Hundreds of Harry Potter fans abandon pet owls after series ends
People will go to great lengths to imitate pop culture characters they adore, and Harry Potter fans are no different. Forget the cheesy Halloween costumes and silly accents: Some fans even adopted pet owls after seeing or reading about them in Harry … Continue reading → Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, Yesterday, 1:40am
Facebook shares sink 11 percent as reality overtakes hype
(Reuters) - Facebook shares sank 11 percent in the first day of trading without the full support of the company's underwriters, leaving some investors down almost 25 percent from where they were Friday and driving others to switch back to more established stocks. Facebook's debut was beset by problems, so much so that Nasdaq said on Monday it was changing... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, Yesterday, 1:33am
Nasdaq seen struggling with aftermath of Facebook IPO
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nasdaq OMX faces short-term costs from its botched handling of Facebook shares on their first day of trading but the longer term repercussions could be more expensive as it struggles to restore its image. Initially, the exchange said it plans to set aside $13 million to resolve bad trades, and even if all of that was used, the cost would be minimal compared with the $387 million in net income it reported last year. The bigger hit to Nasdaq's business is likely to come from the damage done to its reputation by the stumble. ... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, Yesterday, 1:33am
Facebook shares sink 11 percent as reality overtakes hype
(Reuters) - Facebook shares sank 11 percent in the first day of trading without the full support of the company's underwriters, leaving some investors down almost 25 percent from where they were Friday and driving others to switch back to more established stocks. Facebook's debut was beset by problems, so much so that Nasdaq said on Monday it was changing... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, Yesterday, 1:33am
SpaceX Fuels Private Rocket for Launch to Space Station
This story was updated on May 22 at 12:15 a.m. EDT. Read more...
Yahoo! News: Science News, Yesterday, 1:25am
Asia stocks up amid hopes China to boost growth
Hopes China will announce new measures to boost economic growth helped push Asian stock markets higher Tuesday. Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, Yesterday, 1:25am
Insight: Morgan Stanley cut Facebook estimates just before IPO
(Reuters) - In the run-up to Facebook's $16 billion IPO, Morgan Stanley, the lead underwriter on the deal, unexpectedly delivered some negative news to major clients: The bank's consumer Internet analyst, Scott Devitt, was reducing his revenue forecasts for the company. The... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, Yesterday, 1:16am
Insight: Morgan Stanley cut Facebook estimates just before IPO
(Reuters) - In the run-up to Facebook's $16 billion IPO, Morgan Stanley, the lead underwriter on the deal, unexpectedly delivered some negative news to major clients: The bank's consumer Internet analyst, Scott Devitt, was reducing his revenue forecasts for the company. The... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, Yesterday, 1:16am
Oil hangs below $93 as stock rebound buoys crude
Oil prices hung below $93 a barrel Tuesday in Asia, holding gains from the previous day as crude followed global stock markets higher. Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, Yesterday, 1:12am
Microsoft sets sights on SKorean digital education
Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer met Seoul education officials Tuesday to discuss using digital technology in classrooms as South Korea prepares to replace paper textbooks with digital ones. Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, Yesterday, 1:04am
Motorola won’t update DROID 3, DROID X2 to Android 4
Motorola recently updated its Android release timeline and revealed that certain devices will remain on Android 2.3 rather than receiving an upgrade to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The handsets in question are both modern and more than capable of running the latest Android operating system, however the vendor claims the latest software won’t “improve” the devices, and that’s why updates will not be released. Both the DROID 3 and DROID X2 will remain on Android 2.3, despite the fact that both... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, Yesterday, 1:00am
Where are Facebook's friends? Stock down after IPO
Yahoo! News: Business News, Yesterday, 12:57am
Everest weekend death toll reaches 4
World News Headlines - Yahoo! News, Yesterday, 12:52am
Silicon Valley takes Facebook fizzle in stride
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook's lackluster initial public offering performance is a black eye for many on Wall Street and could have ramifications for similar upcoming deals such as an offering by Twitter, but venture capitalists in Silicon Valley are keen to shrug off Facebook's stumble - at least for now. ... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, Yesterday, 12:51am
Silicon Valley takes Facebook fizzle in stride
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook's lackluster initial public offering performance is a black eye for many on Wall Street and could have ramifications for similar upcoming deals such as an offering by Twitter, but venture capitalists in Silicon Valley are keen to shrug off Facebook's stumble - at least for now. ... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, Yesterday, 12:51am
World's tallest tower, the Tokyo Skytree, opens
The world's tallest tower and Japan's biggest new landmark, the Tokyo Skytree, opened to the public on Tuesday. Read more...
World News Headlines - Yahoo! News, Yesterday, 12:45am
Trains collide in south India, killing 15
A passenger train rammed into a freight train before dawn Tuesday in southern India, killing at least 15 people in a fiery wreck, officials said. Read more...
World News Headlines - Yahoo! News, Yesterday, 12:30am
China targets infrastructure to lift economy, report says
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China will fast track approvals for infrastructure investment to combat a slowdown in the economy, a state-backed newspaper reported on Tuesday, underlining a call by Premier Wen Jiabao for policies to maintain growth. Dismal economic data for April... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, Yesterday, 12:23am
Revived focus on regulation after JPMorgan loss
Federal regulators and lawmakers are renewing the focus on financial regulation in the wake of a multibillion-dollar trading loss at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, Yesterday, 12:03am
Fake malaria drugs litter Southeast Asia, Africa
A study says more than a third of malaria-fighting drugs tested over the past decade in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa were either fake or bad quality. Read more...
World News Headlines - Yahoo! News, May 21, 11:42pm
SpaceX Private Spaceship to Join Robotic Cargo Ship Fleet
A new private spaceship is set to join the suite of automated cargo freighters that bring essential supplies to the International Space Station. Read more...
Yahoo! News: Science News, May 21, 11:32pm
Alibaba repurchases half of Yahoo’s stake for $7.1 billion
As Yahoo’s struggles continue, the company is looking to cut costs and dig up cash wherever it can. Yahoo announced plans last month to lay off 2,000 workers, or nearly 15% of its staff, and before that it filed a “puzzling” patent lawsuit against long-time partner Facebook. Now, Yahoo will sell half of its 40% stake in China-based retail giant Alibaba. Led by Chinese Internet entrepreneur Jack Ma, Alibaba will repurchase part of Yahoo’s holdings in the e-commerce firm for $7.1 billion as it prepares... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, May 21, 11:25pm
Malaysian opposition's Anwar charged over protest
Prosecutors charged Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and two of his allies Tuesday with breaking various laws during a massive... Read more...
World News Headlines - Yahoo! News, May 21, 11:17pm
Nasdaq seen struggling with aftermath of Facebook IPO
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nasdaq OMX faces short-term costs from its botched handling of Facebook shares on their first day of trading but the longer term repercussions could be more expensive as it struggles to restore its image. Initially, the exchange said it plans to set aside $13 million to resolve bad trades, and even if all of that was used, the cost would be minimal... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, May 21, 11:05pm
Labor judge overturns union election at Target
An administrative law judge from the National Labor Relations Board has overturned the union election last year at a Target store on New York's Long Island and ordered a new election citing unfair labor practices. Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, May 21, 11:02pm
Mafia-style end for Australia's flawed Obama mugs
World News Headlines - Yahoo! News, May 21, 10:57pm
Images show more N. Korea work on nuke test site
World News Headlines - Yahoo! News, May 21, 10:52pm
MF Global paid Corzine $8 million in year before collapse
(Reuters) - Former MF Global Holdings Ltd chief Jon Corzine received more than $8 million in pay and stock options from the futures brokerage in the year before it went bankrupt. Corzine's pay along with that of other former MF Global executives was... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, May 21, 10:37pm
Bulgarian capital shaken by 5.6 magnitude quake
SOFIA (Reuters) - A 5.6 magnitude earthquake shook Bulgaria's capital Sofia early on Tuesday, causing residents to rush into the streets, the civil defense office said. The quake, which occurred at 3 a.m. local time, shook apartment buildings and rattled windows but caused no casualties or damage, Nikolay Nikolov, an official from the office was quoted as saying by the national radio, citing initial reports. The U.S. Geological Survey said the temblor was centered about 14 miles west of Sofia and occurred at a relatively shallow depth of 5.8 miles. USGS initially reported the magnitude as 5.8. ... Read more...
World News Headlines - Yahoo! News, May 21, 10:33pm
Former Guatemala dictator to face massacre charges
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - Former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt will face a second trial on genocide charges after a judge ruled on Monday he could be prosecuted for ordering a 1982 massacre that left 201 people dead. Rios Montt, 85, who ruled during a particularly bloody period in 1982 and 1983, is already facing trial on separate charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.... Read more...
World News Headlines - Yahoo! News, May 21, 10:06pm
Port Authority to debut avatar at NY-area airports
She smiles, answers questions and can guide you to the nearest restroom or to your connecting flight. Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, May 21, 9:58pm
Jailed Enron's Skilling seeks new trial, cites new evidence
(Reuters) - Jailed former Enron Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Skilling is seeking a new trial citing "newly discovered evidence," according to court documents. Skilling was convicted in 2006 on charges including conspiracy and securities fraud in relation to the 2001 collapse of the one-time energy trading giant Enron. The 58-year-old is now serving a 24-year jail term. Skilling attorney... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, May 21, 9:05pm
Exclusive: U.S. lets China bypass Wall Street for Treasury orders
NEW YORK (Reuters) - China can now bypass Wall Street when buying U.S. government debt and go straight to the U.S. Treasury, in what is the Treasury's first-ever direct relationship with a foreign government, according to documents viewed by Reuters. The relationship means the People's Bank of China buys U.S. debt using a different... Read more...
World News Headlines - Yahoo! News, May 21, 9:01pm
Eaton buying Cooper Industries in $11.46B deal
Eaton Corp. has agreed to purchase Cooper Industries PLC in a cash-and-stock deal valued at about $11.46 billion that is designed to expand its reach in the global electrical power and distribution industry. Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, May 21, 8:32pm
Departures leave Dewey a shell of its former self
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Seventeen more partners at Dewey & LeBoeuf announced their departure on Monday, as the failing law firm considered filing for bankruptcy. Rival law firm Proskauer Rose said it was bringing in four partners, including Ralph Ferrara, a vice chairman at Dewey and former general counsel of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Duane Morris, another law firm, said it was hiring 16 lawyers from Dewey, including six of its... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, May 21, 8:30pm
Obama on Afghan: Leave on time, no 'perfect' end
President Barack Obama and leaders around the globe locked in place an Afghanistan exit path Monday that will still keep their troops fighting and dying there for two more years, acknowledging there never will be point at which they can say, "This is all done. This is perfect." Read more...
World News Headlines - Yahoo! News, May 21, 8:27pm
Chrome passes Internet Explorer to become world’s most popular browser
Google’s Chrome Web browser has continued to gain market share since its introduction in 2008. Despite surpassing Internet Explorer in select regions and on weekends, Google’s browser has never been able to dethrone Microsoft in global usage share. According to new numbers from StatCounter, however, Google’s browser has finally averaged higher traffic than Internet Explorer for the first time over a full seven-day stretch. From May 14th through May 20th, the Internet... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, May 21, 8:25pm
Ex-Yahoo director, fund manager made illegal trades: U.S.
(Reuters) - Federal prosecutors on Monday announced insider trading charges against a former Yahoo employee and a fund manager for illegally sharing and trading on secret company information. The pair pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court on Monday, the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office said in a press release. They were also charged by U.S. securities regulators in a parallel civil proceeding. The SEC said it is pursuing a civil settlement with... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, May 21, 8:14pm
20 TV Shows With the Most Social Media Buzz This Week
The most universal sport in the world dominated social networks Saturday. Soccer (or "football," depending on your preference) teams Chelsea and Bayern Munich battled in Munich's Allianz Arena for the UEFA Championships League trophy. Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, May 21, 8:14pm
Obama sketches four-pronged strategy for Europe, sees EU consensus
CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama urged Europe on Monday to strengthen its defenses against financial market turmoil and recapitalize its banks as part of a four-pronged strategy for tackling the euro zone crisis. European... Read more...
World News Headlines - Yahoo! News, May 21, 8:06pm
Apple still dominates world's top brands: study
(Reuters) - Apple has maintained its place as the world's most valuable brand over the past year, leading a group of technology-related companies that dominate the top 10, according to a study published on Tuesday. The iPhone and iPad maker has boosted its brand value by 19 percent in the past year to $183 billion, or 37 percent of its market capitalization, according to the annual BrandZ study by leading brands and market-research... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, May 21, 8:03pm
Apple still dominates world's top brands: study
(Reuters) - Apple has maintained its place as the world's most valuable brand over the past year, leading a group of technology-related companies that dominate the top 10, according to a study published on Tuesday. The iPhone and iPad maker has boosted its brand value by 19 percent in the past year to $183 billion, or 37 percent of its market capitalization, according to the annual BrandZ study by leading brands and market-research... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, May 21, 8:03pm
Slide Is an iPhone Game You Already Know How to Play
There are tons of iPhone games out there with complicated rules, levels, and moves to learn. One game, called Slide, is making learning how to play much easier by having you do something you already know how to do: unlock your phone. Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, May 21, 8:01pm
Foxconn to invest $210M in new Apple production line
Foxconn, the manufacturer of Apple’s iPhones, iPads and Macs, plans to invest $210 million in a new Apple production line in China’s east Jiangsu province in October, according to a report from China Daily. The 40,000 square meter plant will employ as many as 35,800 workers and will be located in Huai’an City. The office of Taiwan Affairs of Huai’an City confirmed that the plant will house a production line for Apple devices and is expected to output between $949 million to $1.1 billion a year. The report did not... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, May 21, 8:00pm
Ex-Yahoo executive pleads in insider-trading case
A former Yahoo executive and a hedge fund manager have pleaded guilty in New York to an insider trading charge. Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, May 21, 7:53pm
Oscar de la Renta Sells Runway Look Exclusively Through The Fancy
[More from Mashable: Ecommerce in China: How the World’s Biggest Market Buys Online] Read more...
Yahoo! News: Technology News, May 21, 7:51pm
2 key proxy firms urge shareholders oppose CEO
Two leading proxy adviser firms are telling Wal-Mart shareholders to vote against certain board members up for re-election next week, saying the directors neglected their responsibility in an alleged bribery scheme in Wal-Mart's Mexican operations. Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, May 21, 7:48pm
Japan's Olympus not seeking tie-ups now: report
TOKYO (Reuters) - Scandal-tainted Olympus Corp has decided it will not seek alliances to beef up its capital for now and will try to rebuild on its own, the Mainichi newspaper reported on Tuesday. The Japanese endoscope and camera maker, struggling to recover from a $1.7 billion accounting fraud, saw its equity ratio plunge to 4.6 percent as of end-March 2012 from 11 percent a year earlier. Olympus President Hiroyuki Sasa said earlier this month that... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, May 21, 7:43pm
U.S. lawmakers frustrated in Wal-Mart corruption probe
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers investigating Wal-Mart Stores Inc for alleged bribery in Mexico are frustrated by the lack of cooperation they have received from the company, a committee staffer familiar with the investigation said. Attorneys for Wal-Mart briefed the committee earlier on Monday about the company's anti-corruption compliance program, the person said. But Wal-Mart has not committed to briefing the panel on the substantive allegations... Read more...
Yahoo! News: Business News, May 21, 7:41pm