UNITED STATES

Many Americans applauded the spending plans and tax breaks set out in President Barack Obama's record budget, while others questioned the yawning deficit it would entail.

Governments on both sides of the Atlantic moved to tighten their grip over banks on Friday to stem a financial crisis that has pushed the U.S. economy into its deepest contraction in more than a quarter century.

Broke, desperate Americans are most likely to be targeted by scam artists and the amount they lose is rising, the National Consumers League said.

Stock index futures turned lower on Friday on news the U.S. government is taking a large common equity stake in embattled lender Citigroup .

The U.S. government will commit to holding a common equity stake of up to 30-40 percent in Citigroup in a deal that will see most of the group's board replaced, a person familiar with the transaction said on Friday.

The U.S. government and Citigroup have reached a deal to convert up to $25 billion in government-held preferred shares in the bank to common equity, a person familiar with the transaction said early on Friday.

The U.S. debt held by the public may grow nearly twice as fast over the next two years than previously expected after President Barack Obama today unveiled his spending priorities to add trillions of dollars to the federal budget, including help for the financial industry and job generation through government programs.

The FBI made the first arrest in the Stanford Financial Group fraud investigation on Thursday, detaining Chief Investment Officer Laura Pendergest-Holt on federal obstruction charges.

Americans hold a dim view of business executives, giving them poor grades for honesty and ethics and blaming them for business failures, according to a survey released on Thursday.

On February 26, Veterans for America, VFA, issued a statement urging President Barak Obama to address the dire conditions on the military bases and in communities in the United States.

The U.S. government may agree to finance the purchase of some American International Group Inc businesses and take direct stakes in others, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Motorola Inc (MOT.N) sees industry cellphone sales increasing in the mid-single-digit percentage range next year and in 2011, driven by first time buyers in emerging markets and upgrades to new models by existing users.

Americans hold a dim view of business executives, giving them poor grades for honesty and ethics and blaming them for business failures, according to a survey released on Thursday.

Go off-peak, or in the 'shoulder season' just before the masses arrive. For example, African safaris in the rainy season cost up to 40% less, and offer the chance to see more new-born animals; the Galapagos Islands in May are 20-30% cheaper than December / January or high summer - and offer warmer, calmer conditions

The U.S. government may agree to finance the purchase of some American International Group Inc businesses, take stakes in assets and ease terms of its aid package to the insurer, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Stocks fell in volatile trade on Thursday as investors sold off shares of healthcare companies such as Merck & Co on worries that President Obama's budget proposal will strangle profits.

U.S. oil prices jumped more than 6 percent to above $45 a barrel on Thursday on expectations OPEC will cut output again and on signs of a rebound in gasoline demand in top consumer the United States.

The U.S. government may agree to finance some buyers of American International Group Inc businesses, take stakes in assets and ease terms of its aid to the insurer, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Stocks fell on Thursday as investors sold off healthcare shares on worries that President Obama's budget proposal will sap industry profits.

Yahoo Chief Executive Carol Bartz on Thursday took the wraps off a broad reorganization plan designed to dismantle what she called the silos that had slowed down the Internet company.

President Barack Obama forecast the biggest U.S. deficit since World War Two in a budget on Thursday that urges a costly overhaul of the healthcare system and would spend billions to arrest the economy's freefall.