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AP Top News at 1:39 p.m. EDT(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Syrian forces shoot at protesters, killing 20BEIRUT (AP) _ Syrian security forces fired at thousands of protesters who poured into the streets throughout the country Friday, killing at least 20 people one day after the United States and its European allies demanded that President Bashar Assad step down, activists said. Activists said soldiers, tanks and armored personnel carriers were deployed in restive cities, despite Assad's assurances to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that military and police operations had stopped. The harsh statements by President Barack Obama and European leaders also appeared to have no immediate effect. Stocks fluctuate as global markets slideThe stock market went back into a lull Friday as investors waited for the next signals on the economy _ and whether it's headed for another recession. The major indexes were fluctuating in a narrow range after Thursday's 419-point plunge in the Dow Jones industrial average. But that doesn't mean investors are finished selling. There was little economic news Friday to influence trading. Thursday's plunge followed a stream of disappointing economic news that added to the belief in the market that the economy is falling into a recession. Arkansas judge accepts plea deal, frees Memphis 3JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) _ Three men convicted of killing three 8-year-old Cub Scouts and dumping their bodies in an Arkansas ditch changed their pleas Friday, resolving a yearslong effort to win their freedom. Under a plea bargain, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley were being freed immediately. The boys' families were notified about the pact ahead of time but were not asked to approve it. Suicide bomber kills 40 in Pakistan mosquePESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) _ A suicide bomber struck a mosque in a Pakistani tribal region during Friday prayers, officials said, killing at least 40 people and wounding 85 others in the deadliest attack in the country in recent weeks. The attack came during the holy month of Ramadan, a time of fasting, sharing and heightened community spirit for Muslims. Are military pensions too 'generous'?WASHINGTON (AP) _ It sounds like a pretty good deal: Retire at age 38 after 20 years of work and get a monthly pension of half your salary for the rest of your life. All you have to do is join the military. As the nation tightens its budget belt, the century-old military retirement system has come under attack as unaffordable, unfair to some who serve and overly generous compared with civilian benefits. Rockets, airstrikes follow attack on IsraelJERUSALEM (AP) _ Gaza militants launched barrages of rockets deep into Israel early Friday and Israeli aircraft struck targets in the Palestinian territory in the aftermath of the deadliest attack against Israelis in three years. Gunmen who appear to have originated in Gaza and crossed into southern Israel through the Egyptian desert ambushed civilian vehicles traveling on a remote road, killing eight people. Six were civilians, and two were members of Israeli security forces responding to the incursion. US makes criminals priority for deportationWASHINGTON (AP) _ Many illegal immigrants who were facing deportation despite having no criminal record will be allowed to stay in the country and apply for a work permit under new rules from the Homeland Security Department. Republicans are balking at the change. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced Thursday that the department will focus on deporting illegal immigrants who are criminals or pose a threat to national security or public safety. Burger King mascot retiringMIAMI (AP) _ The king is dead. Burger King's spooky "The King" mascot is retiring so the struggling burger chain can refocus its marketing to reach new customers. The mascot has been around for years, but recently has become a more prevalent and somewhat creepy presence in ads - showing up in people's beds and peeping in their windows. In nod to IBM, HP overhaul minimizes consumersSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Hewlett-Packard's decision to surrender in smartphones and tablet computers and possibly get rid of its personal computer business underscores how Apple has transformed consumer electronics in just four years. HP's new CEO Leo Apotheker is now trying to turn the Silicon Valley stalwart into a twin of East Coast archrival IBM Corp. In doing so, he is acknowledging that his company has failed to balance the demands of both the consumer and corporate markets. As a result, it needs to exit most of its consumer businesses, just as IBM did six years ago. Texting, grand theft auto style; alarms pose riskSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Texting and driving don't go well together _ though not in the way you might think. Computer hackers can force some cars to unlock their doors and start their engines without a key by sending specially crafted messages to a car's anti-theft system. They can also snoop at where you've been by tapping the car's GPS system. (c) 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |