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OAK BROOK, Ill. — McDonald's, the world's largest fast-food chain, said Monday that monthly sales growth was relatively flat in the U.S. but that was offset by stronger growth globally.

Sales in stores open at least 13 months edged down 0.1 percent in the U.S. in October. They rose 6.4 percent in Europe and 4.7 percent in Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa.

— Bon Jovi, "The Circle" (Island)

The fiddles and banjos have been packed away and the steel guitars, presumably, stolen. In their place are angry electric guitars, catchy choruses that demand to be shouted out in a football stadium, and a return to the unflappable optimism that has made these Jersey guys legends in the rock biz.

TOKYO — Japanese actress Noriko Sakai, once hugely popular in Asia, was convicted of drug use Monday as thousands of people crowded outside the courthouse in anticipation of the verdict.

The Tokyo District Court sentenced 38-year-old Sakai to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, for using and possessing drugs, court spokesman Yoshikazu Ishizawa said. He declined to give further details.

NEW YORK — Walt Disney Co.'s new version of "A Christmas Carol" got a Bah Humbug from Deutsche Bank, which predicts a disappointing $31 million in opening weekend ticket sales will lead to smaller quarterly profits.

The computer animated film, starring Jim Carrey as Ebenezer Scrooge, opened this weekend at No. 1, according to studio estimates Sunday.

LONDON — A handwritten condolence note written by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to a grieving mother caused the government fresh embarrassment on Monday.

Jacqui Janes, who lost her 20-year-old son Jamie Janes in Afghanistan last month, complained that Brown hastily wrote the condolence letter, misspelling both her and her son's name.

FRANKFURT — German sportswear company Puma AG said Monday net income fell 24 percent in the third quarter due to a drop in sales, especially for footwear and in its American markets.

Puma, based in Herzogenaurach, said net income amounted to euro68 million ($101 million) in the July-September period, down from euro89 million in the third quarter of 2008.

PARIS — A French prosecutor says investigators have found euro9.5 million ($14.25 million) in cash believed stolen from a Lyon branch of France's central bank, a heist that prompted a nationwide search.

Lyon Prosecutor Xavier Richaud said Monday the money was found in a storage space near a railway track where police earlier found the security truck used in the theft.

MOSCOW — Russian gas company Gazprom saw profit cut in half in the first six months of the year as the cost of natural gas it buys from Central Asia soared and demand plummetted in Europe.

The world's largest producer of natural gas on Monday reported net profit of 305.8 billion rubles ($10.6 billion) for the period, down from 609.3 billion rubles, according to financial results calculated to international standards.

NEW YORK — Marianne Faithfull has never been much for nostalgia throughout a roller-coaster career that's found her constantly reinventing herself. But when her band played "As Tears Go By" on her fall U.S. concert tour, she found herself flashing back to where her wild ride all began.

"If you'd have told me that at 62, I'd still be singing `As Tears Go By' to a rapt audience, I couldn't imagine that," says Faithfull. "It's incredibly moving for me. It's like (turning) back the years."

LONDON — A British nurse who died 30 years ago in Saudi Arabia will finally be cremated after her body was held for decades in a mortuary.

A funeral will be held Monday for Helen Smith, believed to have died after a fall from a balcony in Jeddah city in May 1979. She was 23.

LONDON — Plays about life in America and in Britain are shortlisted for the London Evening Standard Theater Awards.

Tracy Letts' epic American family saga "August: Osage County" is shortlisted for best play, alongside "Jerusalem" by Jez Butterworth – a play about living in contemporary rural England. "Enron" by 28-year-old Lucy Prebble and "Punk Rock" by Simon Stephens are also nominated.

— Broadway ticket availability and capsule reviews of shows as of Nov. 9. Unless otherwise noted, tickets are available at the theaters' box offices for the shows listed. Details about how to obtain tickets appear at the end.

_"A Steady Rain." Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman star in Keith Huff's drama about two Chicago policemen. Gerald Schoenfeld. Limited engagement through Dec. 6. Telecharge. Difficult.

LONDON — The euro pushed back up above $1.50 Monday after finance ministers from the Group of 20 rich and developing countries steered clear from addressing the weakness of the U.S. currency against most of its competitors at a meeting over the weekend.

At the meeting in St. Andrews, Scotland, the finance ministers pledged to "continue to provide support for the economy until the recovery is assured" – in effect telling the markets that borrowing costs will not be rising any time soon.

NEW YORK — Family ties are powerful, and when the folks are as famous and as accomplished as the Redgrave clan, these bindings must be industrial strength indeed.

No wonder Lynn Redgrave wanted to take a look at the life of Beatrice Kempson, her maternal grandmother, a woman she barely knew and wanted to know better. But to fill in the blanks required a leap of her imagination as well.

HELSINKI — Nokia Corp. announced Monday that some 14 million mobile phone chargers could be dangerous for users and said it will replace them free of charge.

The chargers, bearing Nokia's name and made by Chinese battery and auto part maker BYD Co., are models AC-3E and AC-3U, made between June 15 and Aug. 9 this year; and AC-4U, manufactured between April 13 and Oct. 25, 2009. They were mostly sold in Europe and North America.

NEW YORK — Robin Roberts is comfortable in the knowledge that when ABC's "Good Morning America" makeover is complete, she will keep her seat at the anchor desk. She just doesn't know who will be sitting next to her.

As she waits, ABC is showing her some love. Roberts is the centerpiece for two prime-time specials this month: a Tuesday night hour featuring country music stars and an interview with Janet Jackson that will air on Nov. 18. The Jackson interview is the type of important "get" for which Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters used to compete.

BEIJING — The founder and editor-in-chief of Caijing, China's boldest financial news magazine, resigned Monday amid friction with the magazine's publisher, a colleague said.

Two people who work at the 11-year-old financial news magazine said on condition of anonymity that Hu Shuli left the magazine and was likely to take up a post at Zhongshan University in Guangzhou, a bustling city in southern China close to Hong Kong.

FRANKFURT — German insurer Allianz SE said Monday it posted a net profit in the third quarter from a loss a year ago due to improved revenue in life and health insurance and financial services.

Allianz, based in Munich, said net income rose to euro1.32 billion ($1.96 billion) from a loss of euro2 billion in the third quarter a year ago.

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has confirmed that opening its door to married Anglican priests doesn't mean the Roman Catholic church's requirement for celibacy for clergy is changing.

The Holy See's press office issued a set of rules Monday as part of its initiative to make it easier for disillusioned conservative Anglicans to become Catholics.

BEIJING — Powered by tax cuts and stimulus spending, China's October auto sales soared 72 percent from a year earlier, outpacing U.S. sales for another month, according to data reported Monday.

Automakers sold a total of 1.2 million cars and trucks, the government-sanctioned China Association of Auto Manufacturers announced.

BEIJING — Chinese state media says an initial group of nine Uighurs have been executed for taking part in July's deadly ethnic rioting in the country's far west.

The China News Service reported Monday that the nine were put to death recently but gave no specific date or other details.

NEW YORK — The case of two former Bear Stearns hedge fund managers charged with lying to investors is moving into the final stages.

Deliberations were expected to begin Monday at the Brooklyn trial of Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin. They've pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and fraud charges.

— Stock futures are pointing to a sharply higher open on Wall Street after a weekend meeting of world financial leaders raised hopes for the global economy.

U.S. stock index futures are following the lead of overseas markets, which are up Monday after officials from the Group of 20 countries agreed to keep their economic stimulus measures in place.

PYONGYANG, North Korea — French President Nicolas Sarkozy's special envoy began talks Monday with North Korea on establishing diplomatic relations and the international standoff over Pyongyang's nuclear programs.

Envoy Jack Lang's trip to the isolated North represents Sarkozy's bid to raise France's diplomatic profile and mark another spot on the globe where French influence is felt. Untainted by ties to the bloodshed of the 1950-53 Korean War, France hopes to be seen as a neutral, trustworthy player.