BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Standing in front of a classroom with invited media guests, Diane Newbold asks her third-grade class: "Do you know what this is?" She is holding up a pineapple.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The unemployment rate rose in 26 states last month, seven of which are key battleground states, critical in the presidential election.

(CNN) -- Despite deep concerns about the economic impact of the looming fiscal cliff and months of talks leading up to this point, Democrats and Republicans are leaving town until after the November elections without making any significant progress resolving their main sticking points.

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Less than two weeks before a convicted killer is scheduled to be put to death, his attorneys on Thursday made a last-ditch effort to save their client.

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A controversial advertisement that critics say is hateful toward Muslims will appear in New York City subway stations starting next week, despite the city's attempts to halt the campaign.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Congress' official scorekeeper said Wednesday that roughly two million more Americans will pay penalties under President Obama's health care law for lacking insurance than had previously been estimated.

(CNN) -- North Carolina pastor Otoniel Recinos has been offering an unusual warning these days to members of his church: Don't drive in nearby Alamance County. It's not safe, he warns them, because of the sheriff's department.

(CNN) -- The U.S. Justice Department's inspector general found 14 employees of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responsible for management failures in the botched Fast and Furious gun-trafficking operation, according to a report released Wednesday.

(CNN) -- A federal judge has allowed Arizona to enforce the most controversial part of its politically charged immigration law, the so-called "show me your papers" provision.

(CNN) -- Hundreds of thousands of Chicago students got up and put on their school clothes for the first time in more than a week, preparing to return to class Wednesday after teachers' union representatives voted to suspend their often acrimonious eight-day strike.