Reuters: Top News - Breaking News - World News

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MADISON, Wisconsin (Reuters) - Thousands of demonstrators converged on the Wisconsin state capital on Sunday to oppose a bid to reduce public employee union bargaining power, marking the start of a second week of growing protests with threats of wider dissent ahead.

Source: Wisconsin Gov. says Democrats failed to do their job

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DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (Reuters) - A U.S. drone strike killed at least seven people on Monday in a tribal region along Pakistan's western border, local officials said, the first such attack in a month as a diplomatic feud strains U.S.-Pakistani ties.

Source: First U.S. drone attack in Pakistan in weeks kills 7

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's budget proposal would be "marginally positive" for U.S. credit ratings in the short term, but there is "almost no chance" Congress will pass the plan as it was presented, Moody's Investors Service said on Monday.

Source: "Almost no chance" Obama budget adopted: Moody's

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PARIS (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy hopes his stint at the helm of the G20 will boost his re-election chances in 2012, but it was a potential challenger who stole the show when finance ministers met at the weekend.

Source: IMF chief steals Sarkozy's thunder at French G20

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PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Movie rental chain Blockbuster Inc, which filed for bankruptcy last year, said it has started the process to sell itself and has entered into an agreement with "stalking horse" bidder Cobalt Video Holdco for $290 million.

Source: Blockbuster gets $290 million "stalking horse bid"

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ZHAOYUAN, China (Reuters) - When Chinese premier Wen Jiabao visited Zhao Mengleng's village, she hoped to show him the cracks threatening her mud-brick home, a reminder that the country's embryonic prosperity has not reached everybody in the vast rural heartland.

Source: Special Report: Is Wen's "new socialist countryside" working?

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - American consumers are more confident than at any time in the last three years thanks to better prospects for the economy and jobs, even as separate data on Tuesday showed house prices were still falling.

Source: Consumer confidence at 3-year high

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The risk of a U.S. government shutdown eased on Tuesday after a top Republican backed a stopgap measure to keep programs funded beyond March 4.

Source: Prospect of U.S. government shutdown eases

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SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Inc is expected to launch its new iPad on March 2, contrary to speculation of a delay of the latest version of the popular tablet computer.

Source: Apple iPad launch due on March 2: source

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CHICAGO (Reuters) - Former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel was elected mayor of Chicago on Tuesday, powering to a strong majority of the vote to avoid a run-off.

Source: Rahm Emanuel powers to victory in Chicago mayoral race