Reuters: Top News

Investigators examine fractured rail in Connecticut train crash

Sun, 19 May 2013 01:29:00 GMT

BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut (Reuters) - A fractured segment of track has been found on the rail line of a Metro-North passenger train from New York that derailed in Connecticut and struck another commuter train, injuring more than 70 people, investigators said on Saturday.

North Korea fires three short-range missiles

Sun, 19 May 2013 00:52:31 GMT

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired three short-range missiles from its east coast on Saturday, South Korea's Defence Ministry said, prompting Western powers to urge Pyongyang to exercise restraint.

Republican cites IRS scandal in close Virginia governor's race

Sat, 18 May 2013 22:08:47 GMT

RICHMOND, Virginia (Reuters) - Virginia Republicans on Saturday formally nominated Ken Cuccinelli for governor in the nation's marquee 2013 political race, and the conservative attorney general wasted no time reminding voters of the scandals facing President Barack Obama.

Thirteen killed, 10 police kidnapped in Iraq violence

Sat, 18 May 2013 18:29:46 GMT

RAMADI, Iraq (Reuters) - Suspected Sunni Muslim militants killed four state-backed Sunni fighters in Iraq on Saturday, security sources said, apparently viewing them as collaborators with the Shi'ite-led government of a nation plagued by sectarian hatred.

Investigators seek cause of New York commuter train crash

Sat, 18 May 2013 18:06:20 GMT

(Reuters) - Federal investigators on Saturday searched for the cause of a rush-hour train crash in Connecticut that injured dozens of people commuting home from New York City, three of them critically.

North Korea fires three short-range missiles

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:14:47 GMT

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired three short-range missiles from its east coast on Saturday, South Korea's Defence Ministry said, prompting Western powers to urge Pyongyang to exercise restraint.

Rome protest turns up heat on new PM Letta

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:58:52 GMT

ROME (Reuters) - Thousands of people protested in Rome on Saturday against austerity policies and high unemployment, urging new Prime Minister Enrico Letta to focus on creating jobs to help pull the country out of recession.

Enraged by kidnapping, Egyptian police block Gaza border

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:52:35 GMT

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian police angered by the kidnapping of seven colleagues by Islamist gunmen kept a crossing into the Gaza Strip closed again on Saturday, stranding hundreds of Palestinian travelers, witnesses said.

Germany's Merkel visits Pope, urges tougher market controls

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:26:52 GMT

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Pope Francis on Saturday and, apparently responding to his criticism of a heartless "dictatorship of the economy", called for stronger regulation of financial markets.

Bernanke upbeat on innovation outlook in commencement address

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:14:09 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke painted an upbeat picture on Saturday for the potential of innovation to lift living standards, delivering a sweeping look at the last 100 years that included memories of his 1963 South Carolina home.

Police clash with youth in Cairo after anti-Mursi protest

Sat, 18 May 2013 13:53:18 GMT

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian security forces clashed with young men in central Cairo after a protest by several thousand opponents of President Mohamed Mursi, state news agency MENA reported.

Afghan parliament fails to pass divisive women's law

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:51:47 GMT

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's parliament failed to pass a law on Saturday banning violence against women, a severe blow to progress made in women's rights in the conservative Muslim country since the Islamist Taliban was toppled over a decade ago.

U.S. chides Russia over missiles as peace plans suffer

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:50:32 GMT

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The United States chided Russia for sending missiles to the Syrian government as plans for a peace conference promoted by Washington and Moscow were hit by diplomatic rifts over its scope and purpose.

France's Hollande signs gay marriage law

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:48:41 GMT

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Francois Hollande has signed into law a bill allowing same-sex marriage, making France the 14th country to legalize gay weddings.

Exclusive: EU cites Chinese telecoms Huawei and ZTE for trade violations

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:25:43 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Europe's top trade official for the first time late on Friday officially cited Chinese mobile telecommunications equipment makers Huawei and ZTE Corp for violating anti-dumping and anti-subsidy guidelines.

IRS chief declines to identify employees involved in scandal

Sat, 18 May 2013 00:54:36 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The outgoing head of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service angered Republican lawmakers on Friday by resisting their demands that he identify who at the tax-collection agency had inappropriately targeted conservative groups for extra scrutiny.

Train derails in Connecticut, at least 20 people hurt

Fri, 17 May 2013 23:58:39 GMT

(Reuters) - Some 20 to 25 people were injured on Friday when a train derailed near Fairfield, Connecticut, but there were no reports of fatalities a police spokesman said on Friday.

Oil price probe widens, senator wants Justice Department help

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:58:36 GMT

LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A European probe into possible oil price manipulation expanded with the investigation of a small niche trading house in the Netherlands, while a key U.S. senator on Friday called for the Justice Department to join the investigation.

IRS chief declines to identify employees involved in scandal

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:51:21 GMT

Pentagon chief vows to 'fix' military's sexual assault problem

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:32:10 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered top military chiefs on Friday to redouble their effort to address the problem of sexual assault, saying the frequency and perceived tolerance of the crime was eroding the military's ability conduct its mission.

Unemployment rates drop in most states, Illinois climbs

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:22:44 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Unemployment rates dropped in 43 out of the 50 U.S. states and in the District of Columbia in April from a year before, according to Labor Department data released on Friday.

House bill to have more stringent immigrant controls: aides

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:22:05 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan plan brokered in the House of Representatives will be tougher on illegal immigrants living in the United States than a Senate counterpart, congressional aides said on Friday.

After tough week, Obama tries to change the subject to jobs

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:20:53 GMT

BALTIMORE (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday sought to turn the spotlight from controversies threatening to swamp his agenda back to his top priority - the economy - and announced he will try to cut in half the time it takes to get federal approval for large job-creating projects.

U.S. chides Russia over missiles as peace plans suffer

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:18:11 GMT

SAC Capital won't fully cooperate with government: letter

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:04:17 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Steven A. Cohen's hedge fund SAC Capital Advisors told investors on Friday it would no longer cooperate "unconditionally" with the U.S. government's insider trading investigation.