BARACK OBAMA

The Obama-Merkel meeting occurred as clashes in Odessa, Ukraine, worsened Friday and the U.N. Security Council met in an emergency session.

Thomas Piketty, the man of the hour, was speaking. But not even that could keep Obama's former top economic advisor awake.

A fire related to violence in Odessa causes the highest death toll of the Ukrainian crisis so far.

Florida's governor declared a state of emergency in 26 counties as rescue workers combed neighborhoods for victims.

Acting Iraq Prime Minister al-Maliki, who is seeking to remain in office, is promising voters that he can end the violence.

New U.S. and EU sanctions packages, announced with fanfare, were seen as so mild that Russian share prices rose in relief.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver issued a lifetime ban on Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling.

While the U.S. scored points with skeptical Asia allies simply by showing up, not everything followed the White House plan.

In 2013, nearly 55 drone strikes killed about 271 people in Yemen, Pakistan and Somalia while 532 people were killed in 2012.

The International Monetary Fund Monday critiqued Japan's touted economic reforms in a report.

The new sanctions list includes seven Russian officials and 17 companies, from the financial, energy and infrastructure sectors.

Two people from the Russian president's inner circle are among the seven whose U.S. assets have been frozen, in this third round of sanctions.

The European Union is also expected to add targets to its Russia sanctions list on Monday.

Obama continues to seek unity - and stronger measures - vs. Moscow.

Russia's currency was downgraded Friday by S&P, and the rating may sink lower if further sanctions are imposed.

Veterans groups and others continue to call for Obama to intervene in Phoenix, where some vets may have been victimized by a secret waiting list.

The relationship between the speaker of the House and conservative groups went south last December over a budget agreement.

With escalating tensions in eastern Ukraine, there is speculation that President Putin is repeating a strategy he used in Crimea.

President Obama and Japan Prime Minister Abe had been seeking to show that the alliance was strong in the face of a rising China.

Merkel added that the EU and G-7 nations would consider part two of a potentially three-stage sanction punishment process.

A list featuring Time magazine's "Most Influential People" came out Thursday.