UNITED STATES

The United States said on Thursday world leaders must work to keep economic growth on track but Europe dug in its heels ahead of a G20 summit, insisting that now was the time to work on cutting costs.

New claims for state jobless benefits fell last week while a closely watched gauge of demand for factory goods rebounded in May, offering assurance the economy's fragile recovery remains intact.

The S&P 500 fell for the fourth straight day on Thursday as fresh signs of consumer weakness and worries about stringent financial regulation provoked investors to unload positions.

The Supreme Court on Thursday threw into doubt the fraud convictions of former Enron Corp Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling and ex-media baron Conrad Black, a setback for the U.S. Justice Department in two of the biggest corporate fraud prosecutions of the last decade.

Lawmakers on Thursday agreed to boost banks' capital requirements and neared agreement on a derivatives crackdown as they closed in on a historic overhaul of financial regulations.

A sharp increase in temporary work -- a traditional leading indicator of in the early phase of recovery -- shows that many European countries and the United States are pulling out of recession, an industry association said on Thursday.

The company that oversees Web addresses is expected to give the go-ahead on Friday for the creation of a .xxx suffix for websites with pornographic content, company officials indicated on Thursday.

Microblogging service Twitter has agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over charges it put its customers privacy at risk by failing to safeguard their personal information.

Last minute proposals to U.S. legislation designed to reduce risks in the $450 trillion derivatives markets may limit competition among firms seeking to centrally clear contracts, a trade association said on Thursday.

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Stocks fell on Thursday on worries the economic recovery was slowing, with banks also pressured by congressional negotiations on a financial regulatory overhaul.

Apple fans lined up overnight by the hundreds outside stores in the United States, Europe and Japan to snap up the latest iPhone, setting a new benchmark in the fast-growing smartphone market.

Mortgage rates dropped in the past week, with 30-year fixed-rate loans tumbling to their lowest level in 39 years, according to a survey released on Thursday by Freddie Mac, the second-largest U.S. mortgage finance company.

The U.S. first-time homebuyer credit, aimed at boosting demand amid the recession, is still beset by significant scamming, though authorities made some progress rooting out fraud, a federal watchdog said.

The United States is urging Syria to open up its markets to U.S. companies' computers and software, but fears over piracy and Internet access restrictions are holding back American technology companies from investing there.

The former Soviet Central Asian republics are at a precarious crossroad today between accomplishing monumental progress, like Kazakhstan, and flirting with disaster and the prospects of civil war, like Kyrgyzstan.

Britain could force internet service providers such as BT, Virgin Media and TalkTalk to reveal whether they restrict access to some websites at peak times while favoring others, regulator Ofcom said.

Hasbro Inc said it is not involved in any talks regarding a potential sale of the company, despite a news report that said it had been in negotiations for a possible leveraged buyout.

Lawmakers on Thursday agreed to boost banks' capital requirements and neared agreement on a derivatives crackdown as they closed in on a historic overhaul of financial regulations.

The Supreme Court on Thursday set aside some convictions of former Enron Corp Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling and former media baron Conrad Black, a setback for the U.S. Justice Department in some of its biggest corporate fraud prosecutions of the last decade.

Dell Inc said on Thursday the company is squarely focused on improving profitability, even as it grapples with rising component costs and volatility in international markets.