A group of street performers says a proposed panhandling ban in the city infringes upon their rights. Those concerns led to the city county council sending the measure back to committee.

So far this year, tax receipts are down about $141 million from projections and are lower than during the same period last year.

Federal regulators are cracking down on banks that are offering services called deposit advances. Many argue that the service is the same as payday loans and could lead consumers into a cycle of debt.

A closed-door session between Vice President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping that had been scheduled for 45 minutes stretched to two hours.

House and Senate negotiators are meeting to reconcile their two different versions of a new farm bill. If they don't reach agreement, the nation faces going over "the dairy cliff" - a reversion to 1949 farm policy that would cause a big spike in milk prices.

A white Volkswagen truck that was stolen at a gas station in Mexico Monday is no ordinary truck: It's carrying "extremely dangerous" radioactive material, officials say. Authorities are warning the thieves that they could face serious health problems.

Transparency International's annual index found that the economic crisis in Europe and turmoil in Arab Spring countries contributed to increased corruption. But when it came to naming the single most corrupt country, it was a three-way tie.

The largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history took a step forward Tuesday when a judge said the city can go forward with its Chapter 9 bankruptcy case. Now a manager will work to cut pension costs and make deals with creditors. Detroit is $18.5 billion in debt.

Missouri is one of more than a dozen states where Republican-led governments have passed laws or otherwise taken steps to restrict insurance navigators and other in-person counselors from attempting to help people sign up for health insurance on the new exchanges.

Chimps are cognitively similar to humans and should be entitled to the fundamental right of liberty, an animal rights group is arguing. The writ of habeas corpus filed on behalf of a chimp in New York is exploring new ground.