Citigroup Sells Diners Club N. American Ops Citigroup Inc. said Tuesday it is selling its Diners Club North American franchise to BMO Financial Group as it continues to shed noncore assets and streamline operations. Staff, AP NEWS - 5 minutes ago
Economy’s Rebound Not as Strong as First Thought The economy grew at a 2.8 percent pace last quarter, as the recovery got off to a slower start than first thought. Jeannine Aversa, AP NEWS - 8 minutes ago
6.8-Magnitude Underwater Quake off Tonga U.S. Geological Survey is reporting a 6.8-magnitude underwater earthquake off the Pacific island nation of Tonga. There was no immediate word on whether it caused any damage or injuries. Staff, AP NEWS - 8 minutes ago
NC Father Trusts Decision Letting Mom Take Girl The father of a dead North Carolina girl isn’t second-guessing his decision to let 5-year-old Shaniya (shuh-NY-uh) Davis live with the mother accused of prostituting her. Staff, AP NEWS - 12 minutes ago
Hormel 4Q Profit Rises 50 Percent, But Sales Slip Hormel Foods said Tuesday its fourth-quarter profit rose more than 50 percent, helped by lower ingredient costs even as sales slipped on lower meat prices and a continuing pullback in consumer spending on pricier items like microwave meals. Emily Fredrix, AP NEWS - 16 minutes ago
Arms Dealer Pleads Guilty in Ala. Smuggling Case A Belgian arms dealer pleaded guilty in an Alabama courtroom to conspiracy to illegally export F-5 fighter jet engines and parts from the U.S. to Iran. Staff, AP NEWS - 17 minutes ago
AP NewsAlert U.S. Geological Survey reports 6.8-magnitude underwater earthquake off Tonga. Staff, AP NEWS - 19 minutes ago
Medtronic 2Q Profit Rises 59 Percent on Sales Medtronic Inc. says its fiscal second-quarter profit rose 59 percent on higher sales of implantable heart devices and stents, while costs fell. Staff, AP NEWS - 20 minutes ago
Hunger on the Rise in Vermont A federal government report ranking Vermont the sixth hungriest state in the country may come as a surprise to many, but officials say they have seen signs the problem is growing in Vermont. Lisa Rathke, AP NEWS - 22 minutes ago
Clemson to Get $98M for Wind Energy Test Facility Clemson University is getting nearly $100 million to study wind energy, funding that officials at the South Carolina school said Monday could eventually lead to thousands of new jobs for the state. Meg Kinnard, AP NEWS - 23 minutes ago
Icebergs Head From Antarctica for New Zealand Ships in the south Pacific Ocean have been alerted that hundreds of icebergs believed to have split off Antarctic ice shelves are drifting north toward New Zealand, officials said Tuesday. Ray Lilley, AP NEWS - 24 minutes ago
Ohio Senator Says No to Workers Comp for Illegals A Republican state senator in Ohio wants to prohibit the nation’s largest state-run injured worker insurance program from providing benefits to illegal immigrants, a change he said should lower business premiums. Stephen Majors, AP NEWS - 26 minutes ago
Airlines: No Review for Frequent Flier Programs The airline industry says there’s no need to interfere with frequent flier programs despite U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer’s request for a federal review to protect consumers. Staff, AP NEWS - 28 minutes ago
Heinz 2Q Profit Falls, But Sales Improve H.J. Heinz Co.’s second-quarter profit dropped 16 percent from last year, when the company’s results were boosted by currency shifts. Staff, AP NEWS - 28 minutes ago
Australian PM Urges Parliament to Approve Carbon Cuts Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd urged parliament Tuesday to approve legislation aiming to slash carbon pollution by up to 25 percent by 2020 ahead of next month’s global talks on climate change. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 31 minutes ago
First Particles Smashed in Large Hadron Collider Two circulating beams on Monday produced the first particle collisions in the world’s biggest atom smasher, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), three days after its restart, scientists announced. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 31 minutes ago
Google to Digitise Iraq Museum Archives: CEO US Internet giant Google will soon begin digitising artefacts and documents at Iraq’s National Museum, its chief executive said in Baghdad on Tuesday. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 31 minutes ago
Britain Begins Long-Awaited Iraq War Probe A long-awaited public inquiry into Britain’s role in the Iraq war opened on Tuesday, with the chairman vowing not to “shy away from criticism” of individuals or institutions over the controversial conflict. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 31 minutes ago
Google to Digitise Iraq Museum Archives: CEO US Internet giant Google will soon begin digitising artefacts and documents at Iraq’s National Museum, its chief executive said on a visit to Baghdad on Tuesday. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 31 minutes ago
Shalit Prisoner Swap ‘Very Close:’ Israeli Minister An Israeli minister said on Tuesday that a deal with the Islamist movement Hamas to swap a Gaza-held soldier for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners was “very close.” Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 31 minutes ago
DR Congo War Crimes Trial Begins at The Hague Two Congolese militiamen accused of seeking to wipe out a village blocking a strategic route in an ethnic war pleaded not guilty to war crimes in the International Criminal Court on Tuesday. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 32 minutes ago
DR Congo War Crimes Trial Starts at The Hague Two Congolese militiamen pleaded not guilty on Tuesday when they were accused of planning to wipe out an entire village as their men killed civilians, raped women and enslaved child soldiers. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 32 minutes ago
Philippines Massacre Toll Hits 46 The Philippines declared a state of emergency in parts of the volatile south on Tuesday as anger spiralled over a savage political massacre that has left at least 46 people dead. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 32 minutes ago
Philippines Calls Emergency as Massacre Toll Hits 46 The Philippines declared a state of emergency in parts of the volatile south on Tuesday as anger spiralled over a savage political massacre that left at least 46 people dead. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 32 minutes ago
Obama Afghan Strategy Decision ‘Within Days’ The White House on Tuesday signaled the end of months of deliberations on US strategy toward Afghanistan, announcing that President Barack Obama would reveal his decision within days. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 32 minutes ago
Ukrainian Killed in Pirate Attack off W.Africa Coast Pirates attacked an oil tanker off the coast of west Africa, killing a Ukrainian seaman, the commander of Benin’s naval forces told AFP Tuesday. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 32 minutes ago
Oil Prices Mixed Amid Demand Concerns World oil prices diverged within a narrow range on Tuesday on lingering concerns about weak energy demand. Afp, AFP GLOBAL EDITION - 32 minutes ago
Indonesian Minister Defends Bank Bailout Indonesia’s finance minister and central bank chief on Tuesday defended a 704-million-dollar lifeline thrown to a failed lender, which has become the centre of the country’s latest graft scandal. Afp, AFP ASIAN EDITION - 32 minutes ago
Beckham Is ‘Long-Term Asthma Sufferer’ England midfielder David Beckham has suffered from asthma since he was a boy, but it does not affect his performance, his agent was quoted as saying Tuesday. Afp, AFP EUROPEAN EDITION - 32 minutes ago
Severe Reactions to Swine Flu Vaccine: WHO An unusual number of severe allergic reactions to swine flu vaccinations have been recorded in Canada, where a batch of the vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline has been recalled, the WHO said on Tuesday. Afp, AFP AMERICAN EDITION - 32 minutes ago
Judge Likes NW Salmon Plan But Sees Legal Flaw A federal judge says the government’s latest plans for making Columbia Basin dams safer for salmon look good, but a legal flaw could delay his approval. Tim Fought, AP NEWS - 32 minutes ago
GlaxoSmithKline Pulls Swine Flu Vaccines in Canada Pharmaceuticals company GlaxoSmithKline PLC said Tuesday it has advised medical staff in Canada to not use one batch of swine flu vaccines in case they trigger life-threatening allergies. Meera Selva, AP NEWS - 35 minutes ago
Opposition Backs Australian Carbon Reduction Bill Australia’s opposition leader Tuesday pledged his party’s support for contentious legislation proposed by the government aimed at curbing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. Rod McGuirk, AP NEWS - 38 minutes ago
Warner Music 4Q Results Hurt by Severance Costs Warner Music Group Corp., one of the nation’s largest record companies, on Tuesday posted a loss in the fourth quarter as severance costs weighed on results despite a strong slate of music releases from artists including Jay-Z and Madonna. Staff, AP NEWS - 38 minutes ago
Palin Heads to Fla. Town That Feted Her in 2008 Sarah Palin’s “Going Rogue” book tour is heading to a Florida retirement community where she attracted a crowd of tens of thousands as the Republican vice presidential nominee. Staff, AP NEWS - 38 minutes ago
Iran Said Ready for Uranium Exchange on Its Soil Iran said Tuesday it was ready to exchange its low-enriched uranium with a higher enriched material, but only on its own soil, to guarantee the West follows through with promises to give the fuel. Nasser Karimi, AP NEWS - 38 minutes ago
Prostitute Linked to Berlusconi Feels Threatened The prostitute at the center of Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s sex scandal has written a book, saying she feels betrayed by him and has been frightened by threats, including the ransacking of her home. Staff, AP NEWS - 41 minutes ago
© 2009 Polity Media, Inc.