Breaking News Sat., May 1, 2010

Date: Sat, 01 May 2010 20:34:30 -0700 (PDT)

Suspicious Vehicle in New York City's Times Square May Have Contained
Fire Bomb, Official Says.

International Headlines

Date: Sat, 1 May 2010 20:02:04 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 02 May, 2010

> GREEKS PROTEST AUSTERITY CUTS IN MAY DAY RALLY
Greek protesters clash with police who fire tear gas during the
annual May Day rally in Athens, as anger mounts over austerity
cuts planned by the government.

> OBAMA TO VISIT GULF OIL SPILL AREA
U.S. President Barack Obama is considering a visit to the oil
spill area near the Louisiana coast as residents brace for the
oil slick creeping toward the shore.

> FIRST TAKSIM SQUARE MAY DAY IN 30 YEARS
Tens of thousands of union members and leftist political
activists gathered Saturday for the first legally-sanctioned May
Day celebration in Istanbul's central Taksim Square in 30 years.

> SOMALIA MOSQUE EXPLOSIONS KILL DOZENS
Twin explosions at a mosque in Somalia's capital on Saturday
killed at least 35 people and wounded many more, the African
Union's peacekeeping force in the country said.

> ARIZONA IMMIGRATION LAW REVISED
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill Friday that makes changes
to a controversial new state immigration law, saying the changes
should ease concerns about racial profiling.

> PROTESTERS TO RALLY ON IMMIGRANT RIGHTS
Demonstrations in support of immigrants' rights are scheduled
Saturday in at least 20 states, the District of Columbia and two
Canadian provinces.

> THOUSANDS OF MAOISTS RALLY IN NEPAL
Thousands of Maoist supporters swarmed into Nepal's capital
Saturday for a May Day rally that was also intended to press the
government to step down.

> CHINA SCHOOLS BRACED FOR MORE ATTACKS
A man attacked preschool children with a hammer in east China on
Friday, injuring five before setting himself on fire in a
classroom suicide, state media reported.

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

> U.S. RAISES PRESSURE ON BP OVER OIL SPILL
The U.S. government is raising pressure on BP, pushing the oil
company to do more to stop well leaks gushing thousands of
barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

> GREEK PM: NATION'S SURVIVAL AT STAKE
George Papandreou told parliament on Friday that the adoption of
a three-year austerity programme was "necessary... for the
country's survival."

> SPAIN UNEMPLOYMENT TOPS 20 PERCENT
Unemployment in Spain has reached 20.05 percent, meaning 4.6
million people are out of work, the Spanish government announced
Friday.

International Headlines

Date: Fri, Apr 30, 2010 at 8:02 PM

TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 01 May, 2010

> FEDS RAISE PRESSURE ON BP OVER OIL SPILL
The government is heightening the pressure on BP, pushing the
company to do more to stop well leaks in the Gulf of Mexico and
to beef up its environmental response.

> GREEK SURVIVAL AT STAKE SAYS PM
George Papandreou, Greek prime minister, told parliament on
Friday that adoption of a rigorous three-year austerity
programme being drawn up by the European Union and International
Monetary Fund was "necessary... for the country's survival.

 > CHAVEZ ASSASSINATION PLOT ARREST

Venezuelan authorities have arrested a 29-year-old man on
suspicion that he was plotting to kill President Hugo Chavez,
the nation's justice minister said.

> SPAIN UNEMPLOYMENT TOPS 20 PERCENT
Unemployment in Spain has reached 20.05 percent, meaning 4.6
million people are out of work, the Spanish government announced
Friday.

> BLOCK ON ISRAELI SETTLEMENT GOODS
The Palestinian Authority has embarked on a series of measures
aimed at ending what one official has called the "cancer" of
Palestinian economic dependence on Israel's West Bank
settlements.
.
> AMERICAN PRIEST KILLED IN VENEZUELA
An American priest has been stabbed to death in Venezuela,
authorities in that country said in a statement.

> EX-INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL KILLED IN PAKISTAN
A former Pakistani intelligence official kidnapped by militants
on his way to the tribal regions has been killed, sources said.

> SHAKIRA SLAMS ARIZONA IMMIGRATION LAW
Grammy Award-winning singer Shakira has joined the growing
chorus of opposition to Arizona's new immigration law.

 BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> BARCLAYS Q1 PROFITS SOAR TO $2.7BN
Barclays played down its exposure to the debt crisis spreading
across Europe on Friday as it reported a 47 per cent rise in
pre-tax profits for the first three months of the year.

> INDIA BANS CHINESE TELECOMS IMPORTS
The Indian government is blocking purchases of telecoms
equipment from Chinese vendors on national security grounds,
ratcheting up trade tensions between Asia's fastest-growing
large economies.

> PROTESTERS DESCEND ON WALL STREET,
Protesters rallied in downtown New York City Thursday to voice
their anger over what they perceive as the roles Wall Street and
big banks played in America's economic crisis.

Markets, Friday, 04/30/2010

Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:32:04 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|Dow : 11,008.61 down 158.71 | S & P : 1,186.69 down 20.09 |
|NASDAQ: 2,461.19 down 50.73 | Bond (10Y): 3.66% down 0.065
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Dow breaks 8-week winning streak
Stocks end lower after Goldman is downgraded on reports the firm faces
a criminal probe. All 3 major gauges end lower for the week, higher
for the month.

Stocks end with triple-digit selloff after Goldman and Europe woes rattle investors. Dow, Nasdaq and S&P finish lower for the week.

Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:03:06 -0400

Stocks end with triple-digit selloff after Goldman and Europe woes
rattle investors. Dow, Nasdaq and S&P finish lower for the week.

U.S. economy grows at 3.2% annual rate in first quarter, Commerce Department says; third straight quarter of growth.

Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:32:04 -0400

U.S. economy grows at 3.2% annual rate in first quarter, Commerce
Department says; third straight quarter of growth.

Standard and Poor's downgrades Goldman Sachs stock to "sell." Shares down 7%.

Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2010 10:08:04 -0400

Standard and Poor's downgrades Goldman Sachs stock to "sell." Shares down 7%.

Mixed open on Wall Street. Dow gains 10 points; Nasdaq, S&P fall marginally. Domestic economic growth vies with trouble in Europe.

Date: Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:35:12 -0400

Mixed open on Wall Street. Dow gains 10 points; Nasdaq, S&P fall
marginally. Domestic economic growth vies with trouble in Europe.

International Headlines

Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:02:04 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 30 April, 2010

> POLLS GIVE FINAL UK ELECTION DEBATE WIN TO CAMERON
Snap polls hand victory to Conservative Party leader David
Cameron after British political rivals clash in final televised
debate before May 6 election.

> U.S. GULF COAST BRACES FOR OIL SLICK
U.S. President Barack Obama says his government will use "every
resource at our disposal" to contain a massive oil spill heading
towards the Louisiana coast.

> GREECE SEEKS AID PACKAGE WORTH $160B
The aid package being negotiated to bail out Greece is worth 120
billion euros (about $160 billion) through 2012, according to
Vassilis Papadimitriou, a spokesman for Greek Prime Minister
George Papandreou.

> 'DEAD' PAKISTAN TALIBAN LEADER SEEN ALIVE
Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud, reported killed
earlier this year, has been seen alive near the Afghan border,
officials say.

> BELGIAN LAWMAKERS PASS BURQA BAN
The Belgian parliament is likely to vote Thursday on whether to
ban face coverings worn by observant Muslim women, the spokesman

> 'LANDMARK' CANCER VACCINE APPROVED
A vaccine treatment for prostate cancer has become the first
therapy of its kind to win approval for use in U.S. patients.

> CHALLENGE TO ARIZONA IMMIGRATION LAW
Four groups that advocate for immigrant rights said Thursday
they plan to challenge Arizona's controversial new immigration
law, which allows police to ask anyone for proof of legal U.S.
residency.

> RUSSIA POSTS KATYN DOCUMENTS ONLINE
Millions of Russians have been poring over once secret documents
relating to the 1940 execution of nearly 22,000 Polish officers
by the Soviet secret police.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~
> WHO DECIDED GREEK DEBT WAS JUNK?
A decision to downgrade Greece's debt rating to junk status has
thrown the financial world into a tailspin. Behind the headlines
stand powerful firms upon whose stark assessments the fate of
markets depends.

> GERMANY TO THE RESCUE?
Angela Merkel, German chancellor, pledged on Wednesday to step
up efforts to overcome the Greek fiscal crisis as Standard &
Poor's downgraded Spain and investors sold bonds in Europe's
most indebted nations.

> WORLD CUP RESTRICTIONS UPSET SA BUSINESSES
FIFA has come under fire from South African businesses upset
with the tough trade restrictions put in place by soccer's world
governing body for the 2010 World Cup.

Markets, Thursday, 04/29/2010

Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:31:05 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 11,167.32 up 122.05 | S & P : 1,206.78 up 15.42 |
| NASDAQ: 2,511.92 up 40.19 | Bond (10Y): 3.73% down 0.045
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Dow in triple-digit rally
Exxon and other company earnings boost investor's confidence, as
European debt worries ease.

Dow soars 122 points on strong earnings and easing European debt worries. Nasdaq, S&P both climb over 1%.

Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:03:06 -0400

Dow soars 122 points on strong earnings and easing European debt
worries. Nasdaq, S&P both climb over 1%.

Initial claims for unemployment insurance fall for second week in a row, declining to 448,000, Labor Department says.

Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 08:34:04 -0400

Initial claims for unemployment insurance fall for second week in a
row, declining to 448,000, Labor Department says.

Stocks rise in early trading as investors welcome strong corporate results and European economic fears ease. Dow adds 54 points.

Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 09:33:03 -0400

Stocks rise in early trading as investors welcome strong corporate
results and European economic fears ease. Dow adds 54 points.

International Headlines

Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:02:06 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 29 April, 2010

> SPANISH DEBT DOWNGRADED AS EUROZONE WOES MOUNT
Spain becomes the latest eurozone country to have its debt
downgraded as German leader Angela Merkel and finance chiefs
meet to draw up a rescue plan for Greece.

> 'PENITENT' BROWN SORRY FOR 'BIGOT' GAFFE
UK PM Gordon Brown says he is a "penitent sinner" after
apologizing to a 65-year-old widow he called a "bigoted woman"
in a campaign trail microphone mishap.

> THAI POLICE, PROTESTERS CLASH IN BANGKOK
Thai security forces fire rubber bullets and tear gas into
crowds of anti-government protesters as tensions flare in the
latest round of confrontations in Bangkok.

> IRANIAN PLANE FLIES NEAR U.S. CARRIER
An Iranian navy plane that approached a U.S. aircraft carrier
last week was flying as low as 300 feet as it neared the USS
Eisenhower, U.S. military officials said Wednesday.

> COAST GUARD TO IGNITE GULF OIL SLICK
The U.S. Coast Guard could begin burning off portions of a Gulf
of Mexico oil slick as early as Wednesday, as the pool of crude
began to encroach on sensitive ecological areas in the
Mississippi River Delta.

> CHINA PUNISHED OVER UNDERAGE GYMNAST
The International Olympic Committee on Wednesday stripped China
of a bronze medal in the women's team event at the 2000 Olympic
Games after finding one of the team's athletes was underage.

> APPLE MAY UNVEIL NEW IPHONE IN JUNE
Apple on Wednesday announced the dates of its Worldwide
Developers Conference, where the company is expected to
introduce a new iPhone (even though tech blog Gizmodo may have
spoiled the surprise).

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~
> GREEK AUSTERITY MEASURES PROMPT STRIKE
Greek civil servants and private sector workers will hold a
24-hour strike May 5 to protest government austerity measures,
the unions announced Wednesday.

> Q&A: GREECE'S DEBT RATING DOWNGRADE
Financial markets were in turmoil on Wednesday amid fears that
more countries could be sucked into Greece's mounting debt
crisis. European indexes followed those in Asia into the red
after Standard & Poor downgraded Greece's debt rating to junk
status and Portugal's rating also dropped two notches.

> SHELL PROFITS RISE 60 PERCENT TO $4.8BN
Royal Dutch Shell, the oil and gas group, has welcomed signs of
an improving economic outlook as it reported a 60 per cent rise
in underlying post-tax profits, exceeding analysts'
expectations.

Markets, Wednesday, 04/28/2010

Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 17:31:04 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 11,045.27 up 53.28 | S & P : 1,191.36 up 7.65
|
| NASDAQ: 2,471.73 up 0.26 | Bond (10Y): 3.77% up 0.083
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Dow back above 11,000
The blue-chip average managed to rise, but gives up bigger gains that
followed the Federal Reserve's announcement. European debt worries
linger.

Dow ends 54 points higher, finishing above 11,000, after Fed leaves rates near 0%. S&P gains 0.7%, Nasdaq little changed.

Date: Wed, Apr 28, 2010 at 4:03 PM


Dow ends 54 points higher, finishing above 11,000, after Fed leaves rates near 0%. S&P gains 0.7%, Nasdaq little changed.

Fed holds interest rates near zero; says it sees labor market, consumer spending and housing starting to improve.

Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:18:04 -0400

Fed holds interest rates near zero; says it sees labor market,
consumer spending and housing starting to improve.

International Headlines

Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 05:01:08 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 GMT -- 28 April, 2010

> GREEK DEBT CRISIS SPARKS MARKET SELL-OFF
The eurozone faces its toughest crisis to date, as the decision
to downgrade Greece's credit rating spooks global investors and
raises fears the debt crisis may spread.

> THAI FORCES, PROTESTERS CLASH
Thai government forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas into
crowds of anti-government protesters Wednesday, as tensions
flared in the latest round of confrontations between the two
groups in the capital, Bangkok.

> GOLDMAN EXECS TESTIFY
Top representatives from Goldman Sachs appear in front of a
Senate committee to deny claims the bank betted against its own
clients during the financial crisis.

> CAR BOMB ATTACK KILLS 4 PAKISTANI POLICE
An early morning suicide attack killed four police officers in
northwest Pakistan on Wednesday, according to authorities.

> FISTS, EGGS FLY IN UKRAINE PARLIAMENT
Lawmakers in Ukraine scuffle, throwing punches and eggs, during
a parliamentary session to ratify a naval treaty with Russia.

> U.S.-BORN CLERIC IN AL QAEDA VIDEO
An American-born Muslim cleric has appeared in a video released
by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula for the first time.

> TORTURE AT IRAQ PRISON REPORT RELEASED
A report released Tuesday by a human rights group details
allegations of horrific torture and abuse at a secret prison in
Iraq where detainees say they were routinely beaten, shocked and
sodomized by their interrogators.

> INDIAN DIPLOMAT SUSPECTED OF SPYING
India suspects one of its diplomats in Pakistan has been spying
for Pakistani intelligence, the Indian Ministry of External
Affairs said Tuesday.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~
> MORE BAILOUT CASH FOR GREECE?
The International Monetary Fund is looking at raising its share
of Greece's financial rescue package by €10bn ($13.2bn) amid
fears that the planned €45bn bail-out will fail to prevent the
country's debt crisis from spiralling out of control.

> FORD SURGES TO PROFIT
Ford reports a huge turnaround to a profit in the first quarter,
thanks to strong sales of new products around the world.

> RUSSIA OFFERS KIEV NUCLEAR POWER DEAL
Russia's prime minister made what he described as a "large-scale
offer" late on Monday to Ukraine, urging both countries to merge
their vast nuclear power generation businesses, and hinting that
together they could benefit from joint electricity exports to
foreign markets.

Stocks climb as investors welcome strong earnings, monitor European economic developments and await the Fed. Dow adds 38 points.

Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2010 09:34:04 -0400

Stocks climb as investors welcome strong earnings, monitor European
economic developments and await the Fed. Dow adds 38 points.

Headlines

Date: Tue, Apr 27, 2010 at 8:02 PM
 >TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 28 April, 2010


> S&P DOWNGRADES GREEK DEBT TO JUNK STATUS
Standard and Poor's has downgraded the sovereign debt ratings
for both Greece and Portugal, with the Greek debt lowered to
junk status.

> GOLDMAN EXECS GRILLED
Top representatives from Goldman Sachs appear in front of a
Senate committee to deny claims the bank betted against its own
clients during the financial crisis.


> FISTS, EGGS FLY IN UKRAINE PARLIAMENT
Lawmakers in Ukraine scuffle, throwing punches and eggs, during
a parliamentary session to ratify a naval treaty with Russia.


> U.S.-BORN CLERIC IN AL QAEDA VIDEO
An American-born Muslim cleric has appeared in a video released
by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula for the first time.


> INDIAN DIPLOMAT SUSPECTED OF SPYING
India suspects one of its diplomats in Pakistan has been spying
for Pakistani intelligence, the Indian Ministry of External
Affairs said Tuesday.

> ISRAELI SOLDIERS DISCIPLINED OVER DEATHS
Israel's top military commander announced disciplinary measures
Tuesday for Israeli soldiers involved in the shooting deaths of
four Palestinians in two separate incidents in the West Bank
last month.
.
> DANISH RESTAURANT NAMED WORLD'S BEST
Danish cuisine reigns supreme, according to the some of the
planet's most prominent eaters.



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


> FORD SURGES TO PROFIT
Ford reports a huge turnaround to a profit in the first quarter,
thanks to strong sales of new products around the world.

> RUSSIA OFFERS KIEV NUCLEAR POWER DEAL
Russia's prime minister made what he described as a "large-scale
offer" late on Monday to Ukraine, urging both countries to merge
their vast nuclear power generation businesses, and hinting that
together they could benefit from joint electricity exports to
foreign markets.

Markets, Tuesday, 04/27/2010

Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:36:15 -0400
|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|Dow : 10,991.99 down 213.04 | S & P : 1,183.71 down 28.34
|
| NASDAQ: 2,471.47 down 51.48 | Bond (10Y): 3.69% down 0.125
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Dow plunges 213 points, breaks 11K
Stocks retreat after S&P cuts Greece and Portugal's debt ratings,
raising worries about euro zone woes hurting global recovery. Dow's
biggest one-day point loss in 9 months.

Dow ends below 11,000 after 214-point loss, the biggest one-day selloff since July, on concerns about European debt.

Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:22:15 -0400

Dow ends below 11,000 after 214-point loss, the biggest one-day
selloff since July, on concerns about European debt.

Dow tumbles 147 points after reports that S&P has downgraded Greek and Portuguese debt.

Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:48:20 -0400

Dow tumbles 147 points after reports that S&P has downgraded Greek and
Portuguese debt.

Stocks drop as investors prepare to hear Goldman Sachs' testimony and a two-day Fed meeting begins. Dow falls 45 points.

Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2010 09:49:34 -0400

Stocks drop as investors prepare to hear Goldman Sachs' testimony and
a two-day Fed meeting begins. Dow falls 45 points.

Markets, Monday, 04/26/2010

Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:44:38 -0400
|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 11,205.03 up 0.75 | S & P : 1,212.05 down 5.23 |
| NASDAQ: 2,522.95 down 7.20 | Bond (10Y): 3.82% down 0.002
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Stocks sputter after hitting '10 highs
The Dow manages a new 19-month high on Caterpillar's results, but the
Nasdaq and S&P 500 slip on bank weakness.

Dow barely higher at the close, testing a 19-month high. Nasdaq finishes down 0.3%, S&P dips 0.4%.

Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:38:17 -0400

Dow barely higher at the close, testing a 19-month high. Nasdaq
finishes down 0.3%, S&P dips 0.4%.

Stocks waver as investors wait for more signs of the economic recovery. Dow adds 15 points; Nasdaq near break-even.

Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2010 09:51:20 -0400

Stocks waver as investors wait for more signs of the economic
recovery. Dow adds 15 points; Nasdaq near break-even.

International Headlines

Date: Sun, 25 Apr 2010 20:01:08 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 26 April, 2010

> IRAN FLEXES MILITARY MUSCLE WITH MISSILE TEST
Iran says it fired five new types of locally-made coast-to-sea
and sea-to-sea missiles in the last stage of its "Great Prophet
5" military maneuvers in the Persian Gulf.

> THAI PM'S SURPRISE OVER VIOLENT PROTESTS
Embattled Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says he did not
expect protesters to use violence against the authorities.

> UK SORRY FOR POPE-BRAND CONDOM MEMO
Britain apologizes to Pope Benedict XVI for a Foreign Office
memo suggesting he could launch Benedict-brand condoms or bless
gay marriages during his visit.

> AL QAEDA CONFIRMS DEATH OF IRAQ LEADERS
Al Qaeda in Iraq has confirmed in a statement posted online that
two of its two most senior leaders have been killed.

> TALIBAN ACCUSED OF POISON ATTACKS
Afghan authorities will investigate the sudden illness of
students and staff at three schools in the past week in northern
Afghanistan, the Afghan Human Independent Rights Commission said

> DEATH TOLL RISES IN CHINA EARTHQUAKE
The death toll rose to 2,203 in the massive earthquake that
struck China this month, state media reported late Saturday.

> PARAGUAY ENACTS EMERGENCY POWERS
Paraguay's president is expected to meet with human rights
groups Sunday to clarify the effects of a law that temporarily
suspends constitutional rights in the north of the country.

> CHELSEA HIT SEVEN TO REGAIN TOP SPOT
Chelsea regained top spot from champions Manchester United in
the English Premier league title race with a thumping 7-0 win
over Stoke at Stamford Bridge with Salomon Kalou grabbing his
first hat-trick for the west London giants.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~
> STEEL MAGNATE TOPS UK RICH LIST
Indian-born steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal tops the Sunday Times
annual UK Rich List, as the number of British billionaires rises
from 43 to 53.

> IRAN LEADER LEAVES UGANDA WITHOUT OIL DEAL
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad left Uganda without
striking a deal on the African nation's oil, President Yoweri
Museveni indicated Sunday.

> GREECE SEEKS 30BN EURO RESCUE
Greece will ask its eurozone partners to activate a €30bn
rescue package following a week of intense pressure on financial
markets.