SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Europe's top central banks are under pressure to slash borrowing costs on Thursday as market focus shifts back to grim economic realities from the excitement of Barack Obama's historic victory in the U.S. presidential vote.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama, who will inherit the worst financial crisis in decades when he takes office, is expected to announce his pick for some key economic jobs soon and may reveal his Treasury Secretary selection as early as Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. environmental groups see Barack Obama's presidential victory as a chance to undo the Bush legacy on global warming, and one idea they are discussing is the possibility of a White House 'climate czar'.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - In a puzzling twist, women who have a history of migraine headaches are far less likely to develop breast cancer than other women, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

AP - Amare Stoudemire scored 49 points, falling a point short of his career high in the Phoenix Suns' 113-103 victory over Indiana on Wednesday night.

Reuters - Europe's top central banks are under pressure to slash borrowing costs on Thursday as market focus shifts back to grim economic realities from the excitement of Barack Obama's historic victory in the U.S. presidential vote.

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama, who will inherit the worst financial crisis in decades when he takes office, is expected to announce his pick for some key economic jobs soon and may reveal his Treasury Secretary selection as early as Thursday.

Reuters - U.S. environmental groups see Barack Obama's presidential victory as a chance to undo the Bush legacy on global warming, and one idea they are discussing is the possibility of a White House 'climate czar'.

Reuters - In a puzzling twist, women who have a history of migraine headaches are far less likely to develop breast cancer than other women, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

AFP - Asian stocks tumbled Thursday after heavy losses on Wall Street as fears mounted that US president-elect Barack Obama is inheriting an economy sinking deeper into recession.

SINGAPORE/LONDON (Reuters) - Europe's top central banks were under pressure to slash borrowing costs by a record margin on Thursday as part of global efforts to stimulate trade and commerce and ward off deep recession.

HERAT, Afghanistan (Reuters) - U.S.-led troops have killed at least seven civilians in an air strike in northwestern Afghanistan, officials said on Thursday, a day after the president said warplanes had killed 40 civilians in the south.

AP - While President-elect Barack Obama enjoyed a few days with his family after a hard-fought election, speculation swirled in the nation's capital around potential administration appointees.

AP - At a time when most administrations are slowing down, the Bush White House appears to be speeding up — at least when it comes to getting the $700 billion financial rescue program up and running.

Reuters - Europe's top central banks were under pressure to slash borrowing costs by a record margin on Thursday as part of global efforts to stimulate trade and commerce and ward off deep recession.

Reuters - U.S.-led troops have killed at least seven civilians in an air strike in northwestern Afghanistan, officials said on Thursday, a day after the president said warplanes had killed 40 civilians in the south.

AFP - President-elect Barack Obama is losing little time to line up his top lieutenants with an added urgency attached to his pick of Treasury secretary as Wall Street's maelstrom accelerates.

AFP - Toyota Motor slashed its profit forecast Thursday, warning the global auto industry faces an 'unprecedented' crisis as Asian stocks tumbled on fears the US is sinking deeper towards recession.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel said Thursday U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's stated readiness to talk to Iran could be seen in the Middle East as a sign of weakness in efforts to persuade Tehran to curb its nuclear program.

LONDON (Reuters) - European stocks followed Asia into sharp declines on Thursday and oil extended losses as weak U.S. data intensified fears about the impact of recession in major economies hit by the worst financial crisis in 80 years.

WASHINGTON/KIEV (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund approved a $16.5 billion loan program for Ukraine that includes monetary and exchange rate policy shifts to ease strains from the global financial crisis.

AP - A series of bomb blasts across Baghdad killed four people and injured more than 20 others Thursday, police said, in the fourth consecutive day of heightened violence in the Iraqi capital.

AP - An airstrike killed 15 militants in northwestern Pakistan, while two rockets landed near the region's main airport, officials said Thursday.

AP - Fighting irrelevance and a ticking clock, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice embarked on yet another Middle East peacemaking trip, hoping to secure fragile Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and leave a viable process for the incoming Obama administration.

AP - Actor George Takei and longtime partner Brad Altman were the first to receive a marriage license in West Hollywood when a court cleared the way for gay marriage earlier this year.

AP - European stock markets traded sharply lower Thursday following overnight losses in Asia, as investors fretted about the global economy ahead of expected interest rate reductions later from the European Central Bank and the Bank of England.

AP - Tony Parker was too busy to even think about how many points he scored. Amare Stoudemire thought he had a couple more than he actually did.

Reuters - Israel said Thursday U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's stated readiness to talk to Iran could be seen in the Middle East as a sign of weakness in efforts to persuade Tehran to curb its nuclear program.

Reuters - European stocks followed Asia into sharp declines on Thursday and oil extended losses as weak U.S. data intensified fears about the impact of recession in major economies hit by the worst financial crisis in 80 years.

Reuters - Toyota Motor Corp, the world's No.1 automaker, warned operating profits will sink to a 13-year low this year, as other carmakers sought more state help to ride out a financial crisis that is crippling demand and squeezing credit around the globe.

AFP - After the euphoria of his historic election win Barack Obama got down Thursday to choosing a presidential team that faces a mountain of problems, not least the economic crisis and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain slashed borrowing costs by a record 1.5 percentage points on Thursday and Europe was expected to follow in cutting its rates as part of concerted efforts to revive world commerce and ward off deep recession.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp, the world's No.1 automaker, warned operating profits will sink to a 13-year low this year, as other carmakers sought more state help to ride out a financial crisis that is crippling demand and squeezing credit around the globe.

HERAT, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Foreign forces have killed seven civilians in an air strike in northwest Afghanistan, officials said on Thursday, a day after the Afghan president said warplanes had killed 40 civilians in the south.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United States has accepted some Iraqi proposals to change a pact governing the presence of U.S. troops, but had reservations about others, necessitating further talks, Iraq said Thursday.

AP - While President-elect Barack Obama enjoyed a few days with his family after a hard-fought election, speculation swirled in the nation's capital around potential administration appointees.

AP - A bomb exploded Thursday in a gathering of tribesmen who were preparing to attack militants in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least eight and wounding 45, officials said.

AP - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday all but conceded that an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal by a year-end deadline is no longer possible.

Reuters - Britain slashed borrowing costs by a record 1.5 percentage points on Thursday and Europe was expected to follow in cutting its rates as part of concerted efforts to revive world commerce and ward off deep recession.

Reuters - Foreign forces have killed seven civilians in an air strike in northwest Afghanistan, officials said on Thursday, a day after the Afghan president said warplanes had killed 40 civilians in the south.

Reuters - The United States has accepted some Iraqi proposals to change a pact governing the presence of U.S. troops, but had reservations about others, necessitating further talks, Iraq said Thursday.

AFP - After the euphoria of his historic election win Barack Obama got down Thursday to choosing a presidential team that faces a mountain of problems, not least the economic crisis and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

AFP - Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday annual profits are expected to plunge more than two-thirds to the lowest level in nine years, warning the global auto industry faced an 'unprecedented' crisis.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain slashed borrowing costs by a surprising 1.5 percentage points Thursday and the European Central Bank (ECB) also cut rates, reflecting worldwide concern over the advance of global economic recession.

VLADIKAVKAZ, Russia (Reuters) - An explosion killed 11 people in the southern Russian region of North Ossetia on Thursday, law enforcement officials said.

AP - The nation's retailers saw their sales plummet last month to the weakest October level since at least 1969, as the financial crisis and mounting layoffs left shoppers too scared to shop.

AP - The efficiency of U.S. workers slowed sharply in the summer as a huge pull back by American consumers threw the national economy into reverse.

AP - Wall Street remains worried about the economy. Stocks are moderately lower as fresh readings on retail sales and jobless claims fan investors' recession fears.

AP - A suicide bomber attacked a gathering of anti-militant Pakistani tribesmen Thursday, killing nine and wounding 45 in a northwestern region where the military has clashed with insurgents for months, officials said.

AP - Manny Ramirez wants big money, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are prepared to give it to him — likely for a far shorter period than he wants.

Reuters - Britain slashed borrowing costs by a surprising 1.5 percentage points Thursday and the European Central Bank (ECB) also cut rates, reflecting worldwide concern over the advance of global economic recession.

Reuters - An explosion killed 11 people in the southern Russian region of North Ossetia on Thursday, law enforcement officials said.

AFP - The European Central Bank and Britain both slashed their main interest rates on Thursday in a dramatic escalation of global efforts to stave off the threat of recession.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Roy Blunt, the Republican whip in the House of Representatives, will announce on Thursday he will not seek another term in leadership after his party's blowout election losses, Republican sources said.

LONDON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Britain and Europe slashed interest rates on Thursday just ahead of an IMF forecast that advanced economies would contract in 2009 for the first time in a full year since World War Two.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday reiterated its opposition to a Democratic proposal for a new economic stimulus package.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United States said on Thursday it had presented Iraq the 'final text' of a pact allowing U.S. forces to remain in the country beyond the end of this year, but Baghdad said it still wants more talks.

AP - President Bush says he'll meet with President-elect Barack Obama next week as his administration works to achieve a seamless transition of power to the Democrat.

AP - WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of out-of-work Americans continuing to draw unemployment benefits has surged to a 25-year high, while shoppers turned extra frugal, further proof of the damage from sinking economy, credit problems and financial stresses.

AP - A wintry blast of ice, snow and heavy wind blasted the upper Plains states, knocking out power and forcing highways to close.

AP - Wall Street recoiled again Thursday, sending stocks lower for a second day after Cisco Systems Inc. reported slumping demand and retailers turned in generally weak sales for October. Concerns about widespread economic weakness sent the major stock indexes down more than 2.5 percent, including the Dow Jones industrial average, which tumbled 250 points.

AP - The Boston Red Sox are adding more seats to 96-year-old Fenway Park. The team is working on adding 560 new seats to the Major League's oldest and smallest ballpark. Workers are using jackhammers in the rain Thursday in the lower deck and cranes are on the field as part of another round of offseason renovations.

Reuters - Roy Blunt, the Republican whip in the House of Representatives, will announce on Thursday he will not seek another term in leadership after his party's blowout election losses, Republican sources said.

Reuters - Britain and Europe slashed interest rates on Thursday just ahead of an IMF forecast that advanced economies would contract in 2009 for the first time in a full year since World War Two.

Reuters - The White House on Thursday reiterated its opposition to a Democratic proposal for a new economic stimulus package.

Reuters - The United States said on Thursday it had presented Iraq the 'final text' of a pact allowing U.S. forces to remain in the country beyond the end of this year, but Baghdad said it still wants more talks.

AFP - A Middle East peace deal is unlikely in 2008, the White House said Thursday, acknowledging openly and explicitly for the first time what would be a major diplomatic disappointment.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Barack Obama will meet with his economic team on Friday and hold his first news conference since becoming U.S. president-elect, aides said, as the country awaited signs of how he might tackle the economic crisis.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number two Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, will announce on Thursday he will not run to keep his leadership position after his party's election losses, Republican sources said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Rep. Rahm Emanuel, a combative Illinois Democrat, has accepted President-elect Barack Obama's offer to become White House chief of staff in the new administration, according to two sources on Capitol Hill.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United States presented Iraq Thursday with its 'final text' of a pact allowing U.S. forces to remain in the country beyond the end of this year, but Iraq said it still wanted more talks.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House acknowledged for the first time on Thursday what analysts have been saying for months -- that Israel and the Palestinians were unlikely to reach a peace deal by year-end.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama will hold his first news conference on Friday after a meeting with his team of economic advisers, an aide said on Thursday.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp, the world's No.1 automaker, warned on Thursday operating profits will sink to a 13-year low this year, as other carmakers sought more state help to ride out a financial crisis that is crippling demand and squeezing credit around the globe.

AP - Barack Obama's fellow Chicagoan Rahm Emanuel, the hard-charging No. 3 Democrat in the House, has accepted the job of White House chief of staff, Democratic officials said Thursday.

AP - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed $4.4 billion in tax increases and billions more in spending cuts to close a worsening state budget deficit, declaring: 'We must stop the bleeding.'

AP - Under the watchful eye of law enforcement in 40 states, Craigslist pledged Thursday to crack down on ads for prostitution on its Web sites.

Reuters - Barack Obama will meet with his economic team on Friday and hold his first news conference since becoming U.S. president-elect, aides said, as the country awaited signs of how he might tackle the economic crisis.

Reuters - The number two Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, will announce on Thursday he will not run to keep his leadership position after his party's election losses, Republican sources said.

Reuters - Rep. Rahm Emanuel, a combative Illinois Democrat, has accepted President-elect Barack Obama's offer to become White House chief of staff in the new administration, according to two sources on Capitol Hill.

Reuters - The United States presented Iraq Thursday with its 'final text' of a pact allowing U.S. forces to remain in the country beyond the end of this year, but Iraq said it still wanted more talks.

Reuters - The White House acknowledged for the first time on Thursday what analysts have been saying for months -- that Israel and the Palestinians were unlikely to reach a peace deal by year-end.

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama will hold his first news conference on Friday after a meeting with his team of economic advisers, an aide said on Thursday.

AFP - President George W. Bush and his successor Barack Obama will meet at the White House next week for their first in-depth talks on crisis issues including the war in Iraq and the financial meltdown.

AFP - Rebels smashed a ceasefire and wrested control of another town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in clashes Thursday with government forces on the eve of a regional summit on the crisis, the UN said.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Britain and Europe slashed interest rates on Thursday amid recession fears deepened by some of the worst U.S. retail sales in decades and an IMF forecast for an economic contraction not seen since World War Two.

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - The White House acknowledged for the first time on Thursday that Israel and the Palestinians were unlikely to reach a peace deal before President George W. Bush leaves office in January.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden will hold a news conference at 1:30 p.m. CST (2:30 p.m. EST) on Friday after meeting with their team of economic advisers to discuss the transition to the White House.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad congratulated U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on Thursday and called for 'fundamental and fair' changes to U.S. policies in the region, Iran's official IRNA news agency said.

DETROIT (Reuters) - U.S. auto executives were set to meet with a top U.S. lawmaker Thursday to lobby for urgent aid to survive a deepening global downturn that industry leader Toyota Motor Corp warned would drive its operating profit to a 13-year low.

AP - President Bush and Barack Obama on Monday will hold their first substantive talks about the nation's daunting priorities as the transition to a Democratic administration accelerates.

AP - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday proposed $4.4 billion in new taxes and a similar amount in spending cuts to deal with California's worsening fiscal crisis, saying, 'We must stop the bleeding.'

AP - A wintry blast of punishing wind and more than 3 feet of snow in places pummeled the Northern Plains on Thursday, knocking out power to thousands and forcing highways to close.

Reuters - Britain and Europe slashed interest rates on Thursday amid recession fears deepened by some of the worst U.S. retail sales in decades and an IMF forecast for an economic contraction not seen since World War Two.

Reuters - U.S. prosecutors in New York said on Thursday they would not seek criminal charges against former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer for his involvement in a prostitution ring that led to his resignation.

Reuters - U.S. auto executives were set to meet with a top U.S. lawmaker Thursday to lobby for urgent aid to survive a deepening global downturn that industry leader Toyota Motor Corp warned would drive its operating profit to a 13-year low.

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden will hold a news conference at 1:30 p.m. CST (2:30 p.m. EST) on Friday after meeting with their team of economic advisers to discuss the transition to the White House.

AFP - Barack Obama will make his first visit to the White House as president-elect on Monday for talks with President George W. Bush on crisis issues including Iraq and the economic meltdown, officials said.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Barack Obama will meet his economic team on Friday and hold his first news conference since becoming U.S. president-elect as the country awaited signs of how he might tackle the economic crisis.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Britain and Europe slashed interest rates on Thursday amid recession fears deepened by some of the worst U.S. retail sales in decades and an IMF forecast for an economic contraction not seen since World War Two.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama choose Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff on Thursday, spurring Republicans to question why his first key appointment was a Washington insider and fiercely partisan Democrat.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top executives of the three U.S. automakers lobbied House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday for up to $25 billion in additional aid and access to the Federal Reserve's borrowing window, industry sources said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The fate of a convicted felon will help determine the size of the Democrats' expanded power in the U.S. Senate, and may provide a new job opportunity for failed vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A senior Iraqi official on Thursday explicitly backed U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's plans to withdraw combat troops from the country by mid-2010, Baghdad's clearest endorsement yet of Obama's exit strategy.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former New York Governor and aggressive white collar crime prosecutor Eliot Spitzer will not face criminal charges for his involvement in a prostitution ring that led to his resignation, U.S. prosecutors said on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. food prices will rise by at least 7 percent in 2009 because of higher feed costs for chickens, hogs and cattle, said a group of food-industry economists on Thursday.

AP - Barack Obama announced Thursday that fellow Chicagoan Rahm Emanuel will serve as White House chief of staff, saying 'No one I know is better at getting things done.'

AP - Wall Street plunged for a second day, triggered by computer gear maker Cisco Systems warning of slumping demand and retailers reporting weak sales for October. Concerns about widespread economic weakness sent the major stock indexes down more than 4 percent Thursday, including the Dow Jones industrial average, which tumbled more than 440 points.

AP - Retailers suffered through the weakest October in at least 39 years, despite frenzied price cutting as they desperately try to pull in consumers who are too worried about their finances to shop.

AP - Carlos Pena grabbed attention for all those balls he hit. Now the Tampa Bay first baseman is getting noticed for the ones he caught. The Rays star raised his profile Thursday when he won the Gold Glove, one of four newcomers on the AL team. Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia, Texas shortstop Michael Young and Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer also were first-time winners for fielding excellence.

Reuters - Barack Obama will meet his economic team on Friday and hold his first news conference since becoming U.S. president-elect as the country awaited signs of how he might tackle the economic crisis.

Reuters - Britain and Europe slashed interest rates on Thursday amid recession fears deepened by some of the worst U.S. retail sales in decades and an IMF forecast for an economic contraction not seen since World War Two.

Reuters - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama choose Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff on Thursday, spurring Republicans to question why his first key appointment was a Washington insider and fiercely partisan Democrat.

Reuters - Top executives of the three U.S. automakers lobbied House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday for up to $25 billion in additional aid and access to the Federal Reserve's borrowing window, industry sources said.

Reuters - The fate of a convicted felon will help determine the size of the Democrats' expanded power in the U.S. Senate, and may provide a new job opportunity for failed vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

Reuters - A senior Iraqi official on Thursday explicitly backed U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's plans to withdraw combat troops from the country by mid-2010, Baghdad's clearest endorsement yet of Obama's exit strategy.

AFP - Barack Obama will make his first visit to the White House as president-elect on Monday for talks with President George W. Bush on crisis issues including Iraq and the economy, officials said.

AFP - Rebels and pro-government militia have killed at least 20 civilians in recent fighting, Human Rights Watch said Thursday, on the eve of a regional summit on the crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Britain and Europe slashed interest rates on Thursday amid recession fears deepened by some of the worst U.S. retail sales in decades and an IMF forecast for an economic contraction not seen since World War Two.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The ranks of New Yorkers who need welfare as the economy follows Wall Street downhill will likely rise next year, along with the number of people who turn to Medicaid for health care, a report said on Thursday.

AP - An estimated 1,000 protesters took to the streets over California's new ban on gay marriage Thursday as the political turmoil and legal confusion over who should have the right to wed deepened.

AP - Sen. Joe Lieberman's affiliation with Democrats was in question after a meeting Thursday with Majority Leader Harry Reid, steamed over the Connecticut independent's high-profile support of John McCain for president.

AP - The U.S. government arrested and deported record numbers of illegal immigrants — nearly 350,000 — in the past year, authorities say. It has also naturalized a record number of new Americans during the same time period, more than 1 million. Bush administration officials consider these to be great accomplishments within a system that President-elect Obama calls 'broken and overwhelmed' on his transition Web site.

AP - A fresh wave of bad economic news, including a half-million Americans newly out of work and the weakest October retail sales in nearly 40 years, pummeled the stock market Thursday, driving the Dow Jones industrials under 9,000 again with a stunning two-day decline of 10 percent.

AP - One of Hugh Hefner's live-in girlfriends is trading the grotto for the gridiron. The Playboy mogul said in a statement Thursday that 'The Girls Next Door' co-star Kendra Wilkinson is engaged to Philadelphia Eagles receiver Hank Baskett. The 23-year-old model-actress has lived with Hefer since 2004 and currently co-stars as one of his three girlfriends in the E! reality series.

AP - Central Illinois amateur golfer Curt Hocker is on a roll. Five rolls, to be exact. Just ask anyone at the El Paso Golf Club, where the 22-year-old has recorded five holes-in-one in the last week, including two on Saturday. In this year alone, Hocker has seven aces, five on par-4s, and two other double eagles.

AP - Carlos Pena grabbed attention for all those balls he hit. Now the Tampa Bay first baseman and his teammates are getting noticed for the ones he caught.

Reuters - Barack Obama will meet his economic team on Friday and hold his first news conference since becoming U.S. president-elect as the country awaited signs of how he might tackle the economic crisis.

Reuters - The fate of a convicted felon will help determine the size of the Democrats' expanded power in the U.S. Senate, and may provide a new job opportunity for failed vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

Reuters - Britain and Europe slashed interest rates on Thursday amid recession fears deepened by some of the worst U.S. retail sales in decades and an IMF forecast for an economic contraction not seen since World War Two.

AP - President-elect Obama accepted congratulations from nine presidents and prime ministers Thursday, returning calls from world leaders who reached out after his presidential victory. The global financial crisis was among the topics Obama discussed with key U.S. allies he'll deal with during his administration.

AP - Gov. Sarah Palin hadn't been back home in Alaska for a full day and her staff had begun fielding requests Thursday for postelection interviews, including from Barbara Walters, Oprah Winfrey, Larry King and others.

AP - A wintry blast of punishing wind and close to 4 feet of snow in places pummeled the Northern Plains on Thursday, stranding unknown numbers of motorists for a day or more and knocking out power to thousands.

AP - A 28-year-old man who attempted to pay for his bar tab with gum wrappers was arrested after a scuffle with a police officer on Tuesday night, authorities said. A bartender told police the man was playing pool with an open bottle of beer and spilled some of it on the table. She said he first tried to pay his $32 tab with a credit card, which was declined.

AP - Jake Peavy probably will be traded by the San Diego Padres before the winter meetings next month. After spending four days at the annual general managers' meetings, Padres GM Kevin Towers said it is unlikely the 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner will remain with San Diego, which signed him out of high school in 1999.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chief executives of distressed U.S. auto companies sought a $50 billion federal bailout on Thursday to survive a financial crisis blamed on a worsening economy and the 'near collapse' in demand for cars.

DETROIT (Reuters) - Chrysler LLC is rapidly burning through cash and being driven to prepare for a possible break-up if it can't clinch a merger with General Motors Corp or get government funding needed to ride out the economic crisis, people with knowledge of the situation said.

AP - Oil prices were steady near $61 a barrel Friday in Asia, pausing after a two-day plunge, but vulnerable to another steep fall as evidence of a severe U.S. recession continues to mount.

AP - One of Hugh Hefner's live-in girlfriends is trading the grotto for the gridiron.

AP - Jay Cutler turned Brady Quinn's big night into his own prime-time showcase. Cutler passed for a career-high 447 yards, throwing three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter — the last an 11-yarder to Brandon Marshall with 1:14 remaining — to rally the broken Denver Broncos to a 34-30 win over the Cleveland Browns, spoiling Quinn's highly hyped debut as an NFL starter.

Reuters - Chief executives of distressed U.S. auto companies sought a $50 billion federal bailout on Thursday to survive a financial crisis blamed on a worsening economy and the 'near collapse' in demand for cars.

Reuters - Chrysler LLC is rapidly burning through cash and being driven to prepare for a possible break-up if it can't clinch a merger with General Motors Corp or get government funding needed to ride out the economic crisis, people with knowledge of the situation said.

Reuters - South Korea's central bank, anxious to soothe markets and shore up its economy, cut interest rates for the third time in a month on Friday after a flurry of deep rate cuts across Europe failed to calm panicky investors.

AFP - President-elect Barack Obama prepared to hold his first post-election news conference Friday as he lost little time in assembling an administration that is sailing into a sea of troubles.

AFP - Fears of a deep global recession sparked sharp falls in Asian markets Friday after a Wall Street slide, as the International Monetary Fund warned that advanced economies would contract next year.