SEC prevails, Goldman's Tourre found liable for fraud
NEW YORK - A jury found former Goldman Sachs Group vice president Fabrice Tourre liable for fraud for his role in a failed mortgage deal that cost investors $1 billion, giving the Securities and Exchange Commission a big victory. Full Article
Dow, S&P 500 end at new highs after data, stimulus in place
NEW YORK - The Dow and S&P 500 ended at record highs on Thursday, with the S&P 500 rising above 1,700 after strong data on service-sector growth and as central banks said they would keep monetary stimulus in place. | Video
Russia grants Snowden a year's asylum
MOSCOW - Russia granted American fugitive Edward Snowden a year's asylum, allowing the former U.S. spy agency contractor to slip quietly out of Moscow's Sheremetyevo. Full Article
Auction may be death knell for Detroit museum
A top officer at the Detroit Institute of Arts predicts near-certain closure for the museum if Detroit sells major pieces from the 60,000 works in the institute's art collection as a way to address the city's dire financial situation. Full Article
Rulers urge pro-Mursi protesters to quit camps
CAIRO - Egypt's army-backed government urged supporters of deposed president Mohamed Mursi to abandon their Cairo protest camps, promising them a safe exit if they gave up without a fight. Full Article | Related: Egypt solution hinges on dignified exit for Mursi
U.S. joblessness drops to 5-1/2 year low
WASHINGTON - The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell unexpectedly last week, touching a five-and-a-half year low, suggesting a steadily improving labor market. Full Article
Babies given away on Pakistani talk show
ISLAMABAD - A popular Pakistani talk show, known for its giveaway prizes including mobile phones and motorbikes, has shocked audiences with a controversial new stunt: awarding babies to childless families live on air. Full Article
Iraq logs in Manning case hit army hard: officer
FORT MEADE, Maryland - The U.S. Army was overwhelmed when WikiLeaks published more than 700,000 secret diplomatic and war documents, a retired officer testified in the sentencing phase of the convicted private's court-martial. Full Article | Slideshow
'I am not a monster,' Cleveland abductor Ariel Castro tells court
Aug. 1 - Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro admitted at a court hearing on Thursday that he was a sick man, but said he is not the monster described by prosecutors. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
Latest Headlines
Flops boost Loeb's Sony case
Two big-budget film duds this summer are giving activist investor Daniel Loeb's push for a movie-unit spin off renewed momentum. Video
The real student loan crisis
A new study estimates the economic impact of the existing student debt burden, finding that it may cost the country more than $4 trillion in lost economic activity. Commentary
Israeli-Palestinian talks won’t fix the Middle East’s problems
The White House's new round of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations is unlikely to succeed, and, even if it did, it would have little impact on other more immediately pressing Middle East conflicts. Commentary
Detroit, decay and solidarity
Who is my neighbor? That question is as relevant to the bankruptcy of Motown as the decline of the American car industry or incompetent city governments. If the suburbs lived up to their neighborly responsibilities, Detroit would not be such a mess. Commentary
Sequestration as government malpractice
Breakthrough' medicines, which can save lives, require increased FDA resources at a time when the sequester is taking money away from an already underfunded agency. Commentary
The cushy world of academia
Staffing-to-studio ratios at many colleges suggest pretty light workloads and low productivity, especially given the size of so many of the classes faculty members typically teach. And, at least in terms of reputation, the ratios don’t seem to correlate to quality. Commentary
The framers on campaign finance law -- via Tumblr
The court could take Citizens United one step further in a new case, casting aside a key limit on direct contributions to candidates and allowing high-dollar donors to play an extraordinarily outsized role in elections. Commentary

















