Reuters: Top News - Breaking News - World News [March ‘11 Diet]

[Reuters]

WASHINGTON/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The U.S. government reiterated that it could tap its strategic oil reserves in order to safeguard economic growth as surging gasoline prices increase pressure for action.

Source: U.S. could tap oil reserves as gasoline price surges

[Reuters]

DETROIT (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp on Saturday recalled about 22,000 sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks because of tire-deflation monitoring systems that may fail, regulators said.

Source: Toyota recalls 22,000 vehicles over tire monitors

[Reuters]

ATHENS/LONDON (Reuters) - Moody's slashed Greece's credit rating by three notches on Monday due to an increased default risk, raising the specter that the distressed euro zone sovereign may have to restructure its debt, perhaps before 2013.

Source: Moody's downgrade tips Greece closer to brink

[Reuters]

MADISON, Wisconsin (Reuters) - Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker dismissed as "ridiculous" a request on Monday from the leader of absent Senate Democrats to meet and negotiate a compromise in their standoff over Republican plans to limit public sector union powers.

Source: Wisconsin's Walker dismisses Democratic overture

[Reuters]

DES MOINES (Reuters) - Five possible Republican White House hopefuls including Newt Gingrich and Tim Pawlenty courted conservative voters on Monday in Iowa, the state that holds a critical early contest on the road to the party's 2012 presidential nomination.

Source: Five Republicans woo Iowa voters ahead of 2012 race

[Reuters]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama lifted a two-year freeze on new military trials at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and suggested on Monday Congress was hurting national security by blocking his attempts to move some trials into U.S. civilian courts.

Source: Obama restarts Guantanamo trials

[Reuters]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Yet another U.S. budget stopgap spending bill was being crafted on Tuesday in the House of Representatives as the Senate bickered over when to vote on two longer-term measures that appeared sure to fail.

Source: House Republicans draft new stopgap spending bill

[Reuters]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican voters looking for their party's 2012 challenger to President Barack Obama will choose from a field that has as many perceived weaknesses as strengths.

Source: Republican 2012 candidates have doubts to overcome

[Reuters]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The trustee seeking money for investors hurt by Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme said he hopes to begin distributing money "in the near future" but that lawsuits challenging his efforts are causing delays.

Source: Madoff trustee: Lawsuits delay money for victims

[Reuters]

SANGIN, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Five months ago, when U.S. Marines took over this sandbagged outpost in Sangin, deep in southern Afghanistan's Taliban country, they were pounded by insurgent fire every time they stepped foot off base.

Source: U.S. seeks surge success from lethal Afghan outpost