Landmark gene therapy work raises hope of someday curing AIDS by making cells HIV-resistant

In a bold new approach ultimately aimed at trying to cure AIDS, scientists used genetic engineering in six patients to develop blood cells that are resistant to HIV, the virus that causes the disease.

It's far too early to know if this scientific first will prove to be a cure, or even a new treatment. The research was only meant to show that, so far, it seems feasible and safe.

The concept was based on the astonishing case of an AIDS patient who seems to be cured after getting blood cells from a donor with natural immunity to HIV nearly four years ago in Berlin. Researchers are seeking a more practical way to achieve similar immunity using patients' own blood cells.

Obama welcomes governors to White House

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama welcomed the nation's governors to the White House on Sunday night, joking that the black-tie dinner shared some of the qualities of the Academy Awards taking place in Hollywood.

"I know some of you may be confused and think this is the Oscars," Obama said to laughter. "There are some similarities. First of all, everybody looks spectacular. And the second is this: If I speak too long, the music will start playing."

Obama welcomed the governors - many of them newly elected Republicans who rode November's wave to power - and urged collaboration.

Small study finds differences in spinal fluid unique to chronic fatigue, chronic Lyme patients

Scientists have discovered proteins in spinal fluid that can distinguish people with two mysterious illnesses that mimic each other - chronic fatigue syndrome and a kind of chronic Lyme disease.

Wednesday's study is small and needs verification. But specialists called it a promising start at clearing some of the confusion surrounding two illnesses with similar symptoms and no good means of diagnosis.

"It's a very important first step," said Dr. Suzanne Vernon of the Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) Association of America.

Wells Fargo could face penalties on foreclosures

NEW YORK (AP) -- Wells Fargo & Co. says that it is being investigated by several government agencies for its foreclosure practices and is likely to face enforcement actions.

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, the San Francisco based bank said the investigations focus on whether the bank violated fair-lending laws and whether it followed proper procedures with its foreclosure affidavits. The company noted that the enforcement actions could include monetary penalties.

Suspect in 21 killings indicted in Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- A man accused of killing 21 people is among five people indicted on federal racketeering charges involving an organization that sold drugs in Puerto Rico, federal officials said Thursday.

The federal grand jury indictment of Alexis Candelario Santana accuses him of 21 homicides from 1993 to 2009, though it does not charge him with murder.

The five face 17 charges including violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a charge that is viewed as easier to prove because it targets behavior patterns instead of criminal acts.

Google Expands Reach in West Africa to Tech-Savvy Youth

West Africa's Internet penetration level remains one of the lowest in the world, but a booming market for mobile phones has more tech companies sensing opportunity. U.S. search giant Google has set up offices in several countries in the region and is encouraging a new generation of tech-savvy Africans to lead the way in fostering Africa's burgeoning tech movement.

About 1,000 developers and entrepreneurs traveled to the University Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar, Senegal, this week for a Google conference.

The conference is one of three planned for West Africa this year, as Google seeks to promote its products while at the same time educating developers and entrepreneurs about creating their own business opportunities.

Toll Brothers posts surprise 1st-quarter profit

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Toll Brothers Inc. upended Wall Street's expectations Wednesday, reporting a profit for its fiscal first quarter and higher contracts for new homes.

But what everyone wanted to know is how sales are shaping up so far this spring, traditionally the busiest time for homebuilders.

CEO Douglas Yearley Jr., delivered more positive news along with the quarterly results: The company's national spring sales event, which ends this weekend and offers buyers upgrades on home features such as cabinets and kitchen fixtures, has already brought in 15 percent more deposits than last year.

Clinton: Gadhafi must stop bloodshed

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton condemned the violence against anti-government protesters in Libya on Monday and called on the government of Moammar Gadhafi to "stop this unacceptable bloodshed."

Clinton said the world is watching event unfold in Libya "with alarm." The strongly worded statement came amid signs that Gadhafi's autocratic hold on the country was weakening. Still, reports from Tripoli depicted a chaotic scene of low-flying warplanes, snipers atop rooftops and armed men firing indiscriminately on protesters.

Fewer credit card rate hikes after regulations

NEW YORK (AP) -- Credit card holders are facing fewer interest rate hikes and forking over sharply less in late fees.

A year after new regulations curbed a spate of questionable billing practices, federal officials say over-the-limit penalty charges have also been dramatically curtailed. The findings come from the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which will assume responsibility for administering the regulations once it's officially up and running this summer.

The agency is set to present three sets of data at a conference it's hosting Tuesday on the one-year anniversary of the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act, or the CARD Act. Here are the highlights:

Diamond Engagement Rings : Endless Love

Understanding of picking out diamond is that they reasoned as symbol of love, honour and oneness. This make up diamond engagement rings are one of the most popular picks in engagement rings. You will be able to find that this days couples favour awarding diamond engagement ring to their beloved and the conclude of its fame is its unique appear and it has the force to melt heart. Therefore by awarding diamond engagement ring to your beloved you'll express her that how romantic you are and how much you love her.

Auburn fans rally for famous trees

Auburn, Alabama (CNN) -- Hundreds of Auburn University fans rallied Saturday under their beloved oak trees, hoping against hope that the trees poisoned -- allegedly by a disgruntled University of Alabama fan -- might yet be saved.

"They're Auburn. They're the heart of the town. They're 130 years old. And you can't squish what these trees are," said Kristen Easterling, a junior at Auburn University.

The trees' plight -- university scientists say its doubtful they can survive the poisoning with a harsh herbicide -- has even helped bind the deep-seated rivalry between Auburn fans and its cross-state arch rival, the University of Alabama.

Clippers' Griffin leaps car to win dunk contest

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- With a gospel choir at midcourt encouraging him to fly, Blake Griffin soared over a car and threw down a two-handed dunk.

The rookie's remarkable leap won the slam dunk contest, and it also drove home the clear point of All-Star Saturday: The Clippers' rising star is just at the beginning of one thrilling ride.

Griffin easily cleared the hood of the 2011 Kia Optima and caught a pass from teammate Baron Davis out of the sunroof while the berobed Crenshaw Select Choir sang "I Believe I Can Fly," winning the 26th NBA dunk contest in iconic style before his hometown fans.

States ignored warnings on unemployment insurance

WASHINGTON (AP) -- State officials had plenty of warning. Over the past three decades, two national commissions and a series of government audits sounded alarms about the dwindling amount of money states were setting aside to pay unemployment insurance to laid-off workers.

"Trust Fund Reserves Inadequate," federal auditors said in a 1988 report.

It's clear now the warnings were pretty much ignored. Instead, states kept whittling away at the trust funds, mostly by cutting unemployment insurance taxes at the behest of the business community. The low balances hastened insolvency when the recession hit, leading about 30 states to borrow $41.5 billion from the federal government to pay unemployment benefits to their growing population of jobless.

Ex-Tulsa player Holloway dies after cancer fight

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- From the size of Wilson Holloway's smile, it was sometimes difficult to ascertain that he was fighting for his life.

Almost three years ago, Holloway received a diagnosis of Hodgkin's lymphoma, but he didn't let it keep him from playing college football at Tulsa and, those who knew him say, it didn't affect his positive outlook on life. They chose to remember that smile on Thursday, the day after he died in Oklahoma City at age 22.

"He definitely faced some adversity, but yet he always lived life the way that he chose, which was to be upbeat, be positive," said University of Central Oklahoma football coach Tracy Holland, who was Holloway's prep coach at Oklahoma Christian School in Edmond. "He was a fierce and loyal friend."

Google introduces online payment system

BERLIN (AP) -- Google Inc. is undercutting rival Apple Inc. with an online payment system that lets publishers keep more of the fees charged for reading their digital editions.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt unveiled the one-stop payment service, called One Pass, at Berlin's Humboldt University on Wednesday. Three German publishers, including the nation's leading Axel Springer AG, already have signed up.

Besides Germany, One Pass is available to publishers in Canada, France, Italy, the U.K. and the U.S. Google said Media General Inc., publisher of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and Rust Communications, owner of the Southeast Missourian, plan to use One Pass.

Delta Air Lines seeks premium status in Asia

TOKYO (AP) -- The head of Delta Air Lines' Asia operations said Thursday the U.S. carrier is making enough money now to invest in customer service and establish itself as a premium brand in the region.

The bar is high in this part of the world. Asia - a rapidly growing travel market - is home to some of the industry's best-rated airlines for service including Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways.

But Vinay Dube, Delta's senior vice president for the Asia Pacific, said Thursday the Atlanta-based company believes it can compete with the region's most reputable carriers.

China announces shakeup of rare earths industry

BEIJING (AP) -- China plans to tighten control over rare earths producers and restrict output in a five-year development strategy, the Cabinet said Wednesday, amid concern abroad about plans to reduce exports of the exotic minerals used in high-tech goods.

A Cabinet statement promised to "reasonably set annual quotas for production and export" but gave no details. It said the government will tighten environmental controls and block unauthorized production.

China accounts for almost all production of rare earths, a group of 17 minerals that are used in products such as flatscreen TVs and lightweight batteries for mobile phones and hybrid cars. It announced in 2009 that it would reduce exports in what appears to be an effort by Beijing to transform China from a bulk supplier of raw ores into a producer of higher-value lightweight magnets and other products.

Brazil Says US, China Both Cause Currency Problems

Some members of the Group of 20 leading and emerging economies say China is causing problems with trade and currencies by manipulating the value of its money. But Brazil's finance minister says the U.S. efforts to stimulate the American economy are causing just as many problems for his nation. The debate comes as finance ministers and central bank governors head for talks on tough economic issues later this week.

A long-simmering dispute over the way China sets the value of its currency will be a key issue on the agenda in Paris on the 18th and 19th of February.

The United States and some other nations complain that Beijing obtains an unfair price advantage for its exports by pushing down the value of its currency. Some economists say China's policy has hurt the economies of both Brazil and the United States.

Google Earth Reveals Lost Tombs in Saudi Arabian Desert

Little is known about the archaeology of Saudi Arabia, as the government has historically forbid aerial photographs of the landscape and religious sensitivities have made access tricky. But Google Earth is changing that. Satellite images available via the Web-based 3-D map program show that large portions of the country hold a wealth of archaeological remains that predate Islam and may be several thousand years old.

Researchers recently discovered nearly 2,000 tombs by peering through one high-resolution "window" at a rocky lava field east of the city of Jeddah - all without having to set foot in the Saudi desert.

Katy Perry debuts wedding video at the Grammys

(PEOPLE.com) -- Katy Perry traded her pastel-colored, cotton candy-themed performances of late for something far more personal at Sunday's Grammy Awards: the pop star, and four-time nominee, debuted footage of her Indian wedding during a heartfelt performance of "Not Like the Movies."

Perched on a swing that began to ascend, Perry sang, "I know you're out there and ... your love came for me," as footage of her Indian nuptials to comedian Russell Brand flashed on a curtain attached to the swing.

More people find romance via social media

Why wait around hoping to be picked for the next season of The Bachelor when the land of virtual romance awaits?

A new online survey, Love in the Age of Social Media, by ad and marketing agency Euro RSCG Worldwide shows that more than one-third of Americans believe it's possible to have a romantic relationship online.

"It's somewhat embarrassing when we say we met on Twitter," says Paull Young, 27, of New York. He and Heather D'Amico, 25, had a purely professional, friendly relationship on Twitter, "until we met in person about a year and a half later." The two say they've been happily dating for a year now.

Luxury home sales jump 21% in California

California homes priced at $1 million or more experienced a sales boom in 2010, the first increase in five years, even as overall home sales in the state declined, a real estate information service reported. The reason: High-end home shoppers went bargain hunting as certain parts of the economy improved but luxury home prices remained depressed.

Last year, 22,529 homes sold statewide for $1 million-plus, a 21% increase from 2009, according to DataQuick Information Systems in San Diego. In contrast, the total number of California homes sold last year dropped 9%.

"Prestige home buyers respond to a different set of motivations than the rest of us. Their decisions are less dependent on jobs, prices and interest rates, and more on how their portfolio is doing," DataQuick President John Walsh said.

5 Ways: Get your motor running naturally

Leave it to the masterminds at Starbucks: They have invented the Trenta, a 31-ounce iced coffee or tea drink - because who doesn't have those days when an extra quart of alertness and sugary energy sounds awfully good? But you can get a quick mental boost without gulping a super-sized anything (or risking the jitters). Here are five ways:

1. Treat yourself to the original energy drink: Water.

"Even slight dehydration can leave you feeling tired and lethargic," says Heather Mangieri, a registered dietitian in Pittsburgh and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Instead of that giant coffee, energy shot or soda, "grab an 8-ounce glass of water," she says. Bonus: It's free.

Slate of charges against Barry Bonds dropped from 11 to 5

(CNN) -- Federal prosecutors have reduced the number of felony charges against baseball's all-time home run champion Barry Bonds from 11 to five, according to a new indictment released Thursday.

Bonds, a seven-time National League most valuable player who hit 762 home runs over his 22-year career, is now indicted on four counts of lying to a grand jury and one count of obstruction of justice. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The revision marks the third time that prosecutors have filed a new slate of charges against Bonds. In November 2007, a federal grand jury in San Francisco indicted Bonds on four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. He was indicted in May 2008 on a total of 14 counts of perjury and one of obstruction of justice. A judge later dismissed several of those charges.

Obama Questions Credibility of Egypt's Action

WASHINGTON -- Showing impatience, President Barack Obama openly and sharply questioned on Thursday whether Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's pledge to shift power to his vice president is an "immediate, meaningful or sufficient" sign of reform for a country in upheaval.

Without naming Mubarak, Obama issued a written statement that criticized the leader for not offering clarity to his people or a concrete path to democracy. He urged the Egyptian government leaders to do so, declaring: "They have not yet seized that opportunity."

Former Prosecutor Calls for Tougher Massachusetts Anti-Bullying Law

BOSTON - The prosecutor who brought charges against six students accused of bullying a 15-year-old girl who committed suicide said Wednesday that the state's new anti-bullying law should be toughened.

Former Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel testified before a special commission set up to review the law and decide whether changes or additional laws are needed.

The law was passed in May after several high-profile bullying cases, including the January 2010 death of Phoebe Prince, a freshman at South Hadley High School. It required all school districts in the state to develop bullying prevention laws and sought to crack down on cyberbullying -- harassment that occurs online.

US Wary of Aristide's Return to Haiti

The U.S. State Department said Wednesday the early return to Haiti of exiled former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide would be an "unfortunate distraction" from the country's run-off presidential election campaign. The former leader, who has lived in South Africa for the last several years, has been granted a Haitian passport.

Officials here are not saying what the United States has told the Haitian and South African governments about Mr. Aristide's prospective return home.

But the State Department is making clear publicly that it would consider such a move, in the midst of the campaign for Haiti's March 20 presidential run-off election, a bad idea.

Williams F1 team to make history with share flotation

(CNN) -- The Williams F1 team will be the first from the motorsport to offer shares on the stock market, it announced on Wednesday.

Co-founder Sir Frank Williams told reporters that the Britain-based outfit will make an Initial Public Offering (IPO) on Germany's Frankfurt Stock Exchange on March 2.

The listing will be in Frankfurt in order to avoid having to disclose the details of certain commercial contracts, which would not be possible in London.

"This IPO marks a new era in the history of our team. Our future as an independent constructor is sustained by this listing, providing us the base from which to further grow," the 65-year-old said.

Teen arrested after shining laser in pilot's eyes

(CNN) -- A 14-year-old was arrested late Tuesday after shining a powerful laser light into the eyes of a pilot who was approaching Los Angeles International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The arrest puts a spotlight on what the FAA calls a dangerous problem in recent years.

In Tuesday's case, the pilot was about 2,000 feet in the air and nobody was hurt in the incident, said Ian Gregor, an FAA spokesman.

High-Speed Crash Caused by 83-Year-Old Wrong-Way Driver Caught on Tape

The dramatic high-speed crash of an 83-year-old wrong-way driver, which caused a four-car pileup on a California freeway, was captured on a cell phone camera.

A cell phone video sent to Fox5SanDiego.com shows Clarence Kinney driving a white 2007 Ford F-150 southbound on the northbound side of the freeway Friday morning.

After several seconds, the pickup truck crashes when it hit the concrete abutment of the overpass at Las Pulgas Road in Oceanside, Calif.

Kinney's pickup spun into traffic lanes and was T-boned by a Land Rover before splitting in half. The cab portion of the pickup was hit by a tanker truck, which lost control and crashed into the center divide. The disabled Land Rover was then hit by another car, according to the station.

US Limiting Dialogue With Pakistan Over Immunity Case

U.S. officials say the Obama administration is limiting the scope of political contacts with Pakistan over the case of an American diplomat detained there on possible murder charges. As of now, a ministerial-level meeting in Washington of senior U.S., Pakistani and Afghan officials later this month is still on the schedule.

The State Department is denying press reports that the Obama administration has suspended all or some high-level political contacts with Pakistan over the diplomatic conflict.

However, officials say the high-level contacts still being held with Islamabad are being limited to the case of the detained American, and a recitation of U.S. demands that his diplomatic immunity be respected and that he be immediately released.

FDIC seeks delay in bonuses for top bank execs

WASHINGTON - Federal regulators have proposed making top executives at large financial firms wait at least three years to be paid half of their annual bonuses, a move designed to cut down on risky financial transactions.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. voted Monday to advance the rule, which builds on more general requirements in last year's financial regulatory law to curtail risk-taking. The rule targets firms with $50 billion or more in assets, seeking to tie bonuses with financial performance over a longer time period.

The FDIC also moved Monday to make larger banks pay a greater portion of fees to insure all U.S. banks.

Egypt's Damaged Artifacts to Be Restored in Days

CAIRO - A handful of ancient Egyptian artifacts housed at the Egyptian museum that were damaged by looters will be restored over the next five days, the country's antiquities head said Monday.

Zahi Hawass also said that steps were being taken to reopen Egypt's famed archaeological sites, which have been closed since unrest seized the country two weeks ago. And reports of King Tut's famous parents being damaged was patently false, he told FoxNews.com.

"The mummies were not royal and not being stored within the Egyptian Museum, Cairo," Hawass said. "They were two already disembodied heads being temporarily stored next to the CT scanning lab in the museum's grounds. They are the remains of unidentified Late Period individuals that were going to be used to test the CT machine. When they were retrieved from the looters, they were in the same condition they were in when in storage."

Report: Iraq PM won't seek third term

Baghdad (CNN) -- Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki will not run for a third term when his current one expires in 2014, the nation's state television reported Sunday.

Al-Maliki is also working to pass legislation that limits his successors to a maximum of two four-year terms in office, a senior parliamentary advisor told CNN.

"If al-Maliki passes this constitutional amendment then that means he definitely won't be a prime minister for a third term," said Ali Hadi al-Moussawi, an adviser to the prime minister.

Iraq's constitution restricts the country's president from seeking a third term but does not set term limits for the prime minister or members of parliament.

AP Exclusive: Fearful Russian lawmaker flees to US

WASHINGTON - A wealthy Russian lawmaker has fled with his family to the United States, where he says he fears assassination over accusations that some of Russia's richest and most influential people swindled him in a real estate deal. Back home, he's been charged with financial crimes.

Ashot Egiazaryan (pronounced Ah-shawt Yeh-gee-ah-zar-ee-AHN) says he is considering seeking asylum in the U.S. But after suing a Russian billionaire and several former business partners - including a close friend of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Moscow's former mayor - he said he doesn't feel safe even in this country.

Former Reagan Aide: 'He Taught Us How to Love'

Secretary of State James A. Baker, III served as President Ronald Reagan's White House Chief of Staff, and Treasury Secretary. He had managed two Republican Presidential primary campaigns against Reagan, and remarkably, as a compliment to Baker's abilities, Reagan tapped him for the top job in the White House when he assumed the Presidency in 1981.Baker reflected on that experience, and the meaning of Ronald Reagan on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Fox News Anchor and Senior Correspondent Eric Shawn talked with Mr. Baker, who was at the James A. Baker III Institute For Public Policy, at Rice University in Houston.
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Eric Shawn: "Mr. Secretary, Welcome. Reagan at 100. What do you think was his greatest impact?"