EUROPEAN UNION

Greek lawmakers looked set to agree to a deeply unpopular bailout deal on Sunday to avert what Prime Minister Lucas Papademos warned would be economic chaos, and Germany demanded Greece dramatically change its ways to stay in the euro.

Greek lawmakers looked set to agree to a deeply unpopular bailout deal on Sunday to avert what Prime Minister Lucas Papademos warned would be economic chaos, and Germany demanded Athens dramatically change its ways to stay in the euro.

Global airlines on Sunday called for a deal brokered by a United Nations agency to avoid an impasse between China and the European Union over jet pollution spilling into a trade war. Airlines are being squeezed between conflicting laws, the head of the International Air Transport Association said.

Tens of thousands of protesters took part in rallies across Europe on Saturday against an international Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement they fear will curb their freedom to download movies and music for free and encourage Internet surveillance by governments.

Greek conservative leader Antonis Samaras said on Saturday that all his New Democracy party's lawmakers must vote for a European Union/International Monetary Fund bailout law or face being dropped as parliamentary candidates. This is obviously an issue of party discipline, he said.

Syrian forces unleashed new tank and rocket bombardments on opposition neighborhoods in Homs on Saturday while diplomats sought United Nations backing for an Arab plan to end 11 months of bloodshed in the Middle Eastern country.

Despite a mediocre earnings season and signs of an overbought market, Wall Street bulls are likely to remain in control next week. There are a number of catalysts that have helped the market this year, including a slew of improved economic data and the Federal Reserve's vow to keep interest rates low.

The Greek government told rebellious lawmakers on Saturday to back a deeply unpopular European Union/International Monetary Fund rescue package in parliament or send the nation down an unknown, dangerous path to default and international economic isolation.

The UK economy is under significant pressure in the shadow of uncertainty cast by the eurozone debt crisis which is resulting in its losing the momentum of recovery.

Greek lawmakers will vote this weekend on a controversial austerity bill that Athens needs to avoid a messy default but which is fuelling a domestic political and social crisis that has brought thousands of Greeks out on the streets in protest.

Bipartisan group of senators have introduced a resolution asking the Obama administration to rev up its work with the international community to address the crisis in Syria.

Papademos, who himself has only been in office for three months, might also take the opportunity to reshuffle the cabinet.

The Justice Department will approve Google's $12.5 billion bid to acquire Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc, according to sources close to the antitrust review.

The union specifically singled out Poul Thomsen, the IMF’s principal official in Greece, for arrest.

U.S. stocks dropped on Friday as the most recent flare-up in Greek negotiations for a financial bailout package put the S&P 500 on track to snap a three-day winning streak.

Stocks dropped on Friday as the most recent flare-up in Greek negotiations for a financial bailout package put the S&P 500 on track to snap a three-day winning streak.

The trade deficit widened slightly more than expected in December, and the bilateral trade deficit with China last year soared to a record high $295.5 billion.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is up for re-election this year. He faces stiff competition from both the Socialist Party and the extreme right National Front. With France's economy in shambles, Sarkozy's re-election prospects look slimmer every day.

The European Union has asked India to use its leverage to bring Iran to the negotiating table over its nuclear program, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said on Friday, as Asia's third-largest economy prepares to increase trade with Tehran.

Gold prices fell back Friday, just hours after an apparent deal between debt-choked Greece and potential Eurozone lenders reinvigorated hopes the nation would not be forced to default on its loans.

Tanks amassed outside opposition neighborhoods in Homs on Friday as Alawite-led forces bombarded the Syrian city for the fifth day and residents expected a major push to subdue the centre of revolt against President Bashar al-Assad's rule.