WASHINGTON – The U.S. military is likely to keep an expanded force of about 160,000 troops in Iraq (search) through the Dec. 15 election of a new government and then make a “fairly rapid” reduction to what has been the standard troop level of about 138,000, a senior Pentagon official …

SEATTLE – The federal government Tuesday listed Puget Sound’s killer whales as an endangered species. That is a higher level of protection than the government proposed last year, when it said the orcas should be listed as a threatened species. “Between the time we proposed to list these animals as …

NEW YORK – Kenya’s Paul Tergat held off defending champion Hendrick Ramaala (search) of South Africa in a final sprint Sunday to win the men’s title in the New York City Marathon (search). Women’s winner Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia had a slightly easier time, pulling away from struggling Kenyan Susan …

NEW YORK – The pre-dawn sales frenzy is over — and now the tally begins. Steep discounts, enticing rebates and expanded hours drew hordes to the nation’s retailing meccas Friday, and merchants saw hopeful signs that consumer spending will be lively for the holidays. More so than during last year’s …

NEW YORK – J.C. Penney Co. Inc. (JCP) on Tuesday reported quarterly profit jumped 57 percent on stronger sales and lower interest expense. The department store operator also said it expects to report fiscal full-year earnings in line with Wall Street’s average expectation of $3.51 per share. J.C. Penney, working …

Early research is raising concerns about the drug Ritalin (search), suggesting that children who take it may have an increased risk of cancer. All 12 of the children included in the study experienced an increase in chromosome abnormalities three months after starting Ritalin. Chromosome damage has been linked to heightened …

COLUMBIA, S.C. – In a stinging rebuke to the Bush administration, a federal judge ruled the case of “dirty bomb” suspect Jose Padilla (search) is a matter for law enforcement — not the military — and ordered the government to charge him or let him go. Padilla’s more than 21/2 …

WASHINGTON – The White House said Thursday that President Bush (search) intends to renominate Ellen Engleman (search) Conners to a second term as chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (search). Conners’ two-year term expired Sunday. The safety board’s rules require that the vice chairman — Mark Rosenker (search), in …

CAIRO, Egypt – Arab leaders grew increasingly impatient at Syria’s resistance to a quick, complete withdrawal of its troops from Lebanon, with Saudi leader Crown Prince Abdullah (search) sharply telling Syria’s president on Thursday to start getting out soon or face deeper isolation, according to a Saudi official. The unusually …

WASHINGTON – President Bush told the family of slain Irishman Robert McCartney (search) that he would do whatever he can to help bring his killers to justice, his sisters said after a St. Patrick’s Day (search) meeting with the president in the White House. McCartney was beaten and stabbed to …