Large retailers offer more basics in bid to draw traffic and repeat Wal-Mart’s success

NEW YORK — As Wal-Mart prepares for its annual shareholder meeting Friday, several large retailers are emulating the king of one-stop shopping and offering more necessities.

Police say teen playing with toy gun led to Princeton lockdown; no decision on charges

PRINCETON, N.J. — Police say a gun scare at Princeton University began when four teen boys found a toy gun on campus.

Contraction slows in service sector, factory orders rise slightly, but slow recovery expected

NEW YORK — The U.S. service sector shrank last month at the slowest pace since late last year and orders to U.S. factory orders rose in April, but the improvements were incremental and economists say a real recovery will be long and slow.

Chiefs of GM, Chrysler tell Congress slashing dealerships necessary despite many hardships

WASHINGTON — Fighting to survive, top executives from General Motors and Chrysler on Wednesday defended their decisions to slash dealerships around the country, calling the moves unavoidable despite the pain to many loyal dealers and customers.

THE INFLUENCE GAME: Wide range of interests oppose plan to tax alcohol, sweetened drinks

WASHINGTON — A push for new taxes on soda, beer and wine to help pay for Americans’ health care is stirring up more than just the beverage industry.

Malaysian PM credits Obama for moving to shut Guantanamo, slams harsh treatment of detainees

BEIJING — Malaysia’s prime minister praised President Barack Obama on Wednesday for moving to shut down the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay but urged him to speed up the process of relocating the inmates.

Stocks fall, breaking 4-day rise, on worse-than-expected data on factory orders, services

NEW YORK — The problem with rising expectations is they get tougher to beat.

Air France plane went down in region known as ‘birthplace of our strongest storms on Earth’

Air France Flight 447 vanished in a zone of ferocious weather over the Atlantic Ocean known as the birthplace of some of the world’s strongest storms — just as the plane was encountering a 400-mile-long maze of lightning, hail, driving rain and fierce 100-mph updrafts.

Britain’s Brown struggling to survive expenses scandal as raft of key ministers quit

LONDON — British Prime Minister Gordon Brown once promised he’d lead the world out of its economic crisis. Now he’s fighting to save his job.

Bin Laden threatens Americans, criticizes Obama for pressing Pakistan on Swat Valley crackdown

CAIRO — Osama bin Laden threatened Americans in a new audio recording aired Wednesday, saying President Barack Obama inflamed hatred toward the U.S. by ordering Pakistan to crack down on militants in Swat Valley and block Islamic law there.

Germany’s Merkel criticizes central banks’ approach in financial crisis

BERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel has voiced skepticism about leading central banks’ approach to tackling the economic crisis, suggesting that they may be storing up more trouble for the years ahead.

Former Detroit mayor 3 days late, $3,500 short on $6,000 restitution payment due in mid-May

DETROIT — Michigan prison officials say former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was three days late and $3,500 short last month in the restitution ordered in his criminal case.

Mayan civilization collapsed because of resource depletion, not disease or warfare

LONDON - New evidence, in the form of inferior wood in ancient temples, has emerged for the theory that the Mayan civilization collapsed because they ran out of resources, rather than, say, disease or warfare.

Commander: Pakistani military may have to stay in Swat for another year

MINGORA, Pakistan — The military offensive to expel the Taliban from Pakistan’s Swat Valley could take another two months to complete, and troops may have to stay for a year to prevent militants from retaking control, commanders said Wednesday.

Asian markets climb on hopes worst of global slump over but doubts about big rally emerge

BANGKOK — Asian stocks rose modestly Wednesday as investors vacillated between hopes the worst of the global recession is over and worries the three-month market rally will evaporate.

ATM maker NCR moving headquarters to Georgia from Ohio; getting nearly twice Ohio’s incentive

ATLANTA — NCR Corp., the world’s leading provider of ATMs, announced Tuesday that it is trading in the Rust Belt for the Sun Belt, relocating its corporate headquarters from Dayton, Ohio, to suburban Atlanta.

Ex-Mass. House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, 3 associates indicted on federal corruption charges

BOSTON — Former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi and three associates were indicted Tuesday on federal charges alleging they conspired to help a software company win $20 million in state contracts and conceal money they got from the company.

US deaths rise in Afghanistan as thousands of troops enter the country

KABUL — U.S. deaths in Afghanistan have risen to 65 so far this year, up from 36 over the first five months of 2008 — though U.S. and coalition troops have also killed hundreds more militants, an Associated Press tally shows.

Byrd’s condition a secret guarded by family members and staff aides

WASHINGTON — Sen. Robert C. Byrd, 91, remained hospitalized Tuesday, receiving treatment for a staph infection that has extended his stay at an undisclosed facility to nearly three weeks.

In Vienna, followers pay last respects to Rama Nand

VIENNA - Some 500 Ravidassis from around Europe gathered in Vienna to pay their last respects to Dera Sachh Khand leader Sant Rama Nand Dass who was shot dead at the Ravidass gurdwara here last month, leading to violence in India.

Indian Media’s incorrect reporting will backfire on us, say Indian Australians

SYDNEY - Indian nationals living in Australia have expressed deep concern over the manner in which the Indian media has covered the recent Australian assaults on students and many consider this reporting “irresponsible”

Officials warn of missile tests amid reports NKorea’s Kim has chosen son as successor

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea is preparing to launch three or four medium-range missiles, along with an intercontinental ballistic missile, amid moves by Kim Jong Il to anoint his third son as heir to the world’s first communist dynasty, reports and experts said Tuesday.

Conn. bride in gown, high heels teeters through mud to help save neighbors from burning home

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Georgette Fogarty-Clemons was heading home from her wedding Sunday evening, looking forward to relaxing with a few friends. Her friend was driving slowly because they had some leftover cake in the car, along with hydrangeas and lilies still in water.

Judge: Bidding for Obama suit-maker can move forward

CHICAGO — Workers at a Chicago-based company that custom-made suits for President Barack Obama say they’re happy to see a deal to purchase the company appears to be moving along.

Obama hopes Mideast visit will make headway in effort to narrow divide between US and Muslims

WASHINGTON — Barack Obama began on Day One of his presidency to “reboot” America’s damaged relationship with the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims. With this week’s Mideast trip and long-promised speech in Cairo, he takes a perilous leap into the effort.

Prosecutors: Ex-Ga. Tech student was budding terrorist, hoped to join terror group overseas

ATLANTA — The videos are choppy and grainy, and some are just a few seconds long. Many were shot through an open window, and the herky-jerky technique was, at best, headache-inducing.

Wall Street extends gains after upbeat data on construction spending, manufacturing

NEW YORK — Wall Street is starting June with a big gain, boosted by reports that paint a more upbeat picture of the global economy.

Conn. bride rescues Bridgeport family from burning home while wearing wedding dress

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — A Connecticut family has been saved from a house fire by a new bride who rushed inside through thick smoke while wearing her wedding gown.

Reports: NKorea bolstering its defenses, preparing long-range missile launch

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea has transported its most advanced missile, believed to be capable of reaching Alaska, to a site where it could be ready for launch in a week or two, news reports said Monday.

Myanmar junta defends trial of opposition leader Suu Kyi, says she is not above the law

SINGAPORE — Myanmar’s junta defended its prosecution of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, accusing her Sunday of covering up the truth when she let an uninvited American intruder stay in her house.