Top News - Breaking News - World News from Reuters (April 2011 Diet)

[Reuters]

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finland's likely next prime minister ruled out proposing major changes to a bailout package for Portugal, seeking to soothe concerns that the Nordic country's new government could block EU plans and upset markets.

Source: Finnish PM-elect seeks to soothe EU bailout fears

[Reuters]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nasdaq OMX Group Inc and Intercontinental Exchange Inc put pressure on NYSE Euronext on Tuesday to start talks by promising to pay a $350 million fee if regulators blocked their takeover attempt.

Source: Nasdaq, ICE press NYSE to talk with new bid

[Reuters]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama drew a sharp line on Tuesday between Republican and Democratic plans to cut the deficit, but he said a deal could be reached despite ideological differences between the two sides.

Source: Obama defends U.S. deficit plan, sees common ground

[Reuters]

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Apple's next-generation iPhone will have a faster processor and will begin shipping in September, three people with direct knowledge of the company's supply chain said.

Source: Apple to ship new iPhone in September: sources

[Reuters]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - AT&T Inc survived the loss of its exclusive U.S. rights to sell the Apple Inc iPhone.

Source: AT&T weathers loss of iPhone exclusivity

[Reuters]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In the looming fight over raising the debt limit, Washington will have its eye on two deadlines: July 2011 and November 2012.

Source: Politics, ideology overshadow debt limit talks

[Reuters]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - They have been in Washington barely four months but the 85 first-term Republicans in the House of Representatives have found themselves the target of a massive lobbying campaign by Wall Street banks, big business and the Treasury.

Source: Lobbying push targets lawmakers on debt vote

[Reuters]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's historic decision to hold news briefings may help inoculate the U.S. central bank from political meddling, while offering financial markets more clarity on monetary policy.

Source: Bernanke briefing could be political boon for Fed

[Reuters]

PALO ALTO, Calif (Reuters) - President Barack Obama sought to reignite the youthful energy that propelled his 2008 election Wednesday with a campaign-style visit to the nexus of social communications, Facebook.

Source: At Facebook headquarters, Obama seeks 2008 energy

[Reuters]

BOSTON (Reuters) - General Electric Co posted an 80 percent rise in profit that topped Wall Street's expectations, helped by a strong recovery in its finance arm.

Source: GE's profit beat fails to stir Wall Street