WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The board of directors of embattled U.S. automaker General Motors Corp is considering 'all options' including bankruptcy, according to a report on the Wall Street Journal's website late on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. banking regulators seized California banks Downey Savings and Loan and PFF Bank & Trust late Friday as the housing crisis claimed two more victims from the financial crisis.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A suspected U.S. drone aircraft fired missiles in the North Waziristan tribal region of Pakistan killing at least four people, according to Pakistani intelligence officials.

AP - Federal regulators on Friday shut down two big thrifts based in Southern California, saying they fell victim to the acute distress in the housing market in that state.

AP - In a last dash of diplomacy, President George W. Bush on Friday sought China's help in pinning down North Korea to keep its shaky promises of nuclear disarmament.

AP - Standing in the center of a sun-drenched 18th green, as waves of cheers rippled from a packed gallery, Annika Sorenstam hugged caddie Terry McNamara and took the flag from his hand.

Reuters - The board of directors of embattled U.S. automaker General Motors Corp is considering 'all options' including bankruptcy, according to a report on the Wall Street Journal's website late on Friday.

Reuters - U.S. banking regulators seized California banks Downey Savings and Loan and PFF Bank & Trust late Friday as the housing crisis claimed two more victims from the financial crisis.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani television channels reported that Rashid Rauf, a British Islamist militant with al Qaeda links, was killed along with an Egyptian militant by a U.S. missile strike in the North Waziristan tribal region of Pakistan Saturday.

Reuters - Pakistani television channels reported that Rashid Rauf, a British Islamist militant with al Qaeda links, was killed along with an Egyptian militant by a U.S. missile strike in the North Waziristan tribal region of Pakistan Saturday.

AFP - Leaders of the Pacific rim are set to meet to chart ways to boost trade despite turmoil in the global economy, as aspiring powers China and Russia bid farewell to US President George W. Bush.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has barred former U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and other prominent figures from visiting the country to assess the humanitarian crisis, the group said on Saturday.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Rashid Rauf, a British militant with al Qaeda links, was killed along with an Egyptian by a suspected U.S. missile strike in a Pakistani tribal region on Saturday, Pakistan television and intelligence officers said.

AP - President-elect Barack Obama has moved with unusual speed to select officials for his administration, and senior Democratic officials say he intends to name Timothy Geithner as his treasury secretary as soon as Monday.

AP - Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said Saturday that he and others planning a humanitarian mission in Zimbabwe had been refused entry to the impoverished African country.

AP - Oprah wants her, and so do Letterman and Leno. Fresh from her political defeat, Sarah Palin is juggling offers to write books, appear in films and sit on dozens of interview couches at a rate that would be astonishing for most Hollywood stars, let alone a first-term governor.

AP - Astronauts up on the international space station faced the longest and hardest spacewalk of their mission Saturday, a seven-hour-plus excursion to wrap up repair work on a gummed-up joint.

AP - President George W. Bush, faced with a dwindling number of days in office, was using his final world summit to try to keep a virulent economic crisis from triggering a retreat into protectionism.

AP - Even in a global financial crisis, the world cannot afford to skimp on its obligations to Afghanistan, which wants to double the size of its army but will never be able to pay for it, Defense Secretary Robert Gates says.

AP - With two moves, the New York Knicks created salary space for a premier free agent and playing time for Stephon Marbury.

Reuters - Zimbabwe has barred former U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and other prominent figures from visiting the country to assess the humanitarian crisis, the group said on Saturday.

Reuters - Rashid Rauf, a British militant with al Qaeda links, was killed along with an Egyptian by a suspected U.S. missile strike in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, Pakistani television channels and intelligence officers said.

AFP - The alleged Al-Qaeda mastermind of a 2006 transatlantic airplane bombing plot was killed in a US missile attack in northwest Pakistan early Saturday, officials said.

AFP - Former UN secretary general Kofi Annan and ex-US president Jimmy Carter said on Saturday that they had been forced to cancel a trip to Zimbabwe because they had been denied visas.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said on Saturday that he was crafting an aggressive, two-year stimulus plan to revive the troubled economy, warning that swift action was needed to prevent a deep slump and a spiral of falling prices.

BERLIN (Reuters) - The U.S. economy needs additional support measures of between $300 billion and $600 billion to help it withstand the financial crisis, U.S. billionaire investor George Soros was quoted as saying by a German weekly.

AP - President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday outlined his plan to create 2.5 million jobs in coming years to rebuild roads and bridges and modernize schools while developing alternative energy sources and more efficient cars.

AP - The family of a college student who killed himself live on the Internet say they're horrified his life ended before a virtual audience, and infuriated that viewers of the live webcam or operators of the Web site that hosted it didn't act sooner to save him.

Reuters - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said on Saturday that he was crafting an aggressive, two-year stimulus plan to revive the troubled economy, warning that swift action was needed to prevent a deep slump and a spiral of falling prices.

Reuters - The U.S. economy needs additional support measures of between $300 billion and $600 billion to help it withstand the financial crisis, U.S. billionaire investor George Soros was quoted as saying by a German weekly.

LONDON (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama said on Saturday he was crafting a two-year plan to fight an economic crisis of 'historic proportions' and Chinese leader Hu Jintao said his country was ready to play a big role in the global effort.

MOGADISHU (Reuters) Islamist militants in Somalia took steps on Saturday to attack pirates behind the world's biggest hijack and rescue the captured Saudi Arabian supertanker, an Islamist spokesman said.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran has executed an Iranian businessman convicted of spying on the military for the Islamic Republic's arch foe Israel, the judiciary said on Saturday.

AP - President-elect Barack Obama promoted an economic plan Saturday he said would create 2.5 million jobs by rebuilding roads and bridges and modernizing schools while developing alternative energy sources and more efficient cars.

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama said on Saturday he was crafting a two-year plan to fight an economic crisis of 'historic proportions' and Chinese leader Hu Jintao said his country was ready to play a big role in the global effort.

Reuters - MOGADISHU (Reuters) Islamist militants in Somalia took steps on Saturday to attack pirates behind the world's biggest hijack and rescue the captured Saudi Arabian supertanker, an Islamist spokesman said.

Reuters - Iran has executed an Iranian businessman convicted of spying on the military for the Islamic Republic's arch foe Israel, the judiciary said on Saturday.

AFP - Former US president Jimmy Carter accused Zimbabwe's government Saturday of being 'immune' to the hardships of its people as he and ex-UN chief Kofi Annan were denied entry on a humanitarian mission.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's defense minister on Saturday warned of the dangers of withdrawing U.S. forces before the end of 2011, a date set with Washington in a security pact opposed by some lawmakers.

LIMA (Reuters) - The United States will work hard in the coming weeks to forge a breakthrough in world trade talks to set the stage for a successful conclusion of the 7-year-old Doha round, U.S. President George W. Bush said on Saturday.

AP - An Army wife accused of setting her apartment on fire botched an attempt to collect on her husband's $400,000 insurance policy when he survived and her two children died instead, a federal prosecutor said.

AP - A Nepalese teenager revered by many as a reincarnation of Buddha has returned to the jungle to meditate after emerging for less than two weeks, officials said Saturday.

AP - Britain is considering a ban on 'happy hour' discounts at bars and restaurants to curb drinking, a spokesman said Saturday, as health advocates warned that a rise in liver-related deaths among young people may signal a future epidemic.

Reuters - Iraq's defense minister on Saturday warned of the dangers of withdrawing U.S. forces before the end of 2011, a date set with Washington in a security pact opposed by some lawmakers.

Reuters - The United States will work hard in coming weeks to forge a breakthrough that sets the stage for a successful conclusion of the 7-year-old Doha round of world trade talks, U.S. President George W. Bush said on Saturday.

AFP - The alleged Al-Qaeda mastermind of a 2006 transatlantic airplane bombing plot was killed in a US missile attack in northwest Pakistan early Saturday, after spending almost a year on the run.

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama said on Saturday he was crafting a two-year plan to fight an economic crisis of 'historic proportions' and Chinese leader Hu Jintao said his country was ready to play a big role in the global effort.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican's newspaper has finally forgiven John Lennon for declaring that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, calling the remark a 'boast' by a young man grappling with sudden fame.

AP - The White House said Saturday representatives of the nations trying to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program have agreed to meet next month.

AP - President-elect Barack Obama has moved with unusual speed to select officials for his administration, and senior Democratic officials say he intends to name Timothy Geithner as his treasury secretary as soon as Monday.

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama said on Saturday he was crafting a two-year plan to fight an economic crisis of 'historic proportions' and Chinese leader Hu Jintao said his country was ready to play a big role in the global effort.

Reuters - The Vatican's newspaper has finally forgiven John Lennon for declaring that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, calling the remark a 'boast' by a young man grappling with sudden fame.

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has barred former U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and other prominent figures from visiting the country to assess the humanitarian crisis, the group said on Saturday.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican's newspaper has finally forgiven John Lennon for declaring that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, calling the remark a 'boast' by a young man grappling with sudden fame.

AP - Since the Nov. 4 election, investors have been abandoning stocks in a kind of slow-motion crash that experts say underlines just how anxious they are about what is likely to be a long and deep recession.

AP - It took five big plays to give Ohio State an unprecedented fifth straight win over rival Michigan. Noted Wolverines nemesis Chris 'Beanie' Wells had two of those, including a 59-yard touchdown run and 134 yards rushing to help the 10th-ranked Buckeyes beat their archrivals 42-7 Saturday, the first time in 105 meetings that they've strung together five wins.

Reuters - Zimbabwe has barred former U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and other prominent figures from visiting the country to assess the humanitarian crisis, the group said on Saturday.

Reuters - The Vatican's newspaper has finally forgiven John Lennon for declaring that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, calling the remark a 'boast' by a young man grappling with sudden fame.

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said on Saturday he was crafting a two-year plan to fight an economic crisis of 'historic proportions' and Chinese leader Hu Jintao said his country was ready to play a big role in the global effort.

AP - President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday named longtime spokesman Robert Gibbs as White House press secretary and reached outside his inner circle for the post of White House communications director.

AP - Since the Nov. 4 election, investors have been abandoning stocks in a kind of slow-motion crash that experts say underlines just how anxious they are about what is likely to be a long and deep recession.

AP - Leaders who oversee half the world's economy pledged Saturday to avoid protectionism but shied away from any new proposals on the financial crisis because of somebody who wasn't there: U.S. President-elect Barack Obama.

AP - The Albuquerque Police Department has turned to the want ads for snitches.

Reuters - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said on Saturday he was crafting a two-year plan to fight an economic crisis of 'historic proportions' and Chinese leader Hu Jintao said his country was ready to play a big role in the global effort.

AFP - US President George W. Bush, bidding farewell to the international stage, on Saturday offered a sweeping defense of free markets as leaders from across the Pacific rim vowed to resist protectionism.

AFP - Rebel leader Laurent Nkunda on Saturday slammed the planned deployment of extra UN troops in Democratic Republic of Congo saying they could not usher in peace as he held his first rally in an eastern town he seized last month.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama announced on Saturday that close aide Robert Gibbs would be White House press secretary and Ellen Moran of women's organization Emily's List would be director of communications.

AP - President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday named longtime spokesman Robert Gibbs as White House press secretary and reached outside his inner circle for the post of White House communications director.

AP - The father of a college student whose suicide was broadcast live over a webcam said Saturday he was appalled by the virtual audience that egged on his son and called for tougher regulation of Internet sites.

AP - The Screen Actors Guild said Saturday it will ask its members to authorize a strike after its first contract talks in four months with Hollywood studios failed despite the help of a federal mediator.

AP - Here's some food for thought: If you have nude photos of your wife on your cell phone, hang onto it.

AP - Penn State coach Joe Paterno says he plans to return in 2009 after leading the Nittany Lions to a Big Ten title in Rose Bowl berth.

Reuters - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama announced on Saturday that close aide Robert Gibbs would be White House press secretary and Ellen Moran of women's organization Emily's List would be director of communications.

AP - Cane in hand, Joe Paterno beamed in the locker room after his players were handed roses and the Big Ten trophy.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has chosen seasoned policymakers Timothy Geithner and Lawrence Summers as his two top economic lieutenants to direct the fight to rescue the economy and stem the worst financial crisis in more than 70 years.

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Two shuttle Endeavour astronauts finished the longest of their planned spacewalks outside the orbiting International Space Station on Saturday, a nearly seven-hour effort aimed at cleaning and repairing a contaminated joint on the station's solar power array.

AP - President-elect Barack Obama will announce the leaders of his economic team Monday, naming Timothy Geithner as treasury secretary and Lawrence Summers to direct the National Economic Council, transition officials said.

AP - President-elect Barack Obama, who is set to announce his economic team, promoted an economic plan Saturday he said would create or save 2.5 million jobs by spending billions of dollars to rebuild roads and bridges and modernize schools while developing alternative energy sources and more efficient cars.

AP - Shots erupted in a packed Seattle-area shopping mall Saturday after an apparent argument between a gunman and two other young men, killing one of the men, creating panic among shoppers and sending police on a store-to-store search for the shooter, authorities said.

AP - Cane in hand, Joe Paterno beamed in the locker room after his players were handed roses and the Big Ten trophy. So, Joe, any plans to go out on top? Not a chance.

Reuters - U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has chosen seasoned policymakers Timothy Geithner and Lawrence Summers as his two top economic lieutenants to direct the fight to rescue the economy and stem the worst financial crisis in more than 70 years.

Reuters - Two shuttle Endeavour astronauts finished the longest of their planned spacewalks outside the orbiting International Space Station on Saturday, a nearly seven-hour effort aimed at cleaning and repairing a contaminated joint on the station's solar power array.

AFP - US President George W. Bush, bidding farewell to the international stage, offered a sweeping defense of free markets as leaders from across the Pacific rim vowed to resist protectionism.