Economy woes hit shares and oil

Economy woes hit shares and oil
Missionaries in Haitian court
German avalanche kills UK airman
U.S. commander offers more upbeat Afghanistan view
Mexico gangs cut into Super Bowl avocado bounty
Hospital Chain Withdraws St. Vincent's Offer
U.S. commander sees signs of progress in Afghanistan
Ahmadinejad move signals wish for atom deal: envoy
IMF chief says may quit early: for run in France?
Google Asks Spy Agency for Help With Inquiry Into Cyberattacks
Sumo champion retires after brawl
Romania 'to host US missile shield'
Israel's Lieberman cautions Syria
Netanyahu assures Syria after Israeli FM's threat
Greek minister "not optimistic" on Cyprus talks
Evidence Builds on Color of Dinosaurs
Israel 'vengeful' on Rabin killer
Pakistani Taliban claim bombing that killed 3 Americans
US missionaries charged in Haiti
Prison term for 'Polish Fritzl'

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 12:10 PM PST

Concern about the US economy and debt problems in Europe lead to large falls in many stock markets, while oil prices also fall.

Missionaries in Haitian court

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:44 AM PST

Haiti's prime minister accuses them of kidnapping, but 10 Americans who were detained while trying to take 33 Haitian children out of the country say they were just trying to help. A court considered the case Thursday.

German avalanche kills UK airman

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 12:48 PM PST

A member of the RAF is killed after he and two companions are hit by an avalanche in Germany while on a ski-training trip.

U.S. commander offers more upbeat Afghanistan view

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:55 AM PST

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan said on Thursday the security situation there remained serious but was not deteriorating, giving a more upbeat view than from other U.S. military and intelligence officials.

Mexico gangs cut into Super Bowl avocado bounty

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:53 AM PST

URUAPAN, Mexico (Reuters) - This sunkissed corner of western Mexico is the source of an annual bounty of guacamole dip for U.S. Super Bowl fans, but extortion and kidnapping by drug gangs has cast a grim shadow over its avocado farmers.

Hospital Chain Withdraws St. Vincent's Offer

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 12:15 PM PST

The withdrawal by Continuum Health Partners further harms the nearly bankrupt hospital's prospects for survival.

U.S. commander sees signs of progress in Afghanistan

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:11 AM PST

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan said on Thursday the security situation remained serious but was no longer deteriorating, offering a more upbeat assessment than other U.S. military and intelligence officials.

Ahmadinejad move signals wish for atom deal: envoy

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 10:59 AM PST

VIENNA (Reuters) - The Iranian president's announced readiness to send enriched uranium abroad signals a wish to cooperate for a deal with big powers to ease nuclear tension, Tehran's envoy to the U.N. atomic agency said Thursday.

IMF chief says may quit early: for run in France?

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:12 AM PST

PARIS (Reuters) - Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the French politician who heads the International Monetary Fund, said on Thursday he might cut short his mandate, stoking speculation that he wants to run in France's 2012 presidential election.

Google Asks Spy Agency for Help With Inquiry Into Cyberattacks

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 12:07 PM PST

The collaboration with the N.S.A. raises questions about how much Google knew when it said it might end its operations in China.

Sumo champion retires after brawl

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:28 AM PST

Mongolian sumo champion Asashoryu retires following claims he attacked a man outside a Tokyo nightclub last month.

Romania 'to host US missile shield'

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 10:40 AM PST

Defence body approves plan to deploy interceptor missiles on its territory.

Israel's Lieberman cautions Syria

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:09 AM PST

Foreign minister tells Damascus to refrain from drawing his country into another war.

Netanyahu assures Syria after Israeli FM's threat

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 11:42 AM PST

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reassured Syria on Thursday that Israel sought peace after his fiery foreign minister threatened to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in any future war.

Greek minister "not optimistic" on Cyprus talks

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 10:28 AM PST

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Greece's deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday he was not optimistic about current talks on reuniting Cyprus, describing the latest Turkish Cypriot proposals as "a step back."

Evidence Builds on Color of Dinosaurs

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 12:32 PM PST

For the second time in two weeks, paleontologists provided insight into what the prehistoric creatures looked like.

Israel 'vengeful' on Rabin killer

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 10:37 AM PST

The killer of ex-Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin says the state is keeping him in solitary confinement out of vengeance.

Pakistani Taliban claim bombing that killed 3 Americans

Posted: 04 Feb 2010 09:59 AM PST

The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility Thursday for Wednesday's deadly attack, now thought to be a suicide bombing, in northwestern Pakistan that killed three U.S. military service members.