UNITED STATES

An Italian judge sentenced 23 former CIA agents to up to eight years in prison Wednesday for the abduction of a Muslim cleric in a symbolic ruling against rendition flights used by the former U.S. government.

Iranian security forces clashed with supporters of Iran's opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi in Tehran on Wednesday when a rally marking the 30th anniversary of the storming of the U.S. embassy turned violent

Colombia on Wednesday warned Venezuela not to brush aside last month's deaths of nine Colombians on the border as paramilitary gang violence, an incident that fueled tensions between the Andean neighbors.

The U.S. Senate was poised on Wednesday to extend aid for jobless workers and broaden tax breaks for homebuyers and businesses in a bill aimed at breathing life into the U.S. economy.

The White House turned aside questions on Wednesday about the reason that General Motors decided not to sell Opel, saying that the auto company makes its own business decisions.

Former Hewlett-Packard Co chief and Silicon Valley star Carly Fiorina said on Wednesday that she would run as a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate from California, taking on liberal Democrat Barbara Boxer.

Stocks jumped on Wednesday, with the Dow and S&P 500 up more than 1 percent, on positive data about the services sector and employment as investors awaited the Fed's assessment of the economic recovery.

The U.S. job market will likely start to grow in early 2010, as signs of economic expansion should encourage companies to hire workers, said Macroeconomic Advisers LLC chairman Joel Prakken.

The U.S. services sector, which represents about 80 percent of U.S. economic activity, grew for the second consecutive month in October, while the labor market also showed signs of improvement in data published on Wednesday.

Microsoft is offering a sneak peak at its new redesigned version of its MSN.com home page that incorporates social media giants: Facebook and Twitter.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday is expected to reaffirm its intention to keep U.S. interest rates at ultra-low levels for a long time to support the economy, even as signs of recovery accumulate.

Adidas AG, the world's second-largest sports goods maker, is confident on consumer demand heading into the Christmas season and ahead of next year's soccer World Cup, after posting an in-line third quarter.

The Walt Disney Co has received Beijing's nod to build a theme park in Shanghai, in a major advance for the media and entertainment company in the tough China market ahead of President Obama's first China visit.

U.S. authorities allowed Sri Lanka's military chief to return home without being questioned over human rights violations in the last months of the country's 25-year civil war, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

General Motors' move to scrap the sale of its Opel unit and raised forecasts from Nissan Motor Co lifted confidence in the global auto industry's recovery on Wednesday.

The U.S. services sector, which represents about 80 percent of U.S. economic activity, grew for the second consecutive month in October, while the labor market also showed signs of improvement in data published on Wednesday.

U.S. stocks rose broadly on Wednesday on positive economic data and ahead of a Federal Reserve statement on interest rates and the economy that is expected to keep government support in place.

Automatic Data Processing Inc posted higher quarterly earnings on Wednesday as the world's largest payroll processing company trimmed expenses to offset lower sales.

U.S. stocks rose broadly on Wednesday on positive economic data and ahead of a Federal Reserve statement on interest rates and the economy that is expected to keep government support in place.

Merck & Co and Schering-Plough Corp said their $41.1 billion merger will be completed later on Tuesday, marking the close of the second huge deal in the pharmaceutical industry in recent weeks.

The global meltdown and resulting implosion in vehicle sales over the past year have pressured everyone in the automotive sector, creating opportunities for some players while leaving others subject to bankruptcy, consolidation or concessions.