Sun, May 20, 2012

Apple,Samsung CEOs in U.S. court talks over patent row

By Dan Levine

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The chief executives of Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd come face to face on Monday in ...

Sun, May 20, 2012

Pakistan blocks Twitter access over "blasphemous content"

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan on Sunday blocked access to Twitter in response to "blasphemous" material posted by users on the microblogging and social networking website ...

Fri, May 18, 2012

Hedge funds dump $2 billion in gold over a week: CFTC

By Barani Krishnan

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hedge funds and other money managers liquidated more than $2 billion in gold futures over a week, trade ...

Fri, May 18, 2012

Solow lawsuit over Citigroup disclosures dismissed

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - Citigroup Inc and its Chief Executive Vikram Pandit on Friday won a dismissal of New York real estate developer Sheldon ...

Fri, May 18, 2012

Attacks over Bain Capital don't stop Romney's rise in polls

By Patricia Zengerle and Steve Holland

ZURICH (Reuters) - A Novartis experimental lung drug to treat smokers' cough was superior to a placebo in improving lung function over a one-year period ...

Thu, May 17, 2012

Kelly Clarkson "Gushing Like a 10-Year-Old" Over ABC-TV Stars

Kelly Clarkson may be a worldwide Grammy-winning superstar, but she's still a fan. Earlier this week, she appeared at ABC-TV's upfront presentation ...

Thu, May 17, 2012

GM chooses UK plant over Germany for new Astra

By Rhys Jones

LONDON (Reuters) - General Motors Co will build the next generation of its Astra compact in Britain after workers at its factory ...

Wed, May 16, 2012

Confrontation brews in Congress over detainee law

By David Alexander

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers moved toward a confrontation over the government's power to detain suspected terrorists on Wednesday as the Republican-led ...

Wed, May 16, 2012

Oxfam sues over oil, mining payments to governments

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oxfam America sued the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday to try to get the SEC to force oil ...

Wed, May 16, 2012

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Skechers USA has agreed to pay $40 million to settle charges that it made unfounded claims when it advertised that its "toning ...

Wed, May 16, 2012

Skechers settles charges over toning shoe ads

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Skechers USA Inc has agreed to pay $40 million to settle charges that it made unfounded claims when it advertised that its ...

Wed, May 16, 2012

Shareholders sue JPMorgan Chase over trading loss

By Grant McCool

NEW YORK (Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co was the target of two separate lawsuits by shareholders on Wednesday, accusing the bank and its management of excessive risk that led to trading losses of at least $2 billion.

A spokesman for JPMorgan Chase declined to comment on the lawsuits, which were filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, days after Chief Executive Jamie Dimon's May 10 statement that a "failed hedging strategy" caused the massive loss over the last month.

"What the Company did not reveal was that those losses were the result of a marked shift in the company's allowable risk model, undisclosed to investors, and the similarly clandestine conversion of a unit within the company that was touted as providing a conservative risk-reduction function into a risky, short-term trading enterprise that exposed the company to large losses instead," said one of the complaints.

It was filed derivatively by California shareholder James Baker on behalf of JPMorgan Chase against Dimon, Chief Financial Officer Douglas Braunstein and board members.

The lawsuit charged the JPMorgan defendants with breach of fiduciary duty, waste of corporate assets and unjust enrichment.

A separate lawsuit was filed at the same time by shareholder Saratoga Advantage Trust financial services portfolio on behalf of owners of common stock.

It said Dimon and Braunstein made "materially false and misleading statements and omissions" on an April 13, 2012 earnings conference call with investors.

"Defendants misrepresented the losses and risk of loss to the company arising from massive bets on derivative contracts related to credit indexes reflecting interest rates on corporate bonds," the complaint said. "These derivative bets went horribly wrong, resulting in billions of dollars in lost capital for the company and billions more in lost market capitalization for JPMorgan shareholders."

The cases are James Baker, derivatively on behalf of JPMorgan Chase & Co v James Dimon, et al in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 12-3878 and Saratoga Advantage Trust v JPMorgan Chase & Co in the same court No. 12-3879.

(Reporting By Grant McCool; editing by Gerald E. McCormick and Jeffrey Benkoe)

Wed, May 16, 2012

Industrial output in April rises most in over a year

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Industrial production posted its fastest growth in over a year in April, boosted by surging output at utilities and a rebound in ...

Tue, May 15, 2012

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rock singer Bret Michaels has settled a lawsuit he filed against the Tony Awards and CBS for damages to his head ...

Tue, May 15, 2012

Repsol to sue Argentina over YPF seizure

MADRID (Reuters) - Repsol has started the process to claim more than $10 billion compensation from Argentina for seizing the Spanish oil group's stake ...

Tue, May 15, 2012

Vatican, Benetton settle dispute over pope kiss ad

By Philip Pullella

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Italian fashion firm Benetton has agreed to make a donation to a Catholic charity to end a legal ...

Tue, May 15, 2012

IBM not interested in deals over $1.5 billion: CFO

BOSTON (Reuters) - International Business Machines Corp has no interest in pursuing large acquisitions, preferring to focus on targets worth $200 million to $1.5 ...

Tue, May 15, 2012

Ex-Murdoch editor Brooks charged in hacking scandal

By Michael Holden and Kate Holton

LONDON (Reuters) - Rebekah Brooks, a close confidante of Rupert Murdoch, was charged on Tuesday with interfering with a ...

Tue, May 15, 2012

Mexican divers hope to put one over Chinese

By Carlos Calvi

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico is counting on the youthful energy and ambition of teenager Carolina Mendoza to complement the experience of ...

Mon, May 14, 2012

Over 55 and jobless, Americans face tough hunt

By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Jean Coyle, 67, has a new kind of ministry.

The former professor had just begun a career as a ...

Mon, May 14, 2012

U.N., Syria at odds over control of aid distribution: envoys

By Louis Charbonneau

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Damascus wants to manage the delivery of all humanitarian aid to a million people in need of assistance ...

Mon, May 14, 2012

Florida college band suspended indefinitely over hazing death

By Barbara Liston

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Florida A&M University has suspended its celebrated marching band indefinitely as it grapples with the beating death ...

Mon, May 14, 2012

Regulators at odds over longer CME grain cycle

By Tom Polansek

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Jill Sommers, a commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, said CME Group should be allowed to increase trading ...

Mon, May 14, 2012

French drugmaker on trial over weight-loss pill

By Thierry Lévêque

NANTERRE, France (Reuters) - French drugmaker Servier and its founder went on trial on Monday accused of misleading patients and authorities about ...

Mon, May 14, 2012

By Nate Raymond

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Regulators moved on Thursday to seize control of pension plans at Dewey & LeBoeuf, the latest sign of likely collapse at what was once a top U.S. law firm. Dewey also faced its first lawsuit over plans to fire hundreds of employees.

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation said it would take responsibility for three pension plans covering 1,800 current and future retirees. The plans were underfunded by $80 million, it said.

Angelo Kakolyris, a spokesman for Dewey, declined to comment.

Dewey has been struggling for weeks with partner defections and debt. It has warned employees that it could close its doors and it has said that New York prosecutors are probing allegations of wrongdoing by its former chairman, Steven Davis. Davis has denied wrongdoing.

In its statement, the pensions regulator said it was stepping in to secure its ability "to collect against the firm's affiliates that share funding responsibility for the pension plans."

The announcement came the same day an employee sued Dewey for failing to provide adequate notice of layoffs. The firm is firing about 450 people in its New York office effective Friday, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit was filed by Vittoria Conn, a worker in Dewey's document production department, who said the company owes her 60 days of pay because it failed to give adequate notice.

The lawsuit sought class-action status for others laid off by the company. Dewey "terminated approximately 450 employees at its (New York office) on or about May 7, 2012, effective on or about May 11," the lawsuit said.

The action was brought in federal court in New York under federal and state laws that require employers to give 60 to 90 days' notice before mass layoffs. Conn said she was notified Monday that her last day would be Friday.

While it was not known how many people Dewey employs in New York, the 450 layoffs would likely be a big chunk of its workforce in the city, and provided an indication of how fast the firm was unraveling. Spokespeople for the firm have declined to say how many employees will lose their jobs.

In 2011, Dewey employed 1,040 lawyers worldwide, according to an annual survey by the National Law Journal, a legal publication. More than 180 of its roughly 300 partners have announced they have left or will leave since the firm's troubles began. On Wednesday, two of the firm's top leaders, Jeffrey Kessler and Richard Shutran, said they would leave Dewey & LeBoeuf for other firms.

But it is employees and junior lawyers who face the toughest times in a job market still recovering from the recent U.S. recession, experts said.

"When it comes to associates and non attorney staff, those are the people I really feel for because they're going to have a much harder time getting work," said Kent Zimmermann, a legal consultant at the Zeughauser Group.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond; Editing by Richard Pullin)

Thu, May 10, 2012

Rihanna Miffed at Chris Brown Over His Freestyle?

Last week Rihanna tweeted "Happy Birthday" to her former boyfriend Chris Brown . Now, just days later, the two have unfollowed each other on Twitter ...

Thu, May 10, 2012

Messy Facebook debut marks weak day on Wall Street

By Chuck Mikolajczak

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks fell on Friday after a sloppy debut by Facebook Inc spoiled hopes that a spectacular open for ...

Thu, May 10, 2012

Novartis eye drug efficient over longer term: studies

ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Novartis said on Thursday data from key studies showed treatment with its Lucentis drug could help certain sight-impaired patients see ...

Wed, May 09, 2012

By Patricia Zengerle

By Clara Ferreira-Marques

LONDON (Reuters) - Commodities trader Glencore faced calls for greater transparency around its deals in Congo, one of its most promising but ...

Tue, May 08, 2012

CBRE CEO to retire at year-end, president to take over

NEW YORK (Reuters) - CBRE Group Inc , the world's largest commercial real estate services company, on Tuesday said that Chief Executive Brett White, 52 ...

Tue, May 08, 2012

MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish clay-court specialist Nicolas Almagro did little on Monday to ease world number one Novak Djokovic's concerns about the controversial blue ...

Mon, May 07, 2012

Key witness against Clemens says provided drugs to other players

By Lily Kuo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Brian McNamee, the key government witness in the perjury trial of former baseball star Roger Clemens over the use ...

Mon, May 07, 2012

LONDON (Reuters) - One of Greece's biggest banks has filed a lawsuit against Reuters claiming 50 million euros ($66 million) in damages over a ...

Wed, May 02, 2012

By Laura Zuckerman

MISSOULA, Montana (Reuters) - The Justice Department unveiled a broad probe on Tuesday into complaints that authorities were failing to aggressively investigate ...

Tue, May 01, 2012

Selena Gomez Sued over "A Year Without Rain"

Selena Gomez is named in a lawsuit over her 2010 song "A Year Without Rain." According to Courthouse News Service , the members of a ...

Tue, May 01, 2012

Boston ties series without Rondo, Bulls routed

(Reuters) The Boston Celtics held firm while Eastern Conference rivals the Chicago Bulls collapsed as the NBA title contenders handled the absence of their ...

Mon, April 30, 2012

BEIJING (Reuters) - The European Union on Monday urged China to exercise "utmost restraint" over blind dissident Chen Guangcheng, who escaped house arrest last week ...

Mon, April 30, 2012

ACLU sues over Border Patrol stops in Pacific Northwest

By Laura L. Myers

SEATTLE (Reuters) - The Border Patrol is unjustifiably stopping people based on their skin color in Washington state's Olympic Peninsula ...

Thu, April 26, 2012

Hispanics back Obama over Romney on policy, many undecided

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hispanics favor President Barack Obama's policies over those of Republican rival Mitt Romney by large margins but many ...

Thu, April 26, 2012

New breed of boy bands takes over airwaves

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two more U.S. Secret Service agents are resigning over a scandal in Colombia involving prostitutes, the U.S. Secret Service on ...

Tue, April 24, 2012

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A slew of lawsuits by investors and customers of MF Global Holdings Ltd who sued over the futures brokerage's collapse ...

Tue, April 24, 2012

Kelly Clarkson Gets a Hit All Over Again with Country Version of "Mr. Know It All"

Most artists are lucky to have a hit once with a song; Kelly Clarkson 's now managed to score a hit twice with the ...

Tue, April 24, 2012

Murdoch hacking scandal piles pressure on UK government

By Georgina Prodhan and Kate Holton

LONDON (Reuters) - A phone-hacking scandal that has rocked Rupert Murdoch's media empire piled more pressure on British ...

Mon, April 23, 2012

Actor Fa'aoso fined over nightclub incident

The Straits star admitted charges of wilful damage and drunk or disorderly behaviour for wrecking a cash register during a bust-up at the city ...

Mon, April 23, 2012

'The Dark Knight Rises': Over an Hour of Bane vs. Batman in IMAX

Director Christopher Nolan is very excited about moviegoers' interest in IMAX technology, and such moviegoers should be excited about his excitement, because when The ...

Mon, April 23, 2012

BOGOTA (Reuters) - The Pentagon has suspended security clearances of military personnel implicated in the Colombia prostitution scandal, pending the results of the investigation, Defense ...

Mon, April 23, 2012

MetLife in multistate deal over "Death Master" use

By Ben Berkowitz

(Reuters) - MetLife Inc, the largest life insurer in the United States, will pay nearly $500 million to settle a multistate investigation ...

Mon, April 23, 2012

50 Cent Sued over Sample in 2009 Song

50 Cent has been sued by a member of the 1970s R&B group The Persuaders , who claims the rapper sampled one of the ...

Mon, April 23, 2012

Boss of UK's Sky News reprimanded over email hacking

By Kate Holton

Ford to quadruple SUV offerings in China over next year

(Reuters) - By Ben Klayman

BEIJING, April 22 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co , seeking to tap into China's growing appetite for brawny sport utility vehicles ...

Sat, April 21, 2012

Ecclestone blackmailed over secret relationship

Derek Rose, 32, and Jakir Uddin, 19, allegedly warned the TV star's agent Dana Malmstrom they would go to the press with a ...

Sat, April 21, 2012

Lawrence to take over Hunger Games franchise

The I Am Legend filmmaker is said to have received an official offer to step behind the camera for Catching Fire at a meeting ...

Sat, April 21, 2012

Rocky returns in Waratahs' win over Rebels

(Reuters) - Former Australia captain Rocky Elsom made his long-awaited return to the New South Wales Waratahs side in a 30-21 home win over the ...

Sat, April 21, 2012

China military warns of confrontation over seas

By Chris Buckley

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's military warned the United States on Saturday that U.S.-Philippine military exercises have raised risks of ...

Fri, April 20, 2012

Ecclestone blackmailed over secret relationship

Derek Rose, 32, and Jakir Uddin, 19, allegedly warned the TV star's agent Dana Malmstrom they would go to the press with a ...

Fri, April 20, 2012

(Reuters) - Days after being rebuked by shareholders, Citigroup Inc Chief Executive Vikram Pandit and the bank's directors have been sued by a shareholder ...

Fri, April 20, 2012

Chesapeake discloses loans after Reuters report

By Anna Driver and Brian Grow

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Chesapeake Energy Corp , in response to a Reuters report earlier this week, will disclose to shareholders ...

Fri, April 20, 2012

Vettel wins Bahrain Grand Prix, protesters kept away

By Alan Baldwin

MANAMA (Reuters) - Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel won the Grand Prix in Bahrain on Sunday while rage boiled beyond the ...

Thu, April 19, 2012

California middle school teacher fired over porn film role

By Evan Pondel

OXNARD, California (Reuters) - A Southern California middle school science teacher who once appeared in a porn film has been fired by ...

Thu, April 19, 2012

Officials issue warning over fentanyl patches

(Reuters) - U.S. health officials warned on Thursday about the sometimes deadly effect of overexposure to fentanyl painkiller patches, particularly for small children, saying ...

Thu, April 19, 2012

Unconscious pilot crashes into Gulf of Mexico

(Reuters) - The unconscious pilot of a small private plane flew in circles over the Gulf of Mexico for hours on Thursday, shadowed by two ...

Thu, April 19, 2012

NY state sues Sprint for more than $300 million over taxes

By Karen Freifeld

(Reuters) - The state of New York on Thursday sued Sprint Nextel Corp for more than $300 million, accusing the company of ...

Thu, April 19, 2012

EU agrees to share airline passenger data with U.S

By Claire Davenport

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European lawmakers agreed on Thursday to provide U.S. authorities with data on passengers flying from Europe to the ...

Wed, April 18, 2012

Celtics dispel Magic to claim Atlantic crown

(Reuters) - Paul Pierce nailed a vital jump shot in the closing seconds to ensure the Boston Celtics clinched the Atlantic Division title with a ...

Wed, April 18, 2012

The plaintiff, listed as Jane Doe, claims she sustained severe injuries and emotional distress after the Pirates of the Caribbean star's minders hurt ...

Tue, April 17, 2012

LONDON (Reuters) - German 10-year bond yields hit record lows on Friday and riskier assets came under pressure on growing fears about the euro zone ...

Mon, April 16, 2012

Teller sues over magic trick

The conjurer, one half of the famed Las Vegas double act, has filed suit against Gerard Bakardy - real name Gerard Dogge - accusing him of ...

Mon, April 16, 2012

Bruno seeks help over fears of bipolar relapse

Britain's Sun on Sunday reports the legendary fighter's friends became concerned about his wellbeing and called in mental health experts.

A source ...

Mon, April 16, 2012

Monk sues over car crash

The blonde star has filed papers at Los Angeles County Superior Court claiming she was left with ""severe injuries"" following the smash in L ...

Mon, April 16, 2012

Compston's grief over gran's death

The 27 year old stars alongside Gillian Anderson in the film about two youngsters who steal from the rich and privileged on the Swiss ...

Mon, April 16, 2012

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - Teller, the silent half of the magic and comedy duo Penn & Teller, has sued a Dutch entertainer for threatening to sell the secret behind Teller's signature, copyrighted illusion known as "Shadows."

According to a complaint filed April 11, Gerard Dogge, known professionally as Gerard Bakardy, posted a video on Google Inc's YouTube in which he performed the trick, which he called "The Rose & Her Shadow."

At the end of the video, Dogge offered to sell the trick, and threatened to place print advertisements offering to sell it for $3,050, the complaint said.

Teller said he became aware of the video on March 15 and directed YouTube to remove it. One week later, he phoned Dogge and asked him to stop marketing the work, even offering to pay for it "as it could be more efficient than filing a lawsuit."

But Dogge "countered with a much higher sum," and threatened to sell the secret if Teller did not "come to terms soon," according to the complaint.

Dogge did not immediately respond for comment.

The lawsuit was filed in the federal court in Las Vegas, where Penn & Teller regularly perform. It seeks a permanent halt to any copyright infringement, plus damages. Teller's lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

"Shadows" is "the oldest, most venerated piece of material in Penn & Teller's show," and has been performed thousands of times, according to the complaint.

It involves a spotlight shown on a vase containing a rose, with the shadow of a rose projected onto a white screen. Teller then uses a knife to sever leaves and petals of the shadow, whereupon the corresponding leaves and petals on the rose in the vase fall to the ground.

According to a certificate of copyright registration filed with the complaint, the illusion was copyrighted in 1983 by Teller, a pseudonym for Raymond Teller.

"This gothic pantomime has been performed by its creator over 1,100 times since 1976," the January 1983 certificate shows. "It's about time he registered a copyright, don't you think?"

(Reporting By Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by John Wallace)

Mon, April 16, 2012

"Pink Slime" controversy stokes clash over agriculture

By P.J. Huffstutter and Lisa Baertlein

By Stella Dawson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. politicians readily muscle up to talk tough against China on the campaign trail, charging its policies undermine ...

Fri, April 13, 2012

Flap over Ann Romney shows campaigns' anxiety on women voters

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It began with a Democratic pundit's comment late Wednesday on cable news that seemed to criticize Mitt Romney ...

Fri, April 13, 2012

Google CEO says Android important, not critical

By Dan Levine and Alexei Oreskovic

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The Android smartphone operating system is a very important asset for Google Inc, but it ...

Fri, April 13, 2012

will.i.am Sued over Clothing Marketing Deal

will.i.am is facing a lawsuit brought by a company called I.Am.Clothing.

According to TMZ.com , the company alleges it reached ...

Thu, April 12, 2012

Novelty grenade prompts bomb scare near New York's 'Ground Zero'

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A novelty hand grenade briefly prompted the evacuation of one of the buildings near "Ground Zero," the site where New York ...

Thu, April 12, 2012

Walmart International focusing on own business over deals

(Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc is emphasizing improving results in international markets where it already operates, such as China, over entering new markets, its top ...

Thu, April 12, 2012

Green Day Releasing Trilogy of Albums over Next Nine Months

Green Day will triple the pleasure of their fans over the next nine months, when they release not one, not two, but three new ...

Wed, April 11, 2012

Family planning group sues over exclusion from Texas program

By Corrie MacLaggan

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Planned Parenthood filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday seeking to stop enforcement of a new Texas rule that ...

Wed, April 11, 2012

By Hamid Shalizi and Jack Kimball

KABUL (Reuters) - While NATO soldiers worry whether an Afghan partner might turn from an ally to a lethal ...

Tue, April 10, 2012

Russia criticizes North Korea over launch plans

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia criticized North Korea on Tuesday over its plans to launch a rocket, saying the decision showed disregard for U.N. Security ...

Mon, April 09, 2012

White House warns North Korea over missile launch

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) - The White House on Tuesday warned North Korea that its planned long-range missile launch would be a flagrant breach ...

Mon, April 09, 2012

Hiddleston fell out with best friend over film schedule

The Thor star was thrilled when he was picked to appear in Spielberg's 2011 World War II drama War Horse, but the casting ...

Mon, April 09, 2012

Two Florida anti-hazing task force members quit over public meetings

By Michael Peltier

By Frank Jack Daniel

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stood together in New Delhi on ...

Sat, April 07, 2012

Masters leader Hanson prefers home over hype

By Simon Evans

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) - Sweden's Peter Hanson enjoyed a classic Masters television moment en route to his superb seven-under 65 on ...

Sat, April 07, 2012

Keith Olbermann Sues Current TV Over Firing

Keith Olbermann is finally taking his feud with Current TV from Twitter to a court room. Since Olbermann was fired from the network last ...

Sat, April 07, 2012

Renner angry over loss of privacy

The Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol star's sexual orientation has become a topic of speculation in recent years, prompting Renner to dismiss gay rumours ...

Sat, April 07, 2012

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's advertising regulator is deciding whether to launch an inquiry into Apple Inc's marketing of its latest iPad following what ...

Sat, April 07, 2012

Pakistan army hopes miracle will save avalanche victims

By Mahawish Rezvi

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's military hoped for a miracle on Sunday as rescue teams searched for 124 soldiers and 11 civilians ...

Fri, April 06, 2012

Death toll rises in Syria before U.N. vote

By Oliver Holmes

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Opposition activists said at least six people were killed in Syria on Saturday as the U.N. Security Council ...

Fri, April 06, 2012

Pena strokes Rays to win over Yankees

(Reuters) - Tampa Bay's Carlos Pena savored a dream homecoming by crushing a grand slam and then driving in the winning run as the ...

Fri, April 06, 2012

Florida college may sideline band over hazing death

By Barbara Liston

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - The Florida college rocked by the hazing death of a student who served in the ranks of its ...

Fri, April 06, 2012

Keith Olbermann Sues Current TV Over Firing

Keith Olbermann is finally taking his feud with Current TV from Twitter to a court room. Since Olbermann was fired from the network last ...

Fri, April 06, 2012

Renner angry over loss of privacy

The Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol star's sexual orientation has become a topic of speculation in recent years, prompting Renner to dismiss gay rumours ...

Fri, April 06, 2012

Cheadle slams NBC over Zimmerman 911 call controversy

Neighbourhood Watch volunteer George Zimmerman shot and killed black Florida teen Martin in February (12) after mistaking the unarmed teenager for a person of ...

Thu, April 05, 2012

Jobs recovery suffers setback in March

By Lucia Mutikani

To commemorate their fourth wedding anniversary this week, usually private couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z have opened up their world to fans, giving them a ...

Thu, April 05, 2012

Sandusky appears in court over Penn State sex abuse charges

By Mark Shade

(Reuters) - A U.S. regulator is set to penalize JPMorgan for actions linked to the demise of investment bank Lehman Brothers at the height ...

Tue, April 03, 2012

Groupon sued by investor over revised results, IPO

(Reuters) - Groupon Inc , which runs the world's largest online coupon website, was sued on Tuesday by a shareholder who accused the company of ...

Tue, April 03, 2012

Analysis: Low cost era over for China's workshops to the world

By Clare Jim and Jonathan Standing

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Foxconn Technology's agreement to improve the lot of its 1.2 million workers in China ...

Tue, April 03, 2012

Kanye West Sued Again Over Illegal Sampling

You'd think after being sued two or three times over sampling artists' work without their permission, you'd learn a thing or two ...

Tue, April 03, 2012

Aronsohn sparks Twitter war over women on TV

The scriptwriter raised eyebrows at the Toronto Screenwriting Conference in Canada on Sunday (01Apr12) by stating small screen programmes in the U.S. are ...

Tue, April 03, 2012

Sydney's Macbeth premiere scrapped over food poisoning

The curtain was due to go up on the Bell Shakespeare Company show at the famous Sydney Opera House on Wednesday (04Apr12), but opening ...

Tue, April 03, 2012

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve on Tuesday said it would seek damages from Morgan Stanley due to "a pattern of misconduct and negligence" in ...

Tue, April 03, 2012

Madonna: "I've Never Freaked Out Over a Tour Like I'm Doing Now"

After 25 years of touring, you'd think Madonna would be supremely confident about her ability to pull off a great show. Still, she ...

Tue, April 03, 2012

Obama assails Republican budget plan, aims at Romney

By Alister Bull

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama accused Republicans on Tuesday of favoring the rich with a "radical" budget plan that focuses on ...

Tue, April 03, 2012

Top JPMorgan banker quits after market abuse fine

By Sudip Kar-Gupta and Clara Ferreira-Marques

LONDON (Reuters) - One of London's most prominent bankers was fined 450,000 pounds ($720,000) for passing ...

Mon, April 02, 2012

Smith's hell over plane shame

The Clerks director was left fuming after he was ordered to evacuate a Southwest Airlines flight in February 2010 after staff deemed him too ...

Mon, April 02, 2012

Obama to target Republicans over tax fairness

By Alister Bull

By Tanya Agrawal and Andrew Stern

(Reuters) - Ground beef processor AFA Foods filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday, citing the impact of the uproar ...

Sun, April 01, 2012

Top Obama aides hit back at Romney over Russia

By David Morgan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Sunday came under political fire from two of President Barack Obama's top ...

Sat, March 31, 2012

Syrian violence claims 27 dead in run-up to truce

By Mariam Karouny and Douglas Hamilton

BEIRUT (Reuters) - At least 27 Syrian soldiers, rebels and civilians were killed in violence on Friday, opposition activists ...

Fri, March 30, 2012

Rangers back on top with win over Canadiens

(Reuters) - The New York Rangers regained first place in the NHL overall with a league best 50th win of the season on Friday, a ...

Fri, March 30, 2012

Wisconsin's Walker faces recall vote over union curbs

By Brendan O'Brien

MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - Wisconsin's controversial Republican Governor Scott Walker will face a recall election on June 5 over a new ...

Fri, March 30, 2012

Documents show debate over handling of 9/11 remains

By David Alexander

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cremated remains that may have included those of victims of the September 11 attacks were incinerated and sent to ...

Fri, March 30, 2012

Outspoken Morocco rapper charged over "insulting" song

Professor at Florida's FAMU suspended over hazing

By Barbara Liston

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - A music professor at Florida A&M University, the school rocked by the hazing death of a marching ...

Thu, March 29, 2012

By David Beasley

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A federal judge in Atlanta sentenced a former Defense Department official on Wednesday to a year and eight months ...

Wed, March 28, 2012

Cook takes aim at Brinkley over teary Today show slot

The actress has been locked in a public war-of-words with Peter Cook ever since their split in 2008 and Brinkley appeared on America's ...

Wed, March 28, 2012

Model Scruggs reaches settlement over plane accident

Scruggs sustained severe injuries after she was struck by the spinning blades of a two-seater plane in Texas in December (11).

She rejected a ...

Wed, March 28, 2012

Johansson fears long-term injuries over Avengers role

The Hollywood beauty is reprising her Iron Man 2 role as the Black Widow in the upcoming blockbuster epic and insisted on performing her ...

Wed, March 28, 2012

Wood's sadness over losing Happy Feet co-star Murphy

The actor reprised his role as Mumble the penguin in Happy Feet Two, but admits he was devastated not to be reunited with Murphy ...

Wed, March 28, 2012

Stone's doubts over Spider-Man role

The actress stars as Peter Parker's love interest Gwen Stacy in the upcoming reboot, The Amazing Spider-Man, but admits she initially wasn't ...

Wed, March 28, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc will begin layoffs of thousands of employees next week and will announce a plan to restructure the company the ...

Wed, March 28, 2012

Former NBA great Dennis Rodman in trouble over child support

(Reuters) - Hall of Fame basketball star Dennis Rodman, who won five NBA championships, has for now dodged possible jail time over allegations he owes ...

Wed, March 28, 2012

By Grant McCool

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nike Inc is accusing Reebok of trying to score an illegal Tim Tebow marketing touchdown.

Nike sued its ...

Wed, March 28, 2012

A's beat Seattle 4-1 to split Tokyo series

By Alastair Himmer

TOKYO (Reuters) - Yoenis Cespedes drilled a two-run home run as the Oakland Athletics beat the Seattle Mariners 4-1 on Thursday to ...

Tue, March 27, 2012

Two cousins plead guilty over Arizona's largest fire

By David Schwartz

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Two cousins accused of starting the largest wildfire ever recorded in Arizona by leaving a campfire unattended last year ...

Tue, March 27, 2012

Afghan defense ministry denies bomb plot

By Sanjeev Miglani

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than two-thirds of Americans disapprove of the way President Barack Obama is handling high gasoline prices, although most ...

Tue, March 27, 2012

Gas Prices Now Averaging Over $4 Per Gallon In Wisconsin

UNDATED (KDAL) - Expensive gas in the southeastern part of the state has upped the average in Wisconsin for a gallon of unleaded gasoline to ...

Tue, March 27, 2012

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Apple Inc will email all buyers of its new iPad in Australia to offer them a refund, a lawyer for the company ...

Mon, March 26, 2012

Hunt's tears over trip to great-great-grandmother's grave

The Oscar winner traced her roots on the show and she was proud to learn her great-great-grandmother, Augusta Hunt, was a crusader for women ...

Mon, March 26, 2012

Fry's joy over double bungee jump

The British funnyman headed Down Under to shoot scenes for his role as Master of Laketown in Peter Jackson's two-part epic, and he ...

Mon, March 26, 2012

Head will take on the role of centaur Chiron in Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Sea Of Monsters.

Teen pin-up Logan Lerman will return ...

Sun, March 25, 2012

Francis sues over shared chopper

The filmmaker has filed court papers alleging he teamed up with Mohamed Hadid in 2002 and they agreed to pay $226,000 (£141,250 ...

Sun, March 25, 2012

Regan jailed for lying to cops over murder

Regan, who had a longrunning role in popular U.K. drama series Brookside, drove a gunman to and from the location of the hit ...

Sun, March 25, 2012

U.S. regulator feels pressure over Freddie, Fannie: report

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are being pushed to reduce borrowers' mortgage balances in order to shield U.S. banks ...

Sat, March 24, 2012

Head takes over from Brosnan in Percy Jackson sequel

Head will take on the role of centaur Chiron in Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Sea Of Monsters.

Teen pin-up Logan Lerman will return ...

Sat, March 24, 2012

Francis sues over shared chopper

The filmmaker has filed court papers alleging he teamed up with Mohamed Hadid in 2002 and they agreed to pay $226,000 (£141,250 ...

Sat, March 24, 2012

The filmmaker has filed court papers alleging he teamed up with Mohamed Hadid in 2002 and they agreed to pay $226,000 (£141,250 ...

Fri, March 23, 2012

(Reuters) - Flyhalf Beauden Barrett set up a last-minute try and coolly slotted a conversion kick after the whistle to help the Wellington Hurricanes snatch ...

Fri, March 23, 2012

Senators shake slump in big win over Penguins

(Reuters) - The Ottawa Senators rediscovered their scoring touch with a 8-4 win over the red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins at Scotiabank Place on Saturday to maintain ...

Thu, March 22, 2012

The filmmaker has filed court papers alleging he teamed up with Mohamed Hadid in 2002 and they agreed to pay $226,000 (£141,250 ...

Thu, March 22, 2012

Regan jailed for lying to cops over murder

Regan, who had a longrunning role in popular U.K. drama series Brookside, drove a gunman to and from the location of the hit ...

Thu, March 22, 2012

Styler slams Waterman over domestic violence

The beloved TV actor is at the centre of a storm in the U.K. after he reportedly made the comment during an interview ...

Thu, March 22, 2012

Ernst & Young suit over Lehman heads to state court

By Jessica Dye

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A lawsuit from New York's attorney general accusing accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP of helping to hide financial problems at Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. has been sent from federal court to the New York state court where it was originally filed.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan said in a ruling Thursday that the lawsuit, which alleges that Ernst & Young conspired with Lehman in a scheme to shuffle tens of billions of dollars from its balance sheets in order to boost the appearance of Lehman's liquidity, does not fall under federal jurisdiction.

"This action therefore will be remanded whence it came," Kaplan wrote, referring to the Manhattan state court where the lawsuit was initially filed by New York's then-Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

The lawsuit is one of the first major government legal action stemming from Lehman's 2008 bankruptcy filing. In it, New York prosecutors cite violations of the Martin Act, a 90-year-old state law that gives regulators broad enforcement authority over securities fraud.

After the lawsuit was filed in December 2010, Ernst & Young moved it to federal court in Manhattan. While Cuomo's successor, Eric Schneiderman, initially opposed the move, the state later dropped its objections.

The case has been consolidated with 47 others related to the Lehman collapse. Sending it back to state court may make the discovery process less efficient, Kaplan wrote.

"But the court nonetheless has come to the view that remand of this action is the only course open to it in the present posture of this case," Kaplan wrote.

The lawsuit seeks to recoup the $150 million in fees that Ernst & Young earned as Lehman's auditor from 2001 until its bankruptcy filing in 2008.

Ernst & Young has denied it acted improperly and said that Lehman's accounting complied with national standards. In his ruling, Kaplan noted that whether Ernst & Young complied with national accounting standards was the sole federal-law question in the attorney general's lawsuit.

But Kaplan found that the state "may obtain all the relief it seeks" without reaching the question of whether Ernst & Young violated those standards.

"We are disappointed by the court's ruling, and we are reviewing it," Ernst & Young spokesman Charlie Perkins said in a statement. "We will continue to vigorously defend ourselves in the matter."

A spokesman for the New York Attorney General did not immediately return a request for comment Thursday.

The case is New York v. Ernst & Young LLP, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York No. 11-00384.

(Reporting by Jessica Dye; Editing by Gary Hill)

Thu, March 22, 2012

Obama lawyer asks Supreme Court to save healthcare law

By James Vicini and Joan Biskupic

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration's top courtroom lawyer made an impassioned plea on Wednesday for the Supreme ...

Thu, March 22, 2012

Government sues AT&T over fees from misuse of deaf service

By Jasmin Melvin

(Reuters) - The government charged AT&T Inc with cheating it out of millions of dollars by knowingly failing to prevent swindlers from using a subsidized telephone service meant for deaf people.

The Justice Department said on Thursday it accused AT&T of billing for reimbursement of calls placed by ineligible international callers who used the service for purposes such as buying goods from merchants using stolen credit cards.

In a filing Wednesday in federal court in Pennsylvania, the Justice Department joined a whistleblower suit filed by a former worker at one of AT&T's call centers.

The deaf and hard-of-hearing in the United States are offered a service at no charge to place calls to hearing individuals through text messages over the Internet that are relayed by employees of a so-called IP Relay provider.

These providers, including AT&T, are reimbursed about $1.30 per minute by the Federal Communications Commission through a fund paid for by fees added to consumers' telephone bills.

AT&T contends that it did not know foreign callers were using the system, and said it has followed the FCC's rules for providing the service and seeking reimbursement.

"As the FCC is aware, it is always possible for an individual to misuse IP Relay services, just as someone can misuse the postal system or an email account, but FCC rules require that we complete all calls by customers who identify themselves as disabled," said Marty Richter, an AT&T representative.

But the Justice Department accused AT&T of knowingly trying to skirt a 2009 FCC requirement mandating IP Relay providers verify registered users' name and mailing address. It said foreign callers accounted for up to 95 percent of call volume.

The government further alleges that AT&T implemented a registration system that did not ensure users were in the United States "out of fears that fraudulent call volume would drop after the registration deadline."

"Taxpayers must not bear the cost of abuses of the Telecommunications Relay system," said David J. Hickton, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. "Those who misuse funds intended to benefit the hearing- and speech-impaired must be held accountable."

Constance Lyttle, a former communications assistant in an AT&T IP Relay call center, filed the original lawsuit under provisions of the False Claims Act that allow whistleblowers to receive a portion of any recovered damages.

The case is U.S. ex rel. Lyttle v. AT&T Corp, U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania, No. 10-cv-1376.

(Reporting By Jasmin Melvin in Washington; Additional reporting by Sinead Carew in New York; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)

Thu, March 22, 2012

Facing heat over gas price rise, Obama vows to speed pipeline's southern leg

By Jeff Mason

CUSHING, Oklahoma (Reuters) - Standing in front of a row of pipes, President Barack Obama pledged on Thursday to accelerate approval of ...

Thu, March 22, 2012

FedEx to pay Labor Dept $3 million over hiring

(Reuters) - FedEx Corp will pay back wages and interest to more than 21,000 people rejected for jobs in a $3 million settlement of ...

Wed, March 21, 2012

Styler slams Waterman over domestic violence

The beloved TV actor is at the centre of a storm in the U.K. after he reportedly made the comment during an interview ...

Wed, March 21, 2012

Ninja Turtles star writes to Bay over remake plans

The Transformers helmer is planning to bring back the characters for a new live action movie, but actor Robbie Rist, who played Michaelangelo in ...

Wed, March 21, 2012

Goldman loses bid to end lawsuit over risky CDO

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc lost its bid to dismiss a lawsuit accusing it of defrauding investors by selling ...

Wed, March 21, 2012

(Reuters) - Southern Mississippi University revoked the pep band scholarships of five students on Tuesday after they admitted to shouting "Where is your green card ...

Tue, March 20, 2012

JPMorgan to pay $150 million over failed Sigma SIV

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co agreed to pay $150 million to settle a lawsuit by pension funds and other investors accusing the largest U.S. bank of imprudently investing their cash in a risky debt vehicle that collapsed in 2008.

The settlement with investors including the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) Retirement Fund was disclosed in filings late Friday with the U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

It related to the collapse of Sigma Finance Corp, a $27 billion investment fund created by London-based Gordian Knot Ltd. Sigma failed in October 2008 at the height of the global financial crisis.

According to the complaint and a regulatory filing, JPMorgan invested cash collateral posted by participants in a securities lending program in about $500 million of medium-term notes issued by Sigma Finance Inc, a structured investment vehicle.

While Sigma once carried "triple-A" ratings, JPMorgan "buried its head in the sand and refused to heed the warning signs" as analysts began predicting by late 2007 that Sigma would be unable to repay the notes, the complaint said.

Sigma's failure left about $1.9 billion as security for roughly $6.2 billion of medium-term notes and other secured debt, the complaint said.

JPMorgan spokeswoman Kristen Chambers said the New York-based bank did not admit wrongdoing in settling. "We are confident that we acted prudently and appropriately," she added.

The settlement requires court approval. A hearing to consider preliminary approval has been set for June 4.

A securities lending program typically lets an investor lend securities to a broker-dealer, in exchange for cash that a bank invests on behalf of the investor.

SIVs typically used short-term borrowings to make higher-yielding long-term investments. Many buckled as short-term credit markets tightened or froze in 2007 and 2008.

AFTRA is a labor union representing more than 70,000 performers, journalists and other artists.

Other plaintiffs in the JPMorgan case are the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority Pension Fund in New York City, and the Imperial County Employees' Retirement System in El Centro, California.

Bank of New York Mellon Co and Wells Fargo & Co are among other banks to be sued for investing client money with Sigma. Moody's Investors Service and McGraw-Hill Cos' Standard & Poor's have been sued over their ratings for Sigma.

The case is Board of Trustees of the AFTRA Retirement Fund et al v. JPMorgan Chase Bank NA, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 09-00686.

(Reporting By Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)

Tue, March 20, 2012

Sun Hung Kai executive arrested over suspected bribery

By Sisi Tang and Alex Frew McMillan

HONG KONG (Reuters) - A senior executive at Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd <0016.HK>, Asia's largest property developer ...

Mon, March 19, 2012

Sun Hung Kai executive arrested over suspected bribery

(Reuters) - A senior executive at Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd <0016.HK> has been arrested by Hong Kong's anti-graft body over suspected bribery, in a ...

Mon, March 19, 2012

HK's Sun Hung Kai Properties says executive arrested over suspected bribery

(Reuters) - An executive of Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd <0016.HK> has been arrested by Hong Kong's anti-graft body over suspected bribery, the developer announced ...

Mon, March 19, 2012

Kim Kardashian & Kris Humphries Battle Over Annulment

It's been five months since Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries announced that their relationship was over -- so why are they still married? It ...

Mon, March 19, 2012

Sean Kingston has been named in a lawsuit that alleges he was involved in the gang attack of a woman, according to RadarOnline.com ...

Sun, March 18, 2012

Black defends The Muppets over Love 'criticism'

The Hole star was said to be fuming to discover Smells Like Teen Spirit was used in The Muppets film in a scene featuring ...

Sun, March 18, 2012

Indian tribe, developer in tug-of-war over Grand Canyon Skywalk

By Cynthia Johnston

GRAND CANYON WEST, Arizona (Reuters) - As the muddy Colorado River flows in the plunging depths below, tourists gingerly step onto a ...

Sun, March 18, 2012

Obama should fire advisers over gas prices: Romney

By Andy Sullivan

By Mirwais Harooni and Rob Taylor

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Friday lashed out at the United States for failing to fully ...

Fri, March 16, 2012

China exerts rare public pressure on North Korea over missile plan

By Jason Subler

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China put rare public pressure on ally North Korea over the reclusive state's plan to launch a long-range ...

Thu, March 15, 2012

Actor Fa'aoso pleads guilty over nightclub incident

The Straits star was enjoying an evening out at the city's The Heritage hotspot when he was detained by cops for allegedly damaging ...

Thu, March 15, 2012

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Russell Brand was taken into custody by New Orleans police on Thursday and booked for simple criminal damage after a photographer ...

Thu, March 15, 2012

United Therapeutics sues Sandoz over hypertension drug

(Reuters) - United Therapeutics Corp said it filed a lawsuit against Novartis AG's generic unit Sandoz, alleging infringement of the biotechnology company's patent ...

Thu, March 15, 2012

U.S. seeks to ease concerns over F-35 delays, costs

By James Regan

SEC charges SharesPost, Felix over pre-IPO trading

By Sarah N. Lynch and Aruna Viswanatha

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. securities regulators brought charges against an online trading platform and two private funds ...

Wed, March 14, 2012

Banks to pay $25 million to NY state over mortgage system

By Basil Katz and Karen Freifeld

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Five major U.S. banks have agreed to pay $25 million to New York State ...

Tue, March 13, 2012

U.S., EU, Japan take on China at WTO over rare earths

By Doug Palmer and Don Durfee

WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States, Europe and Japan have joined forces to challenge China's restrictions on ...

Tue, March 13, 2012

Quaid's son fearful over nasty Hunger Games role

The 19 year old jumped at the chance to star in the highly-anticipated adaptation of the hit novel playing Marvel, who competes with lead ...

Tue, March 13, 2012

Miller's fears over L.A.'s 'drug culture'

A number of high-profile stars have succumbed to prescription drug addiction in recent years, including rocker Steven Tyler and Scottish actor Gerard Butler, who ...

Tue, March 13, 2012

PARIS (Reuters) - German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble and his French counterpart Francois Baroin said on Tuesday that the worst of the euro zone crisis ...

Tue, March 13, 2012

CFTC sues MBF Clearing over customer funds

By Jonathan Stempel and Jeanine Prezioso

(Reuters) - A New York-based futures clearing company has been sued by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for allegedly ...

Tue, March 13, 2012

Disney CEO Iger adds chairman role

By Lisa Richwine

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The federal government will withdraw funding for a Texas program providing more than 100,000 poor women with birth control and ...

Mon, March 12, 2012

Quaid's son fearful over nasty Hunger Games role

The 19 year old jumped at the chance to star in the highly-anticipated adaptation of the hit novel playing Marvel, who competes with lead ...

Mon, March 12, 2012

(Reuters) - Bank of New York Mellon Corp was sued on Monday by Ohio's attorney general, who accused the custodial bank of overcharging state ...

Mon, March 12, 2012

Gov. to cut Texas women's health funds over abortion

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The federal government will withdraw funding for a Texas program providing more than 100,000 poor women with birth control and ...

Mon, March 12, 2012

Christina Aguilera Needles Adam Levine over New Fragrance Line

Last week, Maroon 5's Adam Levine announced that he'd be bringing out a line of men's and women's fragrances called ...

Mon, March 12, 2012

Game warns it could be game over

By James Davey

Hartnett: 'I was arrested over stolen car mix-up'

Hartnett reveals he was busted on suspicion of grand theft auto during a drive in Texas, so Rodriguez and his then-wife Elizabeth Avellan went ...

Sat, March 10, 2012

Depardieu bonded with Castro over pate

The Green Card star has been pals with the revolutionary for 20 years and travelled to the Caribbean island republic in 2006 to attend ...

Sat, March 10, 2012

Oliver hits out over weight jibe

The British cook was answering questions from the media during a promotional trip to Sydney when he clashed with a journalist following a comment ...

Sat, March 10, 2012

Seagal hit with lawsuit over reality show

The Under Siege star, who is a reserve deputy sheriff, was filming an episode of Steven Seagal: Lawman in March, 2011, when he allegedly ...

Sat, March 10, 2012

Man charged over threatening letters sent to US Congress

By Theresa Carson

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries Battle Over Unreturned Gifts

Former brieflyweds Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries are at it again -- this time over unreturned wedding gifts.

The former couple were married in August ...

Wed, March 07, 2012

Somerhalder wages war over website name

The Vampire Diaries star was left fuming after learning Iansomerhalder.com was made to look like a fansite and he wants his name back ...

Wed, March 07, 2012

Stahl fined over taxi fare arrest

The Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines star was arrested in Los Angeles in January (12) after he was unable to cover his $84 ...

Wed, March 07, 2012

Davis 'relieved' awards season is over

The screen star was shortlisted for Best Supporting Actress at the 2009 Academy Awards for her role in Doubt, and narrowly missed out on ...

Wed, March 07, 2012

DETROIT (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> said on Wednesday it is recalling more than 681,000 cars and trucks in the U.S. market to ...

Wed, March 07, 2012

Jazeera Airways cuts Syria flights over turmoil

KUWAIT (Reuters) - Kuwait's low-cost carrier Jazeera Airways has cut the number of flights it operates in and out of Syria because turmoil in ...

Tue, March 06, 2012

Mavs restrain "Linsanity" to rally past Knicks

(Reuters) - Dirk Nowitzki led the Dallas Mavericks to a revenge 95-85 victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday as the "Linsanity" frenzy showed ...

Tue, March 06, 2012

By Anna Yukhananov

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators warned the maker of inhalable caffeine product AeroShot Pure Energy over false or misleading labeling, and ...

Tue, March 06, 2012

U.S. eases pressure on Switzerland over taxes for now

ZURICH (Reuters) - The United States welcomes the Swiss parliament's backing of a proposal to help U.S. authorities crack down on wealthy Americans ...

Tue, March 06, 2012

FDA warns breathable caffeine maker over label

By Anna Yukhananov

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators warned the maker of inhalable caffeine product AeroShot Pure Energy over false or misleading labeling, and ...

Tue, March 06, 2012

France says Iran "two-faced", skeptical talks can succeed

By John Irish

PARIS (Reuters) - France voiced skepticism on Wednesday that a planned revival of talks between six world powers and Iran would succeed ...

Mon, March 05, 2012

Minnesota school district settles lawsuit over gay slurs

By David Bailey

MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Minnesota's biggest public school district has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit with six current and former students ...

Mon, March 05, 2012

Aniston picks Los Angeles life over New York

The former Friends star gave up her Beverly Hills base last year (11) in search of a place to call home in the Big ...

Mon, March 05, 2012

Corbett sent to rehab over depression fears

The veteran British funnyman collapsed during a New Year's Day (01Jan12) dinner as he celebrated his inclusion on Queen Elizabeth II's Honours ...

Mon, March 05, 2012

More than half of Americans back Obama's Koran apology

By Missy Ryan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than half of Americans support President Barack Obama's apology for U.S. troops burning copies of the ...

Mon, March 05, 2012

As World War One centennial nears, fight erupts over memorial

By Kevin Murphy

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Back in 1926, nobody balked when President Calvin Coolidge dedicated Kansas City's towering Liberty Memorial as ...

Mon, March 05, 2012

Accused Tucson shooter loses appeal over forced medication

By Dan Levine

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Prison doctors may continue to forcibly medicate the man charged with the deadly Tucson shooting spree last year ...

Sun, March 04, 2012

Obama, Netanyahu face struggle over Iran "red lines"

By Matt Spetalnick

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are deeply at odds over how fast the clock is ...

Sun, March 04, 2012

It took them awhile, but Maroon 5's most recent album, 2010's Hands All Over , has finally gone platinum, signifying sales of one ...

Sat, March 03, 2012

In Greece, redundancy tips factory worker over the edge

By Renee Maltezou and Deepa Babington

KOMOTINI, Greece (Reuters) - After more than 30 years as a factory worker, Dimitris Manikas was dreaming of retirement ...

Sat, March 03, 2012

ECB's Orphanides says debt crisis easing, but not over

NICOSIA (Reuters) - The euro zone sovereign debt crisis has eased in recent weeks, ECB Governing Council member Athanasios Orphanides said on Saturday, adding more ...

Fri, March 02, 2012

BP's $7.8 billion deal may speed payments for U.S. spill

By Kathy Finn, Andrew Longstreth and Tom Bergin

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - The estimated $7.8 billion deal struck by BP Plc with businesses and ...

Fri, March 02, 2012

Over two dozen arrested in $325 million counterfeit

By Gianna Palmer

NEWARK, New Jersey (Reuters) - More than two dozen people from the United States and China were charged on Friday with running ...

Fri, March 02, 2012

Insight: Wall Street, Fed face off over physical commodities

By David Sheppard, Jonathan Leff and Josephine Mason

Sun, February 26, 2012

Egypt court adjourns trial over foreign NGO funding

CAIRO (Reuters) - An Egyptian court on Sunday adjourned the trial of pro-democracy activists accused of illegally receiving funds from abroad, a decision lawyers said ...

Sat, February 25, 2012

Global politics loom over Oscar foreign film event

By Jordan Riefe

BEVERLY HILLS, California (Reuters) - Nominees for the best foreign language film Oscar gathered on Saturday for an annual symposium to discuss ...

Sat, February 25, 2012

Kennedy hospital tussle over fresh air for baby: lawyer

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Robert F. Kennedy's son was trying to take his newborn baby for fresh air when he got into a confrontation ...

Fri, February 24, 2012

Canucks deal with the Devils to rise above rest

(Reuters) - The streaking Vancouver Canucks got off to a fast start to climb up to first place in the NHL standings with a battling ...

Fri, February 24, 2012

Braun, MLB at odds over drug-testing process

By Larry Fine

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ryan Braun's 50-game ban for a positive drug test was reversed over procedural mistakes but the Milwaukee ...

Fri, February 24, 2012

Michigan Sues Over Controversial Contraception Rule

UNDATED (WKZO) -- Seven states including Michigan have sued over the federal government's controversial contraception rule. The action is linked to a controversial Obama ...

Tue, February 21, 2012

Judge strikes down law mandating sale of contraception

By Katherine Luck

TACOMA, Washington (Reuters) - A federal judge declared on Wednesday that a Washington state rule requiring pharmacists to dispense emergency contraceptives against ...

Tue, February 21, 2012

John Paulson firm sued over Sino-Forest bet

By Jonathan Stempel and Katya Wachtel

(Reuters) - A firm run by John Paulson was sued on Tuesday by a prominent Miami investor who claimed ...

Tue, February 21, 2012

White House seeks to deflect blame over rising gas prices

By Alister Bull

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Under fire from Republicans over rising gasoline prices, the White House on Tuesday highlighted factors beyond its control for ...

Tue, February 21, 2012

Wall Street up on jobs data, brushes off Greek default

By Angela Moon

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks advanced on Friday as investors brushed off the technical default by Greece and focused instead on another ...

Mon, February 20, 2012

Haye wanted for questioning over Chisora brawl

MUNICH (Reuters) - British boxer David Haye is wanted for questioning by German police over his brawl with fellow British heavyweight Dereck Chisora following a ...

Sun, February 19, 2012

U.N. inspectors to press Iran over nuclear concerns

By Fredrik Dahl

VIENNA (Reuters) - U.N. nuclear inspectors headed to Iran on Sunday for talks aimed at getting Tehran to start addressing their ...

Fri, February 17, 2012

Mitsui unit to pay $90 million over Gulf oil spill

By Jeremy Pelofsky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mitsui & Co Ltd's MOEX Offshore agreed with the U.S. Justice Department to pay at least $90 million to settle some of its liability in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the first government settlement involving the BP Plc Macondo well.

MOEX will pay $70 million in civil penalties for violations of the Clean Water Act and spend at least $20 million on conservation projects in the Gulf states, the Justice Department said on Friday.

The settlement comes just 10 days before the civil trial starts in New Orleans to assign blame for the disaster, the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history. The accident, which led to almost 5 million barrels of oil spilling, killed 11 people aboard the drilling rig.

BP itself has set aside more than $40 billion to cover spill-related costs. The company has been trying to reach its own settlement with the Obama administration, but whether it can succeed by the February 27 trial is still uncertain.

"We believe that all parties would like to settle before the trial date. However, we believe it is still not a given that all of the parties can meet and resolve the various issues," said Angie Sedita, a managing director of equity research at UBS.

Separately, BP and Schlumberger-owned drilling fluids specialist M-I Swaco agreed to dismiss Deepwater Horizon-related claims against each other, pending court approval.

In the MOEX settlement, $45 million of the civil penalties will go to the federal government and the remaining $25 million will go to the states affected by the oil that polluted their Gulf waters and washed up onshore: Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

The Justice Department said it was the largest civil penalty under the Clean Water Act and emphasized the MOEX settlement did not affect others involved in the Deepwater Horizon spill.

"This landmark settlement is an important step - but only a first step - toward achieving accountability and protecting the future of the Gulf ecosystem by funding critical habitat preservation projects," Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement.

The company, which previously owned a 10 percent stake in the Macondo well, settled with BP last year and agreed to pay $1.1 billion toward the cleanup costs.

"MOEX held only a small share of the Macondo well and had no role in the Deepwater Horizon tragedy," said David Uhlmann, a professor at Michigan University Law School and former chief of the Justice Department's environmental crimes section.

"It makes sense that MOEX is not paying billions in penalties, but the settlement amount is extremely small given the enormous economic losses and natural resource damages caused by the Gulf oil spill," he said.

The proposed settlement was filed in federal court in Louisiana and is subject to approval by a judge.

The case is In re: Oil Spill by the Oil Rig "Deepwater Horizon" in the Gulf of Mexico, on April 20, 2010, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, No. 10-md-02179.

(Additional reporting by Braden Reddall in San Francisco and Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Phil Berlowitz, Andre Grenon and Richard Chang)

Fri, February 17, 2012

Adele Taking Legal Action Over Alleged Sex Tape

Here's how Adele knows that she's truly a star: she's become the victim of a sex tape rumor. The UK paper ...

Fri, February 17, 2012

Foreign investors fear Japan banks may hijack Olympus

By Sinead Cruise and Taro Fuse

LONDON/TOKYO (Reuters) - Western investors in Japan's disgraced Olympus have accused its banks of trying to take ...

Thu, February 16, 2012

Catholic bishops fight for authority over U.S. flock

By Stephanie Simon

(Reuters) - The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is a powerful institution, at least on paper.

But a recent debate over ...

Thu, February 16, 2012

Romney, Obama campaign spar over China policy

By Jeff Mason and Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama's campaign sparred on Thursday over whether ...

Wed, February 15, 2012

Lin passes Knicks to romp over Kings

By Larry Fine

(Reuters) - Talk of Harry Redknapp leaving Tottenham Hotspur to succeed Fabio Capello as England soccer boss is premature but the manager could have a ...

Wed, February 08, 2012

Parker spurs San Antonio to win over 76ers

(Reuters) - San Antonio's Tony Parker scored 37 points to continue his hot scoring stretch and lead the Spurs to a 100-90 road win ...

Wed, February 08, 2012

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Cable TV network CNN said on Wednesday it has suspended commentator Roland Martin over a series of Twitter remarks during the ...

Wed, February 08, 2012

Scientists melt mystery over icecaps and sea levels

By David Fogarty

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - U.S. scientists using satellite data have established a more accurate figure of the amount of annual sea level ...

Wed, February 08, 2012

Sanchez Vicario parents won't sue over book allegations

MADRID (Reuters) - Arantxa Sanchez Vicario's parents do not plan legal action against the former world number one after she accused them in her ...

Wed, February 08, 2012

Google to pledge not to favor Motorola over rivals

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Google will pledge to license on fair and reasonable terms the patents it acquires through buying Motorola Mobility, said a person familiar ...

Wed, February 08, 2012

Spanish federation to sue French TV over Nadal drug skit

MADRID (Reuters) - The Spanish tennis federation (RFET) plan to sue French TV broadcaster Canal+ over a sketch which appeared to imply world number two ...

Wed, February 08, 2012

Prosecution urges rejection of Sandusky request over visit

By Mark Shade

HARRISBURG, Pa (Reuters) - Pennsylvania prosecutors who have charged Jerry Sandusky with sexually abusing boys filed a fierce response on Tuesday to ...

Tue, February 07, 2012

Anonymous targets Oakland officials over handling of Occupy

By Emmett Berg

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The hacker group Anonymous has released personal information of Oakland officials in a leak it said was in ...

Tue, February 07, 2012

Ellen breaks silence on furor over J.C. Penney gig

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres said she was "proud and happy" that retail store J.C. Penney had stood by her ...

Tue, February 07, 2012

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A filmmaker and political activist from California has sued the New York City Police Department for access to photos it took ...

Tue, February 07, 2012

Delaware officials wrestle over mortgage deal

By Rick Rothacker and Aruna Viswanatha

(Reuters) - Delaware stands to leave up to $40 million in homeowner relief on the table, if it does ...

Tue, February 07, 2012

White House defends contraception rules as criticism mounts

By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration is willing to work with Catholic universities, hospitals and other church-affiliated employers to implement a new ...

Tue, February 07, 2012

Apple in talks on iTV with Canada telecoms: report

TORONTO (Reuters) - Apple Inc. is in talks with Canada's two biggest telecom companies about becoming partners in the launch of iTV, a device ...

Tue, February 07, 2012

KBO protest over Orioles poaching schoolboy pitcher

By Iktae Park

By Laura MacInnis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama tightened sanctions on Iran another notch, the White House said on Monday, targeting its central bank ...

Mon, February 06, 2012

Romney's lead dips despite wins: poll

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Despite his strong showing in early state contests in the race for the Republican U.S. presidential nomination, Mitt ...

Mon, February 06, 2012

Glencore-Xstrata deal meets shareholder opposition

By Sarah Young and Eric Onstad

LONDON (Reuters) - At least two top 10 shareholders in miner Xstrata plan to vote against a takeover by ...

Sun, February 05, 2012

GM aims for 10 percent profit margin over next few years: report

(Reuters) - General Motors aims to raise its profit margin to 10 percent over the next several years, up from the current margin of about ...

Sun, February 05, 2012

Rangers extend dominance over Flyers

(Reuters) - Two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference traded blows until the New York Rangers landed a third-period knockout over Philadelphia in ...

Sun, February 05, 2012

GM, Ford feud over Super Bowl ad

By Bernie Woodall

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - A simmering feud between General Motors Co and Ford Motor Co heated up on Sunday as Ford objected ...

Sun, February 05, 2012

Small Super Bowl protest for anti-union law

By Susan Guyett

INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - A small group of about 50 activists marched to Lucas Oil Stadium where the Super Bowl will be played ...

Sun, February 05, 2012

Obama has small-check donor advantage over Romney

By Alina Selyukh and Alexander Cohen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It does not guarantee him re-election in November, but it is an advantage President Barack Obama ...

Sat, February 04, 2012

Williams gives U.S. 2-0 lead over depleted Belarus

(Reuters) - Former world number one Serena Williams gave the United States a commanding 2-0 lead over Belarus in their Fed Cup tie Saturday after ...

Sat, February 04, 2012

France ups pressure on Russia over Syria

By John Irish

PARIS (Reuters) - France raised the pressure on Russia on Saturday by warning that countries that blocked a U.N. Security Council ...

Sat, February 04, 2012

Russians stage rival protests over Putin

By Thomas Grove and Alissa de Carbonnel

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Russians defied bitter cold in Moscow on Saturday to demand fair ...

Sat, February 04, 2012

Panetta reassures European allies over defense cuts

By David Alexander and Sebastian Moffett

MUNICH (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta reassured European allies on Saturday that Washington remains committed to their security ...

Fri, February 03, 2012

U.S. anxiety grows over possible Israeli plans on Iran

By Mark Hosenball

LONDON (Reuters) - The Obama administration is increasingly anxious about Israeli leaders' provocative public comments on Iran's nuclear program but does ...

Fri, February 03, 2012

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday the Islamic Republic would not yield to international pressure to abandon its ...

Fri, February 03, 2012

Swiss question 12 banks as Libor probe widens

By Martin de Sa'Pinto and Caroline Copley

ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland said on Friday it was investigating 12 U.S., European and Japanese banks ...

Thu, February 02, 2012

Storm over climate change among weather forecasters

By Deborah Zabarenko

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

But weather forecasters, many of whom ...

Thu, February 02, 2012

Republicans, attorney general fight over gun sting

By Jeremy Pelofsky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans in the House of Representatives said on Thursday senior Justice Department officials should have known about the controversial ...

Thu, February 02, 2012

Shareholder group slams Novartis over chairman's pay

By Katharina Bart

ZURICH (Reuters) - Shareholder group Ethos called for Novartis investors to vote against re-electing board members who were among those deciding on ...

Wed, February 01, 2012

Analysis: Wall St. cash flows to Romney over Obama

By Kevin Drawbaugh

(Reuters) - The captains of Wall Street have picked a presidential candidate for 2012 and it is Republican Mitt Romney, rather than ...

Wed, February 01, 2012

(Reuters) - Blake Griffin delivered the dunk of the season on a rim-rattling slam over Kendrick Perkins to highlight the Los Angeles Clippers' 112-100 home ...

Mon, January 30, 2012

Dentist ordered to jail for fraud over paper clip root

BOSTON (Reuters) - A former Boston-area dentist accused of substituting paper clips for stainless steel posts in patient root canals was sentenced to two and ...

Mon, January 30, 2012

Bomb blasts bring death to Syria's Aleppo

By Khaled Yacoub Oweis and Dominic Evans

AMMAN/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Twin bomb blasts hit Syrian military and security buildings in the northern city of ...

Sat, January 28, 2012

Labor war looms over All-Star weekend

By Steve Keating

By Lauren Tara LaCapra

(Reuters) - Facebook's initial public offering is likely to set a new standard for how low investment banks are willing ...

Fri, January 27, 2012

Shares firmer, euro steady ahead of factory data

By Richard Hubbard

LONDON (Reuters) - Stocks rose and the euro steadied on Wednesday as investors remained on guard ahead of the release of manufacturing ...

Thu, January 26, 2012

Exclusive: Chevron to face charges over Brazil spill

By Jeb Blount and Joshua Schneyer

CAMPOS, Brazil (Reuters) - A Brazilian prosecutor plans to file criminal charges against Chevron Corp and some of its ...

Thu, January 26, 2012

ECB remains divided over Greek bond plan

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The European Central Bank remains no closer to agreeing on whether or not it will take losses on the Greek bonds it ...

Thu, January 26, 2012

Nadal flattens Federer in Melbourne classic

By Peter Rutherford

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - There was no title at stake and no trophy to lift but Rafa Nadal's victory over Roger Federer ...

Thu, January 26, 2012

Lakers get last word over Clippers in inner-city clash

By Jahmal Corner

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The inner-city battle for Los Angeles added another feisty chapter as the Lakers battled to a 96-91 win ...

Wed, January 25, 2012

San Diego authorities make over 100 gang arrests

By Marty Graham

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - Police and federal agents arrested more than 100 suspected gang members in San Diego and surrounding communities on ...

Wed, January 25, 2012

Muslims urge resignation of NY police chief over video

By Edith Honan

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Muslim civil rights groups demanded the resignation of New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly on Wednesday ...

Wed, January 25, 2012

Games watchdog member quits over Dow deal

LONDON (Reuters) - A member of the body that oversees the sustainability of the London Olympics has resigned in protest at a sponsorship deal with ...

Wed, January 25, 2012

Netflix wins over Wall Street with subscriber growth

(Reuters) - Netflix Inc won back Wall Street's affections on Thursday after adding more U.S. subscribers than expected in the fourth quarter, a ...

Wed, January 25, 2012

Illinois sues S&P over ratings, alleges fraud

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - Standard & Poor's has been sued by Illinois' attorney general, who accused it of fueling the nation's housing and financial crises by assigning inflated credit ratings to risky mortgage-backed securities.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan said the McGraw-Hill Cos Inc unit, in a drive to boost market share, committed fraud and compromised its independence by issuing tainted, often "AAA" ratings to curry favor with Wall Street banks that created the securities.

"S&P was making hundreds of millions of dollars a year rating these deals," Madigan said in a telephone interview. "Without the rating agencies as enablers, none of these securities would have been able to be purchased by many investors."

The lawsuit accuses McGraw-Hill and S&P of violating state consumer fraud and deceptive trade practices laws. It seeks to recover profits derived from alleged inflated ratings, plus a $50,000 civil fine for each violation.

David Wargin, an S&P spokesman, said: "The case is without merit, and we will defend ourselves vigorously."

S&P and its main rivals, Moody's Corp's Moody's Investors Service and Fimalac SA's Fitch Ratings, have long faced investor and regulatory criticism over their ratings for structured securities that later proved toxic.

These agencies are typically paid by issuers whose securities they rate. Critics say this creates a conflict of interest, and causes issuers to shop for the best ratings.

Moody's and Fitch are not targets of Wednesday's lawsuit, which was filed in a Cook County state court.

"Our investigation is ongoing with respect to other players in the marketplace that may have contributed to the collapse," Madigan said.

INDEPENDENCE QUESTIONED

Illinois' complaint accused S&P of "systematically misrepresenting that its credit analysis of structured finance securities was objective, independent and not influenced by either S&P's or its clients' financial interests."

It quotes several internal S&P communications, including a widely quoted 2007 instant message by an analyst: "It could be structured by cows and we would rate it."

Madigan said Illinois' case has become stronger as more evidence has come to light.

"S&P will publicly say at every opportunity that its ratings are objective and independent," she said. "But when you see what they were talking about at work, it was: 'How do we retain this client, how do we give this deal a higher rating, and how do we make more money for this company?'"

S&P, Moody's and Fitch in September won the dismissal of a lawsuit in which Ohio pension funds claimed to have lost $457 million because of inflated ratings.

That case had been brought by Richard Cordray, formerly Ohio's attorney general and now director of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Connecticut settled its own lawsuit against the agencies over ratings in October.

This month, the Government Accountability Office urged U.S. securities regulators to more vigorously explore ways to reduce potential conflicts for credit rating agencies.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is conducting a study required by the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law that explores how best to pay the agencies.

In late afternoon trading, McGraw-Hill shares were up 74 cents, or 1.6 percent, at $47.27 on the New York Stock Exchange.

BOSTON (Reuters) - A former Boston-area dentist accused of substituting paper clips for stainless steel posts in patient root canals faces the possibility of decades ...

Tue, January 24, 2012

Lunch boxes recalled over leaking freezer gel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - California Innovations Inc is voluntarily recalling about 248,000 insulated lunch boxes because chemicals can leak from damaged freezer gel packs, the ...

Tue, January 24, 2012

Lunch boxes recalled over leaking freezer gel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - California Innovations Inc is voluntarily recalling about 248,000 insulated lunch boxes because chemicals can leak from damaged freezer gel packs, the ...

Tue, January 24, 2012

Netflix glad 2011 over but 2012 may mean more pain

By Lisa Richwine

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Netflix Inc probably would like nothing better than to put 2011 behind it. But 2012 may be no ...

Mon, January 23, 2012

Four Florida college students expelled over hazing

By Michael Peltier

TALLAHASSEE, Fla (Reuters) - Four members of the Florida A&M University marching band were expelled on Monday for hazing, the latest ...

Mon, January 23, 2012

Occupy protesters drop lawsuit over camping out

By Joseph Ax

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Occupy Wall Street protesters have dropped a lawsuit challenging their eviction from Zuccotti Park, two months after they ...

Mon, January 23, 2012

Sen. Grassley's Twitter account hacked over piracy bills

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley's Twitter account was hacked on Monday with bogus tweets attacking his stance on Internet anti-piracy legislation ...

Mon, January 23, 2012

Ex-CIA officer charged over classified leaks

By Jeremy Pelofsky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A former Central Intelligence Agency officer has been arrested and charged with illegally disclosing classified information to journalists, including ...

Mon, January 23, 2012

Ex-CIA officer charged over classified leaks

By Jeremy Pelofsky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A former Central Intelligence Agency officer has been arrested and charged with illegally disclosing classified information to journalists, including ...

Mon, January 23, 2012

SEC, SIPC to argue in court over Stanford claims

By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Securities regulators are due in court on Tuesday to argue that a brokerage industry-backed protection fund should let ...

Mon, January 23, 2012

Tablet, e-reader ownership almost double over holidays: survey

(Reuters) - The number of Americans owning a tablet computer or e-reader nearly doubled over the holiday period as Kindles, Nooks and iPads proved to ...

Sun, January 22, 2012

Two more arrested in Europe over Megaupload case

AUCKLAND (Reuters) - Two men sought worldwide in connection with a U.S.-led crackdown on the online file-sharing website Megaupload have been arrested, a ...

Sun, January 22, 2012

(Reuters) - Midfielder Ricardo Clark scored a 97th minute header to give the United States a 1-0 win over Venezuela in an international friendly match ...

Sat, January 21, 2012

Appeals court dismisses suit over new CFTC rule

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit by the financial industry challenging new federal regulations aimed at cracking down on speculation in ...

Sat, January 21, 2012

Hewitt rides emotional wave over Raonic into fourth round

By Nick Mulvenney

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - An emotional Lleyton Hewitt somehow dragged his battered body into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Saturday ...

Fri, January 20, 2012

New York City in court over homeless shelter policy

By Jonathan Allen

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration went to court on Friday to defend its controversial new application process at ...

Thu, January 19, 2012

Police identify victim in Hollywood severed head case

By Dan Whitcomb

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Authorities have identified the man whose severed head, hands and feet were found in the hills below the ...

Thu, January 19, 2012

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Russia has banned imports of sheep and goat meat and live animals from the Netherlands following an outbreak of a new virus ...

Tue, January 17, 2012

Florida's Rexall recalls vitamins over shellfish fears

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Florida drugstore chain Rexall Inc is recalling softgel vitamins because their mislabeled bottles contain tablets made from crustacean shells, a potential allergen ...

Tue, January 17, 2012

Florida's Rexall recalls vitamins over shellfish fears

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Florida drugstore chain Rexall Inc is recalling softgel vitamins because their mislabeled bottles contain tablets made from crustacean shells, a potential allergen ...

Tue, January 17, 2012

Iran cautious over Golden Globe film "A Separation"

By Robin Pomeroy and Hashem Kalantari

TEHRAN (Reuters) - The Iranian government sounded a note of caution on Tuesday about the success of "A Separation ...

Tue, January 17, 2012

EU to take legal action over Hungary laws

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission plans to take legal steps against Hungary over the country's laws on its central bank, judiciary and data ...

Mon, January 16, 2012

Sharapova gains ruthless revenge over Dulko

By Greg Stutchbury

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Maria Sharapova last met Gisela Dulko in a grand slam event at the 2009 Wimbledon tournament, where the Argentine ...

Mon, January 16, 2012

Romania protests over health bill continue

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Romanian protesters clashed with riot police in Bucharest on Sunday and demonstrated in other large cities, as protests spread for a fourth ...

Mon, January 16, 2012

Nadal survives big injury scare

By Ian Ransom

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Rafa Nadal eased into the second round of the Australian Open with a fuss-free 6-4 6-1 6-1 win over ...

Sun, January 15, 2012

Azarenka escapes mid-day sun with easy win over Watson

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - World number three Victoria Azarenka wasted little time in escaping the late-morning Melbourne heat to open her Australian Open campaign with a ...

Sun, January 15, 2012

In flap over S. Carolina law, old tensions and a campaign issue

By Andy Sullivan

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (Reuters) - The state that fired the first shot in the Civil War is once again battling the U ...

Sun, January 15, 2012

Nadal hits back over motivation doubts

By Ian Ransom

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - A combative Rafa Nadal returned serve at skeptics who have questioned his motivation at the Australian Open on Sunday ...

Sat, January 14, 2012

White House casts doubt over anti-piracy legislation

By Laura MacInnis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House officials raised concerns on Saturday about online piracy legislation pending in Congress that Google and Facebook have ...

Sat, January 14, 2012

Iran sends rare letter to U.S. over killed scientist

By Parisa Hafezi

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said on Saturday it had evidence Washington was behind the latest killing of one of its nuclear scientists ...

Sat, January 14, 2012

(Reuters) - The billionaire owner of the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest crossing between the United States and Canada, was released after one night from the ...

Thu, January 12, 2012

Vestas cuts over 2,000 jobs after profit evaporates

By John Acher and Shida Chayesteh

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish wind turbine maker Vestas will cut 2,335 jobs in a bid to restore profitability ...

Thu, January 12, 2012

U.S. slaps sanctions on China state energy trader over Iran

By Andrew Quinn

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on China's state-run Zhuhai Zhenrong Corp, which it said was Iran ...

Thu, January 12, 2012

Rip Roarin' Crab Soup recalled over allergy worries

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Blount Fine Foods is recalling some of its Rip Roarin' Crab Soup sold in 16-ounce cups because it contains undeclared milk, wheat ...

Wed, January 11, 2012

Mon, January 09, 2012

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A former U.S. Army soldier trained in intelligence and cryptology has been arrested and charged for trying to help the Somali ...

Mon, January 09, 2012

VW CEO eyes put-call options to take over Porsche

DETROIT (Reuters) - Volkswagen is itching to combine Porsche SE's sportscar business with its own and is looking at the possibility of using put-call ...

Mon, January 09, 2012

Instant view: SNB chief Hildebrand quits after currency scandal

ZURICH (Reuters) - Philipp Hildebrand has quit as Swiss National Bank chief, the bank said, in the wake of a scandal over a controversial currency ...

Mon, January 09, 2012

Swiss central bank chief quits over wife's currency deal

By Catherine Bosley and Caroline Copley

BERNE (Reuters) - Swiss National Bank Chairman Philipp Hildebrand resigned with immediate effect on Monday, saying he could not ...

Mon, January 09, 2012

SNB chief to face grilling over currency scandal

By Catherine Bosley and Caroline Copley

BERNE (Reuters) - Swiss parliamentarians met on Monday to grill embattled central bank chief Philipp Hildebrand over the controversial ...

Sun, January 08, 2012

Tebow winning over critics with maiden playoff win

(Reuters) - Stumbling into the playoffs on a three-game losing skid, the Denver Broncos showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday was seen by many ...

Sun, January 08, 2012

Howard struggles but Magic conjure up win over Kings

(Reuters) - Dwight Howard failed to produce his usual magic but Orlando did enough to defeat Sacramento 104-97 on Sunday and hand new Kings coach ...

Sun, January 08, 2012

SNB chief to face grilling over currency scandal

By Caroline Copley

ZURICH (Reuters) - Embattled Swiss National Bank Chief Philipp Hildebrand faces a grilling by a parliamentary committee on Monday about a controversial ...

Sun, January 08, 2012

U.S. soldiers confined to base over missing equipment

By Laura L. Myers

SEATTLE (Reuters) - About 100 U.S. soldiers have been confined to their barracks at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington ...

Sun, January 08, 2012

Native American roots trump in adoption battle over toddler

By Harriot McLeod

CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) - The parents of a 2-year-old Cherokee girl adopted at birth are fighting to get her back after ...

Sat, January 07, 2012

Saints march to blowout win over Lions

(Reuters) - Drew Brees tossed three touchdown passes and the red-hot New Orleans Saints romped to a 45-28 victory over the Detroit Lions in a ...

Sat, January 07, 2012

Texans crush Bengals for first playoff win

(Reuters) - The Houston Texans won their first ever National Football League (NFL) playoff game with a 31-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday ...

Fri, January 06, 2012

LONDON (Reuters) - Volunteers working at the London Olympics have been warned not to give away breaking news about athletes or disclose the location of ...

Fri, January 06, 2012

Syrian forces kill 33 in attack on rebel town: residents

AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian government forces have killed at least 33 people in a rebel town near the Lebanese border in the last few days ...

Thu, January 05, 2012

Injury-hit Heat prevail over Hawks in marathon

(Reuters) - The Miami Heat overcame the absence of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James to beat the Atlanta Hawks 116-109 in triple overtime on Thursday ...

Thu, January 05, 2012

(Reuters) - Two former police officers for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey are suing the agency for canceling their lifetime free ...

Thu, January 05, 2012

Swiss central bank chief vows will not resign

By Catherine Bosley and Caroline Copley

ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland's embattled top central banker vowed to fight "with all means" accusations of wrongdoing centered ...

Thu, January 05, 2012

Family of U.S. soldier held by Taliban hopeful over Qatar deal

By Laura Zuckerman

SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - The family of a U.S. soldier held captive by the Taliban for over two years said on ...

Wed, January 04, 2012

JPMorgan spokeswoman Jennifer Zuccarelli declined to comment.

The lawsuit was filed on Friday in the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan, and publicly docketed on Tuesday.

It is one of many lawsuits seeking to hold banks responsible for investor losses over mortgages that may have been toxic, defective or improperly underwritten.

JPMorgan Chief Executive Jamie Dimon last month told investors that the bank has been sued over $54.9 billion of private-label securitizations, excluding the former Washington Mutual Inc, and expects that number to rise.

"We think the disclosures are clear, risks were plain and set forth," he said. "Investors, mostly sophisticated, they understood and accepted it."

The case is Bear Stearns Asset Backed Securities Trust 2005-4 v. EMC Mortgage Corp et al, New York State Supreme Court, New York County, No. 650003/2012.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Additional reporting by David Henry; editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

Tue, January 03, 2012

Artist Hockney targets Hirst in row over methods

LONDON (Reuters) - British artist David Hockney has criticized the methods of compatriot Damien Hirst, who does not personally produce many works attributed to him ...

Mon, January 02, 2012

BP challenges Halliburton court request on spill

By Tom Bergin and Greg Roumeliotis

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - BP has opened 2012 with a new legal move in its battle to force ...

Mon, January 02, 2012

U.S. investors sue Lloyds chiefs over HBOS deal

LONDON (Reuters) - American shareholders are suing Britain's Lloyds Banking Group and the bank's former executives, saying they were misled over its rescue ...

Sun, January 01, 2012

Proud 49ers secure bye with win over Rams

(Reuters) - The San Francisco 49ers clinched a first-round bye in the National Football League (NFL) playoffs with a 34-27 victory over the St. Louis ...

Sun, January 01, 2012

Time Warner, MSG at odds over sports network rates

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Time Warner Cable and Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) failed to reach an agreement over new pricing to show MSG's ...

Sat, December 31, 2011

Kovalchuk keys Devils' win over Penguins

(Reuters) - Ilya Kovalchuk scored on a first-period penalty shot and assisted on David Clarkson's goal minutes later as the New Jersey Devils defeated ...

Fri, December 30, 2011

Rangers' fast start guides them to 4-1 win over Florida

(Reuters) - The New York Rangers started quickly with three goals in the first period that helped them to a comfortable 4-1 victory over the ...

Fri, December 30, 2011

Russell Brand-Katy Perry 14-month marriage over

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - British comedian and actor Russell Brand called it quits on his 14-month marriage to "Teenage Dream" singer Katy Perry on Friday ...

Fri, December 30, 2011

Oakland protesters who took over foreclosed home arrested

By Mary Slosson

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A dozen anti-Wall Street protesters who had taken over a foreclosed home in Oakland were arrested on Thursday ...

Thu, December 29, 2011

Busloads of ski-bound teens turn pot over to Nevada police

By Stephen Ward

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Five busloads of students who stopped in Nevada en route to a ski trip were given a break ...

Thu, December 29, 2011

Fisker recalls 239 Karma cars over battery defect

(Reuters) - Fisker Automotive, the electric carmaker backed by actor Leonardo DiCaprio, is recalling 239 Karma plug-in hybrid cars in the United States due to ...

Thu, December 29, 2011

Beverly Hillbilly actress settles lawsuit over doll

(Reuters) - The actress who played tomboy Elly May Clampett on 1960s television show "The Beverly Hillbillies" has settled her lawsuit against Mattel over a ...

Thu, December 29, 2011

Iran warns U.S. over Strait of Hormuz

By Parisa Hafezi

TEHRAN (Reuters) - A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said on Thursday the United States was not in a position to tell ...

Wed, December 28, 2011

New York unions sue over retiree health-care change

By Daniel Wiessner

ALBANY, New York (Reuters) - Seven New York state unions filed federal lawsuits on Wednesday seeking to prevent Governor Andrew Cuomo from ...

Wed, December 28, 2011

U.S. gasoline demand up over Christmas holiday

(Reuters) - U.S. retail gasoline demand rose sharply last week from the previous week as Americans hit the road for the Christmas holiday, but ...

Tue, December 27, 2011

France tries to calm women over scandal-hit implants

By Leigh Thomas

PARIS (Reuters) - France's health minister tried to calm women's fears over potentially dangerous breast implants on Tuesday, saying there ...

Tue, December 27, 2011

(Reuters) - Nearly two dozen former professional football players have sued the National Football League in Miami, the latest in a string of lawsuits brought ...

Fri, December 23, 2011

GE unit to pay $70 million over muni bond bid-rigging

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - General Electric Co acknowledged that three former traders at a finance unit engaged in bid-rigging of municipal bonds and agreed to pay ...

Fri, December 23, 2011

U.S. airlines and a lost luggage liability puzzle

By Mitch Lipka

(Reuters) - The Vancouver Canucks took down another leading Western Conference team on Wednesday with a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.

The Canucks ...

Wed, December 21, 2011

Long-time U.S. fugitive jailed over child porn

(Reuters) - A fugitive former teacher on a U.S. federal police "most wanted" list has been jailed for 10 years after being nabbed and ...

Wed, December 21, 2011

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pampered Chef, of Addison, Ill., is voluntarily recalling about 20,000 ice cream dippers because the cap and seal can fly ...

Wed, December 21, 2011

Iraq PM warns Sunnis could be shut from power

By Suadad al-Salhy and Aseel Kami

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's Sunni Muslim minority rejected a call for all-party talks on Wednesday, ignoring U.S ...

Tue, December 20, 2011

Jefferies wins over critics by reducing risk

By Lauren Tara LaCapra

(Reuters) - Jefferies Group Inc's profit dropped 23 percent during its fiscal fourth quarter as the investment bank took aggressive ...

Tue, December 20, 2011

Japan to take over two thirds stake in Tepco: report

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Japanese government plans to take a stake of more than two-thirds in Tokyo Electric Power Co <9501.T> in a de facto nationalization ...

Mon, December 19, 2011

Nearly $55 million raised in Ohio fight over anti-union law

By Kim Palmer

CLEVELAND (Reuters) - Nearly $55 million was raised in the fight over public worker collective bargaining rights in Ohio this fall, according ...

Sun, December 18, 2011

San Diego take charge with big win over Baltimore

LONDON (Reuters) - The British Olympic Association (BOA) on Tuesday filed a formal appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in their dispute ...

Mon, December 12, 2011

Fed stimulus pledge buoys stocks, Greece talks eyed

By Richard Hubbard

LONDON (Reuters) - The euro held firm against the dollar, while European shares and gold moved higher on Thursday, after the U ...

Mon, December 12, 2011

U.S. lawmakers freeze $700 million to Pakistan, ties strained

By Qasim Nauman and Rebecca Conway

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A U.S. Congressional panel has frozen $700 million in aid to Pakistan until it gives ...

Mon, December 12, 2011

Medtronic settles U.S. probe over doctor kickbacks

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Medtronic Inc has agreed to pay $23.5 million to settle allegations that it paid kickbacks to doctors to encourage them to ...

Mon, December 12, 2011

Analysis: Pain may not be over for U.S. banks

By Angela Moon and Ryan Vlastelica

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Even experienced Wall Street contrarians are eyeing the beaten-down U.S. financial sector warily.

The ...

Mon, December 12, 2011

Chiefs fire head coach Haley, Crennel takes over

(Reuters) - The struggling Kansas City Chiefs have fired head coach Todd Haley and named defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel as interim coach, the National Football ...

Mon, December 12, 2011

Packers Keep Streak Alive WIth Win Over Oakland

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - The Green Bay Packers turned Sunday's game with the Oakland Raiders into a blowout quickly, jumping out to a ...

Sun, December 11, 2011

Blackhawks get late goals to score OT win over

(Reuters) - The Chicago Blackhawks scored two late goals to claim a 3-2 overtime victory over the San Jose Sharks Sunday.

Chicago's Patrick Sharp ...

Sun, December 11, 2011

Olympus offices, homes raided in accounting scandal

By James Topham and Yoko Kubota

TOKYO (Reuters) - Dozens of black-suited investigators, marching double-file, raided the office building of three small Olympus Corp subsidiaries ...

Sat, December 10, 2011

(Reuters) - AT&T Inc and Sprint Nextel Corp asked a U.S. court on Tuesday to delay hearings in their private litigation over whether the telecommunications giant can buy T-Mobile USA, and the judge promptly agreed.

The request was similar to one that AT&T and the Justice Department made on Monday regarding the government's antitrust suit, which U.S. District Judge Ellen Huvelle also promptly signed.

An identical request was agreed in a case against AT&T brought by small regional phone company C Spire Wireless.

AT&T's agreement to delays in the cases, after previously insisting on expediting them to prevent Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile USA from deteriorating in limbo, have led to pessimism that the $39 billion deal will be completed.

AT&T has also set aside $4 billion in reserves for what could eventually be a $6 billion deal breakup payment to T-Mobile.

AT&T and Sprint asked for the next hearing in the case to be January 18, at 2 p.m. EST (1900 GMT), the same time as the next hearing in the Justice Department's case against AT&T.

Huvelle has ordered AT&T and T-Mobile USA to tell the court by noon on January 12 whether they plan to continue to pursue their agreed deal or an amended one and to give an update on their plans for seeking necessary approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.

Both the Justice Department and the FCC have objected to the deal on the grounds that it would hurt competition in the U.S. wireless market. The purchase of No. 4 U.S. mobile operator T-Mobile USA would vault No. 2-ranked AT&T into first place in the U.S. market.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A congressman from Washington state fired three aides on Thursday shortly after learning of their indiscreet tweets that talked of on-the-job drinking ...

Thu, December 08, 2011

Attorney General Holder vows not to quit in gun sting case

By Diane Bartz

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Republicans grilled Attorney General Eric Holder Thursday over a botched gun-smuggling sting in Mexico, with one lawmaker comparing ...

Thu, December 08, 2011

Florida A&M president reprimanded after hazing death

By Barbara Liston

ORLANDO, Fla (Reuters) - Florida A&M University's board of trustees publicly reprimanded the school's president on Thursday over his ...

Thu, December 08, 2011

Fears over EU deal hit world stocks

By Richard Hubbard

LONDON (Reuters) - European stock markets and the euro fell on Friday on fears that EU leaders were struggling to come to ...

Wed, December 07, 2011

Fox, Dodgers clash in court spat over media rights

By Tom Hals and Sue Zeidler

WILMINGTON, Del./LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Prospective bidders are piling up for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Fox Sports ...

Wed, December 07, 2011

Nine expelled from Massachusetts college after attack over shoes

CONWAY, Mass (Reuters) - Nine students expelled from a Massachusetts college after the brutal on-campus beating of a student over a pair of sneakers was ...

Wed, December 07, 2011

Monti popularity dips over austerity, unions call strikes

By Philip Pullella

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's new Prime Minister Mario Monti, trying to push through a tough austerity package he says is vital ...

Tue, December 06, 2011

Florida jury convicts 6 over Eastern European prostitution ring

By Barbara Liston

ORLANDO, Fla (Reuters) - A federal jury in Orlando convicted six people on conspiracy charges on Tuesday linked to what prosecutors called ...

Tue, December 06, 2011

FAA chief resigns over drunken driving charge

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. aviation safety official resigned on Tuesday over a drunken driving charge.

Randy Babbitt said in a statement that ...

Tue, December 06, 2011

Amazon to buy over 450 children's book titles

(Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc said on Tuesday it agreed to acquire more than 450 children's book titles in the U.S. from publisher ...

Tue, December 06, 2011

HONG KONG (Reuters) - A court in southern China has rejected a lawsuit by Apple Inc, accusing a Chinese technology company of infringing its iPad ...

Mon, December 05, 2011

Settlement reached over Massey mine accident: report

(Reuters) - Alpha Natural Resources has agreed to pay $200 million to resolve a range of civil and criminal penalties linked to the Upper Big ...

Mon, December 05, 2011

Parties in legal tussle over control of Virginia state Senate

By Matthew A. Ward

PORTSMOUTH, Va (Reuters) - Democrats in what is seen as a potentially key swing state in next year's presidential election ...

Mon, December 05, 2011

S&P warns of broad euro zone downgrade over debt

By Walter Brandimarte

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Standard & Poor's on Monday warned it may carry out an unprecedented mass downgrade of euro zone countries if EU leaders fail to reach an agreement on how to solve the region's debt crisis in a summit later this week.

The ratings agency placed the ratings of 15 euro zone countries, including top-rated nations Germany and France, on credit watch negative -- a move that signals a possible downgrade in no later than three months.

S&P said, however, it expects to conclude its review "as soon as possible" following this week's summit of EU leaders on Friday.

The action was "prompted by our belief that systemic stresses in the eurozone have risen in recent weeks to the extent that they now put downward pressure on the credit standing of the eurozone as a whole," the ratings agency said in a statement.

Of the 17 countries forming the euro zone, Cyprus' rating was already put on credit watch negative by S&P and Greece is rated CC, which already denotes high possibility of default in the near term.

If the downgrade materializes, countries such as Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, and Luxembourg would likely have their rating cut by one notch. The other countries could suffer downgrades of up to two notches, S&P said.

News of S&P's move their gains and the euro to erase early gains. U.S. stock index futures slipped further after the announcement, which came with U.S. markets closed.

The other two major ratings agencies, Moody's and Fitch, have already said they could soon review the ratings of top-rated euro zone countries, but they still maintain a stable outlook on them.

(Additional reporting by Daniel Bases; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Dan Grebler)

(The following story corrects the fifth paragraph to show S ...

Mon, December 05, 2011

FAA chief on leave over drunk driving arrest

By John Crawley

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top U.S. aviation safety official, Randy Babbitt, took an immediate leave of absence on Monday after he ...

Mon, December 05, 2011

New U.N. climate deal struck, critics say gains modest

By Nina Chestney and Jon Herskovitz

DURBAN (Reuters) - Countries from around the globe agreed on Sunday to forge a new deal forcing all the ...

Mon, December 05, 2011

By Tim Gaynor and Verna Gates

(Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Thursday refused to revive Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd's patent infringement suit against AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP for the ...

Fri, December 02, 2011

House Republicans divided over payroll tax cut

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives pushed ahead on Friday to extend a popular payroll tax ...

Fri, December 02, 2011

Walgreen, others sue Pfizer over depression drug

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - Pfizer Inc and Teva Pharmceutical Industries Ltd were sued by Walgreen Co and four other large retailers, accused of violating ...

Fri, December 02, 2011

Over 20 arrested at U.S. London embassy protest

LONDON (Reuters) - Police said they had made more than 20 arrests at a demonstration outside the U.S. embassy in London on Friday.

MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - A Wisconsin man who allegedly attacked a fellow guest at a Thanksgiving Day dinner after she ignored his claim to a specific ...

Tue, November 29, 2011

Sirius CEO wants defined role if Liberty takes over

By Jennifer Saba and Peter Lauria

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sirius XM Radio Inc CEO Mel Karmazin admits that he doesn't like playing second ...

Tue, November 29, 2011

Episcopal bishop cleared of charges over gays in church

By Harriet McLeod

CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) - The national Episcopal Church cleared a South Carolina diocese bishop of accusations that he abandoned the church ...

Tue, November 29, 2011

New York city council may sue over Bloomberg homeless policy

By Jonathan Allen

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The New York City Council will vote on Tuesday whether to proceed with filing a lawsuit over new ...

Mon, November 28, 2011

Americans tepid about libraries, favor Obama over Bush

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Many Americans don't use libraries, favor locally sourced food and would choose President Barack Obama over his predecessor George W ...

Mon, November 28, 2011

Investor can sue S&P over Lehman: German court

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A German regional court has opened the door to an investor law suit against credit rating agency Standard & Poor's over its assessment of Lehman Brothers securities before the collapse of the U.S. investment bank.

The Frankfurt higher regional court rejected a lower court ruling that had found the court had no jurisdiction.

"The case will be sent back to the lower Frankfurt court for action and a decision," a spokeswoman for the higher regional court said on Monday.

The German court has jurisdiction because S&P has assets in Germany and the person bringing the suit is a German resident, the higher regional court said in a statement.

German law firm KWAG brought the suit on behalf of an investor who had bought 30,000 euros ($40,000) worth of Lehman securities based on a favorable S&P rating, a spokesman for KWAG said. The ruling could open the door to further suits, he said.

Lehman Brothers collapsed in September 2008.

An S&P spokeswoman declined comment. ($1 = 0.7536 euros)

(Reporting by Jonathan Gould; Editing by Andrew Callus)

Mon, November 28, 2011

Three Fires Over The Weekend In Duluth

DULUTH, MN (KDAL) - Duluth firefighters battled three fires over the weekend. Early on Saturday the Fire Department was called to a fire at 209 ...

Mon, November 28, 2011

Obama tells EU to take decisive action on debt

By Laura MacInnis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama pressed European Union officials on Monday to act quickly and decisively to resolve their sovereign debt ...

Sun, November 27, 2011

Shoppers spent more cash over Thanksgiving weekend: NRF

NEW YORK (Reuters) - More people headed to stores and websites over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and average spending per person rose 9.1 percent ...

Sat, November 26, 2011

Players excited but cautious over tentative deal

(Reuters) - Players reacted with excitement and caution as word circulated on Saturday that National Basketball Association (NBA) owners were ready to lift the lockout ...

Fri, November 25, 2011

Pakistan PM: No more "business as usual" with U.S.

By Qasim Nauman and Chris Allbritton

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's prime minister ruled out "business as usual" with the United States on Monday after ...

Fri, November 25, 2011

Penguins claim controversial OT win over Habs

(Reuters) - Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang suffered a broken nose but battled on to score a controversial overtime goal that gave the Penguins a 4-3 ...

Fri, November 25, 2011

Heart patients prefer longevity over quality of life

By Linda Thrasybule

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When an elderly person's chronic disease is impossible to cure, many doctors might assume that patient ...

Fri, November 25, 2011

Dow and S&P 500 post best week since Christmas

By Caroline Valetkevitch

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks posted their best week since Christmas, even with a mixed finish on Friday after strong earnings from ...

Thu, November 24, 2011

At least 23 dead in intensifying Syria violence

By Erika Solomon and Douglas Hamilton

BEIRUT (Reuters) - At least 23 people were reported killed in Syria Saturday as violence intensified in the eighth ...

Wed, November 23, 2011

NCAA concerned over point shaving allegation at U. of Hawaii

(Reuters) - The NCAA said on Wednesday it was concerned about an anonymously submitted allegation of point-shaving at the University of Hawaii's football team ...

Wed, November 23, 2011

Judge says NY Mets case over Madoff deserves jury

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - The trustee seeking money for Bernard Madoff's victims has a constitutional right to have his $386 million lawsuit against ...

Wed, November 23, 2011

Showdowns loom in California over public pensions

By Jim Christie

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - There's no avoiding a ballot showdown over paring public employee pensions in California's third-largest city, its ...

Wed, November 23, 2011

FBI arrests seven over Amish beard cutting attacks

By Kim Palmer

CLEVELAND (Reuters) - Seven men from an Amish splinter group in Ohio were arrested on federal hate crimes charges on Wednesday, accused ...

Tue, November 22, 2011

Pakistan's envoy to U.S. quits over coup memo

By Chris Allbritton

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's ambassador to the United States resigned on Tuesday, days after a Pakistani-American businessman said the envoy was ...

Tue, November 22, 2011

CAIRO (Reuters) - Three U.S. students were paraded on Egyptian television on Tuesday after being accused of throwing petrol bombs at police during protests ...

Tue, November 22, 2011

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - Twenty-eight Navy sailors from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan are being discharged after they were caught using Spice, a designer ...

Mon, November 21, 2011

GM moves to speed up Opel restructuring

By Ben Klayman and Christiaan Hetzner

(Reuters) - General Motors Co moved on Monday to speed up the restructuring of its money-losing Opel brand, naming ...

Mon, November 21, 2011

Greenberg sues U.S. for $25 billion over AIG takeover

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - A company run by former American International Group Inc Chief Executive Maurice "Hank" Greenberg sued the U.S. government for ...

Sun, November 20, 2011

Volkswagen says plans to sell over 2 million cars in China

GUANGZHOU (Reuters) - Top German automaker Volkswagen AG is confident of selling more than two million cars in China this year and expects its growth ...

Sun, November 20, 2011

Olympus says panel finds no criminal links yet in M&A deals

By James Topham

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Olympus Corp said on Monday that a third-party panel appointed by the company to look into an ...

Sun, November 20, 2011

Obama pushes divided Congress to extend tax cut

By Alister Bull

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) - President Barack Obama challenged the U.S. Congress on Tuesday to vote next week to save an ...

Sat, November 19, 2011

Police clear Oakland protest camp without incident

By Laird Harrison

OAKLAND, California (Reuters) - Police on Sunday cleared anti-Wall Street protesters from a vacant lot and public park in Oakland, California, a ...

Sat, November 19, 2011

Yannick Noah slammed over call to legalize drugs in sport

PARIS (Reuters) - Former French tennis hero Yannick Noah has been criticised by France's sports minister after saying the best way to combat doping ...

Sat, November 19, 2011

West urges Libya: work with ICC over Gaddafi's son

By Justyna Pawlak

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Western leaders urged Libyan authorities on Saturday to work with the International Criminal Court in bringing the captured son ...

Sat, November 19, 2011

Protests against military rule cloud Egypt election

By Alistair Lyon and Tom Perry

CAIRO (Reuters) - Protesters rallied again in Cairo on Sunday to try to evict Egypt's ruling generals, in ...

Fri, November 18, 2011

STATE COLLEGE, Pa (Reuters) - The National Collegiate Athletic Association will investigate Penn State University's athletic programs in the wake of allegations of sexual ...

Fri, November 18, 2011

Fire crews gain upper hand on destructive Nevada blaze

By Riley Snyder and Ben Miller

RENO, Nev (Reuters) - Firefighters working to extinguish a blaze that blackened 2,000 acres of suburban scrubland and ...

Fri, November 18, 2011

Guru gets two years jail for Arizona sweat lodge deaths

By Tim Gaynor

PRESCOTT, Ariz (Reuters) - A judge sentenced self-help guru James Ray on Friday to two years in jail for the deaths of ...

Fri, November 18, 2011

Bidders queue for MF Global LME stake: sources

By Douwe Miedema

LONDON (Reuters) - A raft of bidders including J.P. Morgan is lining up for failed brokerage MF Global's stake in ...

Fri, November 18, 2011

Guru to be sentenced over Arizona sweat lodge deaths

By Tim Gaynor

PRESCOTT, Ariz (Reuters) - A self-help guru convicted of the deaths of three people following a sweat lodge ceremony in Arizona two ...

Fri, November 18, 2011

(Reuters) - The Chicago Blackhawks pounded Vancouver 5-1 on Wednesday to earn their fourth consecutive win and mete out some revenge for a lopsided defeat ...

Wed, November 16, 2011

U.S. software company sues RIM over "BBX"

(Reuters) - New Mexico firm Basis International Ltd filed a motion against Research In Motion to stop the BlackBerry maker from using Basis' trademark, BBX ...

Wed, November 16, 2011

Supermodel Elle Macpherson has also donated a jacket to the Donate A Coat campaign, which will see the items sold in thrift stores to ...

Tue, November 15, 2011

Kardashian sued over hair removal endorsement

Lawyers for beauty firm Radiant have accused Kardashian of misleading consumers with claims she's made as the celebrity spokesperson for home laser hair ...

Tue, November 15, 2011

Ramos' kidnap ordeal is over

The Washington Nationals catcher was abducted outside his home in Valencia last week (09Nov11) by four gunmen.

A police investigation led a crack force ...

Tue, November 15, 2011

Winfrey in tears over early Oscars honour

The media mogul was honoured for her philanthropy, and was introduced at the star-studded Governors Awards by a Harlem, New York student who earned ...

Tue, November 15, 2011

(Reuters) - MF Global Holdings Ltd has been sued by former employees who said workers were not given proper notice before the November 11 firing ...

Mon, November 14, 2011

Waylett to face trial over London riots

The 22 year old, who starred as bully Vincent Crabbe in the wizard franchise, is accused of handling a petrol bomb during clashes in ...

Mon, November 14, 2011

Rourke turned down Walk of Fame star honour over dog snub

The movie star insisted that his beloved Chihuahua Loki deserved the accolade as much as him.

He says, ""They said no, so we told ...

Mon, November 14, 2011

Kutcher closes Twitter account over Paterno controversy

Paterno was fired from his role as head coach of the Pennsylvania State University football team on Wednesday (09Nov11) amid the growing sex abuse ...

Mon, November 14, 2011

Kutcher keeps Twitter open, hands control over to management team

The actor shut down the account after sparking outrage by commenting on the sacking of the Pennsylvania State University football team head coach without ...

Sun, November 13, 2011

Waylett to face trial over London riots

The 22 year old, who starred as bully Vincent Crabbe in the wizard franchise, is accused of handling a petrol bomb during clashes in ...

Sun, November 13, 2011

Rourke turned down Walk of Fame star honour over dog snub

The movie star insisted that his beloved Chihuahua Loki deserved the accolade as much as him.

He says, ""They said no, so we told ...

Sun, November 13, 2011

Michael Lohan was taken into custody on two occasions within five days last month (Oct11) following an incident at Major's Florida apartment.

He ...

Thu, November 10, 2011

Mayweather, Jr. handed community service over music dispute

Anthony Dash filed suit against the sportsman, accusing Mayweather, Jr. of illegally using one of his beats for two appearances at recent World Wrestling ...

Wed, November 09, 2011

Carr sorry for 'bad timing' over crash joke

The funnyman posted a comment on his Twitter.com page on Sunday (06Nov11) less than 48 hours after seven people died and more than ...

Wed, November 09, 2011

Dana Carvey to Take Over Regis' Hosting Gig?

He who will assume the legendary seat of Regis Philbin on Live! with Regis and Kelly has got a lot to live up to ...

Tue, November 08, 2011

Carr sorry for 'bad timing' over crash joke

The funnyman posted a comment on his Twitter.com page on Sunday (06Nov11) less than 48 hours after seven people died and more than ...

Tue, November 08, 2011

Dana Carvey to Take Over Regis' Hosting Gig?

He who will assume the legendary seat of Regis Philbin on Live! with Regis and Kelly has got a lot to live up to ...

Tue, November 08, 2011

Investigation launched over Walliams joke

The Little Britain funnyman made an appearance on the Chris Moyles' Quiz Night gameshow on Channel 4 in late October (11) and during the ...

Mon, November 07, 2011

Michele's panic over lost diamonds

The former E.R. star borrowed the diamond and emerald-encrusted piece from designer Mimi So to wear to the L'Oreal Paris Legends Gala ...

Mon, November 07, 2011

Gervais sore over Springsteen vocals

The British funnyman is teaming up with the Born to Run hitmaker to perform together in New York next week (09Nov11) to raise money ...

Mon, November 07, 2011

Scherzinger wept over X Factor promotion

The former Pussycat Dolls star was initially lined up to host the American version of the talent contest when it launched earlier this year ...

Mon, November 07, 2011

Real tears for Jackman over Real Steel

The X-Men star admits he rarely watches his own movies but he felt compelled to check out the action film with a heart with ...

Sun, November 06, 2011

Michele's panic over lost diamonds

The former E.R. star borrowed the diamond and emerald-encrusted piece from designer Mimi So to wear to the L'Oreal Paris Legends Gala ...

Sun, November 06, 2011

Gervais sore over Springsteen vocals

The British funnyman is teaming up with the Born to Run hitmaker to perform together in New York next week (09Nov11) to raise money ...

Sun, November 06, 2011

Scherzinger wept over X Factor promotion

The former Pussycat Dolls star was initially lined up to host the American version of the talent contest when it launched earlier this year ...

Sun, November 06, 2011

Real tears for Jackman over Real Steel

The X-Men star admits he rarely watches his own movies but he felt compelled to check out the action film with a heart with ...

Sat, November 05, 2011

Michele's panic over lost diamonds

The former E.R. star borrowed the diamond and emerald-encrusted piece from designer Mimi So to wear to the L'Oreal Paris Legends Gala ...

Sat, November 05, 2011

Gervais sore over Springsteen vocals

The British funnyman is teaming up with the Born to Run hitmaker to perform together in New York next week (09Nov11) to raise money ...

Sat, November 05, 2011

Scherzinger wept over X Factor promotion

The former Pussycat Dolls star was initially lined up to host the American version of the talent contest when it launched earlier this year ...

Sat, November 05, 2011

Real tears for Jackman over Real Steel

The X-Men star admits he rarely watches his own movies but he felt compelled to check out the action film with a heart with ...

Fri, November 04, 2011

Real tears for Jackman over Real Steel

The X-Men star admits he rarely watches his own movies but he felt compelled to check out the action film with a heart with ...

Fri, November 04, 2011

Francis sues casino boss over 'ruined reputation'

The soft porn boss faced charges including theft and fraud in February (11) over the alleged debt owed to Wynn. Wynn sued Francis over ...

Fri, November 04, 2011

Spelling calls officials over daughter's gel incident

The TV star is currently battling ill health following the birth of her third child, Hattie, last month (Oct11), and was forced to seek ...

Fri, November 04, 2011

Lopez once fired her manager over weight battles

The curvy American Idol judge and reigning People magazine's Sexiest Woman of 2011 has long flaunted her voluptuous physique but Lopez reveals she ...

Thu, November 03, 2011

Francis sues casino boss over 'ruined reputation'

The soft porn boss faced charges including theft and fraud in February (11) over the alleged debt owed to Wynn. Wynn sued Francis over ...

Thu, November 03, 2011

Spelling calls officials over daughter's gel incident

The TV star is currently battling ill health following the birth of her third child, Hattie, last month (Oct11), and was forced to seek ...

Thu, November 03, 2011

Walters credits her wrinkles with winning over Hollywood

The beloved British star has been in high demand in recent years, appearing in musical blockbuster Mamma Mia! and the Harry Potter series, and ...

Thu, November 03, 2011

Johansson and Allen bonded over health fears

Allen directed the beauty in Match Point and Scoop, and then again in 2008 film Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and Johannson admits the secret to ...

Wed, November 02, 2011

U.S. tries "hip hop" diplomacy in Pakistan

By Chris Allbritton

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Considered by many Pakistanis to be public enemy number one, the United States on Monday turned to the musical ...

Sat, October 29, 2011

The Office star regularly uses the word ""mong"" - a British term often used to refer to sufferers of Down Syndrome - in posts on his ...

Fri, October 21, 2011

Singleton sues over reneged movie deal

The moviemaker claims he granted Paramount executives permission to distribute the 2005 Oscar-winning drama Hustle & Flow, which he produced, on the condition that the ...

Thu, October 20, 2011

Gervais slams critics over 'offensive' tweets

The Office star regularly uses the word ""mong"" - a British term often used to refer to sufferers of Down Syndrome - in posts on his ...

Thu, October 20, 2011

The Hangover Part II bosses sued over script

Michael Alan Rubin turned the events of his hellish honeymoon in Thailand and India into a script entitled Mickey and Kirin, and claims The ...

Wed, October 19, 2011

The Hangover Part II bosses sued over script

Michael Alan Rubin turned the events of his hellish honeymoon in Thailand and India into a script entitled Mickey and Kirin, and claims The ...

Wed, October 19, 2011

MacDowell 'cringed' over daughter's abuse role

Qualley makes her debut as MacDowell's eldest daughter Maddie in the forthcoming film, about a man who struggles with bipolar disorder and the ...

Tue, October 18, 2011

MacDowell 'cringed' over daughter's abuse role

Qualley makes her debut as MacDowell's eldest daughter Maddie in the forthcoming film, about a man who struggles with bipolar disorder and the ...

Mon, October 17, 2011

Panettiere teared up over Knox's overturned murder conviction

The Heroes star took on the title role in Lifetime's Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy, which is based around the brutal ...

Mon, October 17, 2011

Carpenter contacts police over 'hit-and-run'

The former Buffy the Vampire Slayer star claims she was driving through Los Angeles this week (beg10Oct11) when another motorist slammed into her vehicle ...

Sun, October 16, 2011

Panettiere teared up over Knox's overturned murder conviction

The Heroes star took on the title role in Lifetime's Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy, which is based around the brutal ...

Sun, October 16, 2011

Carpenter contacts police over 'hit-and-run'

The former Buffy the Vampire Slayer star claims she was driving through Los Angeles this week (beg10Oct11) when another motorist slammed into her vehicle ...

Sat, October 15, 2011

Panettiere teared up over Knox's overturned murder conviction

The Heroes star took on the title role in Lifetime's Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy, which is based around the brutal ...

Sat, October 15, 2011

Carpenter contacts police over 'hit-and-run'

The former Buffy the Vampire Slayer star claims she was driving through Los Angeles this week (beg10Oct11) when another motorist slammed into her vehicle ...

Fri, October 14, 2011

Slovak president to meet party heads over interim government

By Martin Santa

BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic said on Friday he would formally dismiss the fallen government of Prime Minister Iveta Radicova ...

Fri, October 14, 2011

(Reuters) - A group representing operators of automated teller machines filed a lawsuit against Visa and MasterCard alleging that the credit and debit card issuers ...

Wed, October 12, 2011

TSMC sees weak global economic growth over next year

TAIPEI (Reuters) - TSMC, the world's top contract chip maker, expects weak growth in the global economy over the next 12 months, its chairman ...

Wed, October 12, 2011

Strollers recalled in U.S., Canada over choke hazard

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly half a million baby strollers in the United States and Canada are being recalled because of a chocking hazard, the U ...

Wed, October 12, 2011

The politician, who turned 35 on Wednesday (05Oct11), closed off central Grozny, the country's capital, to host a lavish bash, which saw a ...

Wed, October 12, 2011

Cranston once investigated by cops over boss' murder

The former Malcolm in the Middle star and his older brother Kyle grew up working odd jobs to make a living while trying to ...

Wed, October 12, 2011

Fan arrested over Woods hot dog throw

The sports star was taking part in the Frys.com Open at CordeValle course on Sunday (09Oct11) when a man burst out of the ...

Wed, October 12, 2011

Lindsay Lohan Sued Over $100,000 Limo Bill

Lindsay Lohan is being sued yet again -- this time by Elite Transportation Limo and Security Services for allegedly racking up a nearly $100,000 ...

Tue, October 11, 2011

Obama says Iran to face toughest possible sanctions

By Susan Cornwell and Alister Bull

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama warned Iran on Thursday it would face the toughest possible sanctions for an ...

Tue, October 11, 2011

Cranston once investigated by cops over boss' murder

The former Malcolm in the Middle star and his older brother Kyle grew up working odd jobs to make a living while trying to ...

Tue, October 11, 2011

Fan arrested over Woods hot dog throw

The sports star was taking part in the Frys.com Open at CordeValle course on Sunday (09Oct11) when a man burst out of the ...

Tue, October 11, 2011

By Noel Randewich and Jim Finkle

SAN FRANCISCO/BOSTON (Reuters) - Salesforce.com Inc scored a coup by publicizing a dispute with rival Oracle Corp ...

Wed, October 05, 2011

U.S. warns NATO over spending cuts, security

By David Brunnstrom

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned NATO allies on Wednesday that spending cuts on both sides of the ...

Tue, October 04, 2011

Phillies take 2-1 playoffs lead over Cardinals

(Reuters) - The Philadelphia Phillies, fueled by Ben Francisco's pinch-hit home run, pushed the St. Louis Cardinals to the brink with a 3-2 victory ...

Tue, October 04, 2011

NY prosecutors sue BNY Mellon over forex claims

By Andrew Longstreth

(Reuters) - Bank of New York Mellon was sued on Tuesday by New York federal and state prosecutors who accused the bank ...

Tue, October 04, 2011

Iran cinemas threaten to close over financial woe

By Ramin Mostafavi

Libya government brings more tanks to smash Sirte resistance

By Rania El Gamal and Tim Gaynor

SIRTE, Libya (Reuters) - Libyan government forces brought more tanks into the city of Sirte on Friday to ...

Fri, September 30, 2011

Cano powers Yankees to 9-3 win over Tigers in opener

By Larry Fine

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Robinson Cano crushed a grand slam home run to lift the New York Yankees to a 9-3 rout ...

Fri, September 30, 2011

"Long way to go" with no progress made in labor talks

NEW YORK (Reuters) - National Basketball Association (NBA) team owners and locked out players failed to reach agreement after a second straight day of labor ...

Fri, September 30, 2011

NJ settles dispute over tunnel with Washington

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has agreed to reimburse the federal government $95 million for money that had been earmarked for ...

Fri, September 30, 2011

California lettuce recalled over listeria concerns

By Alina Selyukh

California-based True Leaf Farms is recalling 90 cartons of chopped romaine lettuce as it may be contaminated with listeria, though no ...

Fri, September 30, 2011

JPMorgan, BofA sued over mortgage debt losses

By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co and Bank of America Corp were hit with new lawsuits by investors claiming losses on $4.5 billion of soured mortgage debt, adding to litigation targeting the two largest U.S. banks.

The plaintiff Sealink Funding Ltd said it lost money after buying nearly $2.4 billion of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) from JPMorgan and $1.6 billion from Bank of America from 2005 to 2007, relying on offering materials that were misleading about the quality of the underlying loans.

According to court papers, Sealink is an Irish entity that oversees risky RMBS that contributed to the near collapse of Germany's Landesbank Sachsen AG.

Another plaintiff, Germany's Landesbank Baden-Wurttemberg, raised similar claims in a separate lawsuit against JPMorgan over $500 million of RMBS that it said it bought.

The lawsuits accuse the banks of packaging large amounts of high-risk mortgages by such issuers as Countrywide Financial now owned by Bank of America, and Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual, now owned by JPMorgan, in pursuit of higher profit.

"This misconduct has resulted in astounding rates of default on the loans underlying the defendants' RMBS and massive downgrades of the (investors') certificates, the vast majority of which are now considered 'junk,'" the lawsuits said.

The investors are seeking compensatory and punitive damages in the lawsuits, all filed Thursday in the New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan.

Bank of America spokesman Lawrence Grayson said the bank will defend against its lawsuit by Sealink, which "appears to be another sophisticated investor looking for someone to blame" for losses caused by a downturn in the economy.

JPMorgan spokeswoman Jennifer Zuccarelli declined to comment. Bernstein Litowitz Bernstein & Grossmann, which represents Sealink and Landesbank Baden-Wurttemberg, did not respond to a request for comment.

In a separate lawsuit filed on Thursday in the same court, Britain's Barclays Plc was sued by Germany's HSH Nordbank AG, which said it lost $40 million after being misled into buying risky RMBS.

Barclays spokeswoman Kristin Friel declined to comment.

Banks face many lawsuits by mortgage securities investors seeking to hold them responsible for losses on debt that once seemed safe but turned toxic once the housing and credit crises began more than four years ago.

Bank of America is seeking court approval of an $8.5 billion global settlement covering investors in mortgage pools with $174 billion of unpaid Countrywide principal balances.

That bank and JPMorgan are also among lenders negotiating with regulators including all 50 state attorneys general on a multibillion-dollar accord addressing foreclosure abuses.

The cases are all in the New York State Supreme Court, New York County. They are HSH Nordbank AG et al v. Barclays Bank Plc et al, No. 652678/2011; Sealink Funding Ltd v. Countrywide Financial Corp et al, No. 652679/2011; Landesbank Baden-Wurrtemberg et al v. Bear ...

Thu, September 29, 2011

Facebook under pressure over privacy: source

LONDON (Reuters) - Facebook faces regulatory scrutiny in Ireland, site of its European headquarters, over its handling of personal information, the Financial Times reported on ...

Thu, September 29, 2011

Alabama organ center officials in plea deal over kickbacks

By Verna Gates

Little Tikes recalls toy tools over choking threat: CPSC

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Consumer Product Safety Commission has ordered a recall of about 1.7 million Little Tikes toy tool sets and trucks, citing ...

Tue, September 27, 2011

Over 2,000 exotic snakes perish in warehouse fire

By Keith Coffman

Fri, September 23, 2011

Feinstein campaign sues bank, ex-treasurer over missing funds

By Mary Slosson

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Senator Dianne Feinstein's campaign sued its former treasurer and the First California Bank on Friday, seeking the ...

Fri, September 23, 2011

BofA sued by shareholder over $10 billion AIG loss

By Grant McCool

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Bank of America Corp shareholder sued the bank on Friday for what he said was a failure ...

Fri, September 23, 2011

Student wants apology for suspension over anti-gay remark

By Marice Richter

FORT WORTH, Texas (Reuters) - A Fort Worth high school freshman who was reprimanded for saying in class that he believes homosexuality ...

Thu, September 22, 2011

Jaycee Dugard sues U.S. over monitoring of her captor

By Emmett Berg

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Kidnap victim Jaycee Dugard on Thursday sued the federal government and accused it of failing to monitor the ...

Thu, September 22, 2011

UBS chief seeks less risky future: memo

ZURICH (Reuters) - UBS AG interim Chief Executive Sergio Ermotti appealed to staff in an internal memo to back efforts to make the bank less ...

Thu, September 22, 2011

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc said it will drop its appeal of a bankruptcy court's ruling upholding Barclays ...

Wed, September 21, 2011

Online poker woes spill over into Ireland

By Padraic Halpin

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Cherrywood Business Park, on the outskirts of Dublin, is no Las Vegas.

But here, amidst the neat concrete-and-glass office ...

Wed, September 21, 2011

Lehman to drop appeals over Barclays sale

By Nick Brown

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc said it will drop its appeal of a bankruptcy court's ruling upholding Barclays ...

Wed, September 21, 2011

(Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co is considering legal action to ban sales of Apple's new iPhone, a source familiar with the matter said on ...

Mon, September 19, 2011

U.S. lawsuits may be limited over UBS rogue trades

By Andrew Longstreth

NEW YORK (Reuters) - UBS AG is under pressure for failing to monitor an equity trader suspected of causing a $2.3 ...

Mon, September 19, 2011

Jefferies sues Nasdaq over alleged losses on swaps

By Jonathan Stempel and Jonathan Spicer

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jefferies Group Inc sued Nasdaq OMX Group Inc to recover tens of millions of dollars ...

Mon, September 19, 2011

In Iowa, Perry rips Romney over healthcare plan

By Kay Henderson

DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - Republican Rick Perry ramped up his criticism of presidential rival Mitt Romney on Friday, describing the health ...

Mon, September 19, 2011

Jefferies sues Nasdaq over alleged losses on swaps

By Jonathan Stempel and Jonathan Spicer

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jefferies Group Inc has sued Nasdaq OMX Group Inc to recover tens of millions of ...

Mon, September 19, 2011

Over 800,000 vehicles recalled in U.S. last week

(Reuters) - Automakers, including Hyundai Motor Co and Subaru recalled more than 800,000 cars and trucks last week for defects including faulty airbags, according ...

Mon, September 19, 2011

Taiwan criticizes Obama team over new F-16 holdup

RICHMOND, Virginia (Reuters) - Taiwan accused the Obama administration on Monday of yielding to pressure from China over arms sales to the self-ruled island, renewing ...

Mon, September 19, 2011

UBS CEO Gruebel in firing line over rogue loss

By Emma Thomasson

Lockdown ends at Arizona air base, no gunman found

TUCSON, Ariz (Reuters) - A security incident that placed Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in southern Arizona on lockdown ended after a thorough search of the ...

Fri, September 16, 2011

Nadal blitzes Tsonga to put Spain in Davis Cup

CORDOBA, Spain (Reuters) - Rafa Nadal proved he had put his exertions at the U.S. Open firmly behind him when he thrashed France's ...

Fri, September 16, 2011

Johansson's lawyer warns websites over nude photos

Steamy snaps of the Lost In Translation star surfaced in cyberspace on Wednesday (14Sep11), prompting her lawyer to send a warning to various sites ...

Fri, September 16, 2011

Lohan accused of upending drink over snapper

The Mean Girls star was said to have become infuriated after snapper Jasper Rischen took her photo at a fashion party hosted by V ...

Fri, September 16, 2011

Knightley almost turned down Cronenberg film over spanking scene

The British beauty plays a Russian woman with severe psychological issues who comes between famed psychiatrists Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud.

(Reuters) - Two stores in Queens, New York, accused of peddling unauthorized Apple Inc accessories have agreed to hand over all products in their inventories ...

Thu, September 15, 2011

Wells sues JPMorgan over 800 mortgage loans

(Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co was sued by Wells Fargo & Co , which seeks to force it to buy back more than 800 soured mortgage loans that it oversees as trustee.

In a complaint made public on Wednesday in the Delaware Chancery Court, Wells Fargo accused JPMorgan's EMC Mortgage LLC unit of refusing its demands that EMC buy back the loans, which were contained in Bear Stearns Mortgage Funding Trust 2007-AR2.

JPMorgan bought Bear Stearns and its EMC unit in 2008.

In the complaint, Wells Fargo said EMC and its affiliates routinely approved mortgage loans despite "clear defects" in loan applications, including faulty appraisals and inflated borrower incomes.

It also said a forensic review showed that EMC breached representations and warranties on 89 percent of a sample of 948 of mortgage loans.

"The loans have been plagued by an alarming rate of defaults and foreclosures," Wells Fargo said.

JPMorgan spokesman Patrick Linehan declined to comment.

Trustees such as Wells Fargo act on behalf of investors in securities backed by underlying loans.

Some such as Wells Fargo and US Bancorp , which sued Bank of America Corp last month, have taken legal action against other banks when they believe misrepresentations have been made regarding the securities.

JPMorgan is the nation's second-largest bank by assets, while Wells Fargo is the fourth-largest. Wells Fargo is also the largest U.S. mortgage lender.

The case is Bear Stearns Mortgage Funding Trust 2007-AR2 by Wells Fargo Bank NA as Trustee v. EMC Mortgage LLC, Delaware Chancery Court, No. CA6861.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

Thu, September 15, 2011

Judge to solve puzzle over BoFA mortgage removal

By Grant McCool

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp's $8.5 billion proposed mortgage-backed securities settlement is now in the hands of ...

Thu, September 15, 2011

Alabama county faces bankruptcy decision over debt

By Melinda Dickinson and Matthew Bigg

BIRMINGHAM Ala./ATLANTA (Reuters) - Alabama's Jefferson County will decide on Friday whether to declare bankruptcy over its ...

Thu, September 15, 2011

Knightley almost turned down Cronenberg film over spanking scene

The British beauty plays a Russian woman with severe psychological issues who comes between famed psychiatrists Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud.

In one shocking ...

Thu, September 15, 2011

Dahl sparks outrage over shed appeal

The British beauty, married to jazz star Jamie Cullum, took to the airwaves in the U.K. to publicise a campaign to transfer Dahl ...

Thu, September 15, 2011

Moore sports swollen face after tripping over her dog

The beloved TV and movie veteran's face appeared to be swollen as she arrived on the Broadway red carpet, and even posed for ...

Thu, September 15, 2011

Butler receives death threats over new movie

The 300 star has been promoting his role in controversial movie Machine Gun Preacher, a true-life story based on a Hells Angel who rescues ...

Thu, September 15, 2011

NEW YORK (Reuters) - BlackRock Inc Chief Executive Laurence Fink said beaten-down European equities and stocks that pay dividends are still a good bet during ...

Wed, September 14, 2011

More U.S. doctors facing charges over drug abuse

By Terry Baynes

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Michael Jackson's doctor, accused of killing the pop star with a powerful anesthetic, has joined a small ...

Wed, September 14, 2011

Fight brewing over U.S. offshore profit taxation

By Kevin Drawbaugh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Large U.S. corporations are pressuring Congress and the White House to exempt overseas corporate profits from taxes, a ...

Wed, September 14, 2011

Moore sports swollen face after tripping over her dog

The beloved TV and movie veteran's face appeared to be swollen as she arrived on the Broadway red carpet, and even posed for ...

Wed, September 14, 2011

Butler receives death threats over new movie

The 300 star has been promoting his role in controversial movie Machine Gun Preacher, a true-life story based on a Hells Angel who rescues ...

Wed, September 14, 2011

Alley to take over the catwalk

The Cheers star, who shed 90 pounds (40.9 kilograms) in a major health overhaul during her recent stint on U.S. TV show ...

Wed, September 14, 2011

CONWAY, Mass (Reuters) - Three Transportation Security Administration employees, a police officer and a state trooper were among 20 people arrested and accused of running ...

Tue, September 13, 2011

TCW/Gundlach court drama turned over to jury

By Mary Slosson

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lawyers for Trust Company of the West and its former chief investment officer, star bond fund manager Jeffrey ...

Tue, September 13, 2011

TORONTO (Reuters) - Known for blockbuster movie hits that are often panned by critics, Roland Emmerich is winning early praise for a ...

Mon, September 12, 2011

Williams fined $2,000 over U.S. Open outburst

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Serena Williams was fined $2,000 on Monday for verbally abusing the chair umpire during her loss to Sam Stosur in ...

Mon, September 12, 2011

EU officials seek to dispel fears of credit crunch

By Eva Kuehnen and Leigh Thomas

Refaeli's dad convicted over photographer attack

The Israeli beauty, who previously dated Leonardo DiCaprio, phoned her dad Rafi complaining that paparazzi were following her while she was trying to drive ...

Sun, September 11, 2011

Moore praises foie gras campaigner over name change

An employee at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Abi Izzard, has joined calls for bosses at London department store Fortnum & Mason ...

Sun, September 11, 2011

EA defeats ex-Rutgers QB over image in video game

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Electronic Arts Inc on Friday won the dismissal of a lawsuit by former Rutgers University quarterback Ryan Hart accusing it of ...

Fri, September 09, 2011

Instant view: ECB's Stark to leave over bond-buying row

(Reuters) - European Central Bank Executive Board Member Juergen Stark will step down from his post because of a conflict over the central bank's ...

Fri, September 09, 2011

Stark resignation limits Draghi's room on bond buys

By Paul Carrel

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - By resigning in protest at the European Central Bank's bond-buying programme, heavyweight policymaker Juergen Stark has increased the ...

Fri, September 09, 2011

Moore praises foie gras campaigner over name change

An employee at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Abi Izzard, has joined calls for bosses at London department store Fortnum & Mason ...

Fri, September 09, 2011

Sidibe's life spared on 9/11 after over-sleeping

Sidibe, who was born and raised in New York City, was due to attend class in lower Manhattan on the morning of September 11 ...

Fri, September 09, 2011

Model pulls out of Thrones drama over nude scene

The beautiful brunette was cast as a mistress to the king in the hit series earlier this summer (11), but she was far from ...

Thu, September 08, 2011

The comedian was about to fly from Dulles International Airport in Virginia when an attendant allegedly asked him to move his luggage from the ...

Thu, September 08, 2011

Apple taps Japan court to ban sales of Samsung phones

TOKYO (Reuters) - Apple is seeking to ban sales of some Samsung Electronics gadgets in Japan, accusing its rival of violating patents relating to the ...

Wed, September 07, 2011

California may give Amazon year-long tax reprieve

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California lawmakers rushed to write a bill to give Amazon.com Inc a one-year reprieve from collecting certain sales taxes in ...

Wed, September 07, 2011

By John Whitesides

TAMPA, Florida (Reuters) - Republican Rick Perry came under heavy fire on Social Security, jobs and his Texas record in a heated ...

Wed, September 07, 2011

Top German to quit ECB over bond-buying row

By Andreas Framke and Alexander Hübner

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - The top German official at the European Central Bank is to quit early in disagreement with ...

Wed, September 07, 2011

Analysis: Baby boomer fears cast another pall over markets

By Michael Dolan

LONDON (Reuters) - Even as anxiety over policy inertia, banking and sovereign debt crises dominate the headlines, a long-festering concern over the ...

Tue, September 06, 2011

Yahoo CEO Bartz fired over the phone, rocky run ends

By Alexei Oreskovic and Edwin Chan

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc Chairman Roy Bostock fired CEO Carol Bartz over the phone on Tuesday, ending ...

Tue, September 06, 2011

MBIA settles lawsuit over mortgages for $68 million

NEW YORK (Reuters) - MBIA Inc and two top executives agreed to pay $68 million in cash to settle lawsuits accusing the bond insurer of ...

Tue, September 06, 2011

Texas wildfires destroy over 1,000 homes: Perry

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Wildfires sweeping across Texas have destroyed more than 1,000 homes, Governor Rick Perry said on Tuesday.

The filmmaker snubbed an invite to attend the world premiere of his project at the prestigious Italian event, but his absence had little affect ...

Sat, September 03, 2011

Napoleon Dynamite producers sue over royalties

Bosses at Napoleon Pictures have filed suit against executives at Fox Searchlight Pictures, the independent division of 20th Century Fox, claiming they've been ...

Sat, September 03, 2011

Warner Bros. Sued Over 'Hangover II' Accident

Did The Hangover Part II cause brain damage? That's what a stuntman who was injured during the film's Bangkok shoot is alleging ...

Sat, September 03, 2011

The Hangover Part 2 stuntman sues over crash

Scott McLean has filed suit in Los Angeles after his representatives told The Hollywood Reporter he suffered ""likely permanent brain and physical injuries"", including ...

Sat, September 03, 2011

By Ingrid Melander

ATHENS (Reuters) - Talks between Greece and its international lenders on a new aid tranche were put on hold on Friday after ...

Fri, September 02, 2011

Libya's NTC thinks Gaddafi hiding near Algeria

By Joseph Logan and Sherine El Madany

SIRTE (Reuters) - Libya's new rulers have said they believe fugitive former leader Muammar Gaddafi is being ...

Thu, September 01, 2011

Yankees claw back to keep heat on Red Sox

BOSTON (Reuters) - The New York Yankees rallied from behind and held on through a tense ninth inning for a 4-2 win over the Boston ...

Thu, September 01, 2011

U.S. regulator to sue major banks over mortgages

By Margaret Chadbourn and Jonathan Stempel

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. regulator plans to sue major banks in coming days over subprime ...

Thu, September 01, 2011

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Singer Marc Anthony on Thursday denied rumors that secret affairs with other women broke apart his marriage to "American Idol" superstar ...

Thu, September 01, 2011

Special Report: A pinch of doubt over salt

By Kate Kelland, Health and Science Correspondent

LONDON (Reuters) - In Britain it started with Sid, the "giant slug with a message", who slicked his ...

Thu, September 01, 2011

Hammond suing over car crash

The former Saturday Night Live regular was travelling in the passenger seat of a friend's car in June (11) when another vehicle smashed ...

Thu, September 01, 2011

The former Saturday Night Live regular was travelling in the passenger seat of a friend's car in June (11) when another vehicle smashed ...

Wed, August 31, 2011

Fox quizzed by cops over scuffle

The Lost star had attempted to board a party bus in Cleveland, Ohio but was confronted by the female driver as he was not ...

Tue, August 30, 2011

Tropical Storm Katia may not strengthen much Friday: NHC

(Reuters) - Tropical Storm Katia, which lost its Category 1 hurricane characteristics Thursday evening, is not expected to strengthen much on Friday, the U.S ...

Tue, August 30, 2011

BofA sued over $1.75 billion Countrywide mortgage pool

By Jonathan Stempel and Joe Rauch

NEW YORK/CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp was sued by the trustee of a $1 ...

Tue, August 30, 2011

The latest installment in the X-Men franchise was set to start filming in the country later this year (11), but Deadline.com reports that ...

Tue, August 30, 2011

One Day author backs Hathaway over accent

The Devil Wears Prada beauty plays British-born Emma in the film, but many critics have been left unimpressed with Hathaway's regional dialect.

However ...

Tue, August 30, 2011

Slattery defends Jones over TV son's comments

Jared Gilmore, who played Jones' character Betty Draper's kid Bobby in the show, offered his successor a few words of advice in a ...

Tue, August 30, 2011

Pressly avoids jail over DUI arrest

The Joe Dirt star was almost three times over the legal limit when she was booked.

Pressly was charged with two counts of driving ...

Tue, August 30, 2011

Banks criticized over level of Greek writedowns

By Lionel Laurent and Rosalba O'Brien

Slattery defends Jones over TV son's comments

Jared Gilmore, who played Jones' character Betty Draper's kid Bobby in the show, offered his successor a few words of advice in a ...

Mon, August 29, 2011

Pressly avoids jail over DUI arrest

The Joe Dirt star was almost three times over the legal limit when she was booked.

Pressly was charged with two counts of driving ...

Sun, August 28, 2011

Irene's worst over for much of East Coast: Napolitano

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said on Sunday that the worst of Hurricane Irene had passed for much of the East Coast ...

Sun, August 28, 2011

Euro crisis may be over in 2-3 years - Regling

VIENNA (Reuters) - The euro zone can conquer its crisis in the next few years if countries get their financial houses in order, the head ...

Sun, August 28, 2011

Wolverine movie halted over Japan's weather

The latest installment in the X-Men franchise was set to start filming in the country later this year (11), but Deadline.com reports that ...

Sun, August 28, 2011

One Day author backs Hathaway over accent

The Devil Wears Prada beauty plays British-born Emma in the film, but many critics have been left unimpressed with Hathaway's regional dialect.

However ...

Sun, August 28, 2011

Slattery defends Jones over TV son's comments

Jared Gilmore, who played Jones' character Betty Draper's kid Bobby in the show, offered his successor a few words of advice in a ...

Sun, August 28, 2011

Pressly avoids jail over DUI arrest

The Joe Dirt star was almost three times over the legal limit when she was booked.

Pressly was charged with two counts of driving ...

Sat, August 27, 2011

Wolverine movie halted over Japan's weather

The latest installment in the X-Men franchise was set to start filming in the country later this year (11), but Deadline.com reports that ...

Sat, August 27, 2011

One Day author backs Hathaway over accent

The Devil Wears Prada beauty plays British-born Emma in the film, but many critics have been left unimpressed with Hathaway's regional dialect.

However ...

Sat, August 27, 2011

Slattery defends Jones over TV son's comments

Jared Gilmore, who played Jones' character Betty Draper's kid Bobby in the show, offered his successor a few words of advice in a ...

Sat, August 27, 2011

Pressly avoids jail over DUI arrest

The Joe Dirt star was almost three times over the legal limit when she was booked.

Pressly was charged with two counts of driving ...

Fri, August 26, 2011

Marlins post rare away win over Phillies

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - With no chance of catching the first-place Philadelphia Phillies, for one night the Florida Marlins earned rare bragging rights against the Major ...

Fri, August 26, 2011

New mothers choose "tied tubes" over IUDs: study

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Very few women choose to get an intrauterine device (IUD) inserted soon after giving birth, even though it's one ...

Fri, August 26, 2011

MLB talks to A-Rod over poker playing allegations

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Major League Baseball (MLB) met with Alex Rodriguez on Friday as part of its investigation into reports that the New York ...

Fri, August 26, 2011

PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - The Pittsburgh Steelers and a school for disabled students are suing a company for selling T-shirts that allegedly infringe on the trademark ...

Wed, August 24, 2011

Instant view: Apple CEO Jobs resigns, Cook to take over

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Steve Jobs resigned as Apple Inc Chief Executive on Wednesday, without specifying a reason.

Tim Cook, the company's Chief Operating ...

Wed, August 24, 2011

Photo of seemingly frail Jobs appears on Web

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A photograph appearing to show an emaciated Steve Jobs surfaced on celebrity website TMZ, which said the picture was taken on ...

Wed, August 24, 2011

Torah charity founder accused of fraud over lost scrolls

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A man who billed himself as the "Jewish Indiana Jones" for rescuing Torah scrolls lost in the Holocaust was arrested on ...

Wed, August 24, 2011

Policy experts howl over stat abstract's death sentence

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A cost-cutting plan by the Census Bureau to kill off its Statistical Abstract was under fire this week from pundits and policy ...

Wed, August 24, 2011

Google to pay U.S. $500 million over online drug ads

By Diane Bartz

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Google Inc has agreed to pay $500 million to settle a probe into ads it accepted for online Canadian ...

Wed, August 24, 2011

U.S. believes Google's Page knew about pharmacy ads: report

(Reuters) - Justice Department investigators believed that Google Inc's Chief Executive Larry Page knew about improper online pharmacy ads that Google carried, and allowed ...

Wed, August 24, 2011

Lohan forced to listen to the song she's suing Pitbull over at wedding

Lohan sat chatting with her mother and other guests as the former number one record played, according to Life & Style magazine.

Last week (ends19Aug11 ...

Wed, August 24, 2011

China COSCO seeks to reassure shipowners over unpaid bills

By Randy Fabi and Alison Leung

SINGAPORE/HONG KONG (Reuters) - China COSCO Holdings <1919.HK> <601919.SS>, the country's top shipping company, sought to reassure investors on ...

Tue, August 23, 2011

HP sues AU Optronics over alleged LCD panel price

(Reuters) - Hewlett-Packard Co has filed a case in a U.S. court against AU Optronics, saying the Taiwanese company conspired to fix the prices ...

Tue, August 23, 2011

White House: regulatory trim to save over $10 billion

By Laura MacInnis

VINEYARD HAVEN, Massachusetts (Reuters) - The White House said on Tuesday that federal regulatory cuts would save Washington more than $10 billion ...

Tue, August 23, 2011

Boehner asks Obama to disclose costly regulations

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With a battle looming over U.S. regulations on businesses, the top Republican in Congress asked President Barack Obama on Friday to ...

Tue, August 23, 2011

The writer was learning about her family history on genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? when it was revealed her ancestor, Frenchman ...

Sat, August 20, 2011

Egypt acts on border region as Israel tensions linger

By Dina Zayed and Marwa Awad

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt announced plans to develop a region bordering Israel on Monday after Israeli officials blamed its ...

Sat, August 20, 2011

First lawsuits filed over deadly Indiana fair collapse

By Susan Guyett

INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - The first wrongful death lawsuits have been filed as a result of the stage collapse at the Indiana State ...

Sat, August 20, 2011

Storms bring deadly weather, more due over weekend

By Daniel Lovering

PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - Severe storms hit the Midwest on Saturday and are expected later in the Northeast, where flash flooding killed at ...

Sat, August 20, 2011

Rowling's tears over great-grandfather's war bravery

The writer was learning about her family history on genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? when it was revealed her ancestor, Frenchman ...

Sat, August 20, 2011

Egypt recalls envoy in Israel over deaths

By Marwa Awad

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt withdrew its ambassador from Israel Saturday, saying that the killing of five Egyptian security personnel while Israeli forces ...

Fri, August 19, 2011

Egypt to withdraw envoy in Israel over shootings

By Marwa Awad

(Reuters) - Egypt said on Saturday it is withdrawing its ambassador from Israel pending an investigation by the Jewish state of the ...

Fri, August 19, 2011

Judge cleared of misconduct over condom-filled acorns

PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania judge has been cleared of violating judicial conduct standards after he gave two women hollowed-out acorns containing unwrapped condoms, an ...

Fri, August 19, 2011

Greens see red over oil sands pipeline

By Timothy Gardner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Thousands of opponents of a $7 billion pipeline that would boost U.S. dependence on Canadian oil sands plan ...

Fri, August 19, 2011

MINSK (Reuters) - Belarus said on Friday it would halt a plan to eliminate its highly-enriched uranium stockpile, as previously agreed with the United States ...

Fri, August 19, 2011

Rowling's tears over great-grandfather's war bravery

The writer was learning about her family history on genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? when it was revealed her ancestor, Frenchman ...

Fri, August 19, 2011

Sparks gets jail time over sex charge

The TV personality, best known as a choreographer and judge on Randy Jackson's hit MTV show America's Best Dance Crew, was taken ...

Fri, August 19, 2011

Kaplan offers to hand over Ruderman poker cash

The Welcome Back, Kotter star was among several gamblers who took thousands of dollars from Ponzi scheme fraudster Ruderman during card games.

Bankruptcy trustees ...

Fri, August 19, 2011

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp sued the government to reverse a decision by the Department of the Interior to cancel offshore oil and ...

Thu, August 18, 2011

Man pleads to sexual battery over Match.com date

By Alex Dobuzinskis

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A man has pleaded no contest to sexually battering a woman he met on Match.com in a ...

Thu, August 18, 2011

Sparks gets jail time over sex charge

The TV personality, best known as a choreographer and judge on Randy Jackson's hit MTV show America's Best Dance Crew, was taken ...

Thu, August 18, 2011

Kaplan offers to hand over Ruderman poker cash

The Welcome Back, Kotter star was among several gamblers who took thousands of dollars from Ponzi scheme fraudster Ruderman during card games.

Bankruptcy trustees ...

Thu, August 18, 2011

Cruise comes up short over giant new role

The short Mission: Impossible star has signed up to play oversized action hero Reacher in movie One Shot.

But devotees of the bestselling books ...

Wed, August 17, 2011

U.S. probes S&P, Moody's over financial crisis: sources

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department is investigating the rating agency Standard & Poor's over its actions on mortgages leading up to the financial crisis, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

The investigation -- which the source said relates to what S&P analysts wanted to do and what they were told to do instead -- began before the ratings firm, downgraded the long-term U.S. debt to AA-plus from a AAA rating this month.

The probe is being led by the Justice Department's civil division, the source said, declining to be further identified because the investigation is ongoing and not public.

The Justice Department has also been investigating the rating firm Moody's in connection with the ratings of structured products during the financial crisis, a source familiar with that matter told Reuters.

Michael Adler, a spokesman for Moody's, did not immediately return a phone call and email message seeking comment.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been probing S&P, a unit of McGraw-Hill, over its role in the crisis, the first source said.

Representatives for the Justice Department and SEC declined to comment.

Confirmation of the probes come after the New York Times reported that the S&P investigation centers on whether the company improperly rated dozens of mortgage securities in the years before the financial crisis that unfolded in 2008.

The department has been asking about instances in which S&P analysts wanted to assign lower ratings to mortgage bonds but may have been overruled by S&P business managers, the newspaper reported.

Ed Sweeney, a spokesman for S&P, said that its core principles had included "analytic independence and objectivity" and that since 2008 the firm had taken steps to enhance those policies.

"S&P has received several requests from different government agencies over the last few years regarding U.S. mortgage-related securities. We have cooperated and will continue to cooperate with these requests," he said.

It was unclear whether the Justice Department investigation involves another ratings agency, Fimalac SA's Fitch. Neither Fitch nor Moody's have downgraded U.S. debt.

The Times said that despite the outcry over the ratings agencies' failures in the financial crisis, investors still rely heavily on ratings from the three main agencies for their purchases of sovereign and corporate debt, as well as other complex financial products.

The Senate's permanent subcommittee on investigations, headed by Democratic Senator Carl Levin, issued a report in April that included scathing criticisms of S&P after holding hearings on the financial crisis.

"The hearings held by the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and our subsequent report documented reckless actions and significant conflicts of interest on the part of the credit rating agencies that contributed to the financial crisis," Levin told Reuters in a statement.

"It is totally appropriate for U.S. law enforcement agencies to review that sad record," he said.

Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, said he hoped the investigation would focus fresh attention on the inherent conflict of interest in the industry, which is paid by potential borrowers to rate their credit-worthiness.

"Maybe a Justice Department investigation will force action on the conflicts of interest problem and accomplish what should have been done a long time ago," Grassley said in a statement.

Additionally, S&P has been under fire from lawmakers, market players and the U.S. Treasury Department since its decision to cut the U.S. credit rating earlier this month. Key committees in Congress may also hold hearings about the downgrade and reforms of the ratings industry.

(Reporting by Jeremy Pelofsky, Sarah Lynch and Andrea Shalal-Esa, in Washington and Moira Herbst and David Henry in New York; Editing by Sandra Maler and Christopher Wilson)

Wed, August 17, 2011

Man pleads to sexual battery over Match.com date

By Alex Dobuzinskis

By Jeremy Pelofsky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Security officers at a U.S. courthouse are under investigation for receiving baseballs autographed by former pitching ace Roger ...

Tue, August 16, 2011

White House denounces Perry as Republicans target Fed

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House denounced Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry on Tuesday for his threatening remarks toward the head of ...

Tue, August 16, 2011

Apple sued by Taiwan phone maker HTC over patents

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Smartphone maker HTC Corp sued Apple Inc, seeking to halt U.S. imports and sales of Macintosh computers ...

Mon, August 15, 2011

Packages at Alaska Congressional offices harmless

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - Suspicious packages that turned out to be harmless prompted scares and temporary closures on Monday at the Alaska offices of all ...

Mon, August 15, 2011

Allstate sues Goldman over mortgage debt losses

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Allstate Corp on Monday sued Goldman Sachs Group Inc , accusing the Wall Street bank of causing losses by hiding the risks ...

Mon, August 15, 2011

Search for woman swept over Niagara Falls turns up male body

By Neale Gulley

BUFFALO, New York (Reuters) - A college student who overstepped a safety railing fell into Niagara Falls over the weekend and searchers ...

Sun, August 14, 2011

China Bright Food to buy Manassen for over $516 million

By Denny Thomas

HONG KONG (Reuters) - China's state-owned Bright Food Group has agreed to buy Australian branded food business Manassen Foods, giving it ...

Sun, August 14, 2011

Assad warns action against Syria would backfire

By Mariam Karouny

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Sunday unrest sweeping the country had become more militant but he was confident ...

Sun, August 14, 2011

Locke says China need not fret over dollar assets

BEIJING (Reuters) - China should rest easy that its investments in the dollar remain safe, the newly arrived U.S. ambassador in Beijing, Gary Locke ...

Fri, August 12, 2011

Pakistan quizzes suspects over abducted American

By Mubasher Bukhari

LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani police have detained a number of people for questioning in connection with the kidnapping of an American ...

Fri, August 12, 2011

Three Africans charged over fake bomb at Phoenix airport

By David Schwartz

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Three Africans were charged on Friday with trying to sneak a fake bomb past a screening area at a ...

Fri, August 12, 2011

Concern grows over Qaeda poison threat: report

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration is concerned that a dangerous regional arm of al Qaeda is trying to produce the deadly poison ricin to ...

Fri, August 12, 2011

News Corp investors face long odds over hacking

By Andrew Longstreth

NEW YORK (Reuters) - News Corp shareholders angry over the hacking scandal engulfing Rupert Murdoch's media conglomerate face an uphill fight ...

Fri, August 12, 2011

While celebrities have teased the country with their potential aspirations in the political arena -- Kelsey Grammar, Donald Trump, the list goes on -- it looks ...

Thu, August 11, 2011

The British capital has been under siege from gangs of thugs who hijacked a protest against police in Tottenham, North London following the fatal ...

Tue, August 09, 2011

The High School Musical star played the lead in the coming-of-age film, which raked in just $1.3 million (£825,000) worldwide despite its ...

Mon, August 08, 2011

Baseball boss blasts Penn over Chavez praise

The outspoken Chicago White Sox manager has challenged the movie star to accompany him on a trip to Venezuela, so he can show Penn ...

Sun, August 07, 2011

AIG to sue BofA over mortgage bonds: report

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Sun, August 07, 2011

UK government says must tackle social problems after riots

By Avril Ormsby

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain needs to tackle deep-seated social problems following riots and looting in English cities this week, the center-right government ...

Sun, August 07, 2011

Bleu sued over box office flop

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Sun, August 07, 2011

Baseball boss blasts Penn over Chavez praise

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Sat, August 06, 2011

Bleu sued over box office flop

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Sat, August 06, 2011

Baseball boss blasts Penn over Chavez praise

The outspoken Chicago White Sox manager has challenged the movie star to accompany him on a trip to Venezuela, so he can show Penn ...

Thu, August 04, 2011

China expels Olympic champion Wang over brawl

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has kicked four-times Olympic gold medalist Wang Meng out of the national short track speed skating team and disqualified her from ...

Thu, August 04, 2011

New Mexico woman indicted over immigrant driver licenses

By Dennis J. Carroll

SANTA FE, New Mexico (Reuters) - An Albuquerque woman was indicted on Thursday on charges of creating fraudulent residency documents to ...

Thu, August 04, 2011

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc is interested in selling a non-prescription version of its Lipitor cholesterol drug after it loses U.S. patent protection ...

Thu, August 04, 2011

Kardashian takes action over skin complaint

The brunette beauty, who is preparing to marry basketball player Kris Humphries on 20 August (11), recently opened up about the complaint after she ...

Thu, August 04, 2011

Hutchison profit surges sevenfold on one-time gain

By Donny Kwok and Joy Leung

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hutchison Whampoa Ltd <0013.HK>, Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing's flagship ports-to-telecommunications company, reported a more ...

Wed, August 03, 2011

Cargill recalls ground turkey on Salmonella risk

By Lisa Baertlein

Kardashian takes action over skin complaint

The brunette beauty, who is preparing to marry basketball player Kris Humphries on 20 August (11), recently opened up about the complaint after she ...

Wed, August 03, 2011

South Korea fines Apple $2,855 over location data

Jill Scott still in shock over No. 1 "Light of the Sun"

By Sabrina Ford

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Six weeks have passed since R&B singer Jill Scott hit No. 1 on album charts with "The ...

Fri, July 29, 2011

Yahoo gets short end of stick in Alibaba deal

By Liana B. Baker

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc got short-changed -- that's the view of analysts picking apart the complex deal it announced ...

Fri, July 29, 2011

James' ex-wife arrested over harassment claims

The former couple, which split in 2004, has been embroiled in a nasty legal battle over seven-year-old Sunny for years and James was initially ...

Fri, July 29, 2011

Curry thrown out of Comic-Con over sexy Aeon Flux outfit

The model turned up for a signing at the annual movie event dressed in a barely-there PVC outfit based on comic book secret agent ...

Fri, July 29, 2011

Roberts cosmetic adverts banned over airbrushing

The Pretty Woman star appears in a campaign for Teint Miracle foundation by Lancome, which is owned by L'Oreal.

The beauty is seen ...

Fri, July 29, 2011

Hefner slams Harris over Stern interview

The Playboy mogul was left heartbroken after the 25-year-old model called off their wedding plans at the last minute in June (11).

The pair ...

Thu, July 28, 2011

Woman arrested over threats at Philadelphia airport

By Dave Warner

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters)- A California woman was in jail on Thursday after being charged with making threats at the Philadelphia International Airport ...

Thu, July 28, 2011

Rebels in captured town plan push towards Tripoli

By Michael Georgy

BIR AL-GHANAM, Libya, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Libyan rebels who seized this town 80 km (50 miles) south of Tripoli said on ...

Thu, July 28, 2011

Michigan man pleads no contest over three missing boys

DETROIT (Reuters) - A Michigan father pleaded no contest on Thursday to unlawful imprisonment in a case involving his three sons who have been missing ...

Thu, July 28, 2011

Hershey schools in court over chocolate king's dream

By Dave Warner

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A school district in the town named for chocolate king Milton Hershey went to court on Thursday to argue ...

Thu, July 28, 2011

Man who escaped Jeffrey Dahmer arrested over fight death

By Brendan O'Brien

MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - A man who narrowly escaped Jeffrey Dahmer and helped end the serial killer's murder and sexual assault ...

Thu, July 28, 2011

North Carolina lawmakers pass abortion law over veto

By Ned Barnett

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters) - Women seeking an abortion in North Carolina will have to wait 24 hours and be presented with ...

Thu, July 28, 2011

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Cable television network AMC on Thursday assured frustrated viewers of drama series "The Killing" that the central murder case would be ...

Thu, July 28, 2011

Paz de la Huerta pleads guilty in fight over stardom

NEW YORK (Reuters) - "Boardwalk Empire" actress Paz de la Huerta pleaded guilty on Thursday to harassing a reality TV star during a fight over ...

Thu, July 28, 2011

Boehner: has no control over possible downgrade

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, the top Republican in Congress who has put forward a deficit reduction plan to be voted ...

Thu, July 28, 2011

Creditors make offer to Alabama county over debt

BIRMINGHAM, Ala (Reuters) - Creditors made a "very attractive offer" to Alabama's Jefferson County to settle its $3.14 billion sewer debt and avoid ...

Thu, July 28, 2011

Stephen Clark claims he sold a set of speakers to the Mean Girls star and helped to install audio and video equipment in her ...

Wed, July 27, 2011

Fannie/Freddie regulator sues UBS on $900 million loss

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac sued UBS AG to recover more than $900 million of ...

Wed, July 27, 2011

Law firm strikes back at AT&T over merger

By Terry Baynes

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York-based law firm is waging a creative legal battle to block AT&T Inc's $39 billion takeover bid for T-Mobile USA .

With its "Fight the Merger" campaign, Bursor & Fisher is seeking to stop the mega-deal by inundating AT&T with arbitration claims. The firm, which historically handled consumer class actions against AT&T, maintains the merger would violate federal antitrust law and stifle competition in the wireless market. The firm is using its website to recruit AT&T customers willing to initiate arbitration proceedings.

So far, 750 customers have volunteered, according to Scott Bursor, the firm's founding partner. The firm has sent around 700 notices of dispute to AT&T and 20 arbitration demands, Bursor said.

"Fight the Merger" is a not-so-veiled reference to a class action that AT&T customers lost in the Supreme Court in April. In that case, AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion, customers sued AT&T for allegedly advertising discounted cell phones, but charging sales tax on the full price. The Supreme Court sided with AT&T, ruling that clients who signed phone contracts containing mandatory arbitration clauses waived their right to bring a class action against the company. AT&T could enforce a contractual term that required customers to arbitrate their disputes individually.

Bursor & Fisher decided to try to turn that setback into an advantage for customers.

"If (AT&T) wants to arbitrate on an individual basis, that's what we'll do," Bursor said.

His firm has appointed a network of attorneys across the country to represent every customer willing to challenge the merger before an arbitrator.

"IN THEIR AGREEMENT"

AT&T's customer contract provides that any consumer who prevails in arbitration is entitled to a $10,000 payment. To recruit clients, Bursor & Fisher is promoting the AT&T payment offer on its "Fight the Merger" site, with a suggestion customers will win. The AT&T contract also promises double attorney's fees to successful customers, which explains the firm's willingness to take on the arbitration cases.

In AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion, the carrier emphasized these financial incentives to the Supreme Court to defend the fairness of its contract.

"Now we're going to put that to the test," Bursor said.

AT&T responded in an emailed statement that the Bursor & Fisher's claims are "completely without merit" and that an arbitrator does not have the authority to block the merger currently under review by the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice.

Andrew Gavil, an antitrust law professor at Howard University Law School, said he doubted an arbitrator would have the power to prevent the merger, but it would turn on language in the contract and what types of disputes were committed to arbitration. He said Bursor & Fisher might be trying to strong-arm AT&T into arguing that the arbitration clause does not cover antitrust claims, thereby reopening the door to a traditional class action lawsuit.

AT&T has already argued in a letter to the American Arbitration Association that the arbitration clause was intended for individual billing disputes, not a $39-billion-dollar antitrust case, according to Bursor. But the arbitration clause is broad, covering all "claims arising out of or relating to any aspect of the relationship between us, whether based on contract, tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation or any other legal theory," according to a copy of the contract posted on the firm's website.

The firm is bringing the arbitration claims under the Clayton Antitrust Act.

Bursor said his firm has no intention of forcing AT&T into a traditional class action lawsuit. He expects AT&T to settle, given the "daunting" prospect of fighting more than 750 arbitrations, any one of which could stop the deal.

"If they didn't want to have individual arbitrations, then they shouldn't have put this clause in their agreement," Bursor said. "AT&T wrote this and we're going to force them to honor it."

McIntyre gained over 45 pounds for Spartacus role

The star was cast as the historical gladiator earlier this year (11) after Spartacus: Blood and Sand actor Andy Whitfield was forced to step ...

Tue, July 26, 2011

McIntyre gained over 45 pounds for Spartacus role

The star was cast as the historical gladiator earlier this year (11) after Spartacus: Blood and Sand actor Andy Whitfield was forced to step ...

Tue, July 26, 2011

McIntyre gained over 45 pounds for Spartacus role

The star was cast as the historical gladiator earlier this year (11) after Spartacus: Blood and Sand actor Andy Whitfield was forced to step ...

Tue, July 26, 2011

New York suspends eight bus company licenses over safety

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eight bus companies in New York had their operating licenses suspended for repeatedly violating safety rules, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced in ...

Tue, July 26, 2011

HTC faces test as investors fret over slowing growth

By Clare Jim and Tarmo Virki

TAIPEI/HELSINKI (Reuters) - Taiwan's HTC, which rose from obscure origins making phones for others to become one ...

Tue, July 26, 2011

Oregon lawmaker to resign over sex scandal

By Teresa Carson

PORTLAND, Ore (Reuters) - Oregon Democratic Congressman David Wu, accused of an unwanted sexual encounter with a campaign donor's teenage daughter ...

Mon, July 25, 2011

Analysis: Doubts emerge over U.S. move to global accounting

By Dena Aubin

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Once thought inevitable, a decisive move by the United States to one-world accounting is now in serious doubt ...

Mon, July 25, 2011

Wayward Liriano tosses Tigers victory

MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - The Detroit Tigers took advantage of some wild pitching by Francisco Liriano to claim a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on ...

Mon, July 25, 2011

GM clashed with Kremlin over Opel unit: report

LONDON (Reuters) - General Motors canceled the sale of its Opel and Vauxhall brands two years ago because the proposed buyers were demanding the right ...

Sun, July 24, 2011

With space shuttle era over, U.S. robot set for Mars

By Irene Klotz

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - NASA moved on to a new chapter in space exploration on Friday, a day after the end ...

Fri, July 22, 2011

Champions Japan threaten WBC boycott over revenue

TOKYO (Reuters) - Champions Japan may boycott the next World Baseball Classic (WBC) if they are not paid a greater share of the tournament revenue ...

Fri, July 22, 2011

Minnesota school district sued over gay student harassment

By David Bailey

MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Five students or former students sued Minnesota's biggest school district on Thursday arguing that a policy limiting staff ...

Thu, July 21, 2011

A "Twilight" dawn breaks over Comic-Con

By R.T. Watson

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - The giant Comic-Con pop culture showcase opened on Thursday with the stars and director of the newest ...

Thu, July 21, 2011

Family group sues New York City schools over light fixtures

By Jessica Dye

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A coalition of families has filed a lawsuit demanding that New York City public schools remove aging fluorescent ...

Thu, July 21, 2011

For-profit colleges sue Dept of Education over new rule

(Reuters) - An association of for-profit colleges in the United States has sued the Department of Education to block the implementation of a controversial rule ...

Wed, July 20, 2011

MEMPHIS, Tenn (Reuters) - Memphis city council and school board members were scrambling Wednesday to come up with solutions after the board voted to indefinitely ...

Wed, July 20, 2011

Simon Fuller sues Fox over "X Factor" fees

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller has sued the Fox television network seeking credits and monetary fees for the upcoming U.S ...

Wed, July 20, 2011

Police arrest woman over saline hospital deaths

LONDON (Reuters) - A 26-year-old woman was arrested Wednesday morning on suspicion of the murder of three patients at a hospital in Stockport, Greater Manchester ...

Tue, July 19, 2011

Twitter-using Steelers player sues over lost endorsement deal

PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall is suing Hanesbrands Inc. for terminating an endorsement deal after the football player posted controversial messages ...

Mon, July 18, 2011

Armstrong goes to court over doping probe leaks

By Jeremy Pelofsky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The legal team for cycling superstar Lance Armstrong, who is under federal investigation for doping, has asked a U ...

Mon, July 18, 2011

Petraeus hands over command in Afghanistan, to lead CIA

By Paul Tait

KABUL (Reuters) - General David Petraeus, Washington's new intelligence chief, handed over command of U.S. and NATO-led troops in Afghanistan ...

Mon, July 18, 2011

China assails U.S. over Dalai Lama, fallout seen limited

By Sui-Lee Wee

BEIJING (Reuters) - China stepped up its criticism of Washington on Monday after President Barack Obama met the Dalai Lama, but stopped ...

Sun, July 17, 2011

Top British police chief resigns over hacking scandal

By Mohammed Abbas

LONDON (Reuters) - ,Britain's senior police chief, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Paul Stephenson, resigned on Sunday over allegations that the police mishandled ...

Sat, July 16, 2011

Jane Fonda jabs at QVC over canceled TV appearance

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A new controversy over Oscar winner Jane Fonda's Vietnam War activism caused the actress to come out swinging against home ...

Sat, July 16, 2011

Church to pay $1.75 million to father over son's abuse: lawyer

CHICAGO (Reuters) - An Illinois-based Catholic group agreed on Friday to pay $1.75 million to the father of a 14-year-old boy who was allegedly ...

Fri, July 15, 2011

Pediatrician feels heat over child obesity idea

By Lauren Keiper

BOSTON (Reuters) - Boston pediatrician David Ludwig, the center of a media firestorm this week, wants to set the record straight on ...

Thu, July 14, 2011

Former NFL player sues league over use of retirees' images

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former Green Bay Packers running back filed a class-action lawsuit against the National Football League, claiming it made unauthorized use ...

Thu, July 14, 2011

Apple pays S.Korean user compensation over iPhone tracking

SEOUL (Reuters) - Apple Inc's Korean unit has paid compensation to a user of its popular iPhone after collecting location data without consent, lawyers ...

Wed, July 13, 2011

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Sprint Nextel has received subpoenas from nine states in connection with antitrust reviews of AT&T's proposed $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile USA, according to a Sprint letter posted on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) website.

In its letter dated June 28 to FCC, Sprint said it had received subpoenas and civil investigation demands from attorneys general in the states of Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington, as well as from the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Sprint, the No.3 U.S. mobile service, is opposing AT&T's proposed $39 billion purchase of No.4 U.S. mobile service T-Mobile USA, a Deutsche Telekom AG unit, on the grounds it will give too much competitive power to one company.

Sprint said in its letter that the states have asked the company to provide all the materials it had submitted to FCC regarding AT&T's deal.

Meanwhile, an AT&T spokesman told Bloomberg that his company had also received subpoenas from the same nine states regarding its proposed T-Mobile transaction.

In June, AT&T said it is confident of winning regulatory approval for its T-Mobile deal in the first quarter of 2012. The company had then said it supplied the Justice Department with a requested second round of data, and had reviewed the comments of those who oppose the deal.

AT&T was not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Sakthi Prasad; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)

Mon, July 11, 2011

Texas-sized newborn weighs in at over 16 pounds

By Karen Brooks

AUSTIN (Reuters) - Texans love to brag about how everything is bigger in the Lone Star State. Now they have proof, with ...

Mon, July 11, 2011

News Corp may be at risk for U.S. probe over bribery

By Jeremy Pelofsky and Carlyn Kolker

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's News Corp could face probes by U.S. authorities for possibly ...

Mon, July 11, 2011

Firefighter loses bid to sue over New York mosque

By Grant McCool

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A judge dismissed a firefighter's lawsuit over New York City's decision to allow an Islamic cultural ...

Mon, July 11, 2011

China raps U.S. over military drills in disputed seas

(Reuters) - J&J was sued by a company called Oral Cancer Prevention International that claimed the drug major "interfered" with a sales agreement related to the distribution of an oral cancer prevention product to protect sales of its popular mouthwash, Listerine, according to court documents.

The complaint accuses J&J on three counts: fraud, tortuous interference with contract and civil conspiracy. It seeks at least $60 million in damages and at least $10 million in punitive damages on each of the three counts.

The lawsuit is regarding a contract Oral Cancer Prevention signed in February 2010 with J&J's former unit, OraPharma Inc, under which OraPharma exclusively distributed OCPI's Oral CDx Brush Test, which identifies precancerous cells in the mouth.

The complaint said J&J was concerned about a study published in Australia that linked mouthwashes with a high alcohol content to cancer, adding that J&J did not want to "lend credence to the link between Listerine and oral cancer" by selling both its mouthwash and OralCDx.

"Johnson & Johnson induced OraPharma to breach the sales agreement to suppress sales of and withhold from the public a proven life-saving oral cancer prevention product," the complaint filed on July 6 said.

The suit was filed in federal court in Trenton, New Jersey.

"The company is confident that we have engaged in proper business practices and we look forward to the opportunity to resolve this matter through the legal system," J&J spokesman Bill Price told Reuters.

OraPharma could not be reached immediately for comment.

The case is Oral Cancer Prevention International v. Johnson & Johnson and Johnson & Johnson Consumer Cos, 11-cv-03878, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey (Trenton).

(Reporting by Mihir Dalal in Bangalore; editing by Carol Bishopric)

Fri, July 08, 2011

Wyoming man held over killing of four family members

DENVER (Reuters) - A Wyoming man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after his three children and brother were shot dead in their small ...

Fri, July 08, 2011

CEOs wary of hiring, but sweat over jobless rate

By Scott Malone

BOSTON (Reuters) - Corporate America's job engine is largely stalled, with chief executives waiting for a pickup in demand that would ...

Fri, July 08, 2011

Deutsche Bank to speed up CEO choice over weekend

By Edward Taylor and Philipp Halstrick

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank will come closer to deciding on its next chief executive this weekend when Chairman ...

Fri, July 08, 2011

Planned Parenthood goes to court over North Carolina cuts

By Jim Brumm

WILMINGTON, North Carolina (Reuters) - Planned Parenthood asked a federal court on Thursday to block enforcement of part of North Carolina's ...

Thu, July 07, 2011

Suspect arrested in California Picasso theft

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Police have recovered a Picasso drawing stolen from a San Francisco art gallery and arrested the man suspected of taking the ...

Wed, July 06, 2011

Lenovo's China launch raises questions over game console ban

By Isabel Reynolds

TOKYO (Reuters) - Lenovo's launch of a home videogame console in China this year may throw into question the country's ...

Tue, July 05, 2011

Review raises questions over benefits of cutting salt

By Kate Kelland

LONDON (Reuters) - In an analysis that set off a fierce debate over the health effects of salt, researchers said on Wednesday ...

Tue, July 05, 2011

Russia criticizes U.S. over abuses in wars abroad

By Steve Gutterman

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia urged the United States on Tuesday to give more scrutiny to allegations of human rights violations by U ...

Tue, July 05, 2011

Hacking scandal fells UK top cop

By Kate Holton and Keith Weir

By Laura Myers

SEATTLE (Reuters) - A judge ordered a Seattle man now in a local hospital held without bond on Saturday after his arrest ...

Sat, July 02, 2011

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government has sued a former NASA astronaut to recover a camera used to explore the moon's surface ...

Thu, June 30, 2011

Less July 4 sparkle over U.S. as fireworks displays snuffed

By Jim Forsyth

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - Fourth of July will have less sparkle across the United States as some cities and towns banned the ...

Wed, June 29, 2011

U.S. sets sanctions on Syria, Iran over rights abuses

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Treasury Department said on Wednesday it was imposing sanctions against Syria's security forces for human rights abuses and against Iran ...

Wed, June 29, 2011

West queries China over Pakistan atom ties

By Fredrik Dahl

VIENNA (Reuters) - Western nations pressed China at closed-door nuclear talks to provide more information and help address concerns about its plans ...

Tue, June 28, 2011

Grand jury criticizes California town over pot farm

By Leidhra Johnson

SACRAMENTO (Reuters) - Officials in a northern California town who approved a plan to create a medical marijuana farm have drawn a ...

Tue, June 28, 2011

Sharapova towers over Cibulkova to make Wimbledon semis

By Mark Meadows

LONDON (Reuters) - Fifth seed Maria Sharapova, the last giant left in the women's draw, powered into the Wimbledon semi-finals after ...

Tue, June 28, 2011

Germany shuts school over E.coli scare

BERLIN (Reuters) - German officials closed a primary school in the west of the country on Tuesday after a number of students fell ill with ...