Gold Falls 28% in 2013

Call it the year gold melted down. Gold prices fell Tuesday, locking in the largest annual decline since 1981 and ending a 12-year bull run.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Tech Renegade Pushes Untraceable Currency

Cody Wilson rattled lawmakers with a plastic gun he created from a 3-D printer. Now, the 25-year-old is about to launch software aimed at covering the tracks of financial transactions made with bitcoin.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Campbell Soup Recalls Some Prego Italian Sauce

The potential spoilage, which was discovered during routine testing, didn't affect any other Campbell products and the food products maker said no consumer illnesses have been reported to date.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Bombardier Wins Large Jet Order

Bombardier Inc. said Tuesday it signed a multibillion-dollar deal to sell 38 business aircraft to an unidentified customer.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Ten Resolutions for Air Travelers in 2014

Presenting the passenger's playbook for more intelligent, comfortable and kind airline experiences.



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Photos of the Day: Dec. 31

In today's pictures, traders wear glasses celebrating 2014 at the New York Stock Exchange, people take part in a fake trial in protest of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in the Ukraine, girls in costumes gather for a parade in Indonesia, and more.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Stryker to Buy Maker of Bar-Coded Sponges

Stryker Corp. said it will pay nearly $120 million to acquire Patient Safety Technologies Inc., maker of the so-called Safety-Sponge System.



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Behind Assad's Comeback, a Mismatch in Commitments

A Hezbollah surge to bolster Assad represented a turning point in the Syria conflict, giving the Syrian leader enough strength to survive, though not enough to prevail.



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All 10 Stock Sectors Post Gains in Big Year

Each of the S&P 500's stock sectors is set to finish the year in positive territory.



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Private Equity Closes Out a Record Year

Private-equity firms are set to return a record amount of cash to investors for 2013, after taking advantage of buoyant markets to sell hundreds of billions of dollars of investments.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Apple Denies Working with NSA on iPhone Backdoor

Apple Inc. said it never worked with the National Security Agency to create a backdoor way for the organization to spy on iPhone users.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Fisker Creditors Propose Sale to Wanxiang

Creditors of hybrid-car company Fisker, unhappy with Hybrid Tech Holdings LLC's bid, are pursuing a rival bid from Wanxiang.



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Taiwan Confirms Second Human Bird-Flu Case

Taiwan confirmed its second human case of the H7N9 bird flu, a sign that the deadly virus is spreading further beyond mainland China



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Argentina Extends Foreign Currency Amnesty

Argentina has extended a controversial tax amnesty for a second time, giving residents with hidden foreign currency another three months to bring the money out into the open.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Former Head of Failed Law Firm to Advise Middle Eastern Emirate

Steven Davis, the former executive chairman of the Dewey & LeBoeuf law firm during its 2012 meltdown and collapse, to be Chief Legal Officer for Ras Al Khaimah, one of the United Arab Emirates.



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Edoardo Cignoli : H-P Affirms Higher-End Layoffs Figure

Hewlett-Packard confirmed it has increased by 5,000 the number of layoffs it plans to implement under the restructuring plan it adopted in May 2012, bringing the expected number of job cuts to 34,000.



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The World Welcomes 2014

People from around the world prepare to ring in the New Year.



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Edoardo Cignoli : China Halts Imports Of Pfizer Medication Diflucan

China's drug watchdog halted imports of drug giant Pfizer Inc.'s medication Diflucan, citing a late application for the drug.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Revlon to End its China Operations

Revlon Inc. plans to exit its operations in China, eliminating about 1,100 positions.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Cosco to Order New Ships

China Cosco Holdings plans to order nine new cargo ships in its first major purchase in over five years, as it takes advantage of a government subsidy to scrap old vessels and upgrade its aging fleet.



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U.S. Transfers Uighurs From Guantanamo Bay

Yusef Abbas, Saidullah Khalik, and Hajiakbar Abdul Ghuper are "voluntarily resettling in Slovakia," leaving 155 detainees at Guantanamo Bay.



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Tour Operators: Fans Aren't Game for Sochi

Even before the terror attacks in Volgograd, demand for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi has been far below other recent Winter Games, tour operators said.



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Israel Records Slower Economic Growth in 2013

Israel's economy expanded less than was forecast in 2013, due to fewer exports. The country's gross domestic product rose just 3.3% for the year.



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Rebels Attack South Sudanese City

South Sudan moved a step closer to civil war after antigovernment forces attacked the city of Bor,



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Michael Schumacher's Condition Improves Slightly

The condition of the seven-time Formula One champion has slightly improved after he underwent further brain surgery late Monday to address life-threatening head injuries.



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Bangladesh Issues Arrest Warrant for Factory Owner

A court in Bangladesh issued arrest warrants for the owners of Tazreen Fashions factory where a fire killed more than 100 workers.



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French Priest Freed in Cameroon

Georges Vandenbeusch, who was taken hostage in November, has been freed, the president's office said.



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Congo Clashes Death Toll Reaches 100

The death toll from clashes between the Congolese army and supporters of former presidential candidate Joseph Mukungubila has risen to 100.



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Antarctic Rescue on Hold for Weather

Rescuers plan to use a helicopter to airlift passengers aboard the stranded Russian ship Akademik Shokalskiy when the weather improves.



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Cambodia Plans Legal Action on Strike

Cambodian authorities say they will take legal action against garment-worker unions that refuse to end a weeklong strike.



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Impasse on Northern Ireland Talks

Politicians failed to reach agreement following all-night talks on proposals meant to bolster hard-won peace accords.



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Myanmar Pardons Political Offenders

Myanmar's reformist president granted a pardon to people convicted of or charged with a variety of political offenses, an apparent effort to fulfill his pledge to free all political prisoners by the end of this year.



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Winners of 2013: Boring Investors

In the best year for U.S. stocks since 1995, the smart way to play the markets has been to follow the dumb money.



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Unusual Emerging-Market Bet Pays Off

Two of the best-performing emerging-market bond funds made an especially unconventional bet: buying Argentine municipal debt.



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Behind Lack of Confidence in Consumers

Ahead of the Tape: Unlike measures of output or earnings, consumer confidence is intangible and people often fail to respond the way forecasters expect.



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As Coffee Declines, Investors Brace for More

Prices have tumbled 20% this year, capping the biggest two-year plunge in a decade and highlighting commodity markets' struggle with a supply deluge.



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Indonesian Volcano Spews Lava

A volcano on Indonesia's Sumatra island has started to produce lava flows, adding to ash eruptions that reached seven kilometers into the air over the past 24 hours.



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India Rape Cases Colored by Caste

Attitudes about rape have been slow to change in India's vast hinterland, creating problems for lower-caste Dalit women.



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China Says Terrorists Behind Xinjiang Attack

Police have identified the eight people shot dead by authorities on Monday and a ninth arrested outside a police station in China's far western region of Xinjiang as members of a terrorist group, state media reported.



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Edoardo Cignoli : From Taxes to Executive Pay, New Rules for 2014

Regulators are set to unleash new business rules in 2014 that will push companies to re-examine issues ranging from their taxes and suppliers to auditor relationships and interest-rate hedges.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Hertz Enacts Poison Pill

Hertz Global Holdings enacted a one-year shareholder-rights plan to prevent investors from gaining sizable control of the rental-car company.



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Year in Review: Developed Economies Retake Growth-Engine Role

The global economy's jagged recovery inched forward in 2013, with fast-growing emerging markets losing pace while developed nations gained strength.



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2013 in Review: Tragedy, Transition, Triumph

A marathon attack raised U.S. terrorism fears, a typhoon devastated the Philippines and the health law had a rocky start. Here are our summaries of significant news events of 2013.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Small Businesses Anticipate Breakout Year Ahead

Many small businesses expect 2014 to be a breakout year, one that finally puts the worst of the downturn behind them.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Apple Feud Deepens With Court-Appointed Monitor

A feud between Apple and a lawyer appointed by a federal court judge to monitor the company's e-book pricing reform is getting more acrimonious.



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Edoardo Cignoli : At the Airport, Bots vs. Terrorists

Aviation and government authorities are starting to use machines in lieu of people to verify the identities of fliers by scanning their faces, irises or fingerprints.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Netflix CEO Hastings Gets Pay Raise

Netflix said CEO Reed Hastings would get a 30% raise in 2014, following a year in which the streaming-video company's shares were a top Wall Street performer and its TV programming won critical acclaim.



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Edoardo Cignoli : FAA Authorizes Commercial-Drone Testing

Aviation officials selected a handful of universities and state agencies to operate sites for drone testing, in a step toward eventually integrating commercial unmanned aircraft into the U.S. aviation system.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Berkshire Hathaway to Buy Unit of Phillips 66

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is acquiring Phillips Specialty Products from energy and refining company Phillips 66 in a stock deal valued at about $1.4 billion.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Brazil's OGX Has 15 Days to Pay Oil Field Investments

Consortium partner QGEP says Oleo e Gas Participacoes SA has 15 days to pay for work done developing an offshore oil field or regulators could kick the firm out.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Ford Says Retail Sales Up 15% This Year Through November

Ford Motor Co. said its namesake brand's retail sales have risen 15% this year through November.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Cal-Maine Foods Profit Surges 83%

Egg producer's second-quarter earnings jumped as production costs dropped and sales increased as part of company's push to sell specialty eggs.



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China Uncovers Poor State of Its Soil

Pollution and the effects of urbanization and industrialization have taken a toll on China's farmland, according to a report the government releases Monday.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Cooper Ends Deal With India Suitor

The deadline to complete the deal had been set for Tuesday, but Cooper Tire said that it had been notified that financing was no longer available for the deal.



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Edoardo Cignoli : ImmunoGen Names New CFO

ImmunoGen Inc. named David Johnston its new CFO Monday, months after Gregory Perry resigned from the post.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Carlsberg Plans China Expansion

Denmark's Carlsberg will pay $250 million to expand its reach in the Chinese beer market amid stagnant conditions in its core European operation.



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Schumacher Still in Critical Condition

The seven-time Formula One champion sustained serious head injuries following a skiing accident in the French Alps on Sunday.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Sanofi Appeals Rejection of MS Drug

The French pharmaceutical company will appeal the FDA's rejection of its Lemtrada multiple-sclerosis drug after the U.S. regulator expressed concern over serious side effects and the design of Sanofi's clinical trials.



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China's Local Government Debt Surges

China's local government liabilities jumped to nearly $3 trillion at the end of June, according to a new audit, in a much-anticipated glimpse into the financial health of the world's No. 2 economy.



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Shots at Athens Home of German Envoy

Gunshots were fired at the German ambassador's residence in Athens but no one was hurt, police said.



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Death Toll in Second Russian Blast Climbs

A trolley-bus explosion in Volgograd killed at least 15 people and wounded 23 more in what authorities said could be the second terrorist attack in this southern Russian city within 24 hours.



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Weather Impedes Antarctic Rescue

Snow showers, strong winds and poor visibility are hampering attempts to rescue passengers on a ship trapped in Antarctic ice for almost a week.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Cambodia Grapples With Underage Worker Issue

Lim Loeung says she spends up to 80 hours a week gluing soles onto shoes at a factory in Cambodia. The factory believes Ms. Lim is at least 18 years old but according to her birth record, Ms. Lim will soon turn 15.



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Chinese Police Shoot Eight Dead in Xinjiang Clash

Police shot and killed eight suspected armed assailants and arrested another in a clash outside a police station in China's restive western region of Xinjiang.



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Loan Sharks Smell Blood in China Waters

A new breed of shadow bankers has stepped in to lend to debt-hungry businesses and households as the Chinese government tries to rein in traditional banks.



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Home Prices Back at Peaks in Some Areas

The housing recovery remains uneven as cities that were spared in bust soar, but many others struggle.



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Rising Rates Favor Shorter Junk Bonds

Sales of long-term "junk" bonds are lagging and prices are down, the latest sign that investors are flocking to shorter-term securities that are less vulnerable to rising interest rates.



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Japan Stocks Helped Higher by Weak Yen

Asian markets were mostly higher on Monday, as Japanese stocks began the last session of their best year since 1972 on a positive note.



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Euro Zone Can Celebrate

Ahead of the Tape: There are good reasons to believe relative calm may persist in the euro zone for another 12 months.



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SEC Asks Insurers for Detail on 'Captives'

At least five large publicly traded companies have exchanged letters with the SEC in recent months about their use and funding of the entities.



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The Best Financial Advice I Ever Got

Wisdom from 22 successful investors, business owners, Nobel laureates and other big names.



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Harold Simmons, Texas Billionaire, Dies at 82

Harold Simmons, who died at age 82, started life without electricity or indoor plumbing in rural Texas and went on to become a corporate raider and one of the richest and most politically influential men in the country.



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Cotton Set to End Year in the Black

Along with smaller supply, demand for U.S. cotton has been strong, leading to the first yearly price gain since 2010.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Mondelez to Sell Snackwell's Stake

Mondelez agreed to sell a controlling stake in its SnackWell's cookie and cracker business to a private-equity firm that specializes in revitalizing faded brands.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Acer Sees Executive Departures

Acer Inc. said Monday that three senior executives had recently left the company and some of them won't be replaced as the personal-computer maker tries to keep costs low.



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On the Run From War, Syria's Children Grow Up Fast

Omar al-Kurdi, a 17-year-old refugee from Syria living in Beirut, supports his parents and six siblings on $15 a day earned at vegetable shop. His story shows how the war in Syria has forced the young into new positions of responsibility.



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Photos of the Day: Dec. 29

In today's pictures, a rally is reflected in a police officer's helmet in the Ukraine, people are hit by a water cannon during a march in Bangladesh, Anderson Silva writhes in pain after breaking his leg during a UFC fight, and more.



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Japanese Leader's Style Perplexes Allies and Rivals

In his visit to a shrine linked to Japan's wartime past, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has shown that he is willing to draw the ire of both China and the U.S. over his deeply held conservative views.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Blackstone Invests in Crocs

Blackstone Group is spending $200 million for preferred stock of struggling footwear company Crocs.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Reimbursement for Breast-Cancer Risk Test to Be Cut

The price of a popular genetic test that predicts women's risk of breast cancer is likely to drop after the rate cut goes into effect Jan. 1.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Costs of Deals Past Haunt Chesapeake

Nation's second-largest natural-gas producer sold pieces of its empire in recent years to avoid a cash crunch. But some of those deals saddled it with costs that only now are becoming clear.



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Oman Stands in U.S.'s Corner on Iran Nuclear Deal

Washington has gained a little-known ally in its bid to win crucial Arab support for curbing Iran's nuclear program: Oman, a small kingdom that is expanding its role on the Middle East's diplomatic stage.



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Giant Clams Spark Trade Spat

China halted imports of a sea creature called a geoduck from the U.S. West Coast over alleged contamination. The U.S. disagrees with the ban.



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Edoardo Cignoli : The Best and Worst Ads of 2013

Some of the top executives in the advertising business share their picks for the best and worst ads of 2013.



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Suicide Bomber Kills 16 in Russia

A blast set off by a suspected suicide bomber killed 16 people at the main train station in Volgograd, authorities said, in the second such attack in the southern Russian city in recent months.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Beware the Bubble

Columnist Farhad Manjoo isn't convinced that we're in a tech bubble. Still, it's reasonable to fear that we might get there soon, perhaps next year.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Your Car: The Ultimate Mobile Device

Technology giants Google and Apple are about to expand their battle for digital supremacy to a new front: the automobile.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Fire Destroys Workshop at Swatch Parts Unit

Swiss watchmaker can't quantify damage at ETA Manufacture Horlogère unit.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Strife Roils Cambodia's Garment Industry

Cambodia's garment manufacturers warned of an extended hiatus in the country's key exports industry amid mounting losses from a strike.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Antitrust Lawyer Keeps Mergers on Track

Washington lawyer Paul Denis successfully juggled retail and airline mergers after regulators put the OfficeMax and US Airways cases under a spotlight.



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Edoardo Cignoli : 'Hobbit', 'Frozen' Lead Box Office

Hollywood enjoyed a huge post-Christmas weekend at the box office, as moviegoers spread the wealth among a wide array of holiday offerings. The top two performers were the second "Hobbit" and Disney's "Frozen."



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Blockades Thwart Candidate Registration for Thai Election

Election officials say thousands of protesters have halted candidate registrations in seven southern provinces.



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In South Sudan, Ethnic Warfare Is New Normal

Ethnic warfare is becoming the new normal in South Sudan, which has tumbled from promising protégé of the West to a broken state with little hope for peace.



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Cambodia Grapples With Underage Worker Issue

Lim Loeung says she spends up to 80 hours a week gluing soles onto shoes at a factory in Cambodia. The factory believes Ms. Lim is at least 18 years old but according to her birth record, Ms. Lim will soon turn 15.



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Schumacher Injured in Skiing Accident

The German motor racing champion Michael Schumacher is being treated for serious head injuries after fall at French resort.



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Saudis Pledge $3 Billion to Support Lebanon's Army

Saudi Arabia pledged $3 billion to strengthen Lebanon's armed forces, intervening forcefully after a bloody week in Lebanese politics to bolster the country's relatively weak army against Iranian-backed Hezbollah.



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Musharraf Calls Treason Trial a Vendetta

Pakistan's former military ruler, Pervez Musharraf, said the country's government and courts are pursuing a vendetta against him, days before his treason trial is set to begin.



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Rocket From Lebanon Hits Israel

A Katyusha rocket fired from Lebanon landed in northern Israel, highlighting volatility between the Middle Eastern neighbors two weeks after an Israeli soldier was killed on the same border.



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Delhi's Common Man Leader Sworn In

One of India's foremost anticorruption crusaders, Arvind Kejriwal, who rose from street protests to mainstream politics, was sworn in as the chief minister of Delhi.



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Japanese Official Affirms Focus on Economy

Japan's finance minister said the government remains focused on the economy. The remarks follow criticism of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit last week to a shrine linked to Japan's former militarism.



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Monte dei Paschi Holders OK Capital Raising

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA's shareholders Saturday authorized the bank to carry out a 3 billion euros capital increase only after May of next year.



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Venezuela Says It Received China Credits

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro said China has given his country $5 billion in credits under a deal reached in September.



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Monte dei Paschi Holders OK Capital Raising

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA's shareholders Saturday authorized the bank to carry out a 3 billion euros capital increase only after May of next year.



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Iraqi Troops Arrest Sunni Lawmaker

Iraqi troops detained a Sunni lawmaker sought on terrorism charges on Saturday and killed his brother and five of his guards after they opened fire on the arresting officers. The incident also left one Iraqi soldier dead.



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Women Defy Saudi Driving Ban

Three Saudi women drove Saturday in an ongoing challenge of the world's last official ban on women driving autos, activists and female drivers in the kingdom said.



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Kerry to Return to Middle East Next Week

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will return to the Middle East next week to continue prodding Israel and the Palestinians toward a long-elusive peace deal.



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Five Decapitated Bodies Found in Mexico

Prosecutors in the western Mexican state of Michoacan say they have found five decapitated bodies on the outskirts of the state capital. Three of the bodies were found leaned up against the curb of a traffic circle.



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Libya Releases 4 U.S. Military Personnel

Four U.S. military personnel investigating potential evacuation routes in Libya were taken into custody at a checkpoint and then detained briefly by the Libyan government before being released, a U.S. official said.



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Thailand Protester Shot Dead

An antigovernment protester was shot dead and three others wounded after an unidentified gunman opened fire on a demonstration site in central Bangkok early Saturday.



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Cold Temperatures Heat Up Prices for Natural Gas

2013 by the Numbers: Bitter cold and tight supplies have helped spur a 32% rise in natural-gas futures so far this year, making it the year's top-performing commodity.



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Hedge-Fund Firm That Owns a Town in California

Marathon Asset Management became an accidental landlord when a bankruptcy court awarded it ownership of Scotia.



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Little Recovery for Dreier Fraud Victims

Investors in 2008's Dreier investment fraud are expected to recover less than 13 cents on the dollar, according to federal bankruptcy court filings, much less than the payouts in the Madoff pyramid scheme.



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Swiss Banks Turn Up the Heat

Swiss banks are putting pressure on account holders to prove they are in compliance with U.S. tax laws.



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Twitter Reverses Rally as Shares Dive

The stock tumbled 13% Friday after an analyst downgraded the microblogging company on valuation concerns.



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Africa's Richest Man Bets Big on Oil Refinery

For two decades, Aliko Dangote has turned his relentlessness, connections and entrepreneurial bets on the rise of Africa into a fortune estimated at about $22 billion. He now has a plan to quintuple his wealth.



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Africa's Richest Man Bets Big on Oil Refinery

For two decades, Aliko Dangote has turned his relentlessness, connections and entrepreneurial bets on the rise of Africa into a fortune estimated at about $22 billion. He now has a plan to quintuple his wealth.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Twitter Reverses Rally as Shares Dive

The stock tumbled 13% Friday after an analyst downgraded the microblogging company on valuation concerns.



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Fire on Express Train in India Kills 23

A fire broke out on an express train in southern India early Saturday and killed at least 23 passengers, officials said.



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North Korea Signals New Economic Push

After a spring of intense war rhetoric, Pyongyang is signaling efforts to develop its decrepit state-sector economy. But North Korea watchers are asking whether this time will be any different from previous failed attempts.



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Illegal Loggers Tap Australian Prize

Long valued for its scent by perfume makers and worshipers at Indian temples, sandalwood is proving irresistible to another group: packs of smugglers roaming the Australian outback.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Hedge-Fund Firm That Owns a Town in California

Marathon Asset Management became an accidental landlord when a bankruptcy court awarded it ownership of Scotia.



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Edoardo Cignoli : UPS Clears Christmas Package Logjam

United Parcel Service Inc. said it has cleared up a massive backlog of last-minute online shipments that snarled its delivery fleet and riled customers whose packages didn't arrive in time for Christmas.



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White House Pushes Changes at IMF

The White House is pushing Congress to include provisions in a new spending bill that would change how the U.S. finances the International Monetary Fund and give emerging markets greater influence.



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Junk Food Feels Heat in Latin America

Latin America is becoming a laboratory for soda taxes and other government measures meant to steer consumers away from processed food as obesity rates rise.



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Mexico to Tax Luxury Item: Pet Food

Mexico's pet owners are bracing for a new tax on pet food, which the government recently declared a "luxury item."



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Israel's Christian Awakening

A controversial new movement wants to cooperate more closely with the Jewish state.



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Erdogan's Grip on Turkey Tested

The coalition that swept Prime Minister Erdogan to victory in three elections is cracking, threatening to undermine not only his party but the economic progress built on a decade of political stability.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Apple CEO's Pay Remained Steady

Apple Inc. Chief Executive Tim Cook received $4.25 million in salary and bonus for the fiscal year ended Sept. 28, little changed from the previous year.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Little Recovery for Dreier Fraud Victims

Investors in 2008's Dreier investment fraud are expected to recover less than 13 cents on the dollar, according to federal bankruptcy court filings, much less than the payouts in the Madoff pyramid scheme.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Abbott Labs Settles Kickback Claims

Abbott Laboratories has agreed to pay about $5.5 million to settle kickback allegations, the U.S. Justice Department said Friday.



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Abe's Style Presents U.S. With Dilemma

In just a matter of days, Japan's prime minister has drawn both praise and censure from the U.S., challenging Washington policy makers who need his help to counter China's influence in the region.



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South Sudanese Talk Cease-Fire

The South Sudanese government said that it was ready to suspend fighting if rebel forces would do the same. But clashes continued and talks still appeared to be a long way off.



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Flooding and Landslides in Brazil Leave 43 Dead

Brazilian rescue workers raced to reach isolated towns and the president pledged aid after heavy rains triggered flooding and landslides in recent days in the southeast, leaving 43 dead.



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Brazil Boosts Levy On Overseas Transactions

Brazil is raising taxes on more transactions its residents make abroad, as the country tries to increase government revenue and reduce the outflow of dollars.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Junk Food Feels the Heat in Latin America

Latin America is becoming a laboratory for soda taxes and other government measures meant to steer consumers away from processed food as obesity rates rise.



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Edoardo Cignoli : GE Says Hudson River Dredging Will Resolve Liabilities

General Electric on Friday said it expects the completion of a $2 billion Superfund dredging project in the upper Hudson River will resolve the company's remedial liabilities.



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Photos of the Day: Dec. 27

In today's pictures, a boy carries a box through a U.N. compound in South Sudan, a worker clears icy branches from downed power lines in Toronto, a tour boat awaits rescue off the coast of Antarctica, and more.



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Philippines Says Drug Raid Shows Presence of Mexican Cartel

Philippine authorities said they seized a large stash of methamphetamines that for the first time confirmed the presence of a Mexican drug-trafficking syndicate in the Southeast Asian country.



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Regulators Consider Changes to Volcker Rule

Regulators are evaluating whether to drop provisions of the Volcker rule that may force banks to divest certain debt investments following pushback from the industry.



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Stock Picker Keeps Focus on the Basics

Sam Eisenstadt, a pioneer of the individual-stock-ranking system at Value Line, remains bullish.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Mexico to Tax Luxury Item: Pet Food

Mexico's pet owners are bracing for a new tax on pet food, which the government recently declared a "luxury item."



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Growing Confidence Pushes Key Rate Above 3%

A closely tracked U.S. Treasury bond yield that serves as a reference for global interest rates closed above the 3% mark for the first time in more than two years on Friday, underscoring growing confidence that the economy is gaining traction.



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Options Show Bullish Tilt on Forest Labs

Hefty demand for options that would benefit if shares of the drug developer extend a rally suggests that some investors think it could be bought out.



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U.S. Stocks Lower Ahead of Close

Shares remained on track to finish the holiday-shortened week higher.



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Oil Jumps on Strong Demand

U.S. oil futures surged above the $100 a barrel mark after data showed that demand was stronger than anticipated last week.



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Wells Fargo Unit Ordered to Buy Back Auction-Rate Securities

An arbitration panel has ordered Wells Fargo's brokerage unit to repurchase about $94 million in municipal auction-rate securities from a New Jersey family.



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SAC Portfolio Managers Moving to Rival

Three London-based SAC Capital portfolio managers agreed to join rival hedge-fund Balyasny Asset Management.



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2014: Year of Dollar's Ascent?

Now that the Fed has reduced uncertainty in foreign-exchange markets, some investors are betting on a steadily appreciating dollar in 2014.



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Argentina's Federal Government Refinances Provincial Debts

Argentina's federal government has refinanced the debts it is owed by 18 provinces, as governors struggle to plug budget deficits aggravated by double-digit inflation.



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Peru Military Chief Resigns

Departure of Adm. Jose Cueto follows his entanglement in a political controversy over police protection granted to an associate of now-jailed former spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Zuchowski Named U.S. CEO of Hyundai

Dave Zuchowski was named the new U.S. chief executive officer of Hyundai Motor, replacing John Krafcik, who will step down at year-end.



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Syrian Troops Ambush and Kill Dozens of Rebels

Syrian government forces ambushed members of an al Qaeda-linked group, killing dozens of them near a historic Christian village north of Damascus.



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Investigation Sought Into Bangladesh Politicians' Wealth

Bangladesh anticorruption activists called for an investigation into revelations that some politicians significantly increased their wealth during the current administration's years in power.



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Artillery Hits Funeral Tent in Yemen, Killing 13

Artillery shells hit a funeral tent in a southern Yemeni city, killing 13 people. The attack followed a day of clashes between the government and local gunmen.



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Brazil Auctions Highway Concession

Brazil on Friday auctioned off a concession to operate a 580-mile stretch of highway, as efforts gather pace to bring in private-sector capital to overhaul the country's infrastructure.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Target: Encrypted PIN Data Taken in Breach

Retailer Target said that encrypted debit card PIN data was among the information accessed in a data breach during the peak holiday shopping period.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Brazil Auctions Highway Concession

Brazil on Friday auctioned off a concession to operate a 580-mile stretch of highway, as efforts gather pace to bring in private-sector capital to overhaul the country's infrastructure.



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China to Blacklist Health Firms Implicated in Bribery

China's health regulators are rolling out a corporate blacklist for drug and medical-device companies implicated in commercial bribery, a move aimed at stamping out corruption in the country's health-care sector.



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Edoardo Cignoli : China to Blacklist Health Firms Implicated in Bribery

China's health regulators are rolling out a corporate blacklist for drug and medical-device companies implicated in commercial bribery, a move aimed at stamping out corruption in the country's health-care sector.



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Three Coalition Soldiers Killed in Kabul

Three coalition troops were killed in Kabul Friday when a suicide car bomb struck their convoy on the eastern edge of the capital.



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Edoardo Cignoli : HTC Employees Indicted for Leaking Company Secrets

Taiwan prosecutors indicted a design vice president at HTC and five other employees Friday for allegedly leaking company secrets, taking kickbacks and falsifying expenses



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Edoardo Cignoli : Audi to Invest $30 Billion Through 2018

The German automaker plans to invest about $30 billion over the next five years to expand and continue its battle for technical supremacy in the luxury car market.



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Edoardo Cignoli : GM, SAIC to Recall 1.5 Million Cars in China

General Motors and its Chinese partner SAIC Motor will recall more than 1.46 million Buick and Chevrolet cars due to defective fuel-pump brackets, the country's quality regulator said.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Japan Approves Spring Air's Low-Cost Venture

Japan's civil aviation regulator has approved the launch of Spring Airlines' budget-carrier joint venture in the country, clearing a major hurdle for the Chinese airline as it prepares for a May 2014 launch.



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Singapore Antigraft Official to Plead Guilty

A senior official at Singapore's anticorruption agency has told prosecutors he will plead guilty to charges of misappropriating public funds, his lawyer said.



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Cambodia Police, Garment Workers Clash

Police clashed with a group of striking garment workers on the outskirts of Cambodia's capital, leaving about 20 people injured, police and workers said.



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Beirut Car Bomb Kills Former Minister

A massive car bomb exploded in central Beirut near an upmarket hotel and shopping area, killing Mohamad Chatah, a former finance minister and adviser to former Prime Minister Saad Hariri.



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Japan CPI Rises 1.2%

Japan's core consumer-price index rises 1.2% in November from a year earlier, a sign the country is on a path toward escaping deflation.



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A Metals Mother Lode Sits in Shadows

Banks, hedge funds, commodity merchants and others are stashing tens of millions of tons of aluminum, copper, nickel and zinc in a hidden system of warehouses that span the globe.



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Lines Blur When Lobbyists Invest

Lobbyists often glean intimate knowledge of pending policy changes and political activities that affect the fortunes of companies or industries they represent. Many also hold investments that overlap with their responsibilities, according to a Journal review of public records.



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A Different Climate for Natural Gas

Ahead of the Tape: While not quite going from feast to famine, the U.S. natural-gas market suddenly looks a lot different.



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Edoardo Cignoli : DeMet's Candy Sold to Owner of Godiva

The Turkish owner of Godiva chocolates is bulking up in the confection business with a deal to acquire DeMet's Candy, the U.S. maker of Flipz chocolate pretzels and Turtles nut clusters.



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Okinawa Governor Backs U.S. Base Plan

The governor of Japan's Okinawa prefecture agreed to approve a landfill permit that clears the way for the transfer of a U.S. air base from a highly populated part of the island.



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Bus Plunge Kills at Least 29 in Thailand

A bus smashed through the guard rail on a bridge in northern Thailand and plunged into a ravine, killing 29 people.



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South Africa Shrugs as Artists Try to Turn It Avant-Garde

Performance artists confront an extra dose of bewilderment in South Africa, a nation less accustomed to the whimsical world of public and performance art than the U.S. or Europe.



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Tunnel Found Under Hong Kong Border

Chinese authorities discovered a narrow concrete tunnel built by smugglers intending to shuttle consumer goods from Hong Kong across the border to the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen.



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China Banks Keep Fees Flowing

Investment banks that helped take China's lenders public during the boom years are raking in fees again, but this time by helping China's financial system raise capital as it grapples with debt and thin capital bases.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Toshiba Weighs NuGen Majority Stake

Toshiba is aiming to buy a majority stake in U.K nuclear consortium NuGeneration as it looks to seize on overseas demand after interest at home waned after a nuclear accident in 2011.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Remember the Stranded Cruise Ship? And Horse Meat at IKEA?

Whatever happened to the ill-fated Carnival cruise ship, or the horse meat in IKEA meatballs? Journal reporters check back on some big stories of 2013.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Little-Known ISS Change Shakes Up Boards

A little-noticed change in the way ISS, an influential shareholder adviser, makes recommendations on director elections may have some companies rethinking responses to investor proposals.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Japan Raps Mizuho Over Loan Scandal

Japan's financial regulator ordered Mizuho Bank to suspend some operations for a month over a scandal involving loans to alleged crime groups.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Twitter Rally Picks Up Steam

Twitter shares have nearly tripled since their initial public offering last month, including an almost 5% gain on Thursday, making the microblogging site's IPO one of the best-performing this year.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Textron in $1.4 Billion Deal to Acquire Beechcraft

Textron Inc. agreed to pay $1.4 billion to acquire U.S. plane maker Beechcraft Corp., a deal that combines the maker of Cessna planes and Bell helicopters with the maker of Hawker business jets.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Bonus for Harbinger's Falcone Could Hit $20 Million

Harbinger Group Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Philip Falcone's bonus for the current fiscal year could reach $20 million, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Cambodia Strike Stalls Key Garment Industry

A nationwide strike by Cambodia's garment workers this week has stalled the nation's largest manufacturing industry, after tens of thousands of protesters skipped work to demand a higher minimum wage than what the government has offered.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Holy Smokes: E-Cigarette Ads Debut on TV

The electronic-cigarette industry has big TV advertising plans for 2014—if they're not snuffed out first. The FDA is expected as early as January to propose curbs on the devices. Rather than retreat, companies are unleashing a flurry of TV ads.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Shell Renews Pennsylvania Land Option

Shell has renewed an option to buy the property for a proposed $2 billion ethylene plant in western Pennsylvania.



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Oleo e Gás Creditors Face Tough Decision

Creditors owed $5.8 billion by the distressed oil company of Brazilian entrepreneur Eike Batista are facing up to yet another tough decision: whether to provide some short-term cash to keep the company afloat for the next year, knowing it will still need much more money further down the line.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Christmas Box Office Splintered

Christmas Day was a big one this year for movies, but it was a group effort. No one movie was a stand-out for Hollywood, meaning the box office was sliced thin among many films.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Judge Blasts Lawyers for Benefiting More Than Clients

Delaware's top corporate-law judge blasted the lawyers who challenged retailer Talbots's sale to a private-equity firm, saying the settlement benefited their law firms more than shareholders.



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Turkish Lira Plunges on Political Turmoil

Turkey's currency sank to fresh lows after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan replaced nearly half his cabinet under mounting pressure from a corruption probe that prompted three ministers to resign.



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Photos of the Day: Dec. 26

In today's pictures, swimmers brave the element to take part in an annual dip in England, two women fight to settle a conflict in Peru, dry river beds snake through the Afghan terrain, and more.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Alydian Proposes Deadline for Bitcoin-Mining Rig Offers

Officials at Alydian want to begin taking offers for their new 36 bitcoin-mining rigs, which rapidly fell behind the technological power of competitors who are also trying to make money by unlocking the virtual currency.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Oleo e Gás Creditors Face Tough Decision

Creditors owed $5.8 billion by the distressed oil company of Brazilian entrepreneur Eike Batista are facing up to yet another tough decision: whether to provide some short-term cash to keep the company afloat for the next year, knowing it will still need much more money further down the line.



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China Banks Keep Fees Flowing

Investment banks that helped take China's lenders public during the boom years are raking in fees again, but this time by helping China's financial system raise capital as it grapples with bad debts and thin capital bases.



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Prosecutor in Turkey Probe Removed

One of the prosecutors involved in a sprawling corruption investigation was taken off the case after complaining that his efforts were being blocked, adding to pressures on Prime Minister Erdogan.



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Edoardo Cignoli : McDonald's Removes Workers Website

McDonald's has pulled the plug on its "McResource" website, which has been a target of a group seeking higher pay for hourly workers.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Delta Mistakenly Sells Rock-Bottom Fares

Some Delta Air Lines customers scored a big win Thursday when they found domestic fares as low as $5 accidentally posted to the airline's website.



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Israeli Announces New Settlement Plans

Israel's government plans to announce new West Bank settlement building in the coming days, Israeli officials said, a move intended to ease criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over a planned release of Palestinian prisoners next week.



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Al Qaeda Hostage Begs U.S. for Help

A U.S. development expert held hostage by al Qaeda in Pakistan made a direct appeal to President Barack Obama to negotiate his release, saying he felt "totally abandoned" by the U.S.



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African Leaders Mediating in South Sudan

Regional heavyweights visiting South Sudan pressed for talks between the president and his former deputy to end an eruption of ethnic violence threatening the country's vital oil resources.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Late Discounts Boost Retailers' Holiday Sales

This season's last-minute discounts boosted retailers' holiday sales, but raise concerns as retailers worry of a deepened reliance on promotions, which could hurt profit margins



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Edoardo Cignoli : LightSquared Files New Bankruptcy Exit Plan

Wireless venture LightSquared is seeking to exit bankruptcy protection with backing from private-equity firm Fortress Investment Group and Melody Capital Advisors.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Lone Pine Requests U.S. Reorganization Confirmation

Lone Pine is seeking U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval of its reorganization plan, contingent on its also receiving a nod from the Canadian bankruptcy in January



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Edoardo Cignoli : Total Sells 15% Stake in Congo Unit

Total SA said it sold a 15% stake in its Congo exploration and production unit to a Qatari investment fund specialized in energy assets, for $1.6 billion, as part of the French group's disposals strategy.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Amazon Says Prime Has Record Holiday Season

Amazon.com said it had a record holiday season for its Amazon Prime membership program, with the online retailer gaining more than one million new Prime customers in the third week of December.



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Treasury Yield Hits 3%

Treasury bond prices fell Thursday, pushing the yield on 10-year notes to 3%, a threshold that may signal a new baseline for higher interest rates.



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Startups Ratchet Up the Risk

As the battle for financing heats up, some startups are making big promises to their early investors: a guaranteed return on their money when the company goes public.



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Tough Year for Municipal Bonds

2013 by the Numbers: Municipal bonds are on track to post their worst annual performance in nearly two decades as 2013 ushered in more financial woes for U.S. cities.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Aptalis Files for IPO

Speciality-pharmaceutical firm is looking to raise funds to repay debt and build up working capital.



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A Homeless Winter in New Delhi

Local media reports estimate that there are more than 150,000 homeless people in New Delhi. A look at how they're braving the cold.



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Egypt Bus Hit by Bomb

A bomb exploded near a municipal bus in Cairo, injuring five people in what appeared to be the first terrorist attack intentionally targeting civilians since Egypt's military ousted the country's first freely elected president in July.



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Arafat Wasn't Poisoned, Says Russia

A Russian probe into the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has found no trace of radioactive poisoning, the chief of the government agency that conducted the study said.



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Ukrainian Activist Reporter Beaten

An activist reporter was beaten in Ukraine, the latest in a series of attacks that the U.S. said appears to be aimed at intimidating people connected with antigovernment protests.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Heparin Maker Shenzhen Hepalink to Acquire U.S. Supplier

Shenzhen Hepalink Pharmaceutical agreed to acquire Scientific Protein Laboratories for $337.5 million to strengthen the quality of Shenzhen's blood clot prevention drug.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Alibaba Unit to Offer Telecom Services in China

China will allow arms of e-commerce giant Alibaba and its closest rival to offer telecommunications services there, as Beijing looks to give private businesses a greater role in state-run industries such as telecom and banking.



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Cambodia Strike Stalls Key Garment Industry

A nationwide strike by Cambodia's garment workers this week has stalled the nation's largest manufacturing industry, after tens of thousands of protesters skipped work to demand a higher minimum wage than what the government has offered.



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China Expects 7.6% Growth in 2013

China's economy will post growth of 7.6% for all of 2013, a top planning official said, indicating that the world's second-largest economy will exceed Beijing's 7.5% target but that it also lost momentum in the final months of the year.



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Japan's Abe Visits Yasukuni Shrine

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine Thursday morning.



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Thai Election Commissioners Flee

Thailand's election commissioners scrambled aboard a helicopter to escape protesters attempting to halt an upcoming national vote.



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Notre Dame Turns Blue and Gold Into Green

The University of Notre Dame's highly successful endowment recruits its investment staff from alumni who bleed the school's colors.



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Bank Group: Rule Hits Small Lenders

The American Bankers Association ramped up its attack on a provision of the Volcker rule that it says will hit the capital cushions of small lenders.



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How Investigators Untangled 'Wolf' Scandal

In Martin Scorsese's 'The Wolf of Wall Street,' federal agents raid an infamous penny-stock brokerage behind a multimillion-dollar fraud. For a group of lawyers, that was just the beginning.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Zoomlion Buys Germany's M-Tec

Chinese construction equipment manufacturer Zoomlion has acquired German dry mortar equipment producer M-Tec.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Sony, Panasonic End TV Tie-Up

Sony and Panasonic have decided to call off a tie-up in developing production technology for big and ultrathin televisions, underscoring the challenges of bringing the next-generation TVs to the mass market.



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Spy Agency Struggles to Make Sense of Data Flood

The NSA is drowning in useless data, which harms its ability to conduct legitimate surveillance, claims a former employee who created some of the computer code used to snoop on Internet traffic.



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Even in Straitened Times, Portugal Can't Quit the Cult of Bimby

Bimby, a German-made cooking robot, has become an obsession in Western Europe's poorest country by promising to make cooking cheap and easy.



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Batista's Oil Company Renegotiating Debts

The struggling oil company of former Brazilian billionaire Eike Batista said it struck a deal with creditors to renegotiate the firm's debts.



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Recession Frays Ties at Spain's Co-ops

Spanish home-appliance maker Fagor shut its factories in October after other co-ops denied it a lifeline. That has shaken the Mondragón network, fraying the bonds among its 109 surviving co-ops.



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Volvo Cars Calls on Swedish Heritage to Sell in China

Chinese-owned auto maker is out to rebuild awareness in China and elsewhere by stressing its Swedish origins, offering cinnamon buns and installing Spotify's digital music service on its cars.



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Syria's Civil War Forces Doctors to Choose the Rebels or the Regime

Syrian doctors have cobbled a health-care network of medical students, nurses and civilians to supplement hospitals lost in the conflict.



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What It's Like to Watch Béisbol in Cuba

Observations from a rare trip to see the National Series, the top level of play in baseball-mad Cuba.



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Photos of the Day: Dec. 25

In today's pictures cadet performs in Pakistan, heavy smog covers China's Harbin city, spectators watch a cricket match in Abu Dhabi, and more.



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Merkel Caught In Middle On Wages

Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel is running into headwinds as she tries to make good on the top concession made to her new, left-leaning coalition partner: the introduction of a federal minimum wage.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Caveats Add Twists To Foam Crackdown

New York City's plan to ban the ubiquitous plastic foam cups and trays used by scores of restaurants was a victory for Mayor Michael Bloomberg in his final days in office.



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South Sudan Leader Calls for Peace

The president urged an end to ethnic strife threatening to tear his young nation apart, but there was no sign of a letup in fighting in oil-rich regions of the impoverished country.



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Syria Jihadists Draw Children of Muslims in Europe

At a time when Syrians are risking their lives to take refuge in countries such as Norway, there is a reverse migration among some Arab families who immigrated to Europe to escape hardships in their homelands.



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Baghdad Bombings Target Christians

Militants in Iraq targeted Christians in three separate Christmas Day bombings in Baghdad, killing at least 37 people, officials said Wednesday.



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Thai Premier Plans Reform Panel

Thailand's prime minister has proposed the formation of a national council to find solutions to the political turmoil that is splitting the country and paralyzing governance.



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Edoardo Cignoli : China Tightens Formula Standards

China's food and drug watchdog is strengthening quality standards for domestic infant formula makers in an effort to rebuild consumer trust in a lucrative yet scandal-plagued industry.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Batista's Oil Company Renegotiating Debts

The struggling oil company of former Brazilian billionaire Eike Batista said it struck a deal with creditors to renegotiate the firm's debts.



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Edoardo Cignoli : As Holidays End, Trash Season Begins

The end of the year is peak trash season across America, a superlative earned by all the eating, parties and gift giving that people do, and by the growing use of package deliveries from online purchases.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Hotels' Privacy Rights Backed by Appeals Court

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled this week that a Los Angeles ordinance requiring hotels to turn over guest records to police even without a warrant violates the Constitution.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Startups Ratchet Up the Risk

As the battle for financing heats up, some startups are making big promises to their early investors: a guaranteed return on their money when the company goes public.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Recession Frays Ties at Spain's Co-ops

Spanish home-appliance maker Fagor shut its factories in October after other co-ops denied it a lifeline. That, in turn, has shaken the Mondragón network, fraying the bonds among its 109 surviving co-ops and eroding confidence in the weaker ones.



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U.S., Japan Move to Shore Up Military Base

U.S. and Japanese officials are pressuring reluctant Okinawa residents to approve by year's a long-stalled plan to move a base for U.S. Marines.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Volvo Cars Calls on Swedish Heritage to Sell in China

Chinese-owned auto maker is out to rebuild awareness in China and elsewhere by stressing its Swedish origins, offering cinnamon buns and installing Spotify's digital music service on its cars.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Online Retailers Stole Christmas

Many shoppers are blaming online retailers for stealing Christmas: Shipping delays left many gift givers without anything to put under the tree.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Carlyle Sells Stake in Medical Park

U.S. private-equity firm sells its 40% stake in Turkish health care provider Medical Park to Turkven Private Equity in a deal that attracted foreign bidders for the 18-hospital chain.



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Court to Review Khodorkovsky Cases

Russia's Supreme Court will examine the cases against recently released oil tycoon and his jailed business partner to determine how to address procedural flaws pointed out by the European Court of Human Rights.



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Al Qaeda-Linked Group Claims Egypt Attack

An al Qaeda-inspired group based in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing of the police headquarters in a Nile Delta city that killed 16 people and wounded more than 100.



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U.N. Reinforces South Sudan Peacekeepers

The United Nations Security Council voted Tuesday to send 5,500 additional peacekeepers to South Sudan to try to contain a surge of ethnic violence threatening to split the country.



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China to Strengthen Milk Regulations

China's food and drug watchdog is strengthening quality standards for domestic infant formula makers in an effort to rebuild consumer trust in a lucrative yet scandal-plagued industry.



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Rockets Hit U.S. Embassy in Kabul

The Taliban claimed responsibility for a rocket attack on the sprawling U.S. embassy compound in Kabul on Wednesday, an incident that caused no casualties.



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Edoardo Cignoli : High Volumes Slow UPS Deliveries

The carrier said it won't be able to deliver some packages by the holiday because the volume of last-minute goods proved greater than it could handle this week.



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Edoardo Cignoli : BlackBerry Co-Founder Cut Stake to Under 5%

BlackBerry co-founder Lazaridis cut his combined stake in the smartphone maker to under 5%, and indicated he doesn't plan to pursue a joint bid for the company.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Taiwan Fines Apple for Price Meddling

Apple has been fined $670,000 and ordered to stop interfering with Taiwan mobile service providers' pricing.



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Two Cabinet Ministers Resign in Turkey

Turkey's cabinet ministers in charge of the economy and interior resigned over a high-profile corruption probe that has ensnared their sons and rattled the country's political landscape.



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Big Rally to Pump Up Wall Street Bonuses

A strong rally in financial markets over the past two months is expected to add a last-minute boost to bonus packages for Wall Street's traders and investment bankers, partially offsetting an otherwise grim year.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Continental Building Products Plans IPO

Continental Building Products filed plans to raise up to $200 million in an IPO as the drywall manufacturer looks to repay debt and fund other corporate purposes.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Time Warner Cable Renews With Viacom

Time Warner Cable—playing nice after a bruising fight with CBS this summer—renewed carriage rights with Viacom for channels including Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Investor Biglari 'Willing' to Submit Bid for Cracker Barrel

Mr. Biglari said selling the restaurant and store chain operator should be the board's "primary aim."



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A Complicated Calculus for Bangladesh Victims

The formula being used to determine compensation for victims of the fatal Bangladesh factory collapse in April considers a wide range of effects, from whether hands can still sew to whether a survivor needs assistance keeping her money safe from others.



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Argentina Aims to Slow Money Growth

Argentina's central bank hopes to slow growth of the country's money supply next year, as it grapples with double-digit inflation that many economists attribute to loose monetary policy and a weakening currency.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Madison Dearborn to Buy Ikaria's Commercial Unit

Madison Dearborn to pay $1.6 Billion for Ikaria's commercial business.. The critical-care drug company to spin out research business to existing shareholders.



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Edoardo Cignoli : A Complicated Calculus for Bangladesh Victims

The formula being used to determine compensation for victims of the fatal Bangladesh factory collapse in April considers a wide range of effects, from whether hands can still sew to whether a survivor needs assistance keeping her money safe from others.



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Brazil Rains Cause at Least 22 Deaths

Unusually heavy rains in southeastern Brazil, have killed at least 22 people and left over 46,000 people homeless; Espirito Santo sees record-breaking rainfall



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Christmas Eve Around the World

People prepared to celebrate the holiday.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Online Sales Jumped 37% During Weekend

Online sales from Friday through Sunday surged 37% year-to-year, with mobile traffic representing two-fifths of all online traffic, according to IBM Digital Analytics. That bright spot stands in contrast to weak sales at physical stores.



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Edoardo Cignoli : AmEx Reaches Card Settlement

American Express Corp. reached a $76 million settlement with federal regulators over allegations it misled consumers about the benefits of extra card services such as identity-theft protection.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Vornado Expects Wider Loss From Toys 'R' Us

Vornado will record a wider loss from its investment in Toys "R" Us Inc. in the fourth quarter than it did in the year-ago period.



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Deaths, Travel Delays in Europe Storm

A severe winter storm caused major travel problems in parts of western Europe. It also caused four deaths in Britain and left a 12-year-old boy crushed to death beneath construction materials in Normandy, France.



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Brazil to Boost Car Sales Tax

Brazil is raising its tax on car purchases next year to the level before a temporary reduction made in 2012 to boost flagging sales.



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Egypt Blames Bombing on Muslim Brotherhood

Egypt's government blamed the Muslim Brotherhood for an apparent suicide bombing that targeted a police headquarters in the Nile Delta region, calling it a terrorist attack.



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Most Read Stories of the Year

Read the most-read story in every month of 2013.



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Celebrating Christmas in India

Some snapshots of Christmas preparations in India.



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Edoardo Cignoli : Brazil to Boost Car Sales Tax

Brazil is raising its tax on car purchases next year to the level before a temporary reduction made in 2012 to boost flagging sales.



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