BARACK OBAMA

U.S. stocks rose broadly on Wednesday on positive economic data and ahead of a Federal Reserve statement on interest rates and the economy that is expected to keep government support in place.

Republicans rolled to victory in Virginia and New Jersey governor's races on Tuesday in a sharp blow to Democrats that showed the limits of President Barack Obama's political clout.

Technocrats and some existing ministers will be included among Afghan President Hamid Karzai's new government within the next three weeks, a spokesman said on Wednesday, but his main rival ruled out taking any part.

The Walt Disney Co's breakthrough deal to build one of its signature theme parks in Shanghai marks a major advance for Western media and entertainment firms trying to crack a tough China market.

General Motors' decision to keep its European arm Opel after months of negotiations to sell it triggered anger and dismay in Germany, which had led the talks and was putting up much of the cash.

Nearly five months after Chrysler Group LLC emerged from bankruptcy under the leadership of Italian automaker Fiat SpA, Rocco Massarelli faces almost certain ruin.

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to back a Senate plan to extend a popular homebuying tax credit through April and also expand its scope, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on Tuesday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to urge the United States to take bold action to combat global warming in a speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, a month before a U.N. climate summit.

Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt called on China to set a tougher target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions after 2020 as its part of a U.N. climate change agreement to be negotiated in Copenhagen.

Democrats who control a key U.S. Senate panel said they would begin debating a climate change bill on Tuesday, despite a planned boycott by minority Republicans who are demanding more study of the issue.

U.S. manufacturing activity hit its highest level in 3-1/2 years last month and pending home sales contracts unexpectedly surged in September, allaying fears the economy's budding recovery would falter.

U.S. President Barack Obama warned on Monday that more U.S. job losses lay ahead despite a turnaround in the economy, and he called for a new post bubble growth model with greater focus on U.S. exports.

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday that more U.S. jobs will be lost in coming weeks and months but stressed the economy has recovered a lot of ground since he took office in January.

A trip by Japan's foreign minister to Washington to try to soothe strained ties was up in the air on Monday as doubts simmered over whether a feud about a military base will be resolved before a visit by President Barack Obama.

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives plan to offer an alternative to Democrats' massive healthcare reform bill that would not raise taxes or require people or businesses to buy health insurance, the House Republican leader said on Sunday.

The key number in next year's U.S. congressional election may be the unemployment rate, which last month hit a 26-year high of 9.8 percent.

Afghanistan's election commission declared Hamid Karzai elected as president on Monday after it called off a runoff following the withdrawal of his only rival.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Monday Israel must do more to get peace talks with the Palestinians on track, countering Arab accusations she had given in to Israel over settlements.

Several weeks after David Letterman was shaken by a sex-and-extortion scandal, CBS' Late Show With David Letterman has shown little sign of weakening audience support.

Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives unveiled a bill on Thursday to reform the U.S. healthcare system, President Barack Obama's main domestic objective.

The Obama White House on Friday said the $787 billion economic stimulus plan approved early this year had saved or created 640,329 jobs so far.