UNITED STATES

South Dakota Democratic Senator Tim Johnson, a champion of community banks and credit card companies, is expected to take over the chairmanship of the influential U.S. Senate Banking Committee in 2011.

National security has jumped to the top of U.S. President Barack Obama's agenda, but it is unlikely to distract him from overhauling healthcare and tackling double-digit unemployment over the long term.

Actress Sharon Stone is set to guest star in four episodes in NBC's popular television crime series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, NBC said on Tuesday.

Following a successful public debut of one of its companies last year, a San Francisco venture capital firm is now guiding two more of its green portfolio firms to raise money in the public markets.

The European Commission said on Wednesday it had given conditional approval for U.S. food group Kraft Foods Inc (KFT.N) to take over British confectionery maker Cadbury (CBRY.L).

Dell Inc announced on Wednesday the launch of its first Android-based smartphone which will be available in the U.S. with AT&T Inc. as its carrier.

Barclays Capital Research said on Wednesday that it remains cautious about a consumer recovery in 2010 but still sees U.S. light vehicle sales increasing to 11.7 million units this year.

AT&T Inc wants to add wireless links to car entertainment systems and consumer devices to keep track of everything from parcels to wandering children, according to a top company executive.

Kraft faced pressure to raise its bid for Cadbury with extra cash as the market digested Tuesday's warning from key investor Warren Buffett and an initial deadline passed with few of the UK confectioner's shares changing hands.

Dell Inc is bringing its first-ever smartphone to the United States with AT&T Inc as the carrier, making a push into mobile devices as its core personal computer business struggles.

Tianjin Qingyuan Electric Vehicle Co, the first Chinese automaker to break into the United States, hopes to significantly boost sales of its self-developed electric models in the world's second-largest market this year, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday.

Pfizer Inc said on Wednesday it has struck a collaboration deal with India's Strides Arcolab Ltd that will significantly expand the generics business of the world's largest drugmaker.

Kraft (KFT.N) said it had a 1.52 percent take-up from Cadbury (CBRY.L) shareholders for its 10.5 billion pound ($16.8 billion) hostile bid, with analysts saying the U.S. food group will have to raise its offer to win.

Publishing and events group Reed Elsevier (REL.L)(ELSN.AS) is in advanced talks to sell some of its loss-making trade magazines and will close other titles during the first half of 2010, according to an internal memo.

Britain's biggest insurer Prudential (PRU.L) is buying the life insurance unit of Singapore's third-biggest lender UOB (UOBH.SI) for S$428 million ($307 million) to beef up its presence in fast-growing Asia.

Publishing and events group Reed Elsevier (REL.L)(ELSN.AS) is in advanced talks to sell some of its loss-making trade magazines and will close other titles during the first half of 2010, according to an internal memo.

China's top search engine Baidu Inc said it plans to start a new online video channel that will provide copyrighted content to Chinese Internet users.

BlackRock Inc's vice chairman and chief investment officer for global equities Bob Doll said on Wednesday he sees the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index reaching a level of 1,250 by year-end.

Car parts group Faurecia (EPED.PA) has won a green light from the European Union for its takeover of Emcon Technologies, a U.S. company that makes car exhaust emission controls.

Stocks slipped on Wednesday after ISM data showed the U.S. services sector grew in December, but at a marginal pace, and a report said the rate of job losses slowed at U.S. private employers.

Britain's biggest insurer Prudential (PRU.L) is buying the life insurance unit of Singapore's third-biggest lender UOB (UOBH.SI) for S$428 million ($307 million) to beef up its presence in fast-growing Asia.