keep for now

The European Union imposed a ban on purchases of Syrian oil on Saturday and targeted three Syrian firms in an expanded sanctions list meant to intensify pressure against President Bashar al-Assad's government.

Pakistani Taliban on Saturday claimed responsibility for holding up to 25 boys hostage as punishment for tribesmen who supported the military in the country's troubled northwest.

A woman found hanged, bound and nude at the estate of a prominent pharmaceutical executive in July -- two days after the fatal fall of the executive's young son -- committed suicide, police said on Friday.

A newly-formed congressional panel on deficit reduction next week will kick off months of arduous negotiations that will be closely watched by financial markets hoping for a deal that puts the United States on an improved fiscal path.

Poor U.S. jobs figures on Friday put President Barack Obama on the spot to create a viable jobs plan in a speech to Congress next week that may help determine whether he wins re-election or not.

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin said on Friday there was room for more candidates in the presidential race, but stopped short of announcing whether she would launch her own bid for the White House.

The death of a woman found hanged, bound and nude in July at the estate of a prominent pharmaceutical executive -- two days after the fatal fall of his young son -- was ruled a suicide, police said on Friday.

Conventional wisdom in legal circles has long held that Goldman Sachs (GS.N) might escape further large fines or criminal charges for its role in the 2007-2009 financial crisis after reaching a $550 million settlement with securities regulators in July 2010.

Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim is the richest person in the world for the second year in a row, Forbes said on Wednesday.

U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday warned that flooding from Hurricane Irene could worsen as rivers flood their banks and said federal recovery efforts would last a few weeks.

Hurricane Irene swept through Manhattan on Sunday but reserved the worst of its fury for towns and suburbs up and down the northeastern United States where driving rain and flood tides inundated homes and cut power to millions.

Libyan forces closed in on Muammar Gaddafi's home town Sunday, vowing to seize it by force if negotiations failed, and their leaders ruled out any talks with the deposed ruler.

President Barack Obama held a conference call on Saturday evening as Hurricane Irene pounded the U.S. East Coast and scoured north toward New York.

U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the eurozone crisis and financial-market turbulence on Saturday and vowed action to bolster the global economy, the White House said in a statement.

Big-hitting Dustin Johnson won a final-round duel with holder Matt Kuchar to win The Barclays Saturday and the runner-up sounded like it was almost unfair.

The Los Angeles Angels launched five home runs in a crucial 8-4 victory over Texas on Saturday to reinvigorate their pursuit of the first-place Rangers in the American League West.

American Brittney Reese successfully defended her world long jump title with her first and only legitimate jump of 6.82 meters on Sunday.

American Trey Hardee retained his world decathlon title on Sunday after overhauling compatriot Ashton Eaton with third place in the discus.

Usain Bolt and Kenenisa Bekele relinquished their world titles on Sunday when the world's fastest man and the most successful distance runner false-started and failed to finish in the 100 and 10,000 metres finals.

World stocks rose 1 percent and the dollar fell on Friday as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke left the door open for future U.S. economic stimulus.

Five years of solo comedy performances on the Edinburgh Fringe finally paid off for London-based actor Adam Riches Saturday when he won the festival's top comedy award.

President Barack Obama declared August 26 -- the 91st anniversary of the Constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote -- Women's Equality Day in a proclamation on Thursday.

Greek construction firm J&P Avax (AVAr.AT) is the frontrunner to build a 50 megawatt solar facility in southern Greece, which would be one of Europe's biggest photovoltaic parks, utility PPC (DEHr.AT) said.

Algeria's Foreign Ministry denied on Saturday a report that a convoy of six Mercedes cars had crossed its border from Libya.

Hurricane Irene knocked out power to 3.3 million homes and businesses along the U.S. East Coast, forced two nuclear plants to shut and idled oil ports and refining as it approached New York City early on Sunday.

President Barack Obama visited Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters on Saturday to get an update on preparations for Hurricane Irene as it charged north along the U.S. East Coast.

The new head of the IMF on Saturday called on global policymakers to pursue urgent action, including forcing European banks to bulk up their capital, to prevent a descent into a renewed world recession.

Hurricane Irene battered New York with ferocious winds and driving rain on Sunday, shutting down the U.S. financial capital and most populous city, halting mass transit and causing massive power blackouts as it churned slowly northward along the eastern seaboard.

Building a house in a week is always a challenge for the 60 crew members who work on the ABC reality show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, but this week they faced a double whammy: first an earthquake, then a 600-mile wide hurricane named Irene.