Almost 100 more are injured in the blast in one of the most tightly secured areas in the city. The strike on the Afghan capital comes five days before nationwide elections.

Insurgents struck at the main symbol of the Western military presence in Afghanistan today, killing at least seven people and injuring nearly 100 others in a massive car bombing five days before nationwide elections.

Containment figures on the blazes near Santa Cruz and Santa Maria remain low. A state of emergency is declared in Santa Cruz County as rugged terrain, thick brush and gusty winds dog firefighters.

Hundreds of homes remained threatened late Friday by two out-of-control wildfires in mountain areas near Santa Cruz and Santa Maria that cast black plumes of smoke for miles along the Central Coast.

The disgraced star, who spent 18 months in prison on dogfighting charges, is getting a second chance in football, largely because of former coach Tony Dungy.

If not for a limousine ride in Tokyo in 2005, Michael Vick probably would not be back in the NFL today.

The world economy is looking up, American industry is improving and inflation is subdued. But without consumer spending, can all that last?

The global economic outlook is brightening, but one big thing is missing from the batch of encouraging reports of late: the American consumer.

A little-known provision allows L.A. Unified to take such action to make payments on bond debt from its massive school construction project.

The Los Angeles Unified School District plans to sharply raise the property taxes of hundreds of thousands of L.A. homeowners because the recession has pushed down tax revenues needed to repay school bonds. The economic downturn has also caused a potential cash-flow crisis for the nation’s largest school-construction program.

The president tells a crowd in Montana: ‘What you haven’t seen on TV, and what makes me proud, are the many constructive meetings going on all over the country.’

President Obama today denounced the news media’s emphasis on scenes of angry protesters at healthcare town halls as he fielded polite but tough questioning on his efforts.

An auto body repairman was sentenced to death today for fatally shooting one man and bludgeoning a woman to death during a long string of violence, torture and rape that stretched from Lancaster to Arizona and into the Los Angeles County Jail.

A poll shows Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai 20 percentage points ahead of his major opponent, but the race for Thursday’s election is tightening and other rivals are gaining strength.

President Hamid Karzai has a wide lead over his opponents in next week’s election, but may not be able to muster enough support to avoid a runoff, a survey suggested todayFriday.
The new poll, conducted by the International Republican Institute, is the second in a week to give a lead of nearly 20 percentage points over his major opponent, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah.

California’s acting governor today declared a state of emergency in Santa Cruz County, site of one of two large coastal fires burning out of control and forcing residents to flee their homes.

Some dealers, trying to guarantee that they’ll receive ‘cash for clunkers’ rebates, apparently are forcing buyers to sign agreements despite a government advisory that such contracts are not required.

Consumer advocates called on federal officials today to crack down on auto dealers that they contend are taking advantage of car buyers participating in the government’s “cash for clunkers” program.