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• Severe storms blast South, Midwest

  January 23, 2012 10:08 AM

  CLAY, Ala. (AP) -- Two people were killed in the Birmingham, Ala., area as storms pounded the South and Midwest, prompting tornado warnings in a handful of states early Monday. At least one of the areas affected by the storms, which were part of a system that stretched from... more »

• Stock market down more than 500 points

  August 10, 2011 4:09 PM

  (AP) - Dow closes down 520 points; S&P 500 and Nasdaq down more than 4 percent. Stocks are finishing the day with sharp declines, as investors turn their attention back to the weak economy. As for yesterday's late-afternoon surge that saw the market finish with solid gains, investors and... more »

• Government to report on $1 trillion-plus deficit

  October 15, 2010 8:10 AM

  Another $1 trillion budget deficit could give administration critics more to talk about just ahead of the November midterm election. The Obama administration is set to report Friday that the federal budget deficit exceeded $1 trillion for the second straight year. The Congressional Budget Office is projecting that... more »

• Global oil demand seen stronger than expected

  October 13, 2010 8:21 AM

  The International Energy Agency says it has raised its forecast for global oil demand this year and next following new data showing stronger-than-expected economic growth, especially in rich developed economies. The Paris-based energy watchdog says global demand for crude will reach 86.9 million barrels a day this year, up... more »

• Genetically engineered salmon now on FDA's plate

  September 20, 2010 6:23 AM

  The Food and Drug Administration is starting two days of hearings on whether genetically engineered salmon should be sold in a store near you. If the answer is yes, this type of salmon could become the first genetically engineered animal approved for human consumption. The FDA already has said... more »

• More college grads default on student loans

  September 13, 2010 3:45 PM

  The number of people defaulting on their federal student loans is climbing, and those who attend for-profit schools remain the most likely group to default, according to new government data released Monday. The U.S. Department of Education says numbers from fiscal year 2008 show 7 percent of borrowers of... more »

• EPA wants to know chemicals used in gas drilling

  September 10, 2010 8:53 AM

  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is asking nine natural gas service companies to voluntarily list the chemicals used in the process that extracts natural gas from deep below the earth. The federal agency said Thursday that the data is key to its study of the health impact of hydraulic... more »

• New filings for jobless benefits tumble

  September 9, 2010 10:42 AM

  The number of people signing up for unemployment benefits dropped to the lowest level in two months, an encouraging sign that companies aren't resorting to deeper layoffs even as the economy has lost momentum. The Labor Department says new claims for unemployment aid dropped last week by a seasonally... more »

• BP says cost of Gulf of Mexico spill hits $8 billion

  September 3, 2010 8:28 AM

  BP says it has so far spent $8 billion responding to the disastrous oil well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico. The company said Friday that the total included $399 million paid to settle 127,000 claims from businesses and other affected by the oil spill. The oil company... more »

• NC vacation island to be cleared as Hurricane nears

  September 1, 2010 8:15 AM

  Tourists on a North Carolina vacation destination island are being asked to board ferries and head for the mainland ahead of powerful Hurricane Earl. More evacuations could be on the way as Earl threatens to sideswipe the East Coast and ruin vacation plans for people over the long Labor... more »

• 2010 budget red ink: $1.3 trillion

  August 19, 2010 10:32 AM

  Congress' budget analysts are estimating that this year's federal deficit will exceed $1.3 trillion, slightly below last year's total but still a huge ocean of red ink. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the enormous shortfall is a result of the still struggling economy, which has meant lower federal... more »

• Goodbye Iraq: Last US combat brigade heads home

  August 19, 2010 8:15 AM

  Staff Sergeant Luke Dill was an 18-year-old specialist, when he rolled into Iraq as part of the U.S. invasion. Now, after two tours of duty, he's 25 and says he's proud to be leaving the country with the last of the U.S. combat units. Troops of the 4th Stryker... more »

• Defense Secretary to retire next year

  August 16, 2010 12:08 PM

  Defense Secretary Robert Gates says he plans to leave his job next year. A Republican and holdover from the Bush administration, Gates had agreed to stay on at the request of President Barack Obama. The move was intended to maintain stability at a time of two wars, although Gates... more »

• Obama to sign $600 million border security bill

  August 13, 2010 8:20 AM

  President Barack Obama is signing a bill Friday to put more agents and equipment along the Mexican border. The Senate passed the $600 million measure during a special session Thursday. The border security measure would fund the hiring of 1,000 new Border Patrol agents, plus 250 Immigration and Customs... more »

• Home foreclosures jump 9 percent in July

  August 12, 2010 10:09 AM

  The number of homes lost to foreclosures surged again in July as lenders took back almost 93,000 properties, up nine percent from June. In a new NBC-Wall Street Journal poll, only 29 percent of respondents felt the economy has hit bottom; 64 percent say there is still a ways... more »

• Mexican drug gangs using US forests

  August 12, 2010 8:19 AM

  Federal prosecutors believe a single drug organization is behind several marijuana farms that were raided by authorities in a national forest in northeast Wisconsin. Eight men were charged Wednesday after agents raided growing plots in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Investigators say they also found a house transformed into a... more »

• Company job openings drop for 2nd straight month

  August 11, 2010 11:18 AM

  Company job openings fell for the second straight month in June, a sign that hiring isn't likely to pick up in the coming months. The Labor Department says job openings at businesses fell to 2.54 million from 2.6 million in May. Overall openings were unchanged, as government openings ticked... more »

• Arizona to Washington: Give us the money

  August 11, 2010 9:21 AM

  More agents and more drones along the Mexican border are just what states like Arizona are demanding from Washington. And Arizona Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick wants the in-recess Senate to act quickly to make it happen. A spokesman for Majority Leader Harry Reid says they're hoping for passage by the... more »

• House to consider Jobs Bill

  August 10, 2010 8:32 AM

  House Democrats are convening an emergency session to pass a bill aimed at saving hundreds of thousands of teachers and other public workers from unemployment. The one-day session Tuesday also may address another issue that will be on voters' minds this November - lax border security - with passage... more »

• Statue of Liberty to get new staircase for safety

  August 9, 2010 9:47 AM

  The 354 steps that spiral up to the Statue of Liberty's crown are the only escape route for visitors in case of an emergency. When a smoke alarm tripped inside last month, hundreds of tourists were rushed down the equivalent of 15 flights of stairs. Firefighters would need to... more »

• Obama playing host to Super Bowl champs

  August 9, 2010 8:53 AM

  Now that training camp is underway for the new NFL season, President Barack Obama will welcome the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints to the White House on Monday. The Saints will hold a football clinic with Washington-area children before the event with Obama. After their White House meeting,... more »

• Senate passes bill to save teacher, police jobs

  August 5, 2010 12:23 PM

  Legislation long sought by Democrats to prevent layoffs of tens of thousands of teachers, police and other public workers has passed the Senate. The bill would help states and local school boards deal with severe budget problems. It would preserve the jobs of perhaps 300,000 public employees across the... more »

• BP could begin capping operation today

  August 3, 2010 8:07 AM

  BP engineers in the Gulf of Mexico want to start sealing up the blown-out oil well today, but first they're running a test. They plan to probe the busted blowout preventer with an oil-like liquid to determine whether it can handle the sealing-up process, called a "static kill." If... more »

• Mortgage rates hit record low of 4.54 pct.

  July 29, 2010 10:15 AM

  Mortgage rates dropped to the lowest level on record for the fifth time in six weeks, making homebuying and refinancing the most attractive in decades for those who can get loans. Freddie Mac says the average rate for 30-year fixed loans this week was 4.54 percent, down from 4.56... more »

• EPA: 1 million gallons of oil may be in Mich. river

  July 29, 2010 8:33 AM

  Federal officials now estimate that more than 1 million gallons of oil may have spilled into a major river in southern Michigan. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the update Wednesday night, shortly after the governor sharply criticized efforts to contain oil flowing down the Kalamazoo River. Gov. Jennifer... more »

• Shuttle contractor laying off 1,400 workers

  July 28, 2010 4:38 PM

  The private contractor that handles the bulk of the work servicing NASA's space shuttle fleet is notifying 1,400 employees in Florida, Texas and Alabama that they will be laid off in the fall. United Space Alliance this week began telling workers, including 900 employees at the Kennedy Space Center,... more »

• Pentagon looks at damage from Afghan War leaks

  July 26, 2010 12:39 PM

  The Defense Department is conducting a damage assessment on the leak of some 91,000 classified documents on the Afghanistan war. Pentagon spokesman Col. Dave Lapan told reporters Monday the review could take "days, if not weeks" because the military has yet to see all of the leaked reports. ... more »

• Biologists to release baby turtles in Gulf

  July 26, 2010 11:06 AM

  Biologists are making a bet on the annual release of thousands of endangered baby sea turtles. They're being released into the western Gulf of Mexico in hopes the oil-fouled waters of the eastern Gulf will be cleaned up by the time the turtles arrive. The plan's supporters say the... more »

• Facebook nears half-billion accounts

  July 20, 2010 11:24 AM

  Facebook, the undisputed heavyweight champ of social networking sites a celebrates a milestone this week--it will sign up user number 500-million. Annette Stewart, one of those nearly half a billion users explains why she can't stop using the site. "Before it was a way to communicate with friends. Although... more »

• Home construction sinks to lowest level since Oct.

  July 20, 2010 9:17 AM

  Home construction plunged last month to the lowest level since October as the economy remained weak and demand for housing plummeted. The Commerce Department says construction of new homes and apartments in June fell 5 percent from a month earlier to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 549,000. May's... more »

• Homebuilders lose confidence in housing market

  July 19, 2010 12:46 PM

  Homebuilders' confidence in the housing market has sunk to the lowest level in more than a year, fresh evidence that the economic recovery is slowing. The National Association of Home Builders said Monday its seasonally adjusted housing market index fell to 14 in July. It was the lowest level... more »

• 5 Great Lakes states sue feds over Asian carp

  July 19, 2010 12:12 PM

  Five states are suing the federal government and Chicago's water department in federal court, demanding stronger action to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes. Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota and Pennsylvania filed the lawsuit Monday in U.S. District Court in northern Illinois. It seeks an order to close... more »

• DC area shaken by minor earthquake

  July 16, 2010 8:36 AM

  The Washington, D.C., area was shaken by a minor earthquake. The quake hit at 3:04 a.m. MDT with a magnitude of 3.6. A physicist with U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center says the quake was centered in the Rockville, Maryland, area. There were no immediate reports of... more »

• Olive oil study questions 'extra virgin' claims

  July 15, 2010 4:11 PM

  A University of California-Davis study shows that many of the olive oils sold in the United States are not the top-grade, extra-virgin oils that their labels proclaim. Researchers conducted the first academic investigation of olive oil quality by sampling popular international and national brands. American produced olive oils... more »

• House bill would make school lunches healthier

  July 15, 2010 1:19 PM

  House Democrats are moving forward on first lady Michelle Obama's vision for healthier school lunches, propelling legislation that calls for tougher standards governing food in school and more meals for hungry children. The bill approved by the House Education and Labor Committee Thursday would allow the Agriculture Department to... more »

• Economy still struggling to recover

  July 15, 2010 11:04 AM

  The latest economic reports contain new signs that the recovery remains tepid. Regional manufacturing indexes in New York and Philadelphia plummeted this month, but a national report showed modest growth in industrial output nationwide. The government also reported that first-time claims for unemployment benefits fell, but that was... more »

• BP ready to test oil well cap

  July 15, 2010 10:56 AM

  They've fixed a leak -- and now engineers for BP are getting ready to see if a new cap on the blown-out oil well in the Gulf of Mexico is enough to contain the gusher. The test will involve closing off all three openings in the cap, and then monitoring... more »

• Abducted California girl found in Phoenix

  July 15, 2010 8:28 AM

  Authorities say a girl abducted by relatives from her California foster parents nearly seven years ago when she was an infant has been found living in Phoenix. Investigators from the Phoenix Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office and FBI found the 7-year-old girl Wednesday afternoon at a Phoenix... more »

• Wildfire burning in Grand Teton National Park

  July 14, 2010 3:19 PM

  A wildfire has burned 12 acres in Grand Teton National Park and forced the closure of a trail and a viewing turnout on the Jenny Lake scenic loop road. Park officials say the fire started Tuesday afternoon in a mixed conifer forest. The cause is unknown. A ground... more »

• Turtle hatchlings from Gulf now in Atlantic

  July 14, 2010 9:13 AM

  The first sea turtle hatchlings whose eggs were evacuated from the Gulf Coast oil spill to Florida's Kennedy Space Center have been released into the Atlantic Ocean. Biologist Jane Provancha says the newborn Kemp's ridley sea turtles did well after their release. About 700 sea turtle nests -... more »

• Obama nominates Jacob Lew as budget director

  July 13, 2010 1:41 PM

  President Barack Obama has nominated Deputy Secretary of State Jacob Lew to serve as his budget director, putting him in charge of a $1 trillion-plus deficit that's a burden for the economy. Appearing at the White House, Obama saluted Lew as "somebody who has proven himself already equal to... more »

• Congress delays action on Supreme Court nominee

  July 13, 2010 12:35 PM

  The top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee has won a weeklong delay in scheduled action to send Elena Kagan's Supreme Court nomination to the full Senate for confirmation. Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama says GOP senators need more time to review written answers Kagan supplied for questions they... more »

• US trade deficit balloons in May

  July 13, 2010 9:07 AM

  The U.S. trade deficit widened in May to the highest level in 18 months as a rebounding economy pushed up demand for imports of foreign-made cars, computers and clothing. The Commerce Department says the trade deficit increased 4.8 percent to $42.3 billion, the largest imbalance since November 2008. ... more »

• Jet makes emergency landing in Aleutians

  July 13, 2010 8:58 AM

  American Airlines says one of its jets made an emergency landing on an island in Alaska's Aleutians after a fire warning light went off. Company spokesman Tim Smith says Flight 175, en route from Dallas-Fort Worth to Tokyo, landed safely on Shemya Island shortly before 4 p.m. Sunday. It... more »

• BP to start testing new cap on Gulf oil well

  July 13, 2010 8:14 AM

  Testing of a new, tighter cap on the Gulf gusher begins today to see if the device can stop the spewing crude. BP plans to gradually shut the valves to see if the oil stops or if it starts leaking from another part of the well. BP robots finished... more »

• Switzerland won't extradite Polanski to United States

  July 12, 2010 10:43 AM

  The Swiss government declared renowned film director Roman Polanski a free man on Monday after rejecting a U.S. request to extradite him on a charge of having sex in 1977 with a 13-year-old girl. The Swiss mostly blamed U.S. authorities for failing to provide confidential testimony about Polanski's sentencing... more »

• Lawmakers head back to work after July 4 break

  July 12, 2010 9:08 AM

  Congress gets back to work today after the Fourth of July break and the White House hopes the Senate can move quickly on a top legislative priority -- the financial overhaul. As senators began their weeklong break, Democrats left town without the 60 votes needed to push through the... more »

• Experts: US should better define, counter Islamic extremism

  July 12, 2010 8:36 AM

  A report warns that the Obama administration's recent decision to drop references to Islamic radicalism ignores the role religion can play in motivating terrorists. Several prominent counterterror experts are challenging the administration's shift in its recently unveiled National Security Strategy. The experts say the terror threat should be defined... more »

• Chrysler safety recall: brakes

  July 9, 2010 10:03 AM

  The government says Chrysler is recalling about 22,000 sport utility vehicles and trucks to fix brake tubes that could lead to the loss of brake fluid. Chrysler says its recall affects certain 2010 Dodge Nitro, Dodge Ram, Jeep Liberty and Jeep Wranglers that could have defective brake tubes. The... more »

• Body found near duck boat crash site

  July 9, 2010 9:02 AM

  Police say a female body was pulled from the waters of the Delaware River near the site of a collision between an amphibious tour boat and a 250-foot barge that left two people missing. Coast Guard Petty Officer Crystal Kneen says the body was recovered early Friday just north... more »

• Presbyterians divided over gays

  July 9, 2010 8:32 AM

  U.S. Presbyterians continue to be divided over how to treat gay and lesbian Christians. The church's leaders have approved a more liberal policy on gay clergy but decided not to redefine marriage in their church constitution to include same-sex couples. Approval of both measures could have made the... more »

• Mortgage rates drop to record low

  July 8, 2010 10:56 AM

  Mortgage rates fell for the second straight week to the lowest point in five decades, but it may not be enough to jump-start the housing market. Mortgage company Freddie Mac says the average rate for 30-year fixed loans dropped to 4.57 percent. That's down from the previous record of... more »

• 2 missing after barge capsizes duck boat in Philly

  July 8, 2010 8:46 AM

  Searchers are plying the murky waters of the Delaware River for two passengers missing from an amphibious Philadelphia sightseeing boat that was struck by a barge, flipped over and sank. Police say the 37 people aboard the six-wheeled duck boat were tossed overboard Wednesday when the barge hit it... more »

• Russian, US spy swap appears imminent

  July 8, 2010 8:22 AM

  Evidence is mounting that Russia and the United States are preparing for the largest spy swap since the Cold War. In Moscow, riot police on Thursday secured the perimeter of a prison thought to be holding convicted spies for the West as convoy of armored vehicles arrived at the... more »

• Hard times for Illinois, but not for governor's staff

  July 6, 2010 2:04 PM

  Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has handed out raises topping 20 percent to his staff even as he calls for $1.4 billion in spending cuts because of the state's budget crisis. An Associated Press analysis of documents shows Quinn has given his staff 43 raises averaging 11.4 percent since he... more »

• Toyota knew about Lexus problem 2 years ago

  July 6, 2010 10:00 AM

  A company official says Toyota knew about the engine problem in the Lexus and Crown vehicles two years ago but didn't think a recall was warranted at the time. The official says the company changed the spring part to correct the problem. A global recall is now under... more »

• Rate increase expected from Postal Service

  July 6, 2010 9:43 AM

  The price of a stamp could be going up. The post office plans to announce a new rate increase today in an effort to reduce massive losses. The plan will still have to be reviewed by the independent Postal Rate Commission. The post office also has proposed ending Saturday... more »

• Byrd burial service planned for today

  July 6, 2010 8:14 AM

  A private burial is planned for the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd at a suburban Washington cemetery. Byrd is to be buried Tuesday at a cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, next to his late wife Erma. The burial is the final moment of farewell for the elder West Virginia statesman... more »

• Senate approves home tax credit extension

  June 16, 2010 3:37 PM

  The Senate has approved a plan to give homebuyers an extra three months to finish qualifying for federal tax incentives that boosted home sales this spring. The move by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would give buyers until Sept. 30 to complete their purchases and qualify for tax credits... more »

• WWII American remains from Saipan battle identified

  June 16, 2010 9:20 AM

  A researcher in Massachusetts says he has identified the remains of at least seven U.S. service members declared missing in action 66 years ago in the World War II Battle of Saipan. Retired Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Ted Darcy of Fall River, Massachusetts, says he expects to make about... more »

• Cupidtino: Dating for Apple aficionados

  June 16, 2010 9:11 AM

  Apple's ads used to challenge consumers to "think different." Now a website wants to help fans of the iPhone, iPad and Mac computer maker date different, too. Called Cupidtino - an homage to Apple's home base in Cupertino, California - the site aims to connect Apple aficionados with like-minded... more »

• Proposed new rules for college recruitment

  June 16, 2010 8:30 AM

  Colleges would no longer be allowed to pay recruiters for students or engage in aggressive or misleading recruitment under proposed new federal regulations that target the practices of for-profit colleges. The proposed new Department of Education rules are to be announced Wednesday. They apply to all colleges but are... more »

• Amid deficit worries,Congress trims unemployment bill

  June 16, 2010 8:24 AM

  Faced with a losing showdown vote Wednesday, Senate Democrats trying to extend unemployment benefits and help for doctors facing Medicare payment cuts are scaling back a catchall tax and spending bill. Anxiety over record budget deficits is fueling the moves, which include rolling back last year's $25 a week... more »

• NORAD plans joint exercise with Russia

  June 15, 2010 3:58 PM

  The Colorado Springs-based North America Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the Russian Air Force plan to conduct a joint air defense exercise in August. The focus will be combating terrorism. This exercise will take place in both Russian and U.S. airspace, over Alaska and Russia. more »

• Gulf Coasters skeptical of Obama, BP promises

  June 15, 2010 11:25 AM

  President Barack Obama promised that life would return to normal for people living on the stricken Gulf Coast, and BP said by the end of the month it would contain more than three times as much oil spewing from a ruptured undersea well. The pledges didn't placate some residents.... more »

• Oklahoma declared disaster area following deluge

  June 15, 2010 8:49 AM

  Forecasters say more severe weather may be on the way in Oklahoma where a band of thunderstorms dropped as much as 10 inches in some areas in a matter of hours. The Oklahoma State Department of Health reports 136 people suffered minor injuries. Firefighters helping a 17-year-old girl... more »