Two veterans take reins of Tyson Foods

Smith, Lochner promoted; no major changes expected

Tyson Foods Inc. on Thursday promoted two division leaders to pilot the Springdale-based meat processing company 11 months after it tapped a retired executive as interim chief.

North Pole ‘elves’ bent on answering letters

A group of volunteer Santa Claus “elves” in Alaska’s frigid interior is determined to save a popular Christmas letter service featuring the North Pole’s most beloved icon.

EU gives top jobs to Brit, Belgian

EU leaders Thursday handed the European Union’s top new jobs to two little-known, compromise figures — Belgium’s prime minister and the EU’s trade commissioner — dashing hopes of those who wanted to raise the continent’s global profile.

Anti-terrorist experts warn homegrown extremism rising

Terrorist episodes over the past 12 months show that Islamic extremists within the U.S. increasingly are launching attacks against targets such as military bases, anti-terrorist experts said Thursday.

S.C. governor adds flights in ethics case

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford wants to report previously unrecorded flights he took on planes owned by friends and campaign donors, a state ethics official said Thursday.

Two business leaders say drug costs hurt state

With congressmen clamoring to investigate whether drug manufacturers are inflating prices, a pair of Arkansas business leaders Thursday joined Democratic Rep. Marion Berry to advocate changes in prescription pricing in health-care legislation.

‘Christmas’ back in parade’s name

This Long Island town is hoping for better attendance at its 16th annual holiday boat parade this year by restoring “Christmas” to the event’s name.

Obama: Troops helped Asia rise

President Barack Obama told about 1,500 U.S. servicemen Thursday that in providing security to the region and containing North Korea, they’d allowed the nations he’d been visiting to flourish.

Karzai vows war on crooks

2 from U.S. die in suicide attack

President Hamid Karzai was inaugurated Thursday for a second term, pledging that Afghanistan will prosecute corrupt officials and control its own security within five years.

Ex-Sunni insurgent sentenced

An Iraqi court on Thursday sentenced the Sunni leader of a government-allied paramilitary group to death for murder and kidnapping in a case that highlighted tensions over the treatment of former insurgents who turned against al-Qaida.

Bill seen as deficit easer

Senate health-care measure’s backers hail report

Congressional budget crunchers said Thursday that the Democrats’ latest health-care plan would hold down federal red ink for at least 20 years, an assessment that gave supporters hope as the Senate moved toward a historic debate.

Pakistan bombings kill 21 in two days

8 militant attacks in region in 2 weeks

A blast early today killed two police officers a day after a suicide bomber killed 19 people outside a courthouse in northwestern Pakistan in the latest attacks by Islamist militants retaliating against an army offensive near the Afghan border.

Judge confirmed over GOP objections

The Senate confirmed U.S. District Court Judge David Hamilton of Indiana to a federal appeals court vacancy, overcoming objections from Republicans who said he embraced a “liberal activist” judicial philosophy.

31 years later, Guyana unveils memorial for Jonestown

It has taken more than 30 years, but the government of Guyana has erected a memorial plaque at the site of the Jonestown cult massacre, a dark episode the South American country had long sought to downplay.

Tokyo tops Paris in Michelin Guide’s restaurant rankings

The Epicurean king who oversees the Michelin Guide fears he may be banished from France.