UNITED STATES

Carmakers are bracing for lower sales in Europe this year as incentive programs end, while elsewhere companies are seeing opportunities in their competitors' product recalls.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Several of the nearly 100 young U.S. athletes who die suddenly and unexpectedly during sports every year could be saved through more effective screening for heart problems, US researchers suggested in a new study published Monday. The measures, according to another study, will cost less than $100 per athlete.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. children eat an average three snacks a day on top of three regular meals, a finding that could explain why the childhood obesity rate has risen to more than 16 percent, researchers said on Tuesday.

Stock index futures rose on Tuesday, a day after the S&P 500 moved into positive territory for 2010, as Greece appeared to be making progress toward a resolution on aid from the European Union.

LyondellBasell has rejected Reliance Industries' offer that values the bankrupt firm at $14.5 billion.

Astellas, the country's second-biggest drugs firm on Monday went hostile with a $3.5 billion offer for U.S.-based OSI Pharmaceuticals.

Dell, the world's No. 3 PC seller, is looking for acquisitions to bolster its consumer, small and medium business that accounts for almost half of the company's total sales.

More homeowners are falling behind on their mortgages, jeopardizing the nascent housing recovery and raising the possibility that home prices have not found their bottom but could instead fall further.

Stock index futures rose on Tuesday, a day after the S&P 500 moved into positive territory for 2010, as Greece appeared to be making progress toward a resolution on aid from the European Union.

Fannie Mae, the largest provider of funding for U.S. residential loans, on Monday said it would purchase up to 200,000 delinquent loans from its mortgage-backed securities in March as it sought to clarify a new policy that has roiled the market.

An Obama administration program aimed at helping homeowners whose homes have declined in value get new loans has been extended another year, a key housing regulator said on Monday.

President Barack Obama will announce details of an estimated $6 billion program on Tuesday to generate jobs by providing incentives for Americans to make their homes more energy efficient, the latest step in his bid to convince Americans he can ease their economic woes.

China stood its ground that diplomacy was the best way to resolve the standoff over Iran's nuclear program, as U.S. diplomats arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for talks on Tehran and North Korea's atomic ambitions.

Greece's debt crisis may end up helping Europe in the long run if it pressures governments to start addressing the potentially colossal costs of pensions and healthcare in coming decades.

South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co announced a sharp rise in February sales, benefiting from recall woes at rival Toyota Motor Co.

General Motors has tripled its funding of European arm Opel and cut its request for state aid in a bid to win over European governments and labor.

Japan's Canon Inc said it had acquired or been tendered 71 percent of Oce's shares in a takeover bid of the Dutch printer maker that closed Monday, short of its target of 85 percent.

Asian shares climbed for a third session on Tuesday, led by tech stocks, while the Australian dollar slipped on uncertainty about the pace of future interest rate hikes.

General Motors Co is recalling 1.3 million compact cars in North America to address a power steering problem that has been linked to 14 crashes and one injury, the company said on Tuesday.

Toyota Motor Corp will roll out an aggressive incentive program for U.S. consumers in March, including zero-percent financing for five years and two-year free maintenance, a source briefed on the matter said on Monday.

Asian shares rose for a third straight session on Tuesday, led by tech stocks, while the Australian dollar slid ahead of what is expected to be a close decision by the central bank on whether to raise interest rates again.