Arizona appeals immigrant law ruling amid protests

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Arizona on Thursday appealed a judge's decision to block key parts of the state's crackdown on illegal immigrants and police in Phoenix arrested scores of activists protesting the remaining measures in the law.

Unemployment claims fall, but still elevated

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New claims for unemployment benefits slipped last week, but stayed at a stubbornly high level that underscored the labor market recovery was having trouble gaining traction.

BP lawsuits over oil spill take center stage

BOISE, Idaho (Reuters) - More than 2,000 miles from the Gulf of Mexico shoreline, a panel of U.S. judges heard arguments from lawyers on Thursday on how piles of oil spill-related lawsuits against BP Plc should be merged.

Four killed in Air Force plane crash in Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - All four crew members were killed in a U.S. Air Force cargo plane that crashed in flames while practicing for an aviation show at Elmendorf Air Force Base, the Air Force said Thursday.

WikiLeaks may have blood on its hands, U.S. says

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks may have blood on its hands, the Pentagon said on Thursday, warning its unprecedented leak of secret U.S. military files could cost lives and damage trust of allies.

Fed officials clash on need for more stimulus

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve officials clashed on Thursday over whether the central bank should be more aggressive in supporting the stumbling economy and one said the Fed's current policy may be contributing to worryingly low levels of inflation.

U.S. closes consulate in Mexico's Ciudad Juarez

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The U.S. government has shut indefinitely its consulate in Ciudad Juarez, the city wracked by drug violence just over the border from El Paso, Texas, to evaluate security conditions.

Special Report: A Mississippi Yankee in BP's battered court

HATTIESBURG, Miss./CHICAGO (Reuters) - Bob Dudley is not one to wear his disappointment on his sleeve.

Republican concerns could stall START treaty

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Senate Republicans voiced objections on Thursday to the new START nuclear arms treaty with Russia, raising concerns that could delay efforts to hand President Barack Obama a foreign policy victory ahead of the November elections.

Rep Rangel faces charges, trial may hurt Democrats

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Representative Charles Rangel reached a tentative plea agreement on ethics charges on Thursday, but Republicans may reject it and push for a trial that could hurt his fellow Democrats in the November elections.

Fed's Bullard: deflation risk has risen

TOKYO (Reuters) - St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard said the risk of deflation in the United States has risen somewhat compared with the beginning of this year, the Nikkei newspaper reported.

BP denies Texas a cash advance, gets scathing response

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil giant BP Plc rejected a request from Texas for a $25 million cash advance to clean up shorelines sullied by the Gulf oil spill, and got a scathing response from top Texas officials, according to letters given to Reuters on Thursday.

Weakened Arizona immigrant rules still draw protests

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Arizona on Thursday appealed a judge's decision to block key parts of the state's crackdown on illegal immigrants and police in Phoenix arrested scores of activists protesting the remaining measures in the law.

U.S. oil spill response nears turning point: Allen

HOUSTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government is laying the groundwork to shift its massive Gulf Coast oil spill clean-up operation from acute disaster management to long-term recovery, the nation's top spill official said on Thursday.

Q+A: Key issues under debate on new START treaty

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The new START nuclear arms treaty under debate in the U.S. Senate is generating criticism among Republicans, including potential 2012 presidential contender Mitt Romney, who says it may be President Barack Obama's "worst foreign policy mistake yet."

Factbox: Main elements of the U.S.-Russia nuclear arms treaty

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The new START treaty being debated in the Senate would reduce the number of nuclear warheads deployed by the United States and Russia and establish procedures to ensure both sides comply with the accord.

Arizona appeals ruling on state's immigration law

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Arizona lodged an appeal on Thursday seeking to lift a judge's ruling blocking key parts of the state's controversial law cracking down on illegal immigrants, the governor's office said.

Scenarios: The uncertain fate of oil spill bills

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress is poised to debate energy legislation designed to toughen offshore drilling practices in the aftermath of the devastating Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Arabs back direct peace talks when Abbas sees fit

CAIRO (Reuters) - The Arab League said on Thursday it would back face-to-face peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel when the Palestinians believe the time is right.

Heavy rains delay salvage of crashed Pakistan plane

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Heavy monsoon rains in Islamabad on Thursday hampered recovery efforts at the site of a Pakistani plane crash that killed all 152 people on board a day earlier, a senior police officer said.