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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Government sues to block AT&T, T-Mobile merger (AP)

Government sues to block AT&T, T-Mobile merger (AP)

Government sues to block AT&T, T-Mobile merger (AP)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 11:24 AM PDT

FILE - This file combination photo displays logos for AT&T, left, and Deutsche Telekom AG. The Justice Department filed suit Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011, to block AT&T's $39 billion deal to buy T-Mobile USA on grounds that it would raise prices for consumers. (AP Photo/dapd File)AP - The Justice Department filed suit Wednesday to block AT&T's $39 billion deal to buy T-Mobile USA on grounds that it would raise prices for consumers.

East struggles to recover from Irene (AP)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 12:45 PM PDT

Corrinne Levin, left, kisses her daughter Jillianne Davis, who's home was destroyed by floodwaters rustling from Tropical Storm Irene, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011, in Woodford, Vt. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)AP - Running low on food and money, Vermont residents stranded by flooded roads relied upon provisions dropped by National Guard troops to get by Wednesday while the rest of the East Coast labored to recover from the wrath of the hurricane-turned-tropical storm known as Irene.

AP IMPACT: Pakistani fertilizer fuels Afghan bombs (AP)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 12:19 PM PDT

In this July 27, 2011 photo, sacks of fertilizer are held in wheelbarrows at Pakistani Chaman border post to be smuggled into the neighboring Afghanistan. The U.S. government believes that most of the bombs killing its troops in Afghanistan are made with a chemical fertilizer produced by a single company in Pakistan and American officials have launched an intense and so far unsuccessful push for regulation. (AP Photo/Shah Khalid)AP - The main ingredient in most of the homemade bombs that have killed hundreds of American troops in Afghanistan is fertilizer produced by a single company in Pakistan, where the U.S. has been pushing unsuccessfully for greater regulation.

Libyan leader's sons make dueling statements (AP)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 12:55 PM PDT

FILE -- Al-Saadi Gadhafi, third son of the Libyan leader, Moammar Gadhafi, speaks to the media as he arrives in Sydney, Australia in this Saturday Feb. 5, 2005 file photo. The rebel commander in Tripoli Abdel Hakim Belhaj, said Wednesday Aug, 31, 2011, that Moammar Gadhafi's son al-Saadi has called him to negotiate the terms of his own surrender. . Belhaj says al-Saadi first called him on Tuesday and asked whether his safety could be guaranteed. Belhaj said he told al-Saadi he would not be harmed but he would be treated according to the law.(AP Photo/Dan Peled, File)AP - Moammar Gadhafi's son Seif al-Islam vowed Wednesday to fight to the death, insisting nobody still loyal to the regime would surrender to the rebels. He said he was speaking from the suburbs of Tripoli and insisted his father was fine.

Unemployment rates fell in most US cities in July (AP)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 11:39 AM PDT

AP - Unemployment rates fell in a majority of U.S. cities in July, despite a weak economy that is producing few jobs.

NYPD monitored where Muslims ate, shopped, prayed (AP)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 12:38 PM PDT

In this Aug. 18, 2011 photo, people pass below a New York Police Department security camera, upper left, which is above a mosque on Fulton St., in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant in New York. Working with the CIA, the New York Police Department maintained a list of “ancestries of interest” and dispatched undercover officers to monitor Muslim businesses and social groups, according to new documents that offer a rare glimpse inside an intelligence program the NYPD insists doesn't exist. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)AP - From an office on the Brooklyn waterfront in the months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, New York Police Department officials and a veteran CIA officer built an intelligence-gathering program with an ambitious goal: to map the region's ethnic communities and dispatch teams of undercover officers to keep tabs on where Muslims shopped, ate and pray.

Court: Daughter can't receive dead dad's benefits (AP)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 11:38 AM PDT

AP - A federal appeals court has ruled that an Iowa girl conceived through artificial insemination after her father's death cannot receive his Social Security benefits.

Ancient humans used hand axes earlier than thought (AP)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 12:41 PM PDT

This undated photo provided by the National Center of Scientific Research shows ancient hand axes unearthed at an archaeological site at Lake Turkana in Kenya. A study published in the journal Nature suggests that ancient humans were using hand axes, cleavers and picks about 1.76 million years ago, much earlier than previously believed. (AP Photo/National Center of Scientific Research, Pierre-Jean Texier)AP - Ancient humans fashioned hand axes, cleavers and picks much earlier than believed, but didn't take the stone tools along when they left Africa, new research suggests.

Gibson to pay ex $750K to settle nasty legal fight (AP)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 12:17 PM PDT

Oscar winner actor Mel Gibson is shown in a Los Angeles courtroom to settle a long-running custody dispute with girlfriend, Russian musician Oksana Grigorieva over their young daughter Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011, in Los Angeles. Gibson will pay $750,000 to his ex-girlfriend and continue to provide housing and financial support for their young daughter to resolve a legal fight between the former lovers, a judge announced Wednesday. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, Pool)AP - Mel Gibson will pay $750,000 to his ex-girlfriend and continue to provide housing and financial support for their young daughter to resolve a bitter legal fight that followed sexist, racist rants attributed to the actor.

Texas A&M plans to leave Big 12 by July 2012 (AP)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 11:27 AM PDT

AP - Texas A&M dealt a blow to the Big 12 Conference on Wednesday, saying it plans to leave by July 2012 if it is accepted by the SEC or another league.

U.S. moves to block AT&T, T-Mobile deal (Reuters)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 12:31 PM PDT

A view shows the AT&T store sign in Broomfield, Colorado April 20, 2011. REUTERS/Rick WilkingReuters - The Obama administration on Wednesday fired a legal broadside to block AT&T Inc's $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile, launching its biggest challenge yet to a takeover and dealing the carrier a potentially costly blow.

Recession fears ease on factory, hiring data (Reuters)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 10:55 AM PDT

People wait in line to enter a job fair at the Phoenix Workforce Connection in Phoenix, Arizona August 30, 2011. REUTERS/Joshua LottReuters - Factory activity in the U.S. Midwest slowed just a bit in August and private employers continued to hire despite extreme financial market turmoil, easing fears the economy would fall back into recession.

Obama makes opening salvo on jobs with speech date (Reuters)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 12:09 PM PDT

President Obama waves to onlookers before lifting off from the White House aboard Marine One in Washington, August 18, 2011. REUTERS/Jason ReedReuters - President Barack Obama on Wednesday sought a high profile and politically provocative venue to unveil new economic proposals, asking to address Congress on the same night Republican presidential candidates hold a debate.

Waters recede but Irene victims suffer in the East (Reuters)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 12:46 PM PDT

Reuters - Floodwaters finally started to recede from areas of the northeast devastated by Hurricane Irene but many communities were still under water on Wednesday and relief workers battled cut-off roads and raging rivers to deliver emergency supplies.

General Petraeus hangs up uniform, warns on budget (Reuters)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 11:50 AM PDT

Reuters - General David Petraeus warned against sacrificing U.S. military capabilities to ease America's budget woes, as he retired from the Army on Wednesday ahead of becoming CIA director.

New blow for BP in Russia as office raided (Reuters)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 08:13 AM PDT

BP Russia President Jeremy Huck (R) speaks to the media as he leaves an office building housing a trading unit of British oil company BP in Moscow August 31, 2011. REUTERS/Mikhail VoskresenskyReuters - Black-clad special forces raided BP's Moscow offices on Wednesday, deepening the British company's problems in Russia after its attempts to salvage an oil exploration agreement in the Russian Arctic collapsed.

Insight: Arctic has great riches, but greater challenges (Reuters)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 10:35 AM PDT

A traditional Inuit inukshuk stone formation looks out over Frobisher Bay near Iqaluit, capital of the Canadian Arctic territory of Nunavut, in this photo taken June 14, 2011. REUTERS/David LjunggrenReuters - At the rim of the Arctic Circle in Canada, gold mining firm Agnico-Eagle is learning how tough it is to operate in a remote region with temptingly large, but frustratingly inaccessible, reserves of oil, gas and minerals.

Merkel backs euro fund boost, faces revolt risk (Reuters)

Posted: 31 Aug 2011 09:19 AM PDT

German Chancellor and leader of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU) Angela Merkel, delivers her speech at a party meeting of Lower Saxony's CDU in Hameln, August 19, 2011. REUTERS/Fabian BimmerReuters - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet approved new powers for the euro zone's bailout fund on Wednesday, but she faces an uphill battle to convince party skeptics to back efforts to contain the crisis.
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Airlifts take food, water to cut-off Vt. towns (AP)

Airlifts take food, water to cut-off Vt. towns (AP)

Airlifts take food, water to cut-off Vt. towns (AP)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 12:21 PM PDT

Residents stand in line outside a grocery store on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011 in Rochester, Vt. The town has been completely cut off since Tropical Storm Irene hit. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)AP - National Guard helicopters began taking food and water Tuesday to about a dozen Vermont towns cut off by flooding from the rainy remnants of Hurricane Irene in a deluge that took inland areas of New England and upstate New York by surprise with its ferocity.

Libya rebels pledge assault on Gadhafi stronghold (AP)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 11:10 AM PDT

Rebel fighters prepared to head out head to patrol the village of Heisha, some 100 kilometers east from Misrata, LIbya, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011. Libyan rebels are demanding that Algeria return Moammar Gadhafi's wife and three of his children for trial after they fled, raising tensions between the neighboring countries. Algeria's decision to host members of the Gadhafi clan is an 'aggressive act against the Libyan people's wish,' said Mahmoud Shammam, information minister in the rebels' interim government.(AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev) (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)AP - Libyan rebels pledged Tuesday to launch an assault within days on Moammar Gadhafi's hometown, the ousted strongman's last major bastion of support, while a top official said the rebels have a "good idea" where Gadhafi is hiding.

AP IMPACT: Automation in the air dulls pilot skill (AP)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 11:22 AM PDT

FILE - In this Feb. 12, 2009, file photo, a plane burns after it crashed into a house in Clarence Center, N.Y., Authorities say it was Continental Airlines Flight 3407 operated by Manassas, Va.-based Colgan Air. Airline industry and safety officials are concerned that pilots’ flying skills are becoming rusty and their ability to handle unexpected situations is eroding because most flying is delegated to computers in today’s highly automated planes. (AP Photo/David Duprey, File)AP - Pilots' "automation addiction" has eroded their flying skills to the point that they sometimes don't know how to recover from stalls and other mid-flight problems, say pilots and safety officials. The weakened skills have contributed to hundreds of deaths in airline crashes in the last five years.

Petraeus retires with legacy of a difference-maker (AP)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 12:18 PM PDT

FILE - In this June 4, 2011 file photo, then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates is greeted upon his arrival in Kabul by Gen. David Petraeus. America's best-known general, is retiring as arguably the most consequential Army leader of his generation. After a farewell ceremony Wednesday, Petraeus will open a new chapter as director of the CIA. In that job he will try to keep up the pressure on al-Qaida and other terrorist groups, while working closely with the military he knows well. (AP Photo//Jason Reed, File)AP - David Petraeus, America's best-known general and the wartime model of a soldier-scholar-statesman, is retiring as arguably the most consequential Army leader of his generation.

Stocks rise on hopes for more economic stimulus (AP)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 12:27 PM PDT

In this Aug. 29, 2011 photo, traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, Aug. 29, 2011. European stocks were hurt Tuesday, Aug. 30, by a report showing economic sentiment in the eurozone was souring due to uncertainties about the future of the global economic recovery and the region's festering debt crisis. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)AP - The mere discussion of more economic stimulus from the Federal Reserve was enough to send stocks higher Tuesday. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 33 points.

This month America's deadliest in long Afghan war (AP)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 10:59 AM PDT

An Army carry team moves a transfer case containing the remains of Spc. Michael C. Roberts during a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011. According to the Department of Defense, Roberts, of Watauga, Texas, died while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)AP - August has become the deadliest month yet for U.S. forces in the nearly 10-year-old war in Afghanistan, increasing pressure on the Obama administration to bring troops home sooner rather than later.

Romney on Perry turf assails 'career politicians' (AP)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 10:17 AM PDT

AP - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney castigated "career politicians" Tuesday as he tried to distinguish himself from chief rival Rick Perry while on the governor's home turf in Texas.

Ill Warren Jeffs being moved to prison hospital (AP)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 12:19 PM PDT

FILE - This Aug. 9, 2011 file photo provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows polygamist leader Warren Jeffs in Huntsville, Texas. Jeffs has been hospitalized after not eating or drinking enough since his recent conviction on child sexual assault charges, a prison official said Monday, Aug. 29, 2011. The 55-year-old was convicted earlier this month on charges that he sexually assaulted underage followers he took as spiritual brides. (AP Photo/Texas Department of Criminal Justice, File)AP - Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs is being moved to a prison hospital for additional treatment after he became sick while fasting.

Daryl Hannah arrested in White House oil protest (AP)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 12:07 PM PDT

Actress Daryl Hannah is arrested by U.S. Park Police in front of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011, during a protest against the Keystone oil pipeline. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)AP - Actress Daryl Hannah has been arrested in front of the White House along with other environmental protesters who oppose a planned oil pipeline from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Ex-NBA player Crittenton arrested in murder case (AP)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 11:26 AM PDT

This photo released by the FBI on Monday Aug. 29,2011 of Javaris Crittenton, age 23, of Fayetteville, Ga., who is wanted by the Atlanta Police Department on murder charges stemming from the August 19, 2011 fatal shooting of a 22-year-old woman, Julian Jones. The FBI says, Crittenton, a former NBA first-round draft choice, is believed to be in the Los Angeles area. The FBI warrant is for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. (AP Photo/FBI)AP - Former NBA player Javaris Crittenton was in police custody after being arrested at a Southern California airport while waiting to board a flight to Atlanta, where his lawyer said he would go to surrender in a murder case.

Consumer confidence crumbles to 2-year low (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 12:44 PM PDT

Reuters - Consumer confidence plunged in August to its lowest level since the 2007-2009 recession, after a bruising battle over the budget slammed stock prices and pushed the nation to the brink of default.

Airlifts and water rescues in wake of Hurricane Irene (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 09:55 AM PDT

Reuters - National Guard and firefighters rescued hundreds people from record flooding in New Jersey on Tuesday and Vermont planned to airlift food and water to inland towns cut off by Hurricane Irene after its paralyzing rampage through the U.S. northeast.

Grim Fed pondered even bolder easing in August (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 12:19 PM PDT

The U.S. Federal Reserve building is seen in Washington June 29, 2011. REUTERS/Jim BourgReuters - The central bank in early August discussed a range of unusual tools it could use to help the economy, with some officials pressing for bold new steps to help the economy.

Exxon, Rosneft tie up in Russian Arctic, U.S. (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 12:33 PM PDT

An employee works near a gasoline tank truck outside the Rosneft Achinsk oil refinery plant, one of the biggest Siberian fuel suppliers, near the town of Achinsk, some 117 miles west of Krasnoyarsk, April 28, 2011. REUTERS/Ilya NaymushinReuters - Exxon Mobil Corp and Rosneft announced a pact to extract oil and gas from the Russian Arctic, in the largest U.S.-Russian deal since President Barack Obama's push to improve ties.

Wall St up in choppy trade; gold, bonds higher (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 12:05 PM PDT

The DAX board is pictured at the Frankfurt stock exchange August 19, 2011. REUTERS/Alex DomanskiReuters - Gold and bonds surged on Tuesday and U.S. stocks rebounded in choppy trade as a recovery in risk appetite among some investors was countered by bearish economic news.

Record-breaking river flooding swamps New Jersey (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 11:25 AM PDT

Reuters - Swollen rivers submerged stretches of northern New Jersey on Tuesday, damaging homes, flooding roads and stranding residents, hundreds of thousands of whom had no electrical power.

Libyan leader sets ultimatum for Gaddafi forces (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 10:30 AM PDT

A rebel fighter drives his vehicle as he patrols with other rebels in the town of Abu Grein, some 128 km (80 miles) west of Sirte, Muammar Gaddafi's last remaining stronghold, August 29, 2011. REUTERS/Goran TomasevicReuters - Libya's interim leader gave forces loyal to deposed ruler Muammar Gaddafi a four-day deadline on Tuesday to surrender towns they still control or face a bloody end to a war that the new leadership said has so far killed 50,000 people.

Obama shakes up gun agency over botched Mexico sting (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Aug 2011 12:46 PM PDT

Reuters - The Obama administration announced on Tuesday a major shake-up of the U.S. agency that botched an attempt to track arms flowing to drug cartels in Mexico after weapons were allowed to flow freely across the border.
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Monday, August 29, 2011

Vt. battles floods in Irene's aftermath (AP)

Vt. battles floods in Irene's aftermath (AP)

Vt. battles floods in Irene's aftermath (AP)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 11:34 AM PDT

A car lies upside down in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene on Monday, Aug. 29, 2011 in Waterbury, Vt. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)AP - New England towns battled floods of historic proportions, utility crews struggled to restore power to 5 million people along the East Coast, and big-city commuters coped with transit-system disruptions Monday as the rainy remnants of Hurricane Irene finally spun into Canada.

NYC's subway back on track for commute after Irene (AP)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 11:03 AM PDT

People exit the Wall Street subway station in New York early Monday morning, Aug. 29, 2011. New York City subways resumed service Monday after Tropical Storm Irene forced an unprecedented closure of the nation's largest mass transit system. Trains and buses in and around the metropolitan area faced their first major test as millions of commuters ventured to work for the first time since the storm hit. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)AP - After Tropical Storm Irene forced an unprecedented closure of the nation's largest mass transit system, New York City subways resumed service Monday with a major test as millions of commuters ventured to work for the first time since the storm hit.

Gadhafi's wife, 3 children flee to Algeria (AP)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 01:15 PM PDT

Smoke rises from a pickup truck driven by two pro-Gadhafi soldiers on a reconnaissance mission that came under fire by Libyan rebels on the front line, 86 miles (138 kilometers) from Sirte, Libya, Monday, Aug. 29, 2011. The car was destroyed and the two loyalist soldiers were captured, injuring one, after trying to escape. Rebels have been converging from the east and west on Sirte, 250 miles east of Tripoli, preparing to battle Gadhafi loyalists. (AP Photo/Gaia Anderson)AP - Moammar Gadhafi's wife and three of his children fled Libya to neighboring Algeria on Monday, firm evidence that the longtime leader has lost his grip on the country.

Federal judge blocks Ala. illegal immigration law (AP)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 01:00 PM PDT

AP - A federal judge temporarily blocked enforcement of Alabama's new law cracking down on illegal immigration, ruling Monday that she needed more time to decide whether the law opposed by the Obama administration, church leaders and immigrant-rights groups is constitutional.

AP EXCLUSIVE: US-Taliban talks were making headway (AP)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 01:28 PM PDT

FILE - This undated file photo reportedly shows the Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar. Infuriated that Washington met secretly at least three times with a personal emissary of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, the Afghan government intentionally leaked details of the clandestine meetings, scuttling the talks and sending the Taliban intermediary into hiding, The Associated Press has learned. (AP Photo/ File)AP - Direct U.S. talks with the Taliban had evolved to a substantive negotiation before Afghan officials, nervous that the secret and independent talks would undercut President Hamid Karzai, scuttled them, Afghan and U.S. officials told The Associated Press.

Polygamist leader Jeffs hospitalized after fasting (AP)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 12:33 PM PDT

FILE - This Aug. 9, 2011 file photo provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows polygamist leader Warren Jeffs in Huntsville, Texas. Jeffs has been hospitalized after not eating or drinking enough since his recent conviction on child sexual assault charges, a prison official said Monday, Aug. 29, 2011. The 55-year-old was convicted earlier this month on charges that he sexually assaulted underage followers he took as spiritual brides. (AP Photo/Texas Department of Criminal Justice, File)AP - Polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was hospitalized in critical condition Monday after telling corrections officers he's fasted in the weeks since receiving a life sentence for sexually assaulting underage followers he took as spiritual brides, a prison official said.

NASA: Space station may be evacuated by late Nov. (AP)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 01:28 PM PDT

FILE - This May 23, 2011 file photo released by NASA, shows the International Space Station flying at an altitude of approximately 220 miles, in an image taken by Expedition 27 crew member Paolo Nespoli from the Soyuz TMA-20 following its undocking. Astronauts may need to temporarily abandon the International Space Station this fall if last week's Russian launch accident prevents new crews from flying, a NASA official said Monday. (AP Photo/NASA, Paolo Nespoli)AP - Astronauts may need to take the unprecedented step of temporarily abandoning the International Space Station if last week's Russian launch accident prevents new crews from flying there this fall.

5 patients get HIV-infected organs in Taiwan error (AP)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 08:49 AM PDT

AP - One of Taiwan's best regarded hospitals said HIV-infected organs were mistakenly transplanted into five patients after a hospital staffer misheard the donor's test results by telephone.

APNewsBreak: Janet Jackson won't attend tribute (AP)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 12:13 PM PDT

FILE - In this May 21, 2011 file photo, U.S. singer Janet Jackson of American Foundation for AIDS Research, amfAR, speaks at a news conference for the Austrian Life Ball, the annual AIDS charity gala in Vienna, Austria. Jackson said in a statement to The Associated Press on Monday, Aug. 29, that she would not attend a planned tribute concert in Wales because it coincides with the trial of a doctor charged in her brother's death. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak, file)AP - Janet Jackson said Monday she won't attend a planned tribute concert for her older brother Michael in Wales because the show coincides with the trial of a doctor charged in the King of Pop's death.

Colts activate QB Peyton Manning (AP)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 10:51 AM PDT

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, right, talks with head coach Jim Caldwell during the second quarter of an NFL preseason football game against the Green Bay Packers in Indianapolis, Friday, Aug. 26, 2011. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)AP - Peyton Manning is ready to practice with his teammates. He's still not sure when he'll dress for a game.

Vermont, New Jersey flooded as Irene spares NYC (Reuters)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 01:38 PM PDT

With the skyline of New York in the background, people walk during sunset at the Jersey City Waterfront Walkway along Hudson river in New Jersey August 28, 2011. REUTERS/Eduardo MunozReuters - New Jersey and Vermont struggled with their worst flooding in decades on Monday, a day after Hurricane Irene slammed an already soaked region with torrential rain, dragging away homes and submerging neighborhoods underwater.

Consumer spending data allays recession worries (Reuters)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 10:12 AM PDT

Shoppers look for items in the home improvement department of a Home Depot store in New York, April 13, 2011. REUTERS/Lucas JacksonReuters - Consumer spending rose at its fastest pace in five months in July, a further sign the economy is not falling back into recession, although manufacturing activity in Texas almost stalled this month.

Bank of America to sell China bank stake for $8.3 billion (Reuters)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 10:57 AM PDT

A sign for a Bank of America office is pictured in Burbank, California August 19, 2011. REUTERS/Fred ProuserReuters - Bank of America Corp is selling about half its stake in China Construction Bank for $8.3 billion, in its latest effort to shed assets and boost capital.

Exclusive: Finland wants Luxembourg agency to hold Greek assets (Reuters)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 09:18 AM PDT

Reuters - Finland has proposed that Greek state assets be transferred to a Luxembourg-based holding company and held as security for new loans to Athens, according to an internal document obtained by Reuters.

Gaddafi family members flee to Algeria without him (Reuters)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 01:22 PM PDT

Libyan rebels ride on the back of a vehicle outside the town of Brega, 240km (149 miles) southwest of the eastern city of Benghazi, August 28, 2011. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit LupiReuters - The wife of Muammar Gaddafi and other members of his family took refuge in Algeria on Monday but the whereabouts of the fugitive former strongman himself remained a mystery, a week after rebels drove him from power.

No sign that Gaddafi has left Libya: White House (Reuters)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 11:53 AM PDT

Reuters - The U.S. government has seen no indication that Muammar Gaddafi has left Libya, the White House said on Monday.

Mexico arrests 5 linked to deadly casino attack (Reuters)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 11:17 AM PDT

Reuters - Mexico has arrested five suspected drug gang members in connection with the torching of a casino last week that killed at least 52 people, one of the worst attacks on civilians in the country in years.

U.S. researchers broke rules in Guatemala syphilis study (Reuters)

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 01:09 PM PDT

Guatemala's Vice president Rafael Espada talks about medical experiments conducted on Guatemalan citizens over 60 years ago during an interview in in Guatemala City March 15, 2011. REUTERS/Daniel LeClairReuters - Government researchers must have known they were violating ethical standards by deliberately infecting Guatemalan prison inmates and mental patients with syphilis for an experiment in the 1940's, according to a presidential commission.
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Sunday, August 28, 2011

NYC appears to escape the worst as Irene roars in (AP)

NYC appears to escape the worst as Irene roars in (AP)

NYC appears to escape the worst as Irene roars in (AP)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 12:38 PM PDT

Sixth Avenue near Radio City Music Hall is empty as Tropical Storm Irene hits in New York, on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Seawater surged into the streets of Manhattan on Sunday as Irene slammed into New York, downgraded from a hurricane but still unleashing furious wind and rain. The flooding threatened Wall Street and the heart of the global financial network. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)AP - Tropical Storm Irene unleashed furious wind and rain on New York on Sunday and sent seawater surging into the Manhattan streets. But the city appeared to escape the worst fears of urban disaster — vast power outages, hurricane-shattered skyscraper windows and severe flooding.

After Irene: Severe flooding is feared within days (AP)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 12:55 PM PDT

The Arr-Mac water rescue team from Wayne County maneuvers around a beached boat in the middle of Hwy. 304 Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 in Mesic, N.C. Hurricane Irene knocked out power and piers in North Carolina, clobbered Virginia with wind and churned up the coast Saturday to confront cities more accustomed to snowstorms than tropical storms. New York City emptied its streets and subways and waited with an eerie quiet. (AP Photo/The News & Observer, Chris Seward)AP - From North Carolina to New Jersey, Hurricane Irene's winds and storm surge fell short of the doomsday predictions. But the danger is far from over: With rivers still rising, severe flooding is feared across much of the East Coast over the next few days.

Gadhafi forces killed detainees, survivors say (AP)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 12:14 PM PDT

The bound feet of a dead body are seen near a warehouse containing the remains of at least 50 burned bodies in Tripoli, Libya, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. A man has told The Associated Press he survived a massacre by Moammar Gadhafi loyalists who opened fire on about 130 civilian detainees. On Sunday, an AP reporter saw at least 50 charred bodies at the site near a military camp held by Gadhafi supporters until rebels took Tripoli. (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)AP - Retreating loyalists of Moammar Gadhafi killed scores of detainees and arbitrarily shot civilians over the past week, as rebel forces extended their control over the Libyan capital, survivors and a human rights group said Sunday.

Officials: 5 dead in suicide attack in Iraq mosque (AP)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 12:59 PM PDT

Police watch a man removing the wreckage of a vehicle used in a bomb attack, from the site of the blast in Baghdad, in this August 15, 2011 file photo. Al Qaeda has resurfaced in former Iraqi strongholds, adding to the threat from more powerful and organised Shi'ite militias just as U.S. troops prepare to leave, Iraqi officials say. Car and roadside bomb attacks killed about 70 people across Iraq last week, while al Qaeda's local affiliate, Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), has ordered members of the Sunni Sahwa militia to rejoin its ranks. Picture taken August 15. To match Analysis IRAQ-VIOLENCE/QAEDA REUTERS/Ahmed Malik/Files (IRAQ - Tags: CONFLICT POLITICS)AP - A suicide bomber blew himself up inside Baghdad's largest Sunni mosque Sunday night, killing five people during prayers, officials said.

Town at epicenter of quake exhales as Irene passes (AP)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 09:47 AM PDT

In this Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 photo, a car drives past a building damaged in this week's earthquake in Mineral, Va. Some feared Hurricane Irene would finish what Tuesday's temblor started, but the Virginia town got only the storm's outermost bands. (AP Photo/Allen Breed)AP - Staring out at her shell-shocked congregation Sunday, the Rev. Marian Windel felt the need to reassure her flock that God was not "mad at us in any way."

Va. soldier at large in Philly area after 4 deaths (AP)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 12:34 PM PDT

In this undated photo provided by the Warwick Township Police Department, Leonard John Egland is seen. Egland, a soldier who recently returned from war service, fired at officers in suburban Philadelphia as he was sought in the Virginia deaths of his ex-wife, her boyfriend and the boyfriend's young son, authorities said. The soldier's former mother-in-law was also killed, and he remains at large. Residents of Warwick Township were asked to stay in their homes and lock doors and cars as police hunted for Egland, 37, of Fort Lee, Va., who evaded authorities as Hurricane Irene lashed the area. (AP Photo/Warwick Township Police Department)AP - A soldier who recently returned from war service fired at officers in suburban Philadelphia as he was sought in the Virginia deaths of his ex-wife, her boyfriend and the boyfriend's young son, authorities said. The soldier's former mother-in-law was also killed, and he remains at large.

Paul still critical of US involvement in Libya (AP)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 12:09 PM PDT

Republican presidential contender, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, speaks at a restaurant at the Polk County GOP summer picnic event held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)AP - Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul said Sunday the apparent overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi's regime in Libya does not justify U.S. involvement there and may end up delivering al-Qaida what he called "another prize."

Montana town provides glimpse of 9/11 patriotism (AP)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 12:11 PM PDT

In this Aug. 10, 2011 photo, a bulletin board on display at the Mineral County Courthouse in Superior, Mont., celebrates the county's military recruits. Even with recruiting numbers down, Superior remains a patriotic place, where lots of homes fly the U.S. flag. (AP Photo/Nicholas K. Geranios)AP - Longtime guidance counselor Dan Lucier studies hallway-mounted photos of past graduating classes at Superior High School, pointing to the teenagers who joined the military.

Powell says Cheney taking 'cheap shots' in book (AP)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 12:11 PM PDT

In this photo released by CBS, Former Secretary of State General Colin Powell, speaks on CBS's 'Face the Nation” in Washington Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011. Powell took issue with Cheney's book, 'In My Time: A Personal and Political Memoir,' which is set for release Tuesday. He said Cheney’s book took 'cheap shots' at him as well as others in the administration. (AP Photo/CBS, Chris Usher) NO SALES. NO ARCHIVING.AP - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell on Sunday dismissed as "cheap shots" the criticism leveled at him and others in Vice President Dick Cheney's memoir.

'The Help' reigns again over storm-soaked weekend (AP)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 12:16 PM PDT

File - In this undated file film publicity image released by Disney, from left, Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis are shown in a scene from 'The Help.' 'The Help' continues to clean up at the box office, taking over the No. 1 spot with $20.5 million in its second weekend. (AP Photo/Disney, Dale Robinette, File)AP - "The Help" remained Hollywood's top draw with $14.3 million on a slow late-summer weekend whose business was even more sluggish as many East Coast theaters closed to ride out the storm there.

Irene shut down Northeast, but New York spared (Reuters)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 01:01 PM PDT

A man walks in heavy rain in midtown Manhattan as Hurricane Irene closed in on the New York City area August 28, 2011. REUTERS/Mike SegarReuters - Hurricane Irene surged through New York City on Sunday flooding waterfronts and low-lying areas, but America's most populous city avoided the mass devastation some had feared.

Stock exchanges still plan to open Monday (Reuters)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 10:47 AM PDT

Reuters - Main stock exchanges Nasdaq, NYSE and BATS expect to open trading on Monday as usual despite Hurricane Irene, although a final decision, especially on opening the Big Board floor, is yet to come.

Some flights resume in East, rail service halted (Reuters)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 11:57 AM PDT

People reach the path system before it stops at noon during the arrival of Hurricane Irene at downtown Manhattan in New York August 27, 2011. REUTERS/Eduardo MunozReuters - Airlines resumed limited operations on Sunday at some East Coast airports while New York air and subway service remained closed as the city assessed the impact of Hurricane Irene.

Poker-faced Bernanke buys more time for Fed options (Reuters)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 09:18 AM PDT

Reuters - Like a skilled poker player, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke kept some cards close to his vest when facing fellow central bankers in cowboy country.

France eyes financial transaction tax deal at G20 (Reuters)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 04:24 AM PDT

Reuters - France wants concrete results for a controversial international tax on financial transactions at November's G20 summit of leading economies, Finance Minister Francois Baroin said in remarks published on Sunday.

Analysis: Economic leaders fear policy paralysis (Reuters)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 08:41 AM PDT

Reuters - The heads of the U.S. Federal Reserve, IMF and OECD stepped up pressure on political leaders on both sides of the Atlantic to shake off their inertia and tackle urgent economic problems.

Obama meets with advisers for update on Irene (Reuters)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 09:43 AM PDT

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about Hurricane Irene during a visit to the National Response Coordination Center at FEMA Headquarters in Washington August 27, 2011. REUTERS/Kevin LamarqueReuters - President Barack Obama held a video conference on Sunday with key officials involved in the response to Hurricane Irene as the storm pounded New York City with winds and heavy rain.

Analysis: Merkel vulnerable as euro and Libya backlash builds (Reuters)

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 07:21 AM PDT

German Chancellor Angela Merkel delivers a speech after receiving the Emperor Otto Prize in the Magdeburg Cathedral in Magdeburg August 24, 2011. REUTERS/Thomas PeterReuters - Germany's Angela Merkel faces the biggest challenge to her leadership since coming to power in 2005, with traditionally loyal conservative allies openly criticizing her approach to the euro zone crisis and her hands-off Libya policy in shambles.
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