EU 'disappointed' by Iran talks
After 18 months of largely unproductive talks between the Europeans and the Iranians, 6 major powers, including the United States, will seek agreement on new penalties at a weekend meeting in Paris on Tehran's nuclear program.
- On nuclear seesaw, the balance seems to shift to Iran

ECB extends lending period to help ease year-end credit crunch
The action marks a renewed effort by the European Central Bank to calm a lending system that looks nearly as nervous as when the crisis began last summer.

Strike shuts down Italian transport
Trains were on strike across Italy and hundreds of flights were canceled. Buses, boats and ferries stopped service.

Hostage standoff at Clinton campaign office
A man claiming to have a bomb strapped to his chest seized several hostages at Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton's New Hampshire campaign office on Friday.

Colombia seizes videos of hostages
Videos seized in Colombia contained proof that more than 15 captives are alive, including three U.S. military contractors and Ingrid Betancourt.

White House wants banks to extend low interest rates on balloon mortgages
An accord on the 'New Hope' proposal could be revealed in the next week or two.

EU's satellite project, Galileo, funded at last
The €2.4 billion deal Friday was reached after a round of horse-trading among governments fighting over the economic spoils of the funding.

Evel Knievel, motorcycle daredevil, dies at 69
Evel Knievel, the hard-living motorcycle daredevil whose jumps over buses, live sharks and Idaho's Snake River Canyon made him an international icon in the 1970s, died Friday. He was 69.

Roger Smith, 82, former GM chief
The executive who tried to modernize the automaker but instead became a scapegoat for its demise is dead at 82.

The thuggery behind the harmonious facade
An account of a meeting with the police offers a chilling glimpse of a Chinese reality few foreigners ever see.

Indian entrepreneurs leave outsourcing for firms of their own
Some of the best minds in India, trained by leading global companies like Oracle, Yahoo and Microsoft, and burned out on the repetitive rigors of the back office, have left the multinationals to build start-ups.
- Internet revolution reaches India's poor
- India tries outsourcing its outsourcing
- Indian companies learn the Washington lobbying game
- Outsourcers corner market for U.S. skilled worker visas
- India outsourcing moves to front office