HP’s Profit Up 14 Percent Despite Sales Drop Hewlett-Packard Co.’s profit jumped 14 percent in the latest quarter, proof that cost-cutting and a push into rival IBM Corp.’s stronghold of technology services is helping the company absorb a falloff in sales in most of its major divisions. Jordan Robertson, AP NEWS - 7 minutes ago
Eight Charged in US-Somali Youth Terror Network Eight people face terrorism charges in the case of 20 young men missing from Minnesota after allegedly being recruited for an Islamist militia in Somalia, officials said Monday. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 8 minutes ago
Chief Guilty of 3 Counts in Parker-Broderick Case An eastern Ohio police chief was convicted of three felonies Monday but was acquitted of burglary charges in an alleged break-in at the home of a woman who carried twin girls for Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick. Staff, AP NEWS - 11 minutes ago
Belgian Says He Was Alert But Mute for 23 Years For 23 torturous years, Rom Houben says he lay trapped in his paralyzed body, aware of what was going on around him but unable to tell anyone or even cry out. Raf Casert, AP NEWS - 12 minutes ago
Sarah Palin’s Book Tour Hits NC’s Fort Bragg Sarah Palin brought her book-signing tour to North Carolina’s Fort Bragg on Monday as thousands greeted the former Republican vice presidential candidate in a campaign-like gathering that tested military rules involving politicians. Mike Baker, AP NEWS - 12 minutes ago
Govt Issues Record 2.1M Recall for Dropside Cribs Government safety regulators say more than 2.1 million dropside cribs by Stork Craft Manufacturing are being recalled, the biggest crib recall in U.S history. Jennifer C. Kerr, AP NEWS - 12 minutes ago
SC Gov Faces 37 Charges He Broke State Ethics Laws Gov. Mark Sanford is accused of breaking 37 ethics laws regarding campaign finances and travel, including using taxpayer money for high-priced airplane tickets that took him around the world and to Argentina for a rendezvous with the woman he once called his “soul mate.” Jim Davenport, AP NEWS - 12 minutes ago
For Reid, Dodd, Clout on Big Issues Cuts Both Ways Two Senate leaders trying to steer a pair of President Barack Obama’s high-stakes initiatives through Congress are being dogged by re-election worries, and it’s not clear whether their legislative prominence will help or hurt them. Charles Babington, AP NEWS - 12 minutes ago
Obama Could Lock in Afghanistan Decision Monday The White House said President Barack Obama could use an unusual evening war council session Monday to lock in his long-awaited decision on whether to commit tens of thousands of new U.S. forces to the stalemated war in Afghanistan. Anne Gearan and Jennifer Loven, AP NEWS - 12 minutes ago
AP-GfK Poll: Debt Turning Shoppers Into Scrooges A lot more Americans are feeling stressed out by debt this holiday season, raising the glum likelihood they’ll behave like Scrooge rather than Santa. Jeannine Aversa, AP NEWS - 12 minutes ago
Schumer Says Failure Not an Option on Health Care Failure is not an option on health care, a leading Democratic senator said Monday, even as Republicans turned up the heat on moderates who hold the fate of the legislation in their hands. Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, AP NEWS - 12 minutes ago
Mich. Spammer Gets 4 Years in Stock Fraud Scheme A federal judge has sentenced a suburban Detroit man described as one of the world’s most prolific senders of spam e-mail to more than four years in prison for his role in a 2005 stock fraud scheme that netted him $2.7 million. Staff, AP NEWS - 16 minutes ago
Obama’s South Asia Balancing Act As India’s Singh arrives for State visit in Washington, President Obama may face a balancing act when it comes to South Asia. Reuters Video, REUTERS NEWS VIDEO - 16 minutes ago
Arrest Video Has Transit Police on Guard in Calif. The troubles of the San Francisco Bay area’s transit police went viral again as video hit the Internet showing what some claim was another use of excessive force. Terry Collins, AP NEWS - 23 minutes ago
Ex-NY Politician’s Corruption Trial Wrapping Up The corruption case against former New York state Senate Republican leader Joseph Bruno has gone to the jury, which will return Tuesday morning to begin deliberations. Staff, AP NEWS - 27 minutes ago
Okla. Capitol Cleared After Incident at Checkpoint The offices of Oklahoma’s governor and lieutenant governor were temporarily evacuated Monday after a man wearing a military fatigue jacket threw a briefcase onto a security checkpoint X-ray machine while attempting to bypass Capitol guards. Sean Murphy, AP NEWS - 28 minutes ago
Iran Prez Offers Little Hope on US Hikers' Release Iran’s president says it’s up to his nation’s judicial system to determine whether three American hikers detained in his country will be released or punished. Staff, AP NEWS - 31 minutes ago
US to Present Emissions Target in Copenhagen The United States, under pressure from other nations as one of the world’s largest greenhouse-gas polluters, will present a target for reducing carbon dioxide emissions at next month’s climate conference in Copenhagen, Obama administration officials said Monday. Robert Wielaard and Ben Feller, AP NEWS - 31 minutes ago
Icahn Outbids Penn to Open Fontainebleau Auction Billionaire investor Carl Icahn has offered a higher sum than Penn National Gaming Inc. to open bidding at a bankruptcy auction for the unfinished Fontainebleau Las Vegas casino-resort on the Las Vegas Strip. Oskar Garcia, AP NEWS - 38 minutes ago
Wis. Man With Alleged Child Porn Shrine Charged A Wisconsin man transformed his apartment into a pornographic shrine to young girls, arranging mannequins in a sex act, plastering every flat surface with pictures and setting up a bed covered with stuffed animals, investigators said Monday. Todd Richmond, AP NEWS - 39 minutes ago
Tax Credit Gives Home Sales Best Boost in Decade First-time buyers taking advantage of a special tax credit gave sales of existing homes in October their biggest surge in a decade, raising hopes for a turnaround in the housing market and pleasing Wall Street. Alan Zibel, AP NEWS - 46 minutes ago
Freedom Seeks Approval for Executive Bonus Freedom Communications, owner of The Orange County Register in California and other media properties, is seeking approval of a $300,000 bonus plan for its chief financial officer. Randall Chase, AP NEWS - 46 minutes ago
Big Bang Atom Smasher Records First Proton Hits The world’s largest atom smasher made another leap forward Monday by circulating beams of protons in opposite directions at the same time and causing the first particle collisions in the $10 billion machine after more than a year of repairs, organizers said. Alexander G. Higgins, AP NEWS - 50 minutes ago
SC Gov Faces 37 Charges He Broke State Ethics Laws South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, whose tryst with an Argentine lover blossomed into a wide-ranging scandal, is accused of breaking ethics laws by using taxpayer money for pricey airline seats, taking state planes for personal and political trips and occasionally tapping his campaign chest to reimburse himself for travel. Jim Davenport, AP NEWS - 51 minutes ago
Man Arrested in Anti-Aircraft Missile Plot Federal investigators in Philadelphia say they have arrested a man who wanted to obtain weapons to ship to Syria, including anti-aircraft missiles. Staff, AP NEWS - 53 minutes ago
Ruling Delayed for Filipino Jailed in Spy Case A judge reserved ruling Monday on whether a former Philippine National Police officer who served prison time for receiving classified U.S. government documents will be extradited to face murder charges back home. David Porter, AP NEWS - 53 minutes ago
Feds Find Association Between Drywall, Corrosion The federal government said Monday that it has found a “strong association” between problematic imported Chinese drywall and corrosion of pipes and wires, a conclusion that supports complaints by thousands of homeowners over the last year. Brian Skoloff, AP NEWS - 59 minutes ago
Mass. Woman Seeks Funds for Turkey’s Eye Surgery A Massachusetts woman is seeking donations from fellow pet lovers to help pay for eye surgery for her turkey named Jerry. Lyndsey Medeiros and her husband adopted three-year-old Jerry and another turkey from a Rhode Island farm last week. But Jerry has cataracts, and the eye problems mean he can’t eat independently or join his female companion, Penelope, in flying. Staff, AP NEWS - 61 minutes ago
Valspar Fiscal 4th-Quarter Profit Climbs Paint and coatings maker Valspar Corp. said Monday its fiscal fourth-quarter profit climbed as the company trimmed the cost of sales and research and development expenses. Staff, AP NEWS - 62 minutes ago
Analog Devices 4Q Earnings Fall; 1Q Outlook Upbeat Chipmaker Analog Devices Inc. said Monday its net income fell 27 percent in the fiscal fourth quarter, as demand declined for semiconductors in its industrial and communications business. Staff, AP NEWS - 62 minutes ago
Suit May Block BLM Roundup of Mustangs in Nev. An animal protection group is asking a federal judge to block the government’s planned roundup of thousands of wild mustangs in Nevada next month. Scott Sonner, AP NEWS - 62 minutes ago
Southern Baptist President Has Prostate Cancer Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt says that he has prostate cancer and expects to have surgery in January. Staff, AP NEWS - 62 minutes ago
Kan. Nurse Resentenced in ‘Nude Therapy’ Case A Kansas nurse convicted of enslaving mentally ill residents of a Newton group home has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after a judge acknowledged the original seven-year term was too short. Staff, AP NEWS - 63 minutes ago
KBR to Bid for Part of $3B Air Force Contract Defense contractor KBR said Monday the U.S. Air Force has asked it to bid for future task orders under the Worldwide Environmental Restoration and Construction program. Staff, AP NEWS - 67 minutes ago
Israeli Trade Minister in Turkey to Mend Ties Israel’s trade minister Monday began a visit to Turkey to mend strained relations, saying Ankara could help resolve the conflict between Israel and Syria. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 68 minutes ago
US Could ‘Do More’ on Middle East: Argentina Argentine President Cristina Kirchner on Monday urged the United States to “do more” to restart Israeli-Palestinian negotiations as she held talks with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 68 minutes ago
Sliding Dollar Drives Gold to Record High The dollar came under fresh pressure Monday after comments suggesting US authorities may extend emergency stimulus measures, encouraging traders to move into riskier assets including gold. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 68 minutes ago
Belgian in US Court Admits Iran Arms Dealing A alleged Belgian arms dealer on Monday pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to export fighter jet engines and parts to Iran, US justice officials said. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 68 minutes ago
HP Quarterly Net Profit Up 14 Percent US computer giant Hewlett-Packard posted a 14 percent rise in quarterly net profit Monday as slumping personal computer sales were offset by a solid performance in its services division. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 68 minutes ago
AP News in Brief Sen. Schumer vows Democrats will pass health care bill with or without GOP support Staff, AP NEWS - 71 minutes ago
How the Major Stock Indexes Fared on Monday The stock market ended a three-day losing streak Monday, closing broadly higher as a weaker dollar and upbeat home sales numbers encouraged investors to take on more risk. The dollar resumed its slide, sending prices for commodities including gold and oil higher and in turn, the stocks of companies that produce them. Meanwhile, the National Association of Realtors reported that October home sales rose more than 10 percent revived investors' optimism after disappointing data on the housing industry last week raised concerns about the strength of the economic recovery. The Associated Press, AP NEWS - 73 minutes ago
Petters Fraud Case Goes to Jury in Minn. A jury will return Tuesday to further deliberate the fate of a Minnesota businessman accused of operating a Ponzi scheme that cost investors more than $3.5 billion. Steve Karnowski, AP NEWS - 73 minutes ago
Weak Dollar, Home Sales Data Carry Stocks Higher The stock market ended a three-day losing streak Monday, closing broadly higher as a weaker dollar and upbeat home sales numbers encouraged investors to take on more risk. Sara Lepro and Tim Paradis, AP NEWS - 76 minutes ago
Freddie Mac: Taylor, Bean Loss May Be Significant Mortgage finance company Freddie Mac said Monday it could lose $500 million or more as a result of the bankruptcy protection filing of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp. Staff, AP NEWS - 77 minutes ago