Eric Linton

Jubilant rebel fighters swept into the heart of Tripoli Sunday night as Muammar Gaddafi's forces collapsed and crowds took to the streets to celebrate the apparent downfall of his 42-year rule.

Israeli aircraft struck Hamas outposts in Gaza and Palestinians fired rockets into southern Israel Friday as violence escalated following deadly gun attacks along Israel's porous border with Egypt.

Oslo mass killer Anders Breivik will make his second court appearance Friday as relatives of the 69 people he gunned down gather on the island where they died, ahead of a national day of remembrance.

The Taliban laid siege to a British cultural center in Kabul Friday, killing at least nine people during an hours-long assault in what the group called a warning to London.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said Friday China had nothing to worry about concerning the safety of its vast holdings of Treasury debt, while China's Premier Wen Jiabao gave a ringing endorsement of the resilience of the debt-ridden U.S. economy.

An ugly selloff in global stocks gathered pace Friday, on mounting concerns the U.S. economy is heading into another recession and as some European lenders faced a short-term funding crunch, highlighting the risk of a banking crisis.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping Friday gave a ringing endorsement of the resilience of the debt-ridden American economy during a second day of talks with his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden.

Global stocks ceded more ground Friday, hurt by mounting concerns the U.S. economy is heading into another recession and as some European lenders faced a short-term funding crunch, highlighting the risk of another banking crisis.

Indian anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare walked out of jail Friday, hailed by a huge crowd, to carry on his fast after the government caved in to mass protests across the country

U.S. Treasuries rose in Asia on Friday, supported by weakness in global equities and concerns about the U.S. economy's outlook, but profit-taking helped temper gains as the 30-year yield dipped near a 2- year low hit the previous day.

Gold surged more than 1 percent to a record high above $1,850 an ounce Friday, as investors reached for the safety of bullion amid a worsening economic outlook for the United States and concern about the health of Europe's banks.

Fears of U.S. slowdown dampen demand expectations.

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 jolted northeastern Japan off Fukushima prefecture Friday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, but no damage was reported and a tsunami advisory was lifted after no waves were sighted.

Libyan rebels seized an oil refinery in Zawiyah Thursday and took control of Sabratha further west on the main highway from Tripoli to Tunisia as NATO aircraft struck targets in the capital.

Taliban bombers killed two Afghan policemen and a civilian when they attacked offices belonging to the British Council and the United Nations in the center of the Afghan capital Friday, police said.

An Egyptian army officer and two security personnel were killed during an Israeli raid on militants along the border Thursday, an Egyptian army official said.

Asian stocks extended losses Friday, with South Korea's benchmark shedding 5 percent on growing fears the U.S. economy was sliding into recession and as some European lenders faced short-term funding strains, raising fears of a systemic banking crisis on the continent.

Taliban bombers attacked offices belonging to the British Council and the United Nations in the center of Kabul Friday.

Gold surged to record highs Friday for a second consecutive session as investors reached for the safety of bullion amid a worsening economic outlook for the United States and concern about the health of Europe's banks.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has told U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that attacks on pro-democracy protesters have stopped, but activists reported more bloodshed overnight.

Global economic stability rests on the United States and China working together, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden told top Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing Thursday.

A key recommendation for medical coverage standards under the Obama administration's healthcare overhaul may be issued later than a September deadline.

Anna Hazare's followers see a triumph in their battle against corruption.

Rebels to the west and east of Tripoli battled Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi's forces Wednesday night for control of oil facilities vital to the civil war's outcome. The United States also deployed two more Predator drones for surveillance operations.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Wednesday it may fail to achieve "cold shutdown" at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in January because of problems decontaminating radioactive water.

The Swiss franc jumped Wednesday after the Swiss National Bank announced fresh measures to drive down money market rates to stem the franc's strength, but refrained from direct intervention or pegging the currency as some had speculated.

European stocks fell early Wednesday, resuming their slide as a meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy failed to calm worries over the euro zone debt crisis.

The euro wobbled Wednesday after French and German leaders failed to deliver a solution to the euro zone debt crisis and restore confidence after a global market rout, while Japanese shares fell, dragged down mainly by hi-tech.

Brent crude rose Wednesday, staying above $109 a barrel as a larger-than-expected drawdown in U.S. gasoline stocks and positive U.S. economic data trumped concerns over European debt