Authorities arrested seven people involved in a fight that broke out early Sunday during karaoke at a restaurant. Sheriff’s Sgt. David Thompson said the brawl ignited when a man became upset that his wife got slapped on the buttocks while singing a song.

First-quarter earnings so far from across the market are coming in better than expected _ largely as a result of a very low bar.

In the world of intercollegiate Ultimate Frisbee, it’s ultimately not cool to go without pants.

Grocery store operator Safeway Inc. said Thursday that weak consumer spending, the stronger dollar, lower fuel prices and the late Easter holiday caused its first-quarter profit to fall 25 percent.

Grocery-store operator Safeway Inc. reports its fourth-quarter results on Thursday. The following is a summary of key developments related to the period.

Police officials met with members of the city’s Sudanese community to try to calm fears after police officers shot and killed an armed 26-year-old Sudanese man, the second violent death of a Sudanese immigrant in seven months.

Yao Ming has taken only 13 shots in the last two games of Houston’s first-round series against Portland. That’s OK with him.

Outdoors outfitter L.L. Bean has notified employees that it plans to lay off 200 to 240 members of its Maine-based work force because of lagging sales.

Yao Ming scored 24 points, all in the first half, and the Houston Rockets spoiled Portland’s back-in-the playoffs euphoria with a 108-81 victory over the Trail Blazers in the opener of their first-round series Saturday night.

Despite the success of online retailers, explosion of Internet downloads and high-profile closings of Virgin Megastores and Tower Records stores, bricks-and-mortar record stores aren’t all spinning toward oblivion.