Stock futures point to lower open after weak GDP read

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures pointed to a slightly weaker open on Wednesday following an unexpected contraction in fourth-quarter economic activity. The first read showed gross domestic product fell 0.1 percent, far below expectations for growth of 1.1 percent. However, a read on private sector employment topped forecasts, with the ADP National Employment report showing 192,000...

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A-Rod implicated in PED use again as MLB probes

NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Rodriguez is in the middle of Major League Baseball's latest doping investigation after an alternative weekly newspaper reported baseball's highest-paid star was among the big leaguers listed in the records of a Florida clinic the paper said sold performance-enhancing drugs.The Miami New Times said Tuesday that the three-time AL MVP bought human growth hormone and other performance-enhancing...

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Severe weather rakes US midsection

JACKSON, Miss. – A large storm system packing high winds, rain and some possible tornadoes tore across several states in the South and central U.S. on Wednesday, blacking out power to thousands, downing trees and damaging homes.One death was reported when a large tree blew down on a shed in Nashville, Tenn., where a man was sheltering, police told Nashville broadcaster WTVF-TV. Authorities did not...

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Bill Gates: We should grade teachers

Bill Gates discusses class work with students at South High School in Denver, Colorado last year.STORY HIGHLIGHTSBill Gates says his foundation is focused on setting goals, measuring progressTo improve education, we need measures of teacher effectiveness, he saysGates: It's worth spending what it takes for strong evaluation systemHe says better measuring will empower teachers to do their best workEditor's...

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Ex-Gov. Ryan arrives at halfway house: 'He has paid a severe price'

A somber and silent George Ryan arrived at a West Side halfway house this morning after the former governor was released from...

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Mursi heads to Germany on trip cut back by Egypt crisis

CAIRO/BERLIN (Reuters) - Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi flew to Germany on Wednesday to try to convince Europe of his democratic credentials, leaving behind a country in crisis after a week of violence that has killed more than 50 people. Two more protesters were shot dead before dawn near Cairo's central Tahrir Square on the seventh day of what has become the deadliest wave of unrest...

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Stock futures point to modest losses, Ford drops

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures pointed to slight losses at the open on Tuesday as investors took profits following an extended rally and looked for confirmation the gains could continue. Equities have been on a tear lately, with the S&P 500 ending an eight-day streak of gains in Monday's session. The index remained above 1,500, suggesting there was still support for a market...

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Mayor: New Orleans deserves Super Bowl spotlight

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A 20-story-high mural of the Lombardi Trophy, affixed to the glass exterior of a bustling hotel that was once a shattered symbol of Hurricane Katrina's devastation, rises like a beacon above the expansive white roof of the Superdome.The Super Bowl is back in the Big Easy, finally, after 11 years, giving New Orleans a spotlight of global proportion to showcase how far it has come...

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And Now, Back to Charles (Barkley) with the Weather

We realize there’s only so much time one can spend in a day watching new trailers, viral video clips, and shaky cell phone footage of people arguing on live television. This is why every day The Atlantic Wire highlights the videos that truly earn your five minutes (or less) of attention. Today:RELATED: This Is How You Super Moonwalk; Old People Show Us the DubstepSo, Charles Barkley is a semi-wonderful,...

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Why haven't we learned from fires?

STORY HIGHLIGHTSPyrotechnics, overcrowding, poor exits have contributed to tragic fires in recent yearsYou would think the world would have learned from past incidents, John Barylick saysConcertgoers have to be their own fire marshals, he saysEditor's note: John Barylick, author of "Killer Show," a book on the 2003 Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island, is an attorney who represented victims in wrongful...

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