Consumers Log Stronger-Than-Expected Spending Rise Consumers got back in the buying mood in October as their incomes grew modestly, an encouraging sign for the budding economic recovery. Jeannine Aversa, AP NEWS - 5 minutes ago
Toyota to Replace 4M Gas Pedals That Could Jam Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it will replace accelerator pedals on about 4 million recalled vehicles in the United States because the pedals can get stuck in the floor mats. Ken Thomas, AP NEWS - 9 minutes ago
Serb Nationalist’s War Crimes Trial to Resume Judges at the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal have ordered the resumption of a Serb nationalist’s trial almost a year after it was suspended amid claims of witness intimidation, the court announced Wednesday. Mike Corder, AP NEWS - 11 minutes ago
Deere Reports 4Q Loss on Charges, Lower Sales Deere and Co. lost $223 million in the fourth quarter, reflecting big charges and a 28 percent slump in sales as demand for tractors, combines and construction equipment sagged amid the global economic downturn. David Mercer, AP NEWS - 13 minutes ago
Sales of New Homes Forecast to Rise 2 Percent Sales of new homes are expected to post a modest increase in October, reinforcing data this week that showed the real estate market is regaining its footing after a dramatic collapse. Alan Zibel, AP NEWS - 13 minutes ago
Rare, Heavy Rains Soak Pilgrims at Islam’s Hajj Rare, heavy rainstorms soaked pilgrims and flooded the road into Mecca, snarling Islam’s annual hajj as millions of Muslims headed for the holy sites. The downpours add an extra hazard on top of intense concerns about the spread of swine flu. Hadeel Al-Shalchi, AP NEWS - 14 minutes ago
UN Report: Rebel Network Spans 25 Countries A United Nations report leaked to The Associated Press confirms that one of Africa’s most brutal rebel movements relies on a vast, international network of supporters in at least 25 countries including in the United States and Europe who facilitate arms trafficking, money transfers and day-to-day operational support. Rukmini Callimachi, AP NEWS - 17 minutes ago
Sting Offers a ‘Spooky, Ghostly’ Seasonal Album Sting and his wife Trudie keep with tradition on Christmas Eve: They go to a local church, sing along to carols, then head back home to their English estate to open presents with their family. Nekesa Mumbi Moody, AP NEWS - 21 minutes ago
A Growing Tale of Dog Designer Wear The signs are, in Britain and the United States, that the popularity of designer clothing and accessories for dogs is stronger than ever. Reuters Video, REUTERS NEWS VIDEO - 21 minutes ago
Putin’s Rare Siberian Tiger Goes Missing A rare Siberian tiger fitted by Vladimir Putin with a radio-tracking collar has vanished, a Russian environmentalist said Wednesday, dramatizing the plight of a species some conservationists fear may be approaching extinction. Liya Khabarova, AP NEWS - 26 minutes ago
Lambert Says He Got Carried Away, But Not Sorry Adam Lambert admits he got carried away with his sexually charged American Music Awards performance, but he’s offering no apology. David Bauder, AP NEWS - 30 minutes ago
Israel Offers 10-Month West Bank Settlement Freeze Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed a 10-month freeze on West Bank settlement construction in what he says is an attempt to jumpstart Mideast peace talks. Staff, AP NEWS - 30 minutes ago
Stock Futures Extend Gains After Data Stock futures are extending their gains as news of an improving job market and strong consumer spending provided reassurance that the economy is recovering. Ieva M. Augstums, AP NEWS - 34 minutes ago
Weekly Jobless Claims Drop Below 500,000 The number of newly laid-off workers filing claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week to the lowest level in over a year. Martin Crutsinger, AP FEATURES - 35 minutes ago
Judge: White Conn. Firefighters Must Be Promoted A federal judge has ordered Connecticut officials to promote 14 firefighters who won a reverse discrimination case that was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Staff, AP NEWS - 36 minutes ago
Rights Group Rejects Saudi Witchcraft Charges Saudi Arabia should overturn a death sentence imposed on a Lebanese national convicted of practicing witchcraft during a visit to the conservative kingdom, an international human rights group said in a report late Tuesday. Donna Abu-Nasr, AP NEWS - 37 minutes ago
Gay Marriage Momentum Stalls in Liberal NY, NJ The state-to-state march to legalize gay marriage across the left-leaning Northeast has lost more momentum since a major setback three weeks ago at the ballot box in Maine. Geoff Mulvihill, AP NEWS - 40 minutes ago
Lou Dobbs Weighs Senate Run in New Jersey Former CNN anchor Lou Dobbs is seriously considering running for U.S. Senate in New Jersey as “an intermediary step” that could lead to a run for the White House. Staff, AP NEWS - 40 minutes ago
Durable Goods Orders Fall Unexpectedly in October Orders for big-ticket factory goods fell unexpectedly in October as the economy struggles to get back to full health. Jeannine Aversa, AP NEWS - 42 minutes ago
Iraq Not Britain’s Main Worry Prior to Invasion A senior Foreign Office official has testified that Saddam Hussein’s regime was not the British government’s main concern in 2001. Staff, AP NEWS - 42 minutes ago
Ahead of the Bell: Microsoft CFO Shift Analysts cautioned Wednesday not to read too much into the coming departure of Microsoft Corp. finance chief Chris Liddell, which was announced Tuesday. Staff, AP NEWS - 43 minutes ago
2010 Nissan Armada Is 1 Big SUV Large sport utility vehicles aren’t as fashionable as they once were. So today’s buyers of big SUVs are apt to be the people who really need them — for towing horse trailers, boats and motorhomes and for carrying large groups of people. Ann M. Job, AP NEWS - 44 minutes ago
Rocket Man at It Again, to Cross a Patch of Ocean He’s done the Swiss Alps and the English Channel, soaring over them on a jet-powered wing. For his next trick, a daredevil pilot aims to go intercontinental, flying from North Africa’s tip to Europe’s southern fringe. Daniel Woolls, AP NEWS - 46 minutes ago
Pakistan Charges 7 Suspects in Mumbai Attacks Pakistan charged seven men on Wednesday in last year’s Mumbai terror attacks, its first indictments in a case watched closely by India and the United States to see if Islamabad makes good on promises to punish those responsible. Asif Shahzad, AP NEWS - 53 minutes ago
Deere Reports 4Q Loss on Charges, Lower Sales Deere and Co. reported a $223 million loss for the fourth quarter on Wednesday as big charges and a 28 percent decline in sales of farm and construction equipment as demand slumped amid the global economic downturn. David Mercer, AP NEWS - 54 minutes ago
Wyo Enviros Oppose Drilling in 1st National Forest Environmentalists are questioning the legal justification offered for what would be the only active oil well inside the nation’s first national forest. Mead Gruver, AP NEWS - 56 minutes ago
Hutchison Wants More Technology in Texas Schools U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said Tuesday that if elected governor, her education plan would focus on bringing more technology to the classroom, recruiting and retaining teachers, lowering the high school dropout rate and helping school districts find ways to save money. Jamie Stengle, AP NEWS - 57 minutes ago
Suit Seeks to Stop Grazing Along Upper Missouri A push to end grazing along a 150-mile stretch of the Missouri River would bar about 10,000 cattle from federal lands in central Montana so that the river valley can be restored to more natural conditions. Matthew Brown, AP NEWS - 62 minutes ago
Lawmakers Aim to Thwart Ohio Casino Development A group of central Ohio lawmakers is advancing a plan to beef up cities' rights against four casinos that Ohio voters authorized in November. Staff, AP NEWS - 64 minutes ago
Taliban Leader Issues Muslim Holiday Message The Taliban’s reclusive leader issued a Muslim holiday message on Wednesday calling on Afghans to break off relations with the government, which he described as a ‘stooge’ administration. Staff, AP NEWS - 64 minutes ago
Ga. Task Force: 2012 Too Soon to Find New Water There are plenty of ways that Georgia can quench metro Atlanta’s thirst if the city is cut off from its main reservoir. But most options are costly and, according to a Georgia water task force, none would provide enough water for the city to meet a federal judge’s 2012 deadline. Shannon McCaffrey, AP NEWS - 66 minutes ago
Farm Runoff in 41 Watersheds Feeding Mississippi The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it aims to stop agricultural runoff in 41 watersheds in 12 states from ending up in the Mississippi River. Staff, AP NEWS - 68 minutes ago
FCC Chairman: Broadband Access Should Be Universal Making broadband Internet access universally available is this century’s version of building highways or extending railroads coast-to-coast, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission said Tuesday. Jill Zeman Bleed, AP NEWS - 68 minutes ago
Americans Search for Cheaper Thanksgiving Trips The Miles family is changing it up this year in the annual American race to make it to the table for Thanksgiving dinner. Instead of booking plane tickets, they opted to take the 1,100-mile trip by train. Michael Tarm, AP FEATURES - 69 minutes ago
Iran Clerics Start Taking Control of Schools An Iranian cleric says religious authorities have started taking control of schools, part of a wider ideological drive by hard-liners to wage what authorities call a “soft war” against Western influence. Staff, AP NEWS - 69 minutes ago
No Signs of Putin’s Rare Siberian Tiger A Russian environmentalist says a rare Siberian tiger fitted with a radio-tracking collar by Vladimir Putin has vanished. Staff, AP NEWS - 69 minutes ago
Toyota to Replace 3.8M Gas Pedals Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it will replace accelerator pedals on 3.8 million recalled vehicles in the United States to address problems with the pedals becoming jammed in the floor mat. Ken Thomas, AP NEWS - 73 minutes ago
Action on Climate Change ‘Also Averts Health Crisis’ Climate change will imperil health through malaria, cholera, heatwaves and hunger, but many problems can be eased or avoided if countries make wise policy choices, doctors said on Wednesday. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 73 minutes ago
China ‘Will Not Sacrifice Growth’ for Emissions Cuts China said Wednesday it will not sacrifice growth to cut gas emissions, illustrating the difficulty in reaching a global climate deal at a major summit next month despite US moves to boost the talks. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 73 minutes ago
N.Zealand Passes Climate Change Emissions Law New Zealand’s parliament Wednesday approved a scheme aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions, but critics immediately said it did not go far enough in the fight against global warming. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 73 minutes ago
Malaysia Tracks Orangutans With Implants Malaysian wildlife authorities are using electronic implants to keep track of orangutans in a bid to protect the endangered apes after they are freed into the wild, an official has said. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 73 minutes ago
Millions Begin Hajj Amid Swine Flu Fears The world’s largest annual religious pilgrimage began Wednesday overshadowed by the swine flu pandemic as 2.5 million Muslims amassed at the holy city of Mecca for the hajj. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 73 minutes ago
Palestinians Reject Partial Israeli Settlement Halt The Palestinians said on Wednesday they would not view any partial or temporary halt to Israeli settlements as sufficient for the relaunch of US-backed Middle East peace talks. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 73 minutes ago
Saudi Denies Military Entered Yemen: Official Saudi Arabia denied on Wednesday reports that its military had entered Yemen to strike Shiite rebels in their homeland as its forces continued to attack their positions on the border. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 73 minutes ago
Leterme Gets New Chance to Lead Belgium Less than a year after he stepped down amid a banking scandal, Yves Leterme became Belgium’s prime minister for the second time on Wednesday. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 73 minutes ago
WMD Claims in the Spotlight at Iraq Inquiry Top civil servants were grilled on Wednesday over fears Iraq was developing weapons of mass destruction -- used to support the 2003 invasion but never borne out -- at an inquiry into the conflict. Afp, AFP EUROPEAN EDITION - 73 minutes ago
Economy Shrinks, But Edges Towards Recovery Britain remains stuck in a record recession, official data showed on Wednesday, but economists forecast a return to growth before the end of the year and ahead of a general election. Afp, AFP EUROPEAN EDITION - 73 minutes ago
Darling Defends Secret BoE Loans Chancellor Alistair Darling on Wednesday defended his decision to allow the Bank of England to secretly lend nearly 62 billion pounds to Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS last year. Afp, AFP EUROPEAN EDITION - 73 minutes ago
London Stock Exchange Profits Plunge The London Stock Exchange announced on Wednesday that six-month net profits nosedived by almost 40 percent, as a result of depressed markets and increasing competition. Afp, AFP EUROPEAN EDITION - 73 minutes ago
Toyota ‘to Recall Four Million US Vehicles’ Japan’s Toyota Motor is planning to recall around four million vehicles in the United States to fix a potential problem affecting their accelerator pedals, a media report said Wednesday. Afp, AFP AMERICAN EDITION - 73 minutes ago
Shuttle Atlantis Leaves Space Station, Headed Home Shuttle Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station early Wednesday, headed home with one astronaut eager to hold his newborn daughter for the first time and another who’s been away from her young son since the summer. Marcia Dunn, AP NEWS - 81 minutes ago
Mass Animal Sacrifice in Nepal Thousands of Hindu devotees gather in Nepal for what is considered to be the world’s largest animal sacrifice festival. Reuters Video, REUTERS NEWS VIDEO - 82 minutes ago
Tiffany Raises Outlook as 3Q Profit Comes in Ahead Curbed discretionary spending pushed Tiffany & Co.’s U.S. sales lower in the third quarter, contributing to a 1 percent profit decline. But results, which topped its own expectations, led Tiffany to raise its full-year forecasts. Staff, AP NEWS - 82 minutes ago
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