Twins have simultaneous and free hip replacements

BENSALEM, Pa. (AP) — To make the high school cheerleading team 40 years ago, twins Deborah and Sandra Fanelli performed an acrobatic move called "the flying splits." The memory recently drew a rueful laugh from the once-active sisters, who in recent years have had trouble simply walking. Severe arthritis has nearly crippled Sandra, known as Sam, who uses a walker. Deb has relied on a cane. But...

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Syrian rebels set sights on Damascus airport

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad set their sights Friday on the capital's international airport in a bid to cut off the regime's supplies, clashing with government troops nearby and again forcing the closure of the airport road. A fighter who is part of the push against Damascus International Airport declared it a legitimate target, claiming that the regime has...

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Egypt delays early voting on new constitution

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt postponed early voting on a contentious draft constitution, and aides to President Mohammed Morsi floated the possibility of canceling the whole referendum in the first signs Friday that the Islamic leader is finally yielding to days of protests and deadly street clashes. Tens of thousands marched on the presidential palace after pushing past barbed wire fences installed by the...

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Egyptian opposition to shun Mursi's national dialogue

CAIRO (Reuters) - Prime Minister Mohamed Mursi was expected to press ahead on Saturday with talks on ways to end Egypt's worst crisis since he took office even though the country's main opposition leaders have vowed to stay away. Cairo and other cities have been rocked by violent protests since November 22, when Mursi promulgated a decree awarding himself sweeping powers that put him above the law. The...

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Venezuela's Chavez returns from Cuba after treatment

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez made a theatrical return home on Friday after medical treatment in Cuba, walking and joking in a first public appearance for three weeks that quashed rumors he may have been at death's door. "So, where's the party?" an ebullient and robust-looking Chavez said after flying in before dawn to the surprise and delight of supporters. "I'm happy and...

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Ahead of the Bell: Yum Brands

NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of Yum Brands shares skidded in premarket trading Friday after the fast-food operator offered disappointing sales and earnings forecasts and an analyst recommended that investors sell their shares. Shares lost more than 8 percent before the opening bell on Friday. Yum Brands Inc., which runs KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell worldwide, said Thursday that its revenue at stores open...

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Teva Pharma 2013 forecast misses expectations

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., the world's biggest maker of generic drugs, offered 2013 earnings and revenue guidance on Friday that was below analysts' expectations. The Israeli company said that it expects adjusted earnings of between $4.85 and $5.15 per share next year on revenue ranging between $19.5 billion and $20.5 billion. Adjusted earnings exclude the impact of things like acquisitions,...

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Sasol sees solid year earnings, production

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African petrochemicals group Sasol said its expectations for a strong year had been boosted by a good quarterly performance at its synthetic fuels unit. "We remain confident that, based on the production guidance and our macroeconomic assumptions, we will deliver solid operational performance and earnings for the (2012/13) financial year," chief financial officer Christine...

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Ahead of the Bell: FedEx

NEW YORK (AP) — The string may have run out in the air cargo market, Citibank said Monday, which cut its FedEx Corp. earnings estimates for this year and next. After several months of strong trends in air cargo and some optimistic demand comments from FedEx's larger rival UPS, recently released data from October "seems to indicate that the air freight market has lost momentum," Citi analyst Christian...

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Conn's returns to a profit in its 3rd quarter

THE WOODLANDS, Texas (AP) — Conn's returned to a profit in its third quarter as the retailer booked fewer charges and sales of furniture and mattresses strengthened. The results topped Wall Street's view, and the company raised its fiscal 2013 forecast and gave a fiscal 2014 earnings outlook above analyst estimates, but shares fell slightly on separate news of a new stock offering. The company, which...

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