WASHINGTON -- Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is expected to face tough questioning during a reappointment hearing this week, and one senator already says he won't support another term for the Fed chief.
Vermont independent Bernie Sanders says Bernanke is "part of the problem" facing the U.S. economy.
The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee has scheduled a hearing Thursday to consider President Barack Obama's nomination of Bernanke. The Fed chief was first appointed by President George W. Bush.
Turnout key in mayoral vote
ATLANTA -- Just a few weeks ago, some suggested Atlanta was about to name its first white mayor in a generation. Instead, the Nov. 3 election set up a hard-fought runoff battle that's expected to break down largely along racial lines when voters return to the polls Tuesday.
Mary Norwood, the white candidate, and former state Sen. Kasim Reed, an African-American, are vying for a critical mass of racial crossover votes, with victory likely hinging on black-versus-white turnout.
"What it comes down to is if she gets more black votes than he gets white votes," said political strategist Tom Houck. "When people say race doesn't matter, obviously it does. There is no dominant issue that distinguishes these two other than she's a white woman and he's a black guy."
Teacher's body found in SUV
HOUSTON -- Police say they found the body of a 35-year-old Houston teacher in his SUV after the apparently abandoned vehicle was towed to an impound.
Galena Park Police Chief Robert Pruett says Heladio Rojas Perales' family reported him missing at 4 a.m. Thursday.
The Houston Chronicle reports that officials believe 35-year-old Perales may have been killed last weekend at a friend's home in Wharton, 50 miles southwest of Houston, then hidden in the vehicle, which was subsequently dumped at a nearby farm. The landowner complained and police towed the SUV to the impound, where they discovered the body.
Authorities say they are searching for three suspects.
Shoppers focus on practicality
NEW YORK -- Holiday shopping held steady through the weekend after retailers saw a huge crowd of bargain shoppers buying discounted flat-panel TVs and fleece jackets on Black Friday, the traditional post-Thanksgiving Day shopping spree.
Economic worries about jobs were still apparent as shoppers stuck to their lists and focused on practical and small-ticket items for themselves and for their loved ones, resulting in a mildly encouraging start to the season.
Online sales on Thursday and Friday, however, rose 11 percent to $913 million, according to data released Sunday by comScore, an Internet research firm.
According to preliminary figures released Saturday by ShopperTrak, a research firm that tracks more than 50,000 outlets, sales rose 0.5 percent to $10.66 billion Friday, compared with a year ago. That was on top of a 3 percent increase last year.
-- From wire reports
