Obama’s bipartisanship promise proves easier said than done in first months

WASHINGTON — Barack Obama swept into office with a lofty promise to bridge the capital’s fierce partisan divide.

Honorary degree for Donna Brazile prompts New Orleans archbishop to boycott Xavier graduation

NEW ORLEANS — The leader of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans will boycott commencement ceremonies at Xavier University because the institution is honoring Democratic Party strategist Donna Brazile, who supports abortion rights.

Hershey’s 1Q earnings jump 20 pct thanks to more Easter buying days, higher prices

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Hershey, the nation’s second-largest candy maker, said Thursday that its first-quarter profit surged 20 percent, helped by a recent price increase and a reporting period that captured more days of Easter sales.

Calif. GOP, state lawmaker criticize poster from ‘tea party’ event as anti-Semitic

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Republican Party and a Democratic state senator are denouncing as anti-Semitic an online poster that promoted last week’s nationwide “tea parties.”

Communists mark Lenin’s birthday at Red Square mausoleum, oppose removal of his body

MOSCOW — Russia’s Communist Party leader left flowers at the tomb of Vladimir Lenin on the Soviet founder’s 139th birthday Wednesday and pledged to resist any plans to remove Lenin’s embalmed body from Moscow’s Red Square.

Summer lovin’: Male perspective rules many of this summer’s Hollywood romance movies

LOS ANGELES — During the summer, romantic movies — comedic or otherwise — have usually been just “he said, she said” counterprogramming to all the robots and superheroes blasting the box office. This season, what “he” said is getting more screen time.

US ambassador takes dip with sharks for Earth Day celebration in Indonesia

US envoy leads Indonesia’s Earth Day celebration

JAKARTA, Indonesia — The U.S. ambassador to Indonesia descended into a shark aquarium Saturday to highlight the importance of preserving the country’s rich underwater biodiversity during Earth Day celebrations.