Proms aren't typical red carpets for Disney stars

Debby Ryan and Laura Marano get dressed up more than average teenagers: As Disney Channel starlets, they've done their fair share of red carpets. But, they say, there's still something special — and different — about picking a dress for a school dance and, especially, the prom.

HP shows recovery following PC flip-flop fallout

Hewlett-Packard is showing signs of recovery as it strengthened its position as the world's largest maker of personal computers. In the first quarter, it gained back some of the business it lost while weighing whether to dump its PC division.

Calderon says Cuba, Mexico friends again

HAVANA (Reuters) - Mexican President Felipe Calderon declared Mexico and Cuba friends again on Thursday at the end of a visit that included talks with Cuban leader Raul Castro to patch up strained relations between the two countries. Calderon, speaking to reporters as he prepared to leave Havana for Haiti, said the problems of the past had been replaced by a new cordiality, affirmed by the signing of accords to increase cooperation in areas such as oil and healthcare. He also condemned the 50-year-long U.S. trade embargo against Cuba. ...

Ann Romney fires back at never-worked charge

Ann Romney fought back Thursday against a Democrat who suggested she's no economic expert because she "hasn't worked a day in her life." Raising the five Romney sons, she said, was such a full-time job that her husband, Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney, considered it more important than his work as the family breadwinner.

Italy employers' head now supports labor reform

MILAN (Reuters) - The head of Italian employers' lobby Confindustria said on Thursday that she supported Prime Minister Mario Monti's labor reform proposal only a week after she defined it as "very bad". "We wanted something different on the firing rules, but because of our great sense of responsibility, we will limit ourselves to making some requests for minor changes to the reform proposal," Emma Marcegaglia said at a conference. ...