IBT Staff Reporter

Motorola Inc and Nortel Networks Corp are in talks to combine their wireless infrastructure units, the Wall Street Journal reported, quoting people familiar with the situation.

Samsung and LG Electronics on Monday showed new phones using free Linux software from Mobile Linux foundation, which said in total 18 phones from seven vendors would use its software.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Monday he backed a brief pause in U.S. troop reductions from Iraq once an initial pullout of five combat brigades has been completed in July.

Friends and family of actor Heath Ledger gathered in Perth for a private funeral service on Saturday followed by a spontaneous splash in the West Australian surf.

A second trader questioned about massive losses at Societe Generale was released without charges by authorities on Saturday.

The Writers Guild of America and studio chiefs have reached a tentative deal for a new three-year contract to end the Hollywood writer's strike.

A private funeral for Hollywood actor Heath Ledger will be held in Perth today his family says, according to reports.

Codelco will launch an investment plan of $2 billion in 2008 to finance 550 projects, reported Chile newspaper El Mercurio on Friday.

The head of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Friday he is urging the agency to approve Liberty Media's acquisition of News Corp's stake in DirecTV.

Hedge funds - the large, private pools of investment capital - and private equity firms, are giving campaign funds to Democrats at a faster pace than Republicans in this year's presidential race.

Hedge fund managers are backing politicians

Exxon Mobil's no-holds-barred legal fight against Venezuela

Copper rose on Friday as demand increased and supplies dropped the most since October 30.

Norwich Union International, the Dublin based offshore business of Aviva Plc has reported sales growth of 60 per cent in 2007, worth a total of £521 million.

Lord Digby Jones, the Trade and Industry Minister has said that Government plans to tax non-domiciles could damage London's top position in global finance, saying it could discourage top investors and business people from coming to the capital.

A man connected to Societe Generale trader Jerome Kerviel is being held by the French police.

Compass Group Plc has reported a strong first quarter and said that global revenues had increase organically in line with last years levels.

The Atlantis space shuttle, which was launched yesterday, continued to sail smoothly as it headed towards the International Space Station for the long-awaited delivery of a European laboratory.

Google's Android mobile operating system may be the face of the show at the world's biggest wireless fair next week as the firm expects many companies to demonstrate their prototype devices using its Android OS.

Gold futures closed with strong gains Friday, rising as the dollar traded lower against a basket of its major foreign-exchange counterparts. Platinum Gained.

Corn gained on Friday after the U.S. government forecasted low production in Argentine and Mexico, which may boost demand for U.S. grain used as animal feed.

Natural gas increased on Friday stretching its rally to 6.9 percent since Feb. 1 and 10.6 percent this year.

U.S. President George W. Bush on Friday visited Tennessee, one of the areas that were affected by the tornadoes that swept through five states earlier this week.

French trader Jerome Kerviel, accused by his former bank Societe Generale of causing a $4.9 billion euro ($7.2 billion) loss, is again in police custody as another trader is questioned to see if there is a link to alleged unauthorized deals. A court in Paris reversed a decision to let the 31-year old junior trader free during the investigation. The court was concerned that Kerviel could try to flee or contact any possible accomplices.

A major investor in Yahoo Inc has met with Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer to see if he would raise a $42 billion unsolicited offer for the company, the New York Post reported on Friday. Capital Research and Management, which owns more than 11 percent of Yahoo shares and more than 6 percent of Microsoft, wants to know how much more the software maker might pay if Yahoo rejects the initial offer, the Post said, citing a source familiar with the meeting.

Dell said on Friday that it cut a majority of computers from its website which feature processors from Advanced Micro Devices, adding to the woes of chipmaker's ailing stock.

U.S. stocks ended mixed on Friday with the Dow Jones ending its worst week in almost five years as ongoing credit market woes dragged down the financial sector increasing anxiety over the broader economy. The Nasdaq, despite being down for the week, rose as investors snatched up the biggest names in technology which have recently been left affected. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones industrial average, which rose in earlier trading, fell more than 60 points.

Treasuries staged a comeback as safe-haven vehicles on Friday as greater risks of a U.S. recession raised the chance of a U.S. recession.

McDonald's Corp , the world's largest fast-food chain, said on Friday that sales in the United States rebounded in January, easing investors fears after a flat December, sending its stock up more than 2 percent.