International Headlines

Date: Sat, 5 Jun 2010 20:02:07 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 06 June, 2010

> GAZA-BOUND AID BOAT SEIZED BY ISRAEL ENTERS PORT
Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ship, the MV Rachel Corrie, enters
the Israeli port of Ashdod hours after it was seized at sea by
Israeli Navy commandos.

> BP 'PLEASED' WITH OIL CONTAINMENT GAINS
BP said it has collected more than 1,800 barrels of oil since
placing a cap over its ruptured undersea well, but video taken
Saturday still shows a stream of crude escaping into the Gulf of
Mexico.l

> 'FURIOUS' OBAMA RETURNS TO OIL HIT COAST
U.S. President Barack Obama returns to Louisiana -- his second
trip to the Gulf region in two weeks -- as his administration
continues efforts to contain the BP oil spill.

> DUTCH MURDER SUSPECT RETURNED TO PERU
Murder suspect Joran van der Sloot arrives in Peru to face
charges that he killed a Peruvian woman as police say they have
identified the weapon that killed her.

> G-20 DROPS SUPPORT FOR FISCAL STIMULUS
Finance ministers from the world's leading economies ripped up
their support for fiscal stimulus on Saturday, recognising that
financial market concerns over sovereign debt had forced a much
greater focus on deficit reduction.

> U.S. POLICE FOLLOW 9-MILE TRAIL OF BLOOD
This week's shooting death and subsequent dragging of a black
man in South Carolina are being investigated as a possible hate
crime.

> BEACHCOMBER FINDS HISTORICAL SHIPWRECK
Ray Midgett hunts the Corolla beaches on the Outer Banks of
North Carolina almost every day.

> SPACEX ROCKET PASSES 1ST LAUNCH TEST
Paid for by the money and dreams of a millionaire, a newly
developed rocket stands ready to blast off from Cape Canaveral
on its first test flight. It serves as a symbol of the future
and could carry astronauts and cargo to the international space
station.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~
> HUNGARY'S ECONOMY IN 'GRAVE SITUATION'
Hungary's currency fell to a one-year low against the euro on
Friday after a senior official warned for the second time in two
days about the weakness of its economy and public finances.

> MICROSOFT CHIEF DEFENDS WINDOWS' FUTURE
Steve Ballmer, chief executive of Microsoft, on Thursday gave a
spirited defence of the software company's strategy following
comments from Steve Jobs that personal computers are in
permanent decline.

> EASYJET UNVEILS ASH CLOUD DETECTOR
British budget airline easyJet unveiled a volcanic ash detector
on Friday that it says will allow aircraft to safely navigate
around potentially lethal ash clouds.

International Headlines

Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 20:03:04 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 05 June, 2010

> BP FITS CAP BUT YET TO STOP LEAK
Oil is flowing from a ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico to a
ship on the surface, BP says. But the company is still to close
four vents to stop the leak.

> 'FURIOUS' OBAMA RETURNS TO OIL HIT COAST
President Barack Obama is set to return to Lousiana Friday --
the president's second trip to the Gulf region in two weeks as
the administration works to contain the BP oil spill and stay on
top of what has now become a major political issue.

> S.KOREA ASKS U.N. TO ACT OVER SINKING
South Korea has formally asked the U.N. Security Council for
action over what it says was North Korea's sinking of one of its
warships in March, the Mexico U.N. mission said.

> IRISH AID SHIP CLOSES IN ON GAZA COAST
An Irish-owned aid ship could arrive close to the Gaza coast
Friday afternoon, four days after Israeli commandos stormed a
flotilla in order to stop it from reaching Gaza.

> AUTOPSY REVEALS GAZA AID SHIP VIOLENCE
Autopsy results by forensics experts in Istanbul revealed that
all 9 of the men killed by Israeli commandoes aboard the
humanitarian convoy in the Eastern Mediterranean, died of
gunshot wounds.

> EASYJET UNVEILS ASH CLOUD DETECTOR
British budget airline easyJet unveiled a volcanic ash detector
on Friday that it says will allow aircraft to safely navigate
around potentially lethal ash clouds.

> PROTESTERS GREET VAN DER SLOOT IN PERU
The Chilean government has decided to expel murder suspect Joran
van der Sloot to Peru, where he is wanted in connection with the
slaying of a 21-year-old woman, Interpol said Friday.

> PM: UK SHOOTINGS AN 'APPALLING TRAGEDY'
British Prime Minister David Cameron planned Friday to visit the
region in northern England where a gunman this week carried out
one of the worst gun massacres in recent British history.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~
> HUNGARY'S ECONOMY IN 'GRAVE SITUATION'
Hungary's currency fell to a one-year low against the euro on
Friday after a senior official warned for the second time in two
days about the weakness of its economy and public finances.

> PRU BACKS TOP TEAM OVER AIA FAILURE
Prudential's top team has the full support of the board and the
majority of big shareholders and there will be no resignations
over the collapse of its $35.5bn (£24.3bn) bid for AIA, Harvey
McGrath, the UK insurer's chairman, has told the Financial
Times.

> OIL SPILL HITS PANHANDLE WALLETS
The leading edge of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill was still
several miles off the beaches of the Florida Panhandle on
Thursday morning, but the slick was already hitting the area's
wallets.

Markets, Friday, 06/4/2010

Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 17:31:04 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 9,931.97 down 323.31 | S & P : 1,064.88 down 37.95 |
| NASDAQ: 2,219.17 down 83.86 | Bond (10Y): 3.20% down 0.184
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Stocks to fall after jobs report
Futures tumble after May data disappoint investors

Breaking News: Stocks plunge; Dow closes below 10,000

Date: Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:20:30 -0600

NEW YORK (AP) - Stock closed sharply down Friday after investors were
unimpressed with a Census-inflated jobs report and a shaky euro that
hit a four-year low. The Dow Jones industrials fell 323.91, or 3.16%
to 9,931.37. The Standard & Poor's 500 index dropped -37.82, or 3.43%,
to 1,065.01. The Nasdaq composite index plunged 83.86, or 3.64%, to
2,219.17.

Stocks tumble, with the Dow's 321-point drop putting it below 10,000, on weak U.S. jobs data and euro's 4-year low.

Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 16:01:08 -0400

Stocks tumble, with the Dow's 321-point drop putting it below 10,000,
on weak U.S. jobs data and euro's 4-year low.

Dow sinks 320 points, or more than 3%, on weak jobs report and euro hitting 4-year low.

Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 14:53:05 -0400

Dow sinks 320 points, or more than 3%, on weak jobs report and euro
hitting 4-year low.

Weak May hiring weighs on Wall Street

Date: Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:01:23 -0400

WEAK MAY HIRING WEIGHS ON WALL STREET
A weak U.S. jobs report and fresh worries about the euro-zone's
economy sends stocks sharply lower at the open Friday.

BP LOWERS CAP ON LEAKING WELL, BUT RESULTS UNCLEAR
BP places a containment cap over the leaking pipe in the Gulf of
Mexico, but it is still unclear how successful the firm will be in
stemming the flow of oil with this latest emergency move.

SPILL COULD MEAN DARK TIMES FOR SUNSHINE STATE
Already reeling from a real-estate crisis and deep economic slump,
Florida faces yet another cataclysm if oil from the Gulf spill mars
its famous shores, scaring away tourists and wreaking havoc on
fisheries.

U.S. economy adds 431,000 jobs in May; 411,000 are temporary Census hirings

Date: Fri, 04 Jun 2010 08:33:37 -0400

U.S. economy adds 431,000 jobs in May; 411,000 are temporary Census hirings
06/04/2010 08:31:52 AM EDT

Breaking News: May job gains weak

Date: Fri, 04 Jun 2010 06:58:26 -0600

May job gains weak; unemployment drops to 9.7%

Stocks sink at the open after the government's jobs report falls short of expectations. Dow plunges 109 points. Nasdaq down 2%.

Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 09:32:08 -0400

Stocks sink at the open after the government's jobs report falls short
of expectations. Dow plunges 109 points. Nasdaq down 2%.

International Headlines

Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 20:02:04 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 04 June, 2010

> BP CUTS OIL PIPE; BRACES FOR WEEK-LONG PROTESTS
BP has cut away the riser from its ruptured well in the Gulf of
Mexico, an "important milestone" but only a first step toward
corralling the oil spill, its CEO said.l

> UK GUNMAN'S TWIN BROTHER AMONG KILLED
The twin brother of the man blamed for one of the worst gun
massacres in UK history was among 12 people killed before the
gunman took his own life, police say.

> 'ONLY FORCE' WILL STOP IRISH-GAZA AID SHIP
The next showdown over Israel's naval blockade of Gaza could
come as early as Friday as an Irish-owned ship filled with
humanitarian aid steams into the region.

> MURDER SUSPECT VAN DER SLOOT ARRESTED
Peruvian authorities investigating a young woman's slaying this
week are working with officials from Interpol, Chile, Argentina
and Colombia in the search for Joran van der Sloot, a Dutch man
previously considered a suspect in the 2005 disappearance of
Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway, the Peruvian justice minister
said Thursday.

> PAKISTANI COAST BRACES FOR CYCLONE
Pakistani authorities dispatched Navy helicopters Thursday to
alert fishermen near Karachi and parts of Balochistan to the
expected arrival of Cyclone Phet and to urge them to return to
shore, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

> BISHOP STABBED TO DEATH IN TURKEY
A Catholic bishop has been stabbed to death in southern Turkey,
the Vatican Embassy in Ankara confirmed on Thursday.

> DOZENS KILLED IN CHINA LANDSLIDES
Authorities have launched an emergency response effort to help
the victims of rain-triggered landslides in southern China that,
by Wednesday night, had left 30 people dead.

> TWO SHOT DEAD AT BELGIAN COURTHOUSE
Two people have been shot and killed at a courthouse in
Brussels, Belgium, police and the national BELGA news agency
said Thursday.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~
> ASIA LESSONS FOR 'DOUR' EUROPE?
As the euro is depressed by the spiraling sovereign debt crisis,
Europe can learn lessons from Asian economies, World Bank
President Robert Zoellick told CNN's Richard Quest.

> UK REGULATOR FINES JPMORGAN $48.9M
JPMorgan's securities arm has been fined £33.32 million ($48.9
million), the largest penalty ever levied by the City regulator,
for failing to protect billions of dollars of client money by
keeping it in segregated accounts.

> GREEK JOURNALISTS STRIKE OVER AUSTERITY PLAN
Greek journalists walked off their jobs Thursday to protest
tough government austerity measures.

Markets, Thursday, 06/3/2010

Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 17:31:04 -0400
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,255.28 up 5.74 | S & P : 1,102.83 up 4.45
|
| NASDAQ: 2,303.03 up 21.96 | Bond (10Y): 3.38% up 0.045
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
MARKETS:
Stocks stage recovery
Tech-fueled Nasdaq gains, helping the broader market stabilize after
the morning's rash of mixed economic news.

Stocks finish higher, with the Dow clawing out a 5-point gain and the Nasdaq rising nearly 1%, as tech issues lift broader market.

Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 16:03:04 -0400

Stocks finish higher, with the Dow clawing out a 5-point gain and the
Nasdaq rising nearly 1%, as tech issues lift broader market.

Stocks struggle to extend prior session's gains

Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:00:52 -0400

STOCKS STRUGGLE TO EXTEND PRIOR SESSION'S GAINS
U.S. stocks struggle to hold a second day of gains as gauges from
Europe prompt concern and investors sort through varied economic data
ahead of Friday's monthly jobs report.

PREFERRED STOCKS SHINE IN VOLATILE MARKET
With banks paying next to nothing on money market accounts, this a
good time for income-oriented investors to consider preferred stocks.

WITH FEAR BACK, STOCKS CAN RISE
The outlook for stocks for the rest of year is bleak, given so much
uncertainty about how much the European crisis and slow growth in
China might cost the global economy.

ASIAN SHARES UP; FINANCIALS AND AUTOS LEAD GAINS
Asian stock markets end mostly higher, with Shanghai failing to take
part in the regional rally and with Tokyo's Nikkei 225 marking its
biggest rally of the year as exporters cheer a falling yen amid
speculation about Japan's next prime minister.

U.S. STOCKS POISED FOR OPENING RISE AFTER DATA
U.S. stock market futures point to a second day of gains ahead of a
raft of economic data.

U.S. services sector shows expansion in May: ISM

Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2010 10:07:57 -0400

U.S. services sector shows expansion in May: ISM
06/03/2010 10:06:04 AM EDT

U.S. private-sector payrolls rise by 55,000 in May, ADP sampling data show

Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:19:10 -0400

U.S. private-sector payrolls rise by 55,000 in May, ADP sampling data show
06/03/2010 08:17:27 AM EDT

Fwd: Number of people filing for first-time jobless benefits falls by 10,000 to 453,000, government says.

Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 08:33:06 -0400

Number of people filing for first-time jobless benefits falls by
10,000 to 453,000, government says.

Stocks open higher as investors digest two upbeat reports on the labor market. Dow gains 34 points.

Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 09:32:04 -0400

Stocks open higher as investors digest two upbeat reports on the labor
market. Dow gains 34 points.

International Headlines

Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2010 20:02:04 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 03 June, 2010

> 12 KILLED BY GUNMAN ON RAMPAGE IN ENGLAND
At least 12 people have been killed in a shooting spree in towns
in northern England. Police have found a body believed to be
suspected gunman Derrick Bird.

> NEW AID SHIP HEADS FOR GAZA
International criticism of Israel intensifies as it begins to
deport foreign activists detained after Monday's commando raid
on an aid flotilla bound for Gaza.

> BLAIR RAISES GAZA BLOCKADE CONCERNS
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has expressed concern
over Israel's policy towards Gaza following Monday's commando
raid on an international flotilla carrying aid to the blockaded
Palestinian territory.

> HOLLOWAY SUSPECT WANTED IN PERU DEATH
Joran van der Sloot, once considered a suspect in the
disappearance of teenager Natalee Holloway, is the suspect in
the killing of a woman in Peru, police said.

> BP FREES CUTTER FROM DAMAGED PIPE
BP early Wednesday used robot submarines and a complex maneuver
to stop the massive flow of crude oil spilling into the Gulf of
Mexico.

> OBAMA TO MEET TOP COMMANDER FOR IRAQ
President Barack Obama will meet with U.S. Army Gen. Ray Odierno
at the Oval Office Wednesday morning to get a first-hand account
of conditions in Iraq from the top commander for the country.

> TALIBAN 'GOVERNOR' SEIZED IN AFGHANISTAN
Troops in Afghanistan have captured a Taliban shadow governor
not long after killing his predecessor, the NATO-led
International Security Assistance Force said Wednesday.

> RUSSIA TO LAUNCH MOCK MISSION TO MARS
In an attempt to re-create the experience of a manned mission to
Mars, an international team of researchers will lock themselves
up in a windowless capsule for about a year and a half -- time
required for a round trip to the Red Planet.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~
> PRUDENTIAL WALKS AWAY FROM AIA DEAL
Prudential on Wednesday said it had decided to walk away from an
agreement to buy AIG's Asian business after the board of the US
insurer voted against cutting the purchase price from $35.5bn.

> OLD CAR TIRES FUEL GREEN SHOE REVOLUTION
"Oh, yes!" cries Bethlehem Alemu, the dynamic founder and owner
of SoleRebels, a game-changing shoe company in the heart of
Addis Ababa, the ancient capital of Ethiopia.

> INSIDE CHINA FACTORY HIT BY SUICIDES
More than 300,000 people sleep, eat and work at Foxconn's
factory complex in Shenzhen, building products for companies
including Apple, Dell and Sony. But a spate of suicides has
raised concerns about working conditions.

Markets, Wednesday, 06/2/2010

Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2010 17:31:04 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,249.54 up 225.52 | S & P : 1,098.38 up 27.67 |
| NASDAQ: 2,281.07 up 58.74 | Bond (10Y): 3.33% up 0.038
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Stocks rally 2% on energy boost
U.S. markets make a comeback Wednesday as energy and technology shares rally.

Stocks end on a tear, with the Dow rising 225 points, as energy and technology shares fuel rally.

Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2010 16:04:08 -0400

Stocks end on a tear, with the Dow rising 225 points, as energy and
technology shares fuel rally.

U.S. stocks recoup some recent losses

Date: Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:00:55 -0400

U.S. STOCKS RECOUP SOME RECENT LOSSES
U.S. stocks rise modestly Wednesday, regaining some lost ground after
a two-session losing streak, as investors bet the prior day's blasting
of energy shares was overdone.

COMMODITY-SECTOR SHARES UNDER PRESSURE IN EUROPE
European share indexes lose ground, pulled down by broad losses for
commodity-sector companies and another slide for BP shares.

HONG KONG, AUSTRALIA FALL AS JAPAN SLIPS BACK
Some of Asia's major stock markets closed lower Wednesday, with a
brief climb in the Japanese market giving way to a decline after
traders had time to digest the resignation of the country's prime
minister.

JOBS REMINDS US HOW FAR APPLE HAS COME
Steve Jobs reminds all of us how far Apple Inc. has come in the last
13 years or so since he came back to the company he co-founded.
------------------------------------------------------------------
REALITY UPDATE:
The recession has transformed more consumers into discount shoppers,
and now websites that harness the power of group purchasing are
helping them get even better deals.

Stocks open higher as investors await latest reading on auto sales. Dow edges up 17 points, Nasdaq, S&P 500 both up less than 1%.

Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2010 09:34:05 -0400

Stocks open higher as investors await latest reading on auto sales.
Dow edges up 17 points, Nasdaq, S&P 500 both up less than 1%.

Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama to step down: NHK

Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:56:09 -0400

Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama to step down: NHK
06/01/2010 08:54:11 PM EDT

International Headlines

Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2010 20:02:04 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 02 June, 2010

> ISRAEL RELEASES SOME ACTIVISTS AS AID CARGO ARRIVES IN GAZA
Israel begins releasing activists and aid seized during a deadly
raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla as Turkey's Prime Minister accuses
the country of a "bloody massacre."

> U.S. OPENS CRIMINAL OIL SPILL PROBE
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday that the Justice
Department has launched a criminal investigation into the
massive oil spill spreading through the Gulf of Mexico.

> ITALY: KNOX FACES SLANDER CHARGES
American Amanda Knox, serving a 26-year sentence in an Italian
prison for the 2007 murder of her British roommate, appeared in
court briefly Tuesday to face slander charges for claiming
Italian police beat her during an interrogation, said her
attorney, Luciano Ghirga.

> STORM CREATES GIANT GUATEMALA SINKHOLE
The death toll from Tropical Storm Agatha is growing, with 123
reported killed in Guatemala, 14 in Honduras and nine in El
Salvador.

> POLAND RELEASES PLANE CRASH TRANSCRIPT
Pilots were warned of potential danger at least eight times in
about 30 seconds before a Polish jet crashed in Russia in April,
killing President Lech Kaczynski and about 100 others.

> RARE PHOTO SHOWS MONROE WITH JFK, RFK
Marilyn Monroe's sultry rendition of "Happy Birthday" sung for
President John F. Kennedy's 45th birthday celebration marked the
actress's last major public appearance before her mysterious
death in August 1962.

> ENGLAND AXE WALCOTT FROM CUP SQUAD
Arsenal winger Theo Walcott is the surprise omission from
England coach Fabio Capello's World Cup squad but there is a
place for injury-threatened Gareth Barry.

> FEDERER HUMBLED AT FRENCH OPEN
Sweden's Robin Soderling ended world number one Roger Federer's
defense of his French Open crown after a rain-affected four-set
victory at Roland Garros.

BUSINESS

> INSIDE CHINA FACTORY HIT BY SUICIDES
More than 300,000 people sleep, eat and work at Foxconn's
factory complex in Shenzhen, building products for companies
including Apple, Dell and Sony. But a spate of suicides has
raised concerns about working conditions.

> CHINA BUBBLE RISK WORSE THAN U.S.?
The problems in China's housing market are more severe than the
US before the financial crisis because they combine a potential
bubble with the risk of social discontent, said an adviser to
the Chinese central bank.

> AIG, PRUDENTIAL FAIL TO AGREE ASIAN DEAL
American International Group on Tuesday rejected a revised
$30.4bn cash and shares offer from Prudential for its Asian life
insurance assets, dealing a major blow to the UK group's attempt
to clinch the take over of the unit.

Markets, Tuesday, 06/1/2010

Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2010 17:32:04 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,024.02 down 112.61 | S & P : 1,070.71 down 18.70 |
| NASDAQ: 2,222.33 down 34.71 | Bond (10Y): 3.30% down 0.005
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Is the euro crisis over or just beginning?
The euro rebounded after briefly hitting a 4-year low against the
dollar. While some think Europe has stabilized, others fear more pain
to come - and that's not good for the U.S.

Stocks end on sell-off, with the Dow erasing earlier gains to finish 113 points lower, as BP drags on energy sector.

Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2010 16:02:04 -0400

Stocks end on sell-off, with the Dow erasing earlier gains to finish
113 points lower, as BP drags on energy sector.

BP valuation takes $17 bln hit on top-kill failure

Date: Tue, Jun 1, 2010 at 12:00 PM

BP VALUATION TAKES $17 BLN HIT ON TOP-KILL FAILURE

BP's failed attempt at pouring thousands of barrels of mud to plug the worst oil spill in U.S. waters sent shares of the London-based oil giant down by 13% in early New York trade on Tuesday. 

BP ONTO NEXT REMEDY, SAYS LEAK MAY LAST TIL AUGUST
 The company  is preparing to cut a damaged pipe in the hope it will be easier to put a new, smaller, dome on top of a clean break.  
 The disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has showcased the need for better robotics technology.

U.S. STOCKS RISE ON ECONOMIC REPORTS

The U.S. stock market kicks off June with an early decline as developments in Europe, Asia and the Middle East undermine confidence, but latest domestic economic data help turn the tide. 

MODEST DROP IN MAY ISM FACTORY DATA

Activity at U.S. manufacturing firms slows bit after hitting a six-year high in April, according to a closely followed survey of top executives.  

Manufacturing grows for the 10th straight month in May, although at a slower pace than the month before, purchasing managers say.

Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2010 10:06:06 -0400

Manufacturing grows for the 10th straight month in May, although at a
slower pace than the month before, purchasing managers say.

Stocks start with losses as international concerns weigh on investors. Dow tumbles 56 points.

Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2010 09:32:04 -0400

Stocks start with losses as international concerns weigh on investors.
Dow tumbles 56 points.

International Headlines

Date: Mon, 31 May 2010 20:02:04 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 01 June, 2010

> ISRAEL CONDEMNED OVER GAZA CONVOY RAID
International condemnation pours in after nine people die in an
attack by Israeli commandos on a flotilla of six ships carrying
aid for Gaza in defiance of a blockade.

> NETANYAHU CANCELS MEETING WITH OBAMA
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled this
week's scheduled meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama,
Israeli government officials said Monday. The two leaders were
slated to meet Tuesday during a visit by Netanyahu to
Washington, D.C.

> BP'S UNDERWATER OIL CLAIMS DISPUTED
BP could try to cap a massive oil gusher again early this week
in an attempt to solve what the Obama administration has called
"probably the biggest environmental disaster we've ever faced in
this country."

> BALLOONS CARRY PROPAGANDA INTO N. KOREA
Park Sang Hak and his family jammed 150,000 sheets of paper,
dollar bills, DVDs and tiny AM/FM radios inside bags attached to
giant inflatable helium balloons.

> NADAL TO MEET ALMAGRO IN FRENCH OPEN
Rafael Nadal battled past Thomaz Bellucci at the French Open to
record his 200th win on clay and set up an all-Spanish
quarterfinal with Nicolas Almagro.

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

> GOVERNMENT, BP SPAR OVER OIL LEAK SIZE
A top White House aide and the managing director of BP disagreed
about who provided the initial inaccurate estimates of the size
of the oil spill.

> HONDA PRESSES STAFF NOT TO STRIKE
Honda has asked workers at one of its Chinese factories, closed
since last week by an unprecedented strike, to pledge that they
will refrain from further industrial action.

> STOCKS: NEW MONTH, SAME MALAISE
Investors in the United States will return from a long holiday
weekend having bid adieu to the Dow's worst May since 1940. But
the issues that caused the collapse haven't gone anywhere.

Market, Monday, 05/31/2010

Date: Mon, 31 May 2010 17:31:04 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,136.63 down 122.36 | S & P : 1,089.41 down 13.65 |
| NASDAQ: 2,257.04 down 20.64 | Bond (10Y): 3.30% down 0.037 |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

MARKETS:
Stocks: New month, same malaise
Investors return from the holiday eager to shake off a brutal May and
all of its woes, but economic worries both domestic and abroad, remain
in place.

International Headlines

Date: Sunday, May 30, 2010
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 31 May, 2010

> BP VOWS TO REDOUBLE EFFORTS TO CONTAIN 'DISASTER'
BP is increasing efforts to stop oil spewing from a Gulf of
Mexico well, a leak U.S. officials are calling the "biggest
environmental disaster we've ever faced."

> THAILAND MAY LIFT STATE OF EMERGENCY
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the country was calm
Sunday morning after the first night without a
government-imposed curfew in 10 days, state media said.

> SENIOR UK MINISTER QUITS AMID SCANDAL
The Cabinet minister responsible for slashing Britain's
crippling deficit has admitted using taxpayers' money to rent
rooms from his male partner, as the expenses scandal came back
to haunt the new coalition government.

> BRITISH AIRWAYS HIT BY SECOND STRIKE
A second five-day strike by British Airways cabin crew members
started Sunday after talks between the union and the airline
failed.

> ISRAELI SHIPS APPROACH GAZA FLOTILLA
Defying an Israeli blockade, a convoy of ships carrying food and
aid will resume its journey toward Gaza on Sunday afternoon
after mechanical problems caused a delay.

> COLOMBIA ELECTIONS SET FOR CLOSE FINISH
Colombians will go to the polls on Sunday in a tight
presidential race that many didn't expect would be so close just
a few months ago.

> WOMAN RECOUNTS KIDNAPPING IN YEMEN
An American woman who was kidnapped, then freed, in Yemen last
week recounted the experience Sunday, telling CNN she and her
companion had taken adequate safety precautions and knew the
risks.

> FEDERER, SODERLING IN FINAL RE-MATCH
Top seed and defending champion Roger Federer cruised into the
quarterfinals of the French Open with a ruthless dispatch of
Swiss compatriot Stanislav Wawrinka in Paris on Sunday.

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

> FITCH SLASHES SPAIN'S CREDIT RATING
Fitch downgraded Spain's sovereign debt to a lower investment
grade Friday, adding to continued concerns about European
contagion.

> FIFA LOOKS TO MOBILE TV
With most Africans unlikely to take part in the continent's
first World Cup, soccer's governing body FIFA is hoping that
mobile-phone television coverage can extend the showpiece
tournament's audience.

> CHINA, FOXCONN SEEK ANSWERS TO SUICIDES
Liang Chao was a typical farmer's son who migrated to the city
seeking a better life. So why did this employee of Foxconn --
which makes products for Apple, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and other
companies  -- kill himself?