Raising the likelihood that the mortgage finance company Fannie Mae would survive in the long run only on the basis of sustained federal funding, the company Friday sought an additional $19-billion aid from the US Treasury, over and above the most-recent $15.2-billion assistance it availed on March 31.

As a part of its extensive marketing and business endeavor, pertaining to its $17 billion-per-year health equipment and technology business, General Electric Co. (GE) has worked out a strategy for providing new solutions to health care - by the way of its recently-launched initiative called "Healthymagination."

While the proposed healthcare bill is scheduled for debate by the Congress next week, President Obama - attempting to reshape the country's healthcare system - has talked about a new government insurance plan that the patients could choose rather than private coverage.

The European Commission has set June 3-5 for the oral hearing of Microsoft's defense arguments with regard to the 27-country European Union's (EU) antitrust charges pertaining to the bundling of Internet Explorer (IE) with its leading Windows operating system. Microsoft has already submitted a written response to the charges - a so-called "statement of objections" - on April 28.

Washington - A man suffering heart problems died from were called complications from the H1N1 flu strain, the third human fatality reported in the US so far, according to the Seattle Times newspaper.

The online edition reported that preliminary test results on Saturday showed the man, aged in his 30s, had contracted the new influenza and died of pneumonia.

Los Angeles  - Chinese superstar center Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets has a sprained left ankle and will be examined again prior to Sunday's game four of the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Los Angeles  - A layer of marine fog on Saturday helped firefighters make progress against a wildfire that has burnt over 3,500 hectares and 80 houses in the upscale communities around Santa Barbara, California, authorities said.

The Labor Department's employment report released Friday shows some encouraging signs of improvement in the labor market and the recession-hit economy - with the
539,000 jobs slashed by US employers in April marking the smallest number since October!

The economic slowdown, combined with losses on derivative contracts and a huge investment in the oil company ConocoPhillips, resulted in a $1.5 billion first quarter loss for Warren Buffett's Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Joining the likes of Peter Molyneux's Lionhead Studios and Rare, the Vancouver-based BigPark game studio has been acquired by Microsoft, even as the company is on currently on a staff-slashing spree to cut costs!