JTO -- JTOnline

International Headlines

2010-09-06T09:55:00.001-04:00

Date: Monday, September 6, 2010
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 06 September, 2010

> REPORT: 2,000 MORE TROOPS MAY DEPLOY TO AFGHANISTAN
As many as 2,000 additional troops -- including U.S. forces --
may be headed to Afghanistan in the coming weeks under a plan
proposed by Gen. David Petraeus.

> JAPAN: GREENPEACE ACTIVISTS SENTENCED
A court in northern Japan found two Greenpeace activists guilty
Monday for stealing whale meat, but suspended their sentences,
Greenpeace Japan said.

> N. KOREA TO RELEASE S. KOREAN BOAT CREW
North Korea has decided to return a South Korean fishing boat
and its crew, after the North's navy intercepted them in its
waters in August, state-run media said Monday.

> BOMB BLAST HITS PAKISTANI POLICE BUILDING
At least 17 people were killed and 40 wounded in northwest
Pakistan Monday -- the latest in a series of suspected suicide
attacks in less than a week in the country.

> PLAN C FOR CHILE MINE RESCUE: OIL DRILL
Hedging their bets, officials in Chile said they will set up an
oil drill as a third option to rescue the 33 miners trapped
underground since August 5.

International Headlins

2010-09-05T15:46:00.001-04:00

Date: Saturday, September 4, 2010
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 04 September, 2010

> STATE OF EMERGENCY IN QUAKE-TORN NEW ZEALAND CITY
A powerful earthquake hits near New Zealand's second-largest
city, sending people into the streets as buildings crumble.
Officials report no fatalities

> MORE U.S. AID TO FLOOD RAVAGED PAKISTAN
President Obama issued a presidential order on Friday
authorizing emergency funds to Pakistan's flood victims, the
White House announced Friday.

> UPS CARGO PLANE CRASHES NEAR DUBAI
A cargo plane has crashed in an uninhabited area near the Dubai
airport, according to the official WAM news agency in the United
Arab Emirates.

> HUMAN TRAFFICKING RING EXPOSED IN U.S.
Six job recruiters have been indicted in federal court in what
the FBI has called the largest human-trafficking operation ever
to result in charges in the United States.

> NASA TO PRESENT MINE RESCUE OPTIONS
NASA experts will present recommendations Friday for rescuing 33
miners trapped deep underground in Chile. Drilling a tunnel to
the men is expected to take months.

HURRICANE DOWNGRADED, STILL 'DANGEROUS'
A weakened Hurricane Earl brushed North Carolina's Outer Banks
overnight as residents along the Eastern Seaboard braced for a
stormy Friday.

> BUFFETT, GATES ON CHINESE MISSION
Having persuaded many of their billionaire peers in the US into
giving away chunks of money, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett are
travelling to China to host newly minted Chinese tycoons to sell
them on the value of philanthropy.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> OBAMA PROMISES NEW JOBS INITIATIVES
President Obama promised to lay out a broad package of ideas for
job creation next week and slamming Senate Republicans for
blocking his small business aid legislation.

> CAN CHINESE MEDIA RULE THE AIRWAVES?
At a time when many Western media outlets are contracting,
Chinese media outlets are expanding, rapidly.

> FEARS GROW OVER GLOBAL FOOD SUPPLY
Russia announced a 12-month extension of its grain export ban on
Thursday, raising fears about a return to the food shortages and
riots of 2007-08 which spread through developing countries
dependent on imports.

Stocks extended gains as investors welcomed surprisingly strong retail sales. Dow rose 50 points. Nasdaq and S&P add about 1%.

2010-09-02T19:21:00.001-04:00

Date: Sep 2, 2010 4:02 PM

Stocks extended gains as investors welcomed surprisingly strong retail sales. Dow rose 50 points. Nasdaq and S&P add about 1%.

Stocks open slightly higher after new jobless claims and retail sales come in better than expected. Dow gains 6 points.

2010-09-02T10:26:00.001-04:00

Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 09:32:07 -0400

Stocks open slightly higher after new jobless claims and retail sales
come in better than expected. Dow gains 6 points.

European Central Bank holds key rate steady at 1%

2010-09-02T08:42:00.001-04:00

Date: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:49:44 -0400

European Central Bank holds key rate steady at 1%
09/02/2010 07:48:07 AM EDT

The number of people filing for initial unemployment claims unexpectedly fell to 472,000 for week ending Aug. 21.

2010-09-02T08:36:00.000-04:00

Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 08:33:07 -0400

The number of people filing for initial unemployment claims
unexpectedly fell to 472,000 for week ending Aug. 21.

International Headlines

2010-09-02T08:35:00.001-04:00

Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2010 05:02:04 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 02 September, 2010

> MIDEAST CONFLICT CENTER STAGE IN WASHINGTON
Ahead of direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians on
Thursday, U.S. President Barack Obama said he was "hopeful --
cautiously hopeful" for a two-state solution.

> 3 BABIES FOUND BURIED AT DUTCH HOME
Dutch investigators were trying to determine Thursday whether
the bodies of three babies found at a home in the Netherlands
belong to the woman who lived there.

> DEATH TOLL TOPS 30 IN LAHORE BLASTS
The death toll from a trio of suicide attacks during a Shiite
processions in Lahore, Pakistan, grew to 31 Thursday,
authorities said Thursday.

> HURRICANE HEADS FOR U.S. EAST COAST
Hurricane Earl took aim on the Outer Banks of North Carolina
early Thursday as the powerful storm prepared to take a swipe at
the Eastern Seaboard.

> DUTCH FREE TWO MEN HELD IN TERROR PROBE
Two Yemeni men arrested as possible terror suspects at Schiphol
International Airport in the Netherlands have been cleared of
wrongdoing and freed, Dutch authorities said.

> U.S. TRANSFERS COMMAND IN IRAQ
Vice President Joe Biden marks the transfer of U.S. military
command in Iraq by promising that American engagement with
Baghdad "will continue."

> POLICE: 16 MIGRANTS KIDNAPPED IN MEXICO
At least 16 migrants, including a woman, were being held for
ransom by human smugglers in Tijuana, Mexico, according to a
migrant who was freed, authorities said late Wednesday.

> MOZAMBIQUE FOOD RIOTS TURN DEADLY
Three people died and dozens were injured in riots over
increases in the price of bread, water, energy and other
critical goods in Mozambique, the southern African nation's
official news agency reported Wednesday.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> DATA BOOST FROM ECONOMIC GIANTS
A surprise bounce in manufacturing activity in the world's two
biggest economies in August cheered investors as it ended the
bleak run of US economic data over the summer.

> INDIA WANTS SKYPE, GOOGLE DATA
India is extending a crackdown on BlackBerry to other e-mail and
internet communications providers, including Skype and Google, a
senior government official said on Wednesday.

> ECO-TOURISM IN WAR-TORN SIERRA LEONE
For many people, the name Sierra Leone still conjures up images
of the country's decade-long civil war and subsequent war crimes
trials.

Markets, Wednesday, 09/1/2010

2010-09-01T17:54:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:43:28 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,269.47 up 254.75 | S & P : 1,080.29 up 30.96
|
| NASDAQ: 2,176.84 up 62.81 | Bond (10Y): 2.58% up 0.105
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
September surprise: Stocks soar
September rally is in full swing after a report shows an unexpected
rise in manufacturing activity. Dow jumps 254 points, Nasdaq, S&P 500
gain 3%.

Stocks rocket up as investors cheer strong U.S. and Chinese manufacturing. Dow rises 254 ponts. Nasdaq, S&P add 3%.

2010-09-01T17:06:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 16:06:03 -0400

Stocks rocket up as investors cheer strong U.S. and Chinese
manufacturing. Dow rises 254 ponts. Nasdaq, S&P add 3%.

U.S. stocks surge on hopes over economic growth

2010-09-01T13:49:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, Sep 1, 2010 at 12:00 PM

U.S. STOCKS SURGE ON HOPES OVER ECONOMIC GROWTH

U.S. stocks start month on a strong note after a reading on manufacturing activity climbs in August, defying expectations of a fall.

AUG. PRIVATE-SECTOR PAYROLLS FALL 10,000: ADP
U.S. private-sector employment fell 10,000 in August, according to the ADP employment report released Wednesday, breaking a six-month run of increases.

CEOS THAT LAY OFF WORKERS EARN MORE: STUDY
Chief executives of the 50 firms that laid off the most workers since the onset of the economic crisis earned 42% more than the average pay for an S&P 500 company, according to a study released Wednesday.

MEN LOSE MORE GROUND THAN WOMEN IN PAY SLIDE
Wage growth among middle- and low-income U.S. workers has been shaky for a decade, but in the last three years it collapsed, with wages growing at less than half the rate they had in the period right before the recession, and some workers' pay actually decreasing.

SALARIES AND WAGES ARE RISING, BUT NOT BY MUCH
After two years of holding back on salary raises, U.S. employers say they plan bigger increases of workers' wages in 2011 -- but those plans could change if the economy continues to falter.

International Headlines

2010-09-01T10:25:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 05:02:04 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 01 September, 2010

> OBAMA ENVOY SEES 'WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY' FOR MIDEAST PEACE
U.S. President Barack Obama seeks to broker Mideast peace, with
his envoy identifying an opportunity for Israeli and Palestinian
leaders to reach a deal within a year.

> BIDEN TO MARK IRAQ POWER TRANSFER
After more than seven years of American military operations in
Iraq, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will help mark the transfer
of U.S. military command in Iraq on Wednesday.

> HURRICANE EARL SPURS EVACUATIONS IN U.S.
As Hurricane Earl continues to spin toward the East Coast,
authorities in North Carolina are ordering more people to get
out of the way.

> POLICE DISMANTLE MALE PROSTITUTION RING
National Police said Tuesday an investigation that began in
February has resulted in the arrest of 14 people involved in an
organization dedicated to the sexual exploitation of men,
Spain's first such bust of its kind.

> EIGHT KILLED IN CANCUN BAR BOMBING
Eight people died early Tuesday after attackers hurled several
Molotov cocktails into a Cancun, Mexico, bar, the state attorney
general said.

> WEATHER STALLS EFFORT ON BP OIL WELL
Thad Allen, the government's point man on the BP oil disaster,
and Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser will meet
Tuesday before briefing the public on the cleanup effort.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> AXIS OF FASHION WORLD TILTS EAST
From individual consumers of luxury goods, the Chinese and
Indians have become consumers of luxury companies, in a shift
that has far-reaching implications for the $80 billion a year
industry.

> CURRENCY TRADING HITS RECORD LEVELS
Currency trading has surged to record levels in 2010, even as
the foreign exchange market becomes increasingly concentrated
among a smaller number of banks and trading centres.

> CHINESE MANUFACTURERS REPORT GROWTH
Fears that the Chinese economy is running out of steam eased
after a survey showed that factory activity accelerated in
August, but results from other Asian economies were gloomier due
to slackening demand from beyond the region.

Dow spikes 127 points at the open on strong economic data out of China. Nasdaq up 1.6%; S&P 500 rises 1.3%.

2010-09-01T09:36:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 09:33:04 -0400

Dow spikes 127 points at the open on strong economic data out of
China. Nasdaq up 1.6%; S&P 500 rises 1.3%.

U.S. private-sector employment down 10,000 in August; July growth revised down 5,000

2010-09-01T09:33:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:22:17 -0400

U.S. private-sector employment down 10,000 in August; July growth
revised down 5,000
09/01/2010 08:20:36 AM EDT

Number of planned job cuts plummeted to a 10-year low in August, first decline in 3 months, says outplacement firm Challenger.

2010-09-01T09:30:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 07:34:07 -0400

Number of planned job cuts plummeted to a 10-year low in August, first
decline in 3 months, says outplacement firm Challenger.

Breaking News

2010-08-31T20:15:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:08:04 -0400

U.S. President Barack Obama declares the U.S. combat mission in Iraq
over, pledging continued commitment to Iraq.

Markets, Tuesday, 08/31/2010

2010-08-31T18:02:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:56:48 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,014.72 up 4.99. | S & P : 1,049.33 up 0.41
|
|NASDAQ: 2,114.03 down 5.94 | Bond (10Y): 2.48% down 0.068
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Stocks end August with a whimper
All three major gauges end the month with losses. Investors mull Fed
meeting minutes and relatively upbeat economic news.

Stocks fall, giving up early gains, after Fed minutes show conflict over economic policy. Dow, S&P and Nasdaq end the month lower.

2010-08-31T16:16:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:02:05 -0400

Stocks fall, giving up early gains, after Fed minutes show conflict
over economic policy. Dow, S&P and Nasdaq end the month lower.

SAKS MAY GET A $1.7 BILLION BID: REPORT

2010-08-31T12:31:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 12:00:51 -0400

SAKS MAY GET A $1.7 BILLION BID: REPORT
The luxury retailer Saks could soon be on the receiving end of a $1.7
billion cash bid from a group of U.S. and U.K. private-equity firms,
according to a media report.

HERMES INTERNATIONAL'S FIRST-HALF PROFIT RISES 55%
Hermes International SCA, the Paris luxury-goods producer, reported
Tuesday a 55% surge in first-half net profit, buoyed by strong sales
in Asia.

RETAIL GIANT CARREFOUR SWINGS TO PROFIT
Carrefour, the world's second-largest retailer, posts a first-half net
profit and expresses confidence in meeting financial goals for the
year as its unveils changes in its hypermarket format.

FDIC says number of troubled banks in second quarter rises to 829 – highest since 1992.

2010-08-31T11:36:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:12:03 -0400

FDIC says number of troubled banks in second quarter rises to 829 –
highest since 1992.

Consumer confidence improved in August, beating economist forecasts. Index stands at 53.5, up from 51 in July.

2010-08-31T11:34:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:07:03 -0400

Consumer confidence improved in August, beating economist forecasts.
Index stands at 53.5, up from 51 in July.

Stocks open lower as investors remain jittery about the recovery. Dow drops 30 points. Nasdaq slides 0.4%. S&P 500 falls 0.3%.

2010-08-31T09:38:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:32:03 -0400

Stocks open lower as investors remain jittery about the recovery. Dow
drops 30 points. Nasdaq slides 0.4%. S&P 500 falls 0.3%.

International Headlines

2010-08-31T09:16:00.000-04:00

Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 05:02:09 -0400

> DUTCH ARRESTS OVER AIRPORT SECURITY CONCERNS
Two men held in the Netherlands may have been trying to test
U.S. airport security by putting bottles with electronic devices
attached in checked bags, a source said.

> WORK DUE TO BEGIN ON MINE RESCUE SHAFT
Chilean officials plan to start drilling a rescue shaft Monday
as they begin a months-long operation to reach 33 miners trapped
underground since August 5.

> SOUTH AFRICA UPS OFFER TO STRIKERS
The South African government has increased its wage and housing
offers to striking workers, a union spokesman said.

> UPDATE EXPECTED ON STALLED GULF CLEANUP
Thad Allen, the government's point man on the BP oil disaster,
and Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser will meet
Tuesday before briefing the public on the cleanup effort.

> KENYA, AFRICAN UNION DEFEND BASHIR VISIT
Kenya and the African Union are defending a visit by Sudanese
President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted on allegations of war
crimes and genocide.

> U.S. EXPANDS SANCTIONS ON NORTH KOREA
U.S. President Barack Obama issued an executive order to impose
financial sanctions on North Korean entities and individuals
doing business with and for the secretive nation.

> S. KOREA OFFERS FLOOD AID TO N. KOREA
South Korea's Red Cross has offered $8.4 million in flood aid to
North Korea, the Yonhap news agency said Tuesday.

> ISRAELI PM HEADS FOR PEACE TALKS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaves for Washington,
D.C., on Tuesday with the goal to "seriously and responsibly"
advance a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~
> WHY ARE CHINA BANK RESULTS SO SIMILAR?
China's big banks are all majority owned by the state, their top
executives are mostly former central bankers. But even for such
a homogenous industry their first-half profit results looked
eerily similar.

> CEO PAY HITS FRESH PR MINEFIELD
Is a chief executive's job 19 times more valuable than that of
the US president and hundreds of times more valuable than the
average worker in his or her company?

> AIRLINES' SHARES SOAR
Airline share prices have risen more than 70 per cent from their
lowest point at the beginning of last year, outperforming the
broader equity market, as investors bet on a strong recovery in
the highly cyclical aviation business.

Markets, Monday, 08/30/2010

2010-08-30T19:13:00.002-04:00

Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:09:38 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,009.73 down 140.92 | S & P : 1,048.92 down 15.67 |
| NASDAQ: 2,119.97 down 33.66 | Bond (10Y): 2.54% down 0.107
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Stocks drop as fear returns
Worries about the U.S. economic recovery overshadow billion-dollar
corporate deals and Bank of Japan's new monetary-easing policies.

Stocks tumble on thin summer trading as doubts over the recovery persist. The Dow shed 140 points; Nasdaq and S&P fall about 1.5%.

2010-08-30T18:32:00.001-04:00

Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:01:07 -0400

Stocks tumble on thin summer trading as doubts over the recovery
persist. The Dow shed 140 points; Nasdaq and S&P fall about 1.5%.

Genzyme rejects Sanofi-Aventis buyout offer

2010-08-30T12:39:00.001-04:00

Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:00:51 -0400

Genzyme rejects Sanofi-Aventis buyout offer
Genzyme formally rejects a $69-a-share buyout offer made by
Sanofi-Aventis, saying it undervalues the biotechnology company.

DOLLAR GAINS ON EURO; YEN RISES BROADLY
Japan's yen advances after an emergency easing by the Bank of Japan
failed to stem recent strength in the currency. The dollar mostly
gains but loses ground agains the yen.

U.S. STOCKS FALTER AS INVESTORS FIXATE ON ECONOMY
Wall Street trades broadly lower to start off a week that culminates
with the U.S. employment report for August.

ISRAEL STOCKS SLIP; PARTNER RISES AFTER REPORT
Israeli stocks edge lower on Monday, with strength in Ratio Oil and
Israel Chemicals offset by weakness among the banks, the chemicals
companies and the drugmakers.

SALARIES AND WAGES ARE RISING, BUT NOT BY MUCH
After two years of holding back on salary raises, U.S. employers say
they plan bigger increases of workers' wages in 2011 -- but those
plans could change if the economy continues to falter.

International Headlines

2010-08-30T10:22:00.001-04:00

Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 05:02:06 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 30 August, 2010

> DRILLING TO REACH TRAPPED CHILEAN MINERS SET TO BEGIN
Chilean officials plan to start drilling a rescue shaft Monday
as they begin a months-long operation to reach 33 miners trapped
underground since August 5.

> BP STARTS FINAL STEP TO KILL GULF OIL WELL
More than three weeks after plugging its ruptured oil well with
cement and mud from above, BP plans to start a procedure Monday
that will pave the way for a permanent fix for the well.

> 9 DIE IN RUSSIAN RETIREMENT HOME FIRE
A fire at a retirement home northwest of Moscow killed nine
people early Monday morning, Russian state media said.

> BANK OF JAPAN TAKES STIMULUS STEPS
The Bank of Japan moved to halt the rise of the yen and support
the country's faltering economy by expanding a special bank
lending programme by half to Y30,000bn.

> MAYOR KILLED IN MEXICAN BORDER STATE
The mayor of a city in the Mexican border state of Tamaulipas
was killed and his 10-year-old daughter was injured Sunday,
officials said.

> OVER 30 AFGHAN INSURGENTS KILLED
Afghan and coalition soldiers killed more than 30 insurgents,
including 13 would-be suicide bombers, as they fought off
assaults on two military bases and government buildings in
eastern Afghanistan, the NATO-led International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF) said on Sunday.

> ALLEGED CRICKET BETTING SCAM MAN BAILED
UK police interviewed four members of the Pakistani cricket team
over allegations that gamblers fixed part of a match against
England, the Pakistani team manager says.

> NETANYAHU: ISRAEL'S GOAL IS PEACE
Israel's goal is to "responsibly and seriously promote a peace
agreement" in the upcoming direct talks with Palestinians,
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in his weekly
Cabinet meeting Sunday.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> GOOGLE PLANS PAY-PER-VIEW FILMS
Google's YouTube video site is in negotiations with Hollywood's
leading movie studios to launch a global pay-per-view video
service by the end of 2010, doing battle with Apple for digital
distribution.

> DOWNBEAT MOOD AT JACKSON HOLE
If the mood at Jackson Hole in 2008 was one of crisis, and 2009
sounded relief, the mood in 2010 was one of angst.

> THREE MEXICAN AIRLINES SHUT DOWN
Grupo Mexicana suspended operations at its three airlines
Saturday "until further notice," citing the financial problems
inherited when the group changed owners a week ago.

Stocks open lower after reports show personal spending rose, but Americans still aren't saving enough. Dow dips 25 points.

2010-08-30T10:04:00.000-04:00

Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:34:04 -0400

Stocks open lower after reports show personal spending rose, but
Americans still aren't saving enough. Dow dips 25 points.

International Headlines

2010-08-29T09:27:00.001-04:00

Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 05:02:04 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 29 August, 2010

> THOUSANDS FLEE AFTER VOLCANO ERUPTS IN INDONESIA
A volcano that had been inactive for more than 400 years erupted
in Indonesia early Sunday, causing thousands of people to flee
their homes, officials said.

> PLAN B: WIDEN CHILE MINERS' SUPPLY PIPE
Engineers in Chile say they are preparing to use a special
drill, typically used to bore wells, to halve the time it will
take to reach 33 men trapped in a mine since August 5.

> MORE DEATHS FEARED AS FLOOD RECEDES
The death toll from Pakistan's massive flooding could rise
substantially as flood waters recede and more bodies surface,
government officials say.

> IRAN CUTS VISITS FOR WOMAN FACING DEATH
The Iranian woman awaiting possible execution by stoning was
denied visits from her family and attorney this week, just days
after her lawyer's home was ransacked and searched.

> EXPLOSION AS MEXICANS MOURN MIGRANTS
An explosive device detonated Saturday three blocks away from a
mass honoring 72 migrants found slain near the Mexican border,
state media reported.

> REPORT: KIM JONG IL WRAPS UP CHINA TRIP
North Korean leader Kim Jong Il may have met with Chinese
President Hu Jintao on Friday, South Korea's official news
agency reported.

> ICC: NO PLAYER ARRESTS OVER SCAM CLAIM
No players or team officials have been arrested in connection
with a British tabloid's expose on an alleged match-fixing scam
involving the Pakistani cricket team, the International Cricket
Council said Sunday.

> CHINA ORGANIZES PROBE INTO PLANE CRASH
China's State Council has organized a task force of six central
government agencies to investigate the country's first fatal
passenger plane crash in almost six years, state media reported
Saturday.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> BOEING DELAYS DREAMLINER DELIVERY DATE
Boeing has said its 787 Dreamliner passenger jet will be delayed
by several more weeks. The jet is already more than two years
late.

> FED STANDS BY TO BOOST U.S. GROWTH
Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve chairman, said on Friday that
weaker-than-expected consumer spending growth and a "depressed"

International Headlines

2010-08-28T11:11:00.001-04:00

Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 05:01:07 -0400

>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 28 August, 2010

> IRAQ PUT ON HIGH ALERT AHEAD OF EXPECTED BOMBING CAMPAIGN
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has warned of likely attacks
across the country and put security forces on high alert
following a recent wave of 20 bomb attacks.

> SOLDIERS FIGHT OFF ATTACKS IN AFGHANISTAN
Afghan soldiers and coalition troops stopped two attacks on
military bases in Khost province Saturday, the NATO-led
International Security Assistance Force said.

> 'PLAN B' IN WORKS TO HELP TRAPPED MINERS
The 33 miners trapped in a Chilean mine have been told for the
first time that they will be stranded up to four months. But a
proposed "Plan B" may hasten their rescue.

> LEAD COP IN MEXICO MASSACRE MISSING
A lead investigator and another official looking into the
massacre of 72 migrants in northern Mexico are missing, Mexico's
president said Friday.

> FIREFIGHT ERUPTS NEAR U.S. CONSULATE
Gunmen and security forces exchanged fire early Saturday near
the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan, intelligence officials
said.

> 6 MISSING AFTER RUSSIAN TUGBOAT SINKS
The search resumed Saturday for six sailors missing after their
tugboat sank in the Laptev Sea off Siberia's northern coast,
Russian news agencies reported.

> SOURCES: U.S. DRONE KILLS 3 MILITANTS
Three suspected militants were killed when a suspected U.S.
drone fired four missiles on two vehicles in Pakistan's tribal
region, Pakistan intelligence officials told CNN Friday.

> WORKER CHARGED IN HOSPITAL FIRE DEATHS
A Romanian hospital worker has been arrested on charges of
negligence with severe consequences relating to a deadly fire at
a hospital in which five babies died.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> BOEING DELAYS DREAMLINER DELIVERY DATE
Boeing has said its 787 Dreamliner passenger jet will be delayed
by several more weeks. The jet is already more than two years
late.

> FED STANDS BY TO BOOST U.S. GROWTH
Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve chairman, said on Friday that
weaker-than-expected consumer spending growth and a "depressed"

> HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY, WARREN BUFFETT
Warren Buffett is poised to celebrate his 80th birthday having
emerged from the financial crisis not only with his reputation
intact, but burnished.

Markets, Friday, 08/27/2010

2010-08-27T18:52:00.001-04:00

Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:31:05 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,150.65 up 164.84 | S & P : 1,064.59 up 17.37
|
| NASDAQ: 2,153.63 up 34.94 | Bond (10Y): 2.65% up 0.153
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Stocks shake off recovery jitters
Stocks rally as investors focus on GDP, taking Bernanke's cautious
comments and Intel's sales warning with a pinch of salt. Dow surges
165 points.

Stocks end with a bang - Dow gains 165 points - as Bernanke calms fears over lower GDP revision. Nasdaq and S&P 500 gain 1.6%.

2010-08-27T16:07:00.001-04:00

Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:03:07 -0400

Stocks end with a bang - Dow gains 165 points - as Bernanke calms
fears over lower GDP revision. Nasdaq and S&P 500 gain 1.6%.

Stocks gain on Bernanke comments, GDP revision

2010-08-27T12:14:00.001-04:00

Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:00:53 -0400

STOCKS GAIN ON BERNANKE COMMENTS, GDP REVISION
U.S. stocks rise Friday as investors digest comments from Federal
Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that the Fed is ready to fight deflation
and welcome a better-than-expected GDP revision.

BERNANKE TALKS TOUGH ON DEFLATION
Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke said Friday that the
central bank would not sit idly and let the U.S. economy sink into a
period of deflation.

BERNANKE PUSHES BACK AT MORE EASING
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is not in any rush to further
ease monetary policy to stimulate the economy, writes Rex Nutting.

U.S. SECOND-QUARTER GROWTH SLOWS TO 1.6% RATE
The Commerce Department's downwardly revised estimate of
second-quarter growth in the U.S. economy comes in at 1.6% -- not as
bad as economists and investors had feared.

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE INCHES UP IN AUGUST
Consumer confidence rises slightly in August but still remains weak,
according to a report released Friday.

Bernanke says recovery has slowed, but expects growth to pick up in 2011. Says deflation is not a 'significant risk.'

2010-08-27T11:08:00.001-04:00

Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:01:08 -0400

Bernanke says recovery has slowed, but expects growth to pick up in
2011. Says deflation is not a 'significant risk.'

International Headlines

2010-08-27T10:16:00.000-04:00

Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:02:04 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 27 August, 2010

> CARTER WINS RELEASE OF AMERICAN FROM NORTH KOREA
Former President Jimmy Carter is leaving North Korea with a U.S.
man who was imprisoned in the communist country after entering
it illegally, according to the Carter Center.

> NASA: PAIR OF DISTANT PLANETS DISCOVERED
Two planets slightly smaller than Saturn have been discovered
orbiting a distant star, a first for NASA's Kepler space
telescope, the space agency said.l

> PAKISTAN URGES 500,000 NEW EVACUATIONS
Pakistan's government has warned about 500,000 people in the
country's southeastern Sindh province to evacuate immediately
because of possible flooding.

> U.N. EMERGENCY SESSION HELD ON CONGO
U.N. peacekeepers in eastern Congo say they knew Rwandan rebels
were massing in the region where 150 women were raped.

> THIRD ARREST MADE IN CANADA TERROR CASE
Canada authorities plan to release names and charges Thursday
against two suspects arrested a day earlier on terror-related
crimes.

> DOCTORS TO REMOVE 23 NAILS FROM WOMAN
A Sri Lankan maid whose Saudi employer allegedly hammered 23
nails into her arms, legs and forehead is set to undergo surgery
Friday, while government officials meet with Saudi diplomats in
Colombo over the incident.

> ROMANIANS LEAVE FRANCE IN CRACKDOWN
Two chartered planes carrying almost 300 Romanian nationals left
France on Thursday in compliance with the French government's
program to expel Roma without valid identity papers, according
to the French Ministry of Immigration.

> GERMAN SINGER CONVICTED IN HIV CASE
A German pop star was found guilty Thursday of failing to tell
sexual partners that she was infected with HIV and was given a
two-year suspended sentence.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY, WARREN BUFFETT
Warren Buffett is poised to celebrate his 80th birthday having
emerged from the financial crisis not only with his reputation
intact, but burnished.

> INVESTING IN AFRICA 'NOT FOR FAINT-HEARTED'
Proximity is the key to success for investors looking to tap
into Africa's up-and-coming economies, according to one expert
on West Africa's emerging markets.

> OMAN TO INVEST $20B TO LURE UPSCALE TOURISTS
As temperatures soar across the Persian Gulf, one oasis is
blossoming with greenery.

Economy grew at a much slower pace in the second quarter than previously estimated; GDP revised sharply lower to 1.6% annual rate.

2010-08-27T10:11:00.001-04:00

Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:32:04 -0400

Economy grew at a much slower pace in the second quarter than
previously estimated; GDP revised sharply lower to 1.6% annual rate.

Stocks pop at the open after revised GDP comes in better than expected. Dow up 74 points. Nasdaq gains 0.8%; S&P rises 0.5%.

2010-08-27T10:08:00.001-04:00

Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:32:07 -0400

Stocks pop at the open after revised GDP comes in better than
expected. Dow up 74 points. Nasdaq gains 0.8%; S&P rises 0.5%.

Market Briefing Newsletter for Thursday, 08/26/2010

2010-08-26T20:53:00.001-04:00

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:31:04 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 9,985.81 down 74.25 | S & P : 1,047.22 down 8.11
|
|NASDAQ: 2,118.69 down 22.85| Bond (10Y): 2.50% down 0.039
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Stocks slump on slowdown fears
Stocks end lower as worries about the economy overshadow a report
showing initial jobless claims declined more than expected.

Stocks end lower, erasing earlier gains, as investors fret about a slowing economy ahead of GDP revision; Dow dips 74 points.

2010-08-26T16:19:00.001-04:00

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:03:04 -0400

Stocks end lower, erasing earlier gains, as investors fret about a
slowing economy ahead of GDP revision; Dow dips 74 points.

U.S. stocks turn lower as economic worries persist

2010-08-26T12:32:00.001-04:00

Date: Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 12:00 PM

U.S. stocks turn lower as economic worries persist
Stocks bounce around in jumpy trading, but cling to modest gains as a drop in jobless claims takes some of the edge off concerns over a slowing U.S. economic recovery.

INITIAL JOBLESS CLAIMS DROP TO 473,000, U.S. SAYS
The number of people filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits falls for the first week in four, with the Labor Department pegging the decrease at 31,000 to put the number of applicants at 473,000 for the week ended Aug. 21.

DROP IN JOBLESS CLAIMS SMALL COMFORT
The number of people filing for unemployment benefits declined for the first time in a month, a welcome spot of good news on the economy, writes Rex Nutting.

DELL RAISES BID FOR 3PAR TO TRUMP H-P'S OFFER
Dell Inc. has raised its buyout offer for 3Par Inc. to $24.30 per share in cash, narrowly beating a bid submitted by arch-rival Hewlett Packard Inc. earlier in the week.

Number of people filing for initial jobless benefits fell to 473,000 last week; down 31,000 from previous week.

2010-08-26T10:12:00.001-04:00

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:32:06 -0400

Number of people filing for initial jobless benefits fell to 473,000
last week; down 31,000 from previous week.

Stocks open higher after the number of people filing for initial jobless claims declines. Dow edges up 32 points. Nasdaq gains 0.3%.

2010-08-26T10:08:00.001-04:00

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:33:04 -0400

Stocks open higher after the number of people filing for initial
jobless claims declines. Dow edges up 32 points. Nasdaq gains 0.3%.

Markets, Wednesday, 08/25/2010

2010-08-25T18:01:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:31:04 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,060.06 up 19.61 | S & P : 1,055.33 up 3.46
|
|NASDAQ: 2,141.54 up 17.78 | Bond (10Y): 2.54% up 0.039
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

MARKETS:
Stocks recover from housing blues
A government report showed an unexpected drop in new home sales, but
stocks struggle higher. Dow closes 20 points higher.

Stocks finish higher, with the Dow gaining 21 points, after shaking off earlier losses sparked by housing fears.

2010-08-25T16:51:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, Aug 25, 2010 at 4:03 PM

Stocks finish higher, with the Dow gaining 21 points, after shaking off earlier losses sparked by housing fears.

July new-home sales fall to record low pace

2010-08-25T15:13:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:00:58 -0400

July new-home sales fall to record low pace
Sales of new homes in the United States fell to all-time record low in
July, as demand from consumers has dried up after tax breaks for
homebuyers expired in April, the Commerce Department estimated
Wednesday.

HOUSING STILL AT HEART OF OUR PROBLEMS
Four years after the housing bubble began to explode, it looks like
home owners may have to accept further losses before it's all over.

EXISTING-HOME SALES PLUNGE 27.2% IN JULY
The sale of existing U.S. homes sank 27.2% in July -- the biggest
one-month drop ever -- largely because of the phase-out of a federal
tax credit, according to an industry trade group.

U.S. DURABLE-GOODS ORDERS INCH UP 0.3%
Stronger demand for airplanes translate only into a 0.3% increase in
durable-goods orders in July, underscoring broad weakness in other
categories, the Commerce Department estimates.

Stocks open lower on more housing fears. Dow slips 24 points; Nasdaq slides 0.5%; S&P dips 0.3%.

2010-08-25T10:20:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:32:03 -0400

Stocks open lower on more housing fears. Dow slips 24 points; Nasdaq
slides 0.5%; S&P dips 0.3%.

U.S. durable-goods orders rise a less-than-forecast 0.3% in July

2010-08-25T10:15:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 08:35:29 -0400

U.S. durable-goods orders rise a less-than-forecast 0.3% in July
08/25/2010 08:33:49 AM EDT

International Headlines

2010-08-25T09:06:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 05:02:03 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 25 August, 2010

> TWO NATIONS MOURN BUS VICTIMS AS BODIES FLOWN HOME
The Philippines is observing a national day of mourning for the
victims of this week's bus hijacking in Manila that left eight
tourists from Hong Kong dead.

> 11 DEAD IN IRAQ SUICIDE ATTACK ON POLICE
At least four people were killed and 13 others wounded when a
suicide car bomber hit a police station in northeast Baghdad
Wednesday morning, police said.

> PLANE'S BLACK BOX FOUND IN CHINA
Investigators were trying to determine Wednesday what caused
China's first fatal passenger plane crash in almost six years
after finding the jet's black box.

> WIKILEAKS SAYS IT WILL RELEASE CIA PAPER
The whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks says it will release new
documents on Wednesday. It recently released some 76,000 U.S.
documents related to the war in Afghanistan.

> U.N. SLAMS VIOLENCE IN MOGADISHU
The U.N. has condemned the Somalia suicide bombing that took the
lives of at least 33 people on Tuesday, including six members of
Parliament.

> AID WORKERS STRUGGLE IN PAKISTAN
The elderly women pushed their way through the crowd of refugees
to the blond woman walking through the camp in Sukkur, Pakistan.
They surrounded the foreigner, aid worker Claire Sanford. One of
the women clasped her hands together and began to beg.

> SMUGGLED URANIUM SEIZED IN MOLDOVA
Officials in Moldova seized 1.8 kilograms (about 4 pounds) of
uranium and arrested five people in connection with the
operation, a government official, who declined to be identified,
Said.

> PERU INVESTIGATES VAN DER SLOOT PHOTO
Authorities in Peru said Tuesday they have begun disciplinary
action against jailers who photographed suspected killer Joran
van der Sloot posing with two other men held in connection with
high-profile killings there.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~
> LEADERSHIP WILTS UNDER SPOTLIGHT
The leadership in Manila suddenly finds itself suddenly in
league with multinational corporations like BP and Toyota who
watch their credibility erode as missteps are magnified before a
global audience.

> IS APPLE WORKING ON A 'DESKTOP IPAD?'
Apple may be developing a computer that combines the look of a
desktop with the touch-screen functions of its tablet-style
iPad, according to reports about a patent filed by the company.

> TRIBE'S 'AVATAR' VICTORY OVER MINING PLAN
Environment authorities in India reject proposals to mine a
mountain, saying any such activity in that area would jeopardize
livelihoods of tribes.

Existing home sales plunge to annual rate of 3.83 million in July, realtor group says.

2010-08-24T21:28:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:04:04 -0400

Existing home sales plunge to annual rate of 3.83 million in July,
realtor group says.

Breaking News

2010-08-24T21:25:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:40:17 -0400

Forty-three people killed, 53 rescued after plane crash in northeast
China, state-run media reports

Markets, Tuesday, 08/24/2010

2010-08-24T18:05:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 17:31:04 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,040.45 down 133.96 | S & P : 1,051.87 down 15.49 |
|NASDAQ: 2,123.76 down 35.87 | Bond (10Y): 2.50% down 0.108
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Stocks lose big on home sales shock
Concerns about the economy trigger sell-off after a report shows
existing home sales plunged in July.

Existing-home sales plunge 27.2% in July

2010-08-24T15:04:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 12:00 PM

Existing-home sales plunge 27.2% in July
The sale of existing U.S. homes sank 27.2% in July -- the biggest one-month drop ever -- largely because of the phase-out of a federal tax credit, according to an industry trade group.

BOEHNER: GEITHNER AND SUMMERS SHOULD GO
President Barack Obama should call for the resignation of both Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Larry Summers, the head of the White House's national economic team, House Minority Leader John Boehner said Tuesday.

ALASKA, ARIZONA, FLORIDA ON TAP FOR TUESDAY
The Republican ticket in the 2008 presidential election figures prominently in Tuesday's primaries as Sen. John McCain seeks to win again in Arizona and Sarah Palin's choice for a Senate seat faces an uphill climb in Alaska; In Florida, the winner of the Democratic nomination faces a tough race in November from both the Republican and independent tickets.

International Headlines

2010-08-24T09:09:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 05:01:08 -0400
TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 24 August, 2010

> ANGER IN HONG KONG AFTER BLOODY END TO HOSTAGE CRISIS
The hostage crisis in Manila that left eight Hong Kong tourists
dead has generated sorrow and anger in the southern Chinese
enclave as residents question the handling of the siege by the
Filipino authorities.

> CHILE MINERS SURVIVE ON CANNED MACKEREL
Rescue workers in Chile are preparing tubes packed with food
after learning that 33 miners trapped for nearly three weeks are
still alive in an underground shelter.

> CARTER TO VISIT N. KOREA TO FREE AMERICAN
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is planning to go to North
Korea this week in the hopes of securing the release of an
American man imprisoned for illegally entering the communist
nation, officials said.

> GEORGE MICHAEL TO APPEAR IN LONDON COURT
Singer George Michael is scheduled to appear in a London court
Tuesday following allegations he crashed his car into a north
London shop.

> 14 FEARED DEAD IN NEPAL PLANE CRASH
A single engine aircraft carrying 11 passengers and three crew
members crashed south of Kathmandu while flying to the Everest
region Tuesday morning, government officials said.

> PAKISTAN RECOVERY 'COULD TAKE YEARS'
The State Department says long-term recovery and reconstruction
efforts in flood-ravaged Pakistan could take "many, many months,
if not years."

> SWEDEN: WIKILEAKS FOUNDER COULD LEAVE
A Swedish prosecutor who issued a later-revoked arrest warrant
against WikiLeaks founder and editor Julian Assange believed he
was about to leave the country.

> 7 BODIES FOUND DUMPED IN MEXICAN MINES
Authorities in the Mexican state of Hidalgo recovered seven
bodies from two mines over the weekend, believed to be related
to drug cartel activity, the Hidalgo state attorney general's
office said Monday.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

>CAN AFRICA BREAK ITS 'RESOURCE CURSE'?
Many African countries are blessed with oil and mineral wealth
that has the potential to transform their economies. But
historically, those resources have often been more of a curse
than a blessing.

> SMART REGULATION CAN FOSTER NEXT BOOM
Michael Mandel believes digital communications is set to be the
engine of economic expansion, and FCC regulations should allow
for growth.

> OPINION: OBAMA'S ECONOMIC SMARTS
The president has made impressive strides in taking on jobs and
growth, says Anthony Coley -- no matter what Mitt Romney says

Markets, Monday, 08/23/2010

2010-08-23T18:36:00.000-04:00

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:31:07 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,174.41 down 39.21 | S & P : 1,067.36 down 4.33
|
| NASDAQ: 2,159.63 down 20.13 | Bond (10Y): 2.61% down 0.005
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
BlackBerry crumble: Why RIM is in trouble
Shares of Research in Motion have been hit hard as investors worry
about disappointing Torch sales. Is RIM now a great bargain or is it
the next Palm?

Stocks finish lower after choppy session, with the Dow shedding 40 points as investors weigh lingering economic worries.

2010-08-23T18:24:00.001-04:00

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:01:07 -0400

Stocks finish lower after choppy session, with the Dow shedding 40
points as investors weigh lingering economic worries.

Breaking News

2010-08-23T13:28:00.001-04:00

Date: Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 12:37 PM

Seven hostages were killed in Monday's attack on bus carrying tourists in Philippines, Hong Kong's chief executive says.

HP outbids Dell for data-storage provider 3Par

2010-08-23T13:26:00.001-04:00

Date: Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 12:00 PM

HP outbids Dell for data-storage provider 3Par
Hewlett-Packard offers to buy data-storage provider 3Par for $1.6 billion, eclipsing an earlier agreement 3Par reached with Dell as the tech rivals strive to expand beyond their core businesses in personal computers.

POTASH IN TALKS WITH THIRD PARTIES TO FEND OFF BHP
Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. urged its shareholders on Monday to reject BHP Billiton's nearly $39 billion unsolicited bid and said it's in talks with third parties about an alternative.

SABMILLER MAY OFFER $10.9 BILLION FOR FOSTER'S
SABMiller PLC, the world's No. 2 beer maker, reportedly is considering spending up to $10.9 billion to acquire the beer operations of Foster's Group Ltd., the largest brewer in Australia, according to a media report Sunday.

HSBC MAY BUY NEDBANK STAKE WORTH OVER $6 BILLION
HSBC Holdings is in exclusive talks to buy a majority stake in Nedbank, South Africa's fourth-largest lender, from U.K. insurance firm Old Mutual. A deal could command a price tag of more than $6 billion, as HSBC looks to position itself to capitalize on growing trade between Africa and Asia.

U.S. STOCKS ERASE GAINS AS DEAL EUPHORIA FADES
U.S. stocks fall slightly, erasing an earlier rally as investors return their focus to the weak economy while excitement over a burst of deal activity fades.

Stocks open higher on optimism fueled by talk about prospective deals. Dow gains 20 points. Nasdaq, S&P inch up.

2010-08-23T09:57:00.000-04:00

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:32:04 -0400

Stocks open higher on optimism fueled by talk about prospective deals.
Dow gains 20 points. Nasdaq, S&P inch up.

Breaking News

2010-08-23T09:14:00.001-04:00

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:11:07 -0400

Police say seven people survived Philippines bus hostage drama. Gunman
shot dead.

International Headlines

2010-08-23T09:12:00.000-04:00

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2010 05:02:04 -0400
TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 23 August, 2010

> EX-POLICEMAN HIJACKS TOURIST BUS IN PHILIPPINES
A dismissed police inspector demanding that his job be
reinstated has hijacked a tourist bus in Manila, police said.
There were 25 people on the bus, including 22 foreigners.

> TRAPPED CHILEAN MINERS: WE'RE ALIVE
A note has revealed that the 33 miners trapped in a Chilean mine
for more than two weeks are alive inside a shelter, Chilean
President Sebastian Pinera said.

> KARZAI TO LAUNCH ANTI-CORRUPTION UNITS
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is expected to announce Monday a
plan for two special anti-corruption units -- set up with U.S.
help and participation -- to operate without government
interference.

> WIKILEAKS FOUNDER DECRIES 'SMEAR'
Julian Assange says Swedish authorities reached "the height of
irresponsibility" by issuing an arrest warrant alleging rape
against him, then revoking it soon after.

> HEALTH THREAT TO PAKISTAN FLOOD SURVIVORS
For almost a million Pakistanis, the misery of epic flooding
covering one-fifth of the country has now taken the form of
communicable illnesses.

> IRAN UNVEILS LONG-RANGE BOMBING DRONE
Iran on Sunday unveiled the first long-range military drone
manufactured in the country at a ceremony to mark the nation's
Defense Industry Day, state media reported.

> NETANYAHU: SECURITY VITAL TO LASTING PEACE
The Israeli prime minister said Sunday that talks with
Palestinians will only lead to a lasting peace deal if the
latter guarantees security and recognizes that Israel is the
nation state of the Jewish people.

> AUSTRALIAN LEADERS WOO INDEPENDENTS
With no clear winner emerging from a cliff-hanger national
election, Australian political leaders jostled for support from
a handful of independent lawmakers Sunday.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> APPS POISED TO TOP TELECOM PROFITS
Mobile operators expect app downloads to become their biggest
source of income in developed markets within three years and
want to charge content providers for preferential access to
their networks.

> PAKISTAN'S DIRE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
After weeks of massive flooding that killed at least 1,539
people, water is finally receding in parts of the country. But
for the millions of survivors, another nightmare looms.

> THINK BP OWES YOU? FILE CLAIM HERE
The Gulf Coast Claims Facility begins accepting personal and
business claims from those affected by the Gulf oil disaster,
starting Monday.

International Headlines

2010-08-22T17:42:00.001-04:00

Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 05:02:07 -0400
TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 22 August, 2010

> REPORT: IRAN TO UNVEIL DEFENSE PROJECT
The Iranian defense minister said the country's military plans
to unveil an important project Sunday, state media reported.

> 'TOO CLOSE TO CALL' IN AUSTRALIA POLL
Australia's political future hung in the balance after no clear
winner emerged in the cliff-hanger election, and a final outcome
remained days away.

> FLOODWATERS THREATEN PAKISTANI CITY
Shahdadkot's half a million people frantically tried to flee
their homes Saturday as a wall of water threatened to burst mud
berms and drown the entire city in Pakistan's Sindh province.

> CHINA: 50,000 EVACUATED AFTER FLOODS
Officials in northeastern China have evacuated more than 50,000
people as floodwaters collapse houses and cut off transportation
in some areas, state media reported Saturday.

> ARREST WARRANT FOR ASSANGE REVOKED
Swedish authorities say they have revoked an arrest warrant
alleging rape against Julian Assange, founder and editor of the
whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks.

> BOMB ATTEMPTS KILL SOMALI MILITANTS
Two failed bomb attempts by the Somali Islamist group,
Al-Shabaab, killed 11 militants around Mogadishu, Somalia's
transitional government said Saturday.

> SUSPECTS IN VAN GOGH THEFT ARRESTED
Egyptian authorities have recovered a stolen painting created by
Vincent Van Gogh, nabbing the suspected thieves just moments
before they were to board a plane and flee the country,
according to Egypt's official news agency, MENA.

> VENEZUELA DEFENDS FLIGHTS TO IRAN, SYRIA
Venezuela's ambassador to the United States is defending his
country's controversial airline service to the capitals of Syria
and Iran -- both countries that are designated by the U.S. as
state sponsors of terrorism.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

NOKIA SIEMENS SUED IN IRAN CASE
Nokia Siemens Networks rejected a lawsuit filed in a U.S. court
by a jailed Iranian journalist and his son, who allege that the
European telecommunications company provided Iran's government

U.S. WARNS ON FROZEN MAMEY FRUIT PULP
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers on Friday not
to eat frozen mamey fruit pulp -- sold under the La Nuestra and Goya
brands -- after at least nine people in California and
Nevada fell ill with typhoid fever.

RIO VOWS TO PUSH AHEAD WITH BHP VENTURE
Tom Albanese, chief executive of Rio Tinto, insisted on Friday
the miner would push ahead with its controversial Australian
iron ore joint venture with BHP Billiton, denying a report that
the deal was facing collapse.

International Headlines

2010-08-21T10:25:00.001-04:00

Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2010 05:02:07 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 21 August, 2010

> POLLS CLOSE IN AUSTRALIAN ELECTION 'CLIFF-HANGER'
Polls have closed after a day of voting in Australia's closely
fought election to decide if incumbent leader Julia Gillard
should stay or move aside for Liberal leader Tony Abbott.

> SAUDI ARABIA SEEKS PARALYSIS PENALTY
Amnesty International on Friday urged Saudi Arabian authorities
not to paralyze a man as punishment for his having paralyzed
someone else, allegedly during a fight.

> JEAN REJECTED IN HAITI PRESIDENTIAL BID
Haitian election officials have rejected hip-hop singer Wyclef
Jean's bid to run for president of the Caribbean nation.

> PALESTINIANS, ISRAEL AGREE TO TALKS
The Palestinian Authority and Israel have agreed to hold direct
peace talks "without preconditions" beginning September 2 in
Washington -- the first such talks since 2008.

> NOKIA SIEMENS SUED IN IRAN CASE
Nokia Siemens Networks said Friday it rejects a lawsuit filed in
a U.S. court by a jailed Iranian journalist and his son, who
have accused the European telecommunications company of
providing the Iranian government the tools to spy on its own
citizens.

> DOZENS OF WHALES DIE ON NZ BEACH
New Zealand conservation officials are planning another attempt
to refloat at least 15 pilot whales that were part of a larger
group that beached themselves early Friday.

> ISRAEL: PLANNED FLOTILLA A 'PROVOCATION'
Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Friday a planned
Gaza-bound aid flotilla from Lebanon "has nothing to do with
humanitarian aid and is an act of hostile provocation."

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> U.S. WARNS ON FROZEN MAMEY FRUIT PULP
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers on Friday not
to eat frozen mamey fruit pulp -- sold under the La Nuestra
and Goya brands -- after at least nine people in California and
Nevada fell ill with typhoid fever.

> RIO VOWS TO PUSH AHEAD WITH BHP VENTURE
Tom Albanese, chief executive of Rio Tinto, insisted on Friday
the miner would push ahead with its controversial Australian
iron ore joint venture with BHP Billiton, denying a report that
the deal was facing collapse.

> EMERGING ECONOMIES UPEND OIL DEMAND
Emerging economies have upended the long-standing pattern of
global oil consumption, according to the west's energy watchdog,
in a further sign of how countries such as China are
transforming commodities markets.

Breaking News

2010-08-21T02:12:00.001-04:00

Date: Sat, Aug 21, 2010 at 2:07 AM

Iran announces the fueling of its first nuclear energy plant in the southern city of Bushehr.

Markets, Friday, 08/20/2010

2010-08-20T17:50:00.001-04:00

Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:32:04 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,213.62 down 57.59 | S & P : 1,071.69 down 3.94
|
| NASDAQ: 2,179.76 up 0.81 | Bond (10Y): 2.61% up 0.033
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Dow and S&P post 2nd week of losses
Week's dismal data raise fears about the possibility of a double-dip recession.

U.S. stocks decline as economic woes linger

2010-08-20T12:15:00.001-04:00

Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:00:54 -0400

U.S. STOCKS DECLINE AS ECONOMIC LINGER
U.S. stocks fall, paced by companies with strong international
exposure, as the euro sinks to a one-month low and the dollar surges.

POTASH REPORTEDLY SEEKS NEW OFFER TO COUNTER BHP
Canada's Potash is reportedly considering alliances with global
companies that could put together a competing offer to
Anglo-Australian miner BHP Billiton's hostile $38.6 billion bid for
the fertilizer giant.

KNOC LAUNCHES $2.9 BILLION HOSTILE BID FOR DANA
Korea National Oil Corp. goes hostile with its acquisition bid for the
U.K.'s Dana Petroleum, whose board rejected an earlier approach.

MCAFEE HAS WHAT INTEL WANTS: A RISING STOCK
Before you can fix something, you first have to recognize that it's
broken, writes Tomi Kilgore. That might be the best thing about Intel
Corp.'s bid to buy McAfee Inc.

TREASURY YIELDS FALL TO NEW LOWS ON SAFE-HAVEN BID
Treasury prices stake out fresh gains as yields shrink further,
playing off falling global stocks and U.S. equity futures as well as
selling in the euro against the dollar.

Losses steepen for U.S. stocks; Dow industrials slide 100 points at midday

2010-08-20T11:56:00.001-04:00

Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:49:09 -0400

Losses steepen for U.S. stocks; Dow industrials slide 100 points at midday
08/20/2010 11:47:17 AM EDT

International Headlines

2010-08-20T09:55:00.001-04:00

Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 05:02:06 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 20 August, 2010

> THAILAND TO HAND ARMS DEALER SUSPECT TO U.S.
A Thai court rules that suspected international arms dealer
Viktor Bout can be extradited to the U.S. to face charges
including illegally buying U.S. planes to move weapons.

> 'DEAD HEAT' ON EVE OF AUSTRALIAN ELECTION
On the last day of campaigning before voting begins in
Australia's national elections, a poll finds incumbent Prime
Minister Julia Gillard tied with challenger Tony Abbott.

> U.S. TO BOOST FLOOD AID FOR PAKISTAN
Washington announces additional aid as estimates for the number
of Pakistanis left homeless by massive flooding doubles to 4
million people.

> SECOND PLANE WITH ROMA TO LEAVE FRANCE
A second chartered flight carrying Roma, often referred as
Gypsies, is scheduled to leave France on Friday, a spokesman for
the nation's minister of immigration said.

> U.S. TROOP STRENGTH IN IRAQ DOWN TO 52K
The number of U.S. troops remaining in Iraq is about 52,000, the
U.S. military said Thursday.

> JEAN TO LEARN OF HAITI ELECTION ELIGIBILITY
Haiti's election commission said it will decide Friday whether
hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean is eligible to run for president.

> 12 INSURGENTS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN RAID
Afghan and coalition troops killed 12 Taliban insurgents,
including a commander, during a raid in Logar province, NATO's
International Security Assistance Force said Thursday.

> LEADING AL QAEDA MILITANT SURRENDERS
Hezam Mujalli, an al Qaeda leader in Yemen pictured here in
2004, has surrendered to authorities, Yemen's embassy in the
United States said Thursday.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> 22-MILE HYDROCARBON PLUME IN GULF
Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution said they
have detected a plume of hydrocarbons that is at least 22 miles
long and more than 3,000 feet below the surface of the Gulf of
Mexico, a residue of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Stocks open lower as investors digest strong tech earnings reports amid weak recovery. Dow dips 51 points.

2010-08-20T09:38:00.001-04:00

Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:34:04 -0400

Stocks open lower as investors digest strong tech earnings reports
amid weak recovery. Dow dips 51 points.

Markets, Thursday, 08/19/2010

2010-08-19T18:57:00.001-04:00

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:31:04 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,271.21 down 144.33 | S & P : 1,075.63 down 18.53 |
| NASDAQ: 2,178.95 down 36.75 | Bond (10Y): 2.58% down 0.062
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Stocks socked by economic trifecta
Dow drops more than 144 points after weak reports, including a 9-month
high for jobless claims.

Stocks drop on a wave of bad economic news. Dow falls 144 points; Nasdaq, S&P each lose about 1.7%

2010-08-19T16:09:00.002-04:00

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:01:04 -0400

Stocks drop on a wave of bad economic news. Dow falls 144 points;
Nasdaq, S&P each lose about 1.7%

U.S. stocks hit by dismal economic data

2010-08-19T13:11:00.001-04:00

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:01:01 -0400

U.S.STOCKS HIT BY DISMAL ECONOMIC DATA
The latest batch of economic data cast a gloomy light on the strength
of the recovery, overshadowing Intel's deal for McAfee.

INTEL TO BUY MCAFEE FOR $7.7 BILLION
Intel will pay $48 a share in cash for McAfee, as the chip giant
targets security as a growth area.

INTEL'S $7.7 MCAFEE BUY LEADS WEAK TECH ACTION
Tech stocks were mixed in Thursday's trading action, as Intel Corp's
surprise $7.7 billion deal to acquire security-software company McAfee
Inc. highlighted the sector's action.

H-P CULTURE CRUMBLED FURTHER UNDER HURD
The drama surrounding Mark Hurd's abrupt departure as chief executive
of Hewlett-Packard Co. has shined an unflattering light on the
company, writes Therese Poletti.

GOLD ADDS TO ADVANCE AFTER PHILLY FED, INDICATORS
Gold futures touch the loftiest in seven weeks as initial claims for
jobless benefits hit a nine-month high last week and as two leading
indicators of economic activity reinforce expectations for a slowdown
in growth.

Stocks open lower after a surprise surge in jobless claims. Dow dips 35 points. Nasdaq slides 0.4%.

2010-08-19T09:51:00.001-04:00

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:32:06 -0400

Stocks open lower after a surprise surge in jobless claims. Dow dips
35 points. Nasdaq slides 0.4%.

International Headlines

2010-08-19T09:45:00.001-04:00

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 05:02:06 -0400

>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 19 August, 2010

> LAST U.S. COMBAT CONVOY LEAVES IRAQ
The last U.S. brigade combat team has left Iraq, leaving 56,000
U.S. troops there, the U.S. military said. In all, 50,000 U.S.
forces are to remain past the end of August.

> FLOOD AID ONLY TRICKLING INTO PAKISTAN
Pakistan is reeling from a natural disaster affecting 20 million
people, but aid relief organizations say donors have been
painfully slow in helping.

> INDIA: PAKISTAN VIOLATING CEASE-FIRE
The Indian army accused Pakistani troops of violating a major
cease-fire early Thursday by firing across the line of control
in Kashmir.

> N. KOREA SAYS IT DETAINED S. KOREAN BOAT
North Korean state media on Thursday confirmed the seizure of a
South Korean fishing boat earlier this month with seven crew
members aboard.

> OUTCRY OVER PHILIPPINES 'TORTURE TAPE'
Eleven police officers in Manila have been suspended after video
emerged of a naked detainee being beaten and tortured by one man while
others watched.

> U.S.: WIKILEAKS TALKS NEVER TOOK PLACE
The top lawyer for the Pentagon tried to talk to an attorney who
said he represented the WikiLeaks website on Sunday, August 15,
but the attorney never showed for the 10 a.m. telephone call,
according to a Defense Department spokesman.

> ABDUCTED MEXICAN MAYOR'S BODY FOUND
The body of Edelmiro Cavazos Leal, the mayor of the city of
Santiago in Nuevo Leon state, was found Wednesday, two days
after he was abducted, Mexico's interior ministry announced.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> ASIAN LABOR MILITANCY RISES WITH PRICES
Bangladeshi garment workers, who make clothes for western brands such
as H&M, Gap and Marks & Spencer, greeted a recent 80
percent pay rise by rampaging angrily through the capital Dhaka.

> SHARP UPTURN IN SHIPPING CONTAINERS
The use of shipping containers, a barometer of the global
economy, has risen sharply this year, surpassing even the record
levels of 2008.

> WILL FACEBOOK JUMP INTO 'LOCATION WARS'?
Facebook is set to embrace location-based networking, allowing
users to tell friends exactly where they are -- using the GPS on
their phones -- in addition to what they are doing and thinking.

U.S. first-time jobless claims increase to 500,000, highest level since November 2009

2010-08-19T09:32:00.001-04:00

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:34:23 -0400

U.S. first-time jobless claims increase to 500,000, highest level
since November 2009
08/19/2010 08:32:30 AM EDT

Stocks post gains for the second day as Target's outlook spurred some optimism. Dow gains 9 points; S&P, Nasdaq end slightly higher.

2010-08-18T16:53:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:03:04 -0400

Stocks post gains for the second day as Target's outlook spurred some
optimism. Dow gains 9 points; S&P, Nasdaq end slightly higher.

U.S. stocks off session lows; tech inches up

2010-08-18T12:24:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:00:51 -0400

U.S.STOCKS OFF SESSION LOWS; TECH INCHES UP
U.S. stocks pare losses as investors react tepidly to the latest
trickle of second-quarter earnings and developments on the deals
front.

TARGET PROFIT UP 14% ON CONTROLLED COSTS
Shares of the discounter trend lower, as investors nod to management's
ongoing efforts to controlling expenses in order to make up for signs
of softness in July-quarter sales.

DEERE PROFIT LEAPS 47% ON NORTH AMERICA DEMAND
The manufacturer says North American farmers bought more tractors at
higher prices and demand for construction and forestry equipment
rebounded from last year's slump.

BHP BILLITON TAKES BID TO POTASH SHAREHOLDERS
Miner BHP Billiton goes hostile with its bid for Potash Corp., and
vows to make the case for a $130-a-share offer directly to
stockholders of the fertilizer supplier.

A CONTRARIAN TAKE ON GOLD
Gold market enthusiasm has returned in force over the last couple of
weeks, as bullion reaches a six-week high.

Breaking News

2010-08-18T10:22:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 08:52:04 -0400

Romanian health minister says entire management team at hospital where
four babies died in fire should be dismissed.

International Headlines

2010-08-18T10:20:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 05:02:04 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 18 August, 2010

> FLOOD VICTIMS: 'SURVIVING IS VERY HARD'
A daughter dead, an infant barely alive, a great-grandfather
dragged through floodwaters to safety: One Pakistan family's
desperate bid to save itself.

> BP TO STOP HANDLING MOST GULF CLAIMS
BP has picked Wednesday as the deadline for accepting claims
from people and businesses affected by the Gulf oil disaster.

> JAKARTA SEEKS FRENCHMAN IN TERROR CASE
Indonesian anti-terror police are looking for a French man who
was allegedly involved in a terrorist plot foiled in May, a top
police official said Wednesday.

> ISRAEL HITS SUSPECTED WEAPONS SITE
The Israeli Air Force struck a suspected weapons manufacturing
site in central Gaza Wednesday, in response to two mortars that
were fired from the territory a day earlier, the military said.

> BUS CRASH IN PHILIPPINES KILLS 39
A minibus plunged into a 100-meter deep ravine in the
Philippines' Benguet province Wednesday morning, killing nine
passengers and seriously injuring eight others, official media
reported.

> COLOMBIA SURVIVORS RECALL PLANE BREAKUP
Aires Airlines Flight 8250 was seconds away from landing at San
Andres airport on a small island off the coast of Colombia early
Monday. The pilot had turned on the seat belt sign and told
passengers to stay in their seats. Passengers could see rain and
lightning outside their small cabin windows, but nothing was
amiss. Everything seemed calm. Normal. Routine.

> BLAGOJEVICH FOUND GUILTY OF LYING
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was found guilty on Tuesday
of making a false statement to the FBI. The jury said it was
hung on the other 23 counts against him.

> EMBASSY IN ISRAEL HIT BY HOSTAGE DRAMA
A shooting incident apparently took place at the Turkish Embassy
in Israel, prompting police and emergency crews to race to the
scene.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> BUSINESS RESISTS 'CONFLICT MINERALS' LAW
U.S. manufacturers are mounting a lobbying campaign over a
provision slipped into the financial reform legislation
requiring companies to declare products containing minerals from
the Democratic Republic of Congo.

> BP TO STOP HANDLING MOST GULF CLAIMS
BP said on Tuesday it would stop processing claims of people and
businesses hurt by the Gulf oil disaster as a
government-appointed group will take over responsibility on
August 23.

> POTASH REJECTS $39B BID BY BHP
BHP Billiton, the biggest and most cash-rich mining company,
returned to frontline dealmaking on Tuesday with a $39bn
(£25bn) preliminary offer for PotashCorp, a fertiliser maker
whose board rejected the approach.

Dow dips 33 points. Nasdaq slips 0.3%.

2010-08-18T10:01:00.001-04:00

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:34:04 -0400

Stocks open lower as investors fret about latest earning reports. Dow
dips 33 points. Nasdaq slips 0.3%.

Breaking News: Jury convicts Blagojevich of lying to federal agents

2010-08-18T03:51:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:44:34 -0600

CHICAGO (AP) - A federal jury has found ex-Illinois Gov. Rod
Blagojevich guilty of one count of lying to federal agents. The judge
in the case said he plans to call a mistrial on all remaining counts
in the corruption trial.

Markets, Tuesday, 08/17/2010

2010-08-18T03:48:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:31:04 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,405.85 up 103.84 | S & P : 1,092.54 up 13.16
|
|NASDAQ: 2,209.44 up 27.57 | Bond (10Y): 2.64% up 0.070
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Stocks come off week-long slump
Investors put fears of a slower economic recovery on the back burner
for a day on regional Fed chief's comments and Wal-Mart, Home Depot
earnings.

U.S. stocks rise after upbeat retail earnings

2010-08-17T12:36:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 12:00 PM

U.S. STOCKS RISE AFTER UPBEAT RETAIL EARNINGS
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--U.S. stocks climbed Tuesday as earnings from key retailers gave investors reason to focus on encouraging corporate reports rather than the latest round of mixed economic data.

WAL-MART'S PROFIT RISES; FORECAST BOOSTED
The retail giant says demand from Mexico and overseas markets drove the company's growth, while sales in the U.S. remained flat.

HOME DEPOT PROFIT HIGHER, SEES MORE TRANSACTIONS
The largest U.S. home-improvement retailer manages to control costs against the backdrop of a still-wobbling housing market.

WAL-MART, HOME DEPOT LIFT RETAILER SHARES
Earnings reports from Wal-Mart Stores and Home Depot Inc. helped lift the retail sector in early trading Tuesday.

POTASH CORP. SOARS; $38.6 BILLION OFFER REJECTED
Shares of Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan rally as investors anticipate a higher acquisition bid after the world's top fertilizer producer rejects a $38.6 billion unsolicited takeover offer from mining giant BHP Billiton.

Stocks open higher on positive housing news. Dow rises 67 points; Nasdaq, S&P both gain 0.8%.

2010-08-17T09:36:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:33:03 -0400

Stocks open higher on positive housing news. Dow rises 67 points;
Nasdaq, S&P both gain 0.8%.

International Headlines

2010-08-17T09:34:00.001-04:00

Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 05:02:04 -0400
TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 17 August, 2010

> DOZENS DEAD AS BOMBER ATTACKS IRAQ RECRUITMENT CENTER
At least 41 people are killed when a bomber attacks an army
recruitment center in Baghdad. The attack came as the U.S. works
to draw out 50,000 troops this month.

> GULF OIL SPREADING EAST ON SEA FLOOR
Oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill may have settled to the
bottom of the Gulf of Mexico further east than previously
suspected and at levels toxic to marine life, researchers
reported Monday.

> KARZAI TO RULE ON PRIVATE SECURITY FIRMS
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is expected to issue an order
Tuesday demanding that all private security companies in
Afghanistan cease operation within four months.

> CALIFORNIA GAY MARRIAGES PUT ON HOLD
A federal appeals court in San Francisco, California, has
blocked same-sex marriages in that state from resuming
immediately, until a panel hears broader questions over the
constitutionality of such marriages.

> ASTRONAUTS REPAIR ISS COOLING SYSTEM
The repairs performed on the International Space Station's
cooling system during a seven-hour-and-20-minute spacewalk
Monday appear to be working, NASA said.

> UK AIRPORT OPERATOR, UNION AVERT STRIKE
Details will be released Tuesday of an agreement between British
airport operator BAA and the union that represents the
operator's employees.

> AMERICAN IN N. KOREA GETS OFFICIAL VISIT
An American sentenced to eight years of hard labor in North
Korea has received his first visit from U.S. officials in a
Pyongyang hospital, the State Department said.

> JETLINER BREAKS APART WHILE LANDING
A Boeing 737 carrying at least 127 people broke apart while
landing today in Colombia. One person was killed. There are
reports the plane was hit by lightning

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> PERMANENT FIX ON HOLD FOR GULF OIL WELL
The permanent stifling of the ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well
won't start until the latest potential problem is evaluated,
Thad Allen, the U.S. government's point man in the Gulf, said.

> JAPANESE ECONOMY SLOWS UNEXPECTEDLY
The strength of Japan's economic recovery came under question on
Monday, as second-quarter growth figures came in sharply below
economists' expectations.

> INDIA FEARS GAMES EMBARRASSMENT
With less than 50 days to go before the opening ceremony for the
Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, concerns about India's lack of
preparedness have reached a fever pitch.

Markets, Monday, 08/16/2010

2010-08-16T18:21:00.001-04:00

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:31:05 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,302.01 down 1.14 | S & P : 1,079.38 up 0.13
|
| NASDAQ: 2,181.87 up 8.39 | Bond (10Y): 2.58% down 0.113
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Tech stocks gain in choppy session
Blue-chip issues end little changed as investors remain cautious after
last week's losses.

Tech stocks finish higher on Intel, Dell deal announcements. Nasdaq gains 0.4%; Dow and S&P end little changed.

2010-08-16T17:45:00.001-04:00

Date: Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 4:01 PM

Tech stocks finish higher on Intel, Dell deal announcements. Nasdaq gains 0.4%; Dow and S&P end little changed.

Tam, Lan deal triggers buying across airlines

2010-08-16T12:49:00.001-04:00

Date: Monday, August 16, 2010

TAM, LAN DEAL TRIGGERS BUYING ACROSS AIRLINES
Brazilian air carrier Tam's shares rally on a preliminary merger
agreement with Chile's Lan Airlines, acting as a catalyst for the
broader airline sector..

JAPANESE SHARES SLIP AS GDP DATA DISAPPOINT
Japanese shares underperform mostly sluggish regional markets after
government data suggest the country's economic recovery is far more
fragile than many had believed.

HOME-BUILDERS INDEX SLUMPS TO 17-MONTH LOW
In another indicator of a tentative housing market, the National
Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index posted
its worst reading since March 2009.

CUT EVERYONE'S PAY 10% TO CREATE JOBS
If everybody -- from the president down to the chambermaid -- took a
10% cut in pay, the freed-up money could be used to employ 12 million
people, solving the unemployment problem at once, writes Ken Mayland.

U.S. STOCKS TRY TO HALT LOSING STREAK AT 4 DAYS
U.S. stocks edge into positive terrain on Monday, halting a losing
streak at four days, as commodity producers and technology firms
advanced and helped the broader market clear a decline that came amid
worries about the global economy.

Stocks open lower as investors continue to fret about global economic concerns. Dow drops 60 points.

2010-08-16T09:38:00.001-04:00

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:32:06 -0400

Stocks open lower as investors continue to fret about global economic
concerns. Dow drops 60 points.

International Headlines

2010-08-16T09:20:00.001-04:00

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 05:02:03 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 16 August, 2010

> U.S., S. KOREA BEGIN MILITARY EXERCISE
The United States and South Korea begin their annual joint
military exercise, which North Korea has warned will be met with
"the severest punishment."

> U.N., PAKISTAN ASKS WORLD FOR FLOOD HELP
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has met with
Pakistan's president to issue a joint appeal to the
international community to help desperate flood victims.

> KHMER ROUGE SENTENCE APPEALED
Prosecutors in Cambodia on Monday appealed the 30-year sentence
handed down to a man who ran a notorious torture prison in the
Southeast Asian nation where more than 14,000 people died under
the 1970s Khmer Rouge regime.

> JAPANESE ECONOMY SLOWS UNEXPECTEDLY
The strength of Japan's economic recovery came under question on
Monday as second-quarter growth figures came in sharply below
economists' expectations.

> ISLAMIC CLERIC TO REMAIN IN CUSTODY
An Islamic cleric detained last week in Indonesia has been
formally arrested, accused of helping fund and establish a
terror cell and military training camp.

> AL QAEDA NO. 2 SPEAKS ON FLOTILLA INCIDENT
In an audio message released Sunday, a speaker identified as al
Qaeda's second-in-command offers condolences to the Turkish
people on the loss of nine activists in a May 31 Israeli raid on
an aid flotilla headed for Gaza.

> VENEZUELA NEWSPAPER PROBE SLAMMED
Members of Venezuela's opposition lashed out Sunday against the
government's decision to investigate a newspaper that published
an explicit photograph of bodies at a morgue.

> STRONG QUAKE HITS PAPUA NEW GUINEA
A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck a remote area of Papua New
Guinea early Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~
> EXPORTS DRIVE GERMAN GROWTH SPURT
A surprise surge in Germany's second quarter economic growth has
been put down to an increase in exports. But can the good times
in the typically pessimistic nation last?

> EAST INDIA CO. REBORN AS LUXURY BRAND
It was the world's first multinational company, a trading giant
during the colonial rule of the Indian subcontinent. This week,
The East India Company is being reborn as a luxury brand --
under Indian ownership.

> INDIA IMPOSES DEADLINE ON BLACKBERRY
India is expected to make a major decision Thursday regarding
BlackBerry, which is under serious scrutiny because the highly
encrypted messages in the device make it impossible for
intelligence agencies to monitor.

Petraeus: No qujick fixes in Afghanistan

2010-08-15T21:33:00.001-04:00

8/15/2010 1:58:00 PM ET

Progress in the war in Afghanistan remains slow with no quick fix in
sight, the U.S. commander said Sunday.

BP preparing for permanent kill of leaky well

2010-08-15T21:31:00.001-04:00

Date: 15 AUG 2010 18:28:34 GMT

BP PLC and the U.S. government may decide as early as Monday to move
ahead with a four-day process to permanently plug the source of the
worst maritime oil leak in U.S. history through a so-called bottom
kill of the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico.

International Headlines

2010-08-15T09:44:00.001-04:00

Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 05:02:04 -0400
TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 15 August, 2010

> U.N. CHIEF CALLS FOR FASTER AID TO FLOOD-HIT PAKISTAN
On a tour of flood-hit Pakistan, United Nations
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urges the international community
to do more to help the country -- and fast.

> RACE CAR PLOWS INTO CROWD, 6 DEAD
At least six people were killed when an off-road race car plowed
into a crowd in southern California on Saturday night,
authorities said.

> S. KOREA PRESENTS REUNIFICATION PLAN
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has proposed a plan to
reunite his country with North Korea, including a tax to cover
expected costs, state media said Sunday.

> SATELLITE SHOWS SCOPE OF RUSSIAN FIRES
Satellite photographs on NASA's website show hundreds of hot
spots generated by Russian wildfires.

> CHINA MOURNS AS DEATH TOLL RISES
Flags will be lowered to half-staff across China and its
consulates Sunday to mourn the 1,156 victims of deadly mudslides
in the country's Gansu provice.

> OBAMA ADDS TO MOSQUE COMMENTS
President Obama on Saturday told CNN that in defending the right
of Muslims to build a community center and mosque near ground
zero, he was "not commenting on the wisdom" of the project.

> AFRICAN MIGRANTS KILLED AT ISRAELI BORDER
As many as four African migrants from Ethiopia and Eritrea
trying to cross into Israel from Egypt's Sinai desert were shot
dead by smugglers and 10 others were wounded, according to state
media.

> BOMB INJURES 3 CHILDREN IN N. IRELAND
Police in Northern Ireland said "it was an absolute miracle"
that three children were not seriously injured Saturday in a
bomb explosion in County Armagh.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> TIME TO WORRY LIKE IT'S 2003?
Last week the Federal Reserve's open market committee startled
financial markets by raising its terror alert level over the
economy and declaring it would keep buying bonds to maintain its
loose-money stance.

> EXPORTS DRIVE GERMAN GROWTH SPURT
A surprise surge in Germany's second quarter economic growth has
been put down to an increase in exports. But can the good times
in the typically pessimistic nation last?

International Headlines

2010-08-14T14:40:00.001-04:00

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 05:02:07 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 14 August, 2010

> FLOOD-HIT PAKISTAN CANCELS INDEPENDENCE DAY EVENTS
Pakistan canceled independence day celebrations Saturday as a
second wave of floods continued to put millions in peril, the
nation's prime minister said.

> OBAMA BACKS MOSQUE NEAR GROUND ZERO
U.S. President Obama threw his support behind a controversial
proposal to build an Islamic center and mosque near New York's
ground zero.

> U.S. TROOPS AID DESPITE TALIBAN RISK
More than 100 U.S. troops are on the ground in a volatile area
of Pakistan, helping that government deliver supplies and rescue
people from flood-ravaged areas, but a U.S. general said Friday
when it comes to fights with the Taliban, rescue teams have had
"none."

> UK MINISTRY OF DEFENCE TO GET 'LEANER'
Britain's military chiefs have been told to prepare for a
"leaner and less centralized" Ministry of Defence.

> RUSSIA MOVING AHEAD WITH IRAN REACTOR
Russia says it will start loading a nuclear reactor in Iran with
fuel next week despite calls from the U.S. to wait for assurance
that Iran is making energy, not weapons.

> 7.2 QUAKE HITS SOUTH OF MARIANAS
A 7.2-magnitude earthquake has struck south of the Mariana
Islands, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

> U.S. SENDING WILDFIRE HELP TO RUSSIA
The United States is sending aid to Russia to help battle the
wildfires there, the White House said Friday.

> DOCTORS OPERATE ON ZSA ZSA GABOR
Zsa Zsa Gabor underwent surgery for the removal of a blood clot
Friday night, a complication relating to her recent hip
replacement surgery, her publicist said.

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

Markets, Friday, 08/13/2010

2010-08-13T18:27:00.001-04:00

Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:31:07 -0400

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| Dow : 10,303.15 down 16.80 | S & P : 1,079.25 down 4.36 |
| NASDAQ: 2,173.48 down 16.79 | Bond (10Y): 2.69% down 0.047
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MARKETS:
Stocks end lower for 4th straight day
Indexes end lower for the fourth straight day after investors digested
dour economic reports on July retail sales and inflation.

U.S. stocks fall as global growth worries weigh

2010-08-13T12:29:00.001-04:00

Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:00:53 -0400

U.S. STOCKS FALL AS GLOBAL GROWTH WORRIES WEIGH
U.S. stocks fall slightly to close out a tough week for the bulls, as
gains in data on retail sales and consumer sentiment fail to ease
investors' worries about the health of the global economy. See full
story.

HOENIG CALLS FED POLICY 'DANGEROUS GAMBLE'
In a sharp critique of Federal Reserve policy from a sitting policy
member, Thomas Hoenig said Friday that zero interest rates were "a
dangerous gamble" in a period of moderate growth.

AMERICAN CONSUMERS TAKE A BREAK
Nervous consumers aren't spending much this summer, adding to worries
about the momentum of the economic expansion, writes Rex Nutting.

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE EDGES UP IN AUGUST
Consumer confidence in August edged upwards but remained in depressed
territory, according to a report released Friday.

WAL-MART, HOME DEPOT TO HEADLINE RETAIL MOOD
As the retail industry heads into the crunch of second-quarter
earnings next week, investors will be watching results, led by Dow
components Wal-Mart and Home Depot.

International Headlines

2010-08-13T11:03:00.001-04:00

Date: Friday, August 13, 2010

>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 13 August, 2010

> MYANMAR JUNTA SETS FIRST ELECTION IN TWO DECADES
Myanmar will hold general elections on November 7, Myanmar
National Radio announces -- the first since 1990 when the
opposition's victory was rejected.

> GERMAN GROWTH FASTEST SINCE 1991
Germany on Friday reasserted itself as the economic growth
engine of the eurozone, after gross domestic product expanded at
a stellar 2.2 per cent rate in the second quarter compared with
the previous three months.

> FIDEL CASTRO TURNS 84 BACK IN SPOTLIGHT
More than five decades ago, a 32-year-old Cuban guerrilla
fighter named Fidel Castro led a triumphant column of bearded
revolutionaries into the Cuban capital.

> U.N.: WARTIME RAPE NOT 'INEVITABLE'
The United Nations is trying to put sexual violence on the
international policy map, telling political and military leaders
that wartime mass rape "is no more inevitable than, or
acceptable than, mass murder."

> WIKILEAKS TO RELEASE MORE DOCUMENTS
The founder of WikiLeaks says the whistle-blower website is
preparing to release another roughly 15,000 documents about the
war in Afghanistan.

> MORE RAIN, DEATHS IN CHINA MUDSLIDES
More rain is expected Friday in northwest China's Gansu
province, where the death toll from a massive mudslide continues
to climb.

> PAKISTAN PRESIDENT VISITS FLOOD-HIT AREAS
President Asif Ali Zardari finally got a firsthand look Thursday
at the destruction and suffering caused by torrential monsoon
rains and subsequent flooding.

> UGANDA PARADES BOMBING SUSPECTS
The Ugandan government paraded four suspects in last month's
deadly bombings in Kampala before reporters Thursday, with one
of the men calling himself an "evil man."

~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> UNION STRIKE VOTE COULD AFFECT 6 BRITISH AIRPORTS
Six major British airports, including London's Heathrow, could
shut down after employees of airport operator BAA overwhelmingly
voted to go on strike Thursday in a dispute over pay, union
officers said.

> NEW GENERATION OF ENTREPRENEURS
Life has its share of both stormy and sunny moments. There are
clouds (your car broke down) and then there are silver linings
(but at least it's a nice day for a walk).

Consumer prices rise 0.3% in July, slightly above expectations. Retail sales climb 0.4%, slightly below forecasts.

2010-08-13T10:40:00.001-04:00

Date: Friday, August 13, 2010

Consumer prices rise 0.3% in July, slightly above expectations. Retail
sales climb 0.4%, slightly below forecasts.

Stocks open lower as investors digest the latest readings on inflation and retail sales. Dow dips 17 points.

2010-08-13T10:19:00.001-04:00

Date: Friday, August 13, 2010

Stocks open lower as investors digest the latest readings on inflation
and retail sales. Dow dips 17 points.

Markets, Thursday, 08/12/2010

2010-08-12T18:58:00.001-04:00

Dte: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:31:03 -0400

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| Dow : 10,319.95 down 58.88 | S & P : 1,083.61 down 5.86
|
|NASDAQ: 2,190.27 down 18.36 | Bond (10Y): 2.74% up 0.050
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MARKETS:
Stocks pare some losses but end lower
Investors worry over Cisco's cautious outlook and unexpected jump in
initial jobless claims.

Stocks end lower for 3rd straight day on poor jobless claims report and Cisco forecast. Dow drops 58 points, Nasdaq slides 0.9%.

2010-08-12T16:18:00.001-04:00

Date: Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 4:01 PM

Stocks end lower for 3rd straight day on poor jobless claims report and Cisco forecast. Dow drops 58 points, Nasdaq slides 0.9%.

GM posts $1.3 billion profit; new CEO named

2010-08-12T13:52:00.000-04:00

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:00:52 -0400

GM. POSTS. $1.3 BILLION PROFIT; NEW CEO NAMED
As General Motors reports second consecutive quarterly profit, the
auto maker says CEO Ed Whitacre Jr. will turn over the reins to
director Dan Akerson effective Sept. 1.

GM TO FILE FOR IPO WITHIN DAYS, REPORTS SAY
General Motors may reportedly file for an initial public offering of
stock as soon as Friday.

YEN WEAKENS AFTER OFFICIALS SHARPEN WARNINGS
The U.S. dollar gains against its Japanese counterpart amid reports
that Prime Minister Naoto Kan called the yen's rise 'rough,' even
though he stopped short of indicating any action would be taken to
weaken the Japanese currency.

CHINA'S YEN-ASSET BUYS HURTING JAPAN EXPORTERS
Japanese exporters continue to fall on fear that the yen may rise
further, particularly as China looks likely to continue it purchases
of Japanese assets, given their relative safety.

GLOBAL PLAN NEEDED TO STOP FAILING BIG BANK: PANEL
The financial crisis has revealed the need for an international plan
to handle the collapse of a giant financial institution so that its
failure doesn't cause collateral damage to the global markets, a
congressional watchdog group says.