Christine Greenslade was eager to meet up with her old school chums - but a blunder in an obituary from 1980 meant they thought she'd been dead for three decades. More »School reunion obituary Christine Greenslade classmates Penzance Cornwall
(Reuters) - Procter & Gamble Co said on Friday the surprise return of A.G. Lafley as chairman and chief executive was not an indication of any bigger problems at the world's largest consumer products maker. Lafley replaces Bob McDonald, effective immediately, at P&G, which is in the midst of a major restructuring. Shares of P&G were up nearly 4 percent at $81.81 (54.13 pounds) on Friday after rising as high as $82.35. "This change very simply reflects Bob McDonald's decision to retire and the board's view that A.G. ... More »P&G CEO switch will not lead to big strategy change - CFO
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of endangering an aircraft after a plane was escorted to the ground by fighter jets. More »Stansted Airport: Arrests After Plane Alert
A British Airways plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Heathrow Airport as eyewitnesses reported seeing the aircraft "on fire" flying over central London. More »Plane 'On Fire' Flying Over Central London
By Mike Collett LONDON (Reuters) - The Europa League, long regarded as the impoverished relation of the glitzy Champions League, was boosted on Friday by UEFA's announcement that the winners would qualify for the elite competition from 2015. In an attempt to increase the prestige of its secondary competition, UEFA also said 16 teams rather than the current six would qualify directly for the group stages. ... More »Europa League winners to get Champions League spot
By Huw Jones BRUSSELS/LONDON (Reuters) - The role of the European Banking Authority must be beefed up beyond current plans to ensure that regulation of Europe's banks does not fragment into two competing systems, one of the architects of the reforms told a public hearing on Friday. Jacques de Larosiere, former head of the Bank of France and IMF, said the European Central Bank's role in a European Banking Union to supervise euro zone lenders risked creating a "duopoly" that would split the bloc's single market next year. ... More »EU risks 'too big to cooperate' bank supervision
LEEDS, England (Reuters) - Play was abandoned without a ball being bowled on the opening day of the second and final test between England and New Zealand at Headingley due to persistent rain. The downpours left the outfield saturated on a chilly day. A better forecast is in prospect for the weekend with sunny spells and warmer temperatures. England won the first test by 170 runs at Lord's. (Reporting by Justin Palmer; Editing by Ed Osmond) More »No play possible on first day of second test
A four-lane bridge across the Skagit River in Washington state has collapsed, throwing people and vehicles into the water but incredibly causing no fatalities. More »Cars In Skagit River After Bridge Collapses
LISBON (Reuters) - Porto have sold midfielders Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez to Monaco for 70 million Euros ($90 million), the Portuguese champions said on Friday. "We have reached a deal to sell Rodriguez and Moutinho to Monaco," Porto said in a statement to Portuguese market regulator CMVM. Porto, who beat Monaco in the 2004 Champions League final, will receive 45 million euros for Colombian Rodriguez and 25 million for Portuguese international Moutinho. Both players have signed five-year contracts. ... More »Moutinho and Rodriguez join Monaco from Porto
By Jason Lange WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods rose more than expected in April, a hopeful sign that a sharp slowdown in factory output could soon run its course. New orders for durable goods, which range from toasters to aircraft, increased 3.3 percent last month, the Commerce Department said on Friday. The data was the latest to show the U.S. economy exhibiting surprising resilience in the face of harsh fiscal austerity measures enacted this year. ... More »U.S. durable goods orders point to factory resilience
By Matt Scuffham LONDON (Reuters) - The Co-operative Bank has stopped offering loans to new business customers, part of measures designed to quell growing concerns over its capital position. The bank's parent, the Co-operative Group, said on Friday it was undertaking an extensive review of the bank, examining its capital and lending position and its commercial strategy. Credit ratings agency Moody's downgraded Co-op Bank's debt ratings earlier in May and warned it could need taxpayers' money to plug a capital shortfall which some analysts have said could be as high as 1.8 billion pounds. ... More »Co-op Bank stops lending to new corporate clients
Sky's Naomi Kerbel offers a look ahead to what's coming up in the week's business news. More »The Sky News Business Round-Up And Look Ahead
A News Corporation logo is pictured on October 26, 2004. News Corp's board on Friday approved the break-up of the conglomerate into two independent companies, separating the high-flying entertainment assets ... More »News Corp approves Murdoch split for June 28
Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang waves upon his arrival at Zurich Airport on May 23, 2013. Li is poised to sign a key accord with Switzerland bringing closer a free-trade deal seen as a touchstone for ... More »Li visit raises landmark Swiss-China trade deal
By Jon Thor Viglundsson REYKJAVIK (Reuters) - Iceland must find stability by aiming for the same economic goals as those set for European Union states, even though it is sceptical about joining the EU and will keep its own currency, the new prime minister said. Iceland is still recovering from the collapse of its top three banks in late 2008 and although growth has returned, many Icelanders are disappointed at what they see as a slow recovery. ... More »Iceland's new PM rejects EU, but embraces EU economic goals
The Government has reiterated its threat to slash teachers' wages after the leaders of two unions refused to support the new public sector pay deal. More »Government firm on teachers' pay
By Ilze Filks and Mia Shanley STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Police in Stockholm called in reinforcements on Friday after youths set cars and a school ablaze in a fifth night of rioting, the worst to hit Sweden for years. Pupils at a primary school in Kista - an IT hub that is home to the likes of telecoms equipment maker Ericsson and the Swedish office of Microsoft - arrived to find the inside of the small red wooden building had been completely burnt out. ... More »Stretched by riots, Swedish police call reinforcements
CANNES (Reuters) - A man pretending to be South Korean rapper Psy talked his way into glitzy parties at the Cannes film festival and posed with fans until he was spotted drinking champagne by the real Psy's manager. Psy, in Singapore on Thursday night to perform at the inaugural Social Star awards, said that Scooter Braun spotted the imposter, took a photo and sent it to the musician. "He sent it to me, and I tweeted that, like, five, six hours ago, so everybody in France, they know," Psy told Reuters television at the Singapore ceremony. "Real Psy is here. ... More »Psy imposter caught living the high life at Cannes film festival
Two women arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder soldier Lee Rigby have been released without charge, Scotland Yard said. More »Women held over soldier death freed
By Khaled Yacoub Oweis ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Syria's fractious opposition scrambled to agree a new leadership on Friday in a bid to present a coherent front at peace talks which the United States and Russia are convening to seek an end to more than two years of civil war. A major assault by President Bashar al-Assad's forces on a rebel held town over the past week is shaping into a pivotal battle. It has drawn in fighters from Assad's Lebanese allies Hezbollah, justifying worry that a war that has killed 80,000 people would cross borders at the heart of the Middle East. ... More »Syria opposition seeks to unify as momentum for talks builds
By Nick Said CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Understanding the fragility of the world's top players and the human element of the game have been the cornerstone of Gary Kirsten's approach to coaching international cricket teams. The 45-year-old heads off on his last assignment with South Africa on Saturday to the Champions Trophy in England after deciding to quit the post to spend more time with his young family. It will leave the world's top-ranked test side without a coach who has a studied approach to leadership which comes from almost two decades of playing at the top level. ... More »It's all in the mind for South African Kirsten
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan left the Premier League champions on Friday as new manager David Moyes prepared to make his own coaching appointments. Former United player Phelan is departing along with goalkeeping coach Eric Steele ahead of the arrival of Moyes, who takes over from the retired Alex Ferguson on July 1. "I would like to put on record the club's thanks for everything Mike and Eric have done," Moyes said in a statement released by United. ... More »Man United assistant manager Phelan leaves club
British Airways pilots have been praised after safely landing a smoke-trailing plane on which both engines appeared damaged. More »Pilots praised over plane emergency
By Leila Abboud and Sophie Sassard PARIS/LONDON (Reuters) - Gulf telecom operator Etisalat has offered a higher price for Vivendi's Maroc Telecom stake than rival Qatari bidder Ooredoo, according to two people familiar with the matter. Etisalat's bid needs further work, however, and has more legal conditions than Ooredoo's offer, so Vivendi has not yet made a final choice, the people said. "If Etisalat cleans up its offer, then it wins," said one of the sources, who is close to the process. "If not, it will go to Qatar, who also made an offer that Vivendi can accept. ... More »Etisalat makes top bid for Vivendi's Maroc Tel - sources
The mining and commodities group created by the recent merger of Glencore and Xstrata is kicking off the sale of a £4bn Peruvian project demanded by China's government to secure approval for their deal. More »Glencore Xstrata Kicks Off £4bn Mining Sale