Averting fiscal cliff elusive as lawmakers return to talk of compromise

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Talk of compromise on a broad budget deal greeted returning lawmakers Monday, but agreement still seemed distant as the White House and congressional Republicans ceded little ground on a key sticking point: whether to raise revenue through higher tax rates or by limiting tax breaks and deductions.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, pressed his case for revenue derived by reducing tax loopholes rather than raising tax rates on wealthy taxpayers, as President Barack Obama insists.

Boehner, voicing the Republican stance, said: "The American people support an approach that involves both major spending cuts and additional revenue via tax reform with lower tax rates."

At the White House, Obama spokesman Jay Carney reiterated the president's pledge not to sign legislation that extends current tax rates to the top 2 percent of income earners - households with incomes over $250,000. "That is a firm position," Carney said.

Minn. man charged in teens' slayings admits firing 'more shots than I needed' to stop break-in

LITTLE FALLS, Minn. (AP) -- A Minnesota homeowner who shot two teenagers in the midst of an apparent Thanksgiving Day break-in told authorities he feared they had a weapon, but acknowledged firing "more shots than I needed to" and appeared to take pride in "a good clean finishing shot" for one teen, according to investigators.

Byron David Smith, 64, was charged Monday with two counts of second-degree murder in a criminal complaint that was chilling for the clinical way investigators said he described the shootings.

Smith told investigators he shot 18-year-old Haile Kifer several times as she descended a stairway into his basement, and his Mini 14 rifle jammed as he tried to shoot her again after she had tumbled down the steps.

New Congress: More women and many newcomers, but fewer moderates make getting deals harder

WASHINGTON (AP) -- When the next Congress cranks up in January, there will be more women, many new faces and 11 fewer tea party-backed House Republicans from the class of 2010 who sought a second term.

Overriding those changes, though, is a thinning of pragmatic, centrist veterans in both parties. Among those leaving are some of the Senate's most pragmatic lawmakers, nearly half the House's centrist Blue Dog Democrats and several moderate House Republicans.

That could leave the parties more polarized even as President Barack Obama and congressional leaders talk up the cooperation needed to tackle complex, vexing problems such as curbing deficits, revamping tax laws and culling savings from Medicare and other costly, popular programs.

Rolling Stones storm London; New York next

LONDON (AP) -- The verdict is in: The Rolling Stones are back. They may look old, but they still sound young.

That was the consensus Monday as Britain's rock critics responded to the Stones 50th anniversary bash Sunday night, the first of five shows to commemorate their half century of rhythm and blues-tinged rock. It was the band's first London performance in five years, and their own advancing years had led some to be skeptical that they could still perform at the highest level.

They were led by the seemingly ageless Mick Jagger, whose strutting style has not been dimmed, and backed by brilliant guitarists Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood and the energetic drumming of Charlie Watts, who is now past 70 but shows no sign of slowing down. There was a stunning guest appearance by former Stone Mick Taylor, who stole the show during a searing performance of "Midnight Rambler" and a brief visit from former bassist Bill Wyman.

GOP immigration bill would expand science, tech visas, make reuniting families easier

WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Republicans still smarting from their poor showing among Hispanics in the presidential election are planning a vote next week on immigration legislation that would both expand visas for foreign science and technology students and make it easier for those with green cards to bring their immediate families to the U.S.

Republican leaders made it clear after the election that the party was ready to get serious about overhauling the nation's dysfunctional immigration system, a top priority for Hispanic communities. Taking up what is called the STEM Jobs Act during the lame-duck session could be seen as a first step in that direction.

As holiday e-commerce booms, Postal Service looks to same-day delivery to lift sagging revenue

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Emboldened by rapid growth in e-commerce shipping, the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service is moving aggressively this holiday season to start a premium service for the Internet shopper seeking the instant gratification of a store purchase: same-day package delivery.

Teaming up with major retailers, the post office will begin the expedited service in San Francisco on Dec. 12 at a price similar to its competitors. If things run smoothly, the program will quickly expand next year to other big cities such as Boston, Chicago and New York. It follows similar efforts by eBay, Amazon.com, and most recently Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which charges a $10 flat rate for same-day delivery.

Superstorm moves film from theoretical to concrete

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- In the documentary "Shored Up," scientists warn that with a rising sea level, a major storm could put New Jersey's barrier islands underwater and create devastating storm surges. In other words, what happened last month when Superstorm Sandy slammed into New Jersey and New York.

For Ben Kalina, the Philadelphia filmmaker who was nearly finished putting together the documentary when the storm hit, it meant that the ideas in the film that may have sounded far-fetched - or at least, discussions of something that may happen sometime in the future - were suddenly immediate.

"Until Sandy, we were making a film about something much more meditative, really," Kalina said. "And now the stakes are suddenly much more real."

Tom Brady, high-scoring Patriots roll past mistake-prone Jets 49-19

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- It took only 52 seconds for the New England Patriots to turn this into a laugher.

That's how long it took to score three touchdowns in the second quarter and thoroughly embarrass the bumbling New York Jets 49-19 on Thursday night.

Even Bill Belichick couldn't compare what he watched to any other regular-season game in which he has coached.

"I was unfortunately on the other side of that in a Pro Bowl where they scored on a fumble, then an interception," Belichick said. "It doesn't take a lot to score like that - defensive touchdowns, special teams, they can add up in a hurry.

"Nothing surprises me in the NFL."

Big move in the tango of college conferences: Rutgers joins Big Ten, leaving Big East behind

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- As the Big East was being picked apart, Rutgers was looking for a way out and a new place to show off a football program that has been resurrected in the past decade.

Not only did Rutgers find that escape hatch, the Scarlet Knights ended up in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in college sports.

Rutgers joined the Big Ten on Tuesday, leaving the Big East behind and cashing in on the school's investment in a football team that only 10 years ago seemed incapable of competing at the highest level.

The move follows Maryland's announcement a day earlier that it was heading to the Big Ten in 2014. The additions give the Big Ten 14 schools and a presence in lucrative East Coast markets.

Rutgers announced its decision Tuesday at a campus news conference attended by Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, Rutgers President Robert Barchi and athletic director Tim Pernetti.

For Ang Lee, all movies are a leap of faith

NEW YORK (AP) -- Is there anything Ang Lee can't do?

The pithy answer might be: Large, angry, green men. Yes, Lee's "Hulk" was not well received. But in his incredibly varied filmography, Lee has steadily steered films that could very well have turned disastrous into box-office hits and Oscar bait.

Combining martial arts with drama? "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" became the highest grossing foreign language film ever, more than double any previous foreign film. A film about gay cowboys? "Brokeback Mountain" went on to be nominated for eight Oscars, winning three including best director.

Kyle Wiltjer hits seven 3-pointers, scores 23 as No. 3 Kentucky rolls past Lafayette 101-49

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) -- Kyle Wiltjer's first 3-pointer gave him a feeling Friday would be a pretty good night.

His instincts were spot-on.

The sophomore forward sank a career-best seven 3-pointers for a game-high 23 points to lead No. 3 Kentucky to a 101-49 rout of Lafayette.

Wiltjer's shooting set the tone for an amazing offensive night for the Wildcats (2-1), who hit 40 of 62 attempts (65 percent), including 11 of 19 from behind the arc. He finished 7 of 11 on 3-pointers, including 5 of 8 in the second half.

2 years after IPO, GM is piling up cash

DETROIT (AP) -- Two years after a wounded General Motors returned to the stock market, the symbol of American industrial might is thriving again.

Sunday marks the anniversary of GM's initial public stock offering in November 2010. The company has made money for 11 straight quarters, piling up more than $16 billion in profits. Its cars and trucks are selling for good prices. And sales are strong in China.

But there are signs of trouble. GM's U.S. sales, the prime driver of its profits, aren't rising as quickly as the overall market. There's been turmoil in the executive ranks, and the company is hemorrhaging cash in Europe.

Since the IPO, here are GM's achievements, struggles and question marks.

ACHIEVEMENTS:

Brandon McCarthy medically cleared, back to normal offseason routine following brain injury

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Pitcher Brandon McCarthy is ready for a normal offseason after being medically cleared this week to resume his regular routine, less than three months after being struck in the head by a line drive and undergoing emergency brain surgery.

"Everything's good," McCarthy said by telephone Thursday. "This last month I have taken the rest part very seriously. I have a couple little projects I've picked up, I read - I'm actually really good at being lazy. It kind of worked out well timing wise."

McCarthy, a free agent right-hander who was Oakland's opening-day starter last March in Tokyo, spent Monday and Tuesday undergoing extensive evaluations by renowned concussion expert, Dr. Michael Collins, at the University of Pittsburgh. He returned to his Dallas-area home Wednesday and was cleared by Collins to begin working out.

Eurozone slides back into recession

LONDON (AP) -- The 17-country eurozone has fallen back into recession for the first time in three years as the fallout from the region's financial crisis was felt from Amsterdam to Athens.

And with surveys pointing to increasingly depressed conditions across the 17-member group at a time of austerity and high unemployment, the recession is forecast to deepen, and make the debt crisis - which has been calmer of late - even more difficult to handle.

Official figures Thursday showed that the eurozone contracted by 0.1 percent in the July to September period from the quarter before as economies including Germany and the Netherlands suffer from falling demand.

The decline reported by Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, was in line with market expectations and follows on from the 0.2 percent fall recorded in the second quarter. As a result, the eurozone is technically in recession, commonly defined as two straight quarters of falling output.

Facing similar spot to Alabama, Oregon tries to avoid being next No. 1 to fall

No. 1 team in the nation, playing at home against a ranked divisional rival with two losses on its record and an elusive redshirt freshman quarterback directing its offense.

Sounds familiar.

Last week it was top-ranked Alabama losing to No. 15 Texas A&M to shake up the national championship race.

This week, new No. 1 Oregon hosts No. 14 Stanford, looking to avoid a repeat.

The Tide's loss has left the Ducks, second in the BCS, and No. 2 Kansas State, first in the BCS, on course to play for the national championship.

Shania Twain makes horseback arrival for Vegas gig

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Country music star Shania Twain arrived on horseback Wednesday for a two-year headline gig at Caesars Palace, parading up the Las Vegas Strip with a herd of 40 horses.

Promoters called the event a stampede, but hooves were kept to a steady, slow gait by nine wranglers who escorted Twain to a reception crowd of several hundred people in front of the famous Caesars fountains. Dozens more people watched from the sidewalk of the Flamingo resort across Las Vegas Boulevard.

Judge tosses anti-paparazzi counts in Bieber case

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A judge dealt a blow Wednesday to a California law meant to crack down on reckless driving by paparazzi by saying the statute is overly broad and should not be used against the first photographer charged under its provisions.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Rubinson dismissed counts filed under the law against Paul Raef, who was charged in July with being involved in a high-speed pursuit of Justin Bieber.

The 2010 law raised the penalty for those who drive dangerously in pursuit of photos for commercial gain.

Obama, congressional leaders talk compromise, lay down markers on coming debt, spending talks

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Taking little time to celebrate, President Barack Obama is setting out to leverage his re-election into legislative success in an upcoming showdown with congressional Republicans over taxes, deficits and the impending "fiscal cliff." House Speaker John Boehner says Republicans are willing to consider some form of higher tax revenue as part of the solution - but only "under the right conditions."

All sides are setting out opening arguments for the negotiations to come.

Even before returning to Washington from his hometown of Chicago, Obama was on the phone Wednesday with the four top leaders of the House and Senate, including Boehner, to talk about the lame-duck Congress that convenes just one week after Election Day.

AT&T to expand wireless, wired broadband reach

NEW YORK (AP) -- Many homes in AT&T Inc.'s local-phone service areas will see the company becoming more competitive with cable for broadband service under a new $14 billion investment plan the company revealed Wednesday. But in more outlying areas, the company will start shifting customers from regular phone lines to wireless service.

Like other phone companies, AT&T is having a hard time competing with cable broadband in much of its service area, because regular "DSL" broadband is now much slower than what cable companies offer. After reviewing its options, AT&T concluded that it won't sell off phone lines in outlying areas like Verizon Communications Inc. did. Instead, it will pursue a split strategy of upgrading some areas to higher speeds and abandoning phone lines in less dense areas in favor of wireless.

AP sports writer's account of living through Sandy's harrowing destruction on Staten Island

NEW YORK (AP) -- I was the first to cry.

Not my wife. Not our three kids.

I was standing in our pitch-black basement as water streamed through the broken windows like a waterfall. A bathtub drain gurgled, the slimy sewage quickly pooling in an ominous mess. Just eight weeks after we'd bought our dream house - three bedrooms, big kitchen, pool, white fence and a finished basement - Superstorm Sandy was ripping it apart with a fury that was hard to comprehend, along with the rest of our Staten Island neighborhood.

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EDITOR'S NOTE - AP Sports Writer Dennis Waszak and his family had moved into their Staten Island `dream house' just weeks before Superstorm Sandy devastated parts of the New York City borough. These are his recollections a week after the storm hit and upended life for Waszak, his wife and their three children.

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Clarification: American Suzuki-Bankruptcy story

BREA, Calif. (AP) -- In a story Nov. 5 about American Suzuki Motor Corp. filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, The Associated Press reported that American Suzuki intends to honor all buyback agreements. The AP should have clarified that the automaker will honor all buyback agreements already in place with financial institutions.

An updated version of the story is below:

American Suzuki files for bankruptcy protection

American Suzuki Motor to cease selling cars, focus on motorcycles, ATVs in reorganization

BREA, Calif. (AP) - American Suzuki Motor Corp. on Monday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and said it will cease selling automobiles in the U.S. as part of a plan to restructure its business.

The company, based in Brea, Calif., is the sole distributor of Suzuki Motor Co. vehicles in the continental U.S.

Photo-sharing app Instagram expands to the Web

NEW YORK (AP) -- Instagram, the photo-sharing app that was created for mobile phones, is expanding to the Web.

The service will launch Instagram profiles on the Web over the next few days. Previously, users' profiles existed only on Instagram's mobile applications accessed on the iPhone or Android devices. Now, users will have a website with a profile photo, bio and a selection of the snapshots they've recently shared on Instagram.

Instragram, which is owned by Facebook Inc., made its announcement in a blog post Monday.

The layout of the Web profiles is reminiscent of Facebook timelines, except with little text and no ads. Users will have a large cover image that's a collage of their old Instagram shots. Their profile photo is on the right side and their snapshots cascade down the page.