GERMANY

Germany is pushing for Greece to relinquish control over its budget policy to European institutions as part of discussions over a second rescue package, a European source told Reuters on Friday.

A Twitter blackout aimed at protesting censorship on the social media site is sweeping the web as its proponents urge users to go dark Saturday using the hash tag #TwitterBlackout.

uring the second world war, the Norwegian president Vidkun Quisling, ordered the registration of 2,100 Jewish Norwegians.

Microsoft chairman and philanthropist Bill Gates pledged a further $750 million to the troubled global AIDS fund on Thursday and urged governments to continue their support to save lives.

Twitter announced Thursday that it would begin restricting Tweets in specific countries, renewing questions about how the social media platform will handle issues of free speech as it rapidly expands its global user base.

The broad asset rally which the U.S. Federal Reserve inspired by pledging to keep rates low decelerated on Friday as investors awaited the outcome of Greek debt talks and U.S. gross domestic product data. Asian stocks paused.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has donated $750 million to the Geneva-based Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Twitter announced Thursday that it would begin censoring Tweets in certain countries, marking a policy shift for the social media platform that helped propel the popular uprisings.

Greece and its private creditors made progress Thursday in talks on restructuring its debt, both sides said, and they will continue negotiating on Friday with the aim of sealing an agreement within a few days.

Twitter, the social network many have lauded as the launching pad for several protests around the world, has just changed its privacy policy. Twitter made the announcement the company's official blog: We give ourselves the ability to reactively withhold content from users in a specific country - while keeping it available in the rest of the world, said the post. We have also built in a way to communicate transparently to users when content is withheld, and why.

Since the start of the year, one phrase has tripped off the lips of European leaders more than any other: jobs and growth. After two years of debt crisis and budget austerity, there is a strong desire to shift the narrative on.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday talks between the Greek government and its private creditors were on track but next Monday's EU summit would focus on how to boost growth and employment in Europe rather than Greece's predicament.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday talks between the Greek government and its private creditors were on track but next Monday's EU summit would focus on how to boost growth and employment in Europe rather than Greece's predicament.

Ahmadinejad is the highest Iranian government official thus far to offer to re-start the talks.

Greece's tortuous negotiations over a debt swap with private creditors entered a new phase on Thursday with focus on how much the European Central Bank and other public creditors may need to contribute.

World No.2 fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz (HMb.ST) said a gloomy economic outlook would keep demand subdued this year and discounting to shift unsold stock, which led to a surprise drop in fourth-quarter profit, had continued into January.

Gold prices jumped Thursday after the Federal Reserve surprised markets by saying ultra-low interest rates will continue through 2014.

Greece resumes tortuous negotiations on a debt swap with private creditors in Athens on Thursday, with all eyes on the European Central Bank after IMF chief Christine Lagarde said public sector holders of Greek debt may need to take a haircut too.

German consumer morale rose unexpectedly to a 10-month high going into February, a survey showed on Thursday, in the latest sign that consumption may support Europe's biggest economy through uncertain times.

Greece's private creditors are willing to improve their final offer of a four percent interest rate on new Greek bonds in order to clinch a deal in time to avert a messy default, Greek media said on Thursday without quoting any sources.

Equities, commodities and the euro extended gains Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve said it would keep interest rates low for a much longer-than-expected period, providing ample liquidity to help spur growth.