BANGKOK (AP) - Citing a string of ethical lapses by senior military officers, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has asked the Joint Chiefs of Staff to review ethics training and to brainstorm on ways to steer officers away from trouble.

The move is a reflection of the depth of concern

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Oil giant BP has agreed to pay the largest criminal penalty in U.S. history, totaling billions of dollars, for the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a person familiar with the deal said Thursday.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record

WASHINGTON (AP) - The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee is expressing confidence in Gen. John Allen, who is entangled in a sex scandal that has led to the resignation of the CIA director.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona called Allen one of our best military leaders and said he

NEW YORK (AP) - The National Book Awards honored both longtime writers and new authors, from Louise Erdrich for "The Round House" to Katherine Boo for her debut work, "Beyond the Beautiful Forevers."

Erdrich, 58, has been a published and highly regarded author for nearly 30 years but had never