http://www.mynorthwest.com MyNorthwest.com delivers up-to-the-minute local news and information for Seattle and the greater Puget Sound area. en-us 15 144 21 http://www.mynorthwest.com http://www.mynorthwest.com/img/lg_mynw_144x21.gif http://www.mynorthwest.com?nid=21&sid=622181 BOISE, Idaho (AP) - The board of directors for Micron Technology Inc. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:27:06 PST http://www.mynorthwest.com?nid=21&sid=622448 LAS VEGAS (AP) - Car buyers will likely pay more for new and used cars this year as the economy improves. Thats according to the National Automobile Dealers Association, which predicts the average price of a new car will rise 6 percent to $30,000. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:16:07 PST http://www.mynorthwest.com?nid=21&sid=622420 AP Auto Writer LAS VEGAS (AP) - General Motors Co. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:56:35 PST http://www.mynorthwest.com?nid=21&sid=622360 Associated Press BOSTON (AP) - Bob Thompson learned he had prostate cancer after routine screening at the Whittier Street Health Center, a community-based facility that has long served serving thousands of residents of the inner-city Roxbury neighborhood. The screening probably saved his life, said Thompson, 60, a long-time Roxbury resident who had surgery for the cancer last May. "Without it I probably would not have discovered that I had cancer, it would have gone on for a number of years and the cancer would have gotten worse," he said. On Monday, Gov. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 11:40:32 PST http://www.mynorthwest.com?nid=21&sid=622319 Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) - Russias state-controlled Gazprom natural gas giant acknowledged for the first time Saturday that it had briefly reduced gas supplies to Europe amid a spell of extreme cold. Gazprom deputy chief Andrey Kruglov reported to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that the cuts lasted for several days and reached up to 10 percent, but supplies are currently back to normal. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:25:47 PST http://www.mynorthwest.com?nid=21&sid=615659 HEBRON, West Bank (AP) - Hundreds of Palestinian protesters have called for their prime ministers resignation over recent tax and price increases. Saturdays protest marked the first time a sizable crowd demanded that Salam Fayyad step down, although several smaller protests have been staged in recent weeks. Fayyad had enjoyed considerable popularity for restoring a sense of personal safety and overseeing a modest economic recovery in recent years. His income tax hike mainly targets top earners and large companies and is meant to decrease the Palestinians dependence on foreign aid. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:27:15 PST http://www.mynorthwest.com?nid=21&sid=425665 Associated Press MUNICH (AP) - Italy is now a "safe place" amid market turbulence, Premier Mario Monti said in an interview published Saturday, pressing for Europe to turn its political energy to generating growth rather than further plans to strengthen budget discipline. Montis comments in an interview with the German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung came ahead of a planned appearance at the Munich Security Conference. The annual gathering of security officials is tinged this year by concern about the eurozone debt crisis and comes as negotiations over a second bailout for Greece drag on. Monti was quoted as saying that "an uncontrolled Greek state bankruptcy would be bad for everyone" but officials will avoid it. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:22:53 PST http://www.mynorthwest.com?nid=21&sid=622173 Associated Press TORONTO (AP) - Canadas prime minister heads to China next week where hell discuss Canadas vast oil reserves in a visit thats being viewed as an "open warning" to the United States, which rejected a pipeline from Canada to Texas. Prime Minister Stephen Harper will be in Beijing and two other cities for bilateral meetings with top Chinese officials, including President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, from Feb. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:16:57 PST http://www.mynorthwest.com?nid=21&sid=437432 HOUSTON (AP) - The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:08:51 PST http://www.mynorthwest.com?nid=21&sid=430267 Associated Press ATHENS, Greece (AP) - "Crucial" issues remain to be resolved in Greeces critical negotiations over a second multibillion euro international bailout, and talks would continue into the weekend, the countrys Finance Minister said early Saturday. A long anticipated bond swap deal was now the easier part of the process in securing continued funding for the country, Evangelos Venizelos said after marathon talks with debt inspectors from the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, known as the troika. Venizelos said he would speak on Saturday afternoon by teleconference with the other eurozone finance ministers, and that the ministers would meet on Wednesday _ a gathering that had originally been expected to be held Monday. "After 12 hours of continuous and tough negotiations with the troika on the new program, we have solved quite a few issues. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:55:41 PST