Jobless claims fall 11,000 last week

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits fell slightly more than expected last week, government data showed on Thursday, offering a ray of hope for the anemic labor market recovery.

BP aims for quick well kill

HOUSTON/MIAMI (Reuters) - BP may permanently shut the well that caused the worst off-shore oil spill in U.S. history as early as Monday, the company said as speculation grew over assets it might sell to cover mounting costs.

China urges change in U.S. policy to avoid friction

BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States should alter policy to take account of China's role as a major player on the world stage if it wants to avoid friction and instability, a major state newspaper said on Thursday.

Afghan president asks why allies won't act on Pakistan

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai questioned on Thursday the willingness of his Western allies to strike insurgent bases in Pakistan given the strong evidence of Islamabad's support for the Taliban.

Key parts of Arizona anti-immigration law blocked

PHOENIX (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Wednesday blocked key parts of Arizona's tough new immigration law hours before it was to take effect, handing a victory to the Obama administration as it tries to take control of the issue.

Foreclosures up in 75 percent of top U.S. metro areas

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Foreclosures rose in 3 of every four large U.S. metro areas in this year's first half, likely ruling out sustained home price gains until 2013, real estate data company RealtyTrac said on Thursday.

Suspected Nazi guard charged over 430,000 killings

BERLIN (Reuters) - Prosecutors in Germany have charged a suspected Nazi camp guard with helping to kill 430,000 Jews in the Holocaust and personally shooting 10 others.

Toyota says to recall 412,000 cars in the U.S.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Toyota Motor Corp said on Thursday it would recall 412,000 high-end passenger cars in the United States to fix steering problems.

Schwarzenegger declares California fiscal emergency

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency over the state's finances on Wednesday, raising pressure on lawmakers to negotiate a state budget that is more than a month overdue and will need to close a $19 billion shortfall.

Amazon offers $139 wireless Kindle for mass appeal

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Amazon.com launched a cheaper, wireless-only Kindle on Wednesday, betting that the $139 price will turn its latest electronic reader into a mass-appeal device as Apple Inc's iPad gains ground.

Russia's TNK-BP eyes BP's Venezuelan assets

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's TNK-BP, in which oil major BP has a 50 percent stake, said on Thursday it was considering buying BP's Venezuelan assets.

BP hires BarCap for Colombian asset sale

LONDON (Reuters) - BP is moving forward with a plan to sell its Colombian assets, valued by analysts at $1.5 to $2 billion, as part of its $30 billion sell-off program, three people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

Factbox: Norway's oil vs. environment battles

(Reuters) - The oil spill in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico has seeped into a debate in Norway over opening up more of its pristine Arctic waters for oil and gas activities:

Analysis: BP spill seeps into Norway's Arctic drilling debate

OSLO (Reuters) - Norway's decades-old political consensus on offshore drilling is under attack in the wake of the BP oil spill, just as it covets new riches in the Arctic.

HSBC tapped to sell BP's stake in Vietnam gas project

HONG KONG/LONDON (Reuters) - BP has tapped HSBC to sell its stake in the Nam Con Son gas project in Vietnam, as it scrambles to hive off $30 billion of assets to pay for the clean-up of the worst oil spill in U.S. history, three sources said.

No U.S., coalition vessels near Japan tanker: U.S. Navy

DUBAI (Reuters) - There were no U.S. Navy or maritime coalition vessels near a Japanese supertanker damaged in an incident in the Strait of Hormuz, a Fifth Fleet spokesman said on Thursday.

Sub, sea mine possibly damaged tanker: port official

FUJAIARAH, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) - A submarine or a sea mine could have caused damage to a Japanese supertanker as it traveled near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a Fujairah port official said on Thursday.

Japanese supertanker was in collision: official

FUJAIARAH, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) - A Japanese supertanker damaged near the strategic Strait of Hormuz was involved in a collision, but the cause was unknown, a Fujairah ports official said on Thursday.

Heavy rains delay salvage of crashed Pakistan plane

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Heavy monsoon rains in Islamabad on Thursday hampered recovery efforts at the site of a Pakistani plane crash that killed all 152 people on board a day earlier, a senior police officer said.

Timeline: Recent major plane crashes

(Reuters) - All 152 people on board a commercial Pakistani Airbus 321, belonging to private airline Airblue, were killed when it crashed in heavy rain near the capital, Islamabad, an official said.