Reuters: Top News

Moody's warns UK, France, Austria over AAA rating

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:47:57 +0000

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rating agency Moody's warned on Monday it may cut the triple-A ratings of France, the United Kingdom and Austria, and it downgraded six other European nations including Italy, Spain and Portugal, citing growing risks from Europe's debt crisis.

Greece faces tough job to seal rescue

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:50:32 +0000

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece has admitted it still faces a tough job in persuading the European Union and IMF to save it from bankruptcy even after parliament approved savage extra budget cuts, provoking a night of looting and burning in central Athens.

U.N. says Syria encouraged by Russia, China veto

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:04:46 +0000

AMMAN/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights chief accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of launching an "indiscriminate attack" on civilians to end pro-democracy protests and said he had been emboldened by the failure of the Security Council to condemn him.

Murdoch facing battle with staff in Sun showdown

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:28:25 +0000

LONDON (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch will face hostile and angry staff when he arrives in Britain this week seeking to face down a growing rebellion within his newspaper business and end the talk that his flagship Sun could close following a string of arrests.

Part of BP investor case over Gulf spill dismissed

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:44:56 +0000

(Reuters) - A U.S. federal judge dismissed a large part of a nationwide lawsuit accusing BP Plc and top executives of fraud for misleading shareholders before and after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill about the oil company's ability to respond to an accident.

Israel blames Iran after attacks on embassy staff

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:41:29 +0000

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel accused arch-enemies Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah of being behind twin bomb attacks that targeted Israeli embassy staff in India and Georgia on Monday, wounding four people.

House prices fall further, but outlook improves - RICS

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:06:44 +0000

LONDON (Reuters) - House prices continued to fall in the three months to January, but surveyors became much less downbeat about prices for the coming months, a survey showed on Tuesday.

Whitney Houston's body heads home to New Jersey

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:23:21 +0000

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The body of pop superstar Whitney Houston was en route from Los Angeles to her New Jersey home on Monday ahead of funeral services there, as new details emerged about the death of the singer who had long battled drugs and alcohol.

Israel GDP growth to ease, needs to cut debt - IMF

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:26:55 +0000

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's economy is expected to grow slightly less than 3 percent in 2012, accelerating to 3.75 percent in 2013, the International Monetary Fund said on Monday, urging the government to focus on cutting public debt.

Public bans mean smokers also light up less at home

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:08:32 +0000

LONDON (Reuters) - Smoking bans in offices, restaurants and other public places don't drive smokers to light up more at home, but in fact prompt them to impose their own extra restrictions on the habit, according to a European study published Tuesday.