Merkel presses Greece as another bailout deadline slips

ATHENS/PARIS (Reuters) - Greece let yet another deadline slip on Monday for responding to painful terms for a new EU/IMF bailout, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel made clear Europe's patience is wearing thin over drawn-out negotiations among its feuding political leaders.

Gingrich vows to take fight to "timid" Romney

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Republican Newt Gingrich vowed on Sunday to press ahead with his struggling presidential bid after a big loss in Nevada, saying he will focus on drawing a contrast with "timid" rival Mitt Romney.

Syrian forces bombard rebel city of Homs: activists

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian forces bombarded Homs on Monday, killing 50 people in a sustained assault on several districts of the city which has become a centre of armed opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian National Council opposition group said.

Obama gains over Romney amid better economy: poll

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama - bolstered by a stronger economic outlook and recent job growth - would win in a match-up against the two leading Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, a poll on Monday showed.

Insight: Two firms flourish in frenzied MF Global aftermath

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The mad rush to move client money out of MF Global Inc. after its collapse left two firms with the bulk of customer accounts, while other brokerages emerged with only minor gains from the chaos of carving up a multibillion-dollar business.

Analysis: Euro zone strugglers lack innovative knack

LONDON (Reuters) - To get an idea of the economic mountain euro zone strugglers Greece and Portugal have to climb, consider this: per million inhabitants, they each filed fewer than eight applications with the European Patent Office in 2010.

U.S. closes embassy in Damascus due to Syria violence

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States announced on Monday it was closing its embassy in Syria due to the worsening security situation, further isolating Damascus over its bloody crackdown on anti-government protests.

Euro, global shares fall as clock ticks on Greece

LONDON (Reuters) - Fears that Greece might not accept the painful terms of a proposed new bailout deal brought a rally in global shares and the euro to a halt on Monday, underming the positive effect of better global economic data.

Glencore, Xstrata hammer out premium as deal nears

LONDON/CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Top executives at Glencore and Xstrata are hammering out the final details of a proposed $80 billion merger, including the premium on offer by the commodities trading giant to secure approval from the miner's shareholders.

Giants win Super Bowl thriller against Patriots

INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - The New York Giants reclaimed the greatest prize in North American sports with a nail-biting 21-17 Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.