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Over the past few years, incomes in Brazil rose and unemployment plunged to record lows. But now — as the country prepares to host the World Cup and the Olympics — the numbers are changing. Growth is slowing and inflation is creeping up. Tourists and Brazilians alike are feeling the pinch.

Consumer prices were 6.2% higher in October than a year ago as inflation continues to chip away at the buying power of households across the country.

Soaring energy and food prices have sent inflation up at the fastest rate in nearly two decades. The U.S. Labor Department says the consumer price index increased 1.1 percent in June. Meanwhile, energy prices rose by 6.6 percent.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 along ideological lines that Maine's tuition assistance program must cover religious schools.

New jobless claims dropped unexpectedly to 514,000 last week, and continuing claims fell below 6 million. Separately, the Consumer Price Index edged up a slight 0.2 percent in September, with energy costs up but food prices down.

A good pair of shoes and an open stretch of trail were all runners used to need. But now many swear by GPS technology that monitors their speed and distance, and new smart phone apps tell them whether they need to pick up the pace.

President Obama and other Democrats say the huge economic problems they inherited would have been worse without the programs they put in place. But with unemployment at 9.6 percent and foreclosures continuing to mount, that argument hasn't gotten much traction.

The economy grew at a 2.0 percent pace in the third quarter, the Commerce Department said in its final economic snapshot before Tuesday's midterm elections. Gross domestic product grew faster than in the spring, but was still below the activity levels seen when the year began.

With bank failures rising, the government's deposit insurance fund fell 20 percent to $10.4 billion in the second quarter. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. says U.S. banks lost $3.7 billion, compared with profits of $7.6 billion in the first quarter, and $4.7 billion a year earlier.

Having a tough time trying to figure out the football part of the Super Bowl? These Super Bowl conversation starters can help you wage a good offensive game on Sunday.