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

[Reuters]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Factory activity in Middle Atlantic states braked sharply in April and the number of Americans claiming new jobless benefits fell less than expected, implying the economy was struggling to regain momentum.

Source: Economy struggles for momentum, data shows

[Reuters]

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A barrage of court claims pitting BP Plc against its partners in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill could lay the groundwork for billions of dollars in settlements to spread the costs of the disaster.

Source: Lawsuits fly in BP's Gulf spill blame game

[Reuters]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans are more pessimistic about the U.S. economic outlook than they have been since the start of the Obama administration and most believe the United States is on the wrong track, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll released on Thursday.

Source: Americans hold dim view of U.S. economic outlook: poll

[Reuters]

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai and Cambodian soldiers fought with rocket-propelled grenades and guns on their disputed border on Friday in a clash that killed six soldiers in the first major flare-up since a shaky ceasefire in February.

Source: Thai, Cambodian troops clash on disputed border, 6 dead

[Reuters]

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co has filed patent lawsuits against Apple over the U.S. firm's iPhone and iPad in a tit-for-tat case after Apple claimed Samsung's smartphones and tablets "slavishly" copied its products.

Source: Samsung countersues Apple over iPhone, iPad

[Reuters]

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Spot gold surged to a lifetime high on Friday in thin holiday trade, hitting a record for a sixth consecutive session on a weak dollar and factors ranging from geopolitical uncertainty to inflation concerns.

Source: Gold soars to record in sixth straight session

[Reuters]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. federal judge erred in dismissing all charges against five Blackwater Worldwide security guards accused of killing 14 Iraqi civilians in 2007, an appeals court ruled on Friday.

Source: U.S. court reinstates Blackwater Iraq shooting case

[Reuters]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama called on the Syrian government on Friday to stop using "outrageous" violence against demonstrators and accused President Bashar al-Assad of seeking help from Iran.

Source: Obama blasts Syria's Assad for "outrageous" violence

[Reuters]

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - NATO jets hit a target near Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's compound in central Tripoli early Saturday, which the government described as a car park but which Reuters reporters said looked like a bunker.

Source: NATO hits near Gaddafi compound, Libya says three dead

[Reuters]

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq has only weeks to decide if it wants to keep U.S. troops beyond an end-2011 deadline for their withdrawal, the top U.S. military officer said Friday in Baghdad following talks with Iraq's prime minister.

Source: Iraq must decide in "weeks" on U.S. troops: Mullen