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Girl, 4, weighed 15 pounds at death

Posted: September 3rd, 2010, 8:26pm MDT

The mother of a 4-year-old girl, found dead in her Brooklyn home Thursday morning, was charged Friday with second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child, according to police.

U.S. cartoonist went too far, Mexicans say

Posted: September 3rd, 2010, 7:17pm MDT

An American's cartoon showing the eagle in the Mexican flag dead in a pool of blood is drawing criticism.

Acid attack victim: Sunglasses -- and God's hand -- saved my vision

Posted: September 3rd, 2010, 4:35pm MDT

Bethany Storro doesn't usually wear sunglasses, but she got a surprise paycheck and bought a pair earlier this week. Those sunglasses, she is convinced, saved her eyesight when a woman threw a cup of acid in her face 20 minutes later.

New Vietnam-era Medal of Honor recipient announced

Posted: September 3rd, 2010, 3:10pm MDT

President Barack Obama will award the Medal of Honor, the military's highest award for bravery, to Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Richard Etchberger for his valor in saving the lives of three wounded comrades in Laos in 1968, the White House announced Friday.

Six charged in Hawaii with trafficking Thai guest workers

Posted: September 3rd, 2010, 2:36pm MDT

Six job recruiters have been indicted in federal court in what the FBI has called the largest human-trafficking operation ever to result in charges in the United States.

BP begins effort to remove failed blowout preventer

Posted: September 3rd, 2010, 1:12pm MDT

BP began operations to remove its failed blowout preventer from atop its well deep below the Gulf of Mexico, the company said Friday.

'My own dad tried to kill me'

Posted: September 3rd, 2010, 6:37am MDT

Chris Keith was 12 years old when he learned his family didn't die in a car wreck.

Wall St. exec weeds for the poor

Posted: September 3rd, 2010, 6:00am MDT

When you think of The Hamptons, you don't usually think of food pantries or feeding the hungry.

U.S., Mexico team up to help strays

Posted: September 3rd, 2010, 5:55am MDT

Life isn't easy for stray animals on the mean streets of one of the world's busiest borders.

Hostage taker smuggled illegal

Posted: September 3rd, 2010, 5:07am MDT

The gunman who held three people hostage at the Discovery Channel headquarters was once convicted of smuggling an illegal immigrant into the country from Mexico.

Parts of Miami airport evacuated after suspicious item found

Posted: September 3rd, 2010, 4:11am MDT

Bomb squad investigators were at Miami International Airport on Friday after a suspicious item was spotted in a baggage screening area, authorities said.

Tropical storm conditions felt along Outer Banks

Posted: September 3rd, 2010, 1:41am MDT

Earl weakened to a tropical storm Friday night with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph hour. Residents of New York and New England, however, are still bracing for the storm.

Toshiba recalls 41,000 computers over risk of burns

Posted: September 3rd, 2010, 12:56am MDT

Toshiba has announced the voluntary recall of about 41,000 notebook computers worldwide at risk of overheating and burning users.

Scholarship mistake admitted

Posted: September 3rd, 2010, 12:29am MDT

A veteran House representative from Texas said she made a mistake when she awarded charitable scholarships to her family members instead of students in her district.

Mistrial in sham marriage trial?

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 11:51pm MDT

The sham marriage trial of actress Fernanda Romero, which the judge has likened to a soap opera, appeared threatened with a mistrial Friday after a dramatic turn a day earlier.

Actress who played Bonnie Blue Butler in 'GWTW' dies at 76

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 6:15pm MDT

Cammie King Conlon, who played the ill-fated Bonnie Blue Butler in "Gone With the Wind," used to joke "that I peaked at age 5."

Judge removes 'birther' elements from Army doc's court martial

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 2:50pm MDT

A judge on Thursday denied a request for President Barack Obama to testify at a court martial for a U.S. Army flight surgeon who refused to deploy to Afghanistan until he saw proof that Obama was born in the United States.

Justice Department lawyers sue Sheriff Arpaio in civil rights probe

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 1:35pm MDT

Justice Department civil rights lawyers filed suit against Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona on Thursday after talks collapsed on a deal to provide federal investigators with requested documents.

Hope grows but realism prevails with Mideast peace talks

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 1:32pm MDT

The latest round of peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians is starting off much like similar endeavors in the past, but the Obama administration hopes that this time, the outcome will be different.

'Fracking' yields fuel, fear in Northeast

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 1:16pm MDT

Bill Ely walked into his chicken coop with an empty five-gallon water jug.

Workers safe after oil platform fire

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 12:03pm MDT

A fire on a well connected to an oil and gas production platform in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday is out and there is no indication of an oil sheen, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

1 man, 2 murders lead to tough laws for sex crimes

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 10:38am MDT

Brent King says it still "takes my breath away" to talk about his daughter in the same sentence as the man who killed her.

Oil platform explosion reported in Gulf of Mexico

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 10:03am MDT

An oil rig has exploded 80 miles off the coast of Louisiana, with 13 people overboard, including one injured, the Coast Guard said Thursday morning.

Mideast peace talks to resume in Washington

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 9:40am MDT

Direct peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians will start Thursday as President Barack Obama urged both sides to come up with a peaceful solution to the long running Mideast conflict.

Police: Rapper T.I. and his wife arrested in Los Angeles

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 7:42am MDT

Police arrested rapper T.I. and his wife in California after they were allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance.

Player won't be tackled by flu again

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 6:18am MDT

It was the fifth game of the 2009 Ohio State University football season, and offensive lineman Andy Miller cheered as the Buckeyes sprinted past the Indiana Hoosiers, 33-14, the fourth win of the year. The campus was brimming with excitement, yet for Miller the occasion was bittersweet.

Process to replace Gulf well's blowout preventer could resume soon

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 3:27am MDT

Crews removed the cap from BP's ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well late Thursday afternoon, a company spokeswoman said.

Discovery Channel HQ given 'all clear'

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 1:29am MDT

Authorities gave an "all clear" early Thursday after sweeping the headquarters of the Discovery Channel in Silver Spring, Maryland, where police shot and killed a man who was holding three hostages.

All eyes on Earl as it approaches N.C.

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 1:03am MDT

Large and powerful Hurricane Earl prepared to take a swipe at the Eastern Seaboard Thursday as residents from North Carolina to Massachusetts scrambled to ready themselves for its arrival. Hurricane warnings and watches stretched from North Carolina to Delaware, and covered parts of Massachusetts.

Adult texters catching up to teens

Posted: September 2nd, 2010, 12:30am MDT

Grown-ups don't text as much as teens -- at least not yet. A new survey suggests they may be catching up.

FDA agents visit Iowa farms that recalled eggs

Posted: September 1st, 2010, 7:20pm MDT

Federal agents visited Hillandale Farms and Wright County Egg, which have recalled more than half a billion eggs in the wake of the salmonella outbreak, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Obama holds high-stakes Mideast talks

Posted: September 1st, 2010, 2:57pm MDT

The Middle East moved front and center as President Obama prepared for high-stakes meetings with Israeli and Arab leaders.

Hurricane worries Labor Day travelers

Posted: September 1st, 2010, 1:50pm MDT

The menace of Hurricane Earl comes at a bad time for any of the vacation-starved Americans who are heading to parts of the East Coast this Labor Day weekend.

Doctor died in boyfriend's chimney, police say

Posted: September 1st, 2010, 12:02pm MDT

The decomposed body of a California doctor was found lodged in her boyfriend's chimney, several days after she had apparently attempted to get inside his home, police said.

Gunman reported at Discovery Channel

Posted: September 1st, 2010, 12:02pm MDT

The suspect in a standoff at the Discovery Channel building in Maryland was killed, police say. All three hostages are safe.

Outcry after puppies tossed into river

Posted: September 1st, 2010, 11:40am MDT

A video apparently showing a young woman throwing live puppies into a river has sparked outrage across the Internet.

To unfriend or not to unfriend: That is the Facebook question

Posted: September 1st, 2010, 8:14am MDT

We've all done it -- surfed on over to the book of faces, our hearts racing and pupils dilating with excitement, let our cursors linger over those oh-so-powerful words, "Remove From Friends," and clicked away with the maniacal glee of a serial killer.

Judge dismisses police officer's challenge to Arizona immigration law

Posted: September 1st, 2010, 7:40am MDT

A federal district court has dismissed a challenge filed by a Tucson police officer against Arizona's tough new immigration law.

Actress denies 'sham marriage'

Posted: September 1st, 2010, 7:28am MDT

Closing arguments are set for Wednesday in the trial of Mexican soap opera actress Fernanda Romero on federal charges that her marriage was an illegal sham intended only to earn her a U.S. work permit.

Slashing jobs pays off ... if you're sitting in the executive suite.

Posted: September 1st, 2010, 5:59am MDT

A new report may add salt to the wounds of America's jobless. It seems many of their former bosses are profiting at their losses.

Nadal claims first-round U.S. Open win

Posted: September 1st, 2010, 4:42am MDT

World number one Rafael Nadal got his bid to win his first ever U.S. Open title off to a good start with a 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 first-round victory over Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili at Flushing Meadows.

Bill to ban plastic bags fails

Posted: September 1st, 2010, 1:36am MDT

California's Senate has voted down a measure that would have banned plastic bags at grocery stores.

Murkowski concedes GOP Senate race in Alaska

Posted: September 1st, 2010, 1:06am MDT

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski conceded late Tuesday to Tea Party-backed candidate Joe Miller in Alaska's GOP Senate primary.

Biden to mark transfer of command

Posted: September 1st, 2010, 12:57am MDT

Vice President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Robert Gates helped usher in the next chapter for the United States in Iraq on Wednesday, presiding over a ceremony to launch of a new military operation designed to train, assist and advise the Iraqis.

Evacuations ordered as Earl nears U.S.

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 11:43pm MDT

A hurricane warning has been issued for the U.S. East Coast from Bogue Inlet, North Carolina, to the Virginia state line.

What Apple will, and won't, announce Wednesday

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 10:47pm MDT

In the tech world, it's become an annual rite of fall.

EPA releases results of Wyoming water well testing

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 7:04pm MDT

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency investigating drinking water contamination in Pavillion, Wyoming, found benzene and methane in wells and in groundwater, agency officials said.

Obama: Combat mission in Iraq ends

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 7:00pm MDT

President Barack Obama declared that "the American combat mission in Iraq has ended" in his prime-time address Tuesday. As the U.S. mission in Iraq winds down "our most urgent task is to restore our economy."

FBI informant testifies in New York synagogue bomb plot trial

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 6:46pm MDT

Jurors in the trial of the four men accused of planning to blow up two Jewish houses of worship in New York City spent two days this week listening to and watching hours of dramatic footage recorded by an FBI informant in the case.

North Carolina emerald: Big, green and very rare

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 4:40pm MDT

Generations of rock hounds and miners have turned the earth in western North Carolina, looking to bring a special ruby, sapphire or emerald -- the "big three" of the gem world -- to the light.

Media Literacy Question of the Day

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 3:43pm MDT

September 1, 2010

Officials say effort to kill oil well stalled by weather

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 2:28pm MDT

Thad Allen, the government's point man on the BP oil disaster, and Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser will meet Tuesday before briefing the public on the cleanup effort.

Feds revise air travel guide

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 2:25pm MDT

The Department of Transportation's updated handbook for consumer air travelers outlines everything from choosing loyalty programs and making official complaints to the new three-hour tarmac delay limit.

Trial of Guantanamo terror suspect set to resume

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 1:56pm MDT

The military trial of Canadian-born terrorist suspect Omar Khadr, abruptly halted earlier this month when his defense attorney collapsed, will now resume in October at the U.S. Navy Base in Guantanamo Bay Cuba, according to the Defense Department.

Obama's Iraq address: 3 things to watch for

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 12:26pm MDT

President Obama speaks to the nation Tuesday from the Oval Office on the end of the U.S. combat role in Iraq. Here are three key questions the president could answer in his speech:

New details emerge about proposed Islamic Center

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 12:21pm MDT

New details emerged Tuesday about the controversial "Park51" project, involving the proposed Islamic cultural center and mosque in New York City.

California bill to ban plastic bags goes to Senate vote

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 11:43am MDT

Tuesday is the last opportunity for the California State Senate to pass a bill that would ban the use of plastic bags by the state's retailers, such as grocery stores, convenience stores and drugstores. A vote on Assembly Bill 1998 is expected Tuesday.

Giuliani's daughter to serve community service after arrest

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 10:46am MDT

The daughter of former New York mayor and Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani was ordered Tuesday to serve one day of community service for her shoplifting arrest in early August.

U.S. combat mission in Iraq to end

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 10:00am MDT

In 2003, President George W. Bush launched a blistering "shock and awe" invasion of Iraq. Tuesday -- at a cost of more than 4,400 U.S. military personnel killed America's combat mission in Iraq officially ended.

Is the iPod still relevant?

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 9:51am MDT

Long before the iPhone, the iPod was the device that helped transform Apple from computer company into a consumer electronics company.

'The Box Cutter' gets more than 400 years in prison

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 9:50am MDT

A transient, who was nicknamed "the box cutter," was sentenced to more than 400 years in prison for a knifing rampage against several California women.

US-born drug kingpin arrested

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 9:02am MDT

Mexican federal police officials are expected to release more details Tuesday on the operation that led to the capture of an American-born drug kingpin believed to be one of the country's most ruthless drug traffickers.

Rock icon fights rise from ashes

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 8:45am MDT

Wilmot Greene sat among charred remains of his iconic Georgia Theatre recalling the fire that reduced it from an alternative rock icon to rusted steel girders and walls of black bricks.

Who says video games aren't art?

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 7:12am MDT

According to Merriam-Webster, the word "art" can be defined as "the conscious use of skill and creative imagination, especially in the production of aesthetic objects."

3 dead in medical helicopter crash

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 6:37am MDT

A medical helicopter crashed early Tuesday near Clinton, Arkansas, killing all three crew members, Clinton police Cpl. Chris Waring said.

Hurricane Earl could impact U.S. in days

Posted: August 31st, 2010, 6:28am MDT

Hurricane Earl may still prompt evacuations along the U.S. Atlantic coast even if it does not make landfall, since it may come close enough to trigger storm surge flooding and high winds, officials said Tuesday.

Slashing suspect's pretrial hearing set for Tuesday

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 11:50pm MDT

Elias Abuelazam, suspected of stabbing 18 victims in a three-state slashing spree, is set for a pretrial hearing in a Michigan courtroom Tuesday morning.

Gmail introduces Priority Inbox

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 11:11pm MDT

Gmail users who feel swamped by a virtual flood of messages will get some help sorting them out.

Oval Office setting is message behind the message

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 10:56pm MDT

Before President Obama says a word during his Tuesday Oval Office address, the backdrop will make a statement for him: that he is the decider.

FDA reports numerous violations at egg farms

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 4:13pm MDT

Rodents, leaking manure, uncaged birds and flies too numerous to count were found by investigators at Iowa farms at the heart of the recall of more than half a billion eggs, the Food and Drug Administration reported Monday.

Civil war relics shut down university building

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 3:55pm MDT

A building at a Georgia university was evacuated Monday morning after some civil war relics stored there were found to be possibly dangerous, officials said.

LeBron James seeks dismissal of lawsuit over paternity claims

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 3:46pm MDT

A filing on behalf of basketball superstar LeBron James dismisses as "rank speculation" claims by a Washington lawyer that he is the athlete's biological father, saying the man has "delusions" about alleged family ties.

Muslims' road trip tests faith

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 2:28pm MDT

As the blue Chevy Cobalt crept toward the edge of the property in Chula, Georgia, a palpable nervousness wafted through the cramped car.

Chimp escapes zoo exhibit in Oklahoma

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 1:48pm MDT

A chimpanzee in an Oklahoma zoo escaped from his exhibit on Monday, but was coaxed back to safety with no reported injuries, said a zoo spokeswoman.

Feds investigate fire at mosque site

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 1:05pm MDT

Suspected arson at the future site of a mosque in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has "really raised the fear factor" among area Muslims, a representative of the mosque told CNN on Monday.

Obama rips GOP for blocking business aid bill

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 12:18pm MDT

President Barack Obama blasted Senate Republicans on Monday for blocking a small business assistance bill, calling their opposition "pure partisan politics."

Additional Guard troops deployed to Arizona border

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 11:43am MDT

Additional National Guard troops assigned to the Mexican border under President Barack Obama's border security initiative have started reporting to their posts, according to a sergeant with the Arizona National Guard.

Biden travels to Iraq to mark end of U.S. combat mission

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 10:05am MDT

Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Iraq on Monday to participate in a ceremony marking the end of the U.S. combat mission there, according to the White House.

Mormon bishop killed in California by stranger

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 9:22am MDT

A Mormon bishop was shot and killed in Visalia, California, on Sunday, police said.

Minnesota farmer battles Gulf 'dead zone'

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 7:37am MDT

Scientists have recorded one of the largest "dead zones" in the Gulf's history. This oxygen-sapped area -- currently about the size of New Jersey -- is caused in large part by fertilizer that funnels into the ocean from farms, since more than 40 percent of the land in the United States drains into the Gulf.

Suspect in Utah cop killing arrested

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 6:30am MDT

Scott Curley, the man accused of killing a sheriff's deputy in Utah, has been arrested in Kane County, Utah, after a manhunt that lasted days, authorities said Monday morning.

Award-winning teachers dole out advice on fixing public schools

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 6:16am MDT

What if students attended school all year? One Wisconsin teacher thinks that could be a way to improve student grades and fix the nation's public school system.

Glenn Beck's 'Honor' rally: What you missed

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 5:57am MDT

Conservative commentator Glenn Beck says his revival-style rally at the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday was about restoring America's honor and returning the country to the values on which it was founded.

U.S. Muslims take to airwaves to fight 'fear-mongering'

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 5:36am MDT

A doctor. A cop. A little girl. A Phillies fan.

Man kills 5, self in Arizona over apparent custody battle

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 5:32am MDT

A man suspected in the shooting deaths of five people at a Lake Havasu City, Arizona, residence on Saturday night was found dead early Sunday of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police.

Hurricane Earl picks up power, expected to become 'major hurricane'

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 3:46am MDT

Hurricane Earl got stronger as it lumbered across the Atlantic Monday, forecasters said. Earl grew into a Category 3 hurricane Monday morning, the center said. Outer bands of the storm are likely to hit North Carolina beginning Thursday.

Newcomers score big on Emmy night

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 3:34am MDT

First-time winners and new shows took the lion's share of the hardware Sunday night at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards.

Former baseball star Roger Clemens to be arraigned Monday

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 3:31am MDT

Retired baseball star Roger Clemens is set to be arraigned in a federal court Monday on charges related to his insistence that he never used performance-enhancing drugs.

BP set to remove oil well's cap

Posted: August 30th, 2010, 1:05am MDT

More than three weeks after plugging its ruptured oil well with cement and mud from above, BP plans to start a procedure Monday that will pave the way for a permanent fix for the well.

Katrina anniversary somber, reflective

Posted: August 29th, 2010, 2:12pm MDT

Five years ago Sunday, the water rushed in, the lights went out and for thousands of Gulf Coast residents nothing was ever the same. FULL STORY l Obama praises NOLA's resilience l Survivor still mourns wife

Earl becomes hurricane, warning issued for Leeward Islands

Posted: August 29th, 2010, 1:03pm MDT

Forecast to gain "major" Category 3 status, Hurricane Earl was bearing down on the northern Leeward Islands Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said.

Beck says rally meant to reclaim civil rights 'from politics'

Posted: August 29th, 2010, 11:41am MDT

Conservative commentator Glenn Beck says his weekend revival-style rally at the Lincoln Memorial was meant to reclaim the U.S. civil rights movement "from politics," arguing that the movement was about "people of faith."

Alaska Senate hopeful wants land, not cash

Posted: August 29th, 2010, 11:05am MDT

Alaska's political leadership has spent decades touting its ability to bring federal dollars back from Washington. But the man who may have unseated incumbent Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski in last week's primary says forget the cash -- he'd rather have real estate.

New Orleans resilient but still struggling

Posted: August 29th, 2010, 5:51am MDT

Cynthia Morrison purchased her first home on August 1, 2005. Hurricane Katrina wiped her New Orleans East home off the map before she could make her first house payment.

Police investigate shooting outside Nebraska mall

Posted: August 29th, 2010, 12:18am MDT

Police in Omaha, Nebraska, said Saturday that they were investigating a shooting outside the same mall where a gunman killed eight people nearly three years ago.

Protesters outside Marine's funeral pepper-sprayed

Posted: August 28th, 2010, 9:28pm MDT

A motorist fired pepper spray Saturday at a group of demonstrators and counter-protesters outside a funeral for a U.S. Marine in Omaha, Nebraska, police said.

U.S. birth rate falls for second year in midst of recession

Posted: August 28th, 2010, 9:00pm MDT

The number of babies born in the United States dropped 2.6 percent last year, according to a recent study, the latest in a long list of falling indicators.

Ground beef recalled after E. coli reports

Posted: August 28th, 2010, 4:53pm MDT

Cargill Meat Solutions Corp. has recalled about 8,500 pounds of ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Saturday.

Arizona sheriff challenges request for documents

Posted: August 28th, 2010, 4:10pm MDT

Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona, is challenging the Justice Department's request for certain documents in its investigation of alleged civil rights violations by the sheriff's office.

Katrina uncovers a little history in Mississippi

Posted: August 28th, 2010, 12:24pm MDT

You can't miss Beauvoir as you drive along scenic U.S. Highway 90 through Biloxi, Mississippi. Its grand staircase, with the railings scrolling outward, welcomes you like open arms.

Speakers at Glenn Beck rally talk of faith

Posted: August 28th, 2010, 10:27am MDT

The planned large rally by Fox News Channel and radio talk show host Glenn Beck on Saturday on the National Mall is causing controversy because of its location and timing.

Second rally recalls '63 March on Washington

Posted: August 28th, 2010, 10:24am MDT

Civil rights leaders were staging a rally on Saturday in Washington commemorating the 47th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

Pitt: NOLA eco-friendly homes 'exceeded my expectations'

Posted: August 28th, 2010, 8:00am MDT

Waiting in a parked car in the Ninth Ward as the rain pounds down, I cannot help but think about the flood in the movie, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

Paris Hilton arrested on cocaine possession charge

Posted: August 28th, 2010, 6:54am MDT

Paris Hilton was released from a Las Vegas, Nevada, jail Saturday morning after being arrested late the night before on suspicion of cocaine possession, police said Saturday.

King's niece defends rally on anniversary of "I Have a Dream" speech

Posted: August 28th, 2010, 3:51am MDT

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s niece is slated to speak Saturday at a controversial rally by radio talk show host Glenn Beck scheduled to take place in the same location as her uncle's "I Have a Dream" speech.

'Ghost train' hunter killed by train

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 8:21pm MDT

The facts: On August 27, 1891, a passenger train jumped the tracks on a tall bridge near Statesville, North Carolina, sending seven rail cars below and about 30 people to their deaths.

Glenn Beck rally plans cause a stir

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 7:29pm MDT

The planned large rally by Fox News Channel and radio talk show host Glenn Beck on Saturday on the National Mall is causing controversy because of its location and timing.

ICE: 370 illegal immigrants arrested in 10 states

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 4:47pm MDT

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have arrested nearly 400 illegal immigrants -- including 347 with prior criminal convictions -- over a three-day operation throughout the Midwest, the agency announced Friday.

U.S. Consulate staff in Mexico told city unsafe for kids

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 4:38pm MDT

The State Department told U.S. government employees in Monterrey, Mexico, on Friday to send their children elsewhere by September 10 because of heightened security concerns stemming from drug-related violence.

Chemical leak sickens dozens at Las Vegas pool

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 4:22pm MDT

A chemical leak in the pool area of the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, sickened as many as 100 people Friday, sending 12 of them to local hospitals, according to a spokeswoman for Clark County.

Join Chiefs chairman: Debt is top security threat

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 4:08pm MDT

The national debt is bad for the military, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen is telling business men and women and others on a three-day "Conversations with the Country" tour across the Midwest.

Police comb Utah-Arizona border for suspect in police shooting

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 3:56pm MDT

Police combed rugged terrain south of the Utah-Arizona border Friday for the suspect in Thursday's fatal shooting of a Utah sheriff's deputy.

Cabbie-stabbing suspect transferred to Bellevue ward

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 11:48am MDT

Michael Enright, the man suspected of stabbing a cab driver in New York after learning he was a Muslim, has been moved from jail to a psychiatric ward, a city official said.

Worker at taxpayer-funded agency in Virginia plays hooky for 12 years

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 11:31am MDT

A worker was paid for 12 years without ever showing up for work at a Norfolk, Virginia, agency funded by federal, state and local money, officials say.

Louisiana Gulf waters reopened for fishing

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 9:27am MDT

The federal government has reopened 4,281 square miles of federal waters off the coast of western Louisiana to commercial and recreational fishing, according to Jane Lubchenco, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Danielle intensifies, but still no threat to land

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 3:33am MDT

Hurricane Danielle became a powerful Category 3 storm early Friday, the National Hurricane Center reported.

Democrats in fight to hold onto House seats in November

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 2:25am MDT

Weighed down by a president with a sub-500 approval rating, Democratic Congressional Campaign Chairman Chris Van Hollen will lay out the party's plan of attack for November elections at a Friday news conference.

Former NASA head back in DC area after plane crash

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 1:59am MDT

Former NASA chief Sean O'Keefe and his son, Kevin, have returned to the Washington, DC area after recovering from a plane crash in Alaska, according to a statement from his family spokesman.

Brown: Not giving context was 'fatal'

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 1:12am MDT

The Bush administration made a "fatal mistake" by talking up facts and figures without painting a broader picture of the obstacles in its widely criticized Hurricane Katrina response effort, ex-FEMA chief Michael Brown said.

Court allows agents to secretly put GPS trackers on cars

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 1:07am MDT

Law enforcement officers may secretly place a GPS device on a person's car without seeking a warrant from a judge, according to a recent federal appeals court ruling in California.

Michigan slashing suspect to be examined by a psychiatrist

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 12:43am MDT

Elias Abuelazam, suspected of stabbing 18 victims in a three-state slashing spree, will be examined by a psychiatrist on Friday because there are concerns that he could harm himself, officials said.

Carter wins release of American from North Korea

Posted: August 27th, 2010, 12:06am MDT

Former President Jimmy Carter is leaving North Korea Friday with a U.S. citizen who was imprisoned in the communist country after entering it illegally in January, the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, said.

Google: 1 million Gmail calls on first day

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 3:39pm MDT

Google Wave and Google Buzz may have had troubles attracting usage, but the new ability to place calls from Gmail appears to have caught on quickly.

JetBlue plane makes hard landing at airport out West

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 3:25pm MDT

A JetBlue Airways plane blew a tire while landing at Sacramento, California, International Airport Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

Check your refrigerator! Two new egg brands added to recall list

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 2:22pm MDT

Feed given to hens at two Iowa farms is a likely source of contamination that led to a nationwide salmonella outbreak, but the disease turned up in manure samples taken around the farms as well, federal officials said Thursday,

Final kill of Gulf oil well on hold as crews fish for drill pipe

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 12:39pm MDT

Three weeks after BP plugged its crippled Macondo oil well in the Gulf of Mexico with cement and mud from above, crews are "fishing" for pieces of drill pipe that need to be removed from inside the well's blowout preventer before crews can move on to the "bottom kill" -- the permanent fix for the well.

Blagojevich to be retried in 2011; brother is free

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 12:08pm MDT

Prosecutors have dismissed all four charges against Robert Blagojevich, but his brother, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, will again face racketeering and wire fraud charges in 2011.

'Obliterated' town coming back to life

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 10:27am MDT

It's easy to forget that the epicenter of Hurricane Katrina was the Mississippi Gulf Coast. And no town was hit harder than Waveland.

Parents, do you know what these texts mean?

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 9:57am MDT

Do you know what this means: %*@:-( ?

Danielle and Earl churn through Atlantic Ocean

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 9:56am MDT

A hurricane and a tropical storm spun through the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday morning, and were expected to gain strength, but neither posed an immediate threat to land, the National Hurricane Center said in its 11 a.m. update.

Settlement offered to victims, kin of deadly California train crash

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 3:47am MDT

Commuter rail system Metrolink and its former train operating contractor Connex Railroad are offering to pay a $200 million settlement to victims and families of a deadly 2008 crash, according to a Wednesday filing in the U.S. District Court.

Hearing may determine Blagojevich retrial date

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 2:08am MDT

The date for round two in the Rod Blagojevich courtroom drama could be decided Thursday at a hearing.

Hearing to look at the progress and challenges 5 years after Katrina

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 2:04am MDT

U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu will hold a late-morning hearing Thursday about the lessons learned and the progress made in the five years since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and large sections of the Gulf coast.

Winds fan blaze in Idaho forest

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 1:47am MDT

Authorities urged residents to be on alert as a brush fire fanned by strong winds continued to burn early Thursday northwest of Cascade, Idaho.

NASA to announce discovery of 'intriguing planetary system'

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 1:32am MDT

For more than a year, the spacecraft Kepler has been combing the vastness of space looking for Earth-like planets.

Slashed cab driver to meet NYC mayor

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 1:14am MDT

A New York cab driver who was allegedly stabbed after a passenger learned he was Muslim plans to call for an end to growing anti-Muslim rhetoric.

Signs of progress in Southern California wildfire

Posted: August 26th, 2010, 12:31am MDT

Winds have calmed in Southern California, helping firefighters double containment of a wildfire in Kern County, authorities said.

Buffalo restaurant slaying suspect to be arraigned

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 11:59pm MDT

A 23-year-old man, charged with second-degree murder in connection with a deadly restaurant shooting in Buffalo, New York, is expected to be arraigned Thursday morning.

Mississippi oysters safe to eat, experts say

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 11:49pm MDT

Federal and state experts have declared Mississippi oysters safe to eat after the oil spill that gushed for months in the Gulf of Mexico.

Fresh eggs from recall farms are being pasteurized, processed

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 10:58pm MDT

Fresh eggs being produced by farms at the heart of a massive recall are making their way to consumers via facilities that pasteurize the eggs, process them and rid them of any possible salmonella.

Military loses control of helicopter drone near Washington

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 10:37pm MDT

A military test facility in southern Maryland lost control of an unmanned helicopter for about 20 minutes this month before reestablishing its communications and returning it to the airfield it took off from, a U.S. navy spokesman said.

Tom DeLay's trial will be in Travis County

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 8:28pm MDT

Former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, accused of money laundering, will get a fair trial in Austin, a Texas judge ruled Wednesday.

17 states ask Craigslist to cut adult ads

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 6:16pm MDT

Attorneys general in 17 states have banded together to call on Craigslist, the online classified ad website, to discontinue its adult services section.

New Orleans schools get $1.8 billion for Katrina damage

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 4:29pm MDT

The federal government will award $1.8 billion to New Orleans schools damaged by Hurricane Katrina, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana, said Wednesday.

Original Kermit the Frog is donated to Smithsonian

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 3:59pm MDT

Forget red versus blue. The nation's capital is seeing green.

Cyber attack in 2008 prompted new Pentagon cyber defense plan

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 3:30pm MDT

An infected flash drive put in a U.S. military laptop in 2008 set off the most significant cyber attack ever against the military and brought a turning point in cyber defense strategy, a top defense official wrote in an article published Wednesday.

Lindsay Lohan, out of rehab, has new probation rules

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 12:39pm MDT

A Los Angeles judge will issue a new order concerning Lindsay Lohan during a hearing at the Beverly Hills Courthouse Wednesday morning, a court spokesman said.

Cutting Katrina's red tape

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 10:04am MDT

An estimated 275,000 homes in three states were taken out by Hurricane Katrina five years ago. For some New Orleans residents, the fight to rebuild includes slicing through red tape.

New Jersey family's picture catches thief in the act

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 8:26am MDT

In today's technology-laden society, hearing of crimes solved or cold cases cracked with state-of-the-art tech tools has become commonplace. But for one New Jersey family all it took to catch a thief was a camera and a little luck.

Cuba travel new look, ban stays

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 5:46am MDT

Word that the U.S. government could soon loosen travel restrictions to Cuba may have some American travelers imagining New Year's in Havana or a spring break on the island's famed Varadero Beach.

Danielle regains hurricane status in Atlantic Ocean

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 3:56am MDT

Once a sputtering tropical storm in the Atlantic Ocean, the weather system known as Danielle is back with a vengeance.

McCain wins in Arizona; Murkowski in tight race in Alaska

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 3:45am MDT

Two wealthy candidates in Florida spent a lot of their own money on campaigns.

Some family members of 911 victims to support mosque construction

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 1:31am MDT

Family members of 9/11 victims will rally Wednesday in support of a controversial mosque and Islamic center that is scheduled to be built near New York City's ground zero.

18 states affected by egg recall

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 1:19am MDT

Public health officials in California believe it identified its earliest cases -- a prom party that sickened high school students in Santa Clara county, that tipped off investigators about a looming problem.

WikiLeaks says it will release CIA paper Wednesday

Posted: August 25th, 2010, 12:36am MDT

WikiLeaks, the whistle-blower website that infuriated the Pentagon when it published thousands of classified military reports, said it will release a fresh set of documents Wednesday.

Trial of men accused of bombing New York targets continues

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 11:58pm MDT

The trial resumes Wednesday morning in Manhattan for four men accused of trying to bomb New York synagogues and fire surface-to-air missiles at U.S. military planes.

Wary residents sleep 'with one eye open' as California blaze rages

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 11:54pm MDT

Residents of a southern California mountain community are unlikely to get a good night's rest as a wildfire rages about 10 miles away.

Ex-FEMA director doing radio show from New Orleans

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 11:36pm MDT

Michael Brown, the Federal Emergency Management Agency leader who quit following widespread criticism of the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, is taking his radio show to New Orleans on Wednesday and Thursday.

Wildfires in California mountains force evacuations

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 8:36pm MDT

A wildfire ripped through a mountain community in southern California on Tuesday, burning more than 1,000 acres and forcing the evacuation of residents living near the flames, authorities said.

WikiLeaks says it will release CIA paper

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 8:25pm MDT

WikiLeaks, a whistle-blower website, posted on the group's Twitter page on Tuesday: "WikiLeaks to release CIA paper tomorrow."

Muhammad Ali's missing championship ring returned

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 8:25pm MDT

The ring awarded to Muhammad Ali when he became boxing's first three-time heavyweight champion has been returned to Ali's former wife six years after she loaned it to a friend who was dying of cancer, her lawyer said.

Finding gold bar stolen from museum may not be easy

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 7:41pm MDT

For more than 20 years, the bulletproof museum case housed a small piece of yesteryear: A gold bar recovered from a sunken Spanish galleon. Today, its case is broken, littered with black fingerprint dust. The treasure is gone. Stolen. The two thieves were caught in the act by the museum's security cameras.

Gold bar theft a real whodunnit

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 7:30pm MDT

It's been nearly a week since two modern-day pirates walked into the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, Florida, and made off with a $550,000 gold bar.

California Senate passes tougher sentencing laws for sex offenders

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 6:38pm MDT

A bill that seeks to increase prison sentences and extend parole terms in California for certain sex crimes against minors was passed in a unanimous vote by the state Senate on Tuesday.

Pastor: Armed militia to protect church at Quran-burning

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 6:07pm MDT

An armed Christian organization, Right Wing Extreme, will protect a church that is planning to host an "International Burn a Quran Day" on the ninth anniversary of September 11, the church's pastor said on Tuesday.

Obama to appeal stem cell funding ruling

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 4:23pm MDT

The Obama administration will appeal a federal judge's decision to temporarily block federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, Justice Department confirmed Tuesday.

DoD report: Multiple wars partly to blame for more military suicides

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 3:52pm MDT

A task force assigned to study why troops kill themselves spelled out what many people have suspected for a long time: that multiple deployments to multiple wars are partly to blame for the sharp increase in military suicides.

Oil from BP spill degraded faster than expected, study finds

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 3:51pm MDT

A new study finds oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico from a ruptured BP well degraded at a rate that was "much faster than anticipated" thanks to the interaction of microbes with the oil particles.

Death row inmate's innocence claim rejected

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 12:55pm MDT

A death row prisoner in Georgia has not proven his innocence, a federal court ruled, according to papers released Tuesday.

Marine Corps commandant: It'll be 'years' before Afghans take over

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 12:53pm MDT

It will be a "few years" before U.S. forces in Afghanistan can turn over full responsibility for security operations to Afghan troops, the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps said Tuesday.

DEA wants to hire Ebonics translators

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 11:59am MDT

Wanted by the Drug Enforcement Administration: Ebonics translators.

Hurricane Danielle weakens in the Atlantic

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 11:35am MDT

Danielle strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane early Tuesday as it churned through the middle of the Atlantic, far from land, the National Hurricane Center reported.

Grandfather's ghost story leads to mysterious mass grave

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 10:26am MDT

"This is a mass grave," Bill Watson said as he led the way through the thick Pennsylvania woods in a suburb about 30 miles from Philadelphia.

Skeptics worry about post-Katrina levees

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 10:12am MDT

Activist-actor Harry Shearer says he wants more accountability in the U.S. Army Corps post-Katrina plan. The Corps say improved walls, levees are much stronger than when Hurricane Katrina hit.

'Race to the Top' winners announced

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 9:34am MDT

The District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Rhode Island are all to receive a portion of the $3.4 billion remaining in the "Race to the Top" fund for education in those states.

Defender of the deep: Oil's not gone

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 7:56am MDT

Samantha Joye's office is littered with otherworldly artifacts from the deep ocean: a mussel the size of a football; a vase filled with tube worms, which look like grissini breadsticks; a photo of the world's biggest bacteria.

Meeting set on Sherrod job offer

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 7:53am MDT

Shirley Sherrod, who received an apology after being forced to resign from the Agriculture Department, will meet Tuesday morning with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to discuss a job offer.

Former Marine guilty of killing pregnant colleague

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 7:45am MDT

A former Marine who was convicted of killing a pregnant female colleague felt the wrath of the victim's mother.

U.S troops in Iraq fall below 50,000

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 5:58am MDT

The number of U.S. troops in Iraq has fallen below 50,000 -- the lowest level since the U.S-led invasion in 2003, the military said Wednesday.

FBI still hunts bomber after 40 yrs.

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 5:49am MDT

Do you know where Leo Burt is?

Nationwide meat recall announced

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 5:16am MDT

Zemco Industries in Buffalo, New York, has recalled approximately 380,000 pounds of deli meat that may be contaminated with bacteria that can cause a potentially fatal disease, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday.

Education Department to announce Race to the Top winners

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 1:40am MDT

The U. S. Education Department is set to announce Tuesday the winners in the second round of its Race to the Top competition.

Primaries feature big bucks, ugly battles

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 1:05am MDT

As voters in Arizona, Vermont, Oklahoma, Alaska and Florida go to the polls on Tuesday, big-dollar challenges to veteran politicians dominate the top races in these states.

Justice Department to meet with Arizona sheriff in civil rights probe

Posted: August 24th, 2010, 1:01am MDT

Officials with the Justice Department are scheduled to meet Tuesday with Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona, as they look into alleged civil rights violations.

Danielle picks up steam in the Atlantic

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 11:59pm MDT

Hurricane Danielle strengthened early Tuesday as it churned through the middle of the Atlantic, far from land, the National Hurricane Center reported.

Carter heads to N. Korea to seek U.S. man's release

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 10:59pm MDT

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is planning to go to North Korea this week in the hopes of securing the release of an American man imprisoned for illegally entering the communist nation, officials said.

Border officer involved in death of teen is back on duty, patrol says

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 8:10pm MDT

A U.S. Border Patrol officer involved in the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old Mexican youth on the El Paso, Texas, border in June is back at work, a Border Patrol spokesman said Monday.

Texas school rejects 4-year-old over lesbian parents

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 6:55pm MDT

A private religious school in Texas has denied admission to the daughter of a lesbian couple who wanted to enroll the child in preschool, citing its "clear teaching of the Christian faith" for the refusal.

Judge stops federal funding of embryonic stem cell research

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 3:53pm MDT

A U.S. district judge granted a preliminary injunction Monday to stop federal funding of embryonic stem cell research that he said destroys embryos, ruling it went against the will of Congress.

Settlement reached in Minnesota bridge collapse case

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 3:40pm MDT

A $52.4 million settlement has been reached between victims of a 2007 bridge collapse in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the engineering firm responsible for the bridge's inspection, the victims' attorneys said Monday. Thirteen people were killed in the collapse, which occurred at rush hour.

Hurricance Danielle expected to strengthen

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 3:28pm MDT

Tropical Storm Danielle was strengthening in the Atlantic on Monday, and could become a hurricane by Monday night, the National Hurricane Center said.

Congress begins investigating salmonella outbreak, egg recalls

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 2:34pm MDT

The House Energy and Commerce Committee requested documents and information Monday from Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms of Iowa related to the recent salmonella outbreak and egg recalls, according to a news release from the office of the committee's chairman, Rep. Henry Waxman, D-California.

Biden predicts successful Iraqi political future

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 2:24pm MDT

Vice President Joe Biden delivered an optimistic assessment of the political situation in Iraq on Monday, predicting a successful formation of a new unity government in Baghdad and declaring that attempts by al Qaeda to inflame sectarian tensions have "utterly failed."

SeaWorld fined $75,000 for safety violations

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 1:38pm MDT

SeaWorld has been fined $75,000 by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration for three safety violations, including one classified as willful, after the death of one of its animal trainers in February.

Tiger Woods' divorce finalized

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 1:20pm MDT

The divorce of golfer Tiger Woods and wife Elin Nordegren was finalized Monday, according to a joint statement issued by their attorneys.

Report warns of man-made threats to Grand Canyon National Park

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 11:17am MDT

The majestic views overlooking the Grand Canyon make it one of America's favorite destinations, but a new report finds several man-made threats are contributing to the deterioration of Grand Canyon National Park.

Why did two little boys have to die?

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 9:53am MDT

Ramona Milhouse awoke to the wail of sirens as the morning mist rose off the murky waters of the Edisto River last Monday. Within minutes, police and rescue workers crowded her backyard overlooking the river.

Farms fell short on safety, FDA chief says

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 9:10am MDT

Commissioner Margaret Hamburg of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will appear on CNN's "American Morning" Monday to discuss a salmonella outbreak that has prompted a recall of half a billion eggs from 17 states.

Bullet crosses border during shootout

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 8:25am MDT

A bullet that flew through a building at the University of Texas at El Paso may have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border during a shootout between drug traffickers and Mexican federal police, authorities said.

Workplace violence hard to tackle

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 6:59am MDT

Timothy A. Dimoff, president of a small business in Ohio, knew trouble was brewing when an employee told him that an embittered co-worker had "started talking about how maybe he should just go home and get his gun."

Obama, 10 things to do in 10 weeks

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 5:57am MDT

President Obama is facing criticism that his message has gone off track at a crucial time for his party and administration. With the midterm elections just 10 weeks away, the president's approval ratings are at their lowest. Analysts are predicting big wins for Republicans in November.

Doctor charged in Michael Jackson's death returns to court

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 4:28am MDT

When Dr. Conrad Murray returns to a Los Angeles court Monday afternoon, he is likely to be hounded by dozens of Michael Jackson fans angry about the pop star's death.

'Grim Sleeper' arraignment set for Monday

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 4:22am MDT

Lonnie Franklin Jr., the suspect in the "Grim Sleeper" serial killings, is scheduled to be arraigned Monday morning in a Los Angeles courtroom on 10 counts of murder.

BP oil claims process goes independent

Posted: August 23rd, 2010, 1:30am MDT

The Gulf Coast Claims Facility begins accepting personal and business claims from those affected by the Gulf oil disaster, starting Monday.

Imam behind controversial New York Islamic center speaks

Posted: August 22nd, 2010, 7:02pm MDT

The imam behind the controversial mosque and Islamic center near New York City's ground zero said Sunday that he hopes the project will develop "an Islamic approach that allows for harmony and understanding among all religions and other ideas."

Toddler walks two blocks to reach medical help for her father

Posted: August 22nd, 2010, 5:10pm MDT

Alesaundra Tafoya's parents have been teaching their daughter about safety in their northern California community, pointing out such safe havens as fire stations if she ever finds herself in trouble.

Tropical Storm Danielle forms in the Atlantic

Posted: August 22nd, 2010, 3:10pm MDT

Tropical Storm Danielle has formed in the Atlantic Ocean, about 725 miles (1,165 kilometers) west of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands, the National Hurricane Center said Sunday.

Rescue crews search for missing plane in southern Alaska

Posted: August 22nd, 2010, 1:53pm MDT

Rescue crews in Alaska were searching Sunday for an airplane carrying four people, including three park rangers, who were reported missing a day earlier when they failed to arrive at their destination as expected, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Feinberg plans to be generous in oil claims process

Posted: August 22nd, 2010, 1:17pm MDT

The man poised to take control of personal and business claims from those affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster said Sunday he plans to be more generous than any court would be in determining payments.

Blagojevich won't rule out political comeback

Posted: August 22nd, 2010, 8:59am MDT

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Sunday that he is not ruling out a return to politics once the legal process against him winds down.

New credit card restrictions take effect

Posted: August 22nd, 2010, 7:33am MDT

New rules designed to protect credit card users from "unreasonable late payment and other penalty fees" come into force Sunday as a result of the Wall Street reform bill.

Protesters to rally against Islamic center

Posted: August 22nd, 2010, 1:53am MDT

Hundreds of protesters both for and against the construction of an Islamic community center and mosque a few blocks away from ground zero rallied in downtown New York today.

Boston firefighters battling warehouse blaze

Posted: August 21st, 2010, 9:55pm MDT

Firefighters were battling a multialarm warehouse fire in Boston, Massachusetts, on Saturday night, officials said.

Sherrod to meet with Ag. chief about job offer

Posted: August 21st, 2010, 9:10pm MDT

Shirley Sherrod, who received an apology after being forced to resign from Agriculture Department, will meet Tuesday with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to discuss a job offer, a department official confirmed Saturday.

Brush fire prompts evacuations by helicopter

Posted: August 21st, 2010, 7:56pm MDT

A brush fire in Lakeside, east of San Diego, California, prompted the evacuation Saturday of 10 people via helicopter, Cal Fire said.

California concert cut short by suicide

Posted: August 21st, 2010, 7:55pm MDT

It started out as a lovely summer night in northern California: an outdoor concert at a winery that's set among redwoods and that bills itself as "miles away but worlds apart."

Massachusetts sheriff threatens to turn away federal detainees

Posted: August 21st, 2010, 2:38pm MDT

Federal authorities are reviewing concerns from a Massachusetts sheriff who is threatening to reject federal detainees at her jail.

BP moves to remove drill pipe from capped well

Posted: August 21st, 2010, 2:24pm MDT

BP on Saturday was conducting a "fishing" operation aimed at finding and removing up to 3,500 feet of drill pipe from the capped Gulf well.

Settlement allows Xe to still get contracts

Posted: August 21st, 2010, 12:02pm MDT

Xe, the private security firm once known as Blackwater, has reached a $42 million settlement with the U.S. State Department over alleged export violations, a State Department official said.

Lightning-ignited fire at Yellowstone National Park still growing

Posted: August 21st, 2010, 12:28am MDT

A fire at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming continues to spread in the same area where a 2001 fire burned at the park.

Louisiana reopens some areas to commercial crabbing

Posted: August 20th, 2010, 7:44pm MDT

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries ordered some areas near the Mississippi River that had been closed because of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill to reopen to commercial crabbing on Friday.

Thieves steal gold bar from Florida museum

Posted: August 20th, 2010, 7:24pm MDT

Authorities are trying to identify the two men who walked into a Key West, Florida, museum and stole a $550,000 gold bar.

Foot injury knocks Serena out of U.S. Open

Posted: August 20th, 2010, 5:30pm MDT

Top-ranked tennis superstar Serena Williams said a foot injury that forced her to pull out of the U.S. Open is "devastating."

Allen: 'Impossible to lead cleanup' without BP

Posted: August 20th, 2010, 4:08pm MDT

The government's point man in charge of the response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill said it is "impossible" to lead cleanup efforts without cooperation from BP.

Salmonella cases almost triple as tainted eggs are recalled

Posted: August 20th, 2010, 7:56am MDT

The salmonella outbreak that led to the recall of 380 million eggs was preventable and will likely grow, federal officials said Thursday.

State agencies close as workers go on furlough in California

Posted: August 20th, 2010, 6:38am MDT

Closed signs went up at California agencies Friday as a mandatory furlough went into effect for government employees in an effort to resolve California's $19 billion budget deficit.

Funeral set for S.C. kids found in river

Posted: August 20th, 2010, 3:55am MDT

A funeral service was held Friday for two boys found dead this week in a South Carolina river. Mourners, many still shocked over the circumstances of their deaths, packed St. Paul Baptist Church in Orangeburg.

Calif. interfaith leaders to back ground zero Islamic center

Posted: August 20th, 2010, 2:25am MDT

A group of 60 interfaith leaders in California will come out Friday in favor of a controversial Islamic center near ground zero in New York City.

Obamas begin 10-day vacation in Martha's Vineyard

Posted: August 20th, 2010, 1:11am MDT

President Barack Obama and his family begins a weeklong vacation in Martha's Vineyard on Friday -- the president's second time on the island off the coast of Massachusetts.

Arizona escapee, alleged accomplice arrested

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 11:16pm MDT

Authorities have captured an Arizona prison escapee and an alleged accomplice who have been on the run since last month, the Arizona Department of Corrections said late Thursday.

Single in America? You're not alone

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 7:21pm MDT

There are 96 million people in the United States who have no spouse. That means 43 percent of all Americans over the age of 18 are single, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Feds begin crackdown on online pharmacies

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 4:52pm MDT

Pharmacies in Utah and Illinois are at the heart of an illicit nationwide network providing prescription drugs over the internet, federal agents state in court papers filed in two cities.

U.S. troop strength in Iraq put at 52,000

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 4:27pm MDT

The number of U.S. troops remaining in Iraq is about 52,000, the U.S. military said Thursday.

New Orleans mayor: BP is 'poised to cut and run'

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 4:07pm MDT

New Orleans, Louisiana, Mayor Mitch Landrieu walked a political tight rope Thursday in Washington, D.C., as he assessed the progress of his city for a luncheon audience at the National Press Club.

Flight deboards after threat phoned in

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 3:39pm MDT

Passengers deboarded an American Airlines flight Thursday afternoon after a threat was called in against Flight 24 before it departed from San Francisco, California, the Transportation Security Administration said.

Researchers say they found 22-mile hydrocarbons plume in Gulf

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 3:10pm MDT

Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution said they have detected a plume of hydrocarbons that is at least 22 miles long and more than 3,000 feet below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, a residue of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Suburb rises from Katrina's shadow

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 2:23pm MDT

African-Americans could buy houses in Pontchartrain Park in the 1950s. Hurricane Katrina uprooted the community, damaging every home. Today, more than half of Pontchartrain Park's residents have returned.

Feds bar deadly race's organizers during probe

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 2:19pm MDT

Federal officials Thursday barred the promoters of last week's deadly off-road race in southern California from holding future races on public land while an investigation is under way.

White House downplays combat brigade pullout in Iraq

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 2:00pm MDT

With broadcast reports and pictures Wednesday evening celebrating the last U.S. brigade combat team leaving Iraq and crossing the border into Kuwait, the White House and Pentagon scrambled to explain that the war in Iraq is not over.

Baseball star Clemens charged with perjury

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 1:59pm MDT

Former major league pitcher Roger Clemens was indicted Thursday for obstruction of Congress, making false statements and perjury related to testimony he gave before a congressional committee in 2008.

Shifting attitudes take gay rights fight across globe, experts say

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 1:41pm MDT

In signing Argentina's same-sex marriage law, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner said debate over the issue would be "absolutely anachronistic" -- archaic, out of date -- within a few years.

Egg recall grows to 380 million, hundreds may be sick

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 12:21pm MDT

"Hundreds" of Americans have likely become ill from tainted eggs, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC spokeswoman Lola Russell said Thursday.

Muslim prayers welcome at Pentagon chapel

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 10:46am MDT

Less than 100 feet from where a hijacked airplane slammed into the Pentagon, Muslim military personnel bring prayer rugs on weekday afternoons for group worship.

House committee asks: 'How safe is seafood from the Gulf?'

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 8:10am MDT

If all goes as planned, the "bottom kill" operation to permanently plug the ruptured underwater well in the Gulf of Mexico should be completed by the week after Labor Day, Thad Allen, the government's point man for the oil disaster, told CNN Thursday.

The shot heard 'round our house

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 8:10am MDT

When I was a little boy, my dad and I would sit on the floor next to his old reel-to-reel tape deck, taking turns talking into it and playing our voices back -- the same reel-to-reel he unwittingly used to gain his 15 minutes of fame.

The lightning-rod life of Dr. Laura

Posted: August 19th, 2010, 8:06am MDT

Before she uttered the N-word, before her remarks on cheated-on wives, before the controversies over homosexuality and religion and morality, Laura Schlessinger was considered a breath of fresh air.