Obama leaves for Asia...Jobless summit...Tyson scuffle

Washington (AP) President Barack Obama has left Washington on his first major trip to Asia. Obama already is the most traveled first-year president ever. His Asian journey will add four countries to the 16 he's already visited. He's traveling first to Japan, then to Singapore, China and South Korea.

WASHINGTON (AP) President Barack Obama says today's report showing few new claims for jobless benefits is a "hopeful sign." But he's going ahead with plans for a White House summit next month aimed at dealing with the joblessness that continues to be a drag on a struggling economy.

DENVER (AP) A lawyer for a Colorado man says the man and his wife are going to plead guilty to some charges stemming from an alleged balloon hoax. He says Richard Heene (HEE'-nee) will plead guilty to a felony, while his Japanese wife will plead guilty to a misdemeanor, and both will be allowed to serve probation sentences.

A more serious charge could have resulted in Mayumi Heene (my-OO'-mee HEE'-nee) being deported.

CLEVELAND (AP) Funerals are getting under way today for some of the 11 victims whose bodies were found on the Cleveland property of a registered sex offender. Police suspect that Anthony Sowell lured women to his home with liquor and attacked them there. Ten of the 11 victims have been identified.

LOS ANGELES (AP) Police in Los Angeles are trying to determine just who did what, when former boxing champ Mike Tyson had an encounter with a photographer at the airport yesterday. A scuffle resulted in both men being booked and released on suspicion of misdemeanor battery.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-12-09 0953CST | save this article / add to your favorites list