Republicans Insert Healthcare Into Student Loan Fight

WASHINGTON - The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives defied a veto threat by President Barack Obama on Friday and voted to take money from his healthcare overhaul to extend low-interest rates for federal student loans.

Campaign Treasurer For NYC Comptroller Indicted

- The 25-year-old campaign treasurer for New York City Comptroller John Liu has been indicted for making a false statement to federal officials, according to a court filing, further weakening Liu's bid to become mayor in 2013.

Former U.S. Presidential Hopeful Edwards' Defense Says Aide Lied

GREENSBORO, North Carolina - Former U.S. Senator and presidential contender John Edwards' defense sharpened its attack on the government's lead witness on Friday, saying his ego and greed motivated him to take his former boss down in a federal campaign finance case.

Bomb-complex Search Urged Over Huawei, ZTE Fear

WASHINGTON - A congressional panel has approved a measure designed to search and clear the U.S. nuclear-weapons complex of technology produced by Chinese telecommunications companies that have been accused of working closely with China's government and military.

Police Say Found Bunker Of Man Accused Of Killing Family

SEATTLE - Authorities have found a bunker in mountains near Seattle that they believe belongs to a missing survivalist suspected of murdering his wife and daughter and setting fire to the family home in northwest Washington state, police said on Friday.

FBI Assisting In Search For California Woman Last Seen In Panama

IRVINE, California - The FBI is assisting Panamanian authorities in the search for a Southern California woman who went missing from the Central American country in November, a spokesman for the agency said on Friday.

U.S. Secret Service Limits Alcohol, Hotel Guests On Trips Abroad

WASHINGTON - Heavy drinking and bringing foreign nationals back to hotel rooms on trips abroad is now banned by the U.S. Secret Service in the wake of a growing scandal over allegations that agents consorted with prostitutes in Colombia this month.

Dolphin Stuck In California Wetlands Draws A Crowd

HUNTINGTON BEACH, California - A dolphin who took a wrong turn from the Pacific Ocean into a Southern California wetlands became an unwitting star on Friday when scores of motorists on a nearby busy highway stopped to watch it swim in circles.

New York Prosecutors Probe Law Firm Dewey & LeBoeuf

NEW YORK - New York prosecutors are looking into allegations of wrongdoing by a key leader of the troubled law firm Dewey & LeBoeuf, according to an email sent by firm management to partners on Friday.

Boeing Debuts First 787 Dreamliner Made In South Carolina

CHARLESTON, South Carolina - Boeing Co on Friday unveiled the first 787 Dreamliner made in its new South Carolina assembly plant, a factory at the center of a bitter labor dispute last year and the site of a recent manufacturing glitch that threatened to disrupt the 787 production rate target.

Rash On Passenger Causes Quarantine Of Plane In Chicago

CHICAGO - Passengers and crew were held for more than two hours on an airplane at Chicago's Midway Airport on Thursday while a passenger with a rash was checked out for a possible infectious disease, but none was found, authorities said.

"Joke" To "Hijack Plane, Kill Obama" Gets Utah Man In Trouble

SALT LAKE CITY - A purported practical joke on a colleague that threatened a plane hijacking and the assassination of President Barack Obama has landed a Utah man in trouble with federal authorities.

Accused 'kingpin Of Cockfighting' Arrested In Texas

EDINBURG, Texas - Deputies arrested a purported "kingpin of cockfighting" who they said profited off a Texas cockfighting ring that was the scene of an ambush last week where masked gunmen killed three men and wounded eight others, the local sheriff said on Thursday.

Trayvon Martin's Killer Raises More Than $200,000 For Defense

- George Zimmerman, the former neighborhood watch volunteer who is accused of murder in the death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin, has raised at least $200,000 through a website set up to fund his defense, his lawyer said on Thursday.

Bird Strikes On Airliners Targeted In Congress, At Airports

NEW YORK - Never mind unruly passengers, baggage fees and wind shear. The real scourges of air traffic these days are black-bellied plovers, herring gulls and yellow-bellied sapsuckers, aviation experts say.

Kentucky Judge Orders State To Consider Single-drug Executions

LOUISVILLE, Ky - A Kentucky judge ordered state officials to consider using a single drug to carry out executions instead of a series of three drugs used by many states where the death penalty is legal.

Philadelphia Transit Workers Hit $172.7 Million Jackpot

PHILADELPHIA - Cheers and songs broke out at the Philadelphia's transit agency offices on Thursday when 48 employees learned they had literally hit the jackpot - the $172.7 million Powerball lottery prize.

ACLU Sues Over Border Patrol Stops In Pacific Northwest

SEATTLE - The Border Patrol is unjustifiably stopping people based on their skin color in Washington state's Olympic Peninsula, just across the water from Canada, the American Civil Liberties Union said in a lawsuit filed on Thursday.

U.S. On Guard For Attacks Ahead Of Bin Laden Anniversary

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama has reviewed potential threats to the United States before next week's anniversary of the killing of Osama bin Laden, but there is no concrete evidence al Qaeda is plotting any revenge attacks, the White House said on Thursday.

Insight: Falling Home Prices Drag New Buyers Under Water

- More than 1 million Americans who have taken out mortgages in the past two years now owe more on their loans than their homes are worth, and Federal Housing Administration loans that require only a tiny down payment are partly to blame.

George Zimmerman: Prelude To A Shooting

SANFORD, Florida - A pit bull named Big Boi began menacing George and Shellie Zimmerman in the fall of 2009.

College Students Protest Debt On "Trillion Dollar Day"

NEW YORK - College students held demonstrations in several U.S. cities on Wednesday to mark the day total U.S. student loan debt was expected to reach $1 trillion, with some burning student loan documents and others demanding a right to "debt-free degrees."

Dad Wires Autistic Son, Exposes Teachers' Verbal Abuse

NEW YORK - A New Jersey school district has fired at least two educators for verbally abusing autistic children after a father sent his 10-year-old autistic son to school wearing a hidden microphone upon suspecting he was being mistreated by staff.

Financial Crises Caused By "stupidity And Greed": Geithner

PORTLAND, Oregon - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner sought on Wednesday to reassure Americans that the Obama administration was doing what it could to rout out the bad actors from the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

Parents Of Missing Arizona Girl Plead For Her Return

TUCSON, Arizona - The anguished parents of a missing 6-year-old Arizona girl who authorities say may have been snatched from her bed made a tearful public appeal on Wednesday for her safe return, pleading with presumed abductors to "tell us what you want."

Navy Airman Ambushed Victims In California Slayings, Police Say

SAN DIEGO - A Navy airman behind a January murder-suicide in California came home from a New Year's celebration and lay in wait for a man and a woman he had partied with, shooting them before killing a fellow Navy lieutenant and them himself, authorities said on Wednesday.

Ex-altar Boy Testifies About Sexual Abuse By Philadelphia Priests

PHILADELPHIA - A 23-year-old man testified on Wednesday in the child sex abuse case against the Philadelphia Catholic Archdiocese that he was molested by two priests, one of whom prosecutors said had been known to church officials as a sex abuser years earlier.

U.S. High Court Appears To Back Arizona On Immigration

WASHINGTON - Conservative justices who hold a majority on the U.S. Supreme Court appeared to endorse Arizona's immigration crackdown on Wednesday, rejecting the Obama administration stance that the federal government has sole power over those who illegally enter the United States.

California Sailing Accident Survivor Urges New Safety Rules

TIBURON, California - One of three survivors from a fatal California yacht wreck said the moments he spent overboard felt like he was in "a washing machine filled with boulders," and that five crew mates who died might have been saved had they worn safety harnesses.

Hundreds March Against Arizona Immigration Law

PHOENIX - A few hundred protesters, some toting placards reading "no to racial profiling," marched through downtown Phoenix on Wednesday to urge the U.S. Supreme Court to block Arizona's two-year-old crackdown on illegal immigrants.

NATO Summit Protesters To Be Kept Away From Leaders

CHICAGO - The U.S. Secret Service on Tuesday told Chicago anti-war demonstrators they will have to stay blocks from next month's NATO summit for security reasons, which protest leaders said violates their right to be within sight and sound of the delegates.

California's Population Growth Seen Slowing

SAN FRANCISCO - California' population will grow at much slower pace than state officials projected as its birth rate sags and immigration levels off, a study said on Tuesday, with significant ramifications for the most populous U.S. state's finances and economy.

Ghost Of Occupy Wall Street To Haunt GE Meeting

- An offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement, which rose to prominence last year with its anticorporate stance, plans to bring its populist message to General Electric Co's shareholder meeting in Detroit on Wednesday.

Chicago OKs Private Investment For Infrastructure

CHICAGO - A controversial plan to tap private investment to rebuild Chicago's infrastructure, part of a larger spending plan for $7.2 billion, won approval from the city council in a 41-7 vote on Tuesday.

Boy Awaiting Heart Transplant Abducted From St. Louis Hospital

KANSAS CITY, Missouri - A child-abduction alert was issued on Tuesday in St. Louis for a 5-year-old boy who police said was on a waiting list for a heart transplant and is believed to have been taken by his father.

House Republican Divide Keeps Lid On Highway Projects

WASHINGTON - Nearly every day, rush-hour traffic backs up for miles on both ends of the overburdened Brent Spence Bridge, which spans the Ohio River and links Cincinnati with its suburbs in Kentucky.

FBI Behavior Analysts In Search For Missing Arizona Girl

TUCSON, Arizona - After four days of fruitless physical searches in and around the home of a missing 6-year-old girl in Arizona, the FBI called in behavioral analysts to look for clues, police said on Tuesday.

Empire State Building About To Lose Status As Tallest In NYC

NEW YORK - One World Trade Center, being built at the site of the fallen twin towers, could surpass the Empire State Building as the tallest building in New York as soon as next week, an official said on Tuesday.

Two More Secret Service Agents Resign; Obama Blames 'knuckleheads'

WASHINGTON - Two more U.S. Secret Service agents are resigning over a Colombia prostitution scandal, the agency said on Tuesday, as it sought to close a chapter in its worst case of alleged misconduct in decades.

Money Scheme "smelled Wrong": Senator Edwards' Aide Says

GREENSBORO, North Carolina - A disillusioned campaign aide testified on Tuesday about the cross-country trek he took with former Senator John Edwards' pregnant mistress to hide her from the media during Edwards' failed 2008 presidential bid.

Al Qaeda Challenges With Lone Wolf Tactics: Canada

OTTAWA - Al Qaeda's new focus on "lone wolf" tactics is making it tough for Western intelligence agencies to prevent terror attacks, the head of Canada's spy service said on Monday.

Oakland Police Change Crowd Control Policies After Occupy

- Oakland's Police Department will significantly change how it trains officers to control large crowds following criticism over its practices during anti-Wall Street protests last year that sometimes erupted into violence, the department said on Monday.

Arizona House Votes To Demand Return Of Federally Owned Lands

PHOENIX - Arizona lawmakers on Monday passed legislation demanding the U.S. government relinquish to the state millions of acres of federal territory, in the latest rekindling of a "sagebrush rebellion" over control of public lands in the West.

Man Stops Policeman, Confesses To Oklahoma Murder 25 Years Ago

OKLAHOMA CITY - A homeless man walked up to a policeman in Montana last week and confessed to involvement in the murder of an Oklahoma county commissioner 25 years ago, authorities said on Monday.

Returning Soldiers Have More Car Crashes: Study

BOSTON - Military personnel have 13 percent more car accidents in which they are at fault in the six months after returning from overseas duty than in the six months prior, a USAA study revealed on Tuesday.

Trayvon Martin's Killer Leaves Florida Jail

SANFORD, Florida - George Zimmerman, the former neighborhood watch volunteer charged with second-degree murder in the killing of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, was released early on Monday from a Florida county jail on $150,000 bail.

New England's Lack Of Violence Reaps Economic Benefits

BOSTON - The rural New England states of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire are the most peaceful U.S. states, a distinction that gives them an economic advantage over the most violent, including Louisiana, Tennessee and Nevada.

Search For Arizona Girl, 6, Turns Back To Her Tucson Home

TUCSON, Arizona - The search for a missing 6-year-old Arizona girl who authorities said may have been snatched from her bedroom in Tucson entered its third day on Monday as search dogs shifted investigators' attention back to the child's home.

Death Penalty Repeal To Go Before California Voters

LOS ANGELES - California voters will decide in November whether to repeal the death penalty in a state that is home to nearly a quarter of the nation's death row inmates, after activists collected the more than 500,000 signatures needed to put the measure on the ballot.

AMR Union To Vote Next Week On Proposal: Sources

- The union representing seven work groups at bankrupt American Airlines will vote starting next week on the carrier's best and final contract offer, with results expected before unions testify in a hearing on the airline's request to void their contract, three sources said on Monday.

Tulsa, Oklahoma's Racial Divide Bedevils Plan To Honor MLK

TULSA, Oklahoma - This city, where a history of racial tension was inflamed by the Good Friday shootings of five black people, plans to name a street in honor of civil rights pioneer Dr. Martin Luther King but only the section that passes through a predominantly black part of a city.

Starved Dallas Boy's Remains May Have Been Found

DALLAS, Texas - Human remains discovered in a creek in a wooded area south of Dallas may be those of a missing 10-year-old boy who police say apparently was starved to death last year.

Search For Long Missing New York Boy Fails To Find Remains

NEW YORK - Investigators searching a New York basement for clues about the 1979 disappearance of a 6-year-old boy have ended their digging at the scene after "nothing conclusive was found" from a four-day excavation, a law enforcement source said on Sunday.

Tucson Police Probe Possible Abduction Of 6-year-old Girl

PHOENIX - Scores of police and federal agents fanned out across 6-mile swath of Tucson, Arizona, for a second day on Sunday in a search for a missing 6-year-old girl who authorities said may have been snatched from her bedroom.

Rare Daylight Meteor Seen, Heard Over Nevada, California

LOS ANGELES - A rare daytime meteor was seen and heard streaking over northern Nevada and parts of California on Sunday, just after the peak of an annual meteor shower.

Winter Punches Back With Snow, Heavy Rain In Northeast

BUFFALO, New York - Winter made a comeback on Sunday as a powerful storm brought rare, late season snow to the northeastern United States, and parts of New England faced the threat of flooding.

Former Presidential Hopeful John Edwards Faces Trial

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina - Former U.S. Senator John Edwards goes on trial Monday on charges he used illegal campaign contributions to cover up an affair with a mistress who became pregnant during his failed bid for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.

Congress Presses Investigation Of Secret Service Scandal

WASHINGTON - Two senior Republicans in the House of Representatives expressed confidence on Sunday in the head of the U.S. Secret Service, despite the agency's Colombia prostitution scandal while a Senate committee chairman planned hearings into the matter.

U.S. Supreme Court Immigration Case Weighs States' Powers

WASHINGTON - A clash over immigration law will go before the U.S. Supreme Court this week, pitting the state of Arizona against President Barack Obama in a case with election-year political ramifications for him and Republican rival Mitt Romney.

Trayvon Martin's Killer Leaves Florida Jail On Bail

SANFORD, Florida - George Zimmerman, the former neighborhood watch volunteer charged with second-degree murder in the killing of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, was released early on Monday from a Florida county jail on $150,000 bail.

Trayvon Martin's Killer Gets Bail, Apologizes To Family

SANFORD, Florida - Neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman apologized to the family of Trayvon Martin on Friday, stunning a rapt courtroom and a national television audience at a hearing in which the judge granted Zimmerman $150,000 bail on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of the unarmed black teenager.

Prostitute Scandal Challenges U.S. Secret Service's Proud Culture

WASHINGTON - They are screened so carefully that their families are interviewed before they are hired. They hold top-secret security clearances, are trained to use lethal force and stand inches from the leader of the world's most powerful nation.

Wisconsin's Planned Parenthood Suspends Non-surgical Abortions

MILWAUKEE - Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin has suspended non-surgical abortions in response to a new state law that makes it harder for women to have the procedure, a move that followed anti-abortion measures in several Republican-controlled states.

Man Linked To U.S. Fort Bragg Missing Soldier Held On Unrelated Charge

- A registered sex offender thought to be the last person to have seen missing Fort Bragg soldier Kelli Marie Bordeaux has been arrested for failing to register his new residence near the North Carolina base, a charge unrelated to Bordeaux's disappearance.

Army Dumps Nugent From Concert After Obama Remarks

- The U.S. Army cut rock musician and gun-rights advocate Ted Nugent from a summer concert program at Fort Knox, Kentucky, on the same day he met with two U.S. Secret Service agents over recent comments he made about President Barack Obama.

Search Resumes In High-profile New York Missing Child Case

NEW YORK - Investigators in New York resumed the search for clues on Saturday into the 1979 disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz, digging into a Manhattan basement for a third day in hopes of solving a case that has confounded police for three decades.

New Curbs On Voter Registration Could Hurt Obama

WASHINGTON - New state laws designed to fight voter fraud could reduce the number of Americans signing up to vote in this year's presidential election by hundreds of thousands, a potential problem for President Barack Obama's re-election bid.

More Agents Likely To Go Over Secret Service Scandal: U.S. Lawmaker

WASHINGTON - Most of the Secret Service agents accused of misconduct with prostitutes ahead of President Barack Obama's recent visit to Colombia are likely to leave the agency, a top Republican lawmaker said on Saturday.

Nor'easter To Bring Heavy Rain And Snow To U.S. East

- Heavy rains and snow will soon pound the eastern United States, possibly leading to downed trees, power outages and flight delays as a low pressure system from the Gulf of Mexico moves through the region, meteorologists said on Saturday.

Watergate Figure, Ministry Founder Charles Colson Dies

WASHINGTON - Charles Colson, a Richard Nixon White House operative during the Watergate scandal who had a reputation for ruthlessness before going to jail and starting a prison ministry, died on Saturday at age 80, the ministry said.

University Of Colorado Clamps Down On "pot Fest" But Many Light Up

BOULDER, Colo. - The University of Colorado sought on Friday to clamp down on a huge annual marijuana fest, but after initially restricting access to the school, police later stood back and watched hundreds of people light up in a campus field.

Last Of Four Men Who Escaped Kansas Jail Caught

KANSAS CITY, Kansas - The last of four men who escaped a central Kansas county jail on Wednesday has been captured, officials said.

Three Arrested After Fatal Shooting At Texas Cockfighting Ring

EDINBURG, Texas - Three people in Texas were arrested and charged with operating a cockfighting ring, a local sheriff said on Friday, a day after masked gunmen shot three people during a match.

Conservative Activist Breitbart Died Of Heart Failure: Coroner

LOS ANGELES - Conservative activist Andrew Breitbart died of heart failure with no prescription or illegal drugs in his system, the Los Angeles County Coroner's officials said on Friday.

Two Women Say Were Raped, Punished At U.S. Military Academies

NEW YORK - Two women who said they were raped while attending U.S. military academies sued military officials on Friday, accusing them of failing to address widespread problems of sexual assault at the elite schools.

Trayvon Martin's Killer Gets Bail, Apologizes To Family

SANFORD, Florida - Neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman apologized to the family of Trayvon Martin on Friday, stunning a rapt courtroom and a national television audience at a hearing in which the judge granted Zimmerman $150,000 bail on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of the unarmed black teenager.

Campaign To Bring Uganda's Kony To Justice Heats Up

LOS ANGELES - Starting with grassroots service projects to create buzz and public support, activists out to stop notorious Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony spread out in U.S. cities on Friday in a campaign aimed at justice half way around the world.

Three More Secret Service Agents Resign

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Secret Service said on Friday that three more of its employees have resigned, bringing to six the number that have left the agency in connection with alleged misconduct involving prostitutes in Colombia last week before President Barack Obama's trip there.

Prostitute Scandal Challenges U.S. Secret Service's Proud Culture

WASHINGTON - They are screened so carefully that their families are interviewed before they are hired. They hold top-secret security clearances, are trained to use lethal force and stand inches from the leader of the world's most powerful nation.

Air Force Two Carrying Biden Struck By Birds, Lands Safely

WASHINGTON - The Air Force Two plane carrying Vice President Joe Biden was struck by birds in California on Thursday, a spokeswoman for his office said, but it landed without problem and the vice president, passengers and crew were safe at all times.

Missing North Carolina Soldier Feared In Danger

- North Carolina police are investigating the disappearance of a 23-year-old Fort Bragg soldier last seen at a bar over the weekend, fearing she is in danger, authorities said on Thursday.

Oklahoma "personhood" Bill Fails In Legislature

OKLAHOMA CITY - A proposed 'personhood' law in Oklahoma that would grant embryos full rights as people from the moment of conception failed in the state's Legislature without coming to a vote in the House of Representatives, lawmakers said on Thursday.

California Middle School Teacher Fired Over Porn Film Role

OXNARD, California - A Southern California middle school science teacher who once appeared in a porn film has been fired by her school district over concerns the issue could pose a distraction to students, officials said on Thursday.

New York Search Launched For Long-missing Child Patz

NEW YORK - The FBI and the New York Police Department renewed a search on Thursday for the remains of Etan Patz, a young boy whose disappearance in 1979 became one of the city's most prominent missing child cases.

Peace Activist Cindy Sheehan Vows To Continue Tax Boycott

SACRAMENTO, California - California peace activist Cindy Sheehan has agreed to meet with Internal Revenue Service agents seeking to collect back taxes she refuses to pay as a protest of U.S. wars, but she vowed on Thursday to persist in her tax boycott.

Unconscious Pilot Crashes Into Gulf Of Mexico

- The unconscious pilot of a small private plane flew in circles over the Gulf of Mexico for hours on Thursday, shadowed by two U.S. military jets, before running out of fuel and crashing and sinking into the watery depths, authorities said.

Alabama's House Approves Changes To Tough Immigration Law

Birmingham, Alabama - Alabama's House of Representatives passed a new version of its controversial immigration law on Thursday, revising parts of a measure that has faced court challenges and sharp criticism since it first passed last year.

Judge Allows University Of Colorado Crackdown On Pot Rally

BOULDER, Colo. - A judge upheld on Thursday the right of the University of Colorado to restrict outside visitors to its flagship campus for a day in a move school officials hope will squelch a huge marijuana smoke-in that has become an annual tradition.

Secret Service Agents Lawyer: 'trial By Mob' Wrong

WASHINGTON - The attorney for some of the Secret Service agents under investigation in a scandal involving prostitutes in Colombia ahead of President Barack Obama's trip, said on Thursday a "trial by mob" was wrong.

One In Four Americans Without Health Coverage: Study

WASHINGTON - As the U.S. Supreme Court ponders the fate of healthcare reform in the current election year, a study released on Thursday shows that one in four working-age Americans went without insurance at some point in 2011, often as a result of unemployment and other job changes.

Secret Service Says Three Employees To Leave Over Colombia Scandal

WASHINGTON - Three U.S. Secret Service employees under investigation for alleged misconduct with prostitutes in Colombia before a trip by President Barack Obama are leaving their jobs, the agency said on Wednesday.

Man Charged With Snatching, Killing Alaska Teenage Barista

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - An Anchorage construction contractor was indicted on Wednesday on charges of kidnapping a teenage barista from a drive-up Alaska coffee stand, killing her, and extracting ransom payments from her family after she was already dead.

Florida Judge Steps Down From George Zimmerman Trial

ORLANDO, Florida - A Florida judge removed herself as expected on Wednesday from presiding over the second-degree murder trial of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

Retired Illinois Couple Claims Huge Lottery Prize

RED BUD, Illinois - A retired couple in a southern Illinois town claimed their one-third share of a record $656 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot on Wednesday, saying they would invest most of the windfall and possibly buy a new car.

Think Carrots, Not Candy As School Snack, Group Suggests

WASHINGTON - Junk food may soon be hard to buy at American public schools as the U.S. government readies new rules requiring healthier foods to be sold beyond the cafeteria - a move most parents support, according to a poll released on Thursday.

California's "Princeton Of Pot" Reopens In Bare-bones State

OAKLAND, California - A California school known as the "Princeton of Pot" has reopened after a federal raid, but with a bare-bones staff of volunteers to teach the art of cannabis cultivation, after the crackdown crimped its funding and forced it to lay off 25 paid employees.

Tesoro L.A. Refinery Workers Vote To Authorize Strike

HOUSTON - Union workers at Tesoro Corp's 97,000 barrel per day (bpd) Los Angeles Refinery in Wilmington, California, voted to authorize a strike if talks with company management for a new agreement are unsuccessful, a spokeswoman for the United Steelworkers Union (USW) said on Wednesday.

Occupy Movement Turning To Shareholder Meetings

- Looking to build on the Occupy Wall Street movement, activists say they're turning to corporate shareholder meetings this spring to vent their anger over economic disparity in the United States and to promote an assortment of other causes.

Ted Nugent Says Secret Service To Quiz Him About Obama Remarks

- Ted Nugent said on Wednesday that the U.S. Secret Service has arranged to meet with him after the rock musician severely criticized President Barack Obama during the National Rifle Association convention last week.

Troops Pose With Maimed Afghan Insurgent Bodies

BRUSSELS/WASHINGTON - U.S. troops are seen posing with the maimed bodies of suspected Afghan insurgents in photos published on Wednesday, an incident that threatened to further fray U.S.-Afghan ties and prompted yet another apology from Washington for soldiers' misbehavior.

Ohio To Execute Farm Hand Who Murdered Boy

CLEVELAND - Ohio is scheduled on Wednesday to execute a 49-year-old man who stabbed a teenage boy to death when the boy discovered the farm hand burglarizing his horse farm in 1985.

Florida Judge In Trayvon Martin Case To Decide On Recusal

ORLANDO, Florida - A Florida judge will decide this week whether to step down from the second-degree murder trial of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer charged in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

Arizona Governor Vetoes Bill Allowing Guns In State Buildings

PHOENIX - Arizona Governor Jan Brewer on Tuesday vetoed a controversial bill that would have allowed people to tote guns into state government buildings that previously had been off-limits.

Would-be New York City Suicide Bombers Detail Plot

NEW YORK - Two members of a plot to carry out suicide attacks on New York City subways said their third accused co-conspirator provided early leadership but was later sidelined from decisions after rifts began to form, according to testimony in federal court.

Halt California Funds For High-speed Rail: Budget Watchdog

SAN FRANCISCO - California lawmakers should not approve Governor Jerry Brown's budget proposals to provide additional funds for the state's pricey planned high-speed rail system, the state's budget watchdog agency said in a report on Tuesday.

Stung By Gas Prices, Obama Seeks New Oil Market Crackdown

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Barack Obama, whose political fortunes are threatened by rising gasoline prices, proposed new measures on Tuesday to reduce oil market manipulation that are unlikely to get support from a divided Congress.

U.S. Marks Second Victory Over British In War Of 1812

NEW ORLEANS - A parade of naval vessels and square-rigged sailing ships made their way on Tuesday up the Mississippi River to New Orleans under threatening skies, kicking off a national bicentennial commemoration of U.S. victory in the War of 1812.

Baby Found Safe After Texas Abduction, Prosecutor Says

- A 3-day-old baby was found alive after being abducted from a Houston-area clinic following a shooting that left his mother dead, a prosecutor said on Tuesday.

Thousands Housed In Trailers After Katrina May Get Payments

NEW ORLEANS - More than 20 mobile home manufacturers have agreed to pay $14.8 million to thousands of U.S. hurricane victims who said they were harmed by formaldehyde in the trailers.

Space Shuttle Discovery Makes Final Flight To Museum

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - The space shuttle Discovery made its final voyage on Tuesday: a piggyback jet ride to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum annex in Virginia.

U.S. Revokes Security Clearance Of 11 Agents Over Colombia Incident

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Secret Service said on Monday it revoked the top security clearance of 11 agents and uniformed division personnel over alleged misbehavior in Colombia, and a U.S. official said more than 10 military service members may also have been involved.

Fire Prompts Evacuation At Nuclear Research Lab In Idaho

SALMON, Idaho - A welder's torch ignited a small fire on the roof of a building at a nuclear research laboratory in Idaho on Monday, prompting an evacuation, but no one was hurt and no radioactive material was involved, lab officials said.

Wisconsin Couple Accused Of Starving, Abusing Girl Face Charges

MADISON, Wisconsin - A Wisconsin couple accused of starving and imprisoning their teenage daughter in a basement for six years including forcing her to eat her own bodily waste and do chores in the nude, were charged with more abuse on Monday.

Sailing Community Reeling After California Race Accident

SAN FRANCISCO - One day after rescuers halted a search for four sailors swept overboard during a yacht race off San Francisco, stunned members of the close-knit sailing community struggled on Monday to come to grips with a loss they called "devastating."

U.S. Busts Global Online Drug Market, Arrests Eight

LOS ANGELES - Eight men charged with running an elaborate online narcotics market that sold drugs to 3,000 people in the United States and 34 other countries have been arrested following a two-year investigation dubbed "Operation Adam Bomb," prosecutors said on Monday.

New Mexico Tourism Officials Fight State's Dull Reputation

SANTA FE, New Mexico - New Mexico tourism officials on Tuesday are launching a new slogan, "New Mexico True," that they hope will change perceptions of the state as "barren," "dull" or merely "close to Arizona," as focus-group participants said last year.

Trayvon Martin's Killer Showed Signs Of Injury: Neighbors

SANFORD, Florida - Neighbors of George Zimmerman say he had bandages on his nose and head the day after he shot dead Trayvon Martin, supporting statements by the neighborhood watch volunteer that he was beaten in a confrontation with the black Florida teenager.

Panetta Offers Steps To Curb Sex Assault In Military

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta proposed new action on Monday to crack down on sexual assault in the military, seeking to boost prosecution of the crime and send a signal that the Pentagon aims to confront what has become a persistent problem.

Virginia Tech Holds Classes On Five-year Shooting Anniversary

BLACKSBURG, Virginia - Five years after a mentally ill student gunned down 32 people at Virginia Tech, the university held classes on Monday for the first time on the anniversary of the country's deadliest mass shooting and 10,000 mourners attended a nighttime vigil.

Despite Obama Charm, Americas Summit Boosts U.S. Isolation

CARTAGENA, Colombia - President Barack Obama sat patiently through diatribes, interruptions and even the occasional eye-ball roll at the weekend Summit of the Americas in an effort to win over Latin American leaders fed up with U.S. policies.

Gold Glitters For North American Mining Students

- When Travis Howard started his degree at the Colorado School of Mines four years ago he decided to pursue a double major in mechanical engineering and metallurgy to give himself the best chance of landing a high-paying job when he graduated.

"Buffett Rule" Will Not Hurt U.S. Economy-Geithner

WASHINGTON - A proposal to impose at least 30 percent income tax on Americans making more than a million dollars a year will not hurt the economy by stifling investment and growth, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Sunday.

Mexican Cartels Trick Border Crossers Into Being Drug Mules

SAN DIEGO, California - The Mexican help wanted ads offer a quick $500 for a simple job - drive a car into California on an errand for an "important business" organization.

At U.S. Gun Convention, Many See Rush To Judgment In Trayvon Martin Case

ST. LOUIS, Missouri - Gun-rights activists at a National Rifle Association convention said on Friday that protesters who demanded the arrest of George Zimmerman for the shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin were ignoring the U.S. legal principle of innocent until proven guilty.

Shooting Zombies Is The Fad Among Gun Enthusiasts

ST. LOUIS - One of Patrick Flanagan's favorite movies as a kid was "Night of the Living Dead," a 1968 horror film about a family trapped in a rural Pennsylvania house and attacked by zombies.

Search Halted For 4 Missing After California Yacht Race

SAN FRANCISCO - Rescuers halted a search on Sunday for four sailors swept overboard after powerful waves battered their boat during a yacht race, tossing it into rocks around islands off San Francisco, officials said.

Former Baseball Star Clemens Heads For Fresh Perjury Trial

WASHINGTON - Former baseball pitching ace Roger Clemens faces a new trial this week on charges he lied to Congress about taking steroids, nine months after a judge stopped his first trial in its opening days because of a misstep by prosecutors.

Latin America Rebels Against Obama Over Cuba

CARTAGENA, Colombia - Unprecedented Latin American opposition to U.S. sanctions on Cuba left President Barack Obama isolated at a summit on Sunday and illustrated Washington's declining influence in a region being aggressively courted by China.

U.S. Economy In Better Shape To Handle High Gas Prices-Geithner

WASHINGTON - The U.S. economy is in a better position to deal with high gasoline prices, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Sunday, adding that unseasonably warm winter had lowered overall energy costs for consumers.

Three Girls Among Oklahoma Tornado Dead; Clean-up Underway

OKLAHOMA CITY - Clean-up efforts were underway across the Midwest on Sunday after dozens of tornadoes ripped across the region, killing five people in one Oklahoma town, three of them young girls, after storm sirens failed to sound and houses were reduced to rubble.

Mexican Drug Cartel Leader Sent To Prison In Colorado

DENVER - The leader of a Mexican drug cartel was sentenced on Friday to more than 22 years in prison by a federal judge in Colorado, who said the kingpin's criminal enterprise sold $1 billion worth of cocaine in eight U.S. states.

Slight Rise In Military Sex Assault Cases

WASHINGTON - The number of sexual assaults reported to U.S. military authorities edged up last year, with most involving one member of the armed forces attacking another, the Pentagon said in an annual report released on Friday.

Nebraska Governor Rejects Prenatal Care Funding For Illegal Immigrants

- Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman vetoed a proposal to restore Medicaid-funded prenatal care for illegal immigrants on Friday, but the initiative could still survive if the state legislature rejects his move next week.

Memorial Crosses At California Marine Corps Base Ignite Debate

SAN DIEGO - Two crosses on a mountaintop in a California military base have touched off a fight between U.S. troops and veterans opposed to religious symbols on public lands and the families of slain Marines who set up the display.

Obama Calls Romney's Immigration Stance "troublesome"

CARTAGENA - President Barack Obama attacked Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney on Saturday over his stance on illegal immigrants and promised to pursue broad immigration reform if he wins another term.

Some Washington State Churches In Split Over Gay Marriage

SEATTLE - A handful of Roman Catholic churches in Washington state, whose Catholic governor signed a law allowing gay marriage earlier this year, have refused to circulate a petition endorsed by their archbishop to repeal the law, congregation leaders said.

Five U.S. Military Accused Of Misconduct In Colombia

WASHINGTON - Five members of the U.S. military assigned to support the Secret Service during President Barack Obama's visit to Colombia violated curfew and may have been involved in "inappropriate conduct," the U.S. Southern Command said on Saturday.

Oklahoma Shooting Suspect Denies Hating Black People

- One of two white Oklahoma men charged with murder and hate crimes over accusations of shooting dead three black people and wounding two said in an interview from jail on Saturday that he felt no hatred or ill-will toward African-Americans.

Scandal Mars Obama's Wooing Of Latin America

CARTAGENA, Colombia - A prostitution scandal involving U.S. security personnel in Colombia and an unprecedented regional push to end the isolation of Cuba threatened on Saturday to eclipse President Barack Obama's charm offensive to Latin America.

Tornadoes Pound U.S. Plains As Residents Hunker Down

KANSAS CITY, Missouri - A spate of tornadoes tore through parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa on Saturday, churning through Wichita and other areas while causing property damage but no immediate reports of deaths or widespread injuries.

Most Americans Back Gun Lobby, Right To Use Deadly Force

WASHINGTON - Most Americans support the right to use deadly force to protect themselves - even in public places - and have a favorable view of the National Rifle Association, the main gun-lobby group, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed.

FBI Seeks Clues To Slayings At Alaska Coast Guard Base

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Investigators hunted for clues on Friday to determine who shot two U.S. Coast Guard employees to death at a communications station on Alaska's Kodiak Island, federal officials said.

Tulsa Shooting Suspects Charged With Murder, Hate Crimes

OKLAHOMA CITY - Prosecutors brought murder and hate-crime charges on Friday against two white men arrested in the shootings of four black men and a black woman, three of them fatally, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a week ago.

Bail Hearing Set For Shooter Of Florida Teen Trayvon Martin

SANFORD, Florida - George Zimmerman, charged with killing unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, will remain in police custody for at least one more week after a Florida court on Friday set a bail hearing date for April 20.

Reward Offered In Los Angeles Murder Of Two Chinese Students

LOS ANGELES - Police investigating the shooting deaths of two University of Southern California graduate students from China posted a $125,000 reward on Friday for information that would help detectives solve the double murder.

Mexican Drug Cartel Leader Sent To Prison In Colorado

DENVER - The leader of a Mexican drug cartel was sentenced on Friday to more than 22 years in prison by a federal judge in Colorado, who said the kingpin's criminal enterprise sold $1 billion worth of cocaine in eight U.S. states.

Slight Rise In Military Sex Assault Cases

WASHINGTON - The number of sexual assaults reported to U.S. military authorities edged up last year, with most involving one member of the armed forces attacking another, the Pentagon said in an annual report released on Friday.

Nebraska Governor Rejects Prenatal Care Funding For Illegal Immigrants

- Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman vetoed a proposal to restore Medicaid-funded prenatal care for illegal immigrants on Friday, but the initiative could still survive if the state legislature rejects his move next week.

Memorial Crosses At California Marine Corps Base Ignite Debate

SAN DIEGO - Two crosses on a mountaintop in a California military base have touched off a fight between U.S. troops and veterans opposed to religious symbols on public lands and the families of slain Marines who set up the display.

Tornado Hits Oklahoma, More Expected This Weekend

CHICAGO - Forecasters are warning of a major tornado outbreak in Kansas and Oklahoma this weekend, and Oklahoma got a first taste of it on Friday as a twister touched down near the National Weather Service office in Norman.

Cost Of Bomb Investigation To Be Tallied For Guantanamo Trial

GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba - A U.S. military judge ordered prosecutors in the Guantanamo war crimes tribunal on Thursday to estimate how much money the United States has spent investigating the deadly bombing of the destroyer USS Cole in the past 12 years.

Massachusetts Man Gets 17-1/2 Years In Prison For Aiding Al Qaeda

BOSTON - A Massachusetts man convicted of supporting al Qaeda was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison at a court appearance on Thursday in which he shouted "You're a liar!" at the prosecutor.

Florida Executes Serial Killer Who Murdered Six Women

TALLAHASSEE, Florida - A Florida serial killer who admitted he murdered six women in the 1980s to satisfy his sexual urges was put to death by lethal injection on Thursday for killing a 17-year-old girl who had been hitchhiking to the beach.

Two Coast Guard Members Shot Dead At Alaska Base

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Two members of the Coast Guard were shot dead at a communications station on Alaska's Kodiak Island, prompting an investigation by the FBI and a lockdown of the base, officials said on Thursday.

Unruly JetBlue Pilot Charged With Interference With Flight

SAN ANTONIO - A grand jury indicted a JetBlue pilot and charged him with interference with a flight crew following a mid-air meltdown that included screaming and pounding on the cockpit door, forcing a transcontinental flight to make an emergency landing in Texas last month, court documents show.

Arizona Governor Signs Law Banning Most Late-term Abortions

PHOENIX - Arizona Republican Governor Jan Brewer signed into law on Thursday a controversial bill that bans most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, giving Republicans a win in ongoing national efforts to impose greater restrictions on abortion.

Pentagon Sets Up Fast Track For Buying Cyber War Tools

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon is establishing a fast-track acquisition process that would enable it to develop new cyber warfare capabilities within days or months if urgently needed, the Defense Department said in a report to Congress.

Police Chief Killed In New Hampshire Shootout

LITTLETON, New Hampshire - A New Hampshire police chief was killed and four officers were wounded when a drug raid turned into a shootout in the suburban community of Greenland on Thursday evening, officials said.

House Panels Turn Budget Axe To Automatic Cuts

WASHINGTON - Republicans in six House of Representatives committees next week will dust off their past proposals for reducing the deficit as they try to replace some of the automatic spending cuts set to take place in January.

Shooter Of Florida Teen Trayvon Martin Pleads Not Guilty

SANFORD, Florida - A handcuffed George Zimmerman, charged with killing unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, appeared in court for the first time on Thursday and his lawyer said a not guilty plea was entered on his "frightened" client's behalf.

Reno Air Race Pilot Likely Incapacitated Before Crash: Safety Board

RENO, Nevada - U.S. safety regulators investigating the crash of a World War Two-era plane at a Nevada air race that killed 11 people said on Tuesday they found evidence the pilot exceeded tolerable G-force limits and likely was incapacitated seconds before the accident.

Housing Group Files Bias Complaint Against Wells Fargo

WASHINGTON - A nonprofit group on Tuesday filed a discrimination complaint with the U.S. government accusing Wells Fargo & Co. of a failure to maintain foreclosed homes in minority neighborhoods compared with those vacant properties it owns in white areas.

Oklahoma Welcomes Mini-reversal Of "Grapes Of Wrath" Migration

OKLAHOMA CITY - More than 75 years after hundreds of thousands of "Dust Bowl" refugees fled Oklahoma for the promise of the booming economy of the golden state of California, the tide has turned.

Tulsa Shootings Evoke City's Past Racial Violence

OKLAHOMA CITY - When Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett announced the arrests of two white men for shooting five blacks on Sunday, he said such wanton violence had not happened "in the modern era" in Oklahoma's second-largest city.

Analysis: U.S. Civilian Courts Await Extradited Militants

WASHINGTON - When the Obama administration declared it wanted to put suspects involved in the September 11, 2001, attacks on trial in a New York federal courtroom, cries of outrage erupted in the U.S. Congress.

Virginia Governor Seeks To Soften Voter ID Legislation

PORTSMOUTH, Virginia - Virginia's Republican Governor Bob McDonnell introduced amendments on Tuesday to soften controversial legislation requiring voters to present valid identification to cast a ballot in elections.

Shooter In Trayvon Martin Case "emotionally Crippled"

SANFORD, Florida - The neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed unarmed black Florida teenager Trayvon Martin has been so "emotionally crippled" by the racially charged case that he may no longer be in control of his actions, his attorneys said on Tuesday.

Arkansas Fires Football Coach Over Relationship With Assistant

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas - The University of Arkansas on Tuesday fired head football coach Bobby Petrino after a motorcycle accident with a young female passenger led to what university officials said was a pattern of deception about her hiring and their relationship.

U.S. Border Agent Accused Of Gun Smuggling Ordered Detained

EL PASO, Texas - A U.S. Border Patrol agent, accused of buying guns in the United States and smuggling them to Mexico for use by drug cartels, must remain in jail pending a detention hearing later this week, a U.S. Magistrate Judge ruled on Tuesday.

Cuban National Soccer Team Player Defects, Seeks Asylum In U.S.

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - A Cuban national soccer player who disappeared from his team while in Nashville, Tennessee, for an Olympic qualifying tournament has defected and is seeking asylum in the United States, his attorney said on Tuesday.

Navy Issues Relief Payments In Virginia Fighter Jet Crash

WASHINGTON - The Navy began distributing emergency relief checks on Monday to people left homeless after a fighter jet crashed and destroyed much of an apartment complex last week in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Maryland Lottery Says Mega Millions Winning Ticket Claimed

BALTIMORE - The second of three winners of the record U.S. $656 million jackpot has come forward and wishes to remain anonymous, Maryland state lottery officials said on Monday.

Companies Use Popular Provision To Avoid Income Taxes

WASHINGTON - More than two dozen Fortune 500 companies paid no U.S. federal income taxes in recent years partly because of a corporate tax break that is broadly supported by Republicans and Democrats alike, a consumer group said on Monday.

Police Say Tulsa Shooting Suspects Confessed: Report

OKLAHOMA CITY - Two white men accused of shooting five black people in Tulsa, Oklahoma, killing three of them, have confessed to authorities, media reports said on Monday, citing police and court documents.

NY Equities Boss Pleads Guilty In $66 Million Mortgage Fraud Case

NEW YORK - The president of a New York brokerage firm pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiracy in a $66 million mortgage fraud scheme -- the latest victory in U.S. President Barack Obama's campaign against financial fraud.

Mississippi Teen Pregnancy Rate Highest In U.S.: CDC

ATLANTA - Mississippi has the highest teen birthrate in the nation while New Hampshire has the lowest, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday, following up on a report that found the incidence of pregnancy among U.S. teens was falling.

Oklahoma, Weighing "personhood" Law, May Be Next Abortion Flashpoint

- A proposed law in Oklahoma that would grant embryos full rights as people from the moment of conception may represent the next big challenge to the constitutional right to abortion in the United States.

In Foreclosures, Occupy Groups See A Unifying Cause

- Mercedes Robinson-Duvallon turned 83 in February, but there was little time for celebration.

Fallout Grows From Hacking Of Utah Health Database

SALT LAKE CITY - A data security breach of Utah's state health records was far larger than first reported, with hackers from Eastern Europe now believed to have gained access to private information of some 780,000 patients, state officials said on Monday.

Prosecutor Rules Out Grand Jury In Trayvon Martin Case

ORLANDO, Florida - The special prosecutor investigating the shooting death of unarmed Florida teenager Trayvon Martin on Monday ruled out using a grand jury in the case, meaning her office alone will decide whether to charge shooter George Zimmerman with a crime.

Tishman Plans San Francisco Offices As Techs Surge

CHICAGO - Growth of technology companies has spurred Tishman Speyer Properties LP to build San Francisco's first speculative ground-up office development project since 2007.

Isn't It "marvelous?" Obama Seeks To Define Romney For Voters

WASHINGTON - When President Barack Obama criticized Mitt Romney by name this week for embracing a controversial Republican budget proposal, he worded his attack carefully and with bite.

National Review Fires Columnist Accused Of Racism

- The National Review has fired columnist John Derbyshire over a web posting in which he wrote that black people are hostile to whites and that white people should stay out of black neighborhoods and away from black crowds.

Many Elderly Homeless After U.S. Navy Jet Levels Apartments

WASHINGTON - All residents of an apartment complex for the elderly in Virginia that was destroyed when a U.S. Navy fighter jet crashed into it on Friday have been accounted for, and everyone injured have been discharged from a hospital, rescue officials said on Saturday.

Wyoming Town - Population 1 - Sells For $900,000 To Vietnamese Buyer

SALMON, Idaho - The town of Buford, Wyoming - population 1 - was sold for $900,000 to an unidentified buyer from Vietnam on Thursday after an 11-minute Internet auction that attracted worldwide interest.

Winter Snowfall Record Set In Anchorage

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A storm dumped more than 4 inches of snow on Anchorage over the weekend, bringing the total snowfall for Alaska's largest city to a record 11.2 feet for the year, the National Weather Service said on Sunday.

Racist Past Haunts Florida Town Where Trayvon Died

SANFORD, Florida - The year before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier by becoming the first African American to play major league baseball, he fled the racist threats of townspeople in Sanford, Florida, where Trayvon Martin was shot 66 years later.

Trayvon Martin Call Was "mistake, Not Deliberate": NBC

NEW YORK - NBC News' decision to air an edited call from George Zimmerman to police in the moments before he shot Trayvon Martin was "a mistake and not a deliberate act to misrepresent the phone call," according to the president of the network's news division.

Veteran CBS Journalist Mike Wallace Dead At 93: Network

NEW YORK - Mike Wallace, the grand inquisitor of CBS's "60 Minutes" news show who once declared there was "no such thing as an indiscreet question," has died at the age of 93, the network said on Sunday.

Two Arrested In Oklahoma Shootings That Killed 3, Wounded 2

OKLAHOMA CITY - Authorities were investigating racially charged comments on the Facebook page of a suspect in the shootings of five black people in Tulsa but said Sunday it was too early to call the killing spree a hate crime.

Marine Who Criticized Obama On Facebook Should Be Dismissed: Panel

SAN DIEGO - A Marine who posted on Facebook that he would not follow orders from President Barack Obama should be dismissed from the military with a less-than-honorable discharge, a Marine Corps review board ruled.

Kansas Winner Of Mega Millions Lottery Comes Forward

- A Kansas winner of a share of the record U.S. $656 million Mega Millions lottery claimed the cash on Friday, nearly a week after becoming one of three winners of the historic jackpot, lottery officials said.

Jet Blue Meltdown Pilot Has Detention Hearing Waived

- A JetBlue pilot who apparently suffered a midair mental meltdown last month and was charged with interfering with a commercial flight will not have to face a court hearing on Monday, a magistrate judge ruled on Friday.

Tishman Plans San Francisco Offices As Techs Surge

CHICAGO - Growth of technology companies has spurred Tishman Speyer Properties LP to build San Francisco's first speculative ground-up office development project since 2007.

Isn't It "marvelous?" Obama Seeks To Define Romney For Voters

WASHINGTON - When President Barack Obama criticized Mitt Romney by name this week for embracing a controversial Republican budget proposal, he worded his attack carefully and with bite.

National Review Fires Columnist Accused Of Racism

- The National Review has fired columnist John Derbyshire over a web posting in which he wrote that black people are hostile to whites and that white people should stay out of black neighborhoods and away from black crowds.

Many Elderly Homeless After U.S. Navy Jet Levels Apartments

WASHINGTON - All residents of an apartment complex for the elderly in Virginia that was destroyed when a U.S. Navy fighter jet crashed into it on Friday have been accounted for, and everyone injured have been discharged from a hospital, rescue officials said on Saturday.

Police Search For Gunman Who Shot 5 In Oklahoma

- A gunman shot five people, killing three of them, in a black neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in a shooting spree that left residents on edge and sparked an intensive manhunt on Saturday.

Trayvon Martin Call Was "mistake, Not Deliberate": NBC

NEW YORK - NBC News' decision to air an edited call from George Zimmerman to police in the moments before he shot Trayvon Martin was "a mistake and not a deliberate act to misrepresent the phone call," according the president of network's news division.

Thousands Of AT&T Workers To Stay On Job As Talks Continue

NEW YORK - More than 20,000 AT&T Inc workers will keep working under the terms of an expired labor contract while their union continues negotiations with the telephone company, averting a potentially costly strike for now.

California City Asks FBI To Review Black Student's Shooting

- The Justice Department will probe the Pasadena Police Department for possible civil rights violations related to a March 24 police shooting that killed Kendrec McDade, federal officials said Friday.

Connecticut Lawmakers Seek Review After NCAA Bans UConn

- Two members of Congress said Friday they would seek a review of the National Collegiate Athletic Association after its decision to ban the University of Connecticut from the 2013 "March Madness" post-season basketball tournament due to low academic grades by players.

"Shaken Baby Syndrome" Used In Defense Of Trayvon Martin's Killer

SANFORD, Florida - "Shaken Baby Syndrome" was cited on Friday in the defense of George Zimmerman, the Sanford, Florida, man who shot and killed unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, in a case that has sparked a widespread public outcry.

Alaska Predicts Slowing Decline In Oil Output

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Oil production from Alaska's North Slope will decline by about 3 percent annually over the next decade, a slower rate than in recent years, according to a semi-annual forecast released on Friday by the Alaska Department of Revenue.

No Timetable For Restarting California Nuclear Plant: Jaczko

DANA POINT, California - The top U.S. nuclear official said on Friday his agency has not set any timetable for restarting the troubled San Onofre nuclear station in Southern California and that it would only do so if safety was assured.

Marine Who Criticized Obama On Facebook Should Be Dismissed: Panel

SAN DIEGO - A Marine who posted on Facebook that he would not follow orders from President Barack Obama should be dismissed from the military with a less-than-honorable discharge, a Marine Corps review board ruled.

Kansas Winner Of Mega Millions Lottery Comes Forward

- A Kansas winner of a share of the record U.S. $656 million Mega Millions lottery claimed the cash on Friday, nearly a week after becoming one of three winners of the historic jackpot, lottery officials said.

Jet Blue Meltdown Pilot Has Detention Hearing Waived

- A JetBlue pilot who apparently suffered a midair mental meltdown last month and was charged with interfering with a commercial flight will not have to face a court hearing on Monday, a magistrate judge ruled on Friday.

Isn't It "marvelous"? Obama Seeks To Define Romney For Voters

WASHINGTON - When President Barack Obama criticized Mitt Romney by name this week for embracing a controversial Republican budget proposal, he worded his attack carefully and with bite.

Navy Jet Crashes Into Virginia Apartments, 3 Unaccounted For

VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia - A U.S. Navy F/A-18D fighter crashed into an apartment complex in Virginia soon after takeoff on Friday, sending fireballs into the sky, damaging six buildings and injuring at least seven people.

JetBlue Still Upbeat, But Not Darling It Once Was

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK - JetBlue's emergency response team barely had time to locate the Incident Operations Center at their new headquarters in Long Island City, Queens when they were summoned there to handle an emergency on March 27, a day after they moved in.

Congress Mail Threat Suspect Pleads Not Guilty To More Charges

PORTLAND, Oregon - A registered nurse from the Portland area pleaded not guilty on Thursday to additional charges stemming from more than 100 threatening letters he is suspected of sending to members of Congress and the media in February.

Keith Olbermann Sues Current TV Over Ouster

LOS ANGELES - Fired TV commentator Keith Olbermann on Thursday filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Current TV, calling its management amateurs and claiming he is owed as much as $70 million.

Anti-Kony Group Releases Follow-up To Viral Video

LOS ANGELES - The makers of the viral "Kony 2012" video that drew world attention to a violent rebel campaign by fugitive Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony released a new film on Thursday, pushing back against criticism that their work oversimplified a long-running conflict.

Judge Says Fixes Allow Ohio To Resume Executions

CLEVELAND - A federal judge who had blocked two previous executions has cleared the way for Ohio to put to death a condemned murderer, declaring the state had adequately fixed its procedures since one botched execution and problems carrying out two others.

Russian Arms Dealer Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison

NEW YORK - Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer caught in an undercover sting by U.S. agents posing as Colombian guerrillas seeking weapons, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Thursday by a U.S. judge in New York.

Panetta Paid Treasury $17,000 For Trips Home: Pentagon

WASHINGTON - U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has spent about $17,000 to reimburse the Treasury for frequent travel to his California home, trips that cost the government some $860,000 because he is required to fly in military jets, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

Three Plead Guilty In Botched "Fast And Furious" Gun-running Sting

PHOENIX - Three men pleaded guilty on Thursday to charges of trafficking high-powered rifles and other guns to Mexico from Arizona under the botched "Fast and Furious" federal sting operation tied to the murder of a U.S. federal agent.

U.S. Coast Guard Scuttles Japanese Tsunami Ship

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The U.S. Coast Guard, firing repeated machine-gun blasts from one of its cutters, on Thursday scuttled an abandoned Japanese "ghost ship" that had been washed out to sea near Alaska by last year's devastating tsunami.

NBC Probe Centers On Staffer In Shooting Story Error

- An internal NBC News probe has determined a "seasoned" producer was to blame for a misleading clip of a 911 call that the network broadcast during its coverage of the Trayvon Martin shooting, according to two sources at the network.

Baltimore Woman's Silence Fuels Doubts About Lottery Claim

BALTIMORE - A Baltimore woman who says she holds one of three winning tickets in the record $656 million lottery held her own news conference on Wednesday but declined to answer questions or produce any proof of the winning ticket -- fueling doubts about her bizarre story.

Detroit Avoids State Takeover, More Oversight Looms

DETROIT - Detroit avoided a takeover by the state of Michigan on Wednesday after both a review team and the city council approved a consent agreement that will put the city's struggling finances under stricter control.

Judge Refuses To Block Anti-Obama Marine From Discipline

SAN DIEGO - A federal judge refused on Wednesday to block disciplinary action against a Marine who criticized President Barack Obama on Facebook and called him a "domestic enemy" in a posting to an internal military network.

Buy Your Own Zip Code: Towns For Sale In Montana, Wyoming

SALMON, Idaho - Buford, Wyoming, the nation's smallest town, will lose its long-time - and only - resident on Thursday when the outpost along Interstate 80 is auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Connecticut Senate Votes To Repeal Death Penalty In State

- The Connecticut Senate voted on Thursday to repeal the state's death penalty, moving it one step closer to becoming the fifth U.S. state in five years to abandon capital punishment.

Mississippi Bill May Force State's Only Abortion Clinic To Close

STARKVILLE, Mississippi - The Mississippi state Senate passed a bill on Wednesday to impose new regulations on facilities providing abortions that supporters of the state's only abortion clinic said could force it to close.

Texas Town Hit By Tornado Saw Worse In 1994

LANCASTER, Texas - Huddled inside a closet with his wife and 9-month-old daughter, Quental Austin could hear bricks and two-by-fours clattering as a tornado ravaged his Lancaster, Texas, neighborhood on Tuesday.

Ex-student Charged With Murder In California Shooting Rampage

OAKLAND, California - A former nursing student was charged with murder and attempted murder on Wednesday in a shooting rampage that killed seven people and wounded three others this week at a small, Christian college he once attended in California.

Prison Time For New Orleans Ex-cops In Post-Katrina Killings

NEW ORLEANS - Four former New Orleans policemen convicted of shooting unarmed people following Hurricane Katrina were sentenced to lengthy prison terms on Wednesday in what the U.S. government described as the most important police misconduct case since the Rodney King beating nearly two decades ago.

Former Marine Testifies About Alleged Sex Abuse By Priest

PHILADELPHIA - A tearful former Marine testifying in a sex abuse case rocking the Philadelphia Roman Catholic Archdiocese recalled on Wednesday the day he became deathly afraid of a priest he said had been a family friend but molested him as a teenager.

Four Dewey & LeBoeuf Lawyers Depart For DLA Piper

NEW YORK - A four-attorney mergers and acquisitions group has left law firm Dewey & LeBoeuf for DLA Piper in New York.

Former "Sheriff Of The Year" Jailed In Colorado Sex-for-drugs Case

DENVER - A retired Colorado lawman once named national "Sheriff of the Year" was sentenced on Tuesday to serve 30 days in the jail that bears his name after he pleaded guilty to trading drugs for sex with male prostitutes, prosecutors said.

Australian Yacht Reaches California After "monster Wave"

SAN FRANCISCO - An Australian racing yacht stricken by a 100-foot (30-meter) wave plodded into San Francisco Bay for repairs on Tuesday, two days after the U.S. Coast Guard rescued two injured crew members.

NY Police Probe Death Of Top French Academic

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK - A prominent French academic, Richard Descoings, was found dead naked in a New York hotel room on Tuesday afternoon and New York police opened an investigation into the circumstances of his death.

Apartment Vacancy Rate Falls To Decade Low

NEW YORK - The Apartment vacancy rate in the first quarter fell to its lowest level in more than a decade, and rents posted their biggest jump in four years, as Americans eschewed home ownership and renting retained its popularity, according to real estate research firm Reis Inc.

Marijuana Advocates Vow To Reopen "Princeton Of Pot" After Raid

SAN FRANCISCO - Medical marijuana advocates on Tuesday vowed to reopen a San Francisco-area college devoted to cannabis cultivation and known as the "Princeton of Pot" a day after federal agents shut down the school in a raid.

Police: Accused Oakland Gunman Targeted Administrator, Classmates

OAKLAND, California - A former student accused of killing seven people and wounding three others in a shooting rampage at a small Christian college in Oakland was gunning for a school administrator and classmates he felt had treated him unfairly, police said on Tuesday.

Prosecutor In Florida Teen Shooting Aims To Do "right Thing"

JACKSONVILLE, Florida - Angela Corey, the prosecutor handpicked to investigate the shooting death of an unarmed black teen in Florida, has been known to wear a victims advocate pin to trials, shed tears with victims' families and shake her head at a defense witness whose testimony does not match her version of the facts.

Motown Hopes Food Will Spur Rebirth, Growth

DETROIT - When Slows Bar-B-Q opened in Detroit's Corktown district seven years ago, the neighborhood was so neglected that the street lamps no longer worked.

Swarm Of Tornadoes Rip Through Dallas-Fort Worth

DALLAS - Up to a dozen tornadoes skipped through the densely populated Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas on Tuesday, ripping apart homes, tossing tractor-trailer trucks into the air and injuring at least 17 people, but there were no reported deaths.

Procurement Chief Quits As Agency Accused Of Waste

WASHINGTON - The head of the government's federal procurement office is resigning and two senior officials have been dismissed ahead of a report criticizing the agency's lavish spending on an "over the top" training conference, the White House said on Monday.

Feds Raid "Princeton Of Pot" In California

OAKLAND, California - Federal agents, pressing a government clampdown on medical marijuana, raided a San Francisco Bay-area college known as the "Princeton of Pot" on Monday and briefly detained its founder.

Florida Shooter Would Surrender If Charged: Lawyer

SANFORD, Florida - George Zimmerman would surrender to authorities if he is charged in the Florida shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, his attorney said on Monday, adding he was preparing for trial in the case that has captivated the U.S. public.

Obama Takes A Shot At Supreme Court Over Healthcare

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama took an opening shot at conservative justices on the Supreme Court on Monday, warning that a rejection of his sweeping healthcare law would be an act of "judicial activism" that Republicans say they abhor.

Anti-Kony Campaign In Turmoil After Filmmaker's Breakdown

LOS ANGELES - The public meltdown of the man behind the viral "Kony 2012" video has thrown his campaign into turmoil even as the film succeeded in turning the world's attention to capturing an elusive and brutal Ugandan warlord.

Plan Cuts California High-speed Rail Plan Cost

SAN FRANCISCO - California officials on Monday unveiled a major overhaul of a controversial plan to build a high-speed rail system in the state, slashing the cost by some $30 billion, to $68.4 billion, and addressing other criticisms of the massive project.

Ann Romney Trust Invested In Fund That Exited Sex-site Firm

NEW YORK - A blind trust in the name of Ann Romney, wife of Republican U.S. presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, was an investor in a fund run by Goldman Sachs Group Inc that had invested in a media company which critics say facilitates sex trafficking. While there is no suggestion the Romneys knew about the investment, the disclosure highlights the difficulty for politicians and their families when they invest in blind trusts that are supposed to protect them from conflicts of interest a

Rescued Round-the-world Yacht Racers Go To Hospital

ALAMEDA, California - Two injured crew members from an Australian yacht taking part in a round-the-world race were ferried safely to shore on Monday by a Coast Guard cutter that rescued them after a towering wave smashed into their sailboat.

Appeals Court Upholds California Affirmative Action Ban

SAN FRANCISCO - A U.S. appeals court upheld California's ban on the use of affirmative action in university admissions on Monday, reaffirming that public schools cannot base admission on race, gender or ethnicity.

Gunman Kills 7, Wounds 3 At California Christian College

OAKLAND, California - A gunman opened fire at a Christian college in California on Monday, killing at least seven people and wounding three after telling former classmates: "Get in line and I'm going to kill you all."

After Grad Job Slump, Big Hiring Is Back At U.S. Colleges

NEW YORK - Sean Chua expected the hunt for his first job after college to be tough. After all, he watched his brother struggle to find a position when he graduated back in 2008.

New Mexico Crews Working To Recover Body Of Ultra-marathoner Micah True

- Search crews on Sunday were bringing the body of ultra-marathon runner Micah True out from the mountainous New Mexico wilderness where he was found dead after setting off on a 12-mile run, officials said.

Coast Guard Rescues Two Hurt From Round-the-world Yacht

- The Coast Guard rescued two seriously injured British crew members from an Australian yacht taking part in an around-the-world race on Sunday after it was hit by a huge wave in the Pacific.

More Than Two Dozen Arrested In Kentucky's Final Four Celebration

- More than two dozen people faced criminal charges on Sunday after violence broke out as fans celebrated the University of Kentucky's win over arch rival Louisville in their NCAA Final Four match-up, officials said.

ICC Prosecutor Courts Hollywood With Invisible Children

LOS ANGELES - The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court threw his weight behind Invisible Children, the group behind the viral hit "Kony 2012" video, in Los Angeles this weekend, promoting the group's initiative to Hollywood insiders.

Weather Service To Test More Graphic Tornado Warnings

- The National Weather Service on Monday plans to begin a new initiative in Kansas and Missouri designed to make people in Tornado Alley sit up and take notice when potentially devastating twisters are headed their way. Under the new system, tornado warnings will be accompanied by stark language like, "mass devastation is highly likely, making the area unrecognizable to survivors," according to the National Weather Service. Or even: "This storm is not survivable." "We call this 'impact

Buffett Delivers News And A Tune At Omaha Press Club Show

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - Investor Warren Buffett learned more than economics and thrift as a paper boy during the 1940s when he earned the $5,000 that launched the investments that grew into Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

JetBlue Pilot's Wife Says Husband "not Intentionally Violent"

AUSTIN, Texas - The wife of the JetBlue pilot who had a midair meltdown that triggered an emergency landing said on Sunday his family is focused on his recovery and thanked those on the flight for their professionalism after being put in "an awful situation."

Five Die, 13 Injured In Kansas Truck Crash

KANSAS CITY, Kansas - Five people died and 13 were injured Sunday when a large truck equipped as a motor home they were riding in left a rural Kansas freeway and careened into a creek, the Kansas Highway Patrol said.

Florida Teenager's Hometown Turns Out In Miami Protest

MIAMI - Thousands of protesters gathered in a downtown bayfront park on Sunday demanding the arrest of the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed an unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin, in central Florida a month ago.

Military Nonbelievers' Event Shows There Are Atheists In Foxholes

FORT BRAGG, North Carolina - An atheist-themed festival drew hundreds of people to an Army post in North Carolina on Saturday for what was believed to be the first-ever event held on a U.S. military base for service members who do not have religious beliefs.

Cape Worn By Elizabeth Taylor In "Cleopatra" Sold

DALLAS - A gold cape worn by Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor in the 1963 film "Cleopatra" sold at auction for $59,375 in Dallas on Friday.

Former NFL Quarterback Ryan Leaf Arrested In Montana

SALMON, Idaho - Former NFL quarterback Ryan Leaf, once a Heisman Trophy finalist and San Diego Chargers first round draft choice, was arrested in his hometown of Great Falls, Montana, on theft and drug charges, authorities said on Saturday.

Ultra-marathon Runner Micah True Found Dead In New Mexico

- Ultra-marathon runner Micah True, missing for four days in the rugged wilderness of New Mexico, was found dead on Saturday, police said.

Midwest Towns Cannot Give Land Away To Modern Homesteaders

MARQUETTE, Kansas - In Marquette, Kansas an ice cream cone is $1.09, haircuts start at $10 and land is free.

Colorado Wildfire Claims Third Fatality, Blaze Nearly Contained

DENVER - Remains believed to be those of a missing woman were found on Saturday at her home within a nearly-contained wildfire zone west of Denver, authorities said, the third death resulting from the blaze that was ignited by a controlled burn gone awry.

Gunmen Kill Two Outside Miami Funeral Of Shooting Victim

MIAMI - Gunmen opened fire on mourners outside a Miami funeral home, killing two people and injuring 12, including a young girl, police said on Saturday.

Dead Wolf Photos Stir Tensions In West

SALMON, Idaho - Photos of dead and maimed wolves have pervaded the Internet in recent weeks, raising tensions in the Northern Rocky Mountains over renewed hunting and trapping of the once federally protected animals.

Three Winning Tickets Sold In Record $656 Million U.S. Lottery

ATLANTA - The largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history - a whopping $656 million - will be shared by the buyers of three winning Mega Millions tickets in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland - but their identities remained a mystery, lottery officials said on Saturday.

Trayvon Lawyers Want U.S. To Review Prosecutor's Role

SANFORD, Florida - Attorneys for the family of slain black teenager Trayvon Martin are asking the U.S. Justice Department to review reports that prosecutors undermined a police investigation of shooter George Zimmerman by overruling a detective who wanted to charge him.

New York Police Accused Of "uncivilized" Arrest Of Diplomat

UNITED NATIONS - A senior Caribbean diplomat has accused the New York City Police Department of "flagrant violation" of the rules of diplomatic immunity and privileges by aggressively arresting the ambassador of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Colorado Wildfire 70 Percent Contained, No Sign Of Missing Woman

DENVER - A wildfire burning in rugged terrain west of Denver that killed two people and left a woman missing, ignited by windblown embers from a prescribed burn, was 70 percent contained on Friday, fire officials said.

Site Mapped By California Killer Yields Two Missing Teens' Remains

SAN FRANCISCO - The remains of two teenage girls missing since the 1980s have been identified among bones found in an abandoned well in California that a convicted serial killer said he and a partner-in-crime used as a burial site, authorities said on Friday.

Security Breach Hits U.S. Card Processors, Banks

- The U.S. Secret Service is investigating a major cyber intrusion at an Atlanta-based payment processor that could expose millions of MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover cardholders to fraudulent charges.

Former Crack Cocaine Dealer Wins Truman Scholarship

NEW YORK - When Walter Fortson was arrested in 2007 for dealing crack cocaine, he believed a police officer who told him "your life is over."

U.S. Seeks Life In Prison For Russian Arms Dealer Bout

NEW YORK - Prosecutors asked a federal judge in New York on Friday to send convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was the subject of the book "Merchant of Death," to prison for life, a court filing showed.

Documents Show Debate Over Handling Of 9/11 Remains

WASHINGTON - Cremated remains that may have included those of victims of the September 11 attacks were incinerated and sent to a landfill despite an internal debate in which some officials at the main U.S. military mortuary recommended the ashes be dispersed at sea.

Prosecutors Say Two Former Penn State Officials Lied Multiple Times

HARRISBURG, Penn. - State prosecutors listed a number of instances on Friday in which they said two former Penn State University officials lied to a grand jury about their involvement in the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal.

Harrisburg Receiver Unkovic Resigns: Mayor's Office

Harrisburg, Pa - The receiver appointed to oversee the finances of cash-strapped Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, unexpectedly resigned after just four months on the job, throwing into disarray plans to help the city deal with its debt problems.

Record $640 Million Lottery Has At Least One Winner

ATLANTA - The largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history totaling $640 million has at least one winner and officials were waiting early on Saturday to see if there are other winning tickets.

Anti-war Protesters Again Denied Permit For NATO Summit March

CHICAGO - A judge on Thursday rejected a request from anti-war protesters to demonstrate during the NATO summit of world leaders in May, but organizers said they would protest anyway and hope to draw 10,000 people or more opposed to war in Afghanistan.

Arkansas Court Overturns Ban On Teacher-student Sex

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas - The Arkansas Supreme Court struck down a state law on Thursday that banned teachers from having sex with students under age 21, overturning a sexual assault conviction against a former teacher who had a consensual relationship with an 18-year-old student.

Chicago, Short Of Money, Turns To Private Sector

CHICAGO - Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, facing budget cuts from the debt-ridden state of Illinois and the federal government, turned to the private sector on Thursday to finance $7.2 billion in rebuilding of the city's aging subways, sewers and schools.

Wisconsin Set To Launch First Governor Recall In A Decade

MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin is set on Friday to launch a special election that could oust Republican Governor Scott Walker from office because of his support for a law stripping labor unions of power, the first recall election of a U.S. governor since California nearly a decade ago.

"Pink Slime" Producer Allows Tour Of Plant To Bolster Image

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb - A maker of the hamburger filler branded by critics as "pink slime" on Thursday allowed three state governors supportive of the beef industry and a handful of journalists to see it being made for the first time since a controversy erupted over use of the meat scraps.

Hutaree Militia Walk From Jail After Charges Dismissed

DETROIT - Two members of the Midwest militia group Hutaree pleaded guilty to charges of possessing machine guns and temporarily walked out of jail on Thursday, two days after a judge rebuked prosecutors and dismissed more serious charges that the Hutaree plotted to attack the U.S. government.

NY City Unemployment Rate Up Even As Jobs Added

- A New York City fiscal watchdog on Thursday brightened its outlook for the city's economy in coming years, even as data showed the local job market worsened in February.

Firefighters Gaining Upper Hand On Colorado Wildfire

DENVER - Firefighters battling a deadly wildfire in the foothills west of Denver said on Thursday they were gaining ground on the stubborn blaze, as the search continued for a woman who went missing inside the fire zone.

JetBlue Co-pilot Calmly And Quickly Got Jet Down

WASHINGTON/CHICAGO - With his captain restrained and locked out of the cockpit, the co-pilot of JetBlue Flight 191 acted calmly and quickly to get the Airbus jet and 135 other passengers and crew down safely.

Public Information Restricted In Case Of Slain Teen

SANFORD, Florida - A special prosecutor investigating the death of an unarmed black teenager in Florida invoked an exemption on Thursday that allows authorities to deny the release of otherwise public information to the media.

Texas Executes Man Who Beat Baby Boy To Death In 2001

AUSTIN, Texas - A Texas man was executed on Wednesday by lethal injection for beating a 10-month-old boy to death in Dallas in 2001, state officials said.

Strauss-Kahn's U.S. Legal Team Argue For Civil Suit Dismissal

NEW YORK - Attorneys for embattled former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn on Wednesday asked a U.S. judge to dismiss a civil suit brought by the hotel maid who accused him of sexual assault on the grounds that he enjoys diplomatic immunity.

U.S. Charges JetBlue Pilot For Midair Meltdown

AUSTIN, Texas - U.S. authorities filed criminal charges on Wednesday against a JetBlue Airways pilot who witnesses said yelled incoherently about religion and the 2001 hijack attacks and pounded on a locked cockpit door before passengers subdued him in a midair uproar.

Colorado Governor Suspends Controlled Burns After Deadly Wildfire

DENVER - Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper suspended prescribed burns used to mitigate fire danger on Wednesday after a controlled blaze apparently ignited a wildfire west of Denver that killed an elderly couple and destroyed some two dozen homes.

Former Official Gets Prison Over Afghanistan Bribe

ATLANTA - A federal judge in Atlanta sentenced a former Defense Department official on Wednesday to a year and eight months in prison for taking nearly $100,000 in bribes from a company seeking a contract in Afghanistan.

Morgan Stanley Banker Contests Cab Driver's Assault Story

NEW YORK - A senior Morgan Stanley investment banker accused of stabbing a taxi driver in a dispute over a fare asked a judge to toss out the criminal case against him because the driver gave differing accounts of the incident to the police.

Banjo Innovator, Music Pioneer Earl Scruggs Dies At 88

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Banjo innovator and bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, died on Wednesday at a Nashville hospital at age 88.

Pioneering Feminist Poet Adrienne Rich Dead At 82

LOS ANGELES - Poet and essayist Adrienne Rich, a feminist literary figure celebrated as much for deeply personal reflections on her own life as for sometimes-biting social commentary, has died at age 82, family members said on Wednesday.

Shooter Of Florida Teen Appears Uninjured In Video

SANFORD, Florida - The neighborhood watch volunteer who shot dead an unarmed black teenager in Florida appeared uninjured when he was brought into the police station on the night of the shooting, according to a video released by ABC News on Wednesday.

Analysis: If Trayvon Martin Family Pursues Civil Case

NEW YORK - As uncertainty swirls around any criminal prosecution of George Zimmerman, the shooter of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in an Orlando suburb, one option that remains open to Martin's family is a civil case.

Miami Police Detective Says Racism "alive And Well"

MIAMI - A black veteran Miami police officer said on Tuesday that "racism is alive and well" in the United States and is evident in the case of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed African American teenager gunned down by a neighborhood watch volunteer in central Florida last month.

JetBlue Flight Diverted, Passengers Say Captain Restrained

- A JetBlue flight bound for Las Vegas was diverted to Texas on Tuesday following what federal authorities described as erratic behavior by the captain, who passengers said had to be restrained after he pounded on the locked cockpit door.

California Campaign Treasurer Charged In $7 Million Fraud

LOS ANGELES - The Department of Justice on Tuesday charged a top California Democratic campaign treasurer with five counts of mail fraud that caused a loss of over $7 million dollars to her clients, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein, court documents show.

Catholic Bishop Had No "duty" To Report Child Abuse: Lawyer

KANSAS CITY - A Catholic Bishop in Kansas City did not have a legal obligation to report suspected child sexual abuse by a local priest even if he knew about it, a lawyer for the bishop said on Tuesday.

"Person Of Interest" In Alaska Barista Case Pleads Innocent To Fraud

ANCHORAGE - A man police have called a "person of interest" in the abduction of an 18-year-old barista from an Alaska coffee stand pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to a felony count of fraud.

Two Cousins Plead Guilty Over Arizona's Largest Fire

PHOENIX - Two cousins accused of starting the largest wildfire ever recorded in Arizona by leaving a campfire unattended last year each pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges on Tuesday in a deal with federal prosecutors.

Felon Will Be Charged With Killing Five In San Francisco Home: Prosecutors

SAN FRANCISCO - A convicted felon who U.S. authorities sought unsuccessfully to deport to Vietnam in 2006 will be charged with the murders of five people found slain at a home in a quiet San Francisco neighborhood, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Missing Montana Children Found On Dad's Boat Off Florida

MIAMI - A Coast Guard team recovered three missing Montana children from their father's sailboat off the Florida coast on Tuesday and took the dad into custody on charges of interfering with parental custody.

Mourners Remember Slain Iraqi-American Woman In California

LAKESIDE, Calif - Scores of mourners gathered in a California mosque on Tuesday to pay respects to an Iraqi-American woman who died after being severely beaten in her home by a killer who left a threatening note that prompted police to investigate the murder as a possible hate crime.

Democratic Lawmakers Blast Police In Teen Killing

WASHINGTON - Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday blasted police handling of a racially charged case in which a neighborhood watch volunteer shot dead an unarmed black teenager in Florida, accusing local law enforcement officials of botching the investigation.

Boehner, Reid Talks May End U.S. Transport Bill Standoff

WASHINGTON - Republican and Democratic leaders in the U.S. Congress held talks on Monday over an extension of transport construction authority that would avert project shutdowns and give House Speaker John Boehner a shorter window to resolve Republican divisions over a signature jobs initiative.

TriWest Protests U.S. Contract Award To UnitedHealth

WASHINGTON - TriWest Healthcare Alliance on Monday filed a protest against the Pentagon's decision to award a contract worth close to $20.5 billion to UnitedHealth Group for military health insurance coverage in 21 western states.

Bill Ending Oil Company Tax Cuts Clears Senate Hurdle

WASHINGTON - Legislation repealing tax breaks for major oil companies passed its first hurdle in the Senate on Monday, but is unlikely to become law, as Republicans and Democrats seek to score political points over rising gasoline prices.

Supreme Court Moves To Heart Of Healthcare Case

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court confronts the core of President Barack Obama's healthcare law on Tuesday when it hears arguments on whether Congress had the power to require most people in the United States to buy medical insurance.

FBI Assisting In Murder Investigation Of Iraqi Woman

EL CAJON - The FBI is assisting in the murder investigation of an Iraqi-American mother who died after being severely beaten in her southern California home by a killer who left a threatening note that may suggest a hate crime, police said on Monday.

Federal Agents Kill Man In Phony Murder-for-hire Plot

MCALLEN, Texas - A U.S. federal agent shot dead one of four men facing arrest in South Texas for being part of a murder-for-hire squad enlisted by undercover agents posing as Mexican drug cartel members, according to court documents released on Monday.

Colorado Wildfire Forces Evacuation Of 900 Homes

DENVER - A wind-driven wildfire destroyed an unknown number of homes and forced the mandatory evacuation of 900 dwellings in the foothills and canyons west of Denver on Monday, authorities said.

Wisconsin Shooting Puts "castle" Law Under Scrutiny

MILWAUKEE - The decision by authorities not to charge a homeowner who shot dead an unarmed black man in a small Wisconsin town three weeks ago has drawn scrutiny to the state's new "castle doctrine" law and comparisons to the Trayvon Martin shooting in Florida.

Killer Of Florida Teen Told Police He Was Attacked First

SANFORD, Florida - The man who shot and killed an unarmed Florida teenager in a case that has sparked widespread public outrage told police the victim had punched him, knocked him down and slammed his head into the pavement repeatedly before he fired the fatal gunshot.

Student Shot Dead At Mississippi State University

STARKVILLE, Mississippi - A student was shot to death at a Mississippi State University residence hall late on Saturday night, authorities said, adding that three suspects remained at large.

Suspect Arrested In Slaying Of Five In San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO - Homicide detectives have arrested a man in connection with the murder of five people found slain at a home in a quiet San Francisco neighborhood and detained the suspect's younger brother on drug charges, police said on Sunday.

Black Friend Defends Shooter Of Florida Teen

SANFORD, Florida - George Zimmerman is not a racist and cried for days after shooting dead a black Florida teenager, a black, longtime friend of Zimmerman said on Sunday in a sympathetic portrayal of a man maligned by critics as a trigger-happy bigot.

Lawyers For Strauss-Kahn, Accuser To Spar In Court

NEW YORK - Seven months after New York prosecutors dropped criminal charges against former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, his lawyers will fight a civil lawsuit brought against him in a Bronx courtroom this week.

Texas, Johnson & Johnson Heading Back To Court

AUSTIN, Texas - Representatives of Johnson & Johnson and the state of Texas will head back to court on Tuesday over a $158 million settlement agreement announced in January involving the drug Risperdal, a spokesman for Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said on Sunday.

U.S. Gasoline Hits $3.93 A Gallon: Survey

NEW YORK - The price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States rose 11.49 cents over the past two weeks as profit margins for refiners and gasoline retailers increased, according to the nationwide Lundberg Survey.

Daily Headaches Common In Soldiers After Concussion

- One in five soldiers who return from Iraq or Afghanistan having suffered a concussion develop chronic headaches that occur at least half the days of the month, with many suffering even more, according to a U.S. survey.

Man Who Shot Florida Teen Fears For Safety, Supporters Say

SANFORD, Florida - The neighborhood watch volunteer who sparked a national uproar by shooting an unarmed teenager to death has wept with remorse over the killing and now fears for his own life, a friend of the gunman and a legal adviser said on Sunday.

Analysis: Cheney Waited Longer Than Average For Heart Transplant

CHICAGO - At 71, former Vice President Dick Cheney was older than average for a heart transplant and had to wait longer than the typical patient as well -- 20 months compared with a year or less.

Supreme Court Weighs Historic Obama Healthcare Law

WASHINGTON - Two years after President Barack Obama signed into law a healthcare overhaul, the Supreme Court on Monday takes up a historic test of whether it is valid under the country's Constitution.

Iraqi Woman Attacked In California Home Dies

EL CAJON, California - A mother from Iraq who was severely beaten in her southern California home and left with a threatening note nearby died on Saturday, and police are considering a hate crime as a possible motive in the murder investigation.

Mike Tyson Set To Tell His Story In Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS - Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson has, in his own words, behaved like a "Neanderthal" for much of his life.

"Cash Mobs" Gather To Splurge In Locally Owned Stores

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Flash mobs have been blamed as a factor in looting during urban riots. But now a group of online activists is harnessing social media like Twitter and Facebook to get consumers to spend at locally owned stores in cities around the world in so-called Cash Mobs.

NYPD Forces Out Four Officers In Sean Bell Shooting

NEW YORK - A New York police detective has been fired and three other members of the department were forced to retire for their roles in the shooting of an unarmed man who died in a hail of bullets after his bachelor party in 2006, a department spokesman confirmed on Saturday.

Tea Party Activists Defy Rain To Rip Obama Health Care Law

WASHINGTON - Several hundred rain-soaked Tea Party activists rallied on Saturday to call for the U.S. Supreme Court to repeal President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law after arguments next week.

Obama Gets Personal Over Killing Of Black Florida Teenager

WASHINGTON/SANFORD, Florida - President Barack Obama weighed into the controversial killing of a black teenager in Florida in very personal terms on Friday, comparing the boy to a son he doesn't have and calling for American "soul searching" over how the incident occurred.

Rallies Held Around Country For Trayvon Martin

CHICAGO - Rallies are being held in cities across the country this weekend to protest the failure of police to arrest a Florida neighborhood watch volunteer for shooting to death an unarmed black teenager.

Court Clears Way For Rescue Pact For Detroit

DETROIT - Michigan's Court of Appeals has cleared the way for a team appointed by the governor to come up with a consent deal to keep afloat Detroit, America's historic "Motor City," which could run out of money in months.

Student Shot Dead At Mississippi State University

STARKVILLE, Mississippi - A student was shot to death at a Mississippi State University residence hall late on Saturday night, authorities said, adding that three suspects remained at large.

Police Arrest 14 In Two New York Occupy Protests

NEW YORK - Fourteen protesters were arrested on Saturday in separate Occupy Wall Street protests in New York, one that involved an hours-long march through Manhattan streets and a second at the United Nations, authorities said.

Attorney Tells More Colorado Medical Pot Centers To Close

DENVER - Colorado's top federal prosecutor has ordered 25 medical marijuana shops located near schools to close in an escalating pot clampdown, as the state gears up for a battle at the ballot box over broader recreational use of the drug.

Opponents, Supporters To Face Off Outside High Court Healthcare Hearings

WASHINGTON - A battle for American hearts and minds will rage outside the Supreme Court next week as justices inside hear arguments on President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law.

Five People Found Slain In San Francisco Home

SAN FRANCISCO - Five adults were found dead at a home in a quiet San Francisco neighborhood on Friday, at least two of them killed by gunshots, police said.

Anti-Kony Campaign In Turmoil After Filmmaker's Meltdown

LOS ANGELES - The public meltdown of the man behind the viral Kony 2012 video has thrown his campaign into turmoil even as the film succeeded in turning the world's attention to capturing an elusive and brutal Ugandan warlord.

Heat Make "hoodie" Protest Over Florida Teenager Death

Orlando, Florida - Miami Heat basketball players posed in "hoodies" in a picture published on Friday to protest against the Florida shooting death of an unarmed black teenager by a neighborhood watch volunteer who said he was acting in self-defense. Leading Heat player LeBron James posted a picture on his Twitter account showing the National Basketball Association team in their training tops - all with the hoods raised over their heads in the fashion reportedly worn by Trayvon Martin o

Lawsuit Over Martin Luther King Documents Thrown Out

STARKVILLE, Mississippi - A federal judge in Mississippi dismissed a lawsuit on Friday filed by the estate of Martin Luther King Jr. claiming ownership of documents in the possession of the son of the slain civil rights leader's former personal secretary.

Utah Demands Federal Government Return Public Lands To State

SALT LAKE CITY - The state of Utah, long resentful that some 60 percent of its territory belongs to the U.S. government, says the time has come to reclaim the millions of acres it gave up more than a century ago for admission to the union.

Court Rejects Suit Against School Over Mississippi Sexual Assault

- A federal appeals court threw out a civil rights lawsuit on Friday that accused a public school district of repeatedly allowing a stranger to take a 9-year-old Mississippi girl out of school, after which he sexually abused her.

Obama Gets Personal Over Killing Of Black Florida Teenager

WASHINGTON/SANFORD, Florida - President Barack Obama weighed into the controversial killing of a black teenager in Florida in very personal terms on Friday, comparing the boy to a son he doesn't have and calling for American "soul searching" over how the incident occurred.

U.S. Soldier Charged With 17 Murders In Afghan Killings

KABUL - A U.S. Army sergeant was formally charged with 17 counts of murder on Friday for killing eight adults and nine children in a pre-dawn shooting rampage in southern Afghanistan that further eroded U.S.-Afghan relations already frayed by a decade of war.

Penn State Coach Asks Judge To Throw Out His Child Abuse Case

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - Jerry Sandusky's lawyer on Thursday asked a judge to dismiss all 52 child abuse charges against him because the prosecutor failed to turn over detailed information needed to defend the former Penn State assistant football coach.

Analysis: Why U.S. High Court May Uphold Healthcare Law

- Conventional political wisdom holds that the U.S. Supreme Court, scheduled to hear a challenge to President Barack Obama's healthcare law beginning on Monday, is likely to strike it down on partisan lines. The court's Republican appointees enjoy a 5-4 majority.

Marine Sergeant Faces Discipline For Facebook Critique Of Obama

SAN DIEGO - The Marine Corps has initiated disciplinary action against a Marine sergeant for comments he posted on his "Armed Forces Tea Party" Facebook page criticizing President Barack Obama, a spokesman said on Thursday.

Detroit Mayor Admitted To Hospital For "discomfort"

DETROIT - Detroit mayor Dave Bing was admitted to a hospital on Thursday afternoon due to "discomfort" after an early morning dental appointment, the mayor's office said on Thursday.

Florida Man Lives To Tell Of 'shoot First' Horror

MIAMI - On June 5, 2006, not long after Florida enacted the first "Stand Your Ground" law in the United States, unarmed Jason Rosenbloom was shot in the stomach and chest by his next-door neighbor after a shouting match over trash.

Florida Man To Plead Guilty In Celebrity Hacking Case

LOS ANGELES - A Florida man accused of hacking into the email accounts of film stars Scarlett Johansson, Mila Kunis and other celebrities to access nude photos and private information has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges, U.S. prosecutors said on Thursday.

Mississippi Executes Man For 1995 Brutal Murder

STARKVILLE, Mississippi - A Mississippi man convicted of brutally murdering a convenience store clerk in 1995 was put to death by lethal injection on Thursday, the second execution in the state this week.

Police Chief In "Stand Your Ground" Killing Steps Down

SANFORD, Florida - A local police chief and a Florida state prosecutor overseeing the case of an unarmed black teenager shot dead by a neighborhood watch captain stepped aside on Thursday following withering criticism and national outrage that police have declined to arrest the shooter.

Whitney Houston Drowned With Cocaine In System: Coroner

LOS ANGELES - Pop star Whitney Houston died of accidental drowning due to the effects of cocaine use and heart disease, a Los Angeles County coroner's spokesman said on Thursday.

Exclusive: UAW Steps Up Bid To Organize VW U.S. Plant: Sources

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn./DETROIT - The United Auto Workers union is soliciting signatures of support from workers at Volkswagen AG's U.S. factory, an escalation of its effort to establish a foothold outside the Detroit automakers.

Texas' 2011 Drought Costliest In State History: Researchers

SAN ANTONIO - Texas agriculture producers lost $7.62 billion to the state's 2011 drought, which experts said makes it the costliest drought in the state's history and possibly the most expensive drought ever suffered by any state.

Louisiana Braces For Flooding, Storms Head For Mississippi

NEW ORLEANS - Coastal areas of Mississippi were on alert Wednesday afternoon as a line of heavy thunderstorms threatened to stall there after passing through Louisiana, which was bracing for flooding in the storm's aftermath.

New Hampshire Gay Marriage Repeal Fails

BOSTON - New Hampshire lawmakers easily defeated a bill on Wednesday that would have been the first step toward reversing the state's law that allows same-sex couples to marry.

More Sex Abuse Charges Filed Against Former Youth Coach

CHARLESTON, South Carolina - A grand jury in South Carolina on Wednesday indicted Louis "Skip" ReVille, a former school principal and youth coach, on charges of child sexual abuse involving 11 more victims, bringing to 26 the number of alleged victims.

Man Arrested In Texas In Smuggling Scheme Involving Craigslist

- A man suspected of using the online advertising site Craigslist to recruit drivers for a scheme to transport illegal immigrants in a Texas border area with Mexico has been arrested and faces people-smuggling charges, U.S. authorities said on Wednesday.

Washington State Health Officials Appeal Contraception Ruling

SEATTLE - Washington state health officials asked an appeals court on Wednesday to reinstate a rule requiring that pharmacists dispense emergency contraceptives even when doing so violates their religious beliefs.

Breakaway Mormon Sect Ex-leader Begins Texas Bigamy Trial

MIDLAND, Texas - The former leader of a breakaway Mormon sect charged with being married to more than one woman at the same time went on trial in Texas on Wednesday, putting a spotlight on the rarely prosecuted crime of bigamy.

US Army Reviewing Traumatic Stress Diagnostic Practices

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Army has started a system-wide review to ensure its mental healthcare facilities are not engaging in the "unacceptable" practice of considering treatment costs in making a diagnosis, Army Secretary John McHugh told a U.S. Senate hearing on Wednesday.

New York Police Eject Occupy Protesters, Arrest Six

NEW YORK - More than 100 protesters from the reawakened Occupy Wall Street movement were ejected from Union Square Park early Wednesday after a standoff with police resulted in six arrests.

Parents Of Slain Florida Teen Speak At New York Rally

NEW YORK - Trayvon Martin's mother on Wednesday told hundreds of protesters demanding an arrest in the shooting death of the unarmed Florida teen by a neighborhood watch captain that "this is not about a black and white thing. This is about a wrong and right thing."

Two Shot After Rapper Tyga's Concert In Omaha

- Two people were shot when a tour van carrying eight people from a concert featuring rapper Tyga was chased and fired on by someone in a black sedan in Omaha on Monday night, police said on Tuesday.

Scholarships Of Mississippi College Band Members Revoked Over Racial Taunt

- Southern Mississippi University revoked the pep band scholarships of five students on Tuesday after they admitted to shouting "Where is your green card?" to an Hispanic basketball player during an NCAA tournament game last week.

Hugh Hefner's Son Marston Pleads To Domestic Violence

LOS ANGELES - The 21-year-old son of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner pleaded no contest on Tuesday to a charge of domestic violence stemming from a fracas with his Playmate girlfriend Claire Sinclair.

Top Court Rejects State Damages In Medical Leave Case

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that states cannot be sued for money damages for violating a key provision of a federal law that gives workers time off for a serious medical condition, a decision that could affect millions of state employees.

Little Rock Renames Airport To Honor Bill And Hillary Clinton

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas - Little Rock, Arkansas renamed its airport to honor two of its most famous citizens -- former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the airport commission said on Tuesday.

San Francisco Mayor Suspends Embattled Sheriff

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco's mayor suspended embattled Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi on Tuesday and initiated misconduct proceedings to remove him from office after the sheriff admitted to restraining his wife during a quarrel on New Year's Eve.

Young Tea Party-backed Illinois Congressman Beats Veteran Republican

CHICAGO - A rookie Congressman with Tea Party support beat a veteran Republican twice his age on Tuesday in a primary contest between incumbents forced by Democratic gerrymandering of the electoral map designed to gain congressional seats in November.

Utah Governor Signs Law Mandating 72-hour Wait For Abortion

SALT LAKE CITY - Utah's Republican governor signed a law extending a required waiting period for women seeking an abortion to 72 hours on Tuesday, even though a similar requirement in South Dakota has been blocked in court, a spokeswoman said.

Florida State Workers Face Random Drug Tests Under New Law

- Florida Governor Rick Scott has signed a law allowing state employees to be randomly tested for drugs, a measure likely to draw a legal challenge over its constitutionality.

Phone Call Reveals Final Moments Of Slain Florida Teen: Lawyer

ORLANDO, Florida - The case of an unarmed black teenager shot dead by a white neighborhood watch captain who police have failed to arrest will go before a grand jury, Florida prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Two Dead, One Injured After Weekend Sierra Nevada Snow

SAN FRANCISCO - A skier and a snowboarder died and another person was injured in separate incidents at resorts across the Sierra Nevada mountains over the weekend after the area was hit by the biggest storm this winter, authorities said.

Nebraska Cleans Up After Tornadoes Injure Two

- A pair of tornadoes destroyed homes, toppled train cars and downed power lines in central Nebraska, injuring two people, as the southern U.S. plains braced for storms that could bring tornadoes and flooding, authorities said on Monday.

San Francisco Sheriff Gets 1 Day In Jail, Probation In Spouse-abuse Case

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi, who pleaded guilty last week to falsely imprisoning his wife, was sentenced on Monday to one day in jail and three years probation, making a tearful apology outside of court.

Activists Sue To Stop Killing Of Pacific Northwest Sea Lions

PORTLAND, Oregon - Wildlife activists sued on Monday to stop the killing of sea lions that have been eating endangered Columbia River salmon, seeking a reprieve for the animals a day before three Pacific Northwest states are authorized to begin executing them.

The Citadel Accused In Lawsuits Of Sex Abuse Cover-up

CHARLESTON, South Carolina - Three young men who say they were molested by a former youth coach filed lawsuits on Monday against The Citadel and its president, accusing both of covering up alleged sexual abuse by the man when he was a camp counselor at the military college.

Body Found Of Balloon Pilot Credited With Saving Lives

ATLANTA - Searchers in south Georgia recovered the body on Monday of a hot air balloon pilot who was credited with saving his passengers' lives before getting swept away by a thunderstorm three days ago.

Hostile Takeover: Parents Seek Control Of Failing School In Education Reform

- Desert Trails Elementary School in the impoverished town of Adelanto, California, has been failing local kids for years. More than half the students can't pass state math or reading tests.

Idaho Senate Votes To Require Pre-abortion Ultrasound

SALMON, Idaho - The Idaho Senate on Monday approved a measure requiring women seeking abortions to undergo an ultrasound before ending a pregnancy, joining a number of states passing ultrasound measures to discourage abortions.

Ohio Judge Won't Release Records Of School Shooting Suspect

- An Ohio judge on Monday rejected a request to release any existing social service agency or juvenile court documents related to T.J. Lane, the 17-year-old accused of going on a deadly shooting rampage at Chardon High School late last month.

Outrage Prompts U.S. Investigation Of Florida Teen Killing

ORLANDO, Florida - Responding to an international petition, celebrity tweets, and spreading public outrage, the Justice Department opened an investigation on Monday into the shooting of a black teenager by a neighborhood watch captain who escaped arrest.

More Summer-like Warmth In Central U.S., Though Storms Loom

CHICAGO - Forecasters predicted another day of unseasonably warm weather east of the Rocky Mountains on Sunday as one of the mildest winters on record entered its final week.

Indian Tribe, Developer In Tug-of-war Over Grand Canyon Skywalk

GRAND CANYON WEST, Arizona - As the muddy Colorado River flows in the plunging depths below, tourists gingerly step onto a glass walkway jutting out over the rim of the Grand Canyon for an experience that gives the illusion of walking on air.

FBI Monitoring Fatal Florida Shooting Case, As Police Criticized

- Federal authorities said on Sunday they were in contact with local police investigating the killing of a black teenager last month by a neighborhood watch volunteer in a gated Florida community, an incident that has raised alarm among civil rights leaders.

Colorado Wildfire Destroys Homes, Prompts Town's Evacuation

DENVER - A mile-wide, wind-stoked wildfire destroyed two homes in rural northeastern Colorado on Sunday, injuring three firefighters battling the blaze and leading authorities to issue an evacuation order for a farming town.

New Jersey (no Kidding) Is Among Best Corruption Fighters

WASHINGTON - Despite a well-deserved reputation for scandals, New Jersey is among the state leaders in the fight against official corruption, with most states doing a poor job, according to a wide-ranging study released on Monday.

"Friends" Line Up For Obamacare Supreme Court Challenge

- So many friends. So little love. Such is the state of the amicus, or "friend of the court," briefs that have piled up in the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case involving President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law.

Alaska Skiers Rescued After Being Stranded By Avalanche

ANCHORAGE - Two back-country skiers who became stranded for hours by an avalanche were rescued by helicopter early Saturday morning, the Alaska Air National Guard said.

Fund For Victims Of Ohio School Shooting Swells To $500,000

CLEVELAND - A fund set up to aid victims of the February 27 attack on students in Chardon, Ohio has swelled to $500,000 in the three weeks since the rampage, the deadliest U.S. high school shooting in six years.

New Beginnings For Split Crystal Cathedral Flocks

GARDEN GROVE, California - After taking a breakaway congregation out of Crystal Cathedral, a daughter of the retired televangelist who built the faltering California mega-church led services on Sunday at a movie theater and urged followers to drop the mudslinging.

Dozens Arrested At Occupy's 6-month Anniversary Rally

NEW YORK - Dozens of Occupy Wall Street protesters were arrested during the weekend as police cleared New York's Zuccotti Park, where demonstrators had gathered for the struggling movement's six-month anniversary.

A New Face For New York's St Patrick's Cathedral

NEW YORK - Saint Patrick's Cathedral, New York City's iconic house of worship on Fifth Avenue, is getting a facelift.

Utah Governor Vetoes Bill To Curb Sex Education In Schools

SALT LAKE CITY - Utah Gov. Gary Herbert on Friday vetoed a controversial bill banning public schools from teaching contraception as a way of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Armed Robbers Steal $30,000 In IPhones, IPads From LA Store

LOS ANGELES - Two men have been arrested in the armed robbery of a Los Angeles area AT&T store in which roughly $30,000 in iPhones, iPads and other merchandise were taken at gunpoint, authorities said on Saturday.

Tennessee, West Virginia To Get Federal Disaster Aid

CHICAGO - The U.S. government has made federal disaster aid available to Tennessee and West Virginia to help recovery efforts in areas affected by tornadoes, mudslides and flooding in late February and early March that caused more than $1 billion in damage.

Student Guilty Of Hate Crimes For Spying On Gay Roommate

NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey - A former Rutgers University student who used a computer webcam to spy on a sexual tryst of his roommate, who later committed suicide, was found guilty of hate crimes on Friday in a case that put a national spotlight on gay bullying.

Breakaway Crystal Cathedral Congregation Finds Theater Refuge

LOS ANGELES - The faithful of Crystal Cathedral will have a choice of where to worship on Sunday -- either in the glass-walled Southern California mega-church famous from "Hour of Power" broadcasts or with the daughter of the televangelist who built it.

Wyoming Tribe Hopes To Claim More Bald Eagles

SALMON, Idaho - Days after gaining a first permit to kill two bald eagles, members of the Northern Arapaho tribe in Wyoming said they intend to negotiate with the U.S. government for the right to claim more of the revered birds for use in religious ceremonies.

Insight: The Banker And The Cabbie: When Two Worlds Collide

- At the very moment William Bryan Jennings should have been climbing into bed at his sumptuous Connecticut mansion, the high-ranking executive at Morgan Stanley was sprinting through back roads a mile away. He was exhausted, scared and - detectives would later allege - had just stabbed a taxi driver in a dispute over a fare.

Alaska Skiers Rescued After Being Stranded By Avalanche

ANCHORAGE - Two back-country skiers who became stranded for hours by an avalanche were rescued by helicopter early Saturday morning, the Alaska Air National Guard said.

Dozens Arrested At Occupy's 6-month Anniversary Rally

NEW YORK - Police arrested dozens of Occupy Wall Street protesters on Saturday night during a protest marking the movement's six-month anniversary at its birthplace in New York's Zuccotti Park.

Did St Patrick Collect Tax, Trade Slaves? Paper Asks

LONDON - St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, may well have been a tax collector for the Romans who fled to Ireland where he could have traded slaves to pay his way, according to new research by a University of Cambridge academic published on Saturday.

Two Officials Face Discipline In War Dead Controversy

WASHINGTON - Two supervisors at the Delaware mortuary for U.S. war dead are facing disciplinary action for engaging in a "campaign of retaliation" against whistle-blowers whose revelations of wrongdoing caused a major scandal at the Air Force facility, officials said on Friday.

Indiana Governor Names New Secretary Of State

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels appointed a Republican lawmaker who served as majority floor leader in the state Senate as secretary of state on Friday to replace Charlie White, who was convicted of voter fraud.

Prosecutors Seek More Information In Penn State Scandal, School Says

HERSHEY, Pennsylvania - The Pennsylvania Attorney General is seeking more information into the child sex abuse scandal at Penn State and has issued added subpoenas to staff members, the university said on Friday.

Florida Man Arrested For Abusing Severely Emaciated Son

MIAMI - A Florida man has been arrested for the "malicious punishment" of his 13-year-old son, who was so emaciated when he was found locked inside a bathroom that he only weighed only 40 pounds, authorities said on Friday.

Lawmakers, Film Star Clooney Arrested At Anti-Sudan Protest

WASHINGTON - A group of U.S. lawmakers and film star George Clooney were arrested at Sudan's embassy in Washington on Friday in a protest at which activists accused Khartoum of blocking humanitarian aid from reaching a volatile border region where hundreds of thousands of people may be short of food.

Kony Video Director Hospitalized In U.S. After "incident"

- The director of a video gone viral that calls for the arrest of Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony has been hospitalized in California following an "unfortunate incident" that his group said on Friday stemmed from the emotional toll of recent weeks.

Texas Sues Obama Administration In Abortion Dispute

SAN ANTONIO - The Texas attorney general on Friday sued the Obama administration to challenge its decision to shut down a women's health program over a dispute centered on the state's withholding of funds to clinics that provide abortions.

Student Guilty Of Hate Crimes For Spying On Gay Roommate

NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey - A former Rutgers University student who used a computer webcam to spy on a sexual tryst of his roommate, who later committed suicide, was found guilty of hate crimes on Friday in a case that put a national spotlight on gay bullying.

Utah Governor Vetoes Bill To Curb Sex Education In Schools

SALT LAKE CITY - Utah Gov. Gary Herbert on Friday vetoed a controversial bill banning public schools from teaching contraception as a way of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

Government To Shut Down Texas Women's Health Program

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The Obama Administration on Thursday said it would begin shutting down a program that provides health care for more than 100,000 low-income women in Texas because the state will not allow funding for clinics that provide abortion services.

Oklahoma Executes Man Who Killed Wife For Insurance Money

OKLAHOMA CITY - An Oklahoma man was executed on Thursday by lethal injection for murdering his wife, who prosecutors say was beaten with a baseball bat and repeatedly run over with a pickup truck, to collect nearly $1 million in insurance benefits.

New York Gay Hotel Looks To Thriving LGBT Tourism

NEW YORK - The OUT NYC hotel boasts two hot tubs, a secret garden, its own nightclub and the title of Manhattan's first boutique hotel built specifically to cater to millions of gay tourists to New York.

Fracking Did Not Pollute Water Near Homes: U.S.

WASHINGTON - A first round of tests showed no evidence that water at 11 homes in a small town in Pennsylvania near natural gas drilling operations had been polluted to unhealthy levels, U.S. environmental regulators said on Thursday.