Apple iPad sales disappoint, Street eyes the holidays

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Apple Inc delivered a second straight quarter of disappointing results and iPad sales fell well short of Wall Street’s targets, marring its record of consistently blowing past investors’ expectations.Shares in the world’s most valuable technology company briefly dipped to levels not seen since the start of August, after it delivered a 27 percent...

Read More..

China passes law to curb abuse of mental hospitals

BEIJING (AP) — China‘s legislature on Friday passed a long-awaited mental health law that aims to prevent people from being involuntarily held and unnecessarily treated in psychiatric facilities — abuses that have been used against government critics and triggered public outrage.The law standardizes mental health care services, requiring general hospitals to set up...

Read More..

Lull in fighting between Israel, Gaza militants

JERUSALEM (AP) — A flare-up in fighting between Israel and militants from Gaza’s ruling Hamas movement has subsided.Both sides say the government in Egypt helped to restore calm. Israeli defense official Amos Gilad told Army Radio on Thursday that Egyptian security forces have “a very impressive ability” to convey to the militants that it...

Read More..

Exclusive: Huawei partner offered U.S. tech to Iran

LONDON (Reuters) – An Iranian partner of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, a Chinese company that has denied breaking U.S. sanctions, last year tried to sell embargoed American antenna equipment to an Iranian firm, according to documents and interviews.The buyer – an Iranian mobile-phone operator – says it canceled the deal with Huawei when it learnt the items were subject...

Read More..

Economy is healing – Chancellor Osborne

LONDON (Reuters) – Chancellor George Osborne said on Thursday the latest GDP data showed the economy was on the mend but there were still challenges ahead due to weak data coming from the euro zone.Figures released on Thursday showed Britain pulled out of recession in the third quarter, posting its strongest quarterly gross domestic product growth in five years. “There...

Read More..

“American Idol”, “Touch”, “The Following” get premiere dates

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) – Fox released its midseason premiere dates Wednesday, announcing the returns of “American Idol” and the Kiefer Sutherland drama “Touch,” as well as the debut of the Kevin Bacon thriller “The Following.”“American Idol” will kick off its 12th season, with new judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Keith Urban, with a two-night premiere on Wednesday,...

Read More..

Sanofi sees relief from patent loss pain

PARIS (Reuters) – French drugmaker Sanofi forecast 2012 earnings would fall less than expected as cost cuts and demand for diabetes and rare disease drugs cushion the blow from patent expiries.Sanofi said on Thursday full-year earnings could fall 12 percent, compared with its previous guidance for a decline of up to 15 percent, helped also by demand from emerging markets. “We...

Read More..