UNITED STATES

The U.S. service sector grew in September for the first time in more than a year, creating jobs in banking and restaurants and giving a fresh sign that the economy is healing after doubts cast by recent poor data.

Comedian David Letterman did not tell the whole story when he described himself as the victim of a $2 million extortion plot by a TV news producer, an attorney for the producer said on Monday.

Stocks rose on Monday, ending a four-day losing streak as data showed the services sector expanded for the first time since August 2008 and optimism about upcoming earnings took hold.

A U.S.-led group that includes former Ford Motor Co director Michael Dingman is in talks to acquire the automaker's money-losing Volvo brand, a source familiar with the matter said on Monday.

Time Inc is gathering U.S. magazine publishers to start a jointly run digital newsstand next year that would deliver their titles to mobile devices like increasingly popular electronic book readers.

U.S. network equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc expects to continue on the acquisition trail after last week's agreed $3 billion offer for Norwegian videoconferencing company Tandberg.

Renewable Energy Certificates are not carbon offsets and should not be eligible as such under a U.S. climate bill, an environmental policy expert told Reuters.

A guilty plea in a tax case related to the ongoing criminal investigation of U.S. clients of UBS AG is expected later on Monday, a government official told Reuters.

Stocks snapped a four-day losing streak on Monday, after a broker issued a bullish call on big banks and as data showed the services sector expanded for the first time since August 2008.

Oil fell 2 percent to below $69 a barrel on Monday, pressured by jitters over the pace of U.S. economic recovery and easing concerns about Iran and Nigeria.

President Barack Obama gathered doctors from every U.S. state at the White House on Monday to press his case for healthcare reform in a week when the sweeping overhaul could clear a major hurdle in Congress.

A court in Azerbaijan sentenced a group of militant Islamists including two Lebanese men to between 12 and 15 years in jail on Monday for plotting attacks on the Israeli and U.S. embassies in Baku.

As Rio de Janeiro revels and rejoices in a runaway victory for the right to stage the 2016 Olympics, a chill wind is blowing through Chicago, seen by many as favourites before Friday's stunning IOC vote.

The European Union and Brazil will put pressure on the United States Tuesday to set out its demands to conclude the Doha round of world trade talks in 2010 to boost dwindling world trade, a draft document showed.

U.S. network equipment maker Brocade Communications Systems Inc has put itself up for sale and Hewlett-Packard Co is among the possible bidders, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, triggering a 17 percent jump in Brocade shares.

NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker could be about to get a new boss -- and asked to explain a three-year run when his company expanded its cable business and won acclaim for its Olympic broadcasts, but failed to score a single breakout prime-time TV hit.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday called for patience and discretion as President Barack Obama decides how to conduct the war in Afghanistan, urging advisers to speak candidly but privately on strategy.

Caterpillar Inc , the world's largest maker of earth-moving equipment, said on Monday it plans to raise prices on most of its machinery up to 2 percent next year.

U.S. stocks rallied on Monday, lifted by positive broker comments on big banks and data showing the services sector expanded for the first time in about a year.

Oil fell to around $69 a barrel on Monday, extending the previous session's drop, pressured by jitters over the pace of U.S. economic recovery and easing concerns about Iran and Nigeria.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stopped at an ice cream shop in Amman Jordan with their 15 month old twins Knox and Vivienne and all posed for a photo.