Obama Meets With Wounded Troops at Walter Reed

President Barack Obama has met with wounded service members during a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.The president traveled to the hospital just outside Washington by helicopter a few hours before the House was expected to consider a Republican proposal to address the "fiscal cliff."The White House says the president met with 10 wounded troops during his stay. It was Obama's...

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Cliff Poses Tiny Dollar Gap, Wide Political Ravine

When it comes to resolving their "fiscal cliff" impasse, the dollar gap between President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner is tiny in federal terms. That masks a monumental political ravine the two men must try to bridge, with most of the burden on the now beleaguered Boehner.Short of support from his own Republican Party, a chagrined speaker abruptly canceled a House vote Thursday night...

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Texas cancer agency's nonprofit defends privacy

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A foundation that boosts executive salaries at Texas' troubled $3 billion cancer-fighting effort defended to critical lawmakers Thursday a policy that keeps donors confidential while being lectured over appearances of pay-to-play politics.Facing pointed and occasionally combative questions from state budget-writers, officials with the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of...

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Fiscal Cliff 'Plan B' Is Dead: Now What?

The defeat of his Plan B - Republicans pulled it when it became clear it would be voted down - is a big defeat for Speaker of the House John Boehner. It demonstrates definitively that there is no fiscal cliff deal that can pass the House on Republican votes alone.Boehner could not even muster the votes to pass something that would only allow tax rates on those making more than $1 million to go up.Boehner's...

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US home sales rise 2.1 percent in October

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. sales of previously occupied homes rose solidly in October, helped by improvement in the job market and record-low mortgage rates.The increase along with a jump in homebuilder confidence this month suggests the housing market continues to recover.The National Association of Realtors said Monday that sales rose 2.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.79 million....

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US mortgage rates for past 52 weeks at a glance

Average U.S. mortgage rates were little changed this week, staying near their record lows.Here's a look at rates for fixed and adjustable mortgages over the past 52 week...

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US rate on 30-year mortgage rises to 3.41 pct.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Average U.S. mortgage rates rose only slightly this week and continued to hover near record lows, a trend that has helped boost home sales and refinancing.Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage edged up to 3.41 percent, from 3.37 last week. Three weeks ago, the rate touched 3.36 percent. That's the lowest level on records dating to 1971.The...

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Analysis: Mortgage demand too much for U.S. banks, who respond slowly

(Reuters) - Big U.S. banks are hiring mortgage bankers to meet a surge in demand for home loans and refinancings, but they are still struggling to process applications, which could undermine the Federal Reserve's attempts to stimulate the economy.Since the Fed announced its plan in September to buy up to $40 billion of mortgages a month, consumer mortgage rates have fallen more slowly and by less...

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New exhibition explores our love and hate of money

NEW YORK (Reuters) - How does money make you feel? Fearful, stressed, happy?U.S. financial guru Suze Orman has teamed with the producer of the popular Body Worlds exhibits for a new traveling show to look at how we relate to and understand money.Orman, media star and author of best-selling books on personal finance, described the finance-themed exhibit as "an extension of my life's work as a financial...

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Oregon Teen Loses Legs to Mystery Illness

An Oregon teen has lost both her legs to a mysterious infection, leaving doctors searching for answers.Tabitha Schulke, an 18-year-old woman who wanted to devote her future to helping others as a missionary, is now fighting for her life in the critical care unit of a Portland Hospital.The teen first started feeling ill on Thanksgiving morning, when she came down with flu-like symptoms, but in a strange...

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