Delphi, the giant automotive supplier that was once part of General Motors, has offered just under $1 billion for the major piece of a French company that makes electronic connectors. More »Delphi in $1 bn bid for French auto firm
VIENNA (Reuters) - United Nations nuclear inspectors have found uranium particles refined to a higher-than-expected level at an underground site where Iran has installed more than 50 percent more enrichment centrifuges, a U.N. watchdog report said on Friday. It said Tehran had told the U.N. agency that the presence of traces of highly refined uranium - still well below potential nuclear weapons-grade material - "may happen for technical reasons beyond the operator's control". ... More »U.N. inspectors find high-grade uranium traces in Iran
MIAMI (Reuters) - United States head coach Juergen Klinsmann hopes that his forward Clint Dempsey gets a move to a Champions League club after his fine season with English side Fulham. Dempsey scored 17 goals in 37 league appearances for Fulham this season and has made it clear that he would relish the chance to play with a bigger club in Europe's top competition. That is a feeling that is shared by his national team coach, the former German international striker who is preparing his team for Saturday's friendly against Scotland. ... More »Klinsmann hopes Dempsey gets Champions League move
(Reuters) - Central banks and companies risk making a grave error if they do not brace for a possible Greek exit from the euro zone, Belgium's foreign minister said on Friday, rattling markets already alarmed by Spain's deteriorating finances. Greek elections are scheduled for June 17 and could hasten the country's departure from the currency club should a government intent on ripping up the country's bailout programme result. Contrasting findings of opinion polls on Friday showed the outcome is too tight to call. ... More »Spain region, Greek exit warnings rattle euro zone
The euro extended its slide against the dollar Friday, dipping below $1.25, under pressure from uncertainty over the future of Greece in the eurozone, and the risk of contagion from its debt crisis. More »Euro dips below $1.25 on Greek, Spanish woes
BOSTON (Reuters) - Just hours before Facebook Inc made its stock market debut last Friday, Seuk Kim put in a limit order $4 above the initial public offering price. "I thought it was going to have that first day pop," Kim said. "I didn't think anyone would get in at the $38 (24.25 pounds) IPO price." Limit orders give investors a measure of protection because the stock is eligible to be purchased at or below the designated limit price, but never above it. ... More »Facebook IPO glitch prompts margin calls, headaches
Mexican authorities put its Pacific coastline on alert Friday as Hurricane Bud was set to make landfall later in the day after being downgraded to a category one storm, officials said. More »Hurricane Bud weakens on approach to Mexico
The Muslim Brotherhood on Friday urged Egyptians to rally behind their presidential candidate in an almost certain run-off with rival Ahmed Shafiq, warning the country would be in danger if fallen dictator Hosni Mubarak's premier won. More »Egypt vote narrows to Islamist, Mubarak holdover
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Former Enron Corp Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling is reviving his quest for a new trial based on evidence his legal team received from prosecutors long after he was convicted of 19 counts of conspiracy, securities fraud, insider trading and lying to auditors. U.S. District Judge Sim Lake in Houston, who presided over Skilling's 2006 trial following the bankruptcy of the once high-flying energy company, on Friday gave the go-ahead to his legal team to seek a new trial. Enron crumbled in December 2001 after years of hidden debt and shaky finances fell apart. ... More »Judge says Enron's Skilling can seek new trial
PARIS (Reuters) - A third consecutive early exit at a major tournament would be a "complete disaster" for France, midfielder Yann Mvila said on Friday. More »Early Euro 2012 exit would be disaster for France - Mvila
AMMAN (Reuters) - A senior Syrian National Council official said on Friday that Lebanese Shi'ite men abducted by Syrian rebels this week were still in the hands of rebels but would be handed over to Turkey soon. "We are still working on the handover. They are still with the armed group," Ahmad Ramadan told Reuters, speaking from Istanbul. (Reporting by Khaled Oweis; editing by Tim Pearce) More »Lebanese hostages still in rebel hands - SNC official
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks and the euro slipped on Friday as Spain's deteriorating finances and a possible Greek exit from the euro overshadowed an upbeat report on U.S. consumer confidence. Oil prices edged higher due to a lack of progress in talks with Iran over its disputed nuclear program and the rise in U.S. consumer confidence. European equities rose for a second straight day, but gains were driven by defensive plays like utilities and drug makers. A tough economic outlook in Europe dampened investors' appetite for riskier assets. After notching some gains earlier in the day, U.S. ... More »Global stocks, euro fall on fears of Greek euro exit
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff Friday vetoed parts of a new forestry code that environmentalists say would lead to further deforestation in the Amazon, home to the world's largest collection of plants and animals. More »Brazil leader vetoes parts of law opening up Amazon
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptians must choose between a Muslim Brother or an ex-military man in a presidential run-off that highlights the stark rifts in a nation united in euphoria when Hosni Mubarak fell 15 months ago, first-round results indicated on Friday. With most votes counted, the Muslim Brotherhood said its candidate Mohamed Mursi had topped this week's polls and would compete in next month's second round with former air force chief Ahmed Shafiq, who served as Mubarak's last prime minister. ... More »Egypt to pick Islamist or military man as president
PRAGUE (Reuters) - Usain Bolt laboured to victory in the men's 100 metres at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava on Friday but was at a loss to explain why after failing to improve on his season best or meet the target he had set himself before the race. Jamaica's Olympic champion and world record holder clocked 10.04 seconds into a head wind to beat Kim Collins of Saint Kitts & Nevis and American Darvis Patton. It was the slowest time Bolt has run in his 30 sprint finals and a step down from the 9.82 he produced in his only previous outing this season in Kingston, Jamaica on May 5. ... More »Bemused Bolt disappointed with slow time in Ostrava
BRUSSELS/GENEVA (Reuters) - The European Union filed a suit against Argentina's import restrictions with the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Friday, intensifying the disputes between the South American nation and its trading partners. The EU's executive Commission said the case followed measures by Argentina that include an import licensing regime and an obligation on companies to balance imports with exports. "Argentina's import restrictions violate international trade rules and must be removed," said EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht. ... More »EU files WTO suit over Argentina's import restrictions
Politicians are famous for tooting their own horns, but not many would offer up riding an ostrich as a qualification to be elected to a congressional seat. More »With ostriches and chess, US campaign ad goes viral
DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish support for Europe's new fiscal treaty remains strong less than a week before the only popular vote on plans for stricter budget discipline is held, although a large block of undecided voters could still have a decisive say. Ireland will hold its third European referendum in five years on Thursday, and the 'Yes' campaign, led by the three largest political parties, along with business and farming groups, have led in every opinion poll since the vote was called three months ago. ... More »Irish support for EU treaty strong, days before vote
LONDON (Reuters) - Perceived differences between France and Germany over how to solve Europe's debt crisis are "largely overstated", International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde said in an interview published on Friday. Asked whether there was no need to panic about a rift between Paris and Berlin, Frenchwoman Lagarde told Britain's Guardian newspaper: "I should think so ... I think it's largely overstated. ... More »French-German row on euro "largely overstated" - IMF
MADRID (Reuters) - Financial troubles at a big Spanish bank and one of the country's richest regions, Catalonia, piled on problems on Friday for the Madrid government and for investors who question whether it can pay its debts without help from euro zone allies. Bankia SA, Spain's fourth biggest bank and newly nationalised, asked for a bailout of 19 billion euros (15.19 billion pounds) to repair losses from a property crash - the biggest Spanish bank rescue ever. ... More »Bankia, Catalonia pile on Spanish debt worries
Britain is hotter than parts of Europe and Africa as temperatures soar and the sunshine is set to last throughout the weekend. More »Britain Hotter Than Africa As Mercury Soars
A Labour youth survivor of Anders Behring Breivik's massacre in Norway has said the killer's failure to murder him has only strengthened his belief in democracy. More »Breivik Witness: It Was A Mistake To Spare Me
A giant photograph of Queen Elizabeth and her family, 100 metres (328 feet) wide and weighing two tonnes, was put up Friday beside London's Thames river ahead of celebrations for her diamond jubilee. More »Giant photo of UK royals unveiled on Thames for jubilee
NEW YORK (Reuters) - UBS AG had trading losses of around $30 million (19.1 million pounds) stemming from Facebook Inc's botched initial public offering on Nasdaq OMX Group Inc's U.S. exchange, a source with knowledge of the situation said on Friday. UBS was one of four main market makers involved in Facebook's IPO on May 18. Its losses come on top of claims by Citigroup's market making unit of $20 million, and Knight Capital Group Inc and Citadel Securities of $30 million to $35 million each in losses. (Corrects headline to $30 million from $20 million) (Reporting By John McCrank) More »UBS lost $30 million on Facebook IPO fiasco - source
BEIRUT (Reuters) - At least 50 people, including 13 children, were killed when Syrian forces attacked the town of Houla in Homs province on Friday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and activists said. Activists said clashes erupted in the town when Syrian forces opened fire on a protest against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad and killed one protester. "The soldiers are shelling Houla right now, the casualties are huge," said activist Ahmad Kassem. He said opposition fighters fired back, inflicting casualties on the soldiers and destroying five tanks. ... More »Syrian forces kill 50 in Homs province - opposition group