Pages

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Italian bank seeks to calm investors over trades

Italian bank seeks to calm investors over trades

Italian bank seeks to calm investors over trades

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:52 PM PST

MILAN (AP) — Italian bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena sought Thursday to calm investors over a trading scandal that has caused its share price to slump and led to much finger-pointing ahead of general elections next month.

Kerry tackles questions on Iran, Syria, Hagel

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:52 PM PST

Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., sits before the committee he has served on for 28 years and led for the past four as he seeks confirmation as U.S. secretary of state, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Kerry, who is likely to face friendly questioning on a smooth path to approval, is President Barack Obama's choice to succeed Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton who is stepping down after four years as America's top diplomat. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. John Kerry, President Barack Obama's nominee for secretary of state, collected pledges of support Thursday and testified at his confirmation hearing that U.S. foreign policy should be defined by a helping hand as well as military strength.

Big crowds turn out for Stan Musial visitation

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:51 PM PST

Mourners line up outside Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis to pay their respects during the public visitation for former St. Louis Cardinals baseball player Stan Musial Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, in St. Louis. Musial, one of baseball's greatest hitters and a Hall of Famer with the Cardinals for more than two decades, died Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013. He was 92. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)ST. LOUIS (AP) — The entrance to the Cathedral Basilica looked more like that of a St. Louis Cardinals game on Thursday, just the way Stan Musial would have liked it.

Italy's Monti steps into Monte Paschi scandal

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:46 PM PST

Outgoing Italian Prime Minister Monti addresses the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in DavosMILAN (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti weighed in on the scandal surrounding Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena on Thursday, rejecting suggestions that the authorities had failed to spot large trading losses threatening the bank. Already in need of a 3.9 billion euro bailout, Monte dei Paschi this week revealed loss-making derivatives trades that could cost it as much as 720 million euros (US$956 million), lurching center stage in a crucial general election campaign. ...

Italy PM Monti says may address parliament on Monte dei Paschi

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:46 PM PST

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said on Thursday he would be prepared to recall parliament to report on the troubled Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena but rejected suggestions that authorities had failed in their oversight functions. ...

Hawaii Coast Guardsman held during investigation

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:46 PM PST

HONOLULU (AP) — A Coast Guard rescue swimmer was being held at a Navy-run facility in Pearl Harbor Thursday while the military service investigates his three-month disappearance.

Clashes in Egypt on eve of uprising anniversary

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:45 PM PST

Egyptian protesters try to tear down a cement wall built to prevent them from reaching parliament and the Cabinet building near Tahrir Square, in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2012. Egypt's black-clad riot police fired tear gas in fierce dawn clashes with dozens of protesters. The violence which was soothed hours later in central Cairo comes on eve of the second anniversary of Egypt's Jan. 25 uprising, which toppled longtime authoritarian president Hosni Mubarak in 2011. (AP Photo/Hussein Tallal)CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian security forces fired tear gas and protesters hurled stones and Molotov cocktails in a day-long demonstration on Thursday, raising fears of a violent anniversary of the 2011 uprising that toppled long-time authoritarian President Hosni Mubarak.

S&P rises for seventh day but 1,500 too steep a climb

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:45 PM PST

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock ExchangeNEW YORK (Reuters) - The smallest of gains gave the Standard & Poor's 500 its seventh straight winning day on Thursday, but the index failed to hold above the 1,500 line, restrained by Apple's worst day in more than four years. Apple Inc slid 12.4 percent to $450.50 a day after it posted revenue that missed Wall Street's forecast as iPhone sales were poorer than expected. The sharp drop wiped out nearly $60 billion in Apple's market capitalization to less than $423 billion, leaving the company vulnerable to losing its status as the most valuable U.S. ...

Apple's sales slowdown tugs Nasdaq index lower

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:44 PM PST

In this Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013 photo, the screens of specialist Armin Silbersmith are reflected in his glasses as he works at his post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Europe's stock markets were broadly higher Thursday Jan. 23, 2013 amid signs the continent's services and manufacturing slump was easing. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)NEW YORK (AP) — A sharp drop in Apple's stock pulled the Nasdaq down with it after the tech giant warned of weaker sales. Other stock-market indexes eked out slight gains.

McGovern's personal items to be auctioned in SD

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:43 PM PST

This Jan. 17, 2013, photo shows a George McGovern campaign button. Personal items belonging to the three-time presidential hopeful and former U.S. senator are going to be sold during an estate sale at his Sioux Falls' home Saturday and Sunday. McGovern died in October at age 90. (AP Photo/Kristi Eaton)SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — George McGovern once gave his daughter a bookend made out of soapstone in the shape of a bear — a symbol of the "Terr the bear" nickname the former South Dakota senator often called Teresa, who froze to death 18 years ago in a snow bank near a bar where she'd been drinking.

Top senators reach deal to curb filibusters

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:42 PM PST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate's senior Democrat and Republican reached agreement Thursday to impose modest limits on the filibuster, the delaying tactic that minority parties have long used to kill legislation.

Microsoft profit dips ahead of Office revamp

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:42 PM PST

File photo of Microsoft CEO Ballmer speaking in front of Microsoft products at the Qualcomm pre-show keynote at the CES in Las VegasSEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp said its quarterly profit fell as Office software sales slowed ahead of a new launch, offseting a solid start for its new Windows 8 operating system. Profit at the world's largest software company slid to $6.4 billion, or 76 cents per share, in the fiscal second quarter, from $6.6 billion, or 78 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter. Wall Street had expected 75 cents per share, on average, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Overall sales rose 3 percent to $21.5 billion, Microsoft said on Thursday, in line with analysts' estimates. ...

Microsoft's 2Q earnings dip despite Windows 8 lift

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:39 PM PST

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Microsoft's earnings for the latest quarter slipped 4 percent, despite a lift from its latest version of Windows.

Arizona sends Upton to Braves in 7-player deal

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:38 PM PST

FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2012, file photo, Arizona Diamondbacks' Justin Upton waits on deck during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Phoenix. A person familiar with the situation says Arizona has traded Upton to the Atlanta Braves in a deal that sends All-Star third baseman Martin Prado to the Diamondbacks. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, because the trade has not officially been announced. (AP Photo/Matt York)PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona has traded outfielder Justin Upton to the Atlanta Braves in a seven-player deal that sends former All-Star infielder Martin Prado to the Diamondbacks.

Netflix stocks soars 41 pct after strong 4Q report

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:38 PM PST

In this Oct. 10, 2011, file photo, the exterior of Netflix headquarters is seen in Los Gatos, Calif. Netflix stock, on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, is on its way to its biggest one-day gain since the video subscription service went public more than a decade ago. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, file)SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Netflix's rollercoaster ride on Wall Street surged to new heights Thursday.

AT&T gains customers in 4Q, posts big loss

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:37 PM PST

NEW YORK (AP) — The launch of the iPhone 5 helped AT&T attract more new customers in the holiday quarter than it has in three years, but it posted a big loss because of an annual adjustment to its pension obligations.

Syrian jets bomb rebel areas near Damascus

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:35 PM PST

In this Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013 photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrians take part in a funeral procession for those killed in a car bomb explosion at a headquarters of a pro-government militia late Monday in the central town of Salamiya in Hama province, Syria. The Observatory said on Tuesday that at least 42 people were killed in the car bomb attack in the Salamiya blast. The Syrian government rarely comments on regime casualties in the nearly two years of fighting. (AP Photo/SANA)BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian warplanes bombed rebel areas near Damascus on Thursday as President Bashar Assad's troops battled opposition fighters for control of the road linking the capital to the country's largest airport.

2 TV projects target small NY town Sleepy Hollow

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:32 PM PST

NEW YORK (AP) — The quiet suburban New York village Sleepy Hollow is a hot topic among television creators.

Southwest's 4Q profit slips on higher costs

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:30 PM PST

FILE - In this Feb. 9, 2012 file photo, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 waits to take off at Chicago's Midway Airport as another lands. Southwest Airlines Co. says fourth-quarter earnings in 2012 fell by nearly half on higher spending for fuel, labor and maintenance. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines Co. said Thursday that fourth-quarter earnings fell by nearly half as costs rose for fuel, labor and maintenance.

Reader sue Armstrong over drug-use denial in books

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:27 PM PST

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — An aide to former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he was so taken by Lance Armstrong's first memoir of battling back from cancer to win the Tour de France multiple times that he immediately read it "cover to cover" and recommended it to several friends.

Women already serve in some combat-related jobs

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:26 PM PST

The Pentagon is knocking down old barriers to women serving in combat, but some already are in risky jobs. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's order, signed Thursday, opens 238,000 new jobs to women.

Cameron: I don't want a country called Europe

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:23 PM PST

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron walks past a map of Europe on a screen as he walks away after making a speech on holding a referendum on staying in the European Union in London, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. Cameron said Wednesday he will offer British citizens a vote on whether to leave the European Union if his party wins the next election, a move which could trigger alarm among fellow member states. He acknowledged that public disillusionment with the EU is "at an all-time high," using a long-awaited speech in central London to say that the terms of Britain's membership in the bloc should be revised and the country's citizens should have a say. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — British Prime Minister David Cameron wants nothing to do with a United States of Europe, an idea that's gaining currency as the countries that use the euro struggle to fix their debt crisis.

Starbucks profit climbs but revenue falls short

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:20 PM PST

NEW YORK (AP) — Starbucks says it profit rose in its fiscal first quarter as customers stepped up spending at its cafes in the U.S. and Asia, but its revenue fell short of expectations.

United Continental posts 4Q loss as traffic falls

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:18 PM PST

Travelers avoided United Airlines last year, leaving it with a fourth-quarter loss as it continues to pay for its stumbles in absorbing Continental.

Penalty could keep smokers out of health overhaul

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:17 PM PST

FILE - In a June 11, 2007 file photo, Helen Heinlo smokes outside of a coffee shop in Belmont, Calif. Millions of smokers could be priced out of health insurance because of tobacco penalties in President Barack Obama's health care law, say experts. The Affordable Care Act allows health insurers to charge smokers buying an individual policy up to 50 percent higher premiums starting next Jan. 1. For a 55-year-old smoker, the penalty could reach nearly $4,250 a year. A 60-year-old could wind up paying nearly $5,100 on top of premiums. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of smokers could be priced out of health insurance because of tobacco penalties in President Barack Obama's health care law, according to experts who are just now teasing out the potential impact of a little-noted provision in the massive legislation.

AP Exclusive: Gov't probes possible USAID bid rigs

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:17 PM PST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is conducting a criminal investigation into possible contract rigging by the general counsel at the government agency that distributes foreign aid, documents obtained by The Associated Press show.

As layoffs keep dropping, hopes rise for job gains

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:17 PM PST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Employers are laying off fewer workers, a trend that normally suggests hiring is picking up. The January jobs report next week will show whether employers have begun to hire more freely or are still waiting for the economy to strengthen.

Al-Qaida's No. 2 in Yemen succumbs to wounds

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:14 PM PST

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Al-Qaida's No. 2 in Yemen died of wounds sustained in a U.S. drone attack last year in southern Yemen, the country's official news agency and a security official said Thursday.

United CEO cites confidence in Boeing's ability to fix 787

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:14 PM PST

(Reuters) - United Continental Holdings Inc said on Thursday it was confident that Boeing Co could correct the issues with the 787 Dreamliner, which was grounded earlier this month after a series of safety incidents including battery fires. "History teaches us that all new aircraft types have issues and the 787 is no different," United Continental Chairman and Chief Executive Jeff Smisek said during the carrier's earnings conference call. ...

Boeing 787 probe far from complete: U.S. regulators

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:14 PM PST

Hersman briefs reporters on the NTSB's ongoing investigative work being done on the malfunctioning JAL Boeing 787 lithium ion battery at their labs in WashingtonWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. safety regulators are nowhere near finishing an investigation into a battery fire on the Boeing Co 787 Dreamliner, a top official said on Thursday, raising the prospect of a prolonged grounding for the plane. Deborah Hersman, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, made clear that investigators have found a series of "symptoms" in the battery damaged in a January 7 fire in Boston, but not the underlying cause of the problem. "We are early in our investigation, we have a lot of activities to undertake," Hersman told a news conference. ...

NTSB: Boeing 787 battery shows short-circuiting

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:07 PM PST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal accident investigators say a short-circuit and an uncontrolled chemical reaction apparently took place in a Boeing 787 battery before the battery caught fire earlier this month in Boston.

Barry Manilow reschedules Broadway opening night

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:58 PM PST

This image released by Starpix shows Barry Manilow unveiling a street sign reading Manilow Way in Times Square, Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013 in New York. Manilow is performing in "Manilow on Broadway," until Feb. 23 at the St. James Theatre. (AP Photo/Starpix, Kristina Bumphrey)NEW YORK (AP) — Illness has forced Barry Manilow to postpone the opening night of his latest concert show on Broadway.

Mexico, France divided on release of Frenchwoman

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:55 PM PST

Frenchwoman Florence Cassez, left, is kissed by her mother Charlotte after landing at Roissy airport, north of Paris, Thursday, Jan.24, 2013. Cassez, who spent seven years in prison in Mexico on kidnapping charges returned to a heroes welcome in Paris on Thursday, declaring she had been cleared by the Mexican court that ordered her freed. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)PARIS (AP) — She left Mexico to jeers of "killer!" but touched down Thursday in Paris to the fanfare of a state welcome.

Kerry defends defense secretary nominee Hagel

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:55 PM PST

Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., gestures during his confirmation hearing to become the next top diplomat, replacing Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Kerry is likely to face friendly questioning on a smooth path to approval before the committee he has served on for 28 years and led for the past four. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)WASHINGTON (AP) — Two Senate Democrats announced their support Thursday for Republican Chuck Hagel, President Barack Obama's choice for defense secretary.

Are Hollywood awards by gender out of touch?

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:55 PM PST

FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2013 file photo, Anne Hathaway poses with the award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a motion picture in "Les Miserables" backstage at the 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Actors and actresses compete separately at awards shows, a tradition some in the industry consider vital for women but others question. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)LOS ANGELES (AP) — Do Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Helen Mirren really need a category just for women — a singular kind of affirmative action — to snare one of Hollywood's favorite accessories, an Oscar, Emmy or Screen Actors Guild trophy?

Troops: Women should meet same standards as men

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:52 PM PST

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Iraq veteran Alma Felix hopes the U.S. military's new rules to open hundreds of thousands of combat jobs to women will lead society to recognize that female troops can be courageous warriors.

Union Pacific railroad's 4Q profit rises 7 percent

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:51 PM PST

FILE - In this Tuesday, April 22, 2008, file photo, a Union Pacific train travels through Council Bluffs, Iowa. Union Pacific's fourth-quarter profit chugged ahead 7 percent in 2012 because the railroad raised shipping rates and collected more fuel surcharges. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Union Pacific managed to overcome weak coal demand and sluggish agricultural shipments by raising rates at the railroad in the fourth quarter.

Kerry skeptical on need for more US forces in Asia

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:51 PM PST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nominee to be America's top diplomat supports deeper ties with China and is unconvinced the U.S. needs to ramp up its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

Paris Opera Ballet names Millepied of 'Black Swan'

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:49 PM PST

FILE - In this Sunday Jan. 15, 2012 file photo, Benjamin Millepied, left, and Natalie Portman arrive at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles. Benjamin Millepied, the PARIS (AP) — Benjamin Millepied, the "Black Swan" choreographer who helped transform Natalie Portman into an obsessed, paranoid ballerina for the film and later married the actress, was named director of the Paris Opera Ballet on Thursday.

What's a filibuster look like? Not Jimmy Stewart

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:46 PM PST

FILE - This undated black-and-white file photo provided by Columbia shows James Stewart in a scene from the movie: "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington". The Senate has more filibusters than ever these days. But you'd hardly know it by watching the chamber on C-SPAN. Filibusters are procedural delays that outnumber lawmakers, used to try killing bills and nominations. They seldom look like the exhausted talkathon waged by the devoted senator portrayed by Stewart in the film, WASHINGTON (AP) — From Jimmy Stewart's fictional all-night talkathon to real-life dramas over World War I and civil rights, the Senate's filibuster has played a notable — sometimes reviled — role in the nation's history. Now the slow-moving, famously deliberative chamber is on the verge of dialing it back — modestly.
Posted by Anonymous at 2:02 PM

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)