Weakened Arizona immigrant rules still draw protests

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Police arrested at least 30 protesters who took to the streets of Phoenix on Thursday after Arizona adopted a new immigration law, even though its most intrusive provisions had already been blocked by a U.S. court.

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 spill cases head to court as Shell counts cost

LONDON/WILMINGTON, Delaware (Reuters) - The tide of lawsuits unleashed by BP's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico breaks into an Idaho courtroom on Thursday, just as the company's rivals are counting the cost of a ban on offshore drilling.

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

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

Second U.S. sailor's remains found in Afghanistan

KABUL (Reuters) - The body of a second U.S. sailor who went missing in Afghanistan last week has been recovered, an Afghan police chief said on Thursday.

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.

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.

House ethics panel reviews tentative Rangel deal: source

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. House of Representatives ethics panel is reviewing a tentative agreement to settle charges against Representative Charles Rangel, a congressional source said on Thursday.

Afghan president asks why allies won't act on Pakistan

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai questioned on Thursday the willingness of his Western allies to strike insurgent bases in Pakistan given the strong evidence of Islamabad's support for the Taliban.

Toyota recalling over 416,000 cars in U.S., Canada

TOKYO/DETROIT (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp said on Thursday it would recall nearly 417,000 high-end passenger cars and SUVs in the United States and Canada to fix steering problems.

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 spokesman 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.

Russia foils plane hijacking in Moscow: TASS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian special forces detained a man on Thursday who had taken control of an aircraft on a domestic flight to Moscow's Domodedovo airport, ITAR-TASS news agency cited a police spokesman as saying.

Exxon and Shell quarterly profits soar

LONDON/HOUSTON (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil's <XOM.N> quarterly profit jumped 85 percent on surging oil prices and a big rise in refining margins, while Royal Dutch Shell Plc's <RDSa.L> profits rose 34 percent.

Exxon profit tops Wall Street

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp reported a better-than-expected second-quarter profit on Thursday, as oil prices and margins to process crude into fuel rebounded from a year earlier and production rose.

Suspected Nazi guard charged over 430,000 killings

BERLIN (Reuters) - Prosecutors in Germany have charged a suspected Nazi camp guard with helping to kill 430,000 Jews in the Holocaust and personally shooting 10 others.

Scenarios: What could happen with Arizona's immigration law

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. judge in Arizona has put key parts of the border state's tough new immigration law on hold before it is due to come into effect on Thursday.

Foreclosures up in 75 percent of top U.S. metro areas

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Foreclosures rose in 3 of every four large U.S. metro areas in this year's first half, likely ruling out sustained home price gains until 2013, real estate data company RealtyTrac said on Thursday.

Russia's TNK-BP eyes BP's Venezuelan assets

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's TNK-BP, in which oil major BP has a 50 percent stake, said on Thursday it was considering buying BP's Venezuelan assets.

China urges change in U.S. policy to avoid friction

BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States should alter policy to take account of China's role as a major player on the world stage if it wants to avoid friction and instability, a major state newspaper said on Thursday.