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An Israeli soldier, wounded during Israel's offensive in Gaza, is wheeled into Soroka hospital in the southern city of Beersheba January 5, 2009. (Eliana Aponte/Reuters)

Israel deaf to truce calls as Gaza battles rage on

Mon Jan 5, 5:36 PM ET

GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli troops backed by air strikes fought to seize ground from Hamas militants deep inside the Gaza Strip on Monday despite international calls for a ceasefire in a conflict that has killed more than 540 Palestinians in 10 days.

  • Bernard Madoff is escorted from Federal Court in New York January 5, 2009. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters)
    Prosecutors seek to jail Madoff 2 hours, 19 minutes ago

    NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors asked a judge to jail accused swindler Bernard Madoff on Monday, saying he sent jewelry and other items worth more than $1 million to family and friends in violation of his bail.

  • Former Clinton White House chief of staff Leon Panetta gestures during a break in a televised interview with Larry King for the CNN program 'Larry King Live' March 19, 1998 in Los Angeles. (Rose Prouser/Files/Reuters)
    Obama picks former Clinton aide Panetta for CIA Mon Jan 5, 6:17 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama has chosen former White House chief of staff Leon Panetta to lead the CIA, which has been widely criticized for harsh interrogation of terrorism suspects, Democratic officials said on Monday.

  • German Chancellor Angela Merkel is pictured at the Chancellery in Berlin, December 30, 2008, after the recording of her annual television New Year speech. (Michael Gottschalk/Pool/Reuters)
    U.S., Germany mull tax cuts Mon Jan 5, 6:45 PM ET

    NEW YORK (Reuters) - The prospect of new tax cuts in the United States and Germany injected a measure of New Year cheer on Monday, even as automakers wrapped up 2008 as their worst in more than 15 years with yet another month of slumping U.S. sales.

  • U.S. President-elect Barack Obama (R) meets with Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) at her office in the Capitol Building in Washington, January 5, 2009. (Jason Reed/Reuters)
    Obama seeks swift passage of fiscal package 48 minutes ago

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With the economic outlook darkening, U.S. President-elect Democrat Barack Obama went to Congress two weeks before taking office to try to entice Republican support for a massive stimulus package with talk of big tax cuts.

  • Apple Inc CEO Steve Jobs displays a redesigned iPod Nano at Apple's 'Let's Rock' media event in San Francisco, California September 9, 2008. (Robert Galbraith/Reuters)
    Apple's Jobs reassures investors about his health Mon Jan 5, 12:43 PM ET

    NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Inc Chief Executive Steve Jobs sought to soothe investor concerns about his health on Monday, saying his weight loss was caused by a hormone imbalance that is relatively simple to treat.

  • Democratic senatorial candidate, and well known satirist and a former writer and actor for the popular Saturday Night Live television show, Al Franken (DFL-MN) and his wife Franni (L) speak to reporters after he is declared the winner by the Minnesota Secretary of State Office, by 225 votes, over opponent incumbent Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) outside his home in Minneapolis, January 5, 2009. (Eric Miller/Reuters)
    Democrat wins Minnesota Senate seat in recount 51 minutes ago

    MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Democrat Al Franken beat Republican incumbent Norm Coleman to win the U.S. Senate seat from Minnesota, officials conducting a final recount said on Monday, though the loser promised to challenge the result.

  • A supporter holds a candle during a 'No on Prop 8' rally in West Hollywood, California November 5, 2008. (Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)
    California gay marriage battle turns to court role 28 minutes ago

    SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The legal battle over gay marriage in California turned on Monday to whether the state's top court could strike down a change in the state constitution that was approved by voters.

  • A worker checks the valve gears in a natural gas control centre of Turkey's Petroleum and Pipeline Corporation, 35 km (22 miles) west of Ankara, January 5, 2009. (Umit Bektas/Reuters)
    Russia reduces gas flows to Europe via Ukraine Mon Jan 5, 2:57 PM ET

    MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) - Russia reduced gas flows to Europe via Ukraine on Monday, a measure it said was to stop its neighbor siphoning off fuel but which Kiev said could jeopardize supplies to European countries including Germany.

  • U.S. marines raise the U.S. flag during a formal opening of the new U.S. embassy in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone January 5, 2009. (Erik de Castro/Reuters)
    U.S. opens new Iraq embassy Mon Jan 5, 10:16 AM ET

    BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United States dedicated its new embassy building in Baghdad on Monday, a step meant to symbolize its transition from occupying power to an ally of a sovereign Iraqi government.

  • U.S. anti-kidnap expert's vanishing spins Mexico mystery Mon Jan 5, 2:28 PM ET

    MONTERREY, Mexico (Reuters) - The abduction of a U.S. anti-kidnap expert in northern Mexico last month remains a mystery with no clues to the man's whereabouts and no ransom demanded by his captors, police said on Monday.

  • U.S. seeks to revoke Madoff bail Mon Jan 5, 4:53 PM ET

    NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors asked a judge to revoke the bail terms for alleged swindler Bernard Madoff and detain him on Monday, claiming he was a flight risk.

  • Bernard Madoff walks back to his apartment in New York December 17, 2008. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)
    Congress panel probes Madoff amid reform calls Mon Jan 5, 2:54 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A congressional hearing into the alleged $50 billion Bernard Madoff fraud provided a platform on Monday for proponents of sweeping financial oversight reforms.