Facing long odds in California, Cruz courts state's Republicans

BURLINGAME, Calif. (Reuters) - U.S. presidential candidate Ted Cruz made a plea to the California Republican Party on Saturday to line up behind him in the state's June primary in his uphill battle to stop front-runner Donald Trump from grabbing the nomination.

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Obama takes final bow at star-studded Washington dinner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With seven performances under his belt, U.S. President Barack Obama will try one last time to bring the house down at the annual White House correspondents' dinner on Saturday, a night of playful ribbing of both politicians and the news media.

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Five killed in Texas floods as severe weather lashes central U.S.

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A grandmother and four of her grandchildren were killed in floods in Texas caused by a storm system that unleashed tornadoes, damaging hail and torrential rains on several central U.S. states, officials said on Saturday.

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Air strikes pound Syrian city of Aleppo, death toll climbs

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Nearly 30 air strikes hit rebel-held areas of Syria's northern city of Aleppo on Saturday and the total number of people killed by the warring sides after nine straight days of bombardment reached nearly 250, a monitoring group said.

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Russia defends intercept of U.S. reconnaissance plane over Baltic

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian Defence Ministry said on Saturday it had sent a fighter plane on Friday to intercept a U.S. aircraft approaching its border over the Baltic Sea because the American plane had turned off its transponder, which is needed for identification.

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Bomb in Baghdad suburb kills at least 17: police sources

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A suicide bomber driving a car killed at least 17 people and wounded more than 40 others on Saturday in an attack near a group of Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims in a southeastern suburb of Baghdad, Iraqi police sources said.

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Iran's moderates make modest gains in run-off election: Iranian media

DUBAI (Reuters) - Moderate candidates allied to President Hassan Rouhani came out strongest in a second round of parliamentary elections in Iran, unofficial results showed on Saturday, but they appeared unlikely to win an overall majority.

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Islamic State-linked hackers post target list of New Yorkers

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A group of hackers linked to Islamic State has posted online a list of thousands of New York residents and urged followers of the militant group to target them, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.

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Brady Campaign's ad draws ire of U.S. anti-gun violence activists

BOSTON (Reuters) - The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence said on Friday it has sharply cut back an online ad that had used the names and faces of mass shooters and urged the news media not to identify them after the group drew criticism from other gun control activists.

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Strike on Afghan hospital last year not a war crime: U.S. military

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. military investigation has concluded that a deadly air strike in Afghanistan last year that destroyed a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders did not amount to a war crime but was caused by a number of factors, including human errors.

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Trump praises Sanders but may struggle to win over his voters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As Donald Trump moves closer to clinching the Republican presidential nomination, he has offered lavish praise for Bernie Sanders, who faces increasingly slim chances in his battle with Hillary Clinton in the Democratic race.

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China denies request for Hong Kong visit by U.S. carrier group: State Department

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China has denied a U.S. request for a U.S. carrier strike group led by the USS John C. Stennis to make a port visit to Hong Kong, the U.S. State Department said on Friday.

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Refining's silver lining loses luster at Exxon and Chevron

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp and Chevron Corp posted sharp drops in quarterly results on Friday as an oversupplied fuel market shrank profits from their refining units, which until now had provided healthy margins that helped insulate them from a 60 percent slide in oil prices since mid-2014.

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U.S. inflation retreats on soft consumer spending

WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) - - U.S. inflation barely rose in March as consumer spending remained tepid, making it less likely that the Federal Reserve will be able to hike interest rates twice this year.

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Exxon Mobil profit beats expectations on big cost cuts

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp, the world's largest publicly traded oil producer, reported a higher-than-expected first-quarter profit on Friday as it slashed costs to offset plunging crude prices and weak refining margins.

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At least 202 civilians killed in past seven days of Aleppo violence: Syrian Observatory

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Air strikes on rebel-held areas of Aleppo killed 123 civilians including 18 children during the past seven days of intensified violence in the northern Syrian city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday.

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At least 202 civilians killed in past seven days of Aleppo violence: Syrian Observatory

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Air strikes on rebel-held areas of Aleppo killed 123 civilians including 18 children during the past seven days of intensified violence in the northern Syrian city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Friday.

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Iran asks U.N. chief to intervene with U.S. after court ruling

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Iran asked U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon on Thursday to convince the United States to stop violating state immunity after the top U.S. court ruled that $2 billion in frozen Iranian assets must be paid to American victims of attacks blamed on Tehran.

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North Korea sentences Korean American to 10 years hard labor: Xinhua

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's Supreme Court sentenced a Korean American man to 10 years of hard labor on Friday for subversion, China's Xinhua news agency reported, in the latest conviction of a foreigner for crimes against the isolated state.

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U.S. military punishes 16 over 2015 Afghan hospital bombing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military will announce on Friday that has it taken disciplinary action against 16 service members over a deadly Oct. 3 air strike in Afghanistan that destroyed a hospital run by the international medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, U.S. officials tell Reuters.

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Three linked to San Bernardino shooter charged with fraud

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - FBI agents arrested the brother of a man who carried out the December mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, as well as two women on Thursday on charges of federal conspiracy, marriage fraud and making false statements, U.S. prosecutors said.

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Warren Buffett's shareholder gala enters home stretch

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Warren Buffett, who pitched newspapers as a teenage delivery boy, may be entering the final stretch of his "Woodstock for Capitalists," after cutting back his involvement in the event and opening it up for an online audience.

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Risking anger from women, Trump attacks Clinton on gender issue

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump waded into politically risky territory this week when he accused Democrat Hillary Clinton of exploiting her gender to win votes and said she would have little support if she were not a woman.

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Dow Chemical profit beats as margins rise to decade-high

(Reuters) - Dow Chemical Co reported a higher-than-expected quarterly adjusted profit as margins rose to their highest level in more than a decade.

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Abbott to buy St. Jude Medical for $25 billion

(Reuters) - Abbott Laboratories said it agreed to buy medical device maker St. Jude Medical Inc for $25 billion to add heft to its heart and neurological devices business.

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North Korea rushes to re-test intermediate missile, fails again: South Korea

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired what appeared to have been an intermediate range ballistic missile on Thursday but it crashed seconds after the test launch, South Korea's defense ministry said, the second such failure in the run-up to next week's ruling party congress.

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Air strikes on Aleppo hospital kill 20: observatory

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Air strikes hit a hospital in a rebel-held area of Syria's Aleppo, killing 20 people, including three children and the last pediatrician in the city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Thursday.

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Weak consumer spending, trade seen hurting U.S. first quarter growth

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. economic growth likely stalled in the first quarter as domestic demand cooled and a strong dollar continued to undercut exports, but a pick-up in activity is anticipated given a buoyant labor market.

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Mitsubishi Motors says U.S. models compliant, shares regain some ground

TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Motors Corp said its vehicles sold in the United States from 2013 have accurate mileage readings, lowering the risk that its fuel economy cheating scandal in Japan may have a wider global impact.

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China won't allow chaos or war on Korean peninsula: Xi

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will not allow chaos and war to break out on the Korean peninsula, which would be to no one's advantage, Chinese President Xi Jinping told a group of Asian foreign ministers on Thursday.

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Fed signals no rush to hike rates as economy hits soft patch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, but kept the door open to a hike in June while showing little sign it was in a hurry to tighten monetary policy amid an apparent slowdown in the U.S. economy.

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Trump's foreign policy speech offers few details but clear message: America first

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rolling out an "America first" foreign policy, Republican front-runner Donald Trump vowed on Wednesday that if he were elected president, U.S. allies in Europe and Asia would have to fend for themselves if they did not pay more for the U.S. defense umbrella.

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Facebook revenue jumps 51.9 percent as mobile ad sales surge

(Reuters) - Facebook Inc reported a 51.9 percent rise in quarterly revenue as its increasingly popular mobile app and push into live video continued to attract new advertisers and encouraged existing ones to boost spending.

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Former House Speaker Hastert gets 15 months in prison

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert was sentenced on Wednesday to 15 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years of probation and sex-offender treatment for a financial crime related to his sexual abuse of high school wrestlers decades ago.

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Republican presidential candidate Cruz to pick Fiorina as running mate: report

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz is expected to announce former business executive Carly Fiorina will be his vice presidential running mate if he wins the party's nomination, ABC News affiliate WMUR reported, citing unnamed sources.

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Boeing's profit hit by tanker charge

(Reuters) - Boeing Co reported a nearly 9 percent fall in quarterly profit, hurt by an after-tax charge related to the KC-46 aerial refueling tanker it is developing for the U.S. Air Force.

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Exclusive: Half of Americans think presidential nominating system 'rigged' - poll

NEW YORK (Reuters) - More than half of American voters believe that the system U.S. political parties use to pick their candidates for the White House is "rigged" and more than two-thirds want to see the process changed, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.

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Iran's Supreme Leader says U.S. lifted sanctions only on paper

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader accused the United States on Wednesday of scaring businesses away from Tehran and undermining a deal to lift international sanctions.

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Comcast tops estimates; posts video subscriber gains

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Comcast Corp on Wednesday posted better-than-expected results, bolstered by the biggest first-quarter gain in pay-TV customers in nine years and growth in its business services, high-speed Internet and entertainment units.

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Paris attacks suspect extradited to France from Belgium: prosecutors

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Salah Abdeslam, suspected of playing a major part in November's Paris attacks which killed 130 people, has been extradited to France from Belgium, prosecutors in both countries said on Wednesday.

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Comcast in talks to buy DreamWorks Animation for more than $3 billion: WSJ

(Reuters) - Comcast Corp, the largest U.S. cable operator, is in talks to buy Hollywood studio owner DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc for more than $3 billion, The Wall street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

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Twitter stock plunges after revenue misses estimates

(Reuters) - Twitter Inc reported lower-than-expected revenue for the first quarter, hurt by weaker than expected spending by big advertisers, and the microblogging service forecast current-quarter revenue well below analysts' expectations.

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North Korea reportedly readies another missile test launch

SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea appears to be preparing a test-launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said on Tuesday, after what the United States described as the "fiery, catastrophic" failure of the first attempt.

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Apple revenue to shrink but options traders unfazed

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Inc on Tuesday is likely to report its first decline in revenue in more than a decade, and analysts expect to hear bad news on iPhone sales, but traders in the options market are not running scared.

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North Korea says needs 'powerful nuclear deterrence' to counter U.S. hostility

(Reuters) - North Korea needs a "powerful nuclear deterrence" to counter U.S. hostility and threats, the foreign ministry was quoted by the state news agency KCNA as saying on Tuesday.

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Migrants trickle back to Turkey from Greece under EU deal

ATHENS (Reuters) - Two ferries left Greece for Turkey on Tuesday with 18 migrants on board, as a government spokesman said Athens was doing all it could to process returnees under a deal with Turkey intended to stem a huge refugee influx into Europe.

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P&G reports better-than-expected rise in profit

(Reuters) - Procter & Gamble Co reported a better-than-expected rise in quarterly profit as cost cuts and higher prices helped more than offset the impact of a strong dollar.

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Iran and Russia move closer but their alliance has limits

DUBAI/MOSCOW (Reuters) - When Iran took delivery of the first parts of an advanced Russian air defense system this month, it paraded the anti-aircraft missile launchers sent by Moscow to mark Army Day.

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Mitsubishi Motors says it used non-compliant mileage data for 25 years

TOKYO (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Motors Corp said it had used fuel economy testing methods that were not compliant with Japanese regulations for 25 years, much longer than previously known, and would set up an external committee to investigate the matter.

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Exclusive: U.S. agencies split over fingerprinting parents of child immigrants

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. immigration enforcement officers are proposing that fingerprints be taken from all people claiming custody of children who have entered the United States illegally without an adult relative, a measure that opponents said could keep thousands of families apart.

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In European tour Obama shows support for his closest allies

HANOVER, Germany (Reuters) - President Barack Obama spent the past four days in Europe visiting his two oldest and closest foreign political allies, spending considerable political capital on issues close to their hearts.

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Exclusive: SWIFT network says aware of multiple cyber fraud incidents

(Reuters) - SWIFT, the global financial network that banks use to transfer billions of dollars every day, warned its customers on Monday that it was aware of "a number of recent cyber incidents" where attackers had sent fraudulent messages over its system.

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Cosby sex assault prosecution can move ahead: Pennsylvania court

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania appeals court on Monday cleared the way for the criminal case against Bill Cosby to proceed, rejecting the comedian’s attempt to have the charges thrown out due to a deal he contends was reached with prosecutors a decade ago.

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Appeals court restores Brady's 'Deflategate' suspension

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Monday restored the four-game "Deflategate" suspension of New England Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady over allegations footballs he used were under inflated before an NFL playoff game in 2015.

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Driven up the wall by Trump, Mexico looks to recast image in U.S.

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - At first, Mexico's government did its best to ignore Donald Trump. Then it likened him to Adolf Hitler. Now it has appointed a new ambassador to come up with a better plan.

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Cleveland settles police shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice for $6 million

CLEVELAND (Reuters) - The city of Cleveland agreed to pay the family of Tamir Rice $6 million to settle a lawsuit over the shooting of the 12-year-old black boy in 2014 by a white policeman, according to documents filed on Monday in federal court.

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Gannett offers to buy Tribune Publishing

(Reuters) - Gannett Co Inc, the publisher of USA Today, said it offered to buy Tribune Publishing Co but the publisher of the Los Angeles Times refused to begin constructive talks.

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Exclusive: Large majority of Senate pushes Obama to boost Israel aid

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than four-fifths of the U.S. Senate have signed a letter urging President Barack Obama to quickly reach an agreement on a new defense aid package for Israel worth more than the current $3 billion per year.

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Car bomb near Damascus kills six people: monitor

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A car bomb on the outskirts of the Sayeda Zeinab district south of Damascus killed at least six people on Monday, a monitoring group said, the third bombing attack in the area this year.

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Exclusive: Bangladesh Bank hackers compromised SWIFT software, warning to be issued

(Reuters) - The attackers who stole $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank probably hacked into software from the SWIFT financial platform that is at the heart of the global financial system, said security researchers at British defense contractor BAE Systems.

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U.S. volunteers seek adventure fighting Islamic State alongside Kurds

MAKHMOUR, Iraq (Reuters) - Towering over his Kurdish partner at a checkpoint in northern Iraq, U.S. volunteer John Cole cuts an unusual figure on the road to the newest front in the war against Islamic State.

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Obama plans to send 250 more U.S. troops to Syria

HANOVER, Germany/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama plans to send as many as 250 more U.S. troops to Syria, bringing the total American presence on the ground to 300 to help fight Islamic State militants, U.S. officials said on Sunday.

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Fed seen holding rates this week with hike still on horizon

NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers are expected to hold interest rates steady when they meet this week, but may tweak their description of the economic outlook to reflect more benign conditions, leaving the path open for future rate rises.

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Britain's EU 'Remain' campaign needs ground troops, passion

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Campaigners to keep Britain in the European Union, boosted by a visit from U.S. President Barack Obama, seem to be winning the air war in the media, but they could yet lose the crucial ground war to bring out the vote.

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Economy, crises in focus as Obama heads to Germany

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama is set to visit Hanover, Germany on Sunday to hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, one of his closest allies in dealing with a shaky global economy and security crises in the Middle East and Ukraine.

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North Korea fires submarine-launched missile: South Korea

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile off its east coast on Saturday, South Korea said, amid concerns that the isolated state might conduct a nuclear test or a missile launch ahead of a ruling party meeting in May.

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Trump bashes Clinton, promises not to become boring

HOLLYWOOD, Fla./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump attacked his top Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Friday, calling her "crooked," and promised his supporters that he would not bore them by becoming overly presidential.

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Merkel arrives in southeast Turkey to ease tensions of migrant deal

GAZIANTEP, Turkey (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in a Turkish border province on Saturday to meet Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as she works to ease tensions in the deal to tackle the migrant crisis.

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Obama tells British youth: Don't pull back from the world

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama implored young British people on Saturday not to pull back from the world, a day after sparking a row by bluntly telling Britain it should remain in the European Union to preserve its remaining global clout.

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No signs of trauma or suicide in Prince's death: police

(Reuters) - Police found no signs of suicide or obvious trauma in the death of U.S. music superstar Prince, but it could take weeks before autopsy results reveal how the groundbreaking performer died, authorities said on Friday.

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U.S. drops New York fight with Apple after gaining access to iPhone

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Friday dropped its effort to force Apple Inc to help unlock an iPhone in a drug case in New York after someone provided authorities the passcode to access the device.

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Panama raids Mossack Fonseca property, seizes shredded papers

PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Panamanian investigators on Friday raided a property used by Mossack Fonseca, the law firm at the center of a massive leak of offshore financial data, removing bags full of shredded documents as evidence, a local prosecutor said.

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China, U.S. pledge to ratify Paris climate deal this year

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - China and the United States, the world's top producers of greenhouse gas emissions, pledged on Friday to formally adopt by the end of the year a Paris deal to slow global warming, raising the prospects of it being enforced much faster than anticipated.

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U.S. to buy heavy water from Iran's nuclear program

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will buy heavy water from Iran's nuclear program and expects it to be delivered within weeks, U.S. officials said on Friday, a move that Republican lawmakers quickly criticized.

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As impeachment looms, Brazil's Rousseff warns of 'grave' crisis

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff took her battle against impeachment to the United Nations on Friday, warning the international community her country is suffering a "grave moment," while her critics said she wants to use the trip to rally support against what she calls a "coup."

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Syrian peace talks limp on to next week with opposition absent

BEIRUT/GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. special envoy for Syria has vowed to take fragile peace talks into next week despite a walkout by the main armed opposition, a breakdown in a truce and signs that both sides are gearing up to escalate the five-year-old civil war.

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Volkswagen takes $18 billion hit over emissions scandal

WOLFSBURG/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VW) said on Friday it would take a 16.2-billion-euro ($18.2 billion) hit to its 2015 results and slash its dividend to help pay for its emissions-test cheating scandal.

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Multiple fatalities at Ohio, media reports say seven dead

(Reuters) - Multiple people were found dead in a home in Pike County, Ohio, law enforcement officials said on Friday, with a television station reporting that up to seven were killed.

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Fed to hold rates in April but raise again in June: Reuters poll

(Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve will keep interest rates steady at its policy meeting next week but economists held firm to their expectations for a rate hike in June and then another by the end of this year, a Reuters poll showed on Friday.

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Caterpillar quarterly profit declines on weak equipment sales

(Reuters) - Caterpillar Inc. posted a lower quarterly net profit on Friday as slowing activity in global mining and construction hurt sales of machinery.

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Unpopularity of Clinton, Trump puts spotlight on potential running mates

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rarely have two U.S. presidential front-runners needed more from running mates than Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

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GE profit tops estimates but organic revenue falls 1 percent

NEW YORK (Reuters) - General Electric Co reported a higher-than-expected first-quarter profit on Friday, but organic revenue fell 1 percent, raising questions about the company's full-year revenue target.

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U.S. split deepens over Putin's intentions in Syria civil war

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russia’s latest military moves in Syria have sharpened divisions within the U.S. administration over whether Russian President Vladimir Putin genuinely backs a U.N.-led initiative to end the civil war or is using the negotiations to mask renewed military support for Syrian President Bashar Assad.

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Apple's book, film services go dark in China

BEIJING (Reuters) - Apple Inc's online book and film services have gone dark in China, after Beijing introduced regulations in March imposing strict curbs on online publishing, particularly for foreign firms.

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Uber drivers remain independent contractors as lawsuit settled

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Uber has agreed to pay up to $100 million to settle a class-action lawsuit which resolves a major challenge to its business model by allowing the ride-hailing service to keep its California and Massachusetts drivers as independent contractors.

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Exclusive: Beijing auditions foreign agencies to polish China brand

SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - Five global public relations firms have made pitches to the Chinese government for a potential new campaign, four sources said, as Beijing tries to communicate more effectively with the West.

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Google's parent Alphabet results hit by rising traffic costs, strong dollar

(Reuters) - Google's parent Alphabet Inc missed Wall Street targets for first-quarter profit and revenue on Thursday as it spent more money to build traffic for its mobile advertising services.

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Microsoft profit misses estimates, shares fall

(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp's quarterly adjusted profit missed analysts' estimates as a continued slump in personal computer sales hurt the company's core Windows business, sending its shares down 4 percent in extended trading.

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U.S. music superstar Prince dies aged 57 at Minnesota home

(Reuters) - Prince, the innovative U.S. music superstar whose hits included "Purple Rain" and "When Doves Cry" and whose songwriting and eccentric stage presence electrified fans around the world, died on Thursday in Minnesota, his publicist said. He was 57.

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Trump offers support for bathroom access based on gender identity

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump sided on Thursday with those criticizing a controversial new North Carolina law requiring transgender people to use government and school bathrooms that correspond with the sex on their birth certificate.

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VW, Justice Department reach diesel emissions deal

(Reuters) - Volkswagen AG and the U.S. Justice Department have reached a deal in principle to address excess diesel emissions in nearly 600,000 polluting vehicles that will include buyback offers and a possible fix, a federal judge in San Francisco said on Thursday.

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Exclusive: Egyptian police detained Italian student before his murder - sources

(Reuters) - An Italian student who was tortured and murdered in Egypt had been detained by police and then transferred to a compound run by Homeland Security the day he vanished, intelligence and police sources say. The claims contradict the official Egyptian account that security services had not arrested him.

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White House concerned Russia moving military equipment into Syria

RIYADH/GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States said on Thursday it was concerned about reports that Russia is moving more military equipment into Syria to bolster President Bashar al-Assad with a truce in tatters and peace talks in meltdown.

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Jobless claims drop to 42-1/2 year low as labor market firms

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, hitting its lowest level since 1973, suggesting the labor market continued to gain momentum despite weak economic growth.

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Trump, Cruz, Kasich seek to win over Republican leaders at party meeting

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidates are making an intense push to curry favor with party leaders whose support could prove crucial as the nomination fight enters a critical phase.

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Verizon's quarterly revenue rises 0.6 percent

(Reuters) - Verizon Communication Inc reported 0.6 percent rise in total operating revenue as heavy promotions helped the No. 1 U.S. wireless carrier attract more postpaid subscribers.

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North America, Europe lift GM to record first quarter

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Co said on Thursday net income for the first quarter of 2016 more than doubled to $2 billion, or $1.24 a share, driven by stronger results in North America and improved performance in Europe.

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Volkswagen shares surge as U.S. Dieselgate deal looms

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Volkswagen shares jumped more than 6 percent early on Thursday on expectations that the carmaker was close to reaching a deal to buy back 500,000 diesel cars in the United States in a step toward resolving an emissions rigging scandal.

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Exclusive: Women, young more open on transgender issue in U.S. - Reuters/Ipsos poll

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Transgender Americans may find greater acceptance in the future, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll that shows young adults and women more open to people using public bathrooms matching their gender identity.

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Sanders raises more cash but Clinton makes campaign dollars go further

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK - Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton has spent about $15 per vote so far in the race for the party's nomination, less than her rival Bernie Sanders, who spent $22, according to campaign finance reports filed on Wednesday.

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Three dead, dozens injured in blast at chemical plant in Mexico

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A massive explosion rocked a major petrochemical facility of Mexican national oil company Pemex in the Gulf state of Veracruz on Wednesday, killing at least three people, injuring dozens more, and pumping a cloud of noxious chemicals into the sky.

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Harriet Tubman to be first African-American on U.S. currency

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Anti-slavery crusader Harriet Tubman will become the first African-American on the face of U.S. paper currency, and the first woman in more than a century, when she replaces former President Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill.

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Brazil's Rousseff going to U.N. over impeachment; cabinet in crisis

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Beleaguered Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff will travel to New York in a bid to rally international support against her impeachment, leaving behind a Cabinet paralyzed by political crisis as another minister defected on Wednesday.

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In riposte to Riyadh, Russia says ready to ramp up oil output

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday it was prepared to push oil production to new historic highs, just days after a global deal to freeze output levels collapsed and Saudi Arabia threatened to flood markets with more crude.

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New York wins give Trump and Clinton an eye to November election

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton began setting their sights on November's general election on Wednesday, with a new poll showing Clinton would handily win such a matchup.

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Daily Mail says hasn't submitted bid for Yahoo's internet assets

(Reuters) - The parent of Britain's Daily Mail said on Wednesday it had not submitted a bid to buy Yahoo Inc's core Internet business, but was in talks with potential suitors of the American company.

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Exclusive: U.S. students given SATs that were online before exam

(Reuters) - At least five times in the past three years, U.S. high school students were administered SAT tests that included questions and answers widely available online more than a year before they took the exam, a Reuters analysis shows.

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Criminal charges filed against three people in Flint water crisis: local media

DETROIT (Reuters) - Three Michigan state and local officials were criminally charged on Wednesday in connection with the state attorney general's investigation into dangerous lead levels in Flint's drinking water, a crisis that has fueled widespread public outrage, according to local media reports.

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EU charges Google with abusing Android market dominance

BRUSSELS - The European Union charged Google on Wednesday with abusing the dominant position of its Android mobile operating system, opening a second front against the U.S. technology giant that could lead to large fines.

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U.S. existing home sales rise sharply; prices advance

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. home resales rebounded more than expected in March, suggesting the housing market recovery remained intact despite signs that economic growth probably stalled in the first quarter.

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Brussels bombing suspect also charged over Paris attacks

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A main suspect in the investigation into the Brussels bombings has also been charged with participation in the Paris attacks four months earlier, Belgian federal prosecutors said on Wednesday.

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Mitsubishi Motors says it manipulated fuel economy tests, shares tumble

TOKYO (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Motors Corp said it falsified fuel economy test data to make emissions levels look more favorable, and its shares slumped more than 15 percent, wiping $1.2 billion from its market value on Wednesday.

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Another quake, magnitude 6.2, strikes off Ecuador coast

COJIMIES, Ecuador (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck off the coast of Ecuador on Wednesday, just days after a major quake hit the country killing nearly 500 people.

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U.S. says North Korean remittances at risk if it conducts nuclear test

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A fifth North Korean nuclear test could trigger new sanctions including an effort to choke off hard currency earnings by its workers abroad, the top U.S. diplomat for the Asia-Pacific region said on Tuesday.

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Aftershocks bring misery for Japan quake survivors; death toll to 47

TOKYO (Reuters) - Aftershocks rattled survivors of deadly Japanese earthquakes, nearly a week after the first one struck, as the area braced for heavy rain later on Wednesday and the possibility of more landslides.

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Yahoo barely beats Wall Street view as offers trickle in for core business

(Reuters) - Yahoo Inc's first-quarter results beat Wall Street estimates by a hair but revenue dropped 11.3 percent, as the web-pioneer struggled to boost growth in the core online search and display advertising business that is in the processing of auctioning off.

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Syrian talks appear doomed as air strike kills dozens in market

GENEVA/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian peace talks appeared all but doomed on Tuesday after air strikes killed about 40 people in a crowded vegetable market in rebel territory, with the opposition saying a truce was finished and it would keep out of negotiations indefinitely.

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Goldman Sachs revenue slumps to lowest in more than four years

(Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc's quarterly profit fell by more than half and revenue slumped to its lowest in more than four years as market volatility hit the Wall Street bank's bond trading and investment banking businesses.

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Air strike on market kills around 40 in opposition-held northwest Syria

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Air strikes on a vegetable market in opposition-held northwest Syria killed around 40 people and wounded dozens on Tuesday, a rebel commander, rescue worker and war monitor said.

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Afghan Taliban launch attack in central Kabul, killing at least 28

KABUL (Reuters) - A Taliban suicide bomb and gun assault on a government security building during Tuesday morning rush hour in central Kabul killed at least 28 people and wounded more than 320, in the most deadly single attack in the Afghan capital since 2011.

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S&P 500, Dow edge up as oil holds on to gains

(Reuters) - The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones industrial average were slightly higher on Tuesday as crude rose after an oil workers' strike in Kuwait hurt output.

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Syrian government delegation joins Geneva talks under pressure to negotiate

GENEVA (Reuters) - The Syrian government delegation led by U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari arrived on Friday for their first session of the latest round of peace talks in Geneva, where they faced pressure to negotiate terms for a political transition.


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U.S. industrial output falls, signals weak first-quarter GDP growth

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. industrial production fell more than expected in March as manufacturing output dropped by the most in a year and mining maintained its downward trend, the latest indication that economic growth braked sharply in the first quarter.











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Sanders, in Vatican, says rich-poor gap worse than 100 years ago

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, addressing a Vatican conference on social justice, on Friday decried the "immoral" gap between the world's haves and have nots, saying it was worse today than more than a century ago.











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Ex-New York legislator Silver had affairs with two women: court papers

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sheldon Silver, one of New York state's most powerful politicians before his December conviction in a bribery case, had two extramarital affairs while in office, with a lobbyist and with a woman whom he helped get a state job, according to documents unsealed on Friday.











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Brazil's lower house starts debate on Rousseff's impeachment

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's lower house on Friday opened a three-day debate on whether to impeach President Dilma Rousseff on charges of manipulating budget accounts, after the government lost a last-ditch appeal before the Supreme Court to halt the process.


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Pope, Orthodox leaders to visit Greek front line of refugee crisis

LESBOS, Greece/VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis and the spiritual head of the world's Orthodox Christians will set aside centuries of dispute on Saturday when they visit a Greek island on the front line of Europe's migrant crisis to highlight the plight of refugees.


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Sanders heads to Vatican, says trip not political

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders heads to the Vatican on Friday, saying he would be happy to meet the Pope but denying his lightning transatlantic trip is a bid to woo Catholic voters.


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Exclusive: U.S. considers supporting new U.A.E. push against al Qaeda in Yemen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is considering a request from the United Arab Emirates for military support to assist a new offensive in Yemen against al Qaeda's most dangerous affiliate, U.S. officials tell Reuters.











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Kremlin says sorry to Goldman Sachs, German paper over Panama Papers slip-up

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Friday apologized to U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs and German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, saying aides had mistakenly informed President Vladimir Putin that the American bank owned the newspaper.


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Aftershocks rattle southwestern Japan after quake kills nine

TOKYO (Reuters) - Aftershocks rattled southwestern Japan on Friday after a strong quake the night before killed nine people, injured at least 1,000 and cut power and water across the region, forcing the temporary shutdown of several auto and electronics factories.











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China economy posts weakest growth since 2009 but recovery signs emerge

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's economy grew at its slowest pace in seven years in the first quarter, however, indicators from the country's consumer, investment and factory sectors point to nascent signs the slowdown in the world's second largest economy may be bottoming out.


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North Korea missile launch fails in embarrassing setback for leader Kim

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea attempted and failed to launch what experts believe was an intermediate range ballistic missile on Friday in defiance of U.N. sanctions and in an embarrassing setback for leader Kim Jong Un.











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U.S. defense secretary to visit carrier in disputed South China Sea

MANILA (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said he will visit a U.S. aircraft carrier transiting the disputed South China Sea on Friday, a move bound to anger China, which has been increasingly asserting its territorial claims.


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Clinton, Sanders joust, shout in debate over guns and Wall Street

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and rival Bernie Sanders battled fiercely on Thursday over Wall Street, guns and the minimum wage and questioned each other's judgment in a contentious and at times high-volume U.S. presidential debate.











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China says enhanced U.S.-Philippine military ties invoke 'Cold War mentality'

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Plans to deepen U.S.-Philippine military ties, including joint patrols in the South China Sea, reflect a "Cold War mentality", China's defense ministry said, pledging to resolutely oppose any infringement on the country's sovereignty.


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Manson follower Van Houten endorsed for release after more than four decades

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - Leslie Van Houten, who as a follower of cult leader Charles Manson took part in one of the most notorious mass murders of the 20th century, was recommended on Thursday for parole, officials said, a first step towards freedom after more than four decades in prison.


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Apple, FBI to clash again in Congress over encryption

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Apple Inc and the FBI will return to Congress next week to testify before lawmakers about their heated disagreement over law enforcement access to encrypted devices, a congressional committee announced on Thursday.











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Judge denies request to depose media mogul Sumner Redstone

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A California judge has denied a request by a former girlfriend to depose Sumner Redstone as part of a lawsuit that challenges the 92-year-old media mogul's mental competency.


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N.Y. officer loses bid for new trial in shooting of unarmed black man

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former New York City police officer on Thursday lost a bid to set aside his manslaughter conviction for killing an unarmed black man in a darkened public housing stairwell.


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In London, Obama to wade into thorny Brexit debate

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will put himself in an unusual, and risky, position next week in London: smack-dab in the middle of the heated British debate over whether to remain part of the European Union.


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Microsoft sues U.S. government over data requests

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp has sued the U.S. government for the right to tell its customers when a federal agency is looking at their emails, the latest in a series of clashes over privacy between the technology industry and Washington.











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Brazil's Rousseff asks Supreme Court to stop impeachment

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff resorted to the Supreme Court on Thursday in a last ditch attempt to avert likely defeat in a critical impeachment vote in Congress that could lead to her removal from office.


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U.S. has raised concerns with Russia over jets' actions near U.S. warship: White House

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Washington has raised its concerns with Moscow over Russian jets that earlier this week passed close to a U.S. destroyer in the Baltic Sea, the White House said on Thursday.











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BlackRock to restructure after 'tough' 1st quarter

(Reuters) - BlackRock Inc said on Thursday it will cut 400 jobs and take a $76 million restructuring charge after posting a 20 percent drop in first-quarter profit amid a dramatic reversal in financial markets.











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House Speaker Ryan backs continued aid to Egypt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said on Thursday he backs continuing the $1.3 billion in annual military aid that Washington sends to Egypt, but that its human rights record makes it "more difficult" to support the Cairo government.











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Trump aides meet with congressional backers as protests loom

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump campaign aides were meeting in Washington with congressional supporters on Thursday in a bid to improve relations with the Republican Party, as groups opposing his lightning-rod presidential run planned demonstrations at Trump appearances in New York state.











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Fed to raise rates twice this year but conviction fading: Reuters poll

(Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve will raise interest rates twice this year, most likely in June, but the probability has faded on signs of a weak start to the year, inflation that is still tame and a brittle global backdrop, a Reuters poll showed.











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U.S. monitoring North Korea situation amid missile reports: State Dept

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is aware of reports that North Korea is preparing intermediate-range missiles and is closely monitoring the Korean Peninsula, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday.


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Exclusive: Syrian HNC offers to share transition equally with government

GENEVA (Reuters) - Syria's main opposition group is willing to share membership of a transitional governing body with current members of the government of President Bashar al-Assad, but not Assad himself, the group's spokesman told Reuters in Geneva.


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Syrian army, allies launch new assault north of Aleppo: rebels

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria's army backed by Russian jets launched a fierce new assault on areas north of Aleppo on Thursday, rebels and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said, threatening to block rebels' access to opposition-held areas of the city.


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Putin says shares Russians' pain over economic hardship

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin assured ordinary Russians on Thursday that he was trying to relieve the hardships they face, with the economy in recession and consumer prices pushed up as a consequence of the Kremlin's standoff with the West.


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U.S., allies target Islamic State with 21 strikes in Iraq, Syria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S.-led coalition staged 21 strikes on Wednesday against the Islamic State militant group, according to the coalition leading the operations in Iraq and Syria.











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Bank of America profit slides on weak trading

(Reuters) - Bank of America Corp, the No. 2 U.S. bank by assets, reported an 18 percent slide in quarterly profit as concerns about a global economic slowdown and uncertainty about the pace of U.S. interest rate increases dampened bond and stock trading.


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ACLU asks federal court to block Kansas voter ID law

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Reuters) - The American Civil Liberties Union on Thursday will seek to block a Kansas state law that requires people to prove American citizenship if they want to register to vote while applying for a driver's license.


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U.S. announces ramped-up military presence in Philippines

MANILA (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Thursday that U.S. troops and military equipment would be sent on regular rotations in the Philippines and that the two countries had started joint patrols in the South China Sea as China increasingly asserts its territorial claims.


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Swedish prosecutors argue for upholding Assange arrest warrant

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish prosecutors still believe an arrest warrant for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be upheld, they said on Thursday in reply to the Stockholm District Court that will decide whether to lift the warrant.


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Lakers' Bryant scores 60 points in final game of career

(Reuters) - Moments before starting the final game of his stellar 20-year career in the NBA, Kobe Bryant was described as "the greatest" ever to wear the purple and gold by fellow Los Angeles Lakers great Magic Johnson.











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Asian shares at four-month highs

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian stocks rose to their highest levels in more than four months on Thursday and regional currencies weakened led by the Singapore dollar as hopes grew that more central banks will join the city state in easing monetary policy in the comiing months.











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Trump's jobs homecoming a long shot even in manufacturing hot spots

JACKSONVILLE, Fla (Reuters) - When U.S. manufacturing employment peaked, Jimmy Carter was president, inflation was 11 percent, and craftsmen at Frontier Contact Lenses made the company's products one at a time on diamond-tipped lathes.


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Apple iPhone unlocking maneuver likely to remain secret

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The company that helped the FBI unlock a San Bernardino shooter's iPhone to get data has sole legal ownership of the method, making it highly unlikely the technique will be disclosed by the government to Apple or any other entity, Obama administration sources said this week.


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North Korea prepares one or two intermediate-range missiles: Yonhap

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea has deployed one or two intermediate-range ballistic missiles on the east coast, possibly preparing for launch on or around Friday, the anniversary of the birth of the country's founder, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.











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One dead, 11 hurt in hydrogen sulfide release in Austin, Texas

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - One person died and at least 11 were injured in a release of poisonous hydrogen sulfide gas at an apartment building near the University of Texas at Austin on Wednesday, fire officials said.











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Chicago police arrest two Black Lives Matter protesters

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Police arrested two people during a Black Lives Matter protest over the shooting death on Monday night of a black teenager by officers in Chicago, police officials and activists said on Wednesday.











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Trump takes new steps to reset his campaign

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican front-runner Donald Trump took fresh steps to reset his campaign on Wednesday, hiring a top Republican operative and scheduling a meeting between aides and U.S. lawmakers as he girds for a new phase in his White House bid.


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Assad holds parliamentary election as Syrian peace talks resume

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syrians voted in a parliamentary election in government-held areas of the country on Wednesday in what they called a show of support for President Bashar al-Assad, while his opponents and Western powers denounced the poll as illegitimate.


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U.N. begins round of Syria peace talks in Geneva

GENEVA (Reuters) - U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura began a new round of Syria talks on Wednesday by meeting members of the main opposition High Negotiations Committee in Geneva.


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U.S. regulators fail 'living wills' at five of eight big banks

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators failed five big banks on Wednesday, including JP Morgan and Wells Fargo, on their plans for a bankruptcy that would not rely on taxpayer money, giving them until Oct. 1 to make amends or risk sanctions.











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Crowd cheers as Sanders drops in on picket line

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders paid an impromptu visit to a Verizon workers' picket line in Brooklyn on Wednesday after being endorsed by New York City transit workers as he tried to wrest a bit of union support from rival Hillary Clinton.











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Russia jets make 'simulated attack' passes near U.S. destroyer: U.S.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two Russian warplanes with no visible weaponry flew simulated attack passes near a U.S. guided missile destroyer on April 12 in international waters off Russia, a U.S. official said on Wednesday, describing it as one of the most aggressive acts in recent memory.











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Clinton to propose creation of Immigrant Affairs office

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton on Wednesday will propose the creation of a new national Office of Immigrant Affairs should she win the White House in November, as she seeks to woo minority and immigrant voters in New York less than a week before the state's primary.


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JPMorgan profit hurt by weak investment banking and trading

(Reuters) - JPMorgan Chase & Co , the biggest U.S. bank by assets, reported a drop in quarterly profit - its first in five quarters - as costs to cover sour loans to troubled oil companies rose and revenue from trading and investment banking declined.











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Russia sees Syria vote filling legal vacuum pending new constitution

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Syria's parliamentary elections on Wednesday aim to avoid a legal vacuum before early elections are held under a new constitution, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.


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In Libya, Islamic State struggles to gain support

WADI BEY, Libya (Reuters) - Packed into a battered car, a family of nine joined the steady flow of residents fleeing Islamic State's Libyan stronghold of Sirte. They were heading to a nearby town to pick up essentials: cash, medicine and food.











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Tighter supply, tougher rules rattle key U.S. funding market

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Last month's spike in failed trades in Wall Street's key funding market sparked fears that it could be a sign of trouble brewing in the U.S. financial system, but the disruptions appear more likely to mark the "new normal" of the post-crisis era.


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Hiroshima survivors look to Obama visit for disarmament, not apology

HIROSHIMA, Japan (Reuters) - Progress on ridding the world of nuclear weapons, not an apology, is what Hiroshima would want from a visit by U.S. President Barack Obama to the Japanese city hit by an American nuclear attack 71 years ago, survivors and other residents said.


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Closures and court cases leave Turkey's media increasingly muzzled

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Metin Yilmaz, editor-in-chief of the Sozcu newspaper, one of the most outspoken critics of the government in the Turkish media, says he is weighing his words more carefully these days.











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China's trade data soothes growth fears, boosts markets

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's exports in March returned to growth for the first time in nine months, adding to further signs of stabilisation in the world's second-largest economy that cheered regional investors.


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Task force tells Chicago police to acknowledge racism: report

(Reuters) - Chicago's police department must acknowledge its racist past and change its handling of excessive force allegations to pave the way for wider reform, a task force set up by mayor Rahm Emanuel has urged, the Chicago Tribune reported on Tuesday.











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Asia shares extend rally on China trade relief

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Asian share markets extended early gains on Wednesday after upbeat Chinese trade data offered hope the economy was stabilising, underpinning both risk sentiment and commodity prices.


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Panama raids offices of Mossack Fonseca law firm

PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Panama's attorney general late on Tuesday raided the offices of the Mossack Fonseca law firm to search for any evidence of illegal activities, authorities said in a statement.











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Drugmaker Valeant's bondholders intend to call default

(Reuters) - Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc said on Tuesday that it received a notice of default from its bondholders as a result of a delay filing its annual report.











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Analysis: Fed eyes U.S. rate hike, but second-guesses economic gauges

SAN FRANCISCO/RUSTON, La. (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen has declared that the U.S. central bank's interest-rate decisions will depend on how the economy performs.


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Brazil's Rousseff denounces plot to unseat her, attacks VP Temer

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff, facing impeachment by Congress, on Tuesday denounced a conspiracy to overthrow her, suggesting that Vice President Michel Temer is one of the leaders of the plot.


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U.S. military says using cyber capabilities against Islamic State

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (Reuters) - The U.S. military is dropping "cyber bombs" on Islamic State for the first time as part of a stepped-up coordinated effort that has put increasing pressure on the militant group, Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work said on Tuesday.











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VW considers significant cut in executive bonuses: sources

BERLIN (Reuters) - Volkswagen is moving toward a significant reduction in executive bonuses as the German carmaker grapples with the fallout from a diesel emissions scandal, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.


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Ford plans to move Michigan offices into two new modern facilities

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co said on Tuesday it will modernize and consolidate its sprawling Dearborn, Michigan, engineering and headquarters facilities over the next decade into two Silicon Valley-style locations.











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Uber says gave U.S. agencies data on more than 12 million users

(Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc [UBER.UL] on Tuesday released its first ever transparency report detailing the information requested by not only U.S. law enforcement agencies, but also by regulators.











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AB Inbev offers concessions in bid to win EU okay for SABMiller buy

BRUSSELS/LONDON - Anheuser-Busch InBev has formally informed European Union antitrust regulators of its plan to sell SABMiller's premium European brands to try to secure approval for its $100 billion-plus takeover of the London-based brewer.


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Republican Kasich says Trump, Cruz lead to 'path of darkness'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate John Kasich portrayed himself on Tuesday as an antidote to what he called the divisive politics of rivals Donald Trump and Ted Cruz and criticized them as wanting to take the United States down a "path of darkness."











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NATO, Russia council to meet on April 20 in Brussels

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO envoys will hold their first formal meeting with Russia in almost two years on April 20, the Western alliance said on Tuesday, with the crisis in Ukraine, reducing military risks and Afghanistan on the agenda.


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Declassified: Secretive North Korea lifts veil on arms program

SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ahead of a rare ruling party Congress next month, secretive North Korea is revealing details of its weapons development program for the first time, showcasing its push to develop long-range nuclear missiles despite international sanctions.


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Greece expects first asylum decisions under EU deal in two weeks

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece said authorities would start ruling on asylum applications from hundreds of migrants in the next two weeks, in a major test of a new deal to try to control the flow of people desperate to reach Europe.











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Two further suspects charged in Brussels bombing case

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium has charged two more men with terrorist offences over alleged links to the rental of a property thought to have been used as a safe house before the Brussels attacks, federal prosecutors said on Tuesday.


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Colorado clinic shooter hoped fetuses would thank him for stopping abortions

DENVER (Reuters) - The man accused of fatally shooting three people at a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic last year said he hoped that when he died fetuses in heaven would thank him for stopping more abortions, court documents showed on Monday.


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Grassley, Garland reprise 1990s judicial confirmation fight

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chuck Grassley and Merrick Garland go way back, but when the Republican Senate Judiciary Committee chairman and President Barack Obama's U.S. Supreme Court nominee meet for a private breakfast on Tuesday, they will not exactly be sharing fond memories.











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Taliban announces start of spring offensive in Afghanistan

KABUL (Reuters) - The Taliban announced the start of their spring offensive on Tuesday, pledging to launch large-scale offensives against government strongholds backed by suicide and guerrilla attacks to drive Afghanistan's Western-backed government from power.


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As Islamic State is pushed back in Iraq, worries about what's next

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As U.S.-led offensives drive back Islamic State in Iraq, concern is growing among U.S. and U.N. officials that efforts to stabilize liberated areas are lagging, creating conditions that could help the militants endure as an underground network.


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Brain scans show how LSD mimics mind of a baby

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have for the first time scanned the brains of people using LSD and found the psychedelic drug frees the brain to become less compartmentalized and more like the mind of a baby.


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Brazil congressional committee recommends impeaching Rousseff

BRASILIA (Reuters) - A committee of Brazil's lower house of Congress voted 38-27 on Monday to recommend the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff, who faces charges of breaking budget laws to support her re-election in 2014.











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Brazil Congressional committee recommends impeaching President Rousseff

BRASILIA (Reuters) - An impeachment committee of Brazil's lower house of Congress voted 38-27 on Monday that there are grounds to impeach President Dilma Rousseff on charges of breaking budget laws to allegedly favor her re-election in 2014.


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U.S. officials warn Zika 'scarier' than initially thought

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top health officials expressed heightened concern on Monday about the threat posed to the United States by the Zika virus, saying the mosquito that spreads it is now present in about 30 states and hundreds of thousands of infections could appear in Puerto Rico.











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Singer Bryan Adams cancels Mississippi show to protest same-sex law

(Reuters) - Canadian singer Bryan Adams has canceled a show in Mississippi to protest a new state law that will let people with religious objections deny services to same-sex couples, the second major concert scrapped in the U.S. South over discrimination concerns.











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Trump hammers successful Cruz delegate strategy as 'crooked'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's concerns about how delegates are allotted turned into a roar on Monday as he accused the campaign of rival Ted Cruz of buying votes after his weekend win in Colorado.











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Virginia governor says won't sign electric-chair bill for executions

RICHMOND, Va. (Reuters) - Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe said on Monday he would not sign a bill passed by the legislature that would order executions by electric chair when lethal-injection drugs are not available.


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Goldman Sachs to pay $5 billion in U.S. Justice Dept mortgage bond pact

(Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc has agreed to pay $5.06 billion to settle claims that it misled mortgage bond investors during the financial crisis, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Monday.











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Jury selection starts in trial over Georgia child's car death

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Lawyers in the trial of a Georgia man charged with murder after leaving his toddler son in a car for seven hours during a hot day in June 2014 will try this week to find jurors who have not formed opinions about his actions.











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Netanyahu: Israel has carried out dozens of strikes in Syria

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel has launched dozens of strikes in Syria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday, acknowledging for the first time such attacks against suspected arms transfers to Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas.


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Turkish cabinet meets in strife-torn southeast as fighting rages

SANLIURFA, Turkey (Reuters) - Fighting raged on Monday between Turkish security forces and Kurdish militants in southeast Turkey as the cabinet held an unprecedented meeting on the edge of the restive region to discuss ways of rebuilding its shattered economy.


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Spain's industry minister denies links to Panama Papers firm

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's industry minister, Jose Manuel Soria, on Monday denied his involvement in an offshore company revealed by the Panama Papers, after two Spanish news outlets said they had documents proving he headed the offshore firm with his brother.


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Car bomb rams into Mogadishu's local government headquarters

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - A suicide bomber on Monday rammed a car packed with explosives into the entrance of the local government headquarters in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, police and witnesses said.


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Kerry says Hiroshima 'gut-wrenching' reminder of need to rid world of nuclear weapons

HIROSHIMA, Japan (Reuters) - John Kerry on Monday became the first U.S. secretary of state to pay respects at Hiroshima's memorial to victims of the 1945 U.S. nuclear attack, describing the museum as a "gut-wrenching" reminder of the need to work for a world free of nuclear weapons.











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South Korea reveals defection last year of two North Korea officials

SEOUL (Reuters) - Two senior North Korean officials, including an army colonel specializing in espionage against the South, defected to South Korea last year, the Seoul government said on Monday.


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U.S. Navy officer charged with spying, possibly for China, Taiwan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Navy officer with access to sensitive U.S. intelligence faces espionage charges over accusations he passed state secrets, possibly to China and Taiwan, a U.S. official told Reuters on Sunday.


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U.N. envoy welcomes Yemen truce, says difficult compromises needed

UNITED NATIONS/DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Nations special envoy for Yemen welcomed the start of a tentative truce in the country's year-old conflict on Monday and said peace talks due to start later this month would require difficult compromises for all sides.


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Asia shares start week on the back foot, dollar nurses losses

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian stocks got off to a tentative start on Monday as Japanese markets wobbled, while the dollar nursed losses after a week in which it slipped to fresh lows against its major counterparts.











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Willett wins Masters after stunning Spieth meltdown

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) - Englishman Danny Willett took advantage of a stunning meltdown by defending champion and runaway leader Jordan Spieth after the turn to win his first major title by three shots at the Masters on Sunday.


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Hit by Panama row, UK's Cameron announces new tax evasion law in 2016

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron will say on Monday that new legislation making companies criminally liable if employees aid tax evasion will be introduced this year, as he seeks to repair the damage from a week of questions about his personal finances.











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U.S. banks' dismal first quarter may spell trouble for 2016

(Reuters) - It is only April, but some on Wall Street are already predicting a rotten 2016 for U.S. banks.


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Ukrainian PM Yatseniuk resigns, paving way for new government

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk tendered his resignation on Sunday, paving the way for Western-backed coalition parties to nominate an ally of President Petro Poroshenko to try to form a more stable government.











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Clinton downplays chance of Sanders upset

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As her rival for the U.S. Democratic presidential nomination racked up another victory, front-runner Hillary Clinton on Sunday dismissed the notion of a contested party convention and said she was not preparing for such a scenario.











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Former American footballer Will Smith shot dead in New Orleans: report

(Reuters) - Former New Orleans Saints footballer Will Smith was killed and a woman was wounded in a shooting in New Orleans on Saturday, the Times-Picayune newspaper reported on its website.


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Obama says Clinton never jeopardized national security in email case: Fox

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton never jeopardized national security in the handling of her emails as his secretary of state.


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Syrian PM says Russia to back new Aleppo attack; opposition says truce near collapse

BEIRUT/MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian air force and Syrian military are preparing a joint operation to take Aleppo from rebels, the Syrian prime minister was quoted saying on Sunday, and an opposition official said a ceasefire was on the verge of collapse.


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G7 foreign ministers gather in Hiroshima to discuss nuclear, maritime issues

HIROSHIMA, Japan (Reuters) - In a city obliterated by a U.S. atom bomb more than 70 years ago, Japan kicked off a gathering of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies with a call to end nuclear weapons.











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Nations seek rapid ratification of Paris climate deal, four-year lock

OSLO (Reuters) - Many nations are pushing for swift ratification of a Paris agreement to slow climate change and lock it in place for four years before a change in the White House next year that might bring a weakening of Washington's long-term commitment.


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Tsipras demonizes IMF to rally troops for bailout sacrifices

The leaking of a conference call of International Monetary Fund officials on Greece's latest bailout review has further undermined mutual trust in fraught debt talks, embarrassed the European Commission and infuriated the IMF and Germany.











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Brussels bombers had planned Paris attack: prosecutors

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The planners behind the March 22 bombings in Brussels which killed 32 people had initially planned to attack Paris but struck closer to home as investigators made arrests among key suspects, Belgian prosecutors said.


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Boston Globe denounces Trump candidacy in 'front page' satire

(Reuters) - Headlines screaming "Deportations to begin" and "Markets sink as trade war looms" top a parody newspaper front page the Boston Globe posted on Saturday, with a scathing editorial denouncing Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump's candidacy.


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Indian temple fire kills over 60, more than 200 injured: TV

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A huge fire swept through a temple in southern India early on Sunday, killing more than 60 people and injuring 200 gathered for a fireworks display to mark the start of the Hindu new year.


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UK PM releases tax records after 'Panama Papers' storm

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron published his tax records on Sunday in an attempt to draw a line under questions about his personal finances raised by the mention of his late father in the Panama Papers for setting up an offshore fund.


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Details emerge about former U.S. House speaker's alleged sex abuse

(Reuters) - Comedian Andy Richter, who attended the Illinois school where former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert coached wrestling decades ago, said a detail in court documents about the politician's alleged sexual abuse of at least four male students jogged a memory for him.


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U.S. Navy leads 30-nation maritime exercise in Middle East

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy is leading a 30-nation maritime exercise across Middle Eastern waters which it says will help protect international trade routes against possible threats, including from Islamic State and al Qaeda.











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Congo expels American researcher after massacre report

KINSHASA (Reuters) - Authorities in Democratic Republic of Congo have expelled a prominent American researcher weeks after he published a report linking soldiers to the massacres of civilians, the government and the researcher's organization said on Saturday.


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Sixth person arrested in Brussels bombing probe: Belgian minister

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgian authorities arrested a sixth person late on Friday in connection with the suicide attacks in Brussels which killed 32 victims on March 22, Belgium's justice minister said.


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Russia says won't halt arms sales to arch foes Armenia and Azerbaijan

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will continue its arms sales to both Azerbaijan and Armenia despite the latest flare-up of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview broadcast on Saturday.


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Senate primary-race pressures work against Obama's court nominee

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama is maintaining pressure on the Senate to approve his Supreme Court nominee, but the need for Republican U.S. senators seeking re-election to keep conservative voters happy before primary elections in the coming months is working against him.











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Clinton, Sanders face off in Wyoming as New York looms

WASHINGTON - Democratic rivals Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are facing off in a U.S. presidential nominating contest in Wyoming on Saturday, as the candidates gear up for a crucial match-up in New York.











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Exclusive: Blocking Trump could hurt Republicans in election - Reuters/Ipsos poll

(Reuters) - A third of Republican voters who support Donald Trump could turn their backs on their party in November's presidential election if he is denied the nomination in a contested convention, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.


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Kerry, in Kabul, aims to ease crisis over unity pact he brokered

KABUL (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan on Saturday to show support for the government and to try to defuse a political crisis fueled in part by a national unity deal he brokered in 2014.


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Arizona man challenges state presidential nominating election

PHOENIX (Reuters) - An Arizona man filed a lawsuit on Friday challenging the results of the state’s March presidential primary election, alleging the nominating contest was marred by long lines at polling stations and discrimination against minority voters.


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Violent escapee from Washington state hospital recaptured, police say

SEATTLE (Reuters) - A man accused of murder who escaped from a Seattle-area psychiatric hospital this week was recaptured in eastern Washington late on Friday following an extensive manhunt, state police said.


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Prosecutors say ex-House Speaker Hastert sexually abused boys

(Reuters) - Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, convicted last year of a financial crime in a hush-money case, had agreed to pay $3.5 million to buy the silence of an individual who he sexually abused when the victim was a teenager, federal prosecutors said on Friday.


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Obama says Trump, Cruz doing Democrats a 'favor' in election campaign

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday told donors that Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz were doing Democrats a "favor" by exposing extreme views within their party on issues such as immigration and national security.











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Suffering bank investors search for bright spots

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. banks are generally expected to post dismal results when their earnings season gets under way next week, but some analysts say to dig deeper: the fine print in the results, and what bank bosses say, could actually help these long-suffering stocks bounce back.











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Defamation lawsuits involving U.S. lawyer Dershowitz end in settlement

(Reuters) - Prominent U.S. lawyer Alan Dershowitz and two victims' rights attorneys on Friday withdrew claims from a Florida court that they defamed each other during a legal fight about a woman who said she was trafficked for sex as an underage girl.











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U.S. hands over 1,100 pages of Benghazi records: House panel chairman

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Friday handed over more than 1,100 pages of records to the committee investigating the deaths of U.S. citizens in Benghazi, Libya on Sept. 11, 2012, the chairman of the House of Representatives panel said.











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SpaceX rocket blasts off, then lands on ocean platform

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Florida with a cargo ship bound for the International Space Station on Friday and its reusable main-stage booster landed itself on an ocean platform in a dramatic spaceflight first.


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Tightened global nuclear security measure takes effect in May: officials

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Starting in May more than 150 countries will be legally bound to strengthen their protection of nuclear facilities and to cooperate in finding and recovering stolen or smuggled nuclear material, security officials said on Friday.











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Two shot dead in apparent murder-suicide at Texas air base

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - Two men were killed in an apparent murder-suicide at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, on Friday, military officials and police said, with media outlets reporting that an airman shot his commanding officer.











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Paris attack suspect arrested, may be `man in the hat': Belgian media

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Mohamed Abrini, who was wanted for November's Islamic State attacks in Paris, has been arrested in Brussels, Belgian public broadcasters said on Friday, adding that Abrini was probably involved in last month's Brussels bombings.


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Islamic State begins releasing kidnapped workers: Syrian Observatory

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State fighters began releasing late on Friday some of the scores of cement plant workers they kidnapped northeast of Damascus this week, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.


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New York man threatened to kill Obama, presidential hopefuls: prosecutor

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York man was arrested on Friday on allegations he had threatened to kill President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton and some of the candidates from both parties vying for the White House in November's election, U.S. authorities said.


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U.S. to continue appeal of iPhone data case in N.Y

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Friday said it will move ahead with an appeal of a court ruling blocking the government from forcing Apple Inc to help unlock an iPhone in a drug case in New York.


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Sanders accepts Vatican invitation, hopes to meet Pope Francis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders embraced a kindred spirit in the popular Pope Francis on Friday when he announced a visit to the Vatican next week, a move that could broaden his appeal before presidential contests this month.


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Kerry urges Iraq not to let politics impede war against IS

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, visiting Baghdad on Friday, urged Iraq not to let its political crisis interfere with the fight against Islamic State and voiced unequivocal support for Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.











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New Myanmar government frees scores of jailed activists

YANGON (Reuters) - The new government of Myanmar democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi released scores of jailed activists on Friday, just over a week after assuming power, and the new president is preparing to pardon 100 more people serving sentences for political offences.


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Yahoo extends deadline for bids by a week: Re/code

(Reuters) - Yahoo Inc has extended the deadline to bid for its businesses by a week to April 18, technology news website Re/code reported, citing people familiar with the matter.











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China says G20 summit should be about economics, not politics

BEIJING (Reuters) - The G20 summit to be hosted by China this year should be about economics and not political issues like territorial disputes, China's foreign minister said on Friday, firing a warning shot ahead of the country's biggest diplomatic event of the year.


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Pope calls for compassionate Church open to 'imperfect' Catholics

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Friday called for a Church that was less strict and more compassionate towards "imperfect" Catholics, such as those who divorced and remarried, saying "no one can be condemned forever".











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FBI director says unlocking method won't work on newer iPhones

(Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation's secret method for unlocking the iPhone 5c used by one of the San Bernardino shooters will not work on newer models, FBI Director James Comey said.











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Syria's Assad shows no willingess to compromise

CAIRO (Reuters)- - As the Syria peace talks resume next week, President Bashar al-Assad, backed militarily by Iran and Russia, shows no willingness to compromise, much less step aside to allow a transition Western powers claim is the solution to the conflict.


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Mercedes diesel owners file new lawsuit in United States

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Owners of Mercedes diesel cars filed a new class-action lawsuit in the United States saying the vehicles likely contained a "defeat device" used to cheat emissions testing, an accusation that Daimler , which owns the carmaker, denied.











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Greece ferries migrants to Turkey under EU pact

ATHENS (Reuters) - A ferry carrying 45 migrants left the Greek island of Lesbos for Turkey on Friday, part of a European Union deal that began this week to stem mass migration to Europe across the Aegean Sea.


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Seven killed, 15 injured in Sinai blasts

CAIRO (Reuters) - At least five Egyptian soldiers, a military officer and a civilian woman were killed, and 15 injured, on Thursday in the Sinai peninsula, after armored personnel carriers exploded in two separate incidents, security and medical sources said.











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Greece ferries second boat of migrants to Turkey under EU pact

ATHENS (Reuters) - A ferry carrying 45 migrants left the Greek island of Lesbos for Turkey on Friday, the second such journey carried out under a controversial EU deal to stem mass irregular migration to Europe.


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Cyber fraudsters reap $2.3 billion through email wire-transfer scams

BOSTON (Reuters) - Businesses have lost billions of dollars to fast-growing scams where fraudsters impersonate company executives in emails that order staff to transfer to accounts controlled by criminals, according to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.











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Yellen, alongside Fed alum, says rate hikes on track

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. economy is on a solid course with some hints of inflation so the Federal Reserve is on track for further interest rate hikes, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said on Thursday in a defense of her decision to tighten policy late last year.


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Mexico looks to bolster its image in U.S.: government

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico aims to deploy a "comprehensive strategy" to promote its image in the United States more vigorously, the government said on Thursday, days after fresh criticism of the country by Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump.


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Europe's banks under scrutiny as regulators look into Panama Papers

BERN/GENEVA (Reuters) - Banking watchdogs across Europe have begun checking whether lenders have ties to a massive document leak from Panama that showed how offshore companies are used to stash clients' wealth.











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Trump, under fire on many fronts, expands campaign team

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump, under pressure to show a more presidential image, elevated a top adviser on Thursday and said he planned to hire additional staff to prepare for the possibility of a long fight for the Republican nomination.


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U.N. Syria envoy delays peace talks to ensure players are serious

GENEVA (Reuters) - The start of a new round of peace talks on the Syrian war has been pushed back by two days so that U.N. mediator Staffan de Mistura can travel to Damascus and Tehran to sound out their position on a political transition, the envoy said on Thursday.











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Senators ask Treasury to probe U.S. links to 'Panama Papers' firm

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senators Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown on Thursday urged the U.S. Treasury to investigate whether any U.S. or U.S.-linked entity was involved with the law firm at the heart of the "Panama Papers" leak on offshore wealth.


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Planned Parenthood sues Indiana for abortion law

(Reuters) - Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky on Thursday filed a lawsuit against the state of Indiana, saying a new state law restricting abortion was unconstitutional.


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Support for Germany's ruling parties sinks: poll

BERLIN (Reuters) - Support for one of Germany's ruling parties has sunk to a near 20-year low and Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives have lost ground too, a poll showed on Thursday, suggesting a deal to limit migrant numbers has yet to reassure voters.


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Russia styles itself lead mediator in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

YEREVAN/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia staked out its claim on Thursday to be the lead player in brokering a settlement to the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, a role it hopes will enhance its clout in a region where it competes for influence with Washington.











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U.S. senators reach deal to bolster airport security

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans and Democrats in the Senate reached a deal on Thursday to boost travel security at airports in the aftermath of the Brussels attacks, according to a source familiar with the matter.


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One wounded, shooter dead in attack outside Boston

BOSTON (Reuters) - One person was wounded in a shooting in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Thursday, and the shooter was dead of a self-inflicted wound, the city's police department said.


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Denmark arrests four suspected IS recruits returning from Syria

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish police said they had arrested four people on Thursday at different addresses near Copenhagen on suspicion of having been recruited by the militant group Islamic State (IS) in Syria to commit terrorist violence.











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Clinton camp asks Sanders: Break up big banks? How?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton's campaign, stung by a string of losses, is testing a new line of attack against rival Bernie Sanders before New York's Democratic primary: sharply question his credentials and ability to implement a campaign pledge to break up big banks.


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Putin says Russia's operation has reinforced Syria's statehood

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia's military operation in Syria had reinforced the statehood of that country and its legitimate government but that it was too early to say a breakthrough had been reached.


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Obama returns to law school to argue for his Supreme Court pick

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama returns on Thursday to the University of Chicago Law School where he once taught to make the case for his U.S. Supreme Court nominee, centrist appellate judge Merrick Garland.


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Pope Francis to visit Greek migrant island on April 16

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis will visit the Greek island of Lesbos on April 16, the Vatican said on Thursday, in a trip aimed at supporting refugees and drawing attention to the front line of Europe's migrant crisis.


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Malaysia parliament report calls for probe into 1MDB

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A Malaysian parliamentary inquiry on Thursday slammed the board of state fund 1MDB for being irresponsible and urged a probe into its former chief, but stopped short of implicating Prime Minister Najib Razak who was an advisor for the troubled firm.


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Google expanding self-driving vehicle testing to Phoenix, Arizona

(Reuters) - Alphabet Inc is expanding its testing of self-driving cars to the Phoenix, Arizona metro area, the company said on Thursday, making it the fourth U.S. city to serve as a proving ground for the autonomous vehicles.


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Rouhani says Iran not a threat, wants interaction with world

ANKARA (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday his country was not a threat to any other nation and that it wanted interaction with the rest of the world, state TV reported.











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Election stirs debate about Fed's handling of political pressure

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump says the Federal Reserve has stoked asset bubbles and backs a congressional review of its decisions. Bernie Sanders also wants to "audit" the Fed to make it less beholden to Wall Street. Ted Cruz calls for a return to a gold standard abandoned in 1933.











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Mega deals morph into mega problems for Wall Street

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - If 2015 was a dream year for Wall Street's top dealmakers, 2016 is starting to take a nightmarish turn.


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China asking for terror suspects list ahead of G20 summit

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is asking countries participating in this year's G20 summit in the Chinese city of Hangzhou to provide lists of possible terror groups and terrorists who might target the meeting, a state-run newspaper said on Thursday.


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Lawyers for ex House Speaker Hastert ask judge for probation

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Lawyers for former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, convicted last year of a financial crime in a hush-money case, urged a federal judge on Wednesday to spare him prison time for health reasons and because he is "deeply sorry."


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U.S. executives urge repeal of Mississippi law opposed by gays

JACKSON, Miss. (Reuters) - Executives of several major U.S. corporations urged Mississippi on Wednesday to repeal a new state law that allows businesses to deny wedding services to same-sex couples on religious grounds.











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Exclusive: White House declines to support encryption legislation - sources

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is declining to offer public support for draft legislation that would empower judges to require technology companies such as Apple Inc to help law enforcement crack encrypted data, sources familiar with the discussions said.











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Brazil congressional report favors impeaching President Rousseff

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff moved closer to impeachment when a key member of a Congressional committee said on Wednesday there were grounds for the Senate to put her on trial for manipulating budget accounts in 2014 to boost her reelection prospects.


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Country music star Merle Haggard dead at 79: manager

(Reuters) - Country musician Merle Haggard, who emerged from prison to become the poetic voice of the American working man with hits such as "Mama Tried" and "If We Make It Through December," died on Wednesday, his 79th birthday, said manager Frank Mull.


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One of Brussels bombers had worked in EU Parliament: spokesman

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - One of the Islamic State suicide bombers who killed 32 people in Brussels on March 22 had worked as a cleaner for a short period in the European Parliament six years earlier, a spokesman for the EU assembly said on Thursday.











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