MARKETS / FINANCE

Gold prices slid towards $1,650 an ounce on Monday, taking a breather after four straight days of gains, as upcoming elections in France and Greece and a European Central Bank meeting later this week pressured the euro versus the dollar.

The tragic story of the Titanic has fascinated people of every generation ever since the shipwreck happened a century ago. Hundred years after the disaster, an idea of replicating the world's biggest ship that made history sounds just exciting.

Gold held near a two-week high on Monday on prospects of more safe-haven buying, with the U.S. dollar under pressure from weaker-than-expected economic data and speculation the Federal Reserve could ease policy further to boost growth.

If the U.S. presidential election was held today, President Barack Obama could easily lose. Fortunately for Obama -- and, by extension, for the Democratic Party -- the election is not today: it's 7 months from now.

One of the most distinguished films at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York this year is Cheerful Weather for the Wedding. Set in 1932 England, the film centers on a bride's gloomy wedding day.

Some top Israeli officials have repeatedly compared the current regime in Tehran to Nazi Germany and Adolph Hitler?s program of exterminating the Jews.

Newmont Mining Corporation (NYSE: NEM) said Friday first-quarter profit fell 4.7 percent diminished gold production and higher costs offset higher selling prices.

Canadian miner Iamgold Corp said Friday it agreed to buy gold exploration company Trelawney Mining for about C$585 million in cash, in a move aimed at expanding its asset base within politically safe jurisdictions.

Gold prices slipped back towards $1,650 an ounce on Friday as investors cashed in gains after a three-session rally, with confidence in the metal still soft as consumers in major Asian bullion-buying centres held off making fresh purchases.

Child-marriages have been illegal in India since the 2006 passage of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, but the practice persists unabated, particularly among the rural poor.

Gold struggled to make headway Friday as the euro came under pressure after Standard & Poor's downgraded Spain's credit rating, while investors waited for a monetary policy decision by the Bank of Japan later in the day for further trading cues.

Shares of Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN), the No. e-retailer, rose slightly Thursday ahead of the company?s report of first-quarter results that might beat analyst estimates.

The South China Sea may appear to be little more than a vast bay filled with rocky uninhabited islands. But global trade routes and underlying oil reserves have made this body of water the frontline for a tense standoff between China, the Philippines and the United States.

Sean Penn won the 2012 Peace Summit Award at the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates on Wednesday, further demonstrating a trend of celebrities getting the recognition for millions of people's work for humanitarian causes.

Watch highlights and read a full analysis of Bayern Munich's victory over Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Gold prices rose towards $1,650 an ounce on Thursday after the Federal Reserve opted to keep U.S. interest rates at rock bottom, taking further support from the foreign exchange market as the dollar languished against a basket of major currencies.

This article dissects the implications of Ron Paul being the final Mitt Romney alternative in the 2012 GOP presidential primary now that Newt Gingrich is bowing out of the race.

Sarkozy has to walk a fine line between trying not to alienate Le Pen?s supporters, while appearing not to agree with some of their more extremist points of view.

Demand for long-lasting manufactured goods tumbled by the most in three years in March and businesses cut back on spending plans, suggesting the economy slowed as the first quarter drew to a close.

Stocks rose on Wednesday after Apple's blowout quarter overshadowed a drop in durable goods and further lifted optimism in an earnings season that has far outstripped expectations.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday offered a modestly brighter assessment of the economy's prospects and few clues on the path of monetary policy, as it reiterated that interest rates likely will not rise until at least late 2014.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday repeated its promise to leave interest rates on hold until at least late 2014 but offered few clues into whether it might offer additional stimulus later this year.

Royal Bank of Scotland is planning to spin off its mergers and acquisitions business to some of its top bankers, sources said, forming a new advisory boutique with anticipated investment from foreign banks without a big footprint in Europe.

Stocks clung to strong gains on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve repeated its promise to leave interest rates on hold until at least late 2014 while giving few clues into whether it might supply additional stimulus later this year.

Palladium prices are bouncing back from a big decline that started in February in what could be a sign of rising investor confidence in the U.S. recovery, thanks to rising auto sales, and concerns over Russian supplies.

Nearly 100 protesters affiliated with the 99 Percent populist movement disrupted General Electric Co's annual shareholders' meeting on Wednesday in an attack on the largest U.S. conglomerate's low tax rate.

Stocks advanced on Wednesday after a blowout quarter from Apple further lifted optimism in an earnings season that has far outstripped expectations.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc said on Wednesday that it named a former attorney earlier this year to oversee global compliance with a bribery law, as it deals with the fallout over alleged bribes in Mexico that recently came to light.

German sportscar maker Porsche is bracing for slower sales growth in China this year as the country's premium auto segment loses momentum amid a slowdown in economic growth.