SAN ANTONIO – The president’s top economist said Sunday that hurricanes Katrina and Rita will have a modest impact on the U.S. economy. Ben Bernanke (search), chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers (search), gave his assessment in a speech to the Institute of International Finance. “So far, …
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WASHINGTON – Former President Bill Clinton (search) convinced world and business leaders to commit more than $1.25 billion to address major global problems, ranging from poverty to clean energy. The question is, will they follow through? In his closing remarks Saturday the first annual Clinton Global Initiative (search), he promised …
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NEW YORK – Actress Kirstie Alley (search) has lost 50 pounds. The star of Showtime’s reality-comedy series “Fat Actress” says she managed the loss through dieting and exercise. “I am the Jenny Craig evangelist!” Alley, a spokeswoman for the company, declares in the Sept. 26 issue of People magazine, now …
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NEW YORK – While Americans are donating generously to Hurricane Katrina (search) relief funds, they’re apparently running out of patience for stars telling them to give. Friday’s benefit, “Shelter From the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast” (search), was seen by fewer than 24 million viewers despite being shown …
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NEW ORLEANS – Streams of cars filled with business owners started to make their way back into newly reopened sections of hurricane-ravaged New Orleans (search) on Thursday, some vowing to rebuild their city, some pulling out. A month after Hurricane Katrina (search) hit the Gulf Coast, New Orleans Mayor Ray …
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When Philip and Joan Worth’s cat Brumas went out for a walk last Friday near his Devon, England, home, he was the same shade of white he’d always been. When he came back later that day, the 9-year-old male was a delicate shade of pink. “He was pink — Barbie …
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McLEAN, Va. – A man accused of plotting to assassinate President Bush was indicted Thursday on additional charges that could bring life in prison, and prosecutors now say he also planned to establish an Al Qaeda (search) cell in the United States. Prosecutors say Ahmed Omar Abu Ali (search), 24, …
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Nine Army reservists have been convicted of abusing detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq: — Pfc. Lynndie England, a 22-year-old reservist from Fort Ashby, W. Va., was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison after being convicted on six of seven counts related to detainee abuse. England was …
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KATIF, Gaza Strip – Armed militants set up checkpoints in Gaza’s (search) evacuated Jewish settlements for a second day Thursday, doing the job of Palestinian security officials who have been unable to rein in the chaos since Israel’s withdrawal. Dozens of gunmen from the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades (search) — …
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WASHINGTON – The Federal Reserve dropped a clear hint on Friday that Chairman Alan Greenspan (search) will retire on Jan. 31, ending talk he may stay on longer and reinforcing market concern that time is running out to name a successor. The Fed said its first meeting of 2006 will …
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