Indian Wells, California  - Vera Zvonareva followed up on a Grand Slam semi-final with a win into the final of the Indian Wells Masters on Friday, defeating doubles partner Victoria Azarenka 6-3, 6-3.

The fourth-seeded Russian winner took less than 90 minutes to go through in spring heat in the desert. Zvonareva, who reached the Australian Open final four, now owns a
4-0 record over Azarenka and has not lost a set in that series.

Washington  - US stocks seesawed through most of Friday, with markets closing at their lowest in two weeks after analysts slashed earnings estimates for General Electric Co.

While GE dropped 5.8 per cent, financial shares tumbled Friday, with Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase among the losers.

Troubled insurer American International Group Inc dropped 22 per cent as several states began probing its bonuses.

Tehran  - In a first official reaction, Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki late Friday said he was studying an offer by US President Barack Obama to open a new era in relations and put old divisions aside.

In a video message to Iran on Nowruz, which is Iranian New Year, Obama early Friday offered a new beginning, saying the United States was committed to engagement, not threats, in its pursuit of diplomacy.

Mottaki, whose comments were made in Afghanistan and were carried by the official news agency Irna, showed a cool reaction.

Washington  - The United States criticized Spain for its decision Friday to end its role in the NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo, calling it a disappointment that breaks with an alliance agreement.

The Spanish government announced that it would pull out its 620 soldiers who are part of NATO's 15,500-strong contingency in Kosovo, which declared independence last year but was not recognized by Madrid.

New York  - The United Nations called Friday for the injection of 15 billion dollars a year into the global water market to meet daily water needs of billions of people as it marks World Water Day on Sunday.

March 22 each year is dedicated to water, a commodity called "the most precious natural resource" by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

"More than ever we need to work together to use it wisely," Ban said in a prepared message for World Water Day.

Geneva  - The United States blocked Friday the formation of a World Trade Organization panel to look into a complaint by Mexico that the US was unfairly closing its markets to tuna from its southern neighbour.

Mexico said US labeling rules, which prevent Mexican companies from placing "dolphin safe" labels on their products, violated trade rules as the tuna was in line with regulations on protecting dolphins.

About one-third of Mexico's fishing fleet was said to be adversely affected by the decision.