Smucker recalls two batches of chunky natural peanut butter over Salmonella concerns

Linda Young – AHN News Writer
Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – The J.M. Smucker Co. announced a voluntary limited recall as a precaution because of salmonella fears affecting two specific Best-If-Used-By dates of 16 oz. Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter Chunky. “No illnesses related to this issue have been reported and the product is being recalled out of an abundance of caution for consumer safety,” company officials said in a statement. The company launched the recall after its routine testing program indicated the possibility that salmonella bacteria could be present in the product. Smucker said the limited recall affected that brand of its peanut butter packaged in 16 oz. jars with the following dates and codes: [...] Continue Reading…

Tension rises in New York as court backs OWS protesters

Matthew Borghese – AHN News Contributor
New York, NY, United States (AHN) – The “Occupy Wall Street” movement won major support from a New York court Tuesday, possibly extending the life of the demonstration that has spawned similar anti-establishment protests around the world. New York Supreme Court Judge Lucy Billings, will, on paper, allow protesters to remain camped out at the privately-owned Zuccotti Park in the Big Apple. On Tuesday, the New York Police Department (NYPD) forcibly cleared protesters from the site. Clearing the camp was the latest in a long battle between OWS and local leaders. Protesters took to the court system to protect their right to camp out. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and [...] Continue Reading…

Italian debt reaches unsustainable level

Vittorio Hernandez – AHN News
Rome, Italy (AHN) – When Italy’s debt ballooned to over $1.5 trillion, some leaders are now asking if the country has reached a point of being beyond rescue. The offer by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to resign from his post had failed to slow down the financial turmoil. Another indicator that Italy’s debt has reached unsustainable level is that the interest rate on Italian bonds hit 7 percent which is the same rate that smaller eurozone economies such as Ireland, Portugal and Greece reached and needed a rescue. At one point, the rate even reached 7.5 percent. Because of the impact of the problematic eurozone members on the whole single currency area, [...] Continue Reading…

Obama’s foreign policy authority disputed in Supreme Court case

Tom Ramstack – AHN News Legal Correspondent
Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – The Supreme Court stepped into the fray Monday over whether Jerusalem is an international city or exclusively the property of Israel. The outcome of the dispute is likely to redefine which branch of the U.S. government has final authority over some issues of foreign policy. The lawsuit that prompted oral arguments before the Supreme Court Monday involved a passport for a boy born in 2002 to American parents in Jerusalem. When his parents went to the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv to get a passport for their newborn, they asked that his country of birth be listed as Israel. The embassy staff refused, citing [...] Continue Reading…

Greek cabinet supports Papandreou’s referendum plan, markets fall in panic

Vittorio Hernandez – AHN News
Athens, Greece (AHN) – The Greek cabinet supported on Tuesday Prime Minister George Papandreou’s plan to submit the European Union (EU) debt deal to citizens although the rescue package may place the country in a worse financial situation. Papandreou said the referendum results will represent a clear mandate on how Greeks want the government to approach the country’s debt problem and future use of the euro currency. Papandreou promised to abide by the referendum results. Prior to the referendum, Papandreou’s Socialist Party will submit itself to a confidence vote before the Parliament on Friday. European leaders were surprised with Papandreou’s plan to submit the debt deal to a referendum vote. The French [...] Continue Reading…

RCMP recovers $2.6 million cash tossed into sea by BC man

Vittorio Hernandez – AHN News
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (AHN) – The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have recovered $2.6 million in cash thrown by a British Columbia man from a small boat off Vancouver Island. The amount is considered one of the largest cash confiscations in the RCMP’s history. The man tossed the cash, which was inside a suitcase, when the RCMP approached the man’s boat. Mounties later plucked the suitcase from the water. The RCMP, which showed the money – wrapped in plastic – and disclosed the incident on Tuesday, said the incident happened on March 24 near the U.S.-Canadian border known for smuggling. The Mounties said they had to wait several months before they made [...] Continue Reading…

Wizards among teams hit hard by latest NBA schedule cancelation

AHN Sports Staff
Washington, DC, United States (AHN Sports) – The Washington Wizards saw their first 14 games of the season scrapped after NBA commissioner David Stern cancelled two more weeks from the 2011-2012 season schedules due to the extended labor lockout. The Wizards took a huge blow in the latest labor dispute development, losing nine more games in their schedule after the NBA eliminated another two weeks from the 2011-2012 regular-season. The Wizards, who have now lost a total of 14 games, will miss out six road games, including a four-game West Coast trip, and three home games. Wizards players will be losing around $7.42 million worth of paychecks, while all NBA players are going to [...] Continue Reading…

New fed rules to aid more underwater homeowners

Diane Alter – AHN News Reporter
Washington, DC, United States (AHN) – Monday morning the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced new rules that will allow many more “underwater” homeowners, those who owe more than their properties are worth, to refinance at current historical low mortgage rates. Up to a million borrowers are expected to take advantage of the new program, the FHFA estimates. Originally rolled out in early 2009, the program has fallen far short of the number of people it was expected to help. Prior to the new rules, only borrowers who owed more than 25 percent more than their homes are worth could participate in the program. The new rules have no cap on how much [...] Continue Reading…

Heir to Saudi throne dies

Diane Alter – AHN News Reporter
NY, NYC, United States (AHN) – Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdel Aziz, heir to the Saudi throne, died Saturday in New York City at the age of 85. The Sultan died in a hospital in New York City. His burial is expected to take place Tuesday in Riyadh. The death of the crown prince, the half brother of the ailing Saudi King Abdullah, leaves many questions open about succession. Unlike in European monarchies, the line of succession does not move directly from father to eldest son. It has moved down a line of brothers born to the kingdom’s founder Ibn Saud, who died in 1953. Sultan bin Abdel Azia was the [...] Continue Reading…

Oil, Copper Futures Rise on G20 Talks

Jupiter Kalambakal – AHN News Reporter
London, United Kingdom (AHN) – Oil and copper futures posted gains on Monday amid wrap-up talks among G20 finance chiefs where parts of a plan to contain the eurozone’s debt crisis and prevent a possible Greek default were approved over the weekend. Copper metal for delivery rose 1 percent to $7,619.50 a metric ton on the London Metal Exchange, the biggest increase since Sept. 27. Copper for December delivery on the Shanghai Futures Exchange advanced 0.7 per cent to $8,846 a ton. On one end, oil futures jumped by as much as 1.1 percent, maintaining advances from the biggest close in almost a month. Monday’s figures improved oil’s 4.6 percent growth [...] Continue Reading…