Current News Today
Activist Chen urges China to prosecute "lawless officials"
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng urged authorities in Beijing on Thursday to prosecute "lawless" officials who harassed and abused the self-taught lawyer, his family and supporters, saying such prosecutions could help China establish the rule of law. In one of his first interviews since arriving in the United States last Saturday, Chen told Reuters the rough treatment of his family and supporters who helped him escape house arrest last month was "entirely against Chinese law". ...
Thu, 24 May 2012 21:49:00 -0400
| Scots' push for Britain breakup begins in earnest
EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Supporters of independence for Scotland will launch on Friday what they say is the biggest grassroots campaign in Scottish history, a move that could result in the demise of a 305-year-old union with England and the breakup of Britain. Seeking to tap into a cocktail of historical rivalry, opposing political tastes, and a perception that the British parliament in London does not nurture Scotland's national interests, the "Yes Scotland" campaign says it wants to win a referendum on independence in 2014 and for the country to become fully independent by 2016. ...
Thu, 24 May 2012 19:19:22 -0400
| Egypt counts votes, Brotherhood says ahead
CAIRO (Reuters) - The Muslim Brotherhood said on Friday its candidate was leading the early count in Egypt's first free presidential election that exposed a rift in the nation between supporters of Islamists and backers of men who served deposed autocrat Hosni Mubarak. The Brotherhood said Mohamed Mursi was ahead based on a small sample of results shortly after voting ended in an election that marks the final step in a messy and often bloody transition to democracy, overseen by a military council. The overall result will not be clear for some time. ...
Thu, 24 May 2012 20:37:46 -0400
| Iran, big powers agree to hold more nuclear talks in June
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iran and world powers agreed to meet again in Moscow next month for more talks to try to end the long-running dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme, but there was scant progress to resolve the main sticking points between the two sides. At the heart of the dispute is Iran's insistence that it has the right to enrich uranium and that economic sanctions should be lifted before it stops activities that could lead to its achieving the capability to make nuclear weapons. Western powers insist Tehran must first shut down enrichment activities before sanctions can be eased. ...
Thu, 24 May 2012 17:14:08 -0400
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Current News Today
Tech pressures Nasdaq in volatile trading
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks ended slightly higher in a third session marked by late-day swings, but the Nasdaq fell after NetApp gave a weak revenue forecast, casting doubt on the outlook for tech spending. Major indexes were lower for much of the session, as investors found little reason to buy following three days of gains. In addition, economic figures suggested slowing demand in both Europe and the United States. However, Wall Street reversed course late in the session and the S&P extended its gains to a fourth straight day. Underscoring the vulnerability of U.S. ...
Thu, 24 May 2012 16:36:05 -0400
| Economy trudges along despite Europe turbulence
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits dipped last week, indicating the economy is plodding along even though headwinds from Europe cut into U.S. factory activity growth this month. The data on the U.S. economy on Thursday was a bit lackluster, but it showed the recovery remained resilient even with growth in China slowing and the euro zone edging toward recession. ...
Thu, 24 May 2012 18:10:09 -0400
| EU urges Greece to stay in euro, plans for possible exit
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders, advised by senior officials to prepare contingency plans in case Greece decides to quit the single currency, urged the country to stay the course on austerity and complete the reforms demanded under its bailout program. After nearly six hours of talks held during an informal dinner, leaders said they were committed to Greece remaining in the euro zone, but it had to stick to its side of the bargain too, a commitment that will mean a heavy cost for Greeks. ...
Thu, 24 May 2012 21:42:48 -0400
| SEC unlikely to file charges in Lehman case: memo
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has concluded its investigation into Lehman Brothers Holdings and will not likely recommend charges, according to the excerpt of a memo sent to Reuters. The excerpt, which was not dated, was sent along with an anonymous letter to Congress alleging that SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro made inaccurate statements about the agency's Lehman probe during a hearing last month. Schapiro told a House Financial Services panel on April 25 that Lehman "remains under investigation" and "is still under review. ...
Thu, 24 May 2012 18:01:49 -0400
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Current News Today
Photos of the day: Giant tree art and more amazing images
Mike De Butts adds the finishing touches to a giant Baobab Tree sculpture entitled 'Under the Baobab', outside the Southbank Centre on May 24, 2012 in London, England. The Pirate Technics' installation is made from a selection of brightly colored fabrics from around the world, and is part of the Southbank Centre's 'Festival of the World' exhibition, which includes a series of large scale pieces of art that will be in place around the Southbank centre over the Summer. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Thu, 24 May 2012 11:00:33 -0400
| Man arrested in death of Etan Patz
Pedro Hernandez had earlier confessed to strangling the boy 33 years ago.
Thu, 24 May 2012 20:07:44 -0400
| Pinky-sized artificial heart saves baby's life
An artificial heart the size of a pinky finger kept a 16-month-old baby alive for nearly two weeks while he waited for a heart transplant, Reuters reported. The Italian baby, whose name has not been released, had dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease that stretched the muscular walls...
Thu, 24 May 2012 15:05:30 -0400
| The dumb report on congressional dumbness
Are conservatives stupider than liberals? That’s one way to read the lively parlor-game data released this week by the Sunlight Foundation, a 6-year-old educational concern that attempts to make government more transparent.
Thu, 24 May 2012 13:43:33 -0400
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