Experts exhume Arafat's remains, test for poison

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian authorities on Tuesday opened Yasser Arafat's grave and foreign experts took samples from his remains as part of a long-shot attempt — eight years after the iconic leader's mysterious death — to determine whether he was poisoned, as relatives and some political successors have claimed.The exhumation began before dawn, under...

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Shoppers welcome holiday sales by buying early, often — and online

Shoppers swooped into stores in droves on Thanksgiving weekend, topping last year’s sales, as more retailers opened their doors earlier than ever on Thursday, luring bargain hunters away from eating another plate of turkey.And now Cyber Monday is expected to set a record for online shopping this year, for those who prefer the Internet to the mall.Spending per shopper nationwide...

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Police seize haul of bogus lobster tags

An ongoing investigation into an elaborate scheme to counterfeit state-issued tags for spiny lobster traps has pulled in a second suspect.Jesus Alonso Perez, 51, of Miami was charged with possession of phony trap tags after his arrest last week by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers in Miami-Dade County.Perez is the first person arrested in the case...

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Grammys Flashback: Aerosmith 1995

Aerosmith has etched itself into rock music history through its many years in the business, but it hasn't always been a smooth road for the band. In 1995, after Aerosmith had just won its third Grammy, the band reflected on the turbulent journey they had led.Following their soaring launch into the music industry in the '70s with five platinum albums, Aerosmith suffered a rift in the band that wasn't...

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Cyber Monday likely to be the year's busiest online sales day

APCyber Monday is likely to be the year's busiest online sales day.Bye-bye Black Friday. So long Small Business Saturday. Now, it's Cyber Monday's turn.Cyber Monday, coined in 2005 by a shopping trade group that noticed online sales spiked on the Monday following Thanksgiving, is the next in a series of days that stores are counting on to jumpstart the...

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Shifting tides of Panama real estate echo Miami trends

PANAMA CITY, Panama — As a real estate agent shows off a model apartment — white leather sectional, stainless steel appliances, open concept, ocean views — in the 59-story Yacht Club Tower, and touts its fitness center and pool deck designed to mimic a ship floating on the sea, he makes a telling statement:“We tried to emulate the Miami style in this building.”Approaching...

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Never mind shopping; Messiah concert marks start of holiday season

Participating in the annual Messiah sing-in, always made me feel like the Season had begun. I was a member of the community chorus for many years, under the late Dr. Lee Kjelson. It was a wonderful feeling, singing the words from the Bible that foretold the coming of Jesus. Now, decades later, the Messiah sing-in tradition is still going strong.At 2:30 p. m. on Dec. 9,...

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Larry Hagman Dies

Larry Hagman, best known for playing Dallas villain J.R. Ewing, died Friday morning from complications stemming from his recent battle with cancer.He was 81 years old.Video: Larry Hagman Talks 'Dallas', Cancer and Veganism "Larry was back in his beloved Dallas, re-enacting the iconic role he loved most," his family said in a statement via The Dallas Morning News. "When he passed, he was surrounded...

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Bond bubble bust

Jonathon M. Trugman There goes the nest egg.There’s a record $16.3 trillion of US debt and a good portion of that is sitting in baby boomers’ portfolios like a ticking time bomb ready to explode, and most investors know little about it.“It’s my worst nightmare,” says a long-only bond fund manager. “There’s nothing I can do — the checks...

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Is the electric car dying again?

A second administration of President Barack Obama will be forced to revisit the issue of subsidies for renewable energy and, with it, those for electric vehicles. Despite the millions of dollars spent on government incentives, marketing and promotion, sales of fully electric cars are well below projected targets. Investment in vehicle charging infrastructure also has fallen...

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