AFP - Sony Corp. has slashed the planned price of its delay-ridden PlayStation 3 by one-fifth in Japan, preparing for a sharp dogfight against cheaper games consoles from rivals Microsoft and Nintendo.

AP - The Census Bureau collects the most personal information about Americans, from how much money they earn and where they spend it to how they live and die. It's all confidential — as long as no one steals it.

AFP - Japan's hawkish next prime minister Shinzo Abe has unveiled plans to centralize power and turn his office into a sort of White House, as a poll shows public doubts about his clout.

AP - AOL will disband its business unit that handled access subscriptions and give product managers more autonomy over designing services for consumers as the company increases its emphasis on generating advertising revenue.

Reuters - The 18-nation Cairns Group of agricultural exporting nations on Friday urged major powers to resume world trade talks by November, saying there was too much at stake for farmers for negotiations to fail.