LAGOS, Nigeria – The United States closed its consulate in the Nigerian city of Lagos (search) after receiving a “terrorist threat” by telephone, a U.S. military official said Friday. The move prompted Britain, Germany, Italy and Russia to close their nearby diplomatic missions. The closure of the American mission began …

SAN FRANCISCO – A stormy, decade-long relationship between Apple Computer Inc. (APPL) and IBM (IBM) is over, according to published reports. Apple CEO Steve Jobs (search) is expected to announce Monday morning at the company’s software developers conference in San Francisco that Apple will discontinue using microprocessor chips made by …

A beach’s quality is more than sand deep. Postcard-perfect looks aren’t enough to snag a spot on America’s annual list of top 10 beaches. When Stephen “Dr. Beach” Leatherman, PhD, compiled this year’s list, he certainly considered aesthetics. But he also had safety in mind. A healthy beach must be …

NEW YORK – The Rev. Billy Graham (search), hobbled by age and illness, opened his final American revival Friday, greeted with a standing ovation as he used a walker to reach the pulpit. Graham, 86, was supported while he moved onstage by his son and successor, the Rev. Franklin Graham …

WASHINGTON – The federal government’s relief agency said Friday it will discontinue its program to distribute debit cards worth up to $2,000 to hurricane victims, two days after hastily announcing the novel plan to provide quick relief. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (search) said it will scrap the program once …

Costliest hurricanes or tropical storms to strike the U.S. mainland. Figures are in 2004 dollars. (All storms are hurricanes except Allison, which was a tropical storm.) Hurricane, Year, Category, Damage 1. Andrew (South Florida, southeast Louisiana), 1992, 5, $43.67 billion 2. Charley (southwest and central Florida), 2004, 4, $15 billion …

NEW YORK – The physical and psychological damage caused by Hurricane Katrina (search) is likely to reverberate across the global economy in ways that will curb growth well into 2006, economists say. A spike in already-high energy costs in the United States and around the world tops the list of …

WASHINGTON – The commissioners and union leaders for professional sports leagues keep tweaking — or offering to tweak — their drug-testing policies. And lawmakers keep hauling them back to Capitol Hill, looking for more. This time, Major League Baseball chief Bud Selig (search) wanted some backup. Career home run leader …

BEIJING – A rubber company in China has begun marketing condoms under the brand names Clinton and Lewinsky, apparently seeking to exploit the White House affair that led to the impeachment of America’s 42nd president. Spokesman Liu Wenhua of the Guangzhou Rubber Group (search) said the company was handing out …

This is a partial transcript from “Hannity & Colmes,” September 29, 2005, that has been edited for clarity. ALAN COLMES, CO-HOST: Our top story tonight is the controversy surrounding radio talk show host Bill Bennett. Yesterday on his radio show, Mr. Bennett — Dr. Bennett was quoted as saying, “I …