After months of drifting across the North Atlantic, a luckless, abandoned cruise ship spotted drifting off the coast of Ireland may have finally sunk beneath the waves.
Read more here: Did an Abandoned 'Ghost Ship' Disappear?
Official: Treasury played no role in IRS targeting
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Treasury Department's No. 2 official is telling Congress that his agency played no role in the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative groups.
Read more here: Official: Treasury played no role in IRS targeting
State-backed UK banks gain approval for capital plans
By Matt Scuffham LONDON (Reuters) – State-backed British lenders Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland have agreed plans to shore up their capital with the financial regulator, removing a barrier to the government offloading its shares. The regulator said on Wednesday it had finalized capital requirements for the two banks and that the lenders had submitted their plans. Both banks said they did not need to issue new equity and could raise the necessary capital by selling assets and via restructuring plans already under way. …
Read more here: State-backed UK banks gain approval for capital plans
Germany backs call to put Hezbollah armed wing on EU terror list
By Adrian Croft BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Germany will throw its weight behind a British drive to put the armed wing of Hezbollah on the European Union’s list of terrorist organizations, German diplomats said on Wednesday. Britain said on Tuesday it wanted the EU to add Hezbollah’s military wing to its terror list because of evidence that the Iranian-backed militant group was behind a bus bombing in Bulgaria in July that killed five Israelis and their driver. …
Read more here: Germany backs call to put Hezbollah armed wing on EU terror list
FBI: Man shot dead in Fla had become violent during questioning in Boston bombing case
WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI: Man shot dead in Fla had become violent during questioning in Boston bombing case.
Read more here: FBI: Man shot dead in Fla had become violent during questioning in Boston bombing case
Clearwire recommends vote for revised Sprint bid
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Clearwire Corp said on Wednesday its special committee and its board of directors approved majority shareholder Sprint Nextel Corp's revised offer to take over the company and advised investors to vote for the deal. Wireless service provider Clearwire announced the decision just a day after Sprint raised its offer for the almost 50 percent of the company it does not already own to $3.40 per share from $2.97 per share. …
Read more here: Clearwire recommends vote for revised Sprint bid
Ahmadinejad to appeal ally's removal from Iran's presidential race
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Read more here: Ahmadinejad to appeal ally's removal from Iran's presidential race
Pearson agrees $75 million settlement in U.S. eBook pricing case
LONDON (Reuters) – Publisher Pearson said on Wednesday it would pay $75 million in consumer damages plus cost and fees as part of a deal with the United States to settle anti-trust claims relating to eBook pricing for its Penguin division. Pearson said it had made a $40 million provision for a settlement in its 2012 accounts. An incremental charge will be expensed in the group’s 2013 accounts. Penguin has also committed to the State Attorneys General to abide by the same injunctive relief as previously agreed in a separate settlement with the Department of Justice, it said. …
Read more here: Pearson agrees $75 million settlement in U.S. eBook pricing case
Vienna official: Looted Nazi goods returned
VIENNA (AP) — An official for the city of Vienna says the Austrian capital has handed over nearly 6,000 valuable objects looted by the Nazis to their rightful owners or their heirs since it started taking inventory of them 14 years ago.
Read more here: Vienna official: Looted Nazi goods returned
Talks over Vimpelcom's Djezzy at delicate stage: source
MOSCOW/CAIRO (Reuters) – Russia-focused telecoms firm Vimpelcom’s talks to sell a controlling stake in its Algerian mobile business Djezzy to Algeria are at a delicate stage but have not failed, a source with knowledge of the discussions said on Wednesday. Algeria wants to nationalize Djezzy and has pushed Vimpelcom into discussing a sale of a 51 percent stake. A report by Dow Jones earlier said that talks had ended in failure, citing two officials close to the matter. The source told Reuters that there might be further clarity on the issue in coming days. Vimpelcom declined comment. …
Read more here: Talks over Vimpelcom's Djezzy at delicate stage: source
