DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The record Powerball jackpot just keeps rising. It now stands at $550 million after officials say brisk sales keep driving up the payout amount.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Federal law enforcement authorities have announced the seizure of 132 domain names in several countries to stop them from selling counterfeit merchandise online.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Food and Drug Administration has halted operations of the country's largest organic peanut butter processor, cracking down on salmonella poisoning for the first time with a new enforcement authority the agency gained in a 2011 food safety law.

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) - An Army private charged in the biggest security breach in U.S. history is making his pretrial confinement an issue in his court-martial.

UNDATED (AP) - A new report finds that being a parent still faces many barriers and biases for people with disabilities.

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Add seven swans, six geese and five golden rings to the list of Christmas gifts that cost more this year.

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) - If the trash truck or bus rolling down your street seems a little quieter these days, you're not imagining things. It's probably running on natural gas.

NEW YORK (AP) - Experts estimate today will be the biggest online shopping day of the year for the third straight time and Cyber Monday deals abound.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A Dora the Explorer guitar, dragster cars with small wheels and finger-fidget desktop magnets are among the toys that consumer advocates are warning about as the holiday buying season begins.

CHICAGO (AP) - They may be a big hit at kids' birthday parties, but inflatable bounce houses can be dangerous, with the number of injuries soaring in recent years, a nationwide study found.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A government official says the Federal Communications Commission is expected to announce it will pursue a proposal to require backup power at cell towers to avoid a massive service loss like the one Superstorm Sandy wrought.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages fell to fresh record lows this week, a trend that is boosting home sales and aiding the housing recovery.

NEW YORK (AP) - Sesame Workshop says Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash has resigned from "Sesame Street" in the wake of allegations that he had sex with an under-aged youth.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning parents to be careful with those little single-load liquid laundry packets.

BOLIVAR, Mo. (AP) - A southwest Missouri man is accused of plotting to open fire inside a movie theater during a screening of the new "Twilight" film.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration is struggling to deal with the biggest flare-up in Israeli-Palestinian violence since last year's Arab Spring shook the foundations of American security strategy in the Middle East.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A newspaper report describes a photograph of a shirtless FBI agent in the case that forced CIA Director David Petraeus to resign abruptly as silly but not scandalous.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Lance Armstrong has cut formal ties with his cancer-fighting charity to avoid further damage brought by doping charges and being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles.

NEW YORK (AP) - The puppeteer who performs as Elmo on "Sesame Street" is taking a leave of absence from the popular kids' show following allegations that he had a relationship with a 16-year-old boy.

BETHESDA, Md. (AP) - Lockheed Martin has ousted its president and anticipated CEO over a relationship with a subordinate.

WASHINGTON (AP) - David Petraeus has resigned as director of the CIA after admitting he had an extramarital affair.

SAN MARCOS, Guatemala (AP) - The number of dead from Guatemala's worst earthquake since 1976 has risen to 52. And the country's president says many of the 22 people still missing are also believed to be dead.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Pentagon says an Iranian military plane fired upon, but did not hit, an unarmed U.S. drone aircraft a week ago in what a spokesman said was international airspace over the Persian Gulf.

FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) - The U.S. Army private charged with sending reams of government secrets to WikiLeaks is offering to plead guilty to some lesser offenses.

Maine and Maryland became the first states to approve same-sex marriage by popular vote, while Washington state and Colorado set up a showdown with federal authorities by legalizing recreational use of marijuana.