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In a bid to promote two of its top exports, the French government is sponsoring wine and cheese parties in U.S. homs. According to The Wall Street Journal, French officials have hired a marketing company to take applications for the government-subsidized cocktail parties. One thousand people will receive coupons for discounts on French wines and cheese.

Former Chysler Chairman Lee Iacocca hasn't said much during the debate over whether the government should bail out the auto industry. Iacocca led Chrysler through a government bailout in the 70s. In a written statement Tuesday, Iacocca defended Detroit's Big 3 top executives. He said, "You don't change coaches in the middle of a game, especially when things are so volatile."

Tata, India's top carmaker, recently unveiled the world's cheapest car, called the Nano. Now, Tata is aiming for the other end of the market. The company announced Wednesday that it's buying British luxury automakers Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford for $2.3 billion.

Iraq and the U.S. have set a preliminary timetable for withdrawal of American forces from Iraqi cities by next June, Iraq's foreign minister said Thursday after meeting with Condoleezza Rice. A final agreement would require endorsement by top Iraqi leaders and the Iraqi parliament.

4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days, a new film about a young woman's illegal abortion in Ceausescu's Romania, won the top prize at Cannes and has just opened in the U.S. It's a fierce and unsentimental film; Terry Gross talks to Mungiu about growing up in a totalitarian state, and why he wanted to make the movie.

The future of one of Wall Street's top investment banks is in doubt. Lehman Brothers had been in talks with a Korean bank about purchasing a stake in Lehman, which desperately needs the funds. But the talks ended with no deal, and on Wednesday, Lehman announced a quarterly loss of $4 billion.

Before the fashion police were everywhere, there was only one: Mr. Blackwell. He began his annual worst-dressed list back in 1960 — targeting the fashion faux pas of the famous. Richard Blackwell castigated Britney Spears for her "bra-topped collection of Madonna rejects." And for Bjork: "She dances in the dark — and dresses there, too." Still, he said he admired the celebrities on his list. Blackwell died Sunday in Los Angeles at age 86.

The Federal Reserve has announced it will give insurance giant American International Group another $38 billion in loans. This comes on top of $85 billion that AIG already received last month. Wall Street Journal reporter Sudeep Reddy explains why the first loan wasn't enough and where the money went.

When Americans stop buying cars, cameras and flat-screen televisions, Asian executives wring their hands. Many of Asia's biggest companies depend on U.S. consumers. Top Japanese and Korean exporters are forecasting slower sales because of the economic slowdown. Stocks in these companies plummeted Friday, and with overall fear of recession still causing panic in the market, Asian stocks took another nosedive. Japan's Nikkei fell nearly 10 percent.

With his band the Belmonts, singer-songwriter Dion rose to fame as a '60s teen idol, topping charts with hits like "The Wanderer" and "I Wonder Why." The latest album in his long career is Heroes: Giants Of Early Guitar Rock.