Seattle Post-Intelligencer: AP - Business Headlines

ConocoPhillips writes off $34B in noncash assets
HOUSTON -- ConocoPhillips, the third-largest U.S. oil company, said Friday it's cutting 4 percent of its overall work force, slashing capital spending by 18 percent and writing off $34 billion in noncash assets because of plummeting energy prices. (Updated 5:58 p.m. PT)

Disney CEO received $51.1M in compensation in 2008
LOS ANGELES -- The Walt Disney Co.'s chief executive, Robert Iger, received a compensation package worth $51.1 million in fiscal 2008, up 85 percent from a year earlier, but most of it came in stock options that are currently worthless, according to a regulatory filing made Friday. (Updated 5:52 p.m. PT)

Scripps mum on any interest in Rocky Mountain News
DENVER -- The E.W. Scripps Co. planned to confer with its broker on its next steps for the Rocky Mountain News after the deadline to submit bids for the Denver newspaper neared. (Updated 5:45 p.m. PT)

Venezuela to use $12B in Central Bank reserves
CARACAS, Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez said Friday that the Central Bank will transfer $12 billion, or 28 percent of its international reserves, to help the government maintain broad social spending as oil prices fall. (Updated 5:42 p.m. PT)

Gannett says it will sell or close Tucson Citizen
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Gannett Co., the largest newspaper publisher in the country, will close the Tucson Citizen if it does not find a buyer for certain assets owned by the paper by March 21. (Updated 5:42 p.m. PT)

Chrysler Financial gets $1.5B loan from bailout
WASHINGTON -- The Treasury Department said Friday it will provide a $1.5 billion loan to Chrysler LLC's financing arm, and the automaker announced it will immediately use the money to offer zero-percent financing on several models and expand lending to car buyers with less than ideal credit. (Updated 5:24 p.m. PT)

Regulators close Illinois bank
WASHINGTON -- Regulators on Friday shut down National Bank of Commerce, a small Illinois bank. (Updated 4:59 p.m. PT)

Silva: Venezuela's Mercosur bid to be OKed
CARACAS, Venezuela -- Brazil's president says he expects his nation's Senate will approve Venezuela's entry into the South American trade bloc Mercosur in the next two months. (Updated 4:53 p.m. PT)

Bush go-ahead to Peru trade deal sparks criticism
LIMA, Peru -- President George W. Bush signed off Friday on a free trade pact with Peru that U.S. officials say will foster economic growth, but which lawmakers in both countries complain does not meet environmental and labor protection requirements. (Updated 4:32 p.m. PT)

Protesters clash with police in Lithuania
VILNIUS, Lithuania -- Violent political protests sweeping parts of Eastern Europe have spread to Lithuania, where police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at a rock-throwing mob attacking Parliament. (Updated 4:11 p.m. PT)

Additional headlines:
- Treasury bond market at a glance
- Treasury prices decline as stocks move higher
- Scorecard for the major stock market indexes
- Wall Street rebounds after banks report big losses
- Star Tribune says it won't need new loan, for now
- Circuit City to close 567 remaining US stores
- Web-based tools aid in visualizing home makeovers
- Peanut butter probe expands; takes on new urgency
- Questions, answers related to Hudson river landing
- Earnings Preview: TD Ameritrade to report Tuesday
- Charles Schwab 4Q profit steady
- Paulson defends financial bailout program
- Treasury, Bank of America agree on bailout
- Deflation concerns grow as consumer prices shrink
- Crude prices fall as storage space nears limit
- EU tells Microsoft to change IE marketing
- Brazil's Petrobras: Production up 4.3 pct in '08
- Nearly 40K job cuts announced as weakness persists
- Gold prices rebound as dollar sinks
- Hertz to eliminate more than 4,000 positions
- Latin American stocks gain on Mexico rate cut
- Bank of America slides to 4Q loss; gets more aid
- Dismal bank earnings presage more trouble ahead
- Mexico central bank cuts lending rate to 7.75 pct
- Citigroup posts loss, splits up the bank
- Cash-rich companies list
- Wise investors should focus on company cash, debt
- Agriculture futures trade higher on the CBOT
- Dollar slides on big losses for banks, job cuts
- Report: Pfizer cutting up to 2,400 sales jobs
- Newspapers make special inauguration sales plans
- Meltdown 101: US tax laws can even foil the pros
- Vale, Baosteel cancel steel project amid downturn
- Obama getting cheesy inauguration gift from France
- British PM meets central bank chief as shares fall
- Peru's Congress clears ex-ministers of corruption
- KPMG to offer staff a 4-day working week
- Retailers who have filed for bankruptcy protection
- Putin: EU is supporting Ukraine in gas dispute
- Arab states lost $2,500 billion to global crisis
- Slovakia says country should have gas Monday
- Madoff fund may have made no trades
- Ask AP: Hedging gasoline, home at the White House
- WellPoint says it will cut 1,500 jobs
- Busy Bush gov't hauls EU to WTO over poultry ban
- Lara Croft owner receives takeover approach
- World stocks hit by banking fears, Barclays slumps
- Ala. hospice company agrees to $25M settlement
- UBS sells parts of commodities unit to Barclays
- Timeline of Circuit City Stores Inc.
- Roche to cut 780 positions over next 2-3 years
- EU: Carmakers won't get a free ride in state help
- Putin meets European gas chiefs
- Ryanair ready to raise Aer Lingus offer
- US nuclear business delegation visits India
- Switzerland, Japan to clinch trade pact next month
- Spain: economy will shrink, unemployment will soar
- Industrial output drops more than expected in Dec.
- China's income gap widens as economy slows
- Johnson Controls posts 1Q loss
- Japanese automakers cut production, jobs, costs
- Retailer Ahold reports 13 percent rise in 4Q sales
- P&G, Kraft Foods settle patent litigation
- Wall Street points toward higher opening
- Sony Ericsson swings to 4Q loss
- Sears to keep layaway program at namesake stores
- FTSE 100 up at 94.62 at 4,215.73
- French president suggests fixing price of oil
- Honda extends production halt in Britain
- Dollar mostly lower, gold up in morning trading
- SKorean court denies bail to jailed blogger
- Top UK central banker says recession will be deep
- Energy Agency sees oil demand sliding for 2nd year
- ECB, SNB to continue franc liquidity operations
- China: Melamine victim's parents receive $29,000
- EU trade deficit swells in November
- Anglo Irish nationalized; EU investigates move
- Samsung reorganizes key businesses to fight slump
- China shares rebound on industrial stimulus hope
- Nissan shifts best-seller production to cut costs
- HK stocks inch higher as HSBC drags on market
- Owner: Pirates free Danish ship held for 2 months
- EdF to buy stake in leading Swiss energy firm
- WTO to start 1st China-requested probe of US trade
- Euro up on dollar to $1.3212
- Texas drought worsens, cattle dying
- Singapore Dec non-oil exports plunge 21 percent
- US lobby favors balanced currency, not weak dollar
- Japan stocks up on Wall Street rise, dollar gains

THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2009
- Honda cuts Japan production by 56,000 vehicles
- Taiwan flat-panel display makers seek China orders
- Sequels to iconic CEOs rarely as good as original
- House Democrats propose $825 billion stimulus bill
- Charlotte final destination for most on down plane
- Bank troubles raise fears of growing bailout
- Venezuela seeks investments from Big Oil
- Peru eyes financing, but Fed credit 'unlikely'
- Obama's SEC choice promises aggressive action
- Appeals court sides with J&J in stent dispute
- British govt OKs 3rd runway for Heathrow
- Google to cut 100 jobs, close engineering offices
- Gold Reserve wants compensation for Venezuela mine
- Genentech 4Q profit rises, but just short of views
- JPMorgan posts profit, but 'disappointing' one
- Lilly settles Zyprexa suit for $1.42 billion
- Meltdown 101: Why gas prices rise while oil drops
- 2008 performance of '2010' target-date funds
- Not all target-date funds are created equal
- Congress clears way for second half of bailout
- Senate approves release of unspent bailout funds
- Banks, investment firms borrow less from Fed
- GM basing plans on lower US sales outlook of 10.5M
- Fed approves Protective Life as bank holding co.
- NY probes hedge fund operator tied to Madoff
- Beer sales falling with economy
- Chinese FM: Beijing will not abandon Africa
- Spokesman: Russian oligarch seeks UK newspaper
- December wholesale prices fall 1.9 percent
- Carrefour reports slowing 4th quarter sales growth
- US, EU escalate dispute over ban on hormone beef
- Bulgaria asks neighbors for help in gas shortage
- Scottish and Southern Energy gets OK for wind farm
- Bio information on SEC nominee Mary Schapiro
- UnitedHealth, Aetna pay to resolve claims disputes
- Anheuser-Busch InBev to open New York office
- UK retailers post cautious trading statements
- European Central Bank cuts rates to 2 percent
- EU restarts export subsidies for dairy
- Advocacy group sues Coca-Cola over VitaminWater
- Spain: housing prices down
- India's TCS says quarterly profits rise 1.63 pct
- Minister: Poland avoiding worst of economic crisis
- Gazprom sways as Russia plays hardball
- UN predicts zero world growth in 2009
- Anti-government protest held in Bulgaria
- Danish central bank cuts interest rate to 3 pct
- HMV enters live music market as CD sales stall
- US petroleum demand in 2008 lowest in 5 years
- Novartis to build $486M plant in North Carolina
- Oddo wins case against UBS in Madoff fund dispute
- Kazakh uranium output fails to meet target
- Dems unveil $825 billion stimulus measure
- Sarkozy asks French banks to suspend bonuses
- India names 3 more to board of Satyam after fraud
- Associated British Foods reports revenue rise
- TNK-BP appoints former German Chancellor to board
- Fewer tourists visit Britain
- Carphone Warehouse reports 13 pct rise in revenue
- Brazil stocks rise after 4 days of losses
- Qatar liquid gas plant shut down; probe under way
- Airbus retains title as world's largest planemaker
- Lithuanian firm hires witch to hunt debt dodgers
- US foreclosure filings up 81 percent in 2008
- Dutch government okays new offshore wind turbines
- Iran interested in Boeing jets
- EU calls for talks on helping carmakers
- Sanyo cuts 1,200 jobs, lowers annual forecast
- UK electronics retailer DSG reports fall in sales
- Moody's may downgrade ratings of top SKorean banks
- SABMiller beer volumes fall in 3Q
- Russian ruble dips to decade low
- Circle Oil strikes oil in Egypt concession
- Investor's troubles mount as federal charges filed
- Home Retail Group reports falling sales
- European car sales hit 15-year low
- World Bank bars Philippine, China firms for graft
- Suppliers at Pa. Farm Show say business thrives
- Dutch ASML posts euro88 million 4th-quarter loss
- Frankfurt airport sees fewer passengers
- US credibility seen at risk over SKorea trade deal
- Breakdown of missing pilot's financial problems
- Investor's troubles mount as federal charges filed
- Malaysia's AirAsia seeks support for new airport

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2009
- Taiwan shares sink more than 4 percent
- China's 2008 foreign investment up 23.6 percent
- Australia's stock market slides 4.3 percent
- NZ economy faces year of stagnation, govt says
- Colorado Springs seeks commercial sponsors
- US foreclosure filings up 81 percent in 2008
- Japan November machinery orders down 16.2 percent
- Mexico sees daily oil at 3 million barrels by 2015
- Motorola to cut 4,000 more jobs in 2009
- Obama: Geithner 'embarrassment' no bar for Cabinet
- Plea negotiations loom in Madoff bail hearing
- Bermuda trying to keep leading offshore role
- TVA dispute kicks US debate on emissions forward
- Latvia's president blasts politicians after riot
- Power, politics fuels Russia-Ukraine war
- Chavez seeks gold-mining venture with Russians
- Chile: 2-3 pct growth, 3.1 pct inflation this year
- Treasury releases bailout rules for small banks
- Down we go again: Faint hope vanishes on Wall St.
- BBC: Govt to approve 3rd runway for Heathrow
- Economy starts '09 on weaker footing; outlook dim
- Gannett imposes 1-week unpaid furlough as ads drop
- Economy starts '09 on weaker footing; outlook dim
- Lilly nears $1.4B Zyprexa agreement, report says
- Pandit: Citi undergoing "long-term transformation"
- Swiss bank UBS says it is cooperating with probe
- Pharma to Democrats: We're here to help
- French, British leaders meet for talks on Gaza
- Meltdown 101: The fate of 'financial supermarkets'
- HUD nominee lauded for NYC housing programs
- As fed steps up, states step back on solar funding
- Seagate to cut 6 pct of global staff
- China's next export: Starbucks coffee
- Zavvi administrators to close more music stores
- A look at main options for emergency funds
- Rainy-day funds draw interest in stormy economy
- Deutsche Bank reports euro4.8 billion 4Q loss
- Mexican billionaire's name held for ransom on Web
- Ukraine welcomes EU call to sue gas companies
- Gottschalks files for Chapter 11 protection
- Deutsche Bank reports euro4.8 billion 4Q loss
- Financial crisis delays work on new tallest tower
- Report: Iran signs oil deal with China
- New chair named at Rio Tinto
- RBS confirms sale of stake in Bank of China
- Barclays plans thousands more job cuts
- Price Waterhouse says Satyam audits unreliable
- Austria's Voestalpine to cut employee work hours
- Saudi Arabia committed to oil market stability
- How the gas cutoff affects Eastern Europe
- Argentina boosts farm aid as crop prices fall
- Britain to guarantee loans to small businesses
- UK job losses mount despite government efforts
- Death knell for Citigroup's 'supermarket' model
- Airline SAS to save $183M a year on new union deal
- Shell fined $1 million for alleged PR pollution
- Businesses cut inventories by most in 7 years
- Fed official expects start of recovery in 2nd half
- China raises '07 economic growth, passing Germany
- EU Web address racks up 3 million registrations
- Nortel files for bankruptcy
- Man Group considers Madoff legal action
- EU threatens legal action over gas dispute
- Report: Arab govt funds lost big as markets fell
- German economic growth halved in 2008
- China cuts fuel prices amid stimulus efforts
- RBS sells Bank of China stake for $2.37 billion
- Calif. health insurers must provide interpreters
- Intel Capital invests $23 million in India
- Spain: prosecutor probing Madoff fraud
- South Korea's jobless rate rises in December
- Serbian power grid overloaded amid gas dispute
- NKorea to crack down on markets to stem imports
- China plans tax cuts, subsidies for auto industry
- China chemical plant project moved after protests
- StatoilHydro announces cost cuts for 2009
- EU clears euro1.5 bln bailout for Anglo-Irish bank
- Economic recovery still far off, says Invesco
- Toyota managers voluntarily buy cars to lift sales
- Fire at Kuwaiti refinery; exports unaffected
- Euro zone economy to be weak until late 2010
- Biofuel producers hope to rebound after tough year

TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2009
- Moody's says Emirates bank credit outlook negative
- Irish PM leads trade mission to Japan
- Vietnam mulls raising electricity prices
- Chavez: OPEC could further reduce output
- Actors strike vote to move ahead; timing unclear
- Manager of buck-breaking fund accused of fraud
- Peru sheds 5,460 mining, steel jobs
- Meltdown 101: A lower trade gap isn't always good
- FDA probe finds no link with asthma drugs, suicide
- Appeals court sides with Anadarko on oil royalties
- Citigroup, Morgan Stanley merge brokerages
- Treasury developing tools to measure lending
- Insurer settlement could affect costs nationwide
- Infosys 3Q profit tops view, but outlook revised
- Finance the Islamic way at Michigan bank
- Clarification: Clorox-Price Cuts
- Report: Yahoo set to name Autodesk exec as new CEO
- Venezuela may offer Ternium stake in steel maker
- Protesters close Beirut Starbucks branch
- Mexico could postpone Pacific port's construction
- Ecuador will resume payment on some bond debt
- Bernanke: Obama stimulus helps, more action needed
- Argentine inflation at lowest level since 2004
- Mexico's Banamex: remittances may drop more
- ConocoPhillips CEO urges balanced energy policy
- Workers protest layoffs at Brazil GM plant
- UBS faces lawsuit over $1.4B Madoff-linked fund
- IMF chief warns about deepening global slowdown
- Peugeot Citroen vehicle sales drop in 2008
- Sony shock again? Slump may mean operating loss
- Ecuador approves law to resume mining activities
- E-car startups try to compete with major companies
- US could oust Italy as world's No. 1 wine drinker
- Bernanke: Obama stimulus helps, more action needed
- China exports fall at fastest rate in 10 years
- Sony shock again? Slump may mean operating loss
- Mobile phone company Digicel seeks to shed jobs
- Greenpeace buys land to foil London runway plans
- EADS says protecting cash is priority amid crisis
- Poland aiming at own nuclear power by 2020
- Truck maker Volvo slashes 1,600 jobs in Sweden
- Citigroup in brokerage merger talks with Morgan
- Goldman Sachs says SKorean economy to contract
- Thai Cabinet approves $3.3 bln stimulus plan
- European Parliament passes pesticides bill
- Report: Dubai house prices fell 8 percent in Q4
- Study sees risk of $1 trillion asset collapse
- Brazil's industrial employment has steep decline
- Swedish inflation plummets in December
- UAE telecom Etisalat wins rights to Iran network
- Alitalia starts new life as first flights take off
- Indian police search offices of Satyam's auditor
- Police hunt for kidnapped Greek shipping magnate
- France urges stricter EU investor protection
- China reserves hit $1.95 trillion but growth slows
- Retailer Metro reports 4Q sales growth
- Hong Kong named world's freest economy
- Northern Rock shareholders seek redress in court
- Season a mixed bag for La. sugar cane farmers
- Eurostar says traffic, sales up 10 percent in 2008

MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2009
- Malaysia Airlines scraps domestic fuel surcharges
- New Atlanta Journal-Constitution publisher named
- Alcoa reports $1.19B loss in 4Q on low prices
- Official: BG pumping $4B into Brazil fields
- Big harvest, weak demand bring down crop prices
- Hedge funds, battered in '08, brace for more pain
- FDA OKs sharing unapproved drug uses with docs
- FTC seeks halt to Whole Foods and Wild Oats combo
- Cuba policy experts say US should engage Cuba
- Twinkie-maker still in bankruptcy limbo
- Mosaic laying off 1,000 in Canada
- GM unveils battery plan, may need more loans
- Army goes electric with new Chrysler vehicles
- Toyota unveils 2010 Prius that boasts 50 mpg
- Mexican auto production rises 4 percent in 2008
- Calling all cars: Cuba recruits free-market taxis
- Experts: Retailers must be creative, more involved
- Brazil's Embraer delivered 204 jets in 2008
- EU probes Standard & Poor's for monopoly abuse
- Meltdown 101: Why are auto shows still important?
- Rates fall at weekly Treasury auction
- Cessna to lay off 2,000 workers
- GM picks S. Korea's LG Chem to make Volt batteries
- New online visa travel rules to US take effect
- FDIC asks banks to monitor use of bailout money
- Chile: heavy losses for pioneering pension funds
- Kroszner to leave Fed at end of month
- Nigeria militants show photos of British hostages
- Rio Tinto Alcan chief executive retires
- Britain's Brown meets industry, unions about jobs
- EU warns Slovakia on nuclear plant restart
- Chinese automakers face headwinds to US sales
- UK's Brown promises more banking reforms soon
- UBS shares drop on reports of looming 4Q loss
- Dollar mostly up, gold down in afternoon trading
- GM: Worst-case scenario calls for more gov't money
- Swedish glass maker downsizes due to falling sales
- Trial over Concorde crash set for February 2010
- Europol seizes euro34M in false euro notes in 2008
- German RWE to buy Dutch Essent in euro9.3 bln deal
- World Bank bars deals with unit of India's Wipro
- Abbott buying Advanced Medical for $1.36 billion
- Land of Leather latest UK retail collapse
- Shanghai seller stops sales of suspect dog food
- Lufthansa reports passenger traffic rose in 2008
- Tajik households face hike in gas bills
- Japan to launch multi-satellite mission
- French-Romanian carmaker to stop production
- Oil portfolio vacant in Kuwait's new Cabinet
- Japan to launch satellite for South Korea
- Waterford Wedgwood cuts jobs; sales talks ongoing
- Latvia's consumer prices fall as deflation looms
- UK government to hold 43.4 pct of Lloyds-HBOS
- Euro-zone chief warns banks need to resume lending
- Hyundai to slash domestic output amid global slump
- Sweden's Alfa Laval to cut 1,000 jobs
- Dutch printer maker Oce profits down 98 pct
- Norsk Hydro CEO to resign after 8 years in charge
- China plans $1.2 billion helicopter factory
- Lobster prices finally rebound as supply falls
- Russia lets ruble fall further

SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2009
- Oil execs see growth in renewable energy
- Rio Tinto postpones Brazil mine expansion
- LG Display to supply flat panels to Apple
- China Eastern: fuel hedging loss $900 million
- Japan, SKorea agree to boost economic cooperation
- Many states' lottery sales are rising in recession
- Citi-Morgan talk may spark fresh wave of deals
- Analysis: EU now has chance to curb gas corruption
- 48 mpg is nice, but hybrids don't add up right now
- Investors' recent optimism wanes ahead of earnings
- Price of gas up nearly 12 cents after long slide
- Chrysler adds Jeep SUV to electric possibilities
- Fixing US economy's health is a boon for DC region
- Ford plans to sell electric car by 2011
- Chrysler CEO: Staff cuts aren't sign of sale soon
- VW sees increase in 2008 sales
- Russian president: anti-crisis steps inefficient
- Austria deplores restart of Slovak nuclear reactor
- A chic Round 2 for Ford's old bull, Taurus
- Budapest issues 1st smog alert, limits car traffic
- Small business woes have big impact on economy

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009
- Ecuador pays Brazil to resolve diplomatic spat
- Mercedes-Benz unveils 2010 E-Class luxury sedan
- Nation's largest utility grapples with 2 spills
- College grads avoid brunt of layoffs
- Toyota unveiling electric concept car in Detroit
- SAfrica's ANC launches its campaign manifesto
- China denies exporting stolen railway technologies
- West African regional body suspends Guinea
- Jamaica helps banana farmers hurt by storms
- Angolan minister: Don't expect early OPEC meeting
- Chinese officials gamble away $3m in public funds
- Citigroup, Morgan Stanley talk about merging units

FRIDAY, JANUARY 09, 2009
- Job losses hit 2.6 million as layoff pain deepens