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US closes Syrian embassy, presses Assad to go
(AP)
AP - The U.S. closed its Syrian embassy Monday and Britain recalled its ambassador to Damascus in a dramatic escalation of Western pressure on President Bashar Assad to give up power, just days after diplomatic efforts at the United Nations to end the crisis collapsed.
Few answers in death of sons of missing Utah mom
(AP)
AP - Josh Powell's note was simple and short, a farewell to the world after two years of being scrutinized in the media, hammered by police and questioned by judges, prosecutors and social workers, living his life under a microscope since the day his wife vanished.
Defense cuts test lawmakers' resolve on deficits
(AP)
AP - Lawmakers who came to Washington demanding budget cuts face a tough test now that President Barack Obama and military leaders want to shrink the force, shut down bases and cancel weapons to achieve them.
Norway mass killer demands medal at court hearing
(AP)
AP - The right-wing extremist who has admitted killing 77 people in the worst peacetime massacre that Norway has ever seen told a court Monday that he deserves a medal of honor for the bloodshed and demanded to be set free.
Palestinians move toward end of political rift
(AP)
AP - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday took a decisive step toward reconciliation with the Islamic militant Hamas, agreeing to head an interim unity government that would prepare for elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Ga. court overturns assisted suicide restrictions
(AP)
AP - Georgia's top court struck down a state law that restricted assisted suicides, siding on Monday with four members of a suicide group who said the law violated their free speech rights.
Apologies from NFL, NBC after M.I.A. flips bird
(AP)
AP - British hip-hop artist M.I.A.'s obscene gesture in the Super Bowl halftime show is prompting apologies from NBC and the NFL. But it isn't immediately registering as a moment that viewers latched on to.
Romney latest pol to join wait-let-me-explain club
(AP)
AP - Mitt Romney's remark that he's not worried about the very poor, the latest gaffe in a campaign rich with blunders, joins a long list of wait-let-me-explain episodes in presidential election history.
Verizon to set up streaming service with Redbox
(AP)
AP - Phone company Verizon Communications Inc. will challenge Netflix and start a video streaming service this year with Redbox and its DVD rental kiosks.
Queen celebrates 60 years on throne
(AP)
AP - Tributes poured in to Queen Elizabeth II on Monday as she marked 60 years on the throne with a message vowing to continue serving the British people.
Greeks delay bailout talks as Merkel demands action
(Reuters)
Reuters - German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Greece on Monday to make up its mind fast on accepting the painful terms for a new EU/IMF bailout, but the country's political leaders responded by delaying their decision for yet another day.
Gingrich vows to take fight to "timid" Romney
(Reuters)
Reuters - Republican Newt Gingrich vowed on Sunday to press ahead with his struggling presidential bid after a big loss in Nevada, saying he will focus on drawing a contrast with "timid" rival Mitt Romney.
Syria bombards Homs; West scrambles for new strategy
(Reuters)
Reuters - Syrian forces bombarded Homs on Monday, killing 50 people in a sustained assault on several districts of the city which has become a centre of armed opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian National Council opposition group said.
Obama gains over Romney amid better economy: poll
(Reuters)
Reuters - bolstered by a stronger economic outlook and recent job growth - would win in a match-up against the two leading Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, a poll on Monday showed.
Insight: Two firms flourish in frenzied MF Global aftermath
(Reuters)
Reuters - The mad rush to move client money out of MF Global Inc. after its collapse left two firms with the bulk of customer accounts, while other brokerages emerged with only minor gains from the chaos of carving up a multibillion-dollar business.
Wall Street eases as investors eye Greece
(Reuters)
Reuters - Stocks edged lower on Monday as a delay by debt-ridden Greece in accepting the terms of a bailout gave investors little reason to buy equities after a five-week rally.
Analysis: Euro zone strugglers lack innovative knack
(Reuters)
Reuters - To get an idea of the economic mountain euro zone strugglers Greece and Portugal have to climb, consider this: per million inhabitants, they each filed fewer than eight applications with the European Patent Office in 2010.
U.S. closes embassy in Damascus due to Syria violence
(Reuters)
Reuters - The United States announced on Monday it was closing its embassy in Syria due to the worsening security situation, further isolating Damascus over its bloody crackdown on anti-government protests.
Carl Levin calls Romney's defense budget criticism "just a political statement"
(The Christian Science Monitor)
The Christian Science Monitor - Michigan Senator Carl Levin, a Democrat, is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. He was the guest speaker at the Jan. 26 Monitor breakfast in Washington.
Are new unemployment figures a boost for Obama?
(The Christian Science Monitor)
The Christian Science Monitor - Fridayâs good news on the economy â an unemployment rate that dropped to 8.3 percent in January as the economy added 243,000 jobs â might have caused the White House staff to do cartwheels. If youâre going to get blamed when things are rough, why not celebrate when they go well?
