Syrian tanks stormed the coastal city of Banias today as protesters formed human chains in a bid to keep them out amid deadly confrontations with security forces, according to a rights activist.

The U.S. called for a “strong international response” to Syria’s crackdown on protesters as security forces arrested hundreds of people during demonstrations in cities yesterday.

The euro fell the most in four months against the dollar after European Central Bank President Jean- Claude Trichet signaled he may not raise interest rates next month and concern rose that Greece’s debt crisis is worsening.

Singaporeans started to vote in record numbers today as they face a choice between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s People’s Action Party and the biggest number of opponents since independence.

SAC Capital Advisors LP accounts tied to portfolio managers who pleaded guilty in a nationwide probe of insider trading are being investigated by U.S. prosecutors. Those accounts include one run by SAC founder Steven A. Cohen.

JPMorgan Chase & Co., after admitting it mishandled mortgages of U.S. service members, won approval of a $56 million settlement of claims that it overcharged on their home loans.

Jurors in the insider-trading trial of Galleon Group LLC co-founder Raj Rajaratnam, after finishing a second week of deliberations without reaching a verdict, are scheduled to resume their discussions May 9.

Lenny Dykstra, the former Major League Baseball player accused of removing, destroying and selling property from his $18.5 million mansion after filing for bankruptcy in 2009, was charged with fraud in an indictment.

Treasuries rose for a fourth week, pushing 30-year bond yields to the lowest level since December, as a plunge in commodities reduced concern inflation will climb and investors sought a refuge from Greece’s debt crisis.

U.S. stocks fell this week, sending the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index to the biggest drop since March, as the largest commodities slump in two years drove down energy and raw-materials producers as well as Caterpillar Inc.

American employers added more jobs than forecast in April and previous monthly gains this year were revised up, easing concern the economy is cooling.

One year ago, regulators were unable to arrest a market collapse that erased $862 billion from stock values in less than 20 minutes. On May 5 they conceded that it could happen again

The U.S. called for a “strong international response” to Syria’s crackdown on protesters as security forces arrested hundreds of people during demonstrations in cities yesterday.

Former Major League Baseball player Lenny Dykstra was charged with bankruptcy fraud in an indictment accusing him of removing, destroying and selling property from his $18.5 million mansion after he filed for bankruptcy in 2009.

Afghanistan’s ambassador to the U.S. cautioned against a hasty American withdrawal from the region now that Osama bin Laden has been killed, saying his death doesn’t eliminate the threat from al-Qaeda.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s Wesco Financial Corp. subsidiary swung to a first-quarter loss on a $34.3 million impairment tied to declines in the value in stocks of Kraft Foods Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co.

The U.S. government can’t sell assets to stay below the debt limit once it has exhausted its borrowing room, Treasury assistant secretary Mary Miller said today.

Tom and Alec Gores are considering a revised bid for Warner Music Group Corp., said a person with knowledge of the situation, challenging the record company’s agreement to be bought for $3.3 billion.

Michael Mundaca, U.S. Treasury Department’s top tax-policy official, will leave his job on May 13 as the Obama administration weighs when and how to press forward with a corporate tax overhaul.

Jurors in the insider-trading trial of Galleon Group LLC co-founder Raj Rajaratnam ended their second week of deliberations without reaching a verdict.

May 6 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis talks about the April U.S. jobs report and the outlook for the economy. (Source: Bloomberg) Payrolls increased by 244,000 workers last month, the biggest gain since May 2010, the Labor Department said. The jobless rate climbed to 9 percent. Solis speaks with Betty Liu on Bloomberg Television's "In the Loop." Richard Grasso, former chairman and chief executive officer of the New York Stock Exchange, also speaks. (Source: Bloomberg)

European stocks retreated for the first week in three as energy and mining companies tumbled with commodities, overshadowing a bigger-than-forecast increase in U.S. payrolls.

The U.K.’s governing coalition is set to enter a new phase of “businesslike” relations, ministers said, after voters rejected an overhaul of the voting system, a victory for Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron at the expense of his Liberal Democrat deputy, Nick Clegg.

European nations may provide more aid to Greece, recipient of the first euro-area bailout, as it struggles to reduce a debt load that some investors say will lead to a restructuring.

Google Inc. lost an attempt to overturn a Belgian ruling that blocked it from publishing links to local newspapers on its online news service.

Sony has found new life for sitcoms like The Nanny and Bewitched in Russia and elsewhere by shooting old scripts with local actors

Yngve Slyngstad fought for changes in the sovereign wealth fund's investment focus

Protests in Pakistan sparked by Osama bin Laden’s killing have drawn smaller crowds than those over U.S. drone attacks, showing that the al-Qaeda leader failed to win broad support even amid widespread anti-American sentiment.

Singaporeans will vote in record numbers today as they face a choice between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s People’s Action Party and the biggest number of opponents since independence.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s Wesco Financial Corp. subsidiary wrote down the value of investments in Kraft Foods Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co. by $34.3 million.

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. will take a $1 billion dividend this month from its Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad.

UBS AG lost two more U.S. investment bankers as Sameer Singh quit Switzerland’s biggest lender to join Citigroup Inc. and John Metz departed for Credit Suisse Group AG.

UBS AG, Switzerland’s biggest bank, hired Richard Eisenberg from JPMorgan Chase & Co. as a managing director in the technology, media and telecommunications banking group, said a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

President Barack Obama hailed the courage of the commandos involved in the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden, telling troops at an Army base that because of them the terrorist leader responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks “will never threaten America again.”

Berkshire Hathaway Inc., led by billionaire Warren Buffett, said first-quarter results included a $337 million charge tied to the decline in shares of Wells Fargo & Co., the largest U.S. home lender.

Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the Eurogroup of euro-area finance ministers, said today that Greece’s financial assistance program “does need a further adjustment” that will be discussed at the group’s next meeting. Juncker spoke to reporters in Luxembourg.

Tim Participacoes SA, Brazil’s third- biggest wireless carrier, will find it easier to acquire companies after extending voting rights to all shareholders, Chief Executive Officer Luca Luciani said.

Independencia SA, the Brazilian meatpacker whose creditors include Citigroup Inc., said it will auction assets for at least 706.9 million reais ($440 million) to help pay debt.

Heineken NV, the world’s third-largest brewer by volume, is considering making an offer for Brazil’s Primo Schincariol Industria de Cervejas e Refrigerantes SA, according to two people familiar with the matter.

American International Group Inc., the bailed-out U.S. insurer, said the company’s tax assets will reduce future payments to the government and help the firm buy back shares.

Silver futures fell, capping the biggest weekly plunge since at least 1975, on mounting sales by investors following increases in Comex margin requirements. Gold rebounded, halting a three-day slide.

U.S. stocks pared gains, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index headed for its biggest weekly loss since March, as concern about a Greek debt restructuring offset optimism from a stronger-than-forecast growth in jobs.

U.S. consumer borrowing rose for a sixth straight month in March, led by a gain in non-revolving credit, which includes auto loans, and a pickup in credit-card use.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. won approval from 73 percent of shareholders for its 2010 compensation plan, down from 96 percent a year ago, after doubling pay for Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Lloyd C. Blankfein.

Warner Music Group’s former director Len Blavatnik agreed to buy the record company of artists including Cee Lo Green and Bruno Mars for about $1.3 billion, a deal that may trigger a round of industry consolidation.

The U.K. rejected an overhaul of the voting system for national elections, a victory for Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron at the expense of his Liberal Democrat deputy, Nick Clegg. Both parties said their coalition government will stick to its deficit-reduction strategy.

U.S. stocks trimmed gains and commodities erased their advance while the euro weakened versus the dollar as European finance officials meet to discuss the region’s debt crisis. Greek and German officials denied a report that Greece was considering leaving the monetary union.

Air India Ltd. planned to return to regular schedules after pilots ended a 10-day walkout that crippled the state-owned airline’s operations and hindered efforts to regain profitability after four years of losses.