Reuters: Top Global and Breaking News

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Millions of jobless Americans could see unemployment benefits run out in coming weeks after an effort to extend them failed in the House of Representatives on Thursday.

Jobless benefits extension fails in House

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former Obama administration auto industry czar Steven Rattner was sued by New York's attorney general on Thursday for allegedly paying kickbacks to win investments from the state's $130 billion pension fund.

Ex-car czar Rattner sued by Cuomo, settles with SEC

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's $814 billion stimulus package has "by some measures" exceeded its goal of saving or creating millions of jobs, the White House Council of Economic Advisers said on Thursday.

White House says stimulus package exceeds jobs goal

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama told congressional critics of a free trade deal with South Korea he would consider asking Seoul for changes to labor, investment and financial provisions of the pact to help win approval of the deal in Congress, a lawmaker said on Thursday.

Obama mulling more demands on Korea in trade talks

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ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) - Madagascar's army chief insisted on Friday that dialogue was the only way to end a standoff with rebel officers holed up in barracks in the capital, despite earlier government orders to quash the mutiny.

Madagascar army rejects use of force against rebels

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JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Talks between Israeli and U.S. officials aimed at reviving Middle East peace talks have hit snags over incentives promised by Washington to persuade Israel to resume a freeze of Jewish settlement building.

Israel and U.S. struggle to conclude settlement pact

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FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke hit back on Friday at critics of the U.S. central bank's bond-buying program and issued a thinly veiled attack on China's policy of keeping its currency on a leash.

Bernanke hits back at Fed critics

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LISBON (Reuters) - The United States said on Saturday it could not yet commit to the head of NATO's aim of ending the foreign combat role in Afghanistan by the end of 2014 but would make its own decision based on security conditions.

U.S. says can't commit to cease Afghan combat by 2015

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DUBLIN (Reuters) - An Irish public that has quietly endured harsh cuts so far may finally run out of patience and take to the streets when the deeply unpopular government unveils its next austerity measures, labor unions said on Saturday.

Unions say cuts may finally drive Irish to the streets

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SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates warned on Saturday that failure to ratify the New START nuclear treaty would have "significant consequences" and could affect U.S.-Russian cooperation on issues like Iran's nuclear program and the Afghanistan war.

Nuclear treaty failure could hit U.S.-Russia ties: Gates