Rate of missed payments for bank-issued credit cards up 11 percent in 1st qtr, TransUnion says

NEW YORK — Credit card holders who in ordinary years might have used their tax refunds to pay down their balances apparently spent the money elsewhere as the recession deepened in the first quarter.

Sunstone says will default on hefty W San Diego mortgage payment, turn over hotel to lenders

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — Sunstone Hotel Investors Inc. said Sunday it will default on the June mortgage payment for its swanky W Hotel San Diego property and turn over the 258-room downtown hotel to lenders, after failing to lower interest payments.

Charles Albury, co-pilot of plane that dropped A-bomb on Nagasaki, dies at age 88 in Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. — Charles Donald Albury, co-pilot of the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan, has died after years of congestive heart failure. He was 88.

AP Enterprise: States give Hollywood a fortune in tax breaks; but are they worth the money?

BALTIMORE — Many states that are cutting spending on schools, roads and other basics have been lavishing hundreds of millions of dollars in incentives on Hollywood studios to lure TV and movie productions — this, despite scant evidence that taxpayers come out ahead on such deals.

Afghan troops kill six Taliban militants

KABUL - Six Taliban militants have been killed in fighting with the security forces in Afghanistan’s northwestern Badghis province, officials said Monday.

NTSB: 2 pilots in air collision over Alabama college campus planned the aerial stunts

DECATUR, Ala. — A report says two pilots whose experimental planes collided in the air over a college campus in Decatur, Ala., killing one of them, had planned to perform aerial stunts while spectators took photos.

Stock market on track to end May higher; government trims 1st-quarter GDP decline estimate

NEW YORK — The stock market is set for a higher open Friday after the government said the economy shrank in the first quarter at a slower pace than it initially estimated.

24 killed, 110,000 affected as Cyclone Aila pounds coastal West Bengal (Third Lead)

KOLKATA - Cyclone Aila battered coastal West Bengal as well as state capital Kolkata Monday as it unleashed storms that uprooted trees, electricity poles and thatched homes, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, killing 24 people and affecting 110,000 others. The army was called in for rescue operations in the worst hit South 24 Parganas district.

Tourism dips in Gir sanctuary due to heat

SASAN GIR - Tourist inflow to the Gir National Park in Gujarat, the world’s only natural habitat for the rare majestic Asiatic lions, has dipped due to the intense heat.

Indian markets toast UPA win as sharp surge halts trading

MUMBAI - The Indian stock markets Monday gave a resounding welcome to the electoral victory of the Congress-led coalition and trading was suspended for the day at the bourses after key indices touched the upper circuit filter twice in about two hours.

The good professor is back - with a better mandate

NEW DELHI - The good professor, who many were ready to send into retirement less than 24 hours ago, is back in the saddle - a second term as prime minister for a man who stood steadfastly by his principles and was ready to sacrifice his government rather than succumb to the demands of realpolitik.

Houston Astros pound out 24 hits in 15-11 victory over Colorado Rockies

DENVER — Lance Berkman went 4 for 4 and the Houston Astros finished with 24 hits in a 15-11 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night.

Deccan Chargers commit ‘cricket suicide’ as Daredevils win by 12 runs

DURBAN - Deccan Chargers committed what their captain Adam Gilchrist termed ‘cricket suicide’ by losing a match they should have won against Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Kingsmead here Wednesday.

A’s break out of hitting slump in a big way, beat Royals 12-3

OAKLAND, Calif. — Jack Cust hit a three-run homer in a seven-run second inning, Orlando Cabrera had three hits and four RBIs and the Oakland Athletics beat the Kansas City Royals 12-3 on Tuesday night.

Obama at Arizona State University: Giant university’s goals mesh with president’s

TEMPE, Ariz. — The abortion flap over President Barack Obama’s invitation to speak at Notre Dame’s graduation is getting all the attention.

Yankees monitoring wind, tickets but no changes planned for now at new stadium

NEW YORK — While monitoring the wind, home runs and empty seats close to the field at their new ballpark, the New York Yankees are selling off their old stadium in bits and pieces.

Get out the brooms: LeBron scores 27 as Cavs complete another sweep with 84-74 win over Hawks

ATLANTA — The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to complete a four-game sweep that put them in the NBA’s conference finals. The Denver Nuggets did not. LeBron James pumped in 27 points as the Cavaliers pulled out an 84-74 triumph in Atlanta to complete their second consecutive four-game sweep. The Cavs led by just four until James converted a three-point play with 2:03 remaining, igniting a game-ending 8-2 run.

Hunter’s leaping grab saves Angels 4-3 victory against Royals

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Torii Hunter made a leaping, homer-stealing catch in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels hold off the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Sunday.

Covering Brazil’s floods: faith, adrenaline _ and a sharp eye for the ‘two-headed snake’

SAO SIMAO, Brazil — The leaky canoe is taking on water fast as our two guides fight the river in a driving rain.

Army ordered to eliminate terrorists: Gilani

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Thursday the armed forces have been ordered to ‘eliminate terrorists’ in the restive Swat region even as army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani called on the country’s politicians across the spectrum to unite to combat the menace of terrorism and extremism.

Carmelo Anthony leads fourth-quarter blitz that buries Dallas, leads Denver to 117-105 win

DENVER — The Dallas Mavericks toughened up and clamped down Tuesday night, and it still wasn’t enough to beat the high-flying Denver Nuggets.

Hill’s 11th-inning RBI single sends Toronto Blue Jays to 5-4 victory over Baltimore Orioles

TORONTO — Aaron Hill hit an RBI single in the 11th inning to give the Toronto Blue Jays a 5-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday.

Zaheer, Duminy star in Mumbai Indians’ win

EAST LONDON - Zaheer Khan struck three blows as Mumbai Indians outclassed Kolkata Knight Riders by nine runs in Indian Premier League (IPL) here Friday.

Mexico’s top medical officer optimistic swine flu has slowed, but WHO cautions outbreak

MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s top medical officer voiced optimism Thursday that swine flu has slowed in the nation hardest hit by the virus, but the World Health Organization cautioned there is no evidence the worst of the global outbreak is over.

Acushnet Co., maker of Titleist golf balls, to cut 169 jobs due to drop in worldwide demand

FAIRHAVEN, Mass. — The economy appears to be keeping more people off the links and that’s causing problems for a Massachusetts company that makes golf balls.

Elizabeth Hurley, Prince Charles team up for organic food range

WASHINGTON - Hollywood actress Elizabeth Hurley has joined forces with Prince Charles to launch a new range of low-fat organic food.

Web site, doctor report Sri Lanka shelling in war zone despite pledge to cease such attacks

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Government forces fired barrages of artillery into the northern war zone, killing at least 11 civilians, a day after it pledged to stop such attacks because of the risk to innocent lives, a rebel-linked Web site and a local doctor said.

WHO raises global alert level, signaling swine flu was spreading, but stops short of pandemic

MEXICO CITY — The World Health Organization raised its global alert level Monday, signaling the swine flu virus was spreading from human to human in community outbreaks, but it stopped short of declaring a full-blown pandemic.

Kevin Youkilis’ solo home run in the 11th inning lifts Red Sox past Yankees 5-4

BOSTON — Jason Bay homered off Mariano Rivera with two outs in the ninth to send the game to extra innings, and Kevin Youkilis hit a solo shot in the 11th on Friday night as the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 5-4 for their eighth straight victory.

New home sales in March beat expectations; analysts say bottom likely reached

WASHINGTON — After a staggering 74 percent decline from the peak in July 2005, new U.S. home sales appear to be bottoming out.