UNITED STATES

A broad healthcare overhaul passed its first crucial test in the U.S. Senate on Monday, with 60 Democrats voting to put President Barack Obama's top legislative priority on a path to passage by Christmas.

Dubai World will not make any concrete proposals to delay $22 billion in debt when it meets creditors on Monday, a move that is likely to dismay investors who have been left in the dark for weeks.

French aerospace group Safran and U.S. conglomerate General Electric have won a multibillion dollar deal to provide the motor for China's new C919 plane, Safran said on Monday.

Crucial vote for Health Reform; AIG'sBailout Payback Plan; Radio Bankruptcy Woes

Asian share markets rose broadly on Monday, with high-tech stocks following gains in U.S. rivals late last week, and the dollar held its ground near three-month highs against the euro and kept on a firmer footing against the yen.

The world will find it hard to get U.N.-led climate talks back on track in Mexico in 2010 after an unambitious deal agreed in Copenhagen set no firm deadline for a legally binding treaty.

With 60 votes in hand, Senate Democrats cruised on Sunday toward an expected victory on the first of three crucial test votes that will put a broad healthcare overhaul on the path to passage by Christmas.

Citadel Broadcasting Corp , the third-largest U.S. radio broadcaster, said on Sunday it filed for the bankruptcy protection, as the radio industry continues to be hard hit by depressed advertising revenue.

Bailed-out U.S. insurer American International Group will take at least two years to repay its debt, but is benefiting from an aggressive management style, said Chief Executive Officer Robert Benmosche in an FT interview.

Support for the government of Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, who faces key decisions on next year's budget and relocating a U.S. airbase, have sunk as low as 48 percent in surveys issued on Monday and at the weekend.

Prospects for the four big U.S. banks are brightening, with earnings set to rise markedly in the coming years, the financial weekly Barron's writes in its latest issue.

Mercer is facing a $2.8 billion lawsuit by the Alaska Retirement Management Board that alleges the human resources consulting firm made a number of errors in its work as the state's actuarial consultant, according to a New York Times column published on Sunday.

The Aussie dollar bounced back from Friday's morning sell off towards 88 cents to enter offshore exchange around 0.8880 against the Greenback. Lacking direction during European trade the AUD/USD bounced between 0.8860 and 0.8910 on several occasions, surviving a brief dip to 0.8840 and opening this morning pressing against resistance at 0.8910. With persistent demand for U.S dollars over the last week expected to continue it appears attempts to regain the 90 cent handle will be relatively short ...

OPEC would leave output targets unchanged when it meets this week in Luanda, ministers said on Sunday, as robust oil prices offset concerns in the group about excess supplies.

State-run Saudi Arabian Mining Co and U.S. aluminum giant Alcoa agreed on Sunday to build a $10.8 billion aluminum complex in the world's top oil exporter, targeting the Middle East from 2013.

OPEC will almost certainly leave output targets unchanged when it meets this week in Luanda, ministers said on Sunday, as robust oil prices offset any concerns in the group about excess supplies.

Santa came early for Wall Street this year by giving the S&P 500 a 22 percent gain for 2009, and with just eight trading days left in the year, stock investors are not expecting to find much more under the tree.

Santa came early for Wall Street this year by delivering a 22 percent return for 2009, and with just a handful of trading days to go, stock investors are not expecting to find much more under the tree.

Saudi Arabian Mining Co and U.S. aluminum giant Alcoa have agreed to build a $10.8 billion aluminum complex that is scheduled to start production from 2013.

Debt-ridden conglomerate Dubai World is expected on Monday to ask key creditors for more time to pay off its loans, but leave them none the wiser concerning their prospects of being paid back in full.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai promised on Sunday his new cabinet would be held to account following mounting criticism over graft in his government.