Northwest plane hits turbulence, 2 hurt; comes day after 26 aboard Rio-Houston injured

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A flight attendant and a passenger were injured aboard a Northwest Airlines plane when it hit turbulence during a flight from Knoxville, Tenn., to Detroit Tuesday, an airline spokesman said.

Two globe-trotters on a mission: The tag team of Bill and Hillary Clinton is in motion again

WASHINGTON — Bill Clinton’s North Korean negotiations cast fresh light on a Byzantine, mysterious power that Americans may never fully understand.

Consumer spending up in June but unlikely to lead recovery as incomes fall, unemployment rises

WASHINGTON — As gasoline prices rose, Americans spent more in June than the previous month — despite falling incomes. For the rest of the year, economists expect falling wages and rising unemployment to act as a drag on spending.

A list of the 6 soldiers from Iraq, Afghanistan wars chosen for the Medal of Honor

Six members of the U.S. military who were killed in action have been chosen for the Medal of Honor during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The military’s description of their actions:

Asian stocks rise as better-than-expected earnings lift sentiment; European shares weaker

HONG KONG — Asian stock markets closed out a robust July with more gains Friday as better-than-expected earnings at companies from Japan to the U.S. reinforced hopes of stronger global growth. European markets were weaker in early trade.

RealNetworks posts wider 2nd-quarter loss on falling sales, write-offs

SEATTLE — Digital entertainment company RealNetworks Inc. posted a wider loss for the second quarter on Thursday, hit with declining revenue and write-offs on the value of its assets.

Delhi government to sell pulses at subsidised rates

NEW DELHI - Delhiites, hit by a sudden rise in prices of pulses, can heave a sigh of relief with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Tuesday launching 80 retail outlets across the capital where pulses will be sold at subsidised rates.

Ferrari driver Felipe Massa stable after surgery on ‘life-threatening’ injuries from crash

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Ferrari driver Felipe Massa underwent surgery on life-threatening skull injuries Saturday from a high-speed crash during Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying. He was in stable condition in the intensive care unit of a military hospital.

Italy blocks sale of 2 luxury yachts believed bound for North Korea

MILAN — Italy has blocked the nearly euro13-million ($18-million) sale of two luxury yachts believed to have been bound for the impoverished nation of North Korea in violation of international sanctions, authorities said Thursday.

Musharraf denies involvement in Bhutto assassination

ISLAMABAD - Former Pakistani president General Pervez Musharraf has rejected allegations of his involvement in the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

2 suspected US missile strikes kill 45 militants in northwest Pakistan, officials say

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan — Suspected U.S. drones launched two missile attacks on Taliban targets in the South Waziristan tribal region on Wednesday, killing at least 45 militants in the latest in a barrage of strikes close to the Afghan border, intelligence officials said.

Mexico’s former ruling party makes gains in midterm congressional elections

MEXICO CITY — Reviled as a creaky remnant of Mexico’s authoritarian past, the old Institutional Revolutionary Party made a big comeback in midterm elections, once again becoming the largest force in Congress.

‘Transformers,’ ‘Ice Age’ in 4th of July box-office squeaker with $42.5M each

LOS ANGELES — Prehistoric creatures and robots were in a photo finish for the Fourth of July box-office crown Sunday, with “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” and “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” tied with $42.5 million each.

Palin resigns as Alaska governor, leaves future presidential run shrouded in mystery

WASILLA, Alaska — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin abruptly announced Friday she is resigning from office at the end of the month, a shocking move that rattled the Republican party but left open the possibility she would seek a run for the White House in 2012.

June’s US unemployment data ’sobering’: Obama

WASHINGTON - The US economy shed a surprising 467,000 jobs in June and the jobless rate climbed to 9.5 percent, in what President Barack Obama called a “sobering” sign that the country’s deep recession is far from over.

North Korea fires two missiles, claims South Korea

SEOUL - North Korea Thursday fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles off its east coast, a South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman said.

Free air tickets, spa deals: Thailand hopes to distract from turmoil and lure tourists back

BANGKOK — Thai Airways is trying to lure passengers from outside Asia with free domestic flights. Hotels on the resort island of Phuket are offering a fourth night free. And mountain lodges up north are offering free golf and spa pampering.

As Sukhbir Badal holidays abroad, Punjab faces harsh summer

CHANDIGARH - Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister and Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal is literally far removed from the harsh, high temperature and powerless woes of the people of the state as he is holidaying abroad with his family.

Stocks wobble after mixed data; personal spending rises, but so does savings

NEW YORK — Investors are nervous because consumers are saving more than they’re spending.

European stocks, Wall Street fall on data showing US savings rate outpaced spending in May

LONDON — European stocks lost earlier gains Friday, trailing Wall Street lower after data showed U.S. consumers are spending less than they’re saving.

Four months and 15 surgeries after she was burned by white phosphorous, Afghan girl goes home

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan — A nurse fixed a black wig on Razia’s scarred and disfigured scalp before the 8-year-old took off around the emergency room to bid farewell to the staff who cared for her after white phosphorous scorched her head, face, neck and hands.

One commuter train slams into rear of another in Washington, killing 6 and injuring 70

WASHINGTON — Officials say the commuter train accident in Washington has killed six people and injured as many as 70 others.

Mexico deploys 1,500 more troops to border city of Ciudad Juarez as homicides rise

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico — Mexico has deployed 1,500 more troops to the northern border city of Ciudad Juarez, where homicides related to the drug trade have surged in recent weeks.

Profit booking pulls down Sensex 435 points (Roundup)

MUMBAI - Heavy profit booking in the last hour of trading in the Indian equities markets Wednesday pulled down a key index by 435 points at closing bell. Realty and metal stocks saw bulk of the selling.

AP Exclusive: Calif. hits Web site with child-labor violations for taping 2 Suleman octuplets

LOS ANGELES — California authorities slapped an online site Tuesday with four child-labor law violations for videotaping two of Nadya Suleman’s octuplets without safeguards to protect their health and welfare.

Indian firms want tougher quality norms on Chinese goods

NEW DELHI - Hit by the influx of cheaper Chinese goods in the domestic market, India’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) want tougher safeguard duties and quality norms to be imposed on imports from the neighbouring country, say an an industry lobby survey.

Centcom chief Petraeus cites ‘tough times ahead’ amid worsening security in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — The violence that has surged for two years in Afghanistan reached a new high last week, and more difficulty lies ahead, the commander of U.S. troops in the Middle East said Thursday.

Highlights from the Fed’s latest survey of economic conditions across the country

WASHINGTON — Highlights from the Federal Reserve’s survey of economic conditions nationwide. The survey, released Wednesday and known as the Beige Book, is based on information collected from the Fed’s 12 regional bank districts.

Captain of plane downed in the Hudson says warnings about birds provide little help to pilots

WASHINGTON — Shortly after takeoff, the pilot of Flight 1549 remarked on two things almost immediately: a breathtaking view of the Hudson River and the sickening thump of birds hitting his engines. Warnings about the birds probably would not have helped, Capt. Chesley Sullenberger told federal safety officials Tuesday as they looked for ways to prevent a recurrence that could prove deadly.

Left Front wants cyclone Aila to be declared a national calamity

KOLKATA - West Bengal’s ruling Left Front chairman Biman Bose said on Tuesday that his party demanded the cyclone Aila, which caused enormous devastation in the state to be declared a national calamity.