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Wednesday, September 12, 2012

On Wisconsin: Romney moves to put state in play

On Wisconsin: Romney moves to put state in play

On Wisconsin: Romney moves to put state in play

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 01:04 PM PDT

In this photo taken Sept. 12, 2012, Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney greets supporters at his campaign headquarters in Jacksonville, Fla. It's on in Wisconson now. Romney's making a real play for it. Obama on defense. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)Out of necessity and emboldened by recent GOP strides in Wisconsin, Republican challenger Mitt Romney has drawn President Barack Obama into a fight for a state the incumbent Democrat won handily four years ago and his party hasn't lost since 1984.

How iPhone availability has grown in US

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 01:01 PM PDT

Instagram is demonstrated on an iPhone Monday, April 9, 2012, in New York. Since Verizon Wireless broke AT&T's exclusive grip on the iPhone last year, several other phone carriers now offer Apple's popular smartphone. On Monday, T-Mobile said it will make a stronger bid for used iPhones from AT&T as Apple prepares to launch a new version. (AP Photo/Karly Domb Sadof)The first few iPhones were available in the U.S. only through AT&T. Verizon Wireless broke AT&T's exclusive grip on the iPhone last year, and other phone carriers have since started selling it as well.

Latino population growth could have impact in Iowa

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:59 PM PDT

Jose Zacarias speaks about the growing political influence of the Latino community in the state during an interview outside his home, Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2012, in West Liberty, Iowa. Political strategists and a prominent advocacy group say Iowa's growing Latino population could play a more powerful role in this year's presidential campaign. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)Four years ago, Jose Zacarias let campaign workers for Barack Obama stay at his home for two weeks before the Iowa caucuses. An enthusiastic Obama supporter who couldn't vote, he could do little else.

Feds: Pipe wall in refinery fire was thin as penny

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:59 PM PDT

A corroded pipe that failed and triggered a leak and massive fire at one of California's largest refineries had walls as thin as a penny in some areas, federal investigators said.

Greece revs up privatization drive to sway troika

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:59 PM PDT

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece kickstarted a stalled privatization drive on Wednesday to appease international lenders, saying it would start the sale of 29 percent of one of its most profitable companies - gambling monopoly OPAP - next week. Inspectors from the troika of European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund lenders are in Athens on a visit that will determine whether the country gets crucial further aid under its latest bailout program. Their talks with the Greek government have already hit bumps since resuming on Sunday. ...

Dutch exit poll predicts narrow win for Rutte

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:57 PM PDT

CORRECTING TO SWAP NAMES OF CHILDREN - Labour Party PvdA leader Diederik Samsom casts his vote for parliamentary elections as his six-year-old son Fane, left, and eleven-year-old daughter Benthe, center rear, look on at a polling station in Leiden, central Netherlands, Wednesday Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)An exit poll commissioned by the two biggest Dutch news broadcasters predicted a narrow election victory Wednesday for Prime Minister Mark Rutte's free-market and pro-European Union VVD party, but the result was considered too close to call.

Gas prices hit $8 in NJ, Pa. in Lukoil protest

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:57 PM PDT

Sal Risalvato, second right, answers a question at a Lukoil service station Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, in South Plainfield, N.J., as a large gathering of Lukoil dealers and workers protested what they say are unfair pricing practices by Lukoil North America. More than 50 Lukoil gas stations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania were jacking up prices to more than $8 a gallon Wednesday to protest what they say are unfair pricing practices by Lukoil North America that they say leave them at a competitive disadvantage. Risalvato of the New Jersey Gasoline, Convenience, Automotive Association said the protest was aimed at raising consumer awareness about the challenges facing Lukoil dealers and to get Lukoil to respond to dealer grievances. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)More than 50 Lukoil gas stations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania jacked up prices to more than $8 a gallon Wednesday to protest what they say are unfair pricing practices by Lukoil North America that leave them at a competitive disadvantage.

SD salon manager dies trying to protect employee

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:55 PM PDT

A memorial for Amanda Connors sits outside the salon she managed Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, in Sioux Falls, S.D. Police say Connors was killed trying to protect an employee and her two children from Tyrone Smith who was upset about a domestic violence arrest and protection order. Smith was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. (AP Photo/Kristi Eaton)Worried about an escalating conflict, Amanda Connors drove up to the door of the hair salon she managed and confronted her employee's boyfriend, who had just kidnapped his two kids after being hit with a protection order and domestic violence arrest.

New Apple mobile software to get maps, Siri update

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:51 PM PDT

Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, speaks on stage about the introduction of a new operating system during an introduction of the new iPhone 5 in San Francisco, Wednesday Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)Not ready for a new iPhone? Don't worry. Many software features are coming to older iPhones as well.

UK police blamed the dead for 1989 stadium tragedy

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:51 PM PDT

People gather at St George's Place to attend a vigil in memory of the 96 victims of the Hillsborough stadium disaster in Liverpool, England, Sept. 12, 2012. British police and medics whose failures contributed to the deaths of 96 soccer fans in the country's worst sports disaster unfairly blamed the dead for the 1989 tragedy and sought to cover up their actions, newly disclosed documents revealed Wednesday. (AP Photo/PA, Peter Byrne) UNITED KINGDOM OUT, NO SALES, NO ARCHIVEBritish police and medics whose failures contributed to the deaths of 96 soccer fans in the country's worst sports disaster unfairly blamed the dead for the 1989 tragedy and sought to cover up their actions, newly disclosed documents revealed Wednesday.

YouTube blocks video inciting violence in Mid East

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:50 PM PDT

YouTube has blocked a video attacking Islam's prophet Muhammad in Egypt and Libya, where angry protests were sparked by outrage at the video.

Bank heist suspects hurl cash during LA chase

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:48 PM PDT

Suspected bank robbers fleeing county sheriff's deputies hurled cash from a speeding SUV on Wednesday, drawing people into the streets until a pickup blocked their path and they had to surrender.

Expectations high for Fed to announce major action

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:44 PM PDT

If the world's investors are right, the Federal Reserve is about to take a bold new step to try to invigorate the U.S. economy.

Russia says deeply worried by U.S. killings in Libya

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:43 PM PDT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia expressed deep concern on Wednesday over an attack that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya, saying it underscored the need for global cooperation to fight "the evil of terrorism". Christopher Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya, and three embassy staff were killed in an attack on the Benghazi consulate and a safe house refuge, which were attacked by Islamist gunmen who blamed the United States for a film they said insulted the Prophet Mohammad. {ID:nL5E8KCAQA] Another assault was mounted on the U.S. embassy in Cairo. In a telegram to U.S. ...

NHL, NHLPA exchange offers as talks resume in NYC

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:43 PM PDT

The NHL made a counterproposal to an offer presented by the players' association and said it would be in effect only until the weekend when the current collective bargaining agreement expires.

'Berlin Man,' doctor convinced HIV cure is real

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:42 PM PDT

More than five years after a radical treatment, a San Francisco man and his German doctor are convinced that he remains the first person cured of infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Verizon CFO expects little Q3 iPhone margin fall-out

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:42 PM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Verizon Wireless will not take a big hit to its wireless profit margins this quarter from the Apple Inc iPhone 5 launch this month, according to Fran Shammo, the Chief Financial Officer of parent company Verizon Communications. And the short-term revenue decline from the company's new data share plans will be lower than Shammo had feared because customers are buying bigger buckets of data than expected, the executive said during an investor webcast on Wednesday . ...

US officials probing possibility of planned attack

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:37 PM PDT

U.S. officials say the Obama administration is investigating whether the assault on the U.S. consulate in Libya was a planned terrorist strike to mark the anniversary of 9/11, and not a spontaneous mob enraged over a anti-Islamic YouTube video

Bills, county agree to 1-year lease extension

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:33 PM PDT

FILE - In this July 29, 2012 photo, Buffalo Bills CEO Russ Brandon looks on during NFL football training camp in Pittsford, N.Y. Lease negotiations between the Bills and state and county officials have stalled, opening the possibility that a one-year interim deal will have to be reached for the team to keep playing at Ralph Wilson Stadium next season. Brandon said Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, that there's been no progress in talks for two months, forcing the team to readjust its plans on whether a long-term deal can be reached once the current lease expires July 31. (AP Photo/David Duprey, File)The Buffalo Bills and Erie County agreed in principle Wednesday to a one-year lease extension that would allow the team to keep playing at Ralph Wilson Stadium next season.

Concert giant seeks Jermaine Jackson's book drafts

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:32 PM PDT

FILE - In this Sept. 10, 2009 file photo, Jermaine Jackson, bother of late U.S. pop star Michael Jackson, smiles prior to a press conference on "The Tribute - In Memory of Michael Jackson" in Berlin. Concert giant AEG Live filed a motion on Monday, Sept. 10, 2012 seeking Jermaine Jackson's drafts and manuscripts for books on his superstar brother, claiming they may reveal important details that will help it defend against a lawsuit filed by Jackson family matriarch Katherine Jackson. (AP Photo/Franka Bruns, File)Concert giant AEG Live is seeking book drafts and manuscripts by Jermaine Jackson that it claims may reveal details about his superstar brother that will help its defense in a lawsuit filed by the singers' mother.

Hobby Lobby sues over morning-after pill coverage

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:32 PM PDT

Christian-oriented Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday challenging a mandate in the nation's health care overhaul law that requires employers to provide coverage for the morning-after pill and similar drugs.

Common type of rail car has dangerous design flaw

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:26 PM PDT

FILE - In this June 19, 2009 file photo, a vehicle burns near a train derailment near Rockford, Ill. Residents were forced to evacuate after the fiery freight train derailment northwest of Chicago. For two decades, one of the nation's most common types of rail tanker, known as a DOT-111, have been allowed to haul hazardous liquids from coast to coast even though transportation officials were aware of a dangerous design flaw that almost guarantees the car will tear open in an accident. The rail and chemical industries have committed to a safer design for new tankers, but they do not want to modify tens of thousands of existing cars. That's despite a spike in the number of accidents. (AP Photo/Rockford Register Star, Scott Morgan) MANDATORY CREDITFor two decades, one of the most commonly used type of rail tanker has been allowed to haul hazardous liquids from coast to coast even though transportation officials were aware of a dangerous design flaw that almost guarantees the car will tear open in an accident, potentially spilling cargo that could catch fire, explode or contaminate the environment.

FAA chief says voting claim under federal review

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:24 PM PDT

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration says an independent federal agency is investigating allegations that FAA managers in Seattle urged employees to vote Democratic in the upcoming election.

US lawmakers blame China over maritime disputes

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:19 PM PDT

Lawmakers accused China Wednesday of bullying its neighbors to press territorial claims in the South China Sea, but also raised questions about America's capacity to police the region.

Top EU official: greater political union is needed

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:17 PM PDT

President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, Wednesday, Sept 12, 2012, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France. The European Commission wants the European Central Bank to be the supervisor for all the banks in the 17 countries that use the euro and have the power to fine institutions. (AP Photo/Christian Lutz)European Union officials are asking national governments to give up control of their banks as they try to pull the region closer together to solve its crippling financial crisis.

Romney: White House sent 'mixed signals' on attack

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:16 PM PDT

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney makes comments on the killing of U.S. embassy officials in Benghazi, Libya, while speaking in Jacksonville, Fla., Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney accused President Barack Obama's administration of standing in apology for American values when it should have been voicing outrage, as he looked for political advantage in the deadly protests that caused a breach of the U.S. Embassy in Egypt and left four Americans dead in Libya.

Creamer relishes weather at Women's British Open

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:15 PM PDT

Paula Creamer took one look at the wind and rain battering the Royal Liverpool links and liked what she saw.

Guantanamo judge: No TV broadcast of Cole trial

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:15 PM PDT

A military judge has rejected a request to allow media outlets to broadcast a war crimes tribunal at the U.S. base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, saying in a ruling released Wednesday that he lacks authority to grant such access.

Pakistan fires kill 283, lax safety laws blamed

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:13 PM PDT

People gather at the site of burnt garment factory in Karachi, Pakistan on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. Pakistani officials say the death toll from devastating factory fires that broke out in two major cities has risen to 128. Hospital official Tariq Kaleem said the fire at a garment factory in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi killed 103 people. A blaze at a shoe factory in the eastern city of Lahore killed 25 people. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)Fires swept through two clothing factories in Pakistan, leaving 283 people dead — many trapped behind locked doors and barred windows — highlighting the atrocious working conditions in a country where workplaces often lack basic safety equipment and owners bribe officials to ignore the violations.

Apple takes wraps off 4G-ready iPhone 5

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:09 PM PDT

Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook takes the stage after the introduction of the iPhone 5 during Apple Inc.'s iPhone media event in San FranciscoSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc took the wraps off its fastest, thinnest iPhone on Wednesday, packing a much larger screen and 4G capability on the fifth version of the smartphone that helped it become the world's most valuable corporation. The iPhone 5 will go on sale Friday from $199, sporting a 4-inch "retina" display, ability to surf a high-speed 4G LTE wireless network, and is 20 percent lighter than the previous iPhone 4S. CEO Tim Cook, who took over from the company's late co-founder Steve Jobs last year, faces pressure to keep Apple at the forefront of the industry. ...

Somalia's new leader survives terrorist attack

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:07 PM PDT

Paramedics remove an unidentified dead body outside the Jazeera Hotel, the temporary home of Somalia's new president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, which was hit by two explosions in Mogadishu, Somalia, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. A day after the election of Somalia's new president, two explosions at the gate of his temporary residence killed at least five people and wounded three others Wednesday, witnesses and officials said. (AP Photo/Mohamed Sheikh Nor)Somalia's new president survived an assassination attempt on his second day in office when two suicide bombers blew themselves up Wednesday while trying to gain access into a heavily guarded hotel that is his temporary residence, officials and witnesses said.

Anti-Islam filmmaker's identity, claims in doubt

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:06 PM PDT

Protesters destroy an American flag pulled down from the U.S. embassy in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. Egyptian protesters, largely ultra conservative Islamists, have climbed the walls of the U.S. embassy in Cairo, went into the courtyard and brought down the flag, replacing it with a black flag with Islamic inscription, in protest of a film deemed offensive of Islam. (AP Photo/Mohammed Abu Zaid)Video excerpts from an anti-Muslim movie provoked assaults by mobs on U.S. missions in Egypt and Libya. But the man who says he directed and wrote it has little or no record of existing, has made other claims that appear false and says he has gone into hiding.

US ambassador killed in consulate attack in Libya

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:06 PM PDT

FILE - In this Monday, April 11, 2011 file photo, U.S. envoy Chris Stevens, center, accompanied by British envoy Christopher Prentice, left, speaks to Council member for Misrata Dr. Suleiman Fortia, right, at the Tibesty Hotel where an African Union delegation was meeting with opposition leaders in Benghazi, Libya. Libyan officials say the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans have been killed in an attack on the U.S. consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi by protesters angry over a film that ridiculed Islam's Prophet Muhammad. The officials say Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed Tuesday night when he and a group of embassy employees went to the consulate to try to evacuate staff. The protesters were firing gunshots and rocket propelled grenades. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File)A mob enraged by a film ridiculing Islam's prophet killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans in a fiery attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. President Barack Obama strongly condemned the violence, vowed Wednesday to bring the killers to justice and tightened security at diplomatic posts around the world.

NHL, NHLPA back at negotiating table in New York

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:03 PM PDT

The NHL and the players' association have resumed negotiations in an effort to avoid a lockout this weekend.

Cuba says its ready to negotiate Gross fate

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:03 PM PDT

FILE - This two-picture combo handout file photos provided in June 2012 by Peter Kahn, the attorney of imprisoned American Alan Gross, shows Gross in 2009 and in 2012. Judy Gross who recently returned from a trip to Cuba to see her husband Alan, said Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012, that she is fearful he will not survive his long incarceration. She begged Cuban President Raul Castro to "put an end to our anguish and let Alan come home." (AP Photo/Courtesy of Peter Kahn, File)A senior Cuban diplomat said Wednesday her country is prepared to negotiate a solution in the case of a jailed American contractor, but is awaiting a U.S. response.

New iPhone with taller screen out next week

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 12:01 PM PDT

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks in front of an image of the iPhone 5 during an Apple event in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)Apple is holding an event in San Francisco during which it announced a new iPhone, capable of faster data speeds and sporting a taller screen. It also unveiled new iTunes software and new iPod devices.

Chicago teachers' strike grinds into third day

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 11:59 AM PDT

Thousands of public school teachers rally for the second consecutive day outside the Chicago Board of Education district headquarters on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012 in Chicago. Teachers walked off the job Monday for the first time in 25 years over issues that include pay raises, classroom conditions, job security and teacher evaluations. (AP Photo/Sitthixay Ditthavong)The public teachers' strike that has halted classwork and upset family routines across Chicago ground into a third day Wednesday with some movement reported by union and school board negotiators but no sign of an imminent deal.

Apple's iPhone 5 goes on sale Friday, starts at $199

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 11:59 AM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc will begin taking orders for the iPhone 5 on Friday, costing $199 for the cheapest 16 gigabyte version to $399 at the top end. Shipments begin on Sept 21, and the smartphone will be sold in 100 countries by the end of the year. The latest iPhone comes as Apple tries to fend off competition that has reached fever-pitch. Google Inc's Android has become the most-used mobile operating system in the world, while key supplier and rival Samsung Electronics has taken the lead in smartphone sales. ...

Libya attack may have been planned and organized, U.S. officials say

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 11:58 AM PDT

An exterior view of the U.S. consulate, which was attacked and set on fire by gunmen yesterday, in BenghaziWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The attack that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other American diplomats in Benghazi, Libya, may have been planned and organized in advance, U.S. government officials said on Wednesday. The officials said that there were indications that members of a militant faction calling itself Ansar al Sharia - which translates as Supporters of Islamic Law - may have been involved in organizing the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya's second-largest city. ...

Top U.S. military officer calls pastor over film

Posted: 12 Sep 2012 11:57 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke with Pastor Terry Jones by phone on Wednesday and asked him to withdraw his support for a film whose portrayal of the Prophet Mohammad has sparked violent protests - including one that ended with the death of America's envoy to Libya. "In the brief call, Gen. Dempsey expressed his concerns over the nature of the film, the tensions it will inflame and the violence it will cause," Dempsey's spokesman, Colonel Dave Lapan, told Reuters. "He asked Mr. ...
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