Reuters - Technology companies may have wooed rivals with alluring, pricey buyout offers in 2008, but this year, nothing says sexy like safe deal-making.

Reuters - German billionaire Adolf Merckle who was hit by a train on Monday evening killed himself, unhinged by financial turmoil and struggling to salvage his business empire, his family said on Tuesday.

Reuters - General Electric Co's finance arm on Monday launched a $10 billion sale of FDIC-backed debt, the largest sale under the government guarantee program since its inception last November.

Reuters - Ford Motor Co reported lower December U.S. sales on Monday.

Wall Street gave back some of last week's huge gains Monday but found encouragement from a U.S. government report that construction spending fell less than forecast.

AP - Divorced from his longtime co-host Sean Hannity, Alan Colmes was adopted by Stephen Colbert — for a day, at least.

Patricia Arquette files for divorce from actor Thomas Jane, Lindsay and Sam split

Reuters - Apple Inc has agreed to start selling digital songs without copy protection software from its iTunes store along with over-the-air download songs for its popular iPhone, according to people familiar with its plans.

AP - Mark Teixeira and the New York Yankees completed their $180 million, eight-year contract Tuesday, announcing the deal in perhaps the final event at the old Yankee Stadium.

AFP - Little-known Latvian Ernests Gulbis sent top seed and world number three Novak Djokovic crashing out of the first round of the Brisbane International here Tuesday.

AP - The Texas Longhorns will be No. 1 on at least one ballot. It belongs to coach Mack Brown. Brown said he made up his mind after Colt McCoy hit Quan Cosby for a 26-yard touchdown with 16 seconds to play, lifting the third-ranked Longhorns to a 24-21 Fi