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Thursday, February 14, 2013

GM turns 2012 profit despite losses in Europe

GM turns 2012 profit despite losses in Europe

GM turns 2012 profit despite losses in Europe

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 01:01 PM PST

In this Monday, Jan. 28, 2013 file photo, cars move along an assembly line at the General Motors Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kan. General Motors releases its fourth quarter of 2012 financial earnings, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File)DETROIT (AP) — General Motors has strung together a tidy three-year run of profits by making big dollars in its back yard.

Danica talks dating driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:56 PM PST

Auto racing driver Danica Patrick speaks with reporters during NASCAR media day at Daytona International Speedway, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Danica Patrick slid into her chair at NASCAR media day Thursday and promptly informed her audience it would be race questions only.

Bookkeeper who stole $53M gets nearly 20 years

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:55 PM PST

ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) — A former city bookkeeper was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison Thursday for embezzling more than $53 million from her Illinois community, in what ranks as one of the worst abuses of public trust in the state's corruption-rich history.

No decision yet on NHL players in Olympics

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:55 PM PST

NEW YORK (AP) — A decision on whether NHL players will head to the 2014 Sochi Olympics isn't likely this week.

Coast Guard: Disabled cruise ship is moving again

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:54 PM PST

Terry Thornton, senior VP of Carnival Cruise Lines addresses the media outside the Alabama Cruise Terminal in Mobile, Ala. on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. After days stranded in the Gulf of Mexico in conditions some have described as dismal, most passengers aboard the disabled Carnival Triumph can look forward to a two-hour bus ride Thursday after they reach dry land. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves)MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — The miserable passengers aboard the ill-fated Carnival cruise line were slowly making their long journey home Thursday after crews repaired a broken tow line, another bad break that briefly set the ship adrift off the Alabama coast.

APNewsBreak: AC's Trump Plaza sold for $20M

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:49 PM PST

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Trump Plaza, the Boardwalk centerpiece of Donald Trump's one-time Atlantic City empire, was sold Thursday to a California company for $20 million in the cheapest of a series of bargain-basement deals for distressed gambling halls in the struggling New Jersey seaside resort.

Obama to spend long holiday weekend in Florida

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:45 PM PST

President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks at the Decatur Recreation Center in Decatur, Ga., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 in Decatur, Ga., about his plans for early childhood education, this following his State of the Union address. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama plans to spend the long holiday weekend in Florida, relaxing with friends.

Emmett Till's family reacts to Lil Wayne lyric

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:45 PM PST

FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2012 file photo, recording artist Lil Wayne speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in New Orleans. Epic Records is going to "great efforts" to take down a new Future remix leaked over the weekend with a vulgar lyric by Lil Wayne that has offended the family of Emmett Till. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A cousin of the late Emmett Till wonders if Lil Wayne understands just how damaging it was when he rapped a vulgar reference to the black U.S. teen whose death in 1955 became a significant moment in the civil rights movement.

Women's security raised by American Indian leader

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:44 PM PST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The president of the National Congress of American Indians urged the House on Thursday to pass the Violence Against Women Act so Native Americans and Alaska Natives can "protect their own people and surrounding communities against brutality."

NJ Sen. Frank Lautenberg says he will retire

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:42 PM PST

WASHINGTON (AP) — New Jersey Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg (LOW'-tuhn-burg) says he will not seek re-election.

Obama touts preschool initiatives in State of the Union tour

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:37 PM PST

U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks on education for young children in DecaturDECATUR, Georgia (Reuters) - President Barack Obama turned his State of the Union roadshow to the topic of education on Thursday with a trip to Georgia, where he touted proposals to provide preschool access to all four-year-olds across America. Obama proposed in his annual address to Congress on Tuesday that the federal government work with states to improve and broaden early childhood education to make the United States more competitive worldwide. ...

AG, FBI warn against across-the-board spending cut

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:35 PM PST

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation's two top law enforcement officers have warned that looming across-the-board spending cuts at the Justice Department and the FBI would erode public safety in every city and town in the nation.

PepsiCo 4Q results top Wall Street's expectations

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:34 PM PST

FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2012 file photo, Diet Pepsi Wild Cherry cans are displayed at a store in Pittsburgh. PepsiCo reports its fourth quarter earnings, Thursday, Feb. 14. 2013. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)NEW YORK (AP) — PepsiCo's net income rose 17 percent in the fourth quarter as it raised prices and sold more of its snacks and drinks around the world.

Cartel kingpin is Chicago's new Public Enemy No. 1

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:32 PM PST

FILE - In this June 10, 1993 file photo, Joaquin Guzman Loera, alias "El Chapo" Guzman, is shown to the media after his arrest at the high security prison of Almoloya de Juarez, on the outskirts of Mexico City. Guzman escaped from a maximum security federal prison in 2001 and continues to be a fugitive. On Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, the Chicago Crime Commission and the Drug Enforcement Administration is scheduled to name Guzman, the head of Mexico's Sinaloa crime cartel, as the new Public Enemy No. 1., the first time since Prohibition-era gangster Al Capone that authorities in the city deemed a crime figure so ominous a threat to deserve the label. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)CHICAGO (AP) — A drug kingpin in Mexico who has never set foot in Chicago has been named the city's new Public Enemy No. 1 — the same notorious label assigned to Al Capone at the height of the Prohibition-era gang wars.

Spain's elBulli restaurant to reopen for lucky few

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:31 PM PST

FILE - In this Dec. 5, 2003 file photo, Spanish chef Ferran Adria examines ingredients in his kitchen workshop in Barcelona, Spain. Spain's famous elBulli restaurant will temporarily reopen later this year as the renowned chef-owner Adria trains actors for a movie based on his iconic but shuttered eatery. Lucky gourmands will dine at the seaside Mediterranean landmark or in Hollywood if a decision is made to recreate the restaurant there. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)MADRID (AP) — Spain's famous elBulli restaurant will temporarily reopen later this year as renowned chef-owner Ferran Adria trains actors for a movie based on his iconic but shuttered eatery.

Oil rises above $97 per barrel

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:31 PM PST

NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil rose above $97 per barrel Thursday, reversing Wednesday's small drop.

FAA seeks proposals to create 6 drone test sites

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:30 PM PST

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials are soliciting proposals to create six drone test sites around the country and asking the public to comment on proposed privacy protections.

Obama ready for Valentine's date with first lady

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:29 PM PST

President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks at the Decatur Recreation Center in Decatur, Ga., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 in Decatur, Ga., about his plans for early childhood education, this following his State of the Union address. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)WASHINGTON (AP) — Flowers? Check. A gift? Check. President Barack Obama says he has both and is ready for a Valentine's Day date with the first lady.

Bets on Heinz raise suspicion in U.S. options market

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:29 PM PST

(Reuters) - Well-timed trades in the U.S. options market on H.J. Heinz Co before a takeover plan by Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital was publicly disclosed, prompted some option-market experts to question whether people with knowledge of the deal made bullish bets ahead of the announcement. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc and Brazilian private equity firm 3G Capital on Thursday announced a $72.50 per share cash deal for the ketchup and baby food maker, sending the stock up 19 percent. On Wednesday, there was a sudden burst of bullish call buying, expecting that H.J. ...

Ex-Stanford execs get 20 years for $7B swindle

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:28 PM PST

FILE - In this Aug. 24, 2010 file photo Gilbert Lopez Jr., the ex-chief accounting officer for one of Stanford's companies, arrives at the federal courthouse in Houston. Lopez, one of the last two defendants convicted for helping disgraced financier R. Allen Stanford bilk investors out of more than $7 billion in one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in U.S. history, was sentenced to 20 years in prison during a hearing Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)HOUSTON (AP) — The last two defendants convicted for helping disgraced financier R. Allen Stanford bilk investors out of more than $7 billion in one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in U.S. history were each sentenced to 20 year prison terms by a federal judge on Thursday.

Senate, White House struggle over Hagel impasse

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:27 PM PST

FILE - In this Jan. 31, 2013 file photo, former Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, President Obama's choice for defense secretary, testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington. A bitterly divided Senate panel on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, voted to approve Hagel to be the nation's defense secretary at a time of turmoil for the military with looming budget cuts, a fresh sign of North Korea's nuclear ambitions and drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats and the White House struggled to break an impasse Thursday over Chuck Hagel's nomination as secretary of defense, with Republicans blocking speedy confirmation of their former colleague and Vietnam combat veteran.

In Timbuktu, al-Qaida left behind a manifesto

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:27 PM PST

In this Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013 photo, neighborhood resident Mohamed Alassane sifts through documents left behind at the Ministry of Finance's Regional Audit Department, in Timbuktu, Mali, where a confidential letter was found from terror leader Abdelmalek Droukdel spelling out the terror network's blueprint for conquering this desert nation. In the days before being rousted by a French assault force, the leader of al-Qaida¹s branch in Africa had warned fellow Islamic fighters to go softly on the people in order to make their takeover of northern Mali last. The more than 10-page letter, which the AP found in a building the Islamists occupied for nearly a year, is signed by Droukdel, the senior commander appointed by Osama bin Laden to run al-Qaida's branch in Africa. (AP Photo/Rukmini Callimachi)TIMBUKTU, Mali (AP) — In their hurry to flee last month, al-Qaida fighters left behind a crucial document: Tucked under a pile of papers and trash is a confidential letter, spelling out the terror network's strategy for conquering northern Mali and reflecting internal discord over how to rule the region.

France to return 7 paintings looted during WWII

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:22 PM PST

The painting "La Tentation de Saint Antoine" by Sebatien Ricci (1659-1734) is seen at the Louvre museum in Paris, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. The French state is preparing to give back seven stolen Nazi-era paintings - 4 of which including "La Tentation de Saint Antoine" are in the Louvre - to two Jewish families, after a decade-long tug of war. It ends years of struggle for the two families, whose claims were all validated by the French prime minister last year. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)PARIS (AP) — France is returning seven paintings taken from their Jewish owners during World War II, part of an ongoing effort to give back hundreds of looted artworks that still hang in the Louvre and other museums.

Merger activity stirs on Wall Street

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:21 PM PST

NEW YORK (AP) — Companies are buying each other again.

Iranian Guards commander killed in Syria

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:19 PM PST

A picture of Hessam Khoshnevis is placed at the condolences hall at the Iranian Embassy at BeirutBEIRUT (Reuters) - An Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander has been killed inside Syria by rebels battling Iran's close ally President Bashar al-Assad, Iranian officials and a rebel leader said on Thursday . Syrian rebels have repeatedly accused Tehran of sending fighters to help Assad crush the 22-month-old uprising, a charge Iran has denied. The Iranian embassy in Lebanon said the dead man, Hessam Khoshnevis, was in charge of Tehran's reconstruction assistance in Lebanon. ...

Buffett, Brazil's 3G team up for $23 billion Heinz buyout

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:16 PM PST

Billionaire financier and Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett smiles as he plays bridge with shareholders during their annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska(Reuters) - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and Brazilian private equity firm 3G Capital will buy ketchup maker H.J. Heinz Co for $23.2 billion in cash, a deal that combines 3G's ambitions in the food industry with Buffett's hunt for growth. Including debt assumption, Heinz valued the transaction, which it called the largest in its industry's history, at $28 billion. Berkshire and 3G will pay $72.50 per share, a 19 percent premium to the stock's previous all-time high. ...

Afghan troop cuts invite comparison to Iraq

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:15 PM PST

The Senate Armed Services Committee meets on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, to consider the nominations of Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, left, for reappointment to the grade of general and to be commander of the U.S. Central Command, and Gen. David M. Rodriguez, right, for reappointment to the grade of general and to be commander of the U.S. Africa Command. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON (AP) — As the U.S. looks to reduce American and Afghan forces in Afghanistan after 2014, Congress members are making comparisons to Iraq and predicting a sharp decline in troops will quickly lead to increased violence and instability.

Gov't to crack down on unsafe tour bus operators

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:13 PM PST

FILE - In this Feb. 4, 2013 file photo, an official takes notes at the scene of a tour bus crash near San Bernardino, Calif. Teams of federal inspectors will target bus companies with a history of problems as part of a national crackdown aimed at weeding out unsafe operators in response to recent deadly tour bus accidents, the government said Thursday. ( AP Photo/Nick Ut, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — Responding to recent deadly tour bus accidents, teams of federal inspectors will target bus companies with a history of problems as part of a national crackdown aimed at weeding out unsafe operators, the government said Thursday.

Ensler's Billion Rising movement spans the globe

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:12 PM PST

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Thousands danced in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Hundreds chanted in South Africa, carrying signs and candles. The Philippines held a 24-hour dance party. Scores of students in India gathered for a candlelight vigil.

Stocks mixed as Europe's economy slows

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:09 PM PST

NEW YORK (AP) — Renewed worries about Europe overshadowed an encouraging U.S. jobs report, and stocks flipped between slight gains and losses on Thursday.

American, US Airways announce $11 billion merger

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:09 PM PST

U.S. Airways CEO Doug Parker, right, and American Airlines CEO Tom Horton pose after a news conference at DFW International Airport Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, in Grapevine, Texas. The two airlines will merge forming the world's largest airlines. (AP Photo/LM Otero)DALLAS (AP) — US Airways CEO Doug Parker has landed the big merger he sought for years. Now the soon-to-be CEO of the new American Airlines has to make it work.

Airline merger could squeeze some hub airports

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:07 PM PST

FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2012 file photo, US Airways employees assist customers at a ticket counter at the Charlotte/Douglas International airport in Charlotte, N.C. The merger of US Airways and American Airlines has given birth to a mega airline with more passengers than any other in the world and a whopping eight hubs around the United States, leading industry analysts to wonder which of those airports will emerge as winners of losers. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)CHICAGO (AP) — A merged American Airlines and US Airways will carry more passengers around the world than any other, but even the biggest airline flying doesn't need eight hub airports on the ground.

Horsemeat: French company blamed, UK arrests

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:04 PM PST

FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2013 file photo, a sign at the entrance of French meat supplier Spanghero in Castelnaudary, southern France. French economy minister Benoit Hamon on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 pinned the bulk of the blame on a French wholesaler at the heart of the growing scandal in Europe. (AP Photo/Manuel Blondeau, File)PARIS (AP) — French authorities on Thursday named a French meat wholesaler as the main culprit in Europe's spreading horsemeat scandal, declaring that officials at Spanghero knowingly passed off cheap horsemeat as ground beef for frozen food sold around the continent.

Ex-San Diego mayor's gambling losses top $1B

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:04 PM PST

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Former San Diego Mayor Maureen O'Connor acknowledged Thursday in federal court that she misappropriated $2 million from her late husband's charitable foundation due to a gambling addiction in which she won more than $1 billion but lost even more over nearly a decade.

Pope enjoys swansong; influence still a question

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 12:03 PM PST

Pope Benedict XVI delivers his blessing after an audience with the Roman clergy in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Thursday Feb. 14, 2013. Benedict XVI is continuing his farewell tour with an off-the-cuff meeting with Roman priests, an annual encounter that has taken on poignant new meaning with his impending resignation.The Vatican has said Benedict would reflect Thursday on his personal experiences as a young theological expert attending the Second Vatican Council, the 1962-65 meetings that brought the Catholic Church into the modern world. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)VATICAN CITY (AP) — New questions arose about how much influence Pope Benedict XVI will exert over his successor Thursday after the Vatican confirmed that Benedict's closest adviser would continue to serve him as a private secretary while running the new pope's household.

Asda finds horse DNA in bolognese sauce, pulls products

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 01:02 PM PST

A sign for the ASDA supermarket chain stands outside a store in LondonLONDON (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc's British supermarket arm, Asda, said on Thursday it had discovered horse DNA in its beef bolognese sauce and was withdrawing that product and three others from its stores. "We have a preliminary test result that suggests the presence of horse DNA in our 500g Beef Bolognese sauce. As you'd expect, we have withdrawn this product from our shelves," Asda spokeswoman Jo Newbould said. Asda has about 550 shops across the UK. ...

Coast Guard: Cruise ship stopped; towline broken

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 11:59 AM PST

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — The long, slow journey back to port for a crippled Carnival cruise ship and its miserable passengers suffered another setback Thursday when a tow line snapped, setting the vessel adrift once again.

'What to Expect' daughter Emma Bing gives birth

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 11:57 AM PST

This Feb. 13, 2012 image released courtesy of Heidi Murkoff shows Emma Bing, left, holding her son Lennox Page Ali as her mother, author Heidi Murkoff, looks on at a hospital in Los Angeles. Bing, the inspiration for the pregnancy bible "What to Expect When You're Expecting," gave birth on Feb. 12. Heidi Murkoff was pregnant with Emma when she wrote the proposal for her best-selling book, which sparked a franchise of pregnancy and parenting manuals. "What to Expect" has more than 17 million copies in print. (AP Photo/Erik Murkoff)NEW YORK (AP) — Emma Bing, the inspiration for the pregnancy bible "What to Expect When You're Expecting," has given birth in Los Angeles to a boy.

Correction: Experienced Valentines story

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 11:54 AM PST

NEW YORK (AP) — In a story and glance Feb. 13 about long-married couples celebrating Valentine's Day, The Associated Press misspelled the name of one of the men. He is Fortunato Corso, not Fortuno Corso.

Prosecutors seek dismissal of latest Skakel appeal

Posted: 14 Feb 2013 11:53 AM PST

FILE - In this Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012 file photo, Michael Skakel listens during a parole hearing at McDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in Suffield, Conn. Prosecutors want a judge to dismiss Michael Skakel's latest challenge of his 2002 murder conviction, saying the Kennedy cousin's claim that his trial attorney did a poor job should have been raised in an earlier appeal and that many of the issues he cites were previously rejected, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, Pool, File)NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Prosecutors urged a judge Thursday to dismiss Michael Skakel's latest challenge of his 2002 murder conviction, saying the Kennedy cousin's claim that his trial attorney did a poor job should have been raised in an earlier appeal and that many of the issues he cites were previously rejected.
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