Irish composer Raymond Deane talks Achill, Alma and ABBA too

DUBLIN (Reuters) – Irish composer Raymond Deane chafes at what he sees as a lack of recognition in his homeland for classical composers in a country better known for traditional fiddling and rock supergroup U2 than for notes on staves.“Classical music means Mozart and Beethoven and when you say Irish classical music their eyes just widen,” Deane, who recently turned 60, told Reuters over lunch at...

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Want a Dog Like Banana Joe? There Are 7 For Sale in America

After two days of frenzied canine competition, a five year-old black-and-tan Affenpinscher named Banana Joe was crowned champion at the Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday night. But for those dog enthusiasts captivated by the dog’s Wookiee-ish countenance and shock of black hair—and hoping to snatch up one of their very own—we say: Good luck.The breed’s official site, recognized by the American Kennel...

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Mortgage Mess Still Mires Housing Recovery

President Obama says he wants more Americans to be able to save money by refinancing their mortgages. The trouble is that mortgage rates are rising, now at their highest level since September of last year, before the Federal Reserve announced it would buy more agency mortgage-backed securities in order to drive rates down. Last week applications to refinance fell 6 percent from the previous week,...

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Wall Street flat, S&P 500 touches November 2007 high

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks were little changed on Wednesday after the S&P 500 index hit a November 2007 intraday high, but volume was low and investors stayed cautious with indexes near multi-year closing highs. The benchmark index got a boost from Comcast Corp when the cable company said it will buy the rest of NBC Universal for $16.7 billion from General Electric Co . ...

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IOC President Rogge to meet with wrestling leader

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — IOC President Jacques Rogge will meet with the head of wrestling's governing body to discuss ways the sport can fight to save its place in the 2020 Olympics.The IOC executive board removed wrestling from the program of the 2020 Games on Tuesday, cutting it from the list of 26 sports at last year's London Olympics.The decision, which still must be ratified by the full IOC...

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Africa 'must think big for its children'

Children at school in the Mukuru kwa Njenga slum in Nairobi, Kenya.STORY HIGHLIGHTSNew report shows that policies across Africa are helping children's developmentBut laws must improve to help children reach potential, says Catherine MbengueScrapping fees in Malawi saw entry to primary school jump from under 50% to 99%At secondary level, education in much of the region is deeply limited, Mbengue saysEditor's...

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Wall Street pauses after gains, awaits Obama address

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stocks were little changed on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 holding near multi-year highs ahead of President Barack Obama‘s State of the Union address.The economy will be a major topic of Obama‘s speech before a joint session of Congress set for 9 p.m. (0200 GMT Wednesday). Investors will listen for any clues on a deal with Republicans to avert automatic spending cuts due to take...

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Rising 401(k) Balances Helping Retirements Recover

Balances in 401(k) accounts are much, much larger among those who have been regular retirement-plan participants in recent years, continuing the recovery from the stock market plunge of 2007.Jack VanDerhei, research director for the Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI), conducted a review for U.S. News of the savings behaviors of the 20 million account holders it tracks for research purposes....

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Wall Street pauses after gains, awaits Obama address

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks were little changed on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 holding near multi-year highs ahead of President Barack Obama's State of the Union address. The economy will be a major topic of Obama's speech before a joint session of Congress set for 9 p.m. (0200 GMT Wednesday). Investors will listen for any clues on a deal with Republicans to avert automatic spending...

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Wrestling body reacts to Olympic rejection

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The governing body of wrestling says the IOC's move to drop the sport is an "aberration" against a founding event of the Olympics.Known by its French initials FILA, the organization says it is "greatly astonished" by the IOC executive board decision.FILA says it will take "all necessary measures" to convince IOC members to maintain wrestling's Olympic status when they...

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