WORLD

Lost in the smoke of the Google-Motorola Mobility deal was Microsoft's plan to buy Skype. What are the implications?

Jack Layton, the charismatic leader of the New Democratic Party, died on Monday just months after guiding his party to its strongest ever performance in the May federal election.

Jon Huntsman said Monday that he would be willing to run for vice president as Michele Bachmann's running mate if he doesn't win the Republican presidential nomination. But would a Bachmann-Huntsman ticket be viable?

While in Mongolia to enhance economic ties with the mineral-rich nation, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was treated to a lavish celebration and was caught joking around with some Mongolian wrestlers.

You thought the U.S. debt deal ended the feud between Democrats and Republicans? Hardly. The U.S. Government's new fiscal year, fiscal 2012, starts Oct. 1 -- and a budget must be passed by Sept. 30. A key unknown is: will the Tea Party threaten to shut down the government again, if it doesn't get most of what it wants?

The Tea Party Patriots have denounced Rep. Maxine Water's telling them to go straight to hell, and are calling on President Obama to do the same.

BART has placed the two policemen involved in the incident on paid leave, but it hasn't explained why they shot the homeless man.

Sarah Palin is not running for president. Repeat: Sarah Palin is NOT running for president. Not yet, anyway. Former Bush advisor Karl Rove stirred speculation that Palin might soon announce her candidacy for president on Sunday with statements on Fox News suggesting it appears more likely than not that Palin will run. But the former Alaska governor and VP presidential candidate turned conservative spokesperson and celebrity issued a different statement Tuesday through her Sarah PAC Web site. Pal...

The most widely held academic background was government and law (34.8 percent) followed by the humanities (20.9 percent). Science and technology accounted for 11.5 percent) .

Oil prices rose on Tuesday, boosted by better-than-expected manufacturing data in Germany and China and by uncertainty in Libya where government loyalists staged a fight back.

The rape charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn will be officially dropped on Tuesday at a Manhattan court hearing scheduled for 11:30 a.m.

Libyan rebels battled on Tuesday around Muammar Gaddafi's headquarters, where a son of the veteran leader had emerged overnight to confound reports of his capture and to rally cheering loyalists for a rearguard fightback.

Hill was the fifth person killed by BART police since 1992.

Google Maps has already accepted the name change of Green Square to Martyr's Square.

Police will be given broader powers to make arrests and search suspects.

Here are some of the largest global banks that are planning significant job cuts.

The company expects to record a restructuring charge of about 550 million Swiss Francs (U.S. $700 million) in connection with the cuts.

Different reports suggested that Nato allies deployed their forces and intelligence services in Libya secretly in order to pave path for rebel forces to Tripoli.

S&P couldn't take back its U.S. debt rating downgrade that rocked global financial markets. Once it was done, it was done. But now we know the agency embroiled in controversy for two weeks since its Aug. 5 downgrade was met with corporate regret. The ratings agency said Tuesday that Deven Sharma, S&P's president since 2007, will sept down. He will be succeeded on Sept. 12 by Citibank Chief Operating Officer Douglas Peterson. The move caps two weeks of controversy that has embroiled the com...

Here is a brief rundown of important events around the world Tuesday morning, August 23, 2011.

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe is proposing some dramatic changes to cut costs – including the firing of one-fifth of all employees (some 220,000 people) either through layoffs or attrition; the elimination of Saturday mail delivery; and the closing of nearly 4,000 post offices across the country.

Those upset with the ratings agency Standard & Poor's after the company caused brief havoc in U.S. financial markets by downgrading America's debt rating exacted a measure of revenge Tuesday -- S&P announced its president is stepping down following two weeks of controversy.

A son of Muammar Gaddafi, previously reported captured, made a surprise appearance with jubilant supporters in Tripoli overnight, urging loyalists to fight off rebels who say they control most of the Libyan capital.

The International Criminal Court in The Hague said Tuesday it had never received official confirmation from the Libyan rebels that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi had been captured.

Four leading Republican presidential candidates have pulled even with President Barack Obama in a new poll, signaling a close race in 2012.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan will likely resign next week, his economics minister said Tuesday, but who will succeed him as the country confronts a nuclear crisis and a long list of economic difficulties remained up in the air.

The United States has pressed for Moammar Gadhafi to step down, but a leadership vacuum raises concerns about the security of Libya's weapons stockpiles and the danger of them falling into hostile hands, officials said Monday.

Anti-graft activist Anna Hazare's hunger strike entered its seventh day on Monday with opposition parties calling for nationwide rallies this week, prompting the government of Premier Manmohan Singh to take tentative steps to open talks.

Without further delay, here are The Top 10 Reasons to Vote for Michele Bachmann for President -- announced in Late Show with David Letterman-esque fashion, from number 10 to number 1.