Weakened Arizona immigrant rules still draw protests PHOENIX (Reuters) - Arizona on Thursday appealed a judge's decision to block key parts of the state's crackdown on illegal immigrants and police in Phoenix arrested scores of activists protesting the remaining measures in the law.
Unemployment claims fall, but still elevated WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New claims for unemployment benefits slipped last week, but stayed at a stubbornly high level that underscored the labor market recovery was having trouble gaining traction.
BP lawsuits over oil spill take center stage BOISE, Idaho (Reuters) - More than 2,000 miles from the Gulf of Mexico shoreline, a panel of U.S. judges heard arguments from lawyers on Thursday on how piles of spill-related lawsuits against BP Plc should be merged.
BUSINESS NEWS
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Wall St falls on tech outlook worries NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks sagged in volatile trading on Thursday after weak outlooks from technology companies and downbeat comments from a Federal Reserve official gave investors little reason to buy.
Citigroup to pay $75 million to settle SEC charges NEW YORK (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc will pay $75 million to settle charges that it failed to disclose subprime exposure to investors in 2007, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Thursday.
Vicar conducted 360 sham marriages LONDON (Reuters) - A vicar was found guilty on Thursday of conducting hundreds of sham marriages between African nationals and cash-strapped eastern Europeans to allow illegal immigrants to gain residency in Britain.
Brewer claims world's strongest beer AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutch brewer with a penchant for competition has laid claim to creating the world's strongest brew: a beer that is some 60 percent alcohol by volume.
Churchill's dentures fetch nearly $24,000 LONDON (Reuters) - A partial set of British wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill's gold-mounted dentures has fetched 15,200 pounds ($23,770) at auction, over three times the estimate.
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Nationals put rookie pitcher Strasburg on disabled list WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Washington Nationals rookie right-hander Stephen Strasburg has been placed on the 15-day disabled list because of stiffness in his pitching shoulder, the team said Thursday.
Orioles hire Showalter to revive struggling club BALTIMORE (Reuters) - Buck Showalter has been hired as manager of the struggling Baltimore Orioles and now has the task of trying to turn around a team that owns Major League Baseball's worst record this season.
Phillies land right-hander Oswalt for playoff run PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The Philadelphia Phillies acquired ace Roy Oswalt from the Houston Astros on Thursday, adding another All-Star arm to their pitching staff as they prepare for another World Series run.
ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
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Obama seeks his "mojo" on daytime TV's "The View" WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama tried to revive his common touch on Thursday with a mainly light-hearted appearance on daytime television where five women hosts grilled him about his Blackberry, Lindsay Lohan and the Afghan war.
Eminem leads singles chart for second week NEW YORK (Billboard) - A day after he logged a fifth week atop the U.S. pop album chart, rapper Eminem on Thursday claimed the lead on the Hot 100 singles chart for a second week.
Why Mel Gibson's lawyers haven't dropped him LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - It's been nearly three weeks since Mel Gibson's leaked telephone rant cost him his agents at William Morris Endeavor. But at least for now, his showbiz lawyers are standing by their man.
TECHNOLOGY NEWS
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Google says China Web search blocked SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc's Web search and mobile services in China were blocked on Thursday, according to a message on the company's website.
Microsoft talks up tablets, shows off new phones SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp set out its ambitions to dominate the consumer electronics market on Thursday with Windows-powered tablet computers and smartphones designed to beat back advances by Apple Inc and Google Inc.
Russia clamps down on Internet, Google frowns MOSCOW (Reuters) - A court in Russia's far east has ordered an Internet provider to block five sites which it said disseminated extreme views, prompting U.S. Internet giant Google to say on Thursday the move restricted access to information.
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
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EPA denies challenges to greenhouse gas rule WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday rejected 10 petitions challenging EPA's 2009 finding that climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health and the environment.
Trapped glacier water threatens French Alps valley LYON, France (Reuters) - A pocket of water big enough to fill 20 Olympic pools, trapped inside a glacier on Mont Blanc, could burst at any time and endanger lives in a French Alpine valley, officials said Thursday.
Ten key indicators show global warming "undeniable" WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Melting glaciers, more humid air and eight other key indicators show that global warming is undeniable, scientists said on Wednesday, citing a new comprehensive review of the last decade of climate data.
WORLD NEWS
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WikiLeaks may have blood on its hands, U.S. says WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks may have blood on its hands, the Pentagon said on Thursday, warning its unprecedented leak of secret U.S. military files could cost lives and damage trust of allies.
Arabs back direct peace talks when Abbas sees fit CAIRO (Reuters) - The Arab League said on Thursday it would back face-to-face peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel when the Palestinians believe the time is right.
French mother confesses to killing eight babies DOUAI/PARIS (Reuters) - A 47-year-old French woman confessed to suffocating eight new-born children and hiding her babies' bodies, a prosecutor said on Thursday, in what experts declared as the country's worst recorded case of infanticide.
