U.s. Diplomat In Beijing As Activist Custody Unknown

NC regulator lets Duke Energy keep higher rate CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A Duke Energy Carolinas electricity rate increase that took effect last year will stay in effect while state regulators review it under a state Supreme Court order. The Charlotte Observer reports (http://bit.ly/19WDomg) that the North Carolina Utilities Commission on Monday refused Attorney General Roy Cooper's request to put the 7 percent rate increase on hold during its review.

Vodafone annual profits up 1.9 percent Group Chief Executive Vittorio Colao said progress in emerging markets and a strong performance from U.S.-based Verizon Wireless, in which it has a 45 percent stake, allowed the company to grow despite weak economic conditions in southern Europe.

Elbert County sheriff placing officers in schools The move to have police in schools comes after the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., where gunman Adam Lanza shot and killed 20 students and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. According to the Denver Post (http://tinyurl.com/nkdlgr8 ), some schools in Colorado have school resources officers that are actual police officers and are there full time, but smaller school districts and law enforcement agencies can't afford to have a full-time school resource officer at all schools all the time.

Group: More Afghan women jailed for 'moral crimes' Human Rights Watch says the increase may mean that authorities feel they no longer need to uphold gains in Afghan women's rights as international troops are withdrawing from Afghanistan. Most foreign forces will leave by the end of 2014, more than a dozen years after toppling the Taliban regime known for its harsh treatment of women.

Golf adopts rule to ban anchored putting stroke Associated Press Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 6:42 am, Tuesday, May 21, 2013 Golf's governing bodies have adopted a new rule that outlaws the putting stroke used by four of the last six major champions. The new rule will make it illegal to anchor the club against the body when making a golf stroke.