AFP - India's ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi resigned from parliament following opposition allegations that she had breached parliamentary regulations by holding other salaried posts.

Reuters - Interpublic Group of Cos. Inc. , the world's No. 3 advertising services company, on Wednesday posted a fourth-quarter loss and restated earnings for the first three quarters of 2005.

Reuters - Nike Inc. on Tuesday posted a 19 percent rise in quarterly profit as robust sales of footwear and apparel in key markets such as the U.S. and Americas offset stagnant demand for Nike goods in Europe and Japan.

AFP - Kingfisher, the biggest European home-improvements retailer, said that its annual net profit fell by almost 70.0 percent, owing to an extremely weak performance in Britain.

Reuters - Perry Ellis International Inc. on Tuesday reported slightly lower fourth-quarter earnings.

AFP - Kingfisher, the biggest European home-improvements retailer, said that its annual net profit fell by almost 70 percent, owing to an extremely weak performance in Britain.

Reuters - The Islamic militant group Hamas unveiled its full cabinet list on Monday, as expected putting loyal members in charge of all key ministries including the foreign affairs, interior and finance posts.

AP - The parent of Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel Corp. blamed rising costs and falling steel prices for a fourth-quarter loss of $23.4 million, pushing shares down 5.38 percent.

Palestinian group Hamas announces it has chosen a cabinet, with all key posts given to its own members.

Yvonne Lee - AHN Staff Reporter (AHN) - Google wins a two-year legal fight over the right to publish material posted on its Usenet message board. Gordon Roy Parker, who posts his works on the Internet, brought the case. He sued Google for reprinting an excerpt from a book he wrote and placed...

AFP - Islamic militant group Hamas is set to take all key posts in a new Palestinian cabinet in the face of continued failure of coalition talks with other factions.

Matthew Borghese - AHN Staff Writer New York, New York (AHN) - Bear Stearns Cos., posts a first quarter rise in net income well over what analysts predicted. Bear Stearns says that in the three months ended Feb. 28, net income grew from $378.8 million to $514.2 million, up 36 percent. This...

AP - Bear Stearns Cos. on Thursday became the third brokerage in as many days to post record first-quarter earnings and revenues, but the good news was overshadowed by old problems — illegal market timing practices that bilked mutual fund investors out of millions.

Reuters - American International Group Inc. said on Thursday fourth quarter earnings fell, hurt by a charge taken to pay for a $1.64 billion legal settlement.

AP - Bear Stearns Cos. on Thursday became the third brokerage in as many days to posted record first-quarter earnings and revenues, but the good news was overshadowed by old problems — illegal market timing practices that bilked mutual fund investors out of millions.

AP - State-controlled utility Gaz de France SA, which has announced plans to acquire French utility Suez SA, said Thursday its profit jumped 29 percent in 2005, partly on rising natural gas prices and growing sales volume.

Reuters - Teen retailer Hot Topic Inc. said Wednesday that quarterly net profit fell, as results were hurt by lower same-store sales in the quarter.

Denise Royal - AHN Staff Writer Baghdad, Iraq (AHN) - An Iraqi official says they've foiled an al-Qaeda attack. Their plans included a plot to storm the American and British embassies in Baghdad. Iraq’s interior minister says it involved placing 421 al-Qaeda operatives at guard posts...

Reuters - Off-price retailer Ross Stores Inc. on Wednesday posted higher quarterly net profit, helped by robust January sales and expanding operating margins.