UNITED STATES

Venus Williams, who will play for her third straight Wimbledon title on Saturday after winning her semi-final match on Thursday, thinks facing her sister Serena for the championship will be the hardest match of the tournament yet.

U.S. housing prices will fall by a double-digit percentage from already beaten-down levels, resulting in an overall 40 percent plunge by the time foreclosures peak in the second half of 2010, Barclays Capital economist Michelle Meyer said.

General Motors Corp would be forced into liquidation if its proposed asset sale were not approved despite urging from dissident bondholders that another course be pursued, the company's lead bankruptcy lawyer said on Thursday.

U.S. marshals began on Thursday the seizure of the luxury $7 million Manhattan apartment of imprisoned fraudster Bernard Madoff and his wife, Ruth Madoff, officials said.

Thieves are increasingly going after iPhones and other smartphones but victims now can fight back with technology.

Stocks plummeted on Thursday as a worse-than-expected slide in June non-farm payrolls fanned caution about economic recovery prospects.

Magna's board of directors is scheduled to approve on Tuesday a business plan for the acquisition of German carmaker Opel, two sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

U.S. marshals began on Thursday the seizure of the luxury $7 million Manhattan apartment of imprisoned fraudster Bernard Madoff and his wife, Ruth Madoff, officials said.

June job loss rate rises, Exelon Corp. raises offer to buy NRG, J&J buys stake in biotech firm Elan, acquires Alzheimer's research

Natural gas stockpiles rose 70 billion cubic feet in the week ended June 26 to 2.721 trillion cubic feet .Exelon Corp.rised its offer to acquire NRG Energy Inc. by 12 percent to $7.45 billion concluding is its best and final offer. NACEL Energy Corporation entered into a four long term wind development rights agreement for its Leila Lakes power generation facility

Stocks slid on Thursday after payrolls data showed much worse-than-expected job losses for June, a sign that hopes for a quick economy recovery may be premature.

Rio Tinto said the British leg of its $15.2 billion rights issue had been successfully completed, putting the world's top iron ore miner back in growth mode after slashing its debt.

Swelling gasoline stocks and a far-bigger-than-expected rise in U.S. unemployment drove oil markets down more than $2 Thursday to below $67 a barrel.

North Korea test-fired four short-range missiles on Thursday, further stoking tension in the region that was already high due to Pyongyang's nuclear test and threats to boost its nuclear arsenal in response to UN sanctions.

Thousands of U.S. Marines stormed deep into Taliban territory in an Afghan river valley on Thursday, launching the biggest military offensive of Barack Obama's presidency.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday Washington and Moscow must set aside the power politics of the past and use a forthcoming summit to unite in tackling global economic and political problems.

China's state-run carmaker Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co is preparing to make an offer for General Motors' Opel unit in the coming days, a source told Reuters, but the Russian partner of bid frontrunner Magna said the race was all but over.

Stocks fell sharply on Thursday after payrolls data showed more Americans than expected lost their jobs in June, dimming hopes of a quick economic recovery.

Some of Europe's cash-strapped biotech companies may just be able to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Exelon Corporation increased 12 percent its offer to acquire NRG Energy Inc. on Thursday to $7.45 billion saying it continues to pursue NRG because of the long-term value that can be created by industry consolidation.

U.S. employers cut 467,000 jobs in June, far more than expected, while the unemployment rate rose to 9.5 percent, the government said on Thursday in a report that showed a labor market continuing to struggle with a deep recession.