxs Major Nelson takes questions

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:21:23 -0400

teasing several new games and entertainment features .We're sure you still have several questions about the new Xbox, so we thought we'd bring in someone who definitely knows his stuff. At 4PM ...

Government consultants can be paid additional €20000 ‘expertise allowance’

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:21:40 -0400

Its no wonder that Muscat never mentioned PERKS in the last campaign ! Perks for politicians, chairpersons, CEOs and top government officials topple their salaries in value ...

House subcommittee moves to curb military sexual assaults

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:09:08 -0400

View Photo Associated Press/Michael Dwyer, File - FILE - In this June 2, 2012 file photo, House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Niki Tsongas, D-Mass. speaks in Springfield, Mass. Determined to check the growing ...

Russian punk band member goes on hunger strike

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:09:07 -0400

View Photo Reuters/Reuters - Jailed Pussy Riot punk rock group member Maria Alyokhina is seen on a monitor, as she takes part in a video conference from the penal colony, inside the courtroom during a hearing in the ...

Boy Scout leaders convene in Texas to vote on gay ban

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:09:05 -0400

View Photo Associated Press/Richard Rodriguez - FILE - Clockwise from left, Boy Scouts Eric Kusterer, Jacob Sorah, James Sorah, Micah Brownlee and Cub Scout John Sorah hold signs at the "Save Our Scouts" Prayer ...

Italian machines reject euro

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:59:25 -0400

Italy , people are having trouble using its newest note to make some payments.Brought into circulation on 2 May, the new EUR5 note was praised for its enhanced security features, which the European Central Bank (ECB) said would help combat forgery. The other denominations in the Europa series of notes will be introduced over the next few years.However, in Italy, the new note is reportedly being ...

Enemalta told it stood to lose €2 million in pursuing BWSC claim

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:08:57 -0400

The Opposition accused the government of having relinquished the right to contest up to €9 million in claims from BWSC, and asked for the settlement agreement to be tabled in the House, along with documentation on the legal and technical advice submitted to Mizzi, and whether the Attorney General was consulted, as well as asking why Mizzi did not allow Enemalta to independently pursue ...

Police recover backpacks of 2 kidnapped Iowa girls

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:51:11 -0400

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Investigators have recovered the backpacks of the two Iowa girls who were kidnapped Monday while they continue to search for 15-year-old Kathlynn ...

Oklahoma tornado damage could cost more than $2 billion

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:56:45 -0400

MOORE, Okla. - The cost of a massive tornado that battered an Oklahoma City suburb could be more than $2 billion, according to a preliminary official estimate announced Wednesday. State authorities meanwhile said two infants were among the 24 people who perished in the twister.Oklahoma Insurance Department spokeswoman Calley Herth told The Associated Press that the early damage tally is based on ...

FTSE sets new 13-year high

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:52:35 -0400

London - Growth sensitive sectors drove Britain's top share index to fresh 13-year highs, receiving a boost after the top US central banker reaffirmed his commitment to continued ...

Euro Zone Deficits Are Narrowing Thanks To Lack Of Borrowing Sources And Exports

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:48:25 -0400

Euro zone countries hit hardest by the sovereign debt crisis have significantly narrowed their deficits over the past year, as sign that - despite the social unrest and steep cuts to social spending in countries including Greece and Spain - austerity is having the desired effect in terms of account ...

‘I have not done anything wrong’

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:42:25 -0400

Lois Lerner, the Internal Revenue Service official in charge of approving applications for tax-exempt status, denied wrongdoing in response to accusations that the IRS targeted conservative organizations seeking nonprofit status for heavier scrutiny between 2010 and 2012. "I have not done anything wrong," Lerner told the House Oversight Committee during a hearing about the IRS' ...

New Issue-KDB prices 500 mln euro 2018 bond

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:39:38 -0400

Wed May 22, 2013 12:39pm EDT May 22 (Reuters) -Following are terms and conditions of a bond priced on Wednesday. Borrower Korea Development Bank (KDB) Issue Amount 500 million ...

Fiat Industrial says 500 million euro tax loss reports false

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:35:04 -0400

FIA.MI ) said reports that Italy would lose more than 500 million euros in tax receipts as a result of its moving fiscal domicile to the UK after a merger with unit CNH ...

Turkish dollar euro debt to join some Barclays global indices June 1

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:32:32 -0400

LONDON | Wed May 22, 2013 12:32pm EDT LONDON May 22 (Reuters) - Turkish sovereign dollar- and euro-denominated bonds will join a group of Barclays global indices on June 1, following Moody's decision last week to award the country its second investment grade credit rating. Barclays will include 24 Turkish sovereign hard currency bonds with a market value of $57.2 billion in its ...

German-French plan to help jobless

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:39:55 -0400

unemployment has become a pressing problem in many countries as economic belt-tightening continues.The German-French initiative comes at a time when both governments are under pressure: Germany faces criticism of its austerity-heavy remedy for Europe's debt crisis, while France has gone ...

Vanguard chooses FTSE indexes for 4 new ETF equity funds

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:39:46 -0400

BOSTON | Wed May 22, 2013 11:39am EDT BOSTON May 22 (Reuters) - Vanguard Group, one of the largest managers of exchange-traded funds, will use stock market indexes from FTSE Group for four new funds based in Ireland, the companies said on Wednesday. Vanguard, which oversees about $288 billion in ETFs, said it would use indexes from FTSE for Irish-domiciled funds covering developed ...

IRS official refuses to answer questions at scandal hearing

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:30:19 -0400

View Photo Reuters/Reuters - U.S. Director of Exempt Organizations for the Internal Revenue Service, Lois Lerner, takes her seat before a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on alleged targeting ...

Artist Ai Weiwei uses music to mock state power in China

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:30:18 -0400

View Photo Associated Press - Artist Ai Weiwei speaks to journalists at his studio in Beijing, China, Wednesday, May 22, 2013. Ai's music video accompanying his heavy metal single "Dumbass'' released Wednesday ...

Dubai authorities seize shipment of 259 elephant tusks

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:30:16 -0400

IFAW ) said in a statement that the container came from Mombasa in Kenya. Poaching has risen in recent years across sub-Saharan Africa, where well-armed criminal gangs have killed elephants and rhinos for tusks that are often shipped to Asia for use in ornaments and some medicines. The UAE ministry said the shipment, containing 259 pieces of ivory, was discovered by customs officials ...

Bernanke offers no hint of pullback in Fed stimulus

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:23:00 -0400

Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank Ben Bernanke attends the Treasury Department's Financial Stability Oversight Council in Washington April 25, ...

U.S. Senate leader eases pressure on Myanmar

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:09:35 -0400

Thein Sein and said he's seen significant progress in political and economic reforms. However, he also said he had concerns about the security situation in Myanmar. McConnell, R-Ky., who sponsored legislation that placed economic sanctions on Myanmar, said he wasn't going to press the issue further because of political reforms. "I will not be making an effort to renew those ...

Euro falls to session low vs dollar

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:06:50 -0400

NEW YORK | Wed May 22, 2013 11:06am EDT NEW YORK May 22 (Reuters) - The euro fell to a session low against the dollar on Wednesday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned that holding interest rates too low for too long has its risks. Trading was volatile with investors first selling, then buying the dollar as they digested Bernanke's testimony to Congress. The euro was ...

Monaco €1 billion reclamation plan for luxury homes district

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:36:07 -0400

Monaco plans to reclaim six hectares of land from the Mediterranean to build a new district of luxury apartment blocks, shops and offices. Patrice Coppee / ...

European Union Leaders Meet on Tax Avoidance

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:31:09 -0400

BRUSSELS -- European Union leaders gathered here Wednesday for a one-day meeting focused on tax avoidance, amid mounting indignation over reports that American companies including Apple had sheltered profits in member states like ...

FBI kills man suspected of ties to Boston bomb suspect

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:28:11 -0400

Boston Marathon bombings early on Wednesday, NBC News reported.NBC said the suspect was being questioned and was originally cooperative, but was fatally shot after attacking the ...

Wall St opens higher ahead of Ben Bernanke testimony

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:27:14 -0400

22 May 2013 US stocks edged higher at the open on Wednesday, ahead of highly anticipated testimony in Congress by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on the economy and monetary ...

FOREX-Dollar declines vs euro before Bernanke testimony

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:23:50 -0400

* Dollar eases, investors await Bernanke for cues * BOJ upgrades economic assessment, stands pat as expected * Euro hits 3-1/2 year high vs yen, 2-year peak against Swissie NEW YORK, May 22 (Reuters) - The dollar fell against the euro for a third day on Wednesday as investors trimmed their bets on ...

Iberdrola Said to Lower Borrowing Costs on 3 Billion-Euro Loan

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:23:49 -0400

Iberdrola SA (IBE) got lender backing to increase a 1.5 billion-euro ($1.9 billion) credit line by 750 million euros and reduce a more expensive term loan by the same amount, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Spanish utility, which is facing declining revenues in its domestic ...

FTSE dips below 6800 Lloyds boosted by regulator

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:23:48 -0400

12:42pm BST The FTSE 100 retreated from the 13-year high it closed at last night after minutes from the Bank of England showed the monetary policy committee remains opposed to extending quantitative easing, or money printing, to boost the economy. The blue chip index gave up 14 points or 0.2% to ...

Tornando survivors try to recover

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:17:14 -0400

A group of men pray with tornado survivor Tim Wardwell. (Jason Sickles/Yahoo News) MOORE, Okla. -- Atop a pile of rubble that had been his home, Tim Wardwell choked back tears. A group of strangers prayed with him and gave thanks that he wasn't among the 24 tornado fatalities. "I don't know how I'm here, dude," Wardwell told Yahoo News. Wardwell and his wife, Kelsey, ...

Obesity costing Irish economy more than €1bn per year

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:03:29 -0400

Leading health experts say obesity is costing the Irish economy more than EUR1bn every year. That is according to data being examined at a conference at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in Dublin today. More than 60% of Irish people are now overweight or obese, an issue delegates say is causing a number of diseases including diabetes, heart disease and multiple types of cancer. Dr Anne ...

Euro climbs to one-week high vs dollar ahead of Bernanke

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:53:43 -0400

NEW YORK | Wed May 22, 2013 9:53am EDT NEW YORK May 22 (Reuters) - The euro climbed to a one-week high against the dollar and a fresh 3-1/2-year high against the yen on Wednesday ahead of testimony from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. The euro was last up $1.2949, up 0.3 percent after climbing as high as $1.2958. The euro rose as high as 133.45 yen . Bernanke testifies to ...

Credit rating firms sow doubt on euro zone bond rally

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:18:29 -0400

By Marius ZahariaLONDON (Reuters) - Credit rating firms say they could further downgrade the ratings of highly indebted euro zone countries, putting their bonds at risk of being pitched out of global indexes and reversing a fall in their borrowing costs.The view from the rating firms contrasts with the sanguine attitude of investors who, flush with central bank cash and reassured by the European ...

Eurozone The troika pulls its separate ways

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:03:38 -0400

a report on the actions of the troika published in May. On the ground, says Mr Sapir, the technical teams know how to smooth out differences and work in harmony. At the political level, though, the collaboration is less in evidence. In Brussels, no one dares openly criticise the IMF, whose presence at the table is acknowledged as a guarantee of credibility. The participation of the fund, ...

EU leaders shine spotlight on Apple Amazon Google over tax policy

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:58:22 -0400

Britain , France and the United States exposing how little tax major international companies have been paying by carefully structuring their European operations has forced the issue to the top of the agenda.France and Britain in particular have grown concerned by the sheer scale of the legal tax schemes, with a U.S. investigation revealing on Monday ...

4m euro facelift for Grafton Street

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:53:05 -0400

Over the next 18 months broken red bricks on the capital's premier shopping street will be replaced by natural granite, some from the Dublin and Wicklow mountains.The work will begin in early June and be carried out in five stages to finish in time ...

Grafton St all set for €4m facelift

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:34:54 -0400

Work on a facelift for Dublin's Grafton Street begins in June. The 4 million Euro project will take 18 months to complete with an 8 week break over Christmas. Work begins at the St. Stephens Green end of the street, to Chatham Street and then Trinity College end in September. All work will be completed by November ...

Britains FTSE slips on profit-taking at 13-year highs

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:28:44 -0400

* FTSE 100 down 0.1 percent* Investors pocket gains in tech and luxury sectors* Federal Reserve monetary support seen continuing* FTSE 100 has further to go - Credit SuisseBy Alistair SmoutLONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 weakened ...

Bulgarian energy firm BEH to meet investors for 250 mln Euro bond

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:14:06 -0400

SOFIA | Wed May 22, 2013 6:14am EDT SOFIA May 22 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's BEH, the state largest energy holding company, will meet with potential investors in its 250-million-euro ($321.81 million) bond issue in late July and early August, its chief executive said on Wednesday. BEH, which picked Citigroup to lead manage the bond issue, needs to refinance debt and invest in gas ...

Syrian opposition urges rebels to join key battle

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:48:27 -0400

BEIRUT -; Syria's main opposition group is urging rebels to come from around the country to reinforce Qusair, a western town under attack by Syrian troops and members of Lebanon's Hezbollah ...

Garcetti builds lead as L.A. picks new mayor

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:32:19 -0400

View Photo Associated Press - File-This file combo shows a Feb. 20, 2013 file photo of Los Angeles mayoral candidate Eric Garcetti speaking to media in Los Angeles, left, and undated image provided by the Wendy ...

Eurozone current account surplus grows ECB

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:17:19 -0400

The high current account deficit will persist as long as we live in a world of low growth - that hurts our exports - and easy global liquidity, which pumps up the oil import ...

CORRECTED-FTSE edges down awaits U.S. stimulus clues

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:48:20 -0400

Wed May 22, 2013 6:30am EDT (corrects highest ever FTSE closing level in par 3) * FTSE 100 down 0.3 percent at 6,786.98 * Investors await FED minutes on stimulus measures * Kazakmys and ENRC fall on bid uncertainty * ARM falls post investor day on earnings uncertainty * Lloyds rises as it allays fears of an equity raise By David Brett LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 weakened ...

Immigration bill heads to full Senate

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:40:45 -0400

FILE - In this May 20, 2013 file photo, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., left, confers with Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., center, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., as the Senate Judiciary Committee assembled to work on a landmark immigration bill to secure the border and offer citizenship to millions, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Leading senators working on immigration ...

600 police photos of Tucson rampage scene released

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:40:45 -0400

In this image released by the Pima County Sheriff's department, police notes are seen scrawled on the trunk of a police car, in the aftermath of the Tucson shooting rampage that killed six people and wounded former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 12 others in January 2011. Authorities released more than 300 photos on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, made by investigators during their investigation in ...

Irans Ahmadinejad denounces election decision

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:40:44 -0400

TEHRAN, Iran -; Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says a decision by election overseers to disqualify his top aide from an upcoming presidential race is an act of "oppression" and he will take the case to the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali ...

ECB FOCUS-Target2 charts progress since Draghis save the euro pledge

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:36:59 -0400

By Sakari Suoninen FRANKFURT | Wed May 22, 2013 4:36am EDT FRANKFURT May 22 (Reuters) - Almost a year after ECB President Mario Draghi vowed to do whatever it takes to save the euro, a key indicator of euro zone tension is much diminished and economic recovery will likely bring further improvement. Little heard of before the debt crisis exploded, the currency area's Target2 payments ...

Shale Gas Could Be UKs New North Sea

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:31:12 -0400

Shale gas development in the U.K. could create 74,000 jobs and halve the country's future dependency on gas imports, according to a new report by the Institute of Directors, a U.K. business lobbying group. "Shale gas could be a new North Sea for Britain, creating tens of thousands of jobs, supporting our manufacturers and reducing gas imports," said Corin Taylor, a senior economic ...

Afghan students protest womens rights decree

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:59:57 -0400

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Hard-line Islamist students are protesting in the Afghan capital demanding the repeal of a presidential decree for women's rights that they say is ...

FTSE edges down in early trading as investors await clues from US

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:27:44 -0400

FTSE 100 endured early weakness this morning, having hit 13-year highs in the previous session, as investors trade cautiously awaiting further clues from the ...

Turkey tries wealth amnesty to lure back offshore cash with 2pc tax rate

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:27:44 -0400

Daren Butler - 22 May 2013 THE Turkish parliament has passed a "wealth amnesty" law designed to lure back funds held abroad by affluent Turks without punitive taxes and ...

Europe Needs Big Reforms Bank of Canadas Carney

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:24:04 -0400

Europe could face a decade of stagnation unless it makes big reforms and should heed the lessons of Japan, Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney said on Tuesday as he highlighted Japan's bold moves to bolster growth.In his final speech as Canadian central bank chief before taking over the Bank of England on July 1, Carney said Europe's recessionary economy is being held back by fiscal ...

Officials say Benghazi suspects under surveillance

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:21:11 -0400

Five men are under round-the-clock U.S. surveillance in Libya, wanted for questioning in the attack last year on the diplomatic mission in Benghazi, ...

Anthony Weiner launches bid to become NYC mayor

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:18:17 -0400

Anthony Weiner 's run for a renaissance is officially on. The ex-congressman whose career imploded in a rash of raunchy tweets two years ago said in a YouTube video announcement late Tuesday that he's in the New York City mayoral race. He'd said last month he was considering it. "I made some big mistakes and I know I let a lot of people down, but I also learned some tough ...

Apple paid €5m to Dutch tax authorities last year Volkskrant

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:18:18 -0400

Computer giant Apple, under fire at home in the US for avoiding tax, paid an estimated €5m to the Dutch tax office last year, according to calculations by the Volkskrant. ...

Early vote points to close race as L.A. picks mayor

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:11:36 -0400

Campaign of mayoral candidate Greuel meeting with voters. Despite the high stakes, the race has been a mostly low-drama affair between two government regulars. In a city known to yawn at local politics, turnout is expected to be sparse, perhaps only one in four voters will go to the polls. (AP ...

Up to 30 hurt in crash in northwest Ohio

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:11:32 -0400

Bowling Green was closed for a couple hours following Tuesday night's crash, but has since been reopened. Initial reports indicated that the passengers of the two vehicles were taken to local hospitals but were not badly hurt. Toledo News Now reports that a Toyota Camry was rear-ended by a bus transporting employees of ...

Gucci bags luxury gains at LVs expense

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:12:42 -0400

LVMH remains the most valuable luxury brand for an eighth straight year, rivals are better managing the trade-off between exclusivity and affordability, according to the report.The value ...

Companies give €21m to charity

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:12:41 -0400

22 May 2013 OVER EUR21m was donated by 46 of Ireland's largest companies to charities and community groups last year, according to new research. Business in the Community Ireland has launched an interactive online map, which gives a county-by-county breakdown of how much companies and employees supported their local community groups and charities in ...

Shake-up at Intel as CEO creates new devices unit

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:12:41 -0400

Intel 's new chief executive, Brian Krzanich, has reorganised key business groups and created a "new devices" unit, according to a source who has seen an internal email, shaking up the world's top chipmaker days after formally assuming ...

Bankers face tighter curbs on bonuses in EU shake-up

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:12:40 -0400

Ben Moshinsky - 22 May 2013 Bankers who make more than their bosses could be ensnared by European Union bonus curbs even if their total pay is less than EUR500,000, under proposals from the EU's top regulator of the ...

Markets nervous over US fears

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:12:40 -0400

John Mulligan - 22 May 2013 EUROPEAN stock markets were nervous throughout yesterday, amid fears that the US could begin reining in stimulus tools designed to kick-start growth in the world's largest ...

Germans upbeat on spring growth after cold winter

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:12:39 -0400

Bundesbank said Germany's economic recovery will gather pace in the current quarter after an exceptionally long winter damped growth at the beginning of the ...

Marks Spencer sees shares surge despite lowest profits in four years

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:12:39 -0400

John Mulligan - 22 May 2013 Shares in Marks & Spencer soared over 6pc yesterday even after it reported its lowest profits in four ...

Mysterious respiratory illness kills 2 in southeast Alabama

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:52:20 -0400

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A mysterious respiratory illness has left five people hospitalized and two dead in southeast Alabama, state health officials said Tuesday. Seven people have been admitted to hospitals with a fever, cough and shortness of breath in recent weeks, Alabama Department of Public Health spokeswoman Mary McIntyre said in a statement. Two of the seven have died. The Alabama ...

Portland Ore. rejecting water fluoridation

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:09:56 -0400

PORTLAND, Ore. -; Residents are voting to keep Portland, Ore., as the largest U.S. city without fluoride in the water or any plans to add ...

Oklahoma short on storm shelters

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:53:51 -0400

Oklahoma know all too well the destructive power of a tornado, but when a big one rolled toward the town of Moore again on Monday, residents had few basements ...

Immigration bill clears key Senate panel

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:53:50 -0400

Senate Judiciary Committee 's action, saying the bill was consistent with the goals he has expressed. "I encourage the full Senate to bring this bipartisan bill to the floor at the earliest possible opportunity and remain hopeful that the amendment process will lead to further improvements," Obama said in a statement released by the White House. By a vote of 13-5, the Senate ...

Freeport Indonesia Death toll rises to 28 after tunnel accident

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:53:47 -0400

View Photo Reuters/Reuters - Workers from Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc gather during a protest over an accident where 39 workers attending an underground training were trapped when a tunnel collapsed, at Mile ...

Rare Harry Potter first edition fetches record auction price

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:53:44 -0400

Rare "Harry Potter" first edition fetches record auction price (Reuters) - A unique first edition of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" annotated by author J.K. Rowling has sold for a record 150,000 pounds ($227,421) at ...

Lawyer No background check done on Jacksons doctor

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:53:42 -0400

AEG claiming it failed to properly investigate Murray, who was deeply in debt when he agreed to serve as Jackson's tour physician in 2009 for $150,000 a month. Trell said he thought a background check would be appropriate for people working in financial roles, but not tour personnel who weren't employees of AEG. Murray's employment status is a central issue in the ...

Oil Prices Have Been Rigged For Years European Union Just Now Starting To Investigate

Tue, 21 May 2013 22:47:08 -0400

they’re launching an investigation into the rigging of oil prices. It’s long been known that much of what drives the price of oil, and therefore gasoline, food, and other products, is not the free market, but rather, the biggest players in the oil market, and yet this has largely gone untouched while people throw blame here, there and everywhere for the high price of gasoline. The ...

North Korean leader sends special envoy for leader Kim Jong Un to China

Tue, 21 May 2013 22:46:00 -0400

Choe Ryong Hae . There were no other details. Choe is the North Korea military's top political officer tasked with supervising the 1.2-million-strong force. China is North Korea's only major political and economic benefactor. Beijing has faced pressure from Washington to use its influence to ...

Pentagon seeks $450M for Guantanamo

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:24:48 -0400

out from a tower at the detention facility of Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base in Cuba. The Pentagon is asking Congress for more than $450 million for maintaining and upgrading the Guantanamo Bay prison that President Barack Obama wants to close. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, ...

Coast Guardsman admits desertion in Hawaii

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:24:43 -0400

desertion Tuesday, saying he left work one day, decided never to return and spent the next three months camping in the mountains of Oahu. Petty Officer 1st ...

Senate panel approves sweeping immigration bill

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:14:18 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday approved legislation that would bring about the biggest changes in U.S. immigration policy in a generation, setting up a spirited debate in the full Senate next ...

Dollar gains on yen falls against euro

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:32:55 -0400

The dollar has firmed against most other major currencies except the euro on the eve of Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke's much-anticipated testimony to Congress.The euro rose to $1.2906 around 2100 GMT on Tuesday, up from $1.2884 at the same time late on Monday.The dollar strengthened against the Japanese currency, to 102.47 yen from 102.26 at the same time late Monday, while the euro ...

Ark. treasurer resigns amid charges she took cash

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:28:20 -0400

Arkansas' state treasurer resigned Tuesday after being accused of taking at least $36,000 in cash - sometimes stashed in a pie box - from a broker who later came to manage a large share of the state's $3.3 billion investment ...

Gay teen faces charges for contact with underage girlfriend

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:16:49 -0400

MIAMI (AP) -- An 18-year-old Florida cheerleader is facing felony charges that she had sexual contact with her underage, 14-year-old girlfriend, ...

As U.S. struggles with Syria policy Senate panel backs arming rebels

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:06:12 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Senate panel voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to send weapons to rebels fighting Syria's government, but it was not clear who would get the arms even if the bill succeeds, as Washington struggles to deal with its response to the ...

Dow Jones industrial average posts 22nd high of the year

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:57:14 -0400

Federal Reserve presidents and sent the Dow Jones industrial average to its 22nd high of the year Tuesday. Regional Fed Presidents James Bullard ...

Man pleads guilty in Picasso vandalism case

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:20:48 -0400

HOUSTON -; A man accused of vandalizing a 1929 Pablo Picasso painting in an act that was caught on cellphone video has pleaded guilty in exchange for a two-year prison ...

I just felt totally helpless’

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:05:17 -0400

A downed utility pole along May Avenue in South Oklahoma City. (Holly Bailey/Yahoo News) OKLAHOMA CITY--Anthony Connel was sitting in traffic off of South 149th Street, about a mile from his home, when he saw it happen: A dark black cloud, so ominous and wide that it didn't even look like a tornado, dropped to the ground--and headed straight for his house. Connel, a sales manager at ...

IRS Lerner refuses to testify before Congress

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:05:16 -0400

Internal Revenue Service official Lois Lerner, who leads the exempt organizations division under scrutiny for targeting conservative groups that applied for tax-exempt status, is refusing to testify before Congress, the Los Angeles Times reports. Lerner was supposed to appear before the House Oversight Committee Wednesday. ...

Huge search underway for missing Iowa teen

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:05:15 -0400

massive search was underway Tuesday for a 15-year-old girl abducted near an Iowa bus stop, after authorities said a man who is suspected of taking her and another girl was found dead. Dozens of federal, state and local law enforcement are searching by air, land and water ...

Jodi Arias now asks Arizona jury to spare her death penalty

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:58:09 -0400

1 of 3. Jodi Arias addresses the jury during the penalty phase of her murder trial at Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix, Arizona May 21, ...

Britain asks EU to put Hezbollah military on terrorist list

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:43:38 -0400

Hezbollah 's military sector a terrorist organization. The request, which is scheduled to be informally discussed at an EU meeting in Brussels Wednesday, and officially taken up on June 4, could open the way for sanctions to curtail Hezbollah activity in Europe if successful, the British newspaper The Financial Times reported Tuesday. Motivated by an investigation that blamed Hezbollah for ...

Senate panel approves weapons for Syrian rebels- Israeli military chief issues stark warning on Syria

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:00:01 -0400

A Senate panel has voted to provide weapons to rebels battling the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The vote by the Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday marked the first time that lawmakers have backed the aggressive military step of arming vetted opposition forces. The vote was 15-3. The United Nations estimates that more than 70,000 people have been killed after more than two years ...

ESPN cutting workforce as it looks to smartly manage costs

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:52:06 -0400

Disney division to reduce staff. "We are implementing changes across the company to enhance our continued growth while smartly managing costs," the sports media giant said in a statement Tuesday. "While difficult, we are confident that it will make us more competitive, innovative and productive." The company would not say how many jobs are being eliminated, but they include ...

President appoints commission to improve election procedures

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:52:05 -0400

to improve election systems in the United States . "As I said in my State of the Union Address, when any American, no matter where they live or what their party, is denied that right [to vote] simply because too many obstacles stand in their way, we are betraying our ideals," Obama said in a statement Tuesday. "We have an obligation to ensure that all eligible voters have the ...

Feds Bullard recommends euro zone consider quantitative easing

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:00:46 -0400

By Paul Carrel and Eva KuehnenFRANKFURT (Reuters) - A top U.S. Federal Reserve official urged the European Central Bank on Tuesday to consider employing a U.S.-style quantitative easing programme to counter slowing inflation and recession in the euro zone.The ECB has engaged in bond purchases in the past but has always withdrawn an equivalent amount of money from markets to ensure its ...

Hope for Euro breakthrough on visa-free travel for Emiratis next year

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:00:10 -0400

ABU DHABI // The European Parliament will consider granting Emiratis visa-free entry to the European Schengen area next year, the Foreign Minister told the FNC yesterday. Over the past year the UAE has increased its efforts to win visa-free entry to the Schengen area - a group of 26 countries in western Europe. In February, Sheikh Abdullah Al Hamed, undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign ...

FTSE 100 within sight of all-time high

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:49:29 -0400

The London stock market is within sight of its all-time closing high after another surge in share prices on Tuesday.After drifting for much of the day, the FTSE 100 index of Britain's top companies made a late rally to close 48.24 points higher at 6803.87. This marked its best level for more than 13 years and left the index just 130 points below the peak reached on 30 December 1999 at the ...

Vodafone blames eurozone crisis for massive fall in annual profit

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:45:42 -0400

LONDON--British mobile phone giant Vodafone reported a 90-percent plunge in annual net profit on Tuesday after taking a vast impairment charge relating to businesses in debt-laden eurozone nations Italy and ...

FBI identifies Benghazi suspects but no arrests yet

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:39:48 -0400

night of Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012, in Benghazi, Libya. The U.S. has identified five men they believe might be behind the attack on the diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, last year, and have enough evidence to justify seizing them by military force as suspected terrorists _ but not enough proof to try them in a U.S. civilian criminal court, the process the Obama administration prefers, U.S. ...

And Super Bowl 50 goes to ...

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:39:46 -0400

51st Super Bowls on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at their spring meetings. The San Francisco area, where the new stadium is being built in Santa Clara, and South Florida are competing for the the 50th edition, to be held in February 2016. The loser in that bidding will go against Houston to host the 51st game the following year.(AP Photo/San Francisco 49ers) NO ...

Police defend officer who shot N.Y. college student

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:39:44 -0400

View Photo Associated Press/Sleepy Hollow High School - CORRECTS SPELLING OF LAST NAME -- In this photo copied from the 2010 Sleepy Hollow High School yearbook, high school student Andrea Rebello is shown. Police ...

Fitch U.S. Money Funds Return to Eurozone Banks

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:30:28 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 3:30pm EDT (The following statement was released by the rating agency) NEW YORK, May 21 (Fitch) U.S. prime money market funds (MMFs) increased their exposure to eurozone banks in April, although asset allocations to these institutions remain well below 2011 levels, according to Fitch Ratings. As of end-April 2013, MMF allocations to eurozone banks represented 15.1% of assets ...

PRECIOUS-Gold trims losses as euro firms ahead of Bernanke testimony

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:22:23 -0400

* Euro rises to session high vs dollar * Gold's appeal hurt by fears the Fed will ease stimulus * Spot silver cuts loss to 0.6 percent, platinum to 1.65 pct (Recasts, updates prices, adds comments, adds byline, changes dateline (previous LONDON) By Carole Vaporean and Clara Denina NEW YORK/LONDON, May 21 (Reuters) - Gold trimmed its losses on Tuesday as the euro regained strength ...

France Tel to invest up to 50 million euro in Dailymotion report

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:43:25 -0400

PARIS | Tue May 21, 2013 2:43pm EDT PARIS (Reuters) - France Telecom plans to invest between 30 and 50 million euros ($64 million) in its video-sharing website Dailymotion and begin a fresh search for a partner in the autumn, its chief executive said on Tuesday. Stephane Richard also said in an interview with RTL radio that "the door is not closed" to Yahoo Inc, which had been in ...

Enemalta paid BWSC €8 million extra for Delimara services never carried out

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:39:09 -0400

Energy minister reveals that Enemalta never pursued EUR4 million claim against BWSC for turbine damage because legal consultants felt legal grounds were too ...

Shulman Not responsible for IRS lookout list

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:25:28 -0400

Former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman is sworn in prior to testifying before the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday. … Former Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Douglas Shulman said that he was "not personally responsible" for the agency's practice of placing elevated scrutiny on conservative groups that applied for nonprofit status, but that he regrets it occurred ...

Arias tells jury she can still contribute to society

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:25:26 -0400

View Photo Associated Press - Jodi Arias looks at her family on Monday, May 20, 2013 during the penalty phase of her murder trial at Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix, Ariz. Arias was convicted of ...

Accused Fort Hood shooter draws salary while victims struggle

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:25:25 -0400

Nidal Hasan (Bell County Sheriff's Office handout/Reuters) Soldiers wounded in the Fort Hood shooting spree in November 2009 have a new problem on their hands: getting the shooting's classification changed from "workplace violence" to "combat related." As reported by Dallas-Fort ...

German economy to improve ‘markedly’

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:18:26 -0400

Frankfurt - Germany's central bank expects the country's economy to improve ';markedly'; in the second quarter - a development that could boost the wider eurozone as it struggles to get out of ...

Senators reach deal to ease high tech rules in US immigration bill

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:17:46 -0400

21 May 2013 US senators reached a tentative deal with tech companies to ease restrictions on hiring foreigners for high-skilled jobs in the Senate's sweeping immigration bill, sources familiar with the talks said on ...

FEIBaruch Survey CFO Economic Optimism Declines as Concerns over Eurozone Remain

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:13:15 -0400

- CFO Hiring Plans Down from Last Quarter - - U.S. CFOs Feel Impact of Healthcare Reform on Insurance Coverage - PR Newswire MORRISTOWN, N.J. and NEW YORK, May 21, 2013 MORRISTOWN, N.J. and NEW YORK, May 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Chief Financial Officers remain in a holding pattern in the first few ...

Okla. senator says aid should be paid for with cuts

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:06:46 -0400

tornado victims and to rebuild devastated areas of his state should be financed with cuts to other programs in the government's $3.6 trillion budget. Spokesman John Hart says it's a position Coburn has consistently held regarding federal spending on disasters dating to the 1995 bombing of ...

Protesters chant IRS has got to go in Cincinnati

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:06:44 -0400

Internal Revenue Service offices that handled group applications for tax-exempt status. IRS officials have acknowledged that some conservative groups received inappropriate attention and questioning. Tea party protests of the IRS also were planned in other cities across the country. Some recent IRS retirees in ...

Europes battle against 1 trillion euro tax evasion

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:53:56 -0400

10/04/2013 17:48 CET The European Union can’t afford to let tax evasion go on the way it is. That is why EU leaders will meet at a one-day summit in Brussels on Wednesday May 22 to try to negotiate a solution. Potential revenues that escape the net of tax collectors reportedly amount to one trillion euros. Such large amounts of money, currently sitting in tax havens, would be greatly ...

Man charged in death of missing Maine teenager

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:22 -0400

BANGOR, Maine -; A 20-year-old Maine man has been charged with murder in the death of a 15-year-old girl who was last seen more than a week ago, when she went to meet someone she befriended ...

PBS’s new head of drama on €28000 contract

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:07:20 -0400

Oh dear, cronyism rears it's ugly head again. I thought we'd seen the last of that kind of thing. + Moral, NEVER believe what a politician says; lying to the people is part of their ...

GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares flat ahead of Bernanke euro edges lower

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:50:07 -0400

* Shares flat ahead of Bernanke testimony on Wednesday, Home Depot rallies * Dollar index firmer, but down from near 3-year high * Yen dips after Japanese minister says seeks 'balance' for currency * Commodities fall, gold and oil weaker on the day By Ryan Vlastelica NEW YORK, May 21 (Reuters) - Stock markets around the world were little changed on Tuesday as investors awaited an update ...

Euro rallies to session high against the dollar

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:34:51 -0400

NEW YORK | Tue May 21, 2013 11:34am EDT NEW YORK May 21 (Reuters) - The euro rose to a session high against the dollar on Tuesday as investors positioned ahead of testimony from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Wednesday. Speculation the U.S. central bank will trim its bond purchases, or quantitative easing (QE), sooner than expected has mounted, given signs of an ...

Appeals court rules bin Laden death photos can stay secret

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:57:43 -0400

View Photo Reuters/Reuters - U.S. President Barack Obama (2nd L) and Vice President Joe Biden (L), along with members of the national security team, receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the ...

Immigration reform bill largely untouched going into fifth day of debate

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:57:42 -0400

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks on May 9. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) A bipartisan group of senators begin a fifth full day of debating changes to the immigration reform bill Tuesday. So far, the so-called mark-up process has left the sweeping overhaul of the nation's immigration laws--which would legalize most of the country's 11 million undocumented immigrants--largely untouched. On ...

Leading Senate Democrat IRS behavior intolerable

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:57:41 -0400

Montana Democrat says his committee will follow the facts wherever they lead. Scheduled to testify to Congress for the first time was former IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman, who headed the agency for most of the period when it was improperly focusing on the conservative ...

Extreme solar storm threatens Earths electrical grids

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:57:40 -0400

solar storm aimed at the Earth hits in just the right way, it could put interconnected electrical grids around the world at serious risk, experts say. In addition to creating beautiful auroras, ...

Vatican marks anniversary of 1972 attack on Michelangelos Pieta

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:57:39 -0400

View Photo Reuters/Reuters - A combo photo shows a detail view of the damaged Michelangelo's Pieta and it after restoration works at the Vatican. Forty-one years ago, a crazed Hungarian named Laszlo Toth jumped an ...