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SEATTLE (Reuters) - A Seattle cartoonist who stirred up a religious storm with a tongue-in-cheek encouragement to draw images of the Muslim prophet Mohammed has gone into hiding after a threat to her safety. Full Story »

In the midst of a lot of shocking news, it stood out: In November 2008, Citigroup announced it would lay off more than 50,000 people, or one-seventh of its global workforce. Most companies don't even have 50,000 employees, and those that do could barely function if so many workers left at once. Yet Citigroup was in desperate straits, with a plunging stock price that bottomed out near a buck and financial woes that would force a second bailout from the U.S. government. Some worried that the feds might even nationalize the bank. ... Full Story »

If you are working and paying into the Social Security system, the Social Security Administration will mail you an annual statement. This statement contains a record of the reported earnings on which you have paid Social Security payroll taxes. It also provides an estimate of the retirement benefits you may receive as a result of those earnings. The statement is mailed to you approximately three months before your birthday beginning at age 25. Alternatively, you may request that a statement be mailed to you. ... Full Story »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives will vote on a package of loan incentives and tax breaks for small businesses next week, House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer said on Friday. Full Story »

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Ancient human infant and animal remains believed to be more than 2,000 years old have been unearthed during the construction of a school in London. Archaeologists say the discovery, one of the most important in the British capital in recent years, points to evidence of an Iron Age and early Roman farming settlement. Full Story »

Many seniors are going to be employed past age 65, both for the money and because they enjoy working. But jobs aren't exactly easy to come by right now. The unemployment rate for those 55 and older was 6.9 percent in July, more than double what it was in December 2007. Full Story »

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A ritual sacrifice of chickens that are also twirled about one's head to atone for sins ahead of the Yom Kippur holiday has come under fire in Israel where animal activists want it outlawed. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Online classifieds website Craigslist has broken its silence over the abrupt closure of its "adult services" section and said the shutdown was permanent. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama named Wall Street critic Elizabeth Warren on Friday to oversee creation of a new consumer financial protection agency, drawing praise from liberals and an outcry from Republicans and the financial industry. Full Story »

Washington - Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta recently became the first living soldier from the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be chosen to receive the Medal of Honor, America's highest award for valor. He spoke Wednesday to Pentagon reporters about the night of the attack, in which his “extraordinary bravery” in battle, according to the White House, brought him to the attention of the nation. Still, he contends, “In this job, I am only mediocre. I’m average. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Arctic sea ice melted over the summer to cover the third smallest area on record, US researchers said on Wednesday, warning global warming could leave the region ice free in the month of September 2030. Full Story »

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan braced for a day of violence on Saturday as voters headed to the polls for a parliamentary election that is a crucial test of government credibility and the strength of its security forces. Full Story »

Is the cost of your doghouse keeping you in the poor house? The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) says the annual cost of owning a medium-sized dog is around $1,580 while a cat can cost you $1,035 each year. If these feline fees and puppy prices leave you scratching for funds at the end of the month, try these seven ways to cut your pet costs and put more purr in your purse. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. poverty rate rose to 14.3 percent in 2009 from 13.2 percent the year before, bringing the percentage of the population living in poverty to the highest level since 1994, as the economic downturn took its toll on jobs, the government said on Thursday. Full Story »

Put yourself in this situation: You're invited to an interview. You love the company, you get along well with the hiring manager, and you've received every indication that you are a good candidate for the job and next steps are to follow. A few weeks go by and you haven't heard anything. The hiring manager said she wanted you to come back and meet with the rest of the team. Everything seemed to go so well. What happened? Full Story »

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australian scientists said on Thursday they had made a breakthrough in the fight to save the cancer-hit Tasmanian devil by mapping the species' genome for the first time. Full Story »

Ever consider using technology to enhance your workouts or weight loss endeavors? There are hundreds of websites and phone applications designed to help you track your eating habits, increase the effectiveness of your workout routines, and find healthy food choices on the go. Here's a look at six of the best: Full Story »

EL BATAN, Mexico (Reuters) - More than 500 years after Spanish priests brought wheat seeds to Mexico to make wafers for the Catholic Mass, those seeds may bring a new kind of salvation to farmers hit by global warming. Full Story »