Republicans keep grip of South, but at what cost?

Tuesday's U.S. elections leave little doubt that the Republicans' Nixon-era strategy to win over white Southerners has been a resounding success. But have they lost the rest of the country along the way?

For all the talk of President-elect Obama's inroads in "New South" states like Virginia and North Carolina, the numbers in the Deep South are stark. Some 90 percent of white voters supported Republican John McCain in Alabama and Mississippi, according to Associated Press exit polls. In South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia and Texas, it was about 75 percent or more.

Three of the Republicans' four congressional pickups came in the region, which …

How to say it with flowers!

Your flowers are an integral part of your wedding, reflecting thetheme and mood of your special day while adding a personal effect toyour venue and the finishing touch to your wedding day look.

Choosing the right florist is essential in order to achieve thestyle you've always dreamed of and it's worth visiting an array offlorists before you make your decision.

It's always worth choosing a local florist, who uses seasonalflowers, and remember to meet with and compare the florists on yourshort list and get an idea of each one's signature style. This willindicate whether the arrangements they would produce for you arewhat you want, and recommendations from …

Gold Prices Slide As Dollar Bounces Back

NEW YORK - Gold prices tumbled Wednesday as the U.S. dollar made sharp gains against the euro a day after bottoming at an all-time low.

In other commodity markets, energy prices strengthened, while industrial metals prices fell. Agriculture futures oscillated in a narrow range.

The weak dollar has been a boon for the commodities markets in general, as a falling dollar increases the lure to foreign buyers. But gold's inverse relationship to the dollar is especially direct. Investors often turn to gold as a safe haven to lessen exposure to a flailing currency.

The 13-nation euro bought $1.3851 on Tuesday - an all-time low for the U.S. currency. But as the dollar …

Last witness speaks at trial of Myanmar's Suu Kyi

The sole witness allowed for pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi insisted Thursday that she had broken no law, as a Myanmar court heard final testimony before closing arguments in a trial that could send the Nobel Peace Prize laureate to prison for five years.

Kyi Win, a legal expert and a member of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party, argued there was no legal basis to the charge that Suu Kyi had violated the terms of her house arrest when an uninvited American swam secretly to her home.

Prosecutors seemed very unhappy at his testimony, Kyi Win told reporters outside the courtroom after the trial's ninth day. Reporters were not allowed inside …

Rate on 30-year fixed mortgage falls to 4.11 pct.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage was nearly unchanged this week after rising sharply last week.

Freddie Mac says the rate on the 30-year loan edged down to 4.11 percent from 4.12 percent last week. The week before, it fell to 3.94 percent. That's the lowest rate ever, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.

The average rate on the …

Clay Aiken comes out

Pop singer Clay Aiken came out in People magazine Sept. 26. "It was the first decision I made as a father," Aiken, 29, told the magazine. "I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things. I wasn't raised that way, and I'm not going to raise a child to do that."

"I've never intended to lie to anybody at all."

Aiken's son, Parker, was born Aug. 8, conceived via in vitro fertilization with his best friend, …

Anti-Musharraf parties agree to form new Pakistan government, restore judges

Pakistan's election winners set a collision course with President Pervez Musharraf on Sunday, agreeing to form a coalition government and promising that parliament would restore senior judges fired last year by the U.S.-backed leader in a bid to secure his continued rule.

In the capital, Islamabad, police fired tear gas at protesters at the residence of the Supreme Court chief suspended by Musharraf one year earlier, a move that triggered the political turbulence still dogging Pakistan's return to democracy.

Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, and Nawaz Sharif, whose government was ousted in Musharraf's 1999 military …