Reuters: Top News

Obama picks up new support for health bill

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:50:49 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama picked up support for healthcare reform on Wednesday from a prominent liberal and a group of Catholic nuns, who broke with bishops on the issue of abortion and urged passage of the overhaul.

U.S. believes key al Qaeda planner killed in Pakistan

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:52:36 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. drone strike in Pakistan last week appears to have killed a top al Qaeda planner who Washington believes helped organize December's deadly suicide bombing at a CIA base in Afghanistan, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.

First of several job-creation bills clears Congress

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:20:58 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A package of tax breaks and highway spending cleared Congress on Wednesday, the first of what Democrats hope will be several efforts to bring down the 9.7 percent unemployment rate.

California police report supports Prius driver

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:05:54 -0400

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A California Highway Patrol report released on Wednesday in a sensational "runaway" Toyota Prius incident appears to support the version of events given by the driver, which the automaker has called into question.

Obama says Israel home plans not helpful for peace

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:35:52 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Wednesday Israeli plans to build more homes near East Jerusalem were not helpful for the Middle East peace process, but he said the issue had not led to a crisis with one of the United States' closest allies.

Would U.S. forces kill or capture bin Laden?

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:41:14 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Would U.S. forces kill or capture al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, if they ever found him? The goal is to capture him, the Pentagon insists, but the leading U.S. law enforcement official says that's not likely.

Toyota tells regulators weighing fix to 1.2 million Corollas

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:27:23 -0400

DETROIT (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp has told U.S. safety regulators that it is considering how to fix nearly 1.2 million Corolla and Matrix models at risk of stalling out because of flaws in an electronic system.

Iraq's PM leads again in tight election race

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:40:26 -0400

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki reclaimed the lead on Wednesday over secularist challenger Iyad Allawi in results from a March 7 parliamentary election that has been dogged by fraud allegations.

NY governor's press secretary quits amid ethics probes

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:47:56 -0400

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The press secretary for New York Democratic Governor David Paterson resigned on Wednesday amid state and federal ethics probes of her boss that have triggered the departures of other top aides.

New password-stealing virus targets Facebook

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:08:42 -0400

BOSTON (Reuters) - Hackers have flooded the Internet with virus-tainted spam that targets Facebook's estimated 400 million users in an effort to steal banking passwords and gather other sensitive information.