UNITED STATES

The mobile gaming market suffered an unexpected slump last year, with many game developers and analysts pointing to telecom operators' lack of interest in investing in marketing games.

Japan stocks closed Tuesday almost unchanged as investors worried about soaring raw material prices and the U.S. dollar's depreciation.

The FTSE 100 share index dropped 1.1 per cent on Monday after poor performances by banks and oil companies and worries of a possible U.S. recession. Overall the FTSE 100 dropped 65.7 points down to 5,818.6.

Citigroup, the largest U.S. bank, may need more capital from outside investors despite raising billions of dollars after reporting large write-downs related to bad investments in the U.S. subprime mortgage market, the CEO of Gulf state firm Dubai International Capital LLC said Tuesday, according to a report.

Crude oil futures rose to another record on Monday on the falling dollar, a decreased chance for an OPEC output hike, and downbeat U.S. manufacturing and spending reports.

Restricting the amount of time young children spend watching TV and playing computer games can help them shed calories from their diets and lower their risk of becoming obese, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

The dollar continues to struggle across the board amid lingering fears that the economy is headed toward a recession – dragging the currency to a new all-time low against the euro at 1.5275 and a three-year low versus the yen at

After mixed reports surrounding Apple and China mobile talks, the mobile carrier confirmed on Monday that it has not yet entered into negotiations to take the iPhone to China, saying such talks may be held closer to the release of a 3G version of the touch-screen handset later this year.

Wheat increased on Monday over concerns that severe weather conditions will hurt the crops.

U.S. stocks edged lower Monday for a third day after analysts reduced earnings estimates for securities firms while manufacturing report was not as bad as forecast, while a separate report on construction showed a steep weakness in spending on non-residential projects.

Venezuela and Ecuador sent troops to their borders with Colombia and downgraded diplomatic ties after their Andean neighbor bombed Colombian rebels inside Ecuador in an attack Caracas said could spark a war.

HSBC's profits rose 10 percent last year as buoyant growth in Hong Kong and elsewhere in Asia helped Europe's biggest bank absorb $17.2 billion in bad debts as the U.S. housing crisis deepened. Hong Kong profits rose 42 percent while Asia earnings grew by 70 percent. North America was managed a small gain.

Facebook, the social network site that has enjoyed spectacular international growth in the past year, despite being published only in English until recently, said on Monday it was offering a German version.

The U.N. Security Council is expected to adopt a third round of sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program on Monday, but diplomats said this might be the first round that is not approved unanimously.

Union workers at auto supplier American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc., on their fifth day of a crippling strike, are ready to bargain with the company, a union leader said on Saturday.

You may want to think twice before you let snow drops fall on your tongue the next you're out in the snow.

U.S. study revealed that taking daily supplements of vitamin E during a long-term period can increase cancer risk by 28 percent.

Online auction leader eBay Inc warned in an annual report on Friday that it faces difficulty getting former customers to return, adding to the normal challenge of attracting new users to its sites.

A Million is great in most places, but in America...

Retailers want a piece of your tax rebate. They're devising plans to get some of more than $150 billion.

Treasuries rose on Friday, sending two-year yields to the lowest level in nearly four years, on new economic data which led investors to raise their expectations for a recession.