Dodd: hopes for financial reform deal within days
Senator Christopher Dodd, chief negotiator for the Democrats in talks on a bipartisan financial reform bill in the U.S. Senate, on Friday said lawmakers are not there yet on reaching an agreement but said he hopes one will be reached within days.
Clashes erupt at Jerusalem holy site
Israeli police and Palestinians clashed near Jerusalem's flashpoint al-Aqsa mosque on Friday and about 30 people were injured, Israeli police and Palestinian medical workers said.
Iraqi leaders wind up election campaign
Iraqi politicians made their last pitches to voters on Friday before a parliamentary poll that al Qaeda-linked militants have sworn to derail with violence.
Icesave talks collapse ahead of referendum
Iceland walked away from talks on Friday with the Netherlands and Britain over debts related to the 2008 collapse of its banking system, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Could germs be making you fat?
(Reuters) - Germs that make their home in the gut may help cause obesity and a range of health-threatening symptoms that go along with it, researchers reported on Thursday.
China's Wen says seeks peace, trade deal with Taiwan
China said on Friday it wants to sign a broad economic agreement with Taiwan, which would slash import tariffs and open the banking sector, as part of a drive to promote peaceful ties with the self-ruled island.
Travelers from Haiti bringing malaria to U.S.
(Reuters) - Health experts watching for signs of a malaria outbreak have noticed several cases of the mosquito-borne disease among people traveling back from Haiti, where an earthquake in January killed as many as 300,000 people.
UK PM Brown says Iraq War was justified
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told an official inquiry into the 2003 invasion of Iraq on Friday that going to war had been the right decision and that he had provided the necessary funding for military action.
Obesity and depression are a two-way street
There is a reciprocal association over time between depression and obesity, Dr. Floriana S. Luppino, of Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands, told Reuters Health by email.
U.S. recalls common flavoring after contamination
(Reuters) - U.S. food regulators announced a voluntary recall on Thursday of food made with a common flavoring that could be contaminated with salmonella bacteria but did not estimate how broad the recall will be.
Economy sheds 36,000 jobs, weather impact unclear
U.S. employers cut a smaller than expected 36,000 jobs in February, leaving the unemployment rate steady at 9.7 percent, bolstering views the labor market was on the brink of creating jobs.
Toyota sued over deaths in key California crash
Relatives of a California state trooper and three family members whose fatal car wreck helped spark Toyota's wide-ranging safety recall have sued the automaker for defects they say caused the vehicle to speed out of control and crash.
Apple sets iPad launch date, international plans
Apple Inc said on Friday that U.S. sales of its iPad tablet would kick off on April 3 and international sales would start later in April.
Bollore, Pininfarina set electric car plans
An electric car developed by French financier Vincent Bollore and Italian car designer Pininfarina SpA may be available by autumn, Bollore told Reuters at the Geneva auto show.
Ford to tout fuel economy of new Mustang
Ford Motor Co, aiming to take back the top spot in U.S. sports car sales, will tout the improved fuel economy of the Mustang in a marketing blitz to correspond with the release of 2011 model this spring.
Tokyo pins IPO hopes on insurer's bumper offer
IPOs don't get much larger than the $12 billion offering from Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance Co, Japan's second-biggest insurer, and optimism is running high.
Feb payrolls fall 36,000, weather impact unclear
U.S. employers cut a smaller than expected 36,000 jobs in February, leaving the unemployment rate unchanged at 9.7 percent, according to a government report on Friday which said it was unclear how severe weather had impacted payrolls.
UK may ask EU to probe P&G's Sara Lee deal
The Office of Fair Trading said it was considering whether Procter & Gamble's acquisition of Sara Lee's air freshener unit should be investigated by European authorities.
Pru may exit some Asia markets post-AIA buy - sources
Britain's Prudential Plc may quit some countries in Asia should it seal a $35.5 billion buy of American International Group's AIA.
K+S says Morton Salt exceeded internal '09 targets
US salt maker Morton Salt, part of German potash miner K+S since October, surpassed its internal targets for 2009 operating profit, K+S told staff in an in-house publication.
Glencore buys back Prodeco, still mulling partner
Swiss-based commodity trader Glencore bought back its prized Prodeco coal operations in Colombia from mining group Xstrata and it was still talking to possible partners.
Blackstone hopes to sign first Australian deal in 2010
Giant private equity fund Blackstone Group hopes to close its first Australian deal this year and is looking at a deal in Japan and South Korea.
EU urged to level playing field for Web browsers
Makers of six small Web browsers are urging the European Union to push Microsoft Corp to provide them more visibility in its browser choice website.
Stock futures climb ahead of February's jobs report
Stock index futures rose on Friday as investors appeared ready to welcome any sign of fewer job losses in impending payroll data as improvement in the economy and dismiss any weakness as temporary.
Oil rises towards $81; China signals stimulus
Crude climbed toward $81 a barrel on Friday, approaching a seven-week high, after signals China will maintain its economic stimulus measures boosted hopes strong growth will help drain excess oil supplies.
BP CEO pay soars as profits dive
The chief executive of Europe's largest oil company by production, BP Plc, enjoyed a 41 percent rise in total pay in 2009, even though profits dropped 45 percent.
Blizzards seen slamming payrolls in February
The number of people working in the United States likely fell in February as winter storms that pounded parts of the country kept some workers at home but a swift recovery is expected in March.
Stock futures higher ahead of February's jobs report
Stock index futures rose on Friday as investors awaited a key report on the employment picture for clues on the health of the economy.
Iceland gets some rare upbeat news on eve of vote
Iceland's economy grew briskly in the latest quarter, its best performance since the country's financial system nearly collapsed in 2008 and a rare dose of positive news ahead of a referendum over foreign debts.
Stock futures point to higher open on Wall St
Stocks futures edged up on Friday, pointing to a slightly firmer start for Wall Street, as shares added to gains from the previous session ahead of a key labor market report.
