EUROPEAN UNION

Helle Thorning-Schmidt is set to become Denmark's first woman prime minister after her leftist alliance defeated the coalition led by current Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen in Thursday's election.

Stock futures pointed to a weaker open for equities on Wall Street on Friday after strong gains in the previous session, with futures for the S&P 500, for the Dow Jones and for the Nasdaq 100 down 0.4-0.7 percent.

Morocco's trade deficit expanded 22.6 percent in the January-August period from a year ago to 122.2 billion dirhams due mainly to higher spending on energy imports, official data showed on Thursday.

The world's major central banks, led by the European Central Bank and the U.S. Federal Reserve, in a coordinated effort Thursday intervened to provide dollar loans to commercial banks in an effort to maintain liquidity in Europe and check institutional investor concern about Europe's private sector banks. What will be the impact on U.S. stocks?

The Scandinavian country of Denmark is staging a fascinating general election in which the nation’s faltering economy is expected to serve as the principal issue facing voters.

Helle Thorning-Schmidt, is poised to become Denmark’s first female Prime Minister.

Asian stocks bounced on Thursday after tentative steps by euro zone policymakers to tackle a crippling debt crisis, but investors remained wary that obstacles the bloc's leaders face could weigh on the euro and Asian currencies in the medium term.

Thirty people died in Angola on Wednesday when a military plane crashed shortly after take off. Six people survived the accident with moderate to severe burns.

The European Union wants more clarity from Beijing on increased export quotas for rare earth minerals from dominant producer China in meetings next month and December, Europe's trade chief said.

China always has confidence in the euro, Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang said at a China-Europe forum on Wednesday, offering reassurance that China will continue to invest in Europe.

A spokesman for Merkel said that she and Sarkozy emphasized that Athens must dutifully adhere to its deficit-reduction goals.

Gold prices settled moderately lower Wednesday after a string of European developments during the trading session boosted investor hope that the continent's sovereign debt crisis is finally getting the attention it requires.

The United States gave Libya's new rulers a very visible show of support on Wednesday when a senior envoy visited the capital and praised their efforts to assert control of armed groups three weeks after Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown.

Canada should see modest economic growth and avoid a double-dip recession, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said on Wednesday.

Gold extended its losses Wednesday after Italian lawmakers approved a major austerity program, the latest in a string of signs that Europe's debt crises may be finally getting the attention they deserve.

Gold prices fell Wednesday as stock markets in Europe posted gains from European Commission plans to push euro zone bonds and China's premier expressed support for struggling European countries.

After an explosion at a Nuclear power plant in France on Monday, President Nicholas Sarkozy has remained mum. Sarkozy is perhaps the world's biggest political proponent of nuclear energy, and he has repeatedly insisted that France's plants are the safest, most modern in the world.

Samsung is alleging that its Cupertino-based rival's iPhone and iPad devices infringe on three Samsung-owned patents.

Two workers were reportedly exposed to radiation when a fire broke out at the Marcoule nuclear power plant in the south of France on Monday. One person was killed and another four injured.

In France, a nuclear explosion has killed one and injured four more. The event comes on the heels of a re-investment in nuclear energy by President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Aisling McNiffe's voice crackles when she talks about her son's school prospects.