UNITED STATES

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday that a federal law barring retaliation against a worker for complaints about on-the-job discrimination also protected the employee's relative from unlawful dismissal.

Communist Cuba's recent easing of red tape for private enterprise is improving services for tourists in provincial towns on the Caribbean island, with hundreds of new restaurants and lodgings opening up.

Iran has hanged two men for their activities during the turmoil following President Ahmadinejad’s controversial election victory in 2009. Iran has now executed 64 people is just the past twenty-four days, or on average one person every nine hours.

McDonald's Corp reported weaker-than-expected December sales at established European and U.S. restaurants as poor weather hurt demand, and said its food costs would rise in 2011.

Intel Corp authorized another $10 billion to buy back its shares, which have been under pressure in recent months from concerns that the giant chipmaker is falling behind in the exploding mobile market.

Technology and retail stocks continue to drive market

Online retail sales in Europe are set to rise 18 percent to more than 200 billion euros ($271 billion) this year, outpacing growth at traditional shops as well as internet sales in the United States.

A U.S. bankruptcy judge temporarily blocked bankrupt subprime lender Mortgage Lenders Network USA from destroying 18,000 boxes of original loan files after federal prosecutors said documents in them may be needed as evidence in more than 50 criminal investigations.

Violent crime in New York City, the nation’s largest city, has plunged over the past twenty years.

Luxottica , the world's biggest premium eyewear group, expects a solid 2011 after stronger demand for luxury brands, especially in the United States and Asia, boosted 2010 sales to record levels.

Jack LaLanne, the longtime fitness and nutrition advocate, and entrepreneur known as the Godfather of Fitness, died on Sunday at 96.

The United States will retain unchallengeable global dominance for at least two decades, a top Chinese official has said in an essay urging his government to find a balance between assertion and restraint.

The United States warned China it would redeploy forces in Asia if Beijing failed to rein in North Korea, an Obama administration official said on Friday, as Pyongyang bowed to Seoul's demands for crisis talks.

Famous muscleman, fitness guru, and living well advocate Jack LaLanne passed away yesterday at the age of 96. Remember his work with this collection of videos and links.

Gold continues to form a long consolidation pattern which has lasted basically for the final quarter of 2010, says Phil Smith in his chart analysis for Reuters' clients. [On] the possible topping [head-and-shoulders] pattern I've been looking at...we have now broken the neckline. Watch for a decisive break below this line. The target for this topping pattern is $1230.

Gold rose on Monday as lower prices after the metal's third consecutive weekly loss attracted some buyers back to the market, but a more optimistic view of global growth still limited fresh investment.

Steel Dynamics Inc's quarterly fell short of Wall Street estimates for the third successive time on lower flat rolled volumes and pricing, but the fifth-largest U.S. steelmaker said it expects 2011 to be favorable.

Oprah Winfrey revealed a shocking secret to her expectant viewers on Monday : a long-lost half-sister named Patricia!

The ten most “prosperous” nations on earth, according to Legatum’s system, are dominated by Europe. The top ten in order are Norway, Denmark, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden. Canada, Switzerland, Netherlands and the United States.

Cocoa surged to near its highest price in 30 years as U.S. trader Cargill complied with demands for an export ban from top producer Ivory Coast by Alassane Ouattara, who aims to stop cash reaching his presidential rival.

Nigeria wants U.N. backing for military intervention in Ivory Coast to prevent it slipping into a civil war that could destabilise the West African region, Foreign Minister Odein Ajumogobia said on Monday.