Anxious to keep lid on Iraq, Obama woos Kurds

President Barack Obama, facing a damaging election-year problem if Iraq's political crisis worsens, has launched an urgent behind-the-scenes push to ease tensions between the Baghdad central government and the Kurds. Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurds' semi-autonomous regional government, paid a quiet visit to the White House on April 4 and left with backing for two long-standing requests that could help build...

High-level Israeli, Palestinian meeting may be off

A planned meeting on Tuesday between the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers may be cancelled or postponed after Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad refused to attend, senior Palestinian officials said Fayyad was reluctant to be seen as engaging with Israel on a day when more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners began a hunger strike to protest against their conditions in Israeli jails, the officials said. Israeli...

Coke beats Street, sees signs U.S. economy improving

Coca-Cola Co (KO.N) posted higher-than-expected quarterly results after the world's largest soft drink maker sold more beverages, even in developed markets with economic challenges, fueling hopes that conditions are improving. The maker of Sprite, Minute Maid orange juice and vitaminwater, which does business in more than 200 countries, saw volume rise 3 percent in Germany and Japan, 6 percent in Spain and 1 percent...

Electric and hybrid car sales record in USA

Electric and hybrid cars enjoyed their highest share of the US automotive market yet, during March. According to new figures from Ward’s Auto Info Bank, consumers bought a record 52,000 hybrid and electric cars during the month – that’s an increase from 34,000 during the same month last year. Now, the two categories account for 3.64 per cent of total US sales – the highest monthly market share ever. The previous...

Heidi Klum Proud to Say She Never Has Plastic Surgery

After giving birth to four children, Heidi Klum still has the body to be envied for. The former Victoria's Secret Angel stripped down to her birthday suit for the May issue of Allure magazine, showing off her toned figure that she proudly declares has never been touched by any cosmetic surgery procedures. "Ask me again when I'm 65, but ... I'm proud to be able to say, in this day and age, I haven't done anything,"...