U.S.

The Parents Television Council (PTC) has called on the chairmen of the U.S. Senate and House Judiciary Committees and the Department of Justice to open an investigation regarding child pornography and exploitation on MTV's Skins.

US gasoline stocks rose 4.443 million barrels during the last week as demand languished at seasonal levels while the output from refineries rose, Platts said in a release.

US stocks advanced in early trade on Friday as upbeat quarterly results from General Electric and Google and strong German IFO business sentiment data boosted investor sentiment.

Futures on major U.S. indices point to a higher opening on Friday with futures on the S&P 500 up 0.15 percent, futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.11 percent and Nasdaq100 futures up 0.15 percent.

Verizon Communications took the Federal Communications Commission to court on Thursday over its new Internet traffic rules, arguing the regulator had overstepped its authority.

Chinese President Hu Jintao got an earful of U.S. lawmakers criticism on North Korea and human rights on Thursday, but tried to assure the United States that China's military and trade policies were not a threat.

The United States warned China that if it didn't rein in its ally North Korea it would redeploy forces in Asia, the New York Times reported on Friday, as Pyongyang bowed to pressure and agreed to crisis talks.

Chinese President Hu Jintao on Thursday called for closer U.S.-China cooperation on economic and security issues, especially in the Asia Pacific region where both countries have strong interests.

Stocks fell on Thursday as lackluster tech and materials earnings failed to live up to heightened expectations, threatening to short-circuit a seven-week run.

U.S. stocks fell on Thursday led by losses in the technology sector and on worries that China's rapid growth may lead to more aggressive measures to tackle inflation.

Indian pharmaceutical company Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd on Thursday said it has launched a generic version of Protonix, a drug used to control the amount of acid in the stomach, in the United States.

Futures on major U.S. indices pared earlier losses and point to modestly lower opening on Thursday after the Department of Labor reported that weekly jobless claims fell sharply last week.

Michelle Obama asks American students to study in China, stressing the need for competitiveness and cooperation

Futures on major U.S. indices point to a lower opening on Thursday ahead of economic data, including weekly jobless claims and existing home sales.

President Hu Jintao on Thursday will try to persuade often hostile U.S. lawmakers that China is a threat-free engine of growth, after a White House summit sought to narrow rifts between the world's top two economies.

The United States and China on Wednesday agreed on $45 billion in U.S. export deals and to give U.S. companies greater access to China's $88 billion-plus government contracts market at the start of Chinese President Hu Jintao's four-day state visit.

China is extending its so-called panda diplomacy agreement with the United States, letting giant pandas stay at the Washington national zoo for another five years, a Chinese conservation official said on Wednesday.

If one had to pick the next 'AAA' country to lose their golden ratings, the U.S. would be a pretty good choice.

Wells Fargo and US Bancorp said lending profits are being squeezed by low interest rates, but improving credit quality helped both banks post higher-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings.

(Corrects first paragraph to show both Wells Fargo and U.S. Bancorp posted higher, not higher-than-expected, earnings)

(Corrects first paragraph to show both Wells Fargo and U.S. Bancorp posted higher, not higher-than-expected, earnings)