Aug 25 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Wall Street Journal. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
* Burger King is in talks to buy Canadian coffee-and-doughnut chain Tim Hortons Inc, a deal that would be structured as a so-called tax inversion and move the hamburger seller's base to Canada. (http://on.wsj.com/1pvlPWa)
* The extremist group Islamic State captured a major air base in northeastern Syria, marking another strategic gain and an end to any presence of Syrian regime forces in the province of Raqqa. (http://on.wsj.com/1t5lZWN)
* Roche Holding AG agreed to buy biotech company InterMune Inc for $8.3 billion in cash, the biggest acquisition in years for the Swiss pharmaceutical giant. (http://on.wsj.com/1tuYCEB)
* Federal Reserve officials are signaling they are on track to start slowly raising interest rates next year, a shift that means a delicate balancing act for investors.(http://on.wsj.com/1vdlKcK)
* Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc and William Ackman are seeking a judge's help to speed up their $53 billion hostile takeover bid for Allergan Inc in hopes of overturning the Botox maker's board before the company can strike a deal of its own. (http://on.wsj.com/XKZMAn)
* Best-selling novel "The Goldfinch" is giving Hachette Book Group a much-needed boost this summer as the publisher weathers the fallout from a lengthy e-book contract dispute with Amazon.com Inc. (http://on.wsj.com/1vdmvmk)
* Goldman Sachs Group Inc is likely to bestow its prestigious partner designation, which often comes with millions of dollars in annual pay, on no more than 70 employees, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.(http://on.wsj.com/1qEPfxb)
* General Motors Co is considering whether to delay the expansion of its Russian plant near St. Petersburg amid lackluster sales and weakening consumer sentiment.(http://on.wsj.com/1ru8srT)
* Private-equity firm Oak Hill Capital Partners reached a deal over the weekend to acquire Berlin Packaging LLC for $1.43 billion including debt, said people familiar with the matter.(http://on.wsj.com/1smGaeK)
* President Obama faces pressure at home and in the Middle East to quickly step up strikes at Islamic State militants, but also reluctance from some within his own party and European allies to do so.(http://on.wsj.com/1qeHoKj)
* Engine Capital LP, which along with a partner controls more than 1 percent of ANN Inc stock, believes a strategic or private-equity buyer would be willing to pay between $50 and $55 a share for the women's retailer, 47 percent above Friday's closing price of $37.52 at the high end, according to people familiar with the matter.(http://on.wsj.com/YSWew3) (Compiled by Shivam Srivastava in Bangalore)