CANNES, France — Leaders of the world’s most industrialized nations scrambled Thursday to rescue a European Union deal to restructure Greek debts and prevent a regional financial crisis from spreading and creating further global economic disruption. President Barack Obama and his European Union counterparts held closed doors meetings looking for ways to salvage last week’s marathon...

Asian stock markets were mostly lower Monday as investors shifted their focus from Europe's debt woes to the strength of the U.S. economy. Japan sold the yen to limit its export-sapping strength.Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 0.2 percent to 9,035.95 despite the currency intervention. Hong Kong's

The S.C. Supreme Court made it clear Monday that couples seeking a divorce must live apart for one spouse to seek monetary support in the interim. It’s a legal requirement that makes divorce more difficult to obtain in this economy, said family law expert Marcia Zug. The justices

find new ones in an economy that has shed nearly 7 million jobs.The stampede for benefits is adding to a gro...

Fitch Ratings said Tuesday it will keep its rating on U.S. debt at the highest grade, AAA, and issued a "stable" outlook, meaning it expects the rating to stay there.That's better than the other two main ratings agencies: Moody's lists the U.S. debt at AAA but says its outlook is negative. And Standard & Poor's set off a maelstrom in the stock market last week after it took its rating on the U.S. ...

As Bank of America Corp.’s stock has tumbled and clawed back in recent days, city leaders, business owners and others with a stake in the company are waiting to see what happens next.The stock market swings have delivered a familiar feeling of anxiety to a city pummeled by the financial crisis. Local leaders and business owners say they aren’t as fearful this time. But they acknowled...

Gov. Nikki Haley said Wednesday that she disagrees with a state Senate budget proposal that would add $105 million to K-12 education spending, arguing the money instead should be used for tax cuts or to pay off state debt.Haley also said that, in the future, anytime a three-member panel of state economists increases projected state revenues, as they did last month, the added state money should go ...

The state's proposed $5.8 billion budget for its fiscal year that starts July 1 is hung up over whether to add money for schools or cut rising unemployment taxes for businesses.The Senate budget would split money added by growth in the state's economy -- with $100 million paying for business tax

The government says that a bad economy has shortened the life of the trust funds that support the nation's two biggest benefit programs.The annual checkup said that the Medicare hospital insurance fund will now be exhausted in 2024, five years earlier than last year's estimate. The new report

A group planning a park at Hilton Head Island commemorating the nation's first freedman's village is looking at ways to raise money and staff the project.The Island Packet of Hilton Head reports more than 30 people are meeting this week to discuss issues facing the Mitchelville Preservation Project.Mitchelville was established in 1862 during the Civil War after Union troops captured Hilton Head Is...

The Medical University of South Carolina Children's Hospital is forming a partnership with Carnival Cruise lines, which sails regularly from Charleston.Hospital and Carnival officials gather Monday to make the announcement.The partnership will include a number of in-kind and monetary donations by the line as well as fundraisers.Last May the 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy arrived in Charleston, b...

Gulfstream Aerospace, a maker of business-jet aircraft, announced Monday that it is expanding operations in Georgia by adding more than 1,000 jobs and investing at least $500 million.Gulfstream's seven-year plan calls for expanding its jet production and maintenance facilities at the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport and renovating several existing facilities on its main Savannah campus. ...

The margin in a Richland County transportation sales tax was too close to call, with three precincts still out at 10:45 p.m.The anti-tax sentiment was slightly ahead amid the remnants of a recession, the vote 51 percent to 49 percent, as observers waited to find the fate of a $1 billion, 25-year plan to fund roads, public transportation and pedestrian improvements.A citizen-led effort, bankrolled ...

A panel studying taxes in South Carolina is recommending an increase in the gasoline tax to fund road repairs.The State newspaper reported the Tax Realignment Commission voted unanimously Thursday to recommend that the state's gas tax be raised a nickel a gallon.South Carolina's current gasoline tax is 16 cents a gallon and hasn't changed since 1987. Commission member Kenneth Cosgrove says he does...

The Republicans vying to become South Carolina's next governor say there's room to cut taxes when they take office even though the state is in the midst of a massive budget crisis.U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett, Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, state Rep. Nikki Haley and state Attorney General Henry McMaster do have some plans for the state's suffering finances that overlap. Some plan hard looks at taxes on manuf...

The White House called last week, asking the Charlotte Chamber to suggest a few companies for a possible visit. The chamber dashed off a list of four or five, and by Tuesday, it was official: President Barack Obama was coming to Celgard.The Charlotte company, which makes a critical part for lithium-ion batteries - used in everything from notebook computers to hybrid vehicles - was a natural fit, g...