Kerry praises $2.1 billion Raytheon deal in Oman

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, meets with Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said at Bait Al Baraka in Muscat, Oman, Tuesday, May 21, 2013. (AP Photo?Jim Young,Pool)

Kerry praises $2.1 billion Raytheon deal in Oman

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met Wednesday with officials in Oman to discuss their plans to buy a $2.1 billion air defense system from American manufacturer Raytheon.

Afghan students protest women's rights decree

Hard-line Islamist students are protesting in the Afghan capital demanding the repeal of a presidential decree for women's rights that they say is un-Islamic.

Quotations of the day

"I told him we're going to play tent in the closet. I just felt air so I knew the roof was gone." _ Chelsie McCumber, who grabbed her 2-year-old son, Ethan, and rode out the deadly Oklahoma twister in a coat closet.

Germany celebrates composer Wagner's 200th

FILE - This undated photo shows German composer Richard Wagner. The 200th anniversary of Richard Wagner's birth is May 22, and the world's opera houses and symphony halls are filled with his music this year along with the compositions of Giuseppe Verdi, whose 200th birthday is Oct. 10. (AP P…

Germany celebrates composer Wagner's 200th

Germany is celebrating the 200th anniversary of Richard Wagner with the unveiling Wednesday of a monument in the composer's birthplace of Leipzig.

Arias speaks out about case in jailhouse interview

Convicted killer Jodi Arias speaks during an interview at the Maricopa County Estrella Jail on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in Phoenix. Arias was convicted recently of killing her former boyfriend Travis Alexander in his suburban Phoenix home back in 2008, made a plea in court on Tuesday for life …

Arias speaks out about case in jailhouse interview

Convicted killer Jodi Arias pauses before answering a question during an interview at the Maricopa County Estrella Jail on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in Phoenix. Arias was convicted recently of killing her former boyfriend Travis Alexander in his suburban Phoenix home back in 2008, made a plea f…

Arias speaks out about case in jailhouse interview

Convicted killer Jodi Arias makes a point as she answers a question during an interview at the Maricopa County Estrella Jail on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in Phoenix. Arias was convicted recently of killing her former boyfriend Travis Alexander in his suburban Phoenix home back in 2008, made a p…

Arias speaks out about case in jailhouse interview

Convicted killer Jodi Arias pauses for a moment during an interview at the Maricopa County Estrella Jail on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in Phoenix. Arias was convicted recently of killing her former boyfriend Travis Alexander in his suburban Phoenix home back in 2008, made a plea in court Tuesday…

Arias speaks out about case in jailhouse interview

In a surprise jailhouse interview just hours after a jury began deliberating her fate, Jodi Arias spoke out Tuesday about her murder trial, her many fights with her legal team and her belief that she "deserves a second chance at freedom someday."

Weak yen a help for Japan, but headache elsewhere

In this Dec. 20, 2012 photo, trucks for export park at a port in Yokohama, west of Tokyo. A steady decline in the yen is proving a godsend for exporters such as Toyota and has won solid support from Japan’s main trading partners, who are betting the impact on their own currencies will be off…

Weak yen a help for Japan, but headache elsewhere

FILE - In this Friday, April 19, 2013 file photo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks during a press conference in Tokyo. While the “Abenomics” blend of fiscal and monetary stimulus and promises of reforms championed by Abe helped boost Japan’s growth to 3.5 percent in January to March…

Weak yen a help for Japan, but headache elsewhere

FILE - In this Wednesday, May 15, 2013 file photo, money traders work under screens indicating the U.S. dollar rate against the Japanese yen at a foreign exchange company in Tokyo. A steady decline in the yen is proving a godsend for exporters such as Toyota and has won solid support from Ja…

Weak yen a help for Japan, but headache elsewhere

FILE - In this Dec. 20, 2012 photo, cars for export park at a port in Kawasaki, west of Tokyo. A steady decline in the yen is proving a godsend for exporters such as Toyota and has won solid support from Japan’s main trading partners, who are betting the impact on their own currencies will b…

Weak yen a help for Japan, but headache elsewhere

A steady decline in the yen is proving a godsend for exporters such as Toyota and has won solid support from Japan's main trading partners, who are betting the impact on their own currencies will be offset by gains from a recovery in the world's third-largest economy. It's not such good news…

Octogenarians race to be oldest Everest climber

In this Friday, May 17, 2013 photo distributed by Miura Dolphins, 80-year-old Japanese adventurer Yuichiro Miura, right, and his son, Gota, rest on their way to a camp at 6,500 meters (21,325 feet) from a camp at 6,050 meters (19,849 feet) during their attempt to scale the summit of Mount Ev…

Octogenarians race to be oldest Everest climber

In this Friday, May 17, 2013 photo distributed by Miura Dolphins, 80-year-old Japanese adventurer Yuichiro Miura climbs through the Western Cwm glacial valley basin on his way to a camp at 6,500 meters (21,325 feet) from a camp at 6,050 meters (19,849 feet) during his attempt to scale the su…

Octogenarians race to be oldest Everest climber

In this Thursday, May 16, 2013 photo distributed by Miura Dolphins, 80-year-old Japanese adventurer Yuichiro Miura, right, and his son, Gota, leave their base camp at 5,300 meters (17,388 feet) for their attempt to scale the summit of Mount Everest. According to his management office, Miura …

Octogenarians race to be oldest Everest climber

In this Thursday, May 16, 2013 photo distributed by Miura Dolphins, 80-year-old Japanese adventurer Yuichiro Miura leaves the base camp at 5,300 meters (17,388 feet) for his attempt to scale the summit of Mount Everest. According to his management office, Miura plans to accomplish the ascent…

Octogenarians race to be oldest Everest climber

In this Saturday, May 18, 2013 photo distributed by Miura Dolphins, 80-year-old Japanese adventurer Yuichiro Miura, right, is greeted by his friend climber Kenji Kondo while resting at his camp at 6,500 meters (21,325 feet) during his attempt to scale the summit of Mount Everest. According t…

Octogenarians race to be oldest Everest climber

An 80-year-old Japanese extreme skier who just missed becoming the oldest man to reach the summit of Mount Everest five years ago is back on the mountain to make another attempt at the title.

7 Egyptian security men kidnapped in Sinai freed

Egyptian Army soldiers patrol in an armored vehicle backed by a helicopter gunship during a sweep through villages in in Sheikh Zuweyid, northern Sinai, Egypt, Tuesday, May 21, 2013. Egypt's government has built up security forces in northern Sinai as part of an effort to secure the release …

7 Egyptian security men kidnapped in Sinai freed

Six Egyptian policemen and a border guard kidnapped by suspected militants in the volatile Sinai Peninsula last week were freed by their captors Wednesday after successful mediation, the country's military spokesman said.

Column: Play ball with Goodell and NFL _ or else

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during a news conference at the NFL football spring meetings in Boston, Tuesday, May 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)