National Headlines

WASHINGTON (AP) - Even though the U.S. economy has lost about 2.5 million jobs since the stimulus was enacted in February, White House economists say the recovery effort has saved or created more than a million jobs so far. The economists say, though, that the numbers are preliminary and uncertain. The estimate is based on economic models, and there's no way to know just what the job loss number would have been without the stimulus.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (GYT'-nur) says confidence and stability are replacing the fear and panic that gripped financial markets a year ago. Speaking to a congressional oversight panel, he said the nation still has a ways to go before "true recovery takes hold." But his upbeat tone reflects a growing push by the Obama administration to present government rescue efforts as a success.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says he's accepted the apology from the congressman who shouted "You lie!" at him during Obama's health care speech last night. The congressman, Republican Joe Wilson of South Carolina, says the outburst was "spontaneous," and was prompted by Obama's statement that illegal immigrants wouldn't be covered by health insurance.

KABUL (AP) - Afghan journalists are accusing foreign troops of having a "double standard" for Western and Afghan lives. British troops were able to rescue a British-Irish journalist for The New York Times this week, but an Afghan translator and reporter was killed during the raid, along with a British commando.

KABUL (AP) - A commission backed by the United Nations has thrown out votes from dozens of polling stations in Afghanistan from last month's presidential elections. The polling stations were in areas where there's strong support for President Hamid Karzai. And if enough votes from those areas get thrown out because of possible fraud, he could be forced into a runoff with his top challenger.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)