Oil prices hovered above $96 a barrel Friday in Asia as traders awaited a key jobs report for evidence about the strength of the U.S. economy.

Benchmark crude for March delivery was up 13 cents at $96.49 a barrel at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $1.25 to settle at $96.36 on Thursday.

Retail sales in the 17 countries that use the euro unexpectedly fell during the crucial month of December, official figures showed Friday, raising fears of a looming recession in the single currency bloc.

Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, said retail sales dropped 0.4 percent during the month, in contrast to expectations for an increase of the same amount.

Iran successfully launched a new small satellite into orbit early Friday, state media reported, the latest in the country's ambitious space program that has raised concerns because if its possible military applications.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called in to the launch site, saying he was "hopeful this act will send a signal of more friendship among all human beings," the state IRNA news agency reported.

Bruce Springsteen guitarist Steve Van Zandt says touring without saxophonist Clarence Clemons is sure to be emotional for the E Street Band and its audience.

Clemons died at age 69 last year after a stroke. Van Zandt said Thursday that the band's work will always be a tribute to Clemons and keyboard player Danny Federici, who died in 2008. Springsteen and the E Street Band begin a long tour next month.

Billy Ray Cyrus is the latest celebrity to sign up with Amazon.com.

The singer of "Achy Breaky Heart" and father and former co-star of Miley Cyrus has a memoir, "Hillbilly Heart," coming in spring 2013.

The goody-two-shoes among us say it's better to give than to receive. That's not true for the average Facebook user, though.

A new study out Friday found that the average user of the world's biggest online social network gets more than they give. That means more messages, more "likes" and more comments. Yes, even more "pokes."

Clear Channel is giving Madonna all its luvin'.

The radio giant announced plans Friday to premiere the 53-year-old pop star's new single "Give Me All Your Luvin'" and its music video across Clear Channel radio stations, electronic billboards and online venues. Clear Channel, which owns 850 stations nationwide, estimated the promotional campaign would reach more than 150 million people around the world.

Fifteen teenage girls report a mysterious outbreak of spasms, tics and seizures in upstate New York. But tests find nothing physically wrong.

Scores of adults in Northern California report crawling skin sensations and other bizarre symptoms. Government doctors find no physical cause after an extensive study.

Actor John Travolta plans to donate a jet plane to a museum in Georgia in honor of his late son.

Robins Air Force Base spokeswoman Chrissy Miner says the actor will donate a G-2 Gulfstream executive jet to the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame at the Museum of Aviation.

The mysteries that surround the CBS sitcom "How I Met Your Mother" extend to co-creator Craig Thomas' office on the Fox studio lot.

A white board on the wall that outlines the seventh season's episodes ends with Barney's wedding in the May finale. "___ is the bride," the board says.