Subtropical storm Olga is a little stronger, spreading heavy rains across Puerto Rico

Subtropical Storm Olga strengthened slightly early Tuesday, spreading heavy rains across Puerto Rico, forecasters said.

At 1 a.m. EST (0600 GMT), Olga's center was about 20 miles (32 kilometers) west-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and about 240 miles (386 kilometers) east of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

It was moving toward the west near 18 mph (29 kph) and this general motion should continue for the next day or so. On this track the center will move along the northern coast of Puerto Rico early Tuesday morning. It will be near or over the Dominican Republic later in the day, the National Hurricane Center said.

Olga had maximum …

Recession over, Americans back to bad spending habits

The economy may be on firmer footing, but many American families are still in financial distress, according to the fifth annual financial literacy survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. Although many Americans tightened their belts during the recession, 26 percent now are shedding some of their conservative spending habits, according to NFCC's survey of 1,010 …

122 states sign Ottawa landmine treaty

Only 14 months after Canada first called for states to negotiate a treaty banning anti-personnel landmines worldwide, 122 states (plus the Holy See and two Pacific Island dependencies) emerged from a December 2-4 signing conference in Ottawa with a commitment not to use, stockpile, produce or transfer mines. They joined the 1997 Nobel Peace prize winning international non-governmental coalition (the International Campaign to Ban Landmines) in celebrating the signing of the "Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction."

Canada was the first to deposit its ratification, followed by Ireland …

Some of the world's deadliest natural disasters

A look at some of the deadliest natural disasters around the world in the past 40 years:

_ May 12, 2008: Earthquake (magnitude 7.9) hits Sichuan province in central China. More than 69,000 people are killed and over 17,000 remain missing.

_ May 2-3, 2008: Cyclone Nargis strikes Myanmar, killing at least 78,000 and leaving 56,000 others missing.

_ October 2005: Northern Pakistan earthquake (magnitude 7.6) kills about 78,000 people.

_ August 2005: U.S. Gulf Coast Hurricane Katrina kills at least 1,600 people in Louisiana and Mississippi.

_ December 2004: Indian Ocean tsunami (triggered by …

Massa in life-threatening condition after surgery

Formula One driver Felipe Massa has undergone "life-threatening" surgery for a fractured skull from a high-speed crash at Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying.

The AEK military hospital said Saturday the 28-year-old Brazilian was in "satisfactory condition" after emergency surgery. The hospital said in a statement the Ferrari driver would be kept in intensive care overnight.

Ferrari spokesman Luca Colajanni said the driver's state was "positive."

Massa was struck in the helmet by a loose part from another car and his car slammed into a tire barrier.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

BUDAPEST, …

Krish Selects Six At Maywood Park

Chicago Sun-Times harness handicapper Tom Krish, who picked ninewinners at Maywood Park on Saturday night, hit it big again byselecting six winners at Maywood on Monday night.

Krish's winners were Ataboybob, $3 …

Romney using wife's story to connect with voters

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Mitt Romney is not used to wearing an apron.

But the Republican presidential candidate was not alone in cooking attire one recent morning as hundreds of potential supporters lined up for free pancakes.

Ann Romney, his wife of 42 years, stood with him, spatula in hand, wearing the same white apron and the comfortable smile of a woman who spent countless mornings flipping flapjacks for five hungry sons.

Her presence on that day, like so many others during the long campaign, is an acknowledged blessing for a 2012 White House contender who struggles to shake a robotic image. Friends and foes alike say she makes him seem more genuine.

"Believe it …