Facebook profit slips ahead of stock market debut

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• Facebook profit slips ahead of stock market debut
• SPIN METER: Romney roadmap leaves voters guessing
• Virginia Tech fires basketball coach Greenberg
• ConocoPhillips 1Q profit drops 3 pct
• April nor'easter dumps rain, snow on East Coast
• US stocks slide on economic tremors from Europe
• Ted Nugent set for court date in illegal kill case
• Obama levies new tech sanctions on Syria, Iran
• Wall Street ends lower on Europe worry, Wal-Mart
• Pakistan begins checks on private airline planes
• Appendix removal: Huge sticker shock in study
• Pakistan police shoot dead 'two sectarian killers'
• Alabama becoming Hurricanes-like NFL pipeline
• Bakken oil booms _ and so does crime on the Plains
• Facebook first-quarter revenue tops $1 billion
• U.S. lawmakers launch Wal-Mart bribery investigation
• Mexico lawmakers call for Wal-Mart bribery probe
• Walmex says bribery scandal won't hurt business
• Cuba plans massive shift to "non-state" sector
• Jennifer Hudson breaks down during murder trial
• US-Afghan security pact sends warning to al-Qaida
• Report: VA failing to provide timely mental care
• Oil falls on European economy concerns
• World Peace faces NBA discipline for violent blow
• Facebook reports lower 1Q net income
• Number of US illegal immigrants from Mexico drops
• High court hears Arizona immigration dispute
• Late snow storm sucker-punches US northeast
• 12th military member tied to prostitution scandal
• Whatmore says no security fears in Pakistan
• Metlife, states reach settlement near $500M
• AP source: John L. Smith interim Arkansas coach
• USATF hires former board member as CEO
• SEC files charges against ex-CalPERS CEO, friend
• Missing Missouri mom's husband charged with murder
• Judge: Witness in Edwards case called witnesses
• US Social Security to use up reserves by 2033
• CalSTRS says holding onto Wal-Mart shares for now
• Google's 1Q lobbying bill more than triples to $5M
• Syrian forces kill dozens after UN monitors' visit

Facebook profit slips ahead of stock market debut Posted: Facebook reported Monday that its quarterly profit slipped to $205 million despite a surge in revenue as it bumped up research and promotion expenses ahead of its pending stock market debut.

SPIN METER: Romney roadmap leaves voters guessing Posted: Mitt Romney's roadmap for governing the country is so vague that it has even Republican allies questioning his intentions.

Virginia Tech fires basketball coach Greenberg Posted: Virginia Tech has fired men's basketball coach Seth Greenberg.

ConocoPhillips 1Q profit drops 3 pct Posted: ConocoPhillips said Monday that its first-quarter profit dropped 3 percent because it produced less oil and natural gas from a shrinking pool of assets.

April nor'easter dumps rain, snow on East Coast Posted: A spring nor'easter packing soaking rain and high winds churned up the Northeast Monday morning, unleashing a burst of winter and up to a foot of snow in higher elevations inland, closing some schools and sparking concerns of power outages.

US stocks slide on economic tremors from Europe Posted: Worrying news out of Europe is sending stocks sharply lower at the close of trading.

Ted Nugent set for court date in illegal kill case Posted: Rocker Ted Nugent is scheduled for a Tuesday court hearing in Alaska and expected to plead guilty to transporting a black bear he illegally killed.

Obama levies new tech sanctions on Syria, Iran Posted: Under pressure to stop the Syrian government's deadly crackdown, President Barack Obama on Monday levied new sanctions on people and entities in Syria and Iran that use technology to target their citizens and perpetrate human rights abuses.

Wall Street ends lower on Europe worry, Wal-Mart Posted: NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks fell on Monday as political turmoil in Europe cast doubts on the euro zone's ability to push through measures to end its debt crisis and as Wal-Mart sank following a report it stymied a bribery probe. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 102.55 points, or 0.79 percent, at 12,926.71. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 11.60 points, or 0.84 percent, at 1,366.93. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 30.00 points, or 1.00 percent, at 2,970.45 (Reporting By Angela Moon; Editing by Padraic Cassidy)

Pakistan begins checks on private airline planes Posted: Pakistani aviation authorities Monday began an inspection of all passenger planes operated by private airlines after a near-miss in Karachi that came just two days after a fatal crash in Islamabad.

Appendix removal: Huge sticker shock in study Posted: What do hospitals charge to remove an appendix? The startling answer is that it could be the same as the price of a refrigerator — or a house.

Pakistan police shoot dead 'two sectarian killers' Posted: Pakistani police shot dead two people allegedly involved in sectarian violence in the troubled southwestern province of Baluchistan, officials said Monday.

Alabama becoming Hurricanes-like NFL pipeline Posted: Alabama is becoming the kind of NFL draft factory that the Miami Hurricanes were a decade ago.

Bakken oil booms _ and so does crime on the Plains Posted: Drug crimes in eastern Montana are up 172 percent. Assaults in Dickinson, N.D., have climbed 300 percent. And in once-sleepy Plentywood, Mont., there have been three gun-related crimes in the past few months — a prospect previously unheard of in the tiny community near the Canada border.

Facebook first-quarter revenue tops $1 billion Posted: SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Facebook Inc's first-quarter revenue climbed 45 percent to just over $1 billion as daily active users leapt 41 percent, the world's largest social network disclosed ahead of its landmark initial public offering. Facebook added more than 1,000 employees in the year ended in March, taking its headcount to 3,539, it said in an updated filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Revenue grew to $1.058 billion from $731 million in the year-ago quarter. Average monthly active users increased to 901 million as of March 31, 2012, from 680 million a year ago. ...

U.S. lawmakers launch Wal-Mart bribery investigation Posted: (Reuters) - Two Democratic lawmakers on Monday said they are launching an investigation into allegations of bribery at Wal-Mart Stores Inc's Mexican affiliate. Representative Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Representative Henry Waxman, the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, sent a letter to Wal-Mart Chief Executive Michael Duke, requesting an in-person meeting with company officials. ...

Mexico lawmakers call for Wal-Mart bribery probe Posted: MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican lawmakers called on authorities on Monday to investigate allegations of bribery at the Mexico unit of Wal-Mart Stores Inc, even though prosecutors said it may not be a federal matter. Mexico's attorney general would only look into the accusations against Wal-Mart de Mexico (Walmex) if asked to do so by the Ministry of Finance or Ministry of the Economy, a government official said on condition of anonymity. Officials at those ministries could not immediately be reached for comment. ...

Walmex says bribery scandal won't hurt business Posted: MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Wal-Mart de Mexico, or Walmex, battling bribery accusations, said in a statement on Monday it does not believe the allegations will hurt its business. The New York Times reported this weekend that the Mexican unit of U.S. retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc silenced an internal investigation of hundreds of suspect payments worth more than $24 million made to grow its business in Mexico. (Reporting By Cyntia Barrera Diaz)

Cuba plans massive shift to "non-state" sector Posted: HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba will move nearly 50 percent of the state's economic activity to the "non-state" sector, a senior Communist party official said at the weekend, the latest signal the island is headed toward a mixed economy. Cuban President Raul Castro has hammered away at the need for the state to become more efficient and get out of secondary economic activity such as farming and retail services since taking over for his ailing older brother, Fidel, in 2008. ...

Jennifer Hudson breaks down during murder trial Posted: Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson broke down in tears Monday while testifying at the trial of the man accused of killing her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew in a jealous rage four years ago.

US-Afghan security pact sends warning to al-Qaida Posted: A new strategic partnership that commits the U.S. to defend Afghanistan militarily for 10 years after most foreign forces leave in 2014 is intended to signal that the U.S. will not tolerate a resurgent al-Qaida or attacks launched by militants from neighboring Pakistan.

Report: VA failing to provide timely mental care Posted: Federal investigators reported Monday that nearly half of the veterans who seek mental health care for the first time waited about 50 days before receiving a full evaluation, a much longer lag-time than the Department of Veterans Affairs has been reporting.

Oil falls on European economy concerns Posted: The price of oil dropped Monday on fresh concerns about Europe's economy.

World Peace faces NBA discipline for violent blow Posted: The Lakers jersey says World Peace on the back. The player wearing it is still Ron Artest, and he's in trouble again with the NBA.

Facebook reports lower 1Q net income Posted: Facebook is reporting, ahead of its initial public offering, expected in May, that its first-quarter net income fell as its revenue rose by comparison with a year earlier.

Number of US illegal immigrants from Mexico drops Posted: The number of Mexican immigrants living illegally in the U.S. has dropped significantly for the first time in decades, a dramatic shift as many illegal workers, already in the U.S. and seeing few job opportunities, return to Mexico.

High court hears Arizona immigration dispute Posted: The Supreme Court will referee another major clash between the Obama administration and the states, this one over Arizona's crackdown on illegal immigrants. The case could add fuel to the partisan split over tough state immigration laws backed by Republicans but challenged by the administration.

Late snow storm sucker-punches US northeast Posted: Just as the US northeast was easing from a mild winter into a historically warm spring, a storm left thousands without power and prematurely leafy trees sagging under snow.

12th military member tied to prostitution scandal Posted: The Secret Service prostitution scandal grew Monday to include a 12th member of the U.S. military as the Pentagon suspended the security clearances of all the military personnel who have been implicated. The Secret Service has also taken action against 12 of its employees.

Whatmore says no security fears in Pakistan Posted: Pakistan's Australian cricket coach Dav Whatmore Monday voiced disappointment at Bangladesh postponing their tour, saying he had felt no security concerns during his two months in the country.

Metlife, states reach settlement near $500M Posted: MetLife Inc. will pay nearly $500 million in a settlement involving more than 30 states that claimed it didn't provide life insurance benefits to some of its policyholders, the company said Monday.

AP source: John L. Smith interim Arkansas coach Posted: A person familiar with the decision says Arkansas is bringing back John L. Smith on an interim basis next year to replace Bobby Petrino.

USATF hires former board member as CEO Posted: USA Track and Field has hired former board member Max Siegel as its new CEO, ending an on-and-off, 16-month search with a transaction similar to a move the U.S. Olympic Committee made a few years ago.

SEC files charges against ex-CalPERS CEO, friend Posted: Federal regulators have accused the former CEO of California's big employee pension fund and a friend of conspiring to trick a prominent investment firm into paying $20 million in fees to the friend's firms.

Missing Missouri mom's husband charged with murder Posted: The husband of a Missouri woman who disappeared after a meeting with a divorce attorney was charged with first-degree murder Monday even though her body has not been found.

Judge: Witness in Edwards case called witnesses Posted: A key prosecution witness in the criminal trial of former presidential candidate John Edwards contacted other witnesses in the case to ask about their planned testimony, a possible violation of federal law, a judge said Monday.

US Social Security to use up reserves by 2033 Posted: The US public pension system will exhaust its reserves in 2033, three years earlier than previously estimated as the gap between income and payments mounts, according to an official report Monday.

CalSTRS says holding onto Wal-Mart shares for now Posted: (Reuters) - The California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS), which currently holds over 5.5 million shares of Wal-Mart Stores, will maintain its exposure to the retail giant hit by bribery allegations "until we find out what happens," CalSTRS' director of corporate governance said on Monday. Anne Sheehan said in a telephone interview: "Allegations like this are very serious and we expect the company with the board involved and proper board oversight to get to the bottom of these allegations as quickly as possible. ...

Google's 1Q lobbying bill more than triples to $5M Posted: Google's U.S. lobbying bill more than tripled to $5 million during the first three months of the year amid increased government scrutiny of the Internet search leader's business and privacy practices.

Syrian forces kill dozens after UN monitors' visit Posted: A day ago, crowds in the Syrian city of Hama welcomed a U.N. team sent in to observe a shaky truce. On Monday, government troops opened fire on the same streets, killing dozens, activists said, raising fears the regime is targeting opponents emboldened to protest by the U.N. monitors.

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