U.S. Top News Late Edition: McCain and Obama battle in contentious debate

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Good evening Srini, WED 15 Oct 2008  today's headlines McCain and Obama battle in contentious debate Fears of deep global slowdown hit Asia stocks Markets tumble as recession fears trump bailout North Korea threatens to cut ties with South Paulson still eyeing a January exit Hurricane Omar strengthens near Puerto Rico Chavez says "Comrade Bush" turns left in crisis U.S., Iraq agree pact giving U.S. troops until 2011 Bernanke says credit crisis menacing U.S. economy Russia-Georgia talks suspended until November   today's videos Banking on the short term Containing California's wildfires Cheney heads to hospital more details McCain and Obama battle in contentious debate October 15, 2008 10:30 PM ET HEMPSTEAD, New York (Reuters) - Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama battled fiercely on Wednesday in their liveliest and most contentious debate, with McCain attacking Obama's tax plan, campaign tone and relationship with a former 1960s radical. Full Article Fears of deep global slowdown hit Asia stocks October 15, 2008 10:37 PM ET HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian stocks fell as much as 9 percent and oil prices dropped to a one-year low on Thursday after downbeat U.S. economic data spread fears of a more protracted and sharp global slowdown than initially expected. Full Article Markets tumble as recession fears trump bailout October 15, 2008 08:49 PM ET NEW YORK (Reuters) - Gloomy economic data and warnings from the U.S. Federal Reserve that hard times were still to come wiped out two days of relative optimism about the credit crisis and sent markets into free-fall on Wednesday. Full Article North Korea threatens to cut ties with South October 15, 2008 09:54 PM ET SEOUL (Reuters) - Destitute North Korea on Thursday threatened to end all relations with South Korea, a major source of aid and cash, in anger at the hard-line policies of its conservative president. Full Article Paulson still eyeing a January exit October 15, 2008 07:55 PM ET WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Wednesday he would work to ensure a smooth transition to his successor after the November presidential election, throwing cold water on hopes that he might stay on crisis control duty. Full Article Hurricane Omar strengthens near Puerto Rico October 15, 2008 08:39 PM ET SAN JUAN (Reuters) - Hurricane Omar strengthened rapidly on Wednesday as it raced toward Puerto Rico and the small islands of the northeastern Caribbean, threatening to bring torrential rains that could trigger dangerous floods and mudslides. Full Article Chavez says "Comrade Bush" turns left in crisis October 15, 2008 10:35 PM ET CARACAS (Reuters) - Socialist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez mocked George W. Bush as a "comrade" on Wednesday, saying the U.S. president was a hard-line leftist for his government's intervention of major private banks in the U.S. financial crisis. Full Article U.S., Iraq agree pact giving U.S. troops until 2011 October 15, 2008 06:12 PM ET BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Washington and Baghdad have reached a final agreement after months of talks on a pact that would require U.S. forces to withdraw from Iraq by 2011, U.S. and Iraqi officials said on Wednesday. Full Article Bernanke says credit crisis menacing U.S. economy October 15, 2008 08:39 PM ET NEW YORK (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Wednesday gave a dour assessment of the U.S. economy, citing a "significant threat" from shuttered credit markets in remarks that indicated he was open to cutting interest rates further. Full Article Russia-Georgia talks suspended until November October 15, 2008 06:40 PM ET GENEVA (Reuters) - Talks to ease the conflict over Georgia's Moscow-backed breakaway regions were suspended until next month on Wednesday after diplomats failed to get Russia and Georgia to agree on who was allowed to take part. Full Article     REUTERS www.reuters.com Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add mail@nl.reuters.com to your address book.Details Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Forward this mailing to a friend or colleague Reuters.com: Help and Contact Us | Advertise With Us | Mobile | Newsletters | RSS | Interactive TV | Labs | Reuters in Second Life | Archive | Site Index | Video Index Thomson Reuters Corporate: Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy | Professional Products | Professional Products Support | About Thomson Reuters | Careers