DETROIT — The United Auto Workers union is meeting in Detroit this week amid a heated national debate over collective bargaining rights.

More than 1,200 delegates are expected to attend the three-day convention, which starts today. Among the items on its agenda is setting goals for this fall's contract talks with U.S. automakers. The UAW's contracts with General Motors, Ford and Chrysler expire Sept. 14.

Workers are expected to push for a share of the profits as Detroit automakers get healthier.

But unions are facing a backlash. Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and other states have passed or are considering measures to curb public workers' bargaining power.

DALLAS — United and Continental airlines are raising fares on many U.S. routes by $10 per round trip.The increase was confirmed Monday by Mike Trevino, a spokesman for the airlines.U.S. airlines have raised fares at least a half-dozen times this year as they try to offset rising jet fuel costs. The last attempt failed when other airlines decided not to follow American Airlines when it raised prices earlier this month, also by $10 per round trip.

SINGAPORE — Oil prices hovered above $102 a barrel today in Asia as traders mulled how long Libyan oil exports will remain shut down amid a third night of allied attacks on forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi.Benchmark crude for April delivery was down 14 cents to $102.19 a barrel at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The April contract, which expires today, rose $1.26 to settle at $102.33 on Monday.In London, Brent crude for May delivery was down 55 cents at $114.41 a barrel on the ICE futures exchange.Fierce fighting during the last month has halted most of Libya's 1.6 million barrels a day of crude production, and investors are concerned coalition military intervention on the side of rebels could prolong the shutdown.

WASHINGTON — Fewer Americans bought previously occupied homes in February and those who did purchased them at steep discounts. The weak sales and rise in foreclosures pushed home prices down to their lowest level in nearly 9 years.The National Association of Realtors said Monday that sales of previously occupied homes fell last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.88 million. That's down 9.6 percent from 5.4 million in January. The pace is far below the 6 million homes a year that economists say represents a healthy market.Nearly 40 percent of the sales last month were either foreclosures or short sales, when the seller accepts less than they owe on the mortgage.One-third of all sales were purchased in cash — twice the rate from a year ago. In troubled housing markets such as Las Vegas and Miami, cash deals represent about half of sales.The median sales price fell 5.2 percent to $156,100, the lowest since April 2002.

REDMOND, Wash. — Microsoft is suing Barnes & Noble and two electronics manufacturers, saying the Nook e-book reader infringes on patents.Microsoft said Monday that it filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Seattle. The software maker also lodged a complaint with the International Trade Commission.Microsoft says the Nook, which uses Google's Android software, steps on patented technology for opening a separate window to help make navigating content easier. The company also says it has patents for easily selecting and annotating text and for loading Web pages quickly.In addition to Barnes & Noble, Microsoft is suing manufacturers Inventec and Foxconn International Holdings, part of Hon Hai Precision Industry, both based in Taiwan.