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U.S. President George W. Bush urged Congress on Thursday to approve $770 million in new global food aid to be made available beginning in October. The sum would be in addition to $200 million in emergency food aid announced two weeks ago through a U.S. Department of Agriculture program called the Emerson Trust, and more aid is likely to be sought, he said. "That's just the beginning of our effort.. more

A U.S. lawyer has told a judge the number of women accusing the financial data and news service company founded by Mayor Michael Bloomberg of discrimination has risen from three to 58, with more likely to be added. The disclosure widens the scope of a lawsuit against Bloomberg LP that became a distraction for the mayor during his second term. Bloomberg is not a defendant in the Equal Employment .. more

Major South Korean corn processors are importing genetically modified varieties of the crop because of the lack of conventional corns available in the international market after China began regulating exports. The Korea Corn Processing Association said Friday about 57,000 tons of U.S. corn arrived in South Korea on Thursday. It marked the first time the country has imported genetically modified c.. more

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej piqued global interest this week when he suggested the formation of a rice cartel with other producers, a government spokesman said. The idea came as his deputy and commerce minister proposed a rice producer summit that would include Thailand, Vietnam, India and China. Only India has so far voiced support; it is second to Thailand as the world's largest rice pr.. more

Oil prices retreated further Friday from the early-week record near $120 a barrel as a strengthening U.S. dollar prompted investors to exit the market. As the greenback has recovered this week against the euro and yen, the front-month crude futures contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange has dropped $8 from its high to benchmark oil's lowest level since April 14. The dollar's rise has stripp.. more

Farmers and ethanol producers defended their good fortune Wednesday in the nation's capital, where more lawmakers are blaming a corn-for-fuel policy for soaring food prices. Farmers and ethanol executives told reporters that the biofuel industry is not the culprit behind skyrocketing corn and wheat prices that have set off riots abroad and grocery sticker shock in America. "While we do have some.. more

Members of the Rockefeller family are pressuring Exxon Mobil to focus more on renewable energy. The family members, who say they are the oil giant's longest continuous shareholders, say Exxon is too focused on short-term gains from sky-high oil prices. They also argue splitting the roles of chairman and CEO will help the company be more flexible in the future. The family of John D. Rockefeller, w.. more

For a few short hours this week, Italians got a chance to be each other's Big Brother as their government allowed Internet viewing of absolutely everyone's tax returns, including those of politicians, soccer players and TV personalities. But the experiment provoked a storm of protests over privacy rights. And a top official in Italy's outgoing government was forced Thursday to defend his decision.. more

British Airways shares jumped almost 4 percent on Thursday amid speculation about what kind of deal it might ink with American Airlines and Continental Airlines and the possibility of wider consolidation among European major carriers. BA announced late Wednesday that it was "exploring opportunities for cooperation" with the two U.S. airlines, leading to suggestions that it would extend its oneworl.. more

President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela signed a decree Wednesday that orders the nationalization of the country's leading steel producer. Chavez nationalized Sidor, a steel making company, a Venezuelan government official told CNN. The Argentine company Ternium owns the majority of shares in Sidor, according to a report about Chavez's decision in the Venezuelan-based Bolivariana News Agency. The left.. more