AFP - Troubled Swiss bank UBS said Tuesday that it had returned a 1.20 billion Swiss franc profit (1.12 billion dollars, 821 million euros) in the final quarter of 2009, shrugging off more than a year of quarterly losses.

Reuters - Toyota Motor Corp said it is recalling nearly half a million of its flagship Prius and other hybrid cars for braking problems as it seeks to address criticism over the handling of its worst safety crisis.

AP - Toyota is recalling nearly 200,000 of its signature Prius green cars in Japan for braking problems, the latest in a string of embarrassing safety lapses at the world's largest automaker.

AP - Oil prices lingered below $72 a barrel Tuesday in Asia as investors remained uncertain about the strength of global economic growth and demand for crude.