Barack Obama for the first time on Friday overtook Hillary Clinton's support among the unelected "super-delegates" who will ultimately settle the Democratic nomination amid signs that people around Mrs Clinton were pushing for her to become Mr Obama's running mate. Friday's flurry of support for Mr Obama coincided with a number of possibly unauthorized efforts by senior backers of Mrs Clinton to push forward the idea of Mrs Clinton becoming Mr Obama's vice-presidential running mate. A number of senior Democratic figures have recently come out in favour of a "unity ticket" to help breach the demographic divisions among the Democratic electorate and in order to help prevent a potentially damaging extension of the nomination battle. But it was clear that supporters of Mr Obama were far less enthusiastic about the prospect than supporters of Mrs Clinton. Some believe that having an African-American and a woman on the ticket would be far too risky. Others are bitter about the way Mrs Clinton has run her campaign. "I don't think it is possible," Ted Kennedy, the Massachusetts senator and Obama supporter, told Bloomberg TV. "[Obama should choose someone] in tune with his appeal for the nobler aspects of the American people. If we had real leadership - like we have with Barack Obama - in the number two spot as well, it would be enormously helpful."

Two former executives of a now-defunct New York mortgage lender were on Thursday charged by US officials with fraud in schemes directed at Fannie Mae, the government-sponsored mortgage financier, and Credit Suisse First Boston. In an indictment filed on Thursday, prosecutors alleged that Leib Pinter, a former officer of Olympia Mortgage, which was based in Brooklyn, defrauded Fannie Mae of more than $44m by keeping money intended to pay off refinanced mortgages. Barry Goldstein, also formerly of Olympia, was accused of directing the creation of "dummy" loan histories for mortgage loans sold to Credit Suisse. The charges filed by the US attorney's office in Brooklyn come amid speculation by industry analysts that widespread fraud preceded the subprime mortgage collapse......Knowing that Credit Suisse may not buy the non-performing loans, Mr Goldstein allegedly told other Olympia employees to create "dummy" loan histories to make it appear as if all payments had been made on time. Credit Suisse purchased 12 of these loans. The various schemes lasted from about 1994 to 2004, when Olympia surrendered its mortgage lending licence, according to the indictment. Both men face a maximum of 30 years in prison if convicted, prosecutors said.

One of the Middle East's largest private equity companies has been quietly buying farmland in Pakistan as part of plans by the United Arab Emirates to increase food security and to damp inflation. Dubai-based Abraaj Capital says it is working with the UAE government on the strategic agribusiness investments in Pakistan. The government in Abu Dhabi has been holding talks with Islamabad about a framework for investment in its agricultural sector as it seeks to secure cheaper long-term supplies of staples such as wheat and rice.....Abraaj Capital, which manages $5bn of assets across the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian subcontinent, has been purchasing land in Pakistan during the past year, a company official said. UAE state and private entities intending to build agribusinesses in Pakistan have acquired as much as 800,000 acres of farm land, he said.

Barack Obama's sweeping victory in the North Carolina primary and the narrow defeat in Indiana appeared certain to extend his almost unassailable lead in the Democratic nomination race as it emerged that Hillary Clinton had lent her campaign a further $6.4m. Mr Obama won by 14 percentage points in North Carolina, while Mrs Clinton prevailed by just two points in Indiana. The results appeared certain to extend Mr Obama's almost unassailable lead in the race for nominating delegates and further lengthen the odds against Mrs Clinton snatching the nomination. Mr Obama described his North Carolina win as a triumph against the "politics of division and the politics of distraction" after a fractious fortnight of racially charged debate. "Tonight we stand less than 200 delegates away from winning the Democratic nomination for president of the United States," he told a victory rally in Raleigh, signalling confidence that the race was drawing to a close