AP News
Toys R Us invades the mall for the holidays
Toys R Us plans to invade the mall this holiday season, opening 600 temporary "Express" stores in malls and other shopping centers around the country, more than six times last year's count, and hiring 10,000 seasonal workers.
Asian shares mostly rise as Europe worries ease
Asian shares were mostly higher Thursday following advances on Wall Street and in Europe after a successful bond sale by Portugal eased worries over the debt crisis. But Chinese shares fell after the banking regulator warned of risks in the financial system.
Nissan team checks quality in Thai-made March cars
Thai-made Nissan March subcompact cars _ the first major model from a Japanese automaker being mass produced abroad for sale in Japan _ are getting extra scrutiny from a team of quality experts to meet choosey consumer standards, a senior executive said Thursday.
SEC defends $75 million deal with Citigroup
The government is defending as "fair and adequate" its $75 million settlement with Citigroup Inc. over charges it misled investors about billions in potential losses from subprime mortgages.
Bank of Korea keeps interest rate near record low
South Korea's central bank left its key interest rate near a record low Thursday for a second straight month as the risk of slowing global growth outweighed a buoyant outlook for the local economy.
Oil hovers near $75 amid US crude supply drop
Oil prices hovered near $75 a barrel Thursday in Asia after a report showed U.S. crude inventories fell more than expected, suggesting demand may be improving.
BP report blames itself, others for oil spill
BP took some of the blame for the Gulf oil disaster in an internal report issued Wednesday, acknowledging among other things that it misinterpreted a key pressure test of the well. But in a possible preview of its legal strategy, it also pointed the finger at its partners on the doomed rig.
Appeals court lets government halt torture lawsuit
A sharply divided federal appeals court on Wednesday threw out a lawsuit challenging a controversial post-Sept. 11 CIA program that flew terrorism suspects to secret prisons.
Obama firm, won't yield on tax hike for wealthiest
Politically weakened but refusing to bend, President Barack Obama insisted Wednesday that Bush-era tax cuts be cut off for the wealthiest Americans, joining battle with Republicans _ and some fellow Democrats _ just two months before bruising midterm elections.
Fed survey sees slower growth in East and Midwest
The economy lost strength in late summer as factory production weakened in areas of the East Coast and Midwest.
Entertainment
( top )
APNewsBreak: Spears' ex disputes abuse claims
An attorney for Britney Spears' ex-husband called child abuse claims leveled at the singer by a former bodyguard baseless and motivated by money.
Colbert, VP Biden fete troops with hot dogs, beer
A hot dog vending cart was wheeled back and forth. Cocktail waitresses hurried past with trays full of beer. Vice President Joe Biden led New York Yankees great Yogi Berra by the arm.
Venice: Tsui revives Chinese hero Detective Dee
Hong Kong's action film master Tsui Hark returns to the big screen with "Detective Dee and the Mystery of Phantom Flame", a new cloak-and-dagger martial arts blockbuster set in the Tang dynasty.
MTV's `Snooki' fined $500 for bothering beachgoers
Calling her "a Lindsay Lohan wannabe," a judge fined "Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi $500 on Wednesday and ordered her to perform community service after she pleaded guilty to disturbing others on a beach in July.
Pratt to Montag: Sorry for my outrageous behavior
Former "The Hills" star Spencer Pratt is apologizing to his estranged wife, Heidi Montag, for acting out in their breakup.
Final 4 acts advance on 'America's Got Talent'
Three very different singers and a group of special-effects wizards got talent _ and votes.
Ruling doubles Don Johnson's 'Nash Bridges' award
A judge on Wednesday doubled Don Johnson's jury award for profits from the TV series "Nash Bridges" to more than $51 million.
Vanity Fair reporter speaks out about Palin story
The controversy over a Vanity Fair article about Sarah Palin continued Wednesday with the reporter disputing a conservative activist's claim that she tried to prevent him from mistaking her child for Palin's.
Hack attack hits home for AP writer
The Twitterverse is full of far more mysterious forces than indecipherable trending topics and Lady Gaga.
Hong Kong model arrested after Nevada desert event
A Hong Kong fashion model was busted on felony drug charges at the Burning Man counterculture festival in Nevada and crashed her rented motor home into Reno's landmark arch the next day, authorities said Wednesday.
Appeals court lets government halt torture lawsuit
A sharply divided federal appeals court on Wednesday threw out a lawsuit challenging a controversial post-Sept. 11 CIA program that flew terrorism suspects to secret prisons.
Fla. minister determined to hold 9/11 Quran burn
A top general, the secretary of state, the White House and political and religious leaders from around the world have decried a plan by the leader of a small Florida church to burn copies of Islam's holiest text to mark the 9/11 attacks. The Rev. Terry Jones is not backing down.
Obama firm, won't yield on tax hike for wealthiest
Politically weakened but refusing to bend, President Barack Obama insisted Wednesday that Bush-era tax cuts be cut off for the wealthiest Americans, joining battle with Republicans _ and some fellow Democrats _ just two months before bruising midterm elections.
Colorado wildfire destroys more than 130 homes
A wildfire burning in the canyons and steep mountainsides near Boulder became one of the most destructive blazes in Colorado history Wednesday as authorities determined it had destroyed at least 135 homes in just three days.
BP report blames itself, others for oil spill
BP took some of the blame for the Gulf oil disaster in an internal report issued Wednesday, acknowledging among other things that it misinterpreted a key pressure test of the well. But in a possible preview of its legal strategy, it also pointed the finger at its partners on the doomed rig.
AP Exclusive: Backers of NYC mosque appear divided
The group of Muslims planning to build a 13-story Islamic center and mosque near ground zero appears plagued by divisions that raise questions about the future of the project, with one major investor saying he is prepared to sell some or all of the site if the price is right.
Highway deaths fall to lowest level since 1950
The number of people dying on the nation's roads has fallen to its lowest level in six decades, helped by a combination of seat belts, safer cars and tougher enforcement of drunken driving laws.
Google search accelerates with 'instant' results
Google Inc. stepped on its Internet search accelerator Wednesday by adding a feature that displays results as soon as people begin typing their requests.
APNewsBreak: Spears' ex disputes abuse claims
An attorney for Britney Spears' ex-husband called child abuse claims leveled at the singer by a former bodyguard baseless and motivated by money.
Federer tops Soderling, reaches US Open semifinals
On this evening, certainly, Roger Federer was back to his old self.
Group backs mandatory flu shots for health workers
Flu vaccination should be required for all doctors, nurses and other health workers, the nation's largest pediatricians' group says, calling it a long overdue step to protect patients.
CVS Caremark to give away up to $5M in flu shots
CVS Caremark Corp. said Wednesday it will give away up to $5 million in seasonal flu vaccinations to people without health insurance.
AP Exclusive: Back to work after salmonella case
The peanut industry executive whose filthy processing plants were blamed in a salmonella outbreak two years ago that killed nine people and sickened hundreds more is back in the business.
J&J giving $200 million for health of women, kids
Health giant Johnson & Johnson is donating about $200 million in cash and medicine to a sweeping United Nations program created to improve the health and lives of people in poor countries.
US smoking rate still stuck at 1 in 5 adults
U.S. smoking rates continue to hold steady, at about one in five adults lighting up regularly, frustrated health officials reported Tuesday.
FDA cites claims on 2 green tea beverages
Federal health regulators have issued warnings to the makers of Canada Dry ginger ale and Lipton tea for making unsubstantiated nutritional claims about their green tea-flavored beverages.
FDA relents from midodrine withdrawal plan
Federal regulators have backed off a plan to remove a Shire PLC low blood-pressure treatment from the market after warning in August that the drug has not been proven effective.
Court asked to keep stem cell money flowing
The Obama administration is asking a federal appeals court to lift an order blocking federal funding for some stem cell research, a day after being turned down by the judge who issued the order.
Japan confirms its first case of new superbug gene
Japan has confirmed the nation's first case of a new gene in bacteria that allows the microorganisms to become drug-resistant superbugs, detected in a man who had medical treatment in India, a Health Ministry official said Tuesday.
Picking right blood pressure medicine challenging
It's hard to predict which pills will best lower which patient's high blood pressure, but researchers are hunting ways to better personalize therapy _ perhaps even using a blood test.
Quick Hit football video game gets NFL makeover
Thursday marks the kickoff of the 2010 NFL season, and along with it, a renewed interest in fantasy leagues and video games that let Monday-morning quarterbacks feel as if they're part of the action.
Google search accelerates with 'instant' results
Google Inc. stepped on its Internet search accelerator Wednesday by adding a feature that displays results as soon as people begin typing their requests.
Microsoft's Xbox ready for bigger battle in Japan
Battling its Japanese gaming rivals on their home turf hasn't been easy for Microsoft Corp. Its Xbox 360 game console runs a distant third in sales here behind Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3 console and Nintendo Co.'s Wii.
Review: Ping a handy iTunes add-on with promise
Apple Inc.'s new music-discovery feature, Ping, is a potentially useful addition to iTunes. With it, you can see what songs your friends are buying and recommend some of your favorites to them.
Oracle plans to give Hurd $950,000 annual salary
Oracle Corp. plans to pay newly appointed co-President Mark Hurd a base salary of $950,000 annually and said the ousted Hewlett-Packard Co. CEO is eligible for a target bonus of $5 million in the current fiscal year.
NYC burger joint lets customers add to the menu
Ever chow down at a restaurant and think, "I could do better"? A new burger joint is giving you the chance to prove it.
Military bans video game that 'kills' US troops
Military bases across the U.S. have banned the sale of a new video game that lets a player pretend to be a Taliban fighter and "shoot" U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
HP's interim chief says Oracle alliance 'strained'
Hewlett-Packard Co.'s quarter-century alliance with Oracle Corp. has been "strained" by the dispute over Oracle's hiring of ousted HP CEO Mark Hurd, HP's interim chief said Wednesday.
Hack attack hits home for AP writer
The Twitterverse is full of far more mysterious forces than indecipherable trending topics and Lady Gaga.
Craigslist urged to drop adult services worldwide
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and national nonprofit organizations said Tuesday they want Craigslist to be "a model for good policy" and officially get rid of its adult services section globally.
International
( top )
Fidel latest to say Cuba's communism doesn't work
Cuba's communist economic model has come in for criticism from an unlikely source: Fidel Castro.
3rd Mexican mayor in month slain by hit men
The third Mexican mayor in a month was slain by suspected drug gang hitmen on the same day the U.S. secretary of state raised hackles in Mexico by saying the country is "looking more and more like Colombia looked 20 years ago."
4th US missile strike in 24 hrs in Pakistan
A suspected American missile strike killed five alleged militants in northwestern Pakistan early Thursday, an intelligence official said, the fourth attack in 24 hours as the U.S. steps up the tactic to keep al-Qaida and its allies under pressure.
China's blind activist lawyer released from prison
A blind, self-taught activist lawyer who documented forced abortions and other abuses was released from a Chinese prison Thursday and promptly locked down in his rural village with no access to communication, a relative said.
China boat captain could stand trial for collision
The captain of a Chinese fishing boat that collided with Japanese patrol vessels near disputed islands could stand trial in the latest territorial spat between the neighbors, officials said Thursday.
Australia's new crop of lawmakers meet in Canberra
Among the newly elected legislators who congregated for the first time Thursday at Parliament House were Australia's first Muslim lawmaker, its youngest-ever at 20 years old and the first Aboriginal in the House of Representatives.
Dynasty speculation on North Korea founding day
North Korea celebrated its 62nd anniversary Thursday with odes to supreme leader Kim Jong Il, amid uncertainty over whether a rare political meeting believed aimed at promoting his son as successor had begun.
South Korea imposes independent sanctions on Iran
South Korea said it will ban many financial dealings with Iran and impose other penalties as part of a U.S.-led campaign to enforce sanctions against the country over its disputed nuclear enrichment program.
East Timor deputy PM quits amid spat with boss
One of East Timor's deputy prime ministers said he has resigned after Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao publicly called him a "liar" for his outspoken critiques of the government's failure to tackle corruption and improve people's lives.
European pressure mounts on Iran over stoning case
European Union nations and the continent's biggest human rights organization slammed Iran on Wednesday for its plan to stone a woman convicted of adultery, while Iran's ambassador to the Vatican said there is "hope" the punishment could be eased upon review by Iranian authorities.
Clinton: Dems battling anger, apathy and amnesia
Former President Bill Clinton said Wednesday it would be a mistake for voters to give in to "anger, apathy and amnesia" and deprive Arkansas of the Senate Agriculture chairmanship by defeating Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln.
Chicago mulls future without Daley power at helm
The last time Chicago was left without a Daley at the helm, the next mayor was thrown out of office by voters angry because he couldn't keep snow off the streets.
Appeals court lets government halt torture lawsuit
A sharply divided federal appeals court on Wednesday threw out a lawsuit challenging a controversial post-Sept. 11 CIA program that flew terrorism suspects to secret prisons.
Obama firm, won't yield on tax hike for wealthiest
Politically weakened but refusing to bend, President Barack Obama insisted Wednesday that Bush-era tax cuts be cut off for the wealthiest Americans, joining battle with Republicans _ and some fellow Democrats _ just two months before bruising midterm elections.
AP Interview: Flooding hurts Pakistan terror fight
Massive flooding that has submerged vast swaths of Pakistan has stretched thin the Pakistani military and will hamper its fight against terrorists, the country's ambassador to the U.S. said Wednesday.
Highway deaths fall to lowest level since 1950
The number of people dying on the nation's roads has fallen to its lowest level in six decades, helped by a combination of seat belts, safer cars and tougher enforcement of drunken driving laws.
US embassies brace for Quran burning protests
The State Department has ordered U.S. embassies around the world to assess their security ahead of a Florida church group's planned weekend burning of the Muslim holy book amid fears it could spark anti-American violence.
ADWATCH: Ads attacking health plan miss some facts
When it comes to sorting out President Barack Obama's health care initiative, take three political ads and call a doctor in the morning.
Military bans video game that 'kills' US troops
Military bases across the U.S. have banned the sale of a new video game that lets a player pretend to be a Taliban fighter and "shoot" U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Agency promises to beef up presence at races
The agency charged with monitoring off-road racing on federal lands is promising to increase staffing and crack down on violations of racing permits.
Religion news in brief
In a move that stunned parishioners, the Boston Archdiocese shut down a Quincy church last weekend, five years after it was allowed to remain open as a chapel.
Abstinent Mormon farmers grow barley for beer
Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo might seem like an unlikely person to be pushing a bill to cut federal taxes on small beer-makers: A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he abstains from alcohol.
Would you like 1 hump or 2 with your dinosaur?
The weird world of dinosaurs has just gotten a tad more bizarre. Scientists found a nearly complete fossil of a new dinosaur that sports a noticeable hump, maybe as possible advertising.
Turtle egg rescue at space center billed success
The unprecedented turtle rescue effort at NASA's Kennedy Space Center is winding down.
Water main break at space center stalls shuttle
A water main break at NASA's spaceport put launch preparations on temporary hold Wednesday for the next-to-last shuttle flight.
Microbes are eating BP oil without using up oxygen
Government scientists studying the BP disaster are reporting the best possible outcome: Microbes are consuming the oil in the Gulf without depleting the oxygen in the water and creating "dead zones" where fish cannot survive.
Gunmen kill Iraqi TV journalist in Mosul
Gunmen on Wednesday killed an Iraqi TV journalist, the second to be slain in Iraq in as many days, highlighting the dangers media workers continue to face in the country seven years after the U.S.-led invasion.
Big quake aftershocks plague New Zealand city
A strong aftershock rocked terrified residents of New Zealand's earthquake-stricken city of Christchurch on Wednesday, as officials doubled their estimate for repairing the damage following nearly 300 temblors in five days.
2 asteroids to whiz harmlessly past Earth
NASA says two small asteroids discovered just days ago will zip harmlessly past Earth on Wednesday, a double flyby that should be visible through a telescope.
Report: Money can buy you happiness, to a point
They say money can't buy happiness. They're wrong.
Ancient city by the sea rises amid Egypt's resorts
Today, it's a sprawl of luxury vacation homes where Egypt's wealthy play on the white beaches of the Mediterranean coast. But 2,000 years ago, this was a thriving Greco-Roman port city, boasting villas of merchants grown rich on the wheat and olive trade.
Japan confirms its first case of new superbug gene
Japan has confirmed the nation's first case of a new gene in bacteria that allows the microorganisms to become drug-resistant superbugs, detected in a man who had medical treatment in India, a Health Ministry official said Tuesday.
Reggie Bush: Heisman matter 'out of my hands'
Reggie Bush declined to go into any detail Wednesday on what he knows about the status of his 2005 Heisman Trophy.
Clemens' lawyers ask NY judge to toss suit
A defamation lawsuit against Roger Clemens should be thrown out because the seven-time Cy Young Award winner was merely trying to defend himself against his former personal trainer's doping allegations, Clemens' lawyers argued Wednesday.
Vikings-Saints 'encore' kicks off NFL season
The Saints' first Super Bowl title was so big in New Orleans that Mardi Gras, a revered local institution dating back well more than a century, became popularly known as, "Lombardi Gras."
Federer tops Soderling, reaches US Open semifinals
On this evening, certainly, Roger Federer was back to his old self.
Joyce to umpire near-perfect Galarraga's start
When Armando Galarraga steps onto the mound to face Baltimore on Friday night, the Tigers pitcher will see a familiar face behind home plate in umpire Jim Joyce.
Ingram back running, still doubtful
Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram has not returned to practice for No. 1 Alabama and while Nick Saban said the injured running back is unlikely to play against No. 18 Penn State on Saturday, the coach isn't necessarily counting his star out.
Woods embracing a new swing
His swing was a mess, and so was his marriage.
Davidson says he ejected fan because of slur
Veteran umpire Bob Davidson says he ejected a fan at Miller Park because the fan used a homophobic slur aimed at Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina.
Georgia's A.J. Green suspended for 4 games
Georgia star receiver A.J. Green was suspended by the NCAA for four games on Wednesday for selling a bowl jersey for $1,000 to someone who qualifies as an agent.
Ochocinco's coach calls his tweets "nonsense"
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis doesn't care about Chad Ochocinco's dinner plans or anything else in his personal life.
Tended lawn's wedding proposal works for Mich. man
Extra water, some fertilizer and a lot of patience was all one Michigan lawn service owner needed to convince his lady to say "I do."
Xbox blocks W.Va. gamer over town's name: Fort Gay
Microsoft Corp. and the chief rules enforcer for Xbox Live are apologizing to a small West Virginia town and a 26-year-old gamer accused of violating the online gaming service's code of conduct by publicly declaring he's from Fort Gay _ a name the company considered offensive.
Proposed slogan: 'Low pants, no chance'
A Baton Rouge Metro Council member wants the parish to support a public awareness campaign against men who wear their pants so low that their boxer shorts show. Councilwoman C. Denise Marcelle has a slogan for the campaign: "Low pants, no chance."
A class to die for: Zombies 101 at U. Baltimore
Call it Zombies 101.
Ky. farmer claims some corn popped on the stalk
A Hardin County farmer said that some ears among his feed corn rows popped on the stalk in a phenomenon that agricultural experts believe is associated with irregular rainfall and high heat.
Bobcat climbing power pole starts 5-acre fire
A bobcat climbing a power pole got electrocuted and sparked a five-acre brush fire in California's Ventura County. County fire Capt. Dan Preston told the Ventura County Star that the bobcat was apparently chasing an owl or another bird when it touched the power lines, caught fire and fell to the ground in a rural area near Piru.
Police arrest man who scaled San Francisco tower
San Francisco police have arrested a man who scaled the exterior of a 58-story downtown skyscraper and unfurled an American flag at the top.
Philly cyclists bare all to promote cleaner air
Hundreds of naked and partially nude cyclists have pedaled their way through Philadelphia to promote bicycling awareness and cleaner air.
Nevada candidate touts speedy fix to budget crisis
One Nevada gubernatorial hopeful sees a speedy fix to Nevada's budget crisis. Nonpartisan candidate Eugene "Gino" DiSimone believes people would pay for the privilege to drive up to 90 mph on designated highways _ and fill the state's depleted coffers.
Montana teen accidentally texts sheriff to buy pot
General rule of thumb: when looking to buy marijuana, don't text the sheriff. Authorities said a Helena teen hit a wrong number and inadvertently sent a message to Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton, saying "Hey Dawg, do you have a $20 I can buy right now?"
Today-in-history
( top )
Today in History
Today is Thursday, Sept. 9, the 252nd day of 2010. There are 113 days left in the year.
Fla. minister determined to hold 9/11 Quran burn
A top general, the secretary of state, the White House and political and religious leaders from around the world have decried a plan by the leader of a small Florida church to burn copies of Islam's holiest text to mark the 9/11 attacks. The Rev. Terry Jones is not backing down.
AP Exclusive: Backers of NYC mosque appear divided
The group of Muslims planning to build a 13-story Islamic center and mosque near ground zero appears plagued by divisions that raise questions about the future of the project, with one major investor saying he is prepared to sell some or all of the site if the price is right.
Wind-whipped fires add to Detroit's economic woes
For a city already struggling with high unemployment, widespread foreclosures and deep budget cuts, here was another crisis: Wind-whipped fires tearing through row after row of homes, some of them abandoned.
LA police chief booed at community meeting
Police Chief Charlie Beck was greeted with boos, whistles and chants of "justicia" by an angry crowd at a community meeting Wednesday intended to quell violence that erupted over the past two nights after police fatally shot a knife-wielding man.
Highway deaths fall to lowest level since 1950
The number of people dying on the nation's roads has fallen to its lowest level in six decades, helped by a combination of seat belts, safer cars and tougher enforcement of drunken driving laws.
Appeals court lets government halt torture lawsuit
A sharply divided federal appeals court on Wednesday threw out a lawsuit challenging a controversial post-Sept. 11 CIA program that flew terrorism suspects to secret prisons.
Fla. pastor on fringe of US Christian life
The Florida pastor who plans to burn the Quran on the anniversary of 9/11 is rooted in Pentecostal tradition that believes Christians are engaged in a modern-day spiritual battle with evil.
Colorado wildfire destroys more than 130 homes
A wildfire burning in the canyons and steep mountainsides near Boulder became one of the most destructive blazes in Colorado history Wednesday as authorities determined it had destroyed at least 135 homes in just three days.
Remnants of Hermine flood Texas; buffet Oklahoma
The remnants of Tropical Storm Hermine swept northward through Texas and into Oklahoma on Wednesday, forcing more than 100 high-water rescues, swamping city neighborhoods, spawning tornadoes and killing at least two people.
BP report blames itself, others for oil spill
BP took some of the blame for the Gulf oil disaster in an internal report issued Wednesday, acknowledging among other things that it misinterpreted a key pressure test of the well. But in a possible preview of its legal strategy, it also pointed the finger at its partners on the doomed rig.
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