GERMANY

Political and economic crisis in Italy spurred fears of a split in the Eurozone with borrowing costs for Europe's third biggest economy at unsustainable levels and the bloc unable to afford a bailout.

World stocks hit a three-week low and the euro tumbled across the board while top-rated government bonds rallied on Thursday as fears of a break-up of the euro zone gathered pace ahead of a key debt sale in Italy.

World stocks hit a three-week low and the euro tumbled across the board while top-rated government bonds rallied on Thursday as fears of a break-up of the euro zone gathered pace ahead of a key debt sale in Italy.

Asian stocks fell around 3 percent on Thursday after soaring Italian borrowing costs stoked fears that the debt crisis in the euro zone's third biggest economy will overwhelm its financial defenses, raising the risk of a break-up of the currency area.

Asian stocks fell sharply Thursday after soaring Italian borrowing costs stoked fears the debt crisis in the euro zone's third biggest economy will overwhelm its financial defenses, raising the risk of a break-up of the currency area.

The economic health of southern Europe will be in focus for telecoms investors on Thursday when Greek telecoms group OTE and major investor Deutsche Telekom report quarterly results.

The Commerce Department said on Wednesday it would investigate whether Chinese companies sell solar panels in the United States at unfair discounts and receive illegal government subsidies.

Cisco Systems, the world’s biggest supplier of Internet equipment, reported first-quarter results that slightly beat expectations because of new sales to telecommunications carriers.

Pius Heinz, a 22-year-old German, won the World Series of Poker and took home the grand prize of $8.71 million.

One message from financial markets has become quite clear: attempts by the euro zone to ring-fence Greece and stop contagion to other, more significant economies has failed.

One message from financial markets has become quite clear: attempts by the euro zone to ring-fence Greece and stop contagion to other, more significant economies has failed.

Mickey Rourke, known for years as a Hollywood bad boy, was perhaps the perfect choice to portray a bad boy of Greek mythology, brutal King Hyperion, in the 3D action movie Immortals opening in theaters on Friday.

Germany's wise men panel of economic advisers warned the European Central Bank it risks losing credibility by buying the bonds of heavily-indebted euro zone states, and that monetary and fiscal policy are becoming worryingly blurred.

Germany's wise men panel of economic advisers warned the European Central Bank it risks losing credibility by buying the bonds of heavily-indebted euro zone states, and that monetary and fiscal policy are becoming worryingly blurred.

The Greek nation has had a vastly different history and trajectory from the dominant countries of Western Europe.

Italian borrowing costs reached breaking point on Wednesday after Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's promise to resign failed to raise optimism about the country's ability to deliver on long-promised economic reforms.

Gold prices slipped Wednesday as skyrocketing Italian government bond yields signaled the beginning of a possibly terminal phase in that nation's economy.

European stocks were lower at midday Wednesday as mounting concerns over Italy's debt kept investors on edge, following an early rally sparked by Silvio Berlusconi's pledge to step down as Italy's prime minister.

European shares looked set to follow Asian equities higher Wednesday and the euro steadied after Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said he would resign, raising hopes the debt-ridden country would proceed with reforms that may keep Europe's debt crisis from spreading.

Police arrested New York Public Library President Anthony Marx in Harlem Sunday for driving while intoxicated after he hit a parked sanitation truck in reverse, the New York Post reported.

Nairobi Securities Exchange has launched two stock indexes in conjunction with FTSE Group, and said on Tuesday it planned to start one for Treasury bonds next year.