NEW YORK – In the third biggest apparel retail IPO ever, J. Crew Group Inc.’s (JCG) shares rose 25 percent for their trading debut after pricing higher than expected. J. Crew’s performance is a bright spot in the initial public offering market, which has faltered since mid-May. But the New …

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – It began quietly, when a statistical anomaly pointed to a mysterious syndrome that attacked the immune systems of gay men in California. No one imagined 25 years ago that AIDS would become the deadliest epidemic in history. Since June 5, 1981, HIV, the virus that causes …

OGDEN, Utah – A man fatally shot himself during a standoff with police, and a woman sitting next to him in the car was struck by his bone fragment, authorities said. Autumn Lee was listed in good condition at McKay-Dee Hospital on Saturday night after getting struck in the neck …

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The first openly gay Episcopal bishop said Wednesday that the church’s top policymaking body should not heed a request from Anglicans worldwide to place a moratorium on electing gay or lesbian bishops. The Episcopal General Convention, which runs through June 21 in Columbus, must vote on whether …

NEW DELHI – A woman in the western Indian city of Bombay said her husband forced her to undergo 10 abortions over 23 years in hopes of having a son, a newspaper report said. Dhanvanti More, the mother of four daughters, said every time she became pregnant, her husband would …

WASHINGTON – Energy Department officials on Monday began contacting 1,502 individuals by phone to inform them that their Social Security numbers and other information may have been compromised when a hacker gained entry to a department computer system eight months ago. The workers, mostly contract employees, worked for the National …

RAMALLAH, West Bank – Dozens of Palestinian civil servants stormed a parliamentary session on Wednesday to demand long-overdue salaries, attacking Hamas lawmakers and forcing the parliament speaker to flee the building. The demonstrators chanted slogans and banged on the door of the building before entering the hall. The angry crowd …

VEVEY, Switzerland – In a new twist in corporate synergy, Nestle AG, the world’s biggest food and drink company, said Monday it will fatten up its weight-loss business by buying Jenny Craig Inc. for $600 million. The current management team of Jenny Craig, which is based in Carlsbad, Calif., will …

WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned North Korea on Monday it will face consequences if it test-fires a missile thought to be powerful enough to reach the West Coast of the United States. “It would be a very serious matter and, indeed, a provocative act should North Korea …

NEW YORK – In the summer of 1956, playwright Arthur Miller married screen idol Marilyn Monroe in a Jewish ceremony, an event of high-level gossip for much of the world and of high-level curiosity for the U.S. government. “An anonymous telephone call” has been placed to the New York Daily …