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Emergency ban extended on chemicals used in drugs that mimic pot

Posted: February 29th, 2012, 6:41pm MST

The Drug Enforcement Administration is extending for another six months its emergency ban on five chemicals used to make synthetic drugs such as Spice, the DEA announced on Wednesday.

Resort city of Branson hit hard by tornado

Posted: February 29th, 2012, 4:41pm MST

Officials in the resort city of Branson, Missouri, were relieved an EF-2 tornado, which damaged musical theaters and other businesses, did not strike two weeks later, when the prime tourist season begins.

Judge blocks anti-smoking images required on tobacco products

Fetched: February 29th, 2012, 4:30pm MST

A federal mandate requiring tobacco companies to place graphic images and words on their products warning of the dangers of smoking was tossed out Wednesday by a federal judge, as a violation of free speech.

9 dead in storm as threat moves east

Posted: February 29th, 2012, 1:44pm MST

A powerful storm system punched through the Midwest before daylight Wednesday, spawning tornadoes, killing at least 12 and leaving trails of destruction, including in the resort city of Branson, Missouri. At least 100 people were hurt.

Military widow gets free home

Posted: February 29th, 2012, 12:26pm MST

CNN Hero Dan Wallrath is ramping up his efforts to build mortgage-free homes for U.S. troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Leap day babies celebrated, but forgotten

Posted: February 29th, 2012, 9:30am MST

Sherri Riddle learned how to drive, cast her first vote, bought alcohol, graduated from high school, got married, and landed a job at a bank all before the age of 10.

5 things we learned from Tuesday's primaries

Posted: February 29th, 2012, 7:47am MST

What five things did we learn from Mitt Romney's victories in the Michigan and Arizona primaries?

Fighting sex trafficking in hotels

Posted: February 29th, 2012, 5:56am MST

Meet Kimberly Ritter, a meeting planner and anti-sex trafficking activist who can recognize the hotel rooms where children for sale work.

Key witness may testify in Rutgers cyberbullying trial

Posted: February 29th, 2012, 4:52am MST

The man with whom Tyler Clementi had a sexual encounter is expected to take the stand as early as Wednesday, as the trial of a former Rutgers University student accused of spying on Clementi continues.

School shooting 911 tapes detail fear

Posted: February 29th, 2012, 3:30am MST

This girl's sob-filled plea is one of the many captured on 911 tapes released by authorities investigating the school shooting at Chardon High School that left three dead , two wounded and a close-knit Ohio community reeling.

'Desperate Housewives' trial starts

Posted: February 29th, 2012, 12:50am MST

Actress Nicollette Sheridan is expected to testify Wednesday about her claim that her "Desperate Housewives" character was killed off because she complained about mistreatment by the TV show's creator.

Storm slashes through tiny Kansas town

Posted: February 29th, 2012, 12:29am MST

A storm system that produced a number of tornadoes in the Midwest was blamed for at least seven deaths in two states. At least three people were killed when a tornado touched down in Harrisburg, Illinois, early Wednesday. About 100 others were injured.

3 missing in U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crash

Posted: February 29th, 2012, 12:10am MST

Authorities were scouring the waters of Mobile Bay, Alabama, early Wednesday, looking for three people who went missing when a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crashed during a training mission.

New Orleans police arrest 17-year-old in Good Samaritan shooting

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 11:52pm MST

New Orleans police have arrested a 17-year-old in connection with the shooting of a Good Samaritan who died in front of his two sons while trying to stop a carjacking.

Alabama immigration law foes seek automakers' support

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 10:01pm MST

Groups seeking to repeal a controversial Alabama immigration law are asking the state's highly influential auto manufacturing industry to join their cause.

Student in Rutgers bullying trial: 'Sad' by aftermath

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 8:56pm MST

A second student charged in the case of a former Rutgers University student who allegedly used a webcam to spy on his roommate's sexual encounter with another man took the stand again on Tuesday, saying she felt "sad" and "overwhelmed" in the wake of the incident.

School shooting victims remembered

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 7:46pm MST

Domenick Iammarino remembers a grandson who loved computers and going down the ski slopes. Daniel Parmertor was one of three students killed in a Ohio school.

Maine senator will not seek re-election

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 6:08pm MST

Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine is retiring rather than seeking re-election this year, she said Tuesday.

Virginia man pleads no contest to killing girlfriend

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 3:44pm MST

A Virginia man pleaded no contest to capital murder on Tuesday in the death of his girlfriend and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, Roanoke County officials said.

Portion of 9/11 remains dumped in landfill, report says

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 1:20pm MST

A small portion of unidentified human remains from 9/11 was emptied into a landfill, the Defense Department reported on Tuesday.

Justices debate corporate responsibility for human rights abuses

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 12:44pm MST

Human rights groups met a somewhat skeptical Supreme Court on Tuesday as they presented arguments on whether foreign victims of torture and other crimes against humanity can sue corporations and other organizations in U.S. federal courts.

Wall Street greed fueling gas prices

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 9:49am MST

Sen. Bernie Sanders says forget about the laws of supply and demand: Wall Street oil speculation is behind rising gas prices.

Opinion: America, quit whining about gas

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 8:47am MST

Petrol prices might have breached the $4 per gallon mark in the US, says James Foxnall, but there won't be much sympathy for the American plight in the UK and elsewhere where the current average cost is £6.22 ($9.85).

Fishing way of life is threatened

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 5:31am MST

By daybreak, much of this town has already been at work for hours.

Many wonder why shooting happened

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 1:26am MST

Prosecutor David Joyce said Tuesday that 17-year-old T.J. Lane has admitted to taking a .22-caliber gun and a knife into Cardon High School on Monday morning and firing 10 rounds, choosing his victims randomly.

Fire, rain makes for bizarre Daytona 500

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 12:56am MST

For a sport where speed is king, NASCAR's Daytona 500 this year was one long waiting game.

Police injured in melee between pro-white group, protesters

Posted: February 28th, 2012, 12:20am MST

Two California officers were injured during a melee Monday in Sacramento between a pro-white group and counter-protesters, including members of the Occupy movement.

More than delegates at stake in Arizona, Michigan primaries

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 11:45pm MST

In an election cycle that's seen more than its fair share of ups and downs, crucial primaries Tuesday in Arizona and especially Michigan could add a lot more drama to the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

Famed children's book co-author Jan Berenstain Dies

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 8:55pm MST

"The Berenstain Bears'" co-creator Jan Berenstain has died at the age of 88, according to a Facebook page dedicated to the furry characters Berenstain and her husband created.

Bodies of slain U.S. officers return home

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 7:40pm MST

Troops in white gloves and camouflage carried a pair of flag-draped caskets off an Air Force transport Monday as the bodies of two senior U.S. military officers killed inside Afghanistan's interior ministry arrived home.

Many questions in Ohio school shooting

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 6:25pm MST

Sorrow and disbelief replaced the chaos of Monday's fatal school shooting in Chardon, Ohio, as investigators tried to sort out what prompted a young man to open fire on students.

Swift to take student to show

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 6:13pm MST

Expressing apologies that she can't accompany him to prom on his birthday, country music beauty Taylor Swift on Friday asked an 18-year-old student with cancer to be her date to the Academy of Country Music Awards in April.

Death of 10-year-old involved in school fight declared a homicide

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 5:57pm MST

Officials have ruled the death of a 10-year-old girl who got into a fight last week to be a homicide, authorities said Monday.

'Gordon Gekko:' Greed is bad

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 4:39pm MST

The FBI Monday unveiled a videotaped message from the actor who played the infamous fictional insider trader Gordon Gekko to help bolster a wide-ranging attack on financial crimes.

Napolitano: Mexican drug war 'not a failure'

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 4:10pm MST

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said Monday that the war on drugs in Mexico "is not a failure."

High court again stays out of big fish dispute

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 12:20pm MST

The Supreme Court for a third time has turned aside an urgent appeal from Great Lake states to close Chicago-area shipping channels so invasive Asian carp won't have a doorway into the world's largest freshwater ecosystem.

Judge rejects dismissal in child sex cover-up case against cleric

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 11:53am MST

A judge on Monday rejected a motion to dismiss charges against a Philadelphia archdiocese official accused of covering up evidence of suspected sexual abuse of children.

Obama chides governors for education cuts

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 11:03am MST

President Barack Obama told U.S. governors attending a luncheon Monday that they are cutting too much funding for education and need to make reforms while continuing to invest in the future of America's students.

Romney, Santorum face Michigan showdown

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 10:35am MST

Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum on made their final push Monday for votes in this week's Republican presidential primaries in Arizona and Michigan, as new polls indicated the GOP race remains close and volatile.

Washout at Daytona 500

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 6:26am MST

For the first time since its inaugural race in 1959, drivers competing in the Daytona 500 will begin burning rubber at night -- and on a Monday.

'The Artist' takes top Oscar honors

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 5:08am MST

The silent, black-and-white film "The Artist" took top honors at the Academy Awards on Sunday night, garnering five Oscars for best picture, best directing, best costume design, best original music score and best actor.

North Korea: Ready to go to war with U.S., South Korea

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 4:02am MST

North Korea said it's ready to fight a war with the United States and South Korea, as the two allies kicked off their annual joint military drills Monday, according to state-run media.

Stratfor: E-mails leaked by WikiLeaks may be altered, forged

Posted: February 27th, 2012, 12:34am MST

The private intelligence firm Stratfor called the release of 5 million of its e-mails by WikiLeaks a "deplorable, unfortunate and illegal breach of privacy."

Last missing U.S. soldier in Iraq ID'd

Posted: February 26th, 2012, 9:55pm MST

The U.S. Army said Sunday it has identified the remains of the last missing U.S. service member unaccounted for in Iraq.

WikiLeaks begins disclosing Strafor e-mails

Posted: February 26th, 2012, 7:48pm MST

The website WikiLeaks has begun releasing what it says are 5 million e-mails from the private intelligence company Stratfor, starting with a company "glossary" that features unflattering descriptions of U.S. government agencies.

3 killed in train derailment in Canada

Posted: February 26th, 2012, 5:30pm MST

At least three people were killed Sunday when a passenger train derailed near Toronto, Canadian officials said.

Romney, Santorum in final push to Tuesday primaries

Posted: February 26th, 2012, 2:39pm MST

Less than 48 hours before primaries in Arizona and Michigan, Mitt Romney received a key endorsement from Arizona's governor Sunday while his current main challenger, Rick Santorum, appeared to downplay his own chances of winning in the Grand Canyon State.

Federal-state lawsuit accuses company of foreclosure rescue scam

Posted: February 26th, 2012, 2:24pm MST

Bella Homes LLC, a real estate investment company, and its principals are being sued by the federal government and the state of Colorado for allegedly preying on homeowners in foreclosure.

$5 gas, 50-cent postage stamps?

Posted: February 26th, 2012, 7:33am MST

Remember those carefree days when a gallon of gas was only $5? And when you could cheerfully mail a letter for the rock-bottom price of 50 cents?

Atheists can learn from religion

Posted: February 26th, 2012, 5:14am MST

Alain de Botton says you don't have to believe in religion to recognize the value of the consolation, education and spirituality it offers.

Ben & Jerry's drops fortune cookies from 'Lin-Sanity'

Posted: February 25th, 2012, 7:38pm MST

Ben & Jerry's has apologized for putting fortune cookies in pints of its "Taste the Lin-Sanity" ice cream sold at its Harvard Square, Massachusetts, location in honor of basketball sensation Jeremy Lin.

Third suspect to be extradited in videotaped beating of gay man

Posted: February 25th, 2012, 7:35pm MST

A third suspect in the videotaped beating of a gay Atlanta man could be extradited to Georgia early next week from Pennsylvania, where he has surrendered himself to authorities, officials said Saturday.

Romney, Santorum flaunt conservative credentials in Michigan

Posted: February 25th, 2012, 5:43pm MST

Top GOP rivals Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum campaigned in Michigan on Saturday, blasting each others' backgrounds and burnishing their own conservative credentials.

From homeless to world champion

Posted: February 25th, 2012, 3:24pm MST

Most people don't go through life without hitting a few bumps along the way. For Lamont Peterson, that's putting it mildly.

2 American servicemen killed in Afghanistan

Posted: February 25th, 2012, 2:44pm MST

At least two Americans were killed inside the interior ministry in Kabul, a senior Afghan police official said Saturday.

Kennedy charged in clash with nurses

Posted: February 25th, 2012, 11:52am MST

Robert F. Kennedy's son, Douglas, faces misdemeanor charges over an incident at a New York hospital last month in which he knocked down a nurse while holding his newborn son, attorneys for both sides say.

Medicare covers yoga for heart disease

Posted: February 25th, 2012, 10:06am MST

Frank Korona lives near the West Virginia-Pennsylvania border with his wife Kathy, in a house that he built with his own hands, on the same property where he grew up.

Why 'Downton Abbey' is a hit in U.S.

Posted: February 25th, 2012, 8:41am MST

Nicolaus Mills says the show succeeded because it displayed compassion by the rich for the poor

7 firefighters injured after 'fire ball' in Maryland house

Posted: February 25th, 2012, 12:47am MST

Seven firefighters were hospitalized after a house fire in Riverdale, Maryland, authorities said.

NY attorney general won't probe alleged surveillance of Muslims

Posted: February 24th, 2012, 8:35pm MST

While New York police officials defended their actions, Muslim advocacy groups Friday expressed disappointment that the state's attorney general declined to investigate the department over alleged surveillance of Muslim neighborhoods.

Twitching mystery patients show signs of recovery

Posted: February 24th, 2012, 7:57pm MST

Doctors for several New Yorkers suffering from a mystery disorder that led them to develop tic-like symptoms say many are improving.

Attorneys: Cardinal ordered memo on priests destroyed

Posted: February 24th, 2012, 7:10pm MST

A Philadelphia archdiocese official on trial for allegedly covering up the sexual abuse of children has asked a court to throw out charges against him based on a 1994 memo showing Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua ordered a list of suspected abusive Catholic priests to be destroyed.

Conrad Murray loses request to be released on bond

Posted: February 24th, 2012, 5:56pm MST

Dr. Conrad Murray, convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of pop superstar Michael Jackson, was denied bail Friday pending his appeal and ordered to continue serving his four-year sentence, a California judge ruled.

Carville: GOP adults want 'children' to behave themselves

Posted: February 24th, 2012, 5:13pm MST

Democratic strategist James Carville says the Republican elders aren't convinced any of the remaining candidates can lead them to victory

NASCAR feeling Patrick's impact, even before her biggest race

Posted: February 24th, 2012, 5:01pm MST

It's easy to find Danica Patrick at Daytona International Speedway. Just look for the pack of photographers, the whirring of their cameras capturing the every move of NASCAR's newest star.

Braun blasts 'fatally flawed' baseball drug testing system

Posted: February 24th, 2012, 1:17pm MST

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun blasted Major League Baseball's drug testing system Friday, one day after an arbitration board tossed out a 50-game suspension imposed as the result of drug tests conducted last year.

Backcountry skiing: Beauty and fear

Posted: February 24th, 2012, 11:59am MST

A liquid silence covers the snow-covered Colorado backcountry in February.

Trial gets under way for Rutgers student accused of bullying

Posted: February 24th, 2012, 9:49am MST

A former Rutgers University student went on trial Friday in New Jersey on hate crimes charges and other counts for allegedly using a webcam to spy on his roommate's sexual encounter with another man.

Ex-NBA player drug addiction fight

Posted: February 24th, 2012, 7:09am MST

A decade ago, you could find Chris Herren outside Boston's Fleet Center waiting for his dealer while his teammates warmed up for the game. Today, Herren is clean and he's helping others get the help they need to overcome their drug addictions.

Feds may also be joining Sandusky investigation

Posted: February 24th, 2012, 3:30am MST

Federal authorities may be conducting their own investigation involving Penn State and the sexual abuse allegations against former coach Jerry Sandusky.

Trial begins for Rutgers student accused in cyber-bullying case

Posted: February 24th, 2012, 3:28am MST

Opening statements are scheduled for Friday in the case of a former Rutgers University student who allegedly used a web cam to stream footage of his roommate's sexual encounter with another man.

Baseball arbitrators overturn Braun suspension

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 8:16pm MST

A baseball arbitration board has thrown out the 50-game suspension handed down to Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun after the 2011 National League MVP challenged the results of a December drug test.

Maryland Senate approves same-sex marriage bill

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 6:37pm MST

The Maryland Senate voted Thursday evening to legalize same-sex marriage, the latest sign of growing national recognition of such unions among gay and lesbian couples.

John Edwards' sex tape to be destroyed after settlement reached

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 6:28pm MST

A former aide and a former mistress of one-time presidential candidate John Edwards have settled a civil lawsuit between them that, among other measures, mandates the imminent destruction of sex tapes featuring Edwards and the woman.

New Hampshire trial revisits trauma of Rwanda genocide

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 4:59pm MST

A teary-eyed Rwandan emigrant entered a federal courtroom in New Hampshire on Thursday, marking the first day of a trial with roots in a genocide that left some 800,000 people dead.

Seven states sue government over contraceptives mandate

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 2:49pm MST

Seven states filed a lawsuit Thursday against the federal government requirement that religious employers offer health insurance coverage that includes contraceptives and other birth control services.

Case dismissed against man charged in death of newlywed wife

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 2:48pm MST

An Alabama judge on Thursday abruptly dismissed the murder case against a man accused in the sudden scuba-diving death of his newlywed wife off Australia's coast, a judicial official said.

Newark mayor urges probe into NYPD spying program

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 11:14am MST

The mayor of Newark has called for an investigation into a far-reaching New York Police Department surveillance program that was allegedly conducted in the New Jersey city's Muslim's neighborhoods.

Alabama stepmom charged with murder has baby

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 10:46am MST

An Alabama woman charged with murdering her 9-year-old stepdaughter has given birth, reports said Thursday. Jessica Mae Hardin, 27 and Joyce Hardin Garrard, 46, are charged with murdering Savannah Hardin by forcing her to run around her family's house for three hours as punishment for lying about taking a candy bar.

GOP contenders hit the road

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 10:31am MST

The morning after what may be their final debate, the four remaining Republican presidential candidates set their plans Thursday for a nearly two-week sprint across America that could determine who earns the right to square off against President Barack Obama this fall.

CNN vet's ringside seat to history

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 8:43am MST

Copy editor Randy Harber, retiring after 32 years, says CNN quickly overcame doubts about the need for a 24-hour news channel

Midair helicopter crash kills 7 Marines

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 7:14am MST

Seven U.S. Marines were killed in the midair collision of two U.S. military helicopters along the Arizona-California border, officials said Thursday. The crash occurred during routine training operations Wednesday night, the Marine Corps said in a statement.

Obama to talk energy and gas prices at Miami speech

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 4:16am MST

President Barack Obama said Thursday his Republican critics promising immediate lower gas prices are either uninformed or dishonest, and he pledged in a speech to University of Miami students to continue pushing for alternative energy sources.

Arraignment set in Bradley Manning's WikiLeaks case

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 3:30am MST

An arraignment is scheduled Thursday for Pfc. Bradley E. Manning, who is suspected of leaking secret documents to the WikiLeaks website and is the subject of a court martial.

5 things we learned from Arizona debate

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 1:14am MST

The four GOP presidential candidates had one last chance to state their case in front of the nation before Tuesday's primaries in Arizona and Michigan. Did one candidate stand out from the rest? Here are five things we learned from the CNN Arizona Republican Presidential Debate.

Jury recommends 26 years in prison for lacrosse player

Posted: February 23rd, 2012, 12:26am MST

A judge is considering a jury recommendation that a former University of Virginia lacrosse player be sentenced up to 26 years in prison for his role in the death of his ex-girlfriend.

2 people shot at Connecticut hospital

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 11:32pm MST

An employee at a Connecticut hospital shot and wounded two of his supervisors after a disciplinary incident, authorities said.

Obama signs payroll tax agreement into law

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 8:39pm MST

President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed into law the agreement passed by Congress last week to extend the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits while preventing a cut in payments to Medicare doctors.

Terror detainee who once lived in U.S. reaches plea deal

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 8:27pm MST

Majid Khan, a high-value terror suspect held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has reached a plea agreement with military prosecutors in which he would plead guilty and agree to testify against other detainees in return for a reduced sentence, according to a source familiar with the case.

Arrests made in death of third-grader

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 5:27pm MST

The grandmother and stepmother of a 9-year-old Alabama girl who died Monday after allegedly being ordered to run around her family's house -- for hours -- as punishment for lying about taking a candy bar have been charged with murder.

National Cathedral earthquake repairs to top $20 million

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 5:22pm MST

While stone carvers chisel new pieces to repair damage inflicted on the Washington National Cathedral by an earthquake last August, fundraisers say the cathedral's restoration fund is $18 million short of the repair cost.

Opinion: Addiction is not hopeless

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 1:01pm MST

Adam Brooks says that while there is no cure for this chronic illness that affects the brain, it can be managed and recovery is possible.

Remains linked to death row inmate identified

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 11:12am MST

The remains of two bodies recovered last week based on maps provided by a California death row inmate have been identified through DNA testing as those of two women, Chevelle Wheeler and Cyndi Vanderheiden, investigators said Wednesday.

Smithsonian breaking ground on black history museum

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 8:26am MST

The Smithsonian Institution will officially begin construction Wednesday on a new museum dedicated to African American culture and heritage -- a complex committed to the celebration and study one of the central components of the American story.

Jury deliberation to start in lacrosse player's murder trial

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 8:01am MST

Jury deliberations are expected to begin Wednesday in the trial of a former University of Virginia lacrosse player accused of fatally beating his ex-girlfriend.

Indiana lawmaker: Girl Scouts promote homosexuality

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 1:35am MST

An Indiana lawmaker who opposes celebrating the centennial anniversary of the Girl Scouts of America says the group "sexualizes" young girls, promotes homosexuality and is a tactical arm of Planned Parenthood.

Rwanda immigrant faces post-genocide fraud charges in U.S.

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 12:42am MST

A 42-year-old immigrant from Rwanda, who is accused of lying her way into the United States after allegedly participating in the 1994 genocide that left up to 800,000 people dead, goes on trial Wednesday in a New Hampshire federal court.

Lohan's probation nears end

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 12:39am MST

Lindsay Lohan's probation should end next month, clearing the way for the actress to revive her acting career possibly playing Elizabeth Taylor in a made-for-TV movie.

Sugarland's lawyers: It's the fans' fault

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 12:39am MST

Attorneys for country duo Sugarland say concertgoers' injuries from a deadly stage collapse last year at an Indiana State Fair were "their own fault" and they "failed to exercise due care for their own safety," according to court documents.

Mother visits American condemned to die in Iran

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 12:21am MST

The mother of Amir Hekmati, an American sentenced to death in Iran for espionage, visited her son last month, sources close to the family said.

Man charged in foiled U.S. Capitol bombing case to appear in court

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 12:17am MST

A 29-year-old Moroccan man accused of attempting to bomb the U.S. Capitol building is scheduled to be at a court hearing Wednesday in Virginia.

5 die in possible murder-suicide at Georgia spa

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 12:12am MST

Five people were killed in a suburban Atlanta spa Tuesday night in a shooting that police said appeared to be a murder-suicide.

Lots at stake in first GOP debate in nearly a month

Posted: February 22nd, 2012, 12:01am MST

Twenty-seven days. That's how long it has been between the 19th and 20th Republican presidential debates.

Avalanche kills snowmobiler in Montana

Posted: February 21st, 2012, 9:25pm MST

A northwest Montana avalanche apparently triggered by a snowmobiler left him dead while a companion was able to escape, authorities said Tuesday.

New York's Bloomberg defends city surveillance of Muslims

Posted: February 21st, 2012, 8:42pm MST

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday fired back at the president of Yale University and others who have suggested city police went too far in their surveillance of Muslims.

Mayor: Bullet that struck El Paso woman possibly came from Juarez

Posted: February 21st, 2012, 6:51pm MST

A bullet thought to have been from a shootout between carjackers and municipal police in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, struck a woman walking in neighboring El Paso, Texas, Tuesday morning, El Paso's mayor told CNN.

NRC releases inside look at U.S. response to Japan nuclear disaster

Posted: February 21st, 2012, 6:26pm MST

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission released Tuesday about 3,000 pages of transcripts of conversations recorded in its operations center after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, conversations that underscore the difficulty the agency had in responding to the nuclear crisis that was unfolding halfway around the world.

Passer-by spotted emaciated Wis. girl; relatives charged

Posted: February 21st, 2012, 5:22pm MST

A Wisconsin man who stumbled across and alerted authorities to a young girl investigators say was kept in a basement, starved and sexually abused, said Tuesday she looked much younger than her 15 years -- "like she just came from Auschwitz."

In Depth: Fighting addiction

Posted: February 21st, 2012, 8:04am MST

To watch Whitney Houston's powerful "going home" service on Saturday was to be reminded that she was a one of a kind talent, with a divine instrument that even in death soared above all the other famous voices that gathered at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, to celebrate her. But sadly, Houston was a dime a dozen in another aspect of her life: her dependence on drugs and alcohol.

Arraignment set for California teacher accused of 'bondage'

Posted: February 21st, 2012, 1:07am MST

A former southern California schoolteacher entered a not guilty plea Tuesday to allegations he bound young students, then photographed them with semen-filled spoons held at their mouths and three-inch cockroaches crawling across their faces, among other graphic depictions.

1 dead, 4 hurt when vehicle smashes into Maryland restaurant

Posted: February 20th, 2012, 6:27pm MST

A customer inside a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Landover, Maryland, was killed Monday night after a vehicle left the road and drove through the large glass windows of the business, a fire official told CNN.

Teacher accused of staging 'bondage' photos to be arraigned

Posted: February 20th, 2012, 6:27pm MST

A former southern California schoolteacher is set to be arraigned Tuesday amid allegations he bound young students, then photographed them with semen-filled spoons and three-inch cockroaches crawling across their faces, among other graphic depictions.

Suspect arrested in machete robbery of Supreme Court justice

Posted: February 20th, 2012, 4:24pm MST

Police on the Caribbean island of Nevis said Monday they have a suspect in custody in the recent armed robbery of vacationing Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.

3 experienced skiers die in Washington avalanche

Posted: February 20th, 2012, 2:09pm MST

The close-knit community of backcountry skiing was in mourning Monday, a day after an avalanche in Washington state killed a prominent judge in the extreme sport plus two other experienced skiers.

Deliveryman predicted Jeremy Lin's fame

Posted: February 20th, 2012, 10:46am MST

Far from the glamour of Madison Square Garden, aboard a delivery truck in a small Oregon town, sits the one man who saw Jeremy Lin coming.

Store owner saves 2 from house fire

Posted: February 20th, 2012, 8:48am MST

A convenience store owner in Waltham, Massachusetts, leapt into action Saturday when he saw flames engulf a home across the street.

Lucky to be alive: 2 survive midair collision

Posted: February 20th, 2012, 6:52am MST

A helicopter and a small plane collided over northern California Sunday evening, authorities reported. There were no serious injuries.

'Colbert Report' to resume production

Posted: February 19th, 2012, 7:33pm MST

After an unexplained absence, "The Colbert Report" is expected to resume production on Monday, a spokeswoman for Stephen Colbert said.

3 dead in Washington avalanche

Posted: February 19th, 2012, 5:59pm MST

Three people were killed Sunday in an avalanche at a ski resort in Washington state, a spokeswoman for the King County Sheriff's Office said.

Virginia's "personhood" bill is latest front in the culture war

Posted: February 19th, 2012, 2:24pm MST

In the Virginia House of Delegates, Republican Robert Marshall is a longtime abortion opponent who has tried repeatedly to pass legislation in his state that would give rights to the unborn.

Missing teen mom, child found dead in Cleveland

Posted: February 19th, 2012, 11:53am MST

A teenage mother and her young daughter, snatched off a Cleveland street, were found shot to death in a garage early Sunday, Cleveland, Ohio, police said.

Lindsay Lohan to host SNL

Posted: February 19th, 2012, 11:36am MST

Lindsay Lohan's career, interrupted by frequent trips to court, jail and rehab, may be entering a brighter phase as the actress hosts "Saturday Night Live" and her probation restrictions end next month.

ESPN fires writer of offensive headline about Jeremy Lin

Posted: February 19th, 2012, 10:29am MST

ESPN has fired the employee responsible for writing an offensive headline about basketball sensation Jeremy Lin and suspended an anchor who used the same ethnic slur, the sports network said Sunday.

John Glenn's true hero

Posted: February 19th, 2012, 7:29am MST

For half a century, the world has applauded John Glenn as a heart-stirring American hero. But for all these years, Glenn has had a hero of his own: Annie Glenn.

Elizabeth Smart ties the knot in Hawaii

Posted: February 19th, 2012, 2:15am MST

Elizabeth Smart, the Utah woman abducted as a teenager and held captive for months, tied the knot at a private ceremony in Hawaii over the weekend.

Whitney Houston laid to rest on Sunday

Posted: February 19th, 2012, 1:28am MST

Whitney Houston's private burial will be in sharp contrast to the emotionally charged, star-studded memorial service held on Saturday.

Va. lacrosse player had no 'intent to kill,' defense attorney says

Posted: February 18th, 2012, 9:28pm MST

A former University of Virginia lacrosse player accused of fatally beating his ex-girlfriend contributed to her death, but did not kill her and had no intent to do so, his attorney argued Saturday.

Authorities search for missing 1-year-old and her mother in Ohio

Posted: February 18th, 2012, 8:54pm MST

Police in Cleveland, Ohio, issued an Amber Alert on Saturday for a 1-year-old girl who authorities say was snatched off the street along with her 19-year-old mother while on a walk.

Human remains found on Long Island, N.Y.

Posted: February 18th, 2012, 4:54pm MST

Human skeletal remains have been found on Long Island, New York, authorities said Saturday. The same police department has been involved in the discovery of at least 10 other sets of human remains about 40 miles from the latest site.

ESPN apologizes for headline on Jeremy Lin

Posted: February 18th, 2012, 12:22pm MST

ESPN apologized Saturday for an offensive headline about New York Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin that appeared on its mobile website after the team's season-high, seven-game winning streak came to an end.

At Whitney Houston's funeral, faith more than fame

Posted: February 18th, 2012, 12:32am MST

A close friend of Whitney Houston's family may have said it best: They would have loved her, even if she couldn't sing.

It's time to eliminate the penny

Posted: February 17th, 2012, 6:43pm MST

If you've ever looked closely at a newly minted penny, you've probably been struck by its sheer beauty. Abraham Lincoln's bearded, chiseled, copper face shines forth beneath the proclamation of "In God We Trust" and beside the quintessential American motto, "Liberty."

TSA find of the week: spear gun

Posted: February 17th, 2012, 6:27pm MST

Scuba divers, take note: Please leave your spear guns at home, or place them in your checked luggage. But do not try to bring them on a plane.

N.J. governor vetoes same-sex marriage bill

Posted: February 17th, 2012, 6:01pm MST

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Friday vetoed a bill that would allow same-sex couples to wed, setting up a confrontation with a Democrat-controlled legislature that has vowed to eventually get the bill into law.

Police make 2nd arrest in videotaped beating of gay man

Posted: February 17th, 2012, 3:34pm MST

The second of three suspects in the videotaped beating of a gay man has been arrested, Atlanta police said Friday.

Obama administration asks for delay in fight over contraception

Posted: February 17th, 2012, 3:14pm MST

An ongoing political dispute over the Obama administration's new mandate on contraceptive coverage has reached the federal courts, with the Justice Department on Friday urging judges to stay out of the controversy until a compromise can be worked out.

Alleged plot on U.S. Capitol foiled, source says

Posted: February 17th, 2012, 11:53am MST

Investigators in Washington arrested a Moroccan man Friday who had what he thought was a vest with explosives, intending to launch a suicide attack on the U.S. Capitol, a federal law-enforcement official said.

Mexico's president to U.S.: 'No more weapons'

Posted: February 17th, 2012, 11:06am MST

Mexico's president called on U.S. officials to stop gun trafficking across the border Thursday, saying the move would be the best thing Americans could do to stop brutal drug violence.

Houston probe focuses on prescriptions, behavior

Posted: February 17th, 2012, 8:06am MST

Investigators looking into the death of singer Whitney Houston are contacting doctors and pharmacies across the country for information on her prescription drug use, trying to determine whether it played a role in her death last week at the age of 48.

The return of ego-free basketball

Posted: February 17th, 2012, 8:05am MST

There was time, a generation ago, when it was hardly insanity -- or, to use the operative word here, Linsanity -- for the NBA team in this city to play an unselfish style of basketball.

Barge collision spills oil into the Mississippi

Posted: February 17th, 2012, 7:01am MST

A barge collision near New Orleans spilled oil into the Mississippi River Friday prompting authorities to close a five-mile stretch of the waterway.

Fear over Fukushima-like nuke plant

Posted: February 17th, 2012, 6:41am MST

As the U.S. prepares to build its first new nuclear power reactors in three decades, concerns about an early generation of plants have resurfaced since last year's disaster in Japan.

New York Times reporter dies in Syria

Posted: February 17th, 2012, 6:25am MST

Anthony Shadid, who won two Pulitzer Prizes for his reporting from Iraq, died Thursday while reporting in eastern Syria, apparently of an asthma attack, The New York Times said.

Chinese vice president to wrap up American visit in LA

Posted: February 17th, 2012, 3:49am MST

Xi Jinping, China's presumptive leader, is due to wrap up his five-day visit to the United States on Friday, meeting with U.S. governors and maybe even squeezing in a basketball game.

Suspected drunk pilot kept off Omaha flight

Posted: February 16th, 2012, 5:10pm MST

A Chautauqua Airlines pilot was kept off a flight in Omaha, Nebraska, Thursday morning after he failed a blood-alcohol test, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration said.

NORAD intercepts plane in president's airspace

Posted: February 16th, 2012, 5:04pm MST

Two fighter jets under the direction of the the North American Aerospace Defense Command intercepted a general aviation plane that had flown Thursday into temporarily restricted airspace over Los Angeles, NORAD said.

Steel beams fall 40 stories at WTC site

Posted: February 16th, 2012, 4:53pm MST

Three 60-foot steel beams fell 40 stories at the World Trade Center construction site Thursday after a crane cable snapped.

TSA claims to focus on security, not your good looks

Posted: February 16th, 2012, 4:48pm MST

Ellen Ferrell thinks that three turns through a body scanner, coupled with comments about her "cute figure," aren¹t necessary for security at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport. Women are complaining the Transportation Security Administration officials are conducting extra security searches at the airport, a CNN affiliate reports.

Hearing set for 2nd teacher accused in L.A. child abuse scandal

Posted: February 16th, 2012, 3:44pm MST

A preliminary hearing for Martin Springer, the second Los Angeles teacher charged with lewd conduct with a child, was set Thursday for April 16.

Wisconsin girl kept in basement and starved, police say

Posted: February 16th, 2012, 3:12pm MST

A 15-year-old girl was kept in a basement and starved by her family before being found last week, say police in Madison, Wisconsin.

Bringing 'normal' to sick kids

Posted: February 16th, 2012, 3:00pm MST

Battling a life-threatening disease is tough at any age, but it can be especially difficult for young children who have to be kept in isolation.

Don't scratch your life away

Posted: February 16th, 2012, 2:58pm MST

Jennifer Hauser, who won a $1million lottery ticket after winning $100,000 last year, says people should have faith and work hard.

Feds propose built-in limits on driving distractions

Posted: February 16th, 2012, 11:11am MST

For the first time, the federal government is proposing recommendations that would encourage car manufacturers to limit the distraction risk for in-vehicle electronic devices, the Department of Transportation announced Thursday.

Is cargo safe on your plane?

Posted: February 16th, 2012, 9:28am MST

The call came into the London Metropolitan Police bomb squad in the early hours of the morning. Isolated at the East Midlands airport in central England was a UPS package dispatched from Yemen, containing a laser printer that Saudi intelligence believed had been converted into a bomb.

Study: Interracial marriage, acceptance growing

Posted: February 16th, 2012, 5:13am MST

Forty-five years after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized interracial marriage in the United States, the rate of marriage across racial and ethnic lines is on the rise, according to a new study released Thursday.

NBA's "Linsanity" offers marketing promise

Posted: February 16th, 2012, 3:24am MST

Jeremy Lin, the 23-year-old point guard of Taiwanese descent who has come out of nowhere to guide the New York Knicks to six straight wins, has left many wondering if he can also help his team gain ground among Asian consumers.

Source: Houston seen drinking heavily

Posted: February 16th, 2012, 2:36am MST

Preparations were under way Thursday for the private, invitation-only funeral of pop superstar Whitney Houston at the New Jersey church where she sang as a child.

U.S. officials tell Jewish groups to be vigilant because of Iran tensions

Posted: February 15th, 2012, 3:05pm MST

With tensions between Iran and the West running high, law enforcement officials are concerned Iran or its surrogates could mount attacks against Jewish targets inside the United States -- but there is no specific information that any plots are in the works, according to an intelligence bulletin obtained by CNN.

Notables to attend Whitney's funeral

Posted: February 15th, 2012, 2:55pm MST

Singer Whitney Houston's funeral Saturday will be in a much smaller, more intimate setting than the concert halls and arenas she packed during her heyday.

Apple: Apps need 'explicit approval' before collecting user contacts

Posted: February 15th, 2012, 2:50pm MST

Apple on Wednesday said it will start requiring mobile apps to get explicit permission from iPhone and iPad owners before the apps collect and store information about users' personal contacts.

China's presumed heir apparent makes nostalgic trip to Iowa

Posted: February 15th, 2012, 11:58am MST

When the man destined to become China's next leader enters a circa 1866 Victorian house in Muscatine, Iowa, on Wednesday, things will feel familiar. It was here in the town's historic district that Xi Jinping first feasted on Iowa beef and corn during a visit more than two decades ago.

Pentagon eyeing future cuts to nuclear arsenal

Posted: February 15th, 2012, 11:48am MST

Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee Wednesday expressed dismay at the Obama administration's consideration of a major reduction in America's nuclear arsenal.

Authorities probing Houston's prescriptions

Posted: February 15th, 2012, 10:38am MST

Authorities are trying to determine the source of pop superstar Whitney Houston's prescription medication found in the hotel room where she died, officials said.

'Linsanity' leads Knicks to another win

Posted: February 15th, 2012, 5:42am MST

"Linsanity" reached fever pitch late Tuesday after the NBA's man of the moment, Jeremy Lin, secured a dramatic last-gasp win for the New York Knicks.

Obese kids outgrowing child sizes

Posted: February 15th, 2012, 5:30am MST

As children are getting bigger, their clothing, their furniture and other objects that support their weight must also expand.

Authorities: Bone fragments, remains found in well

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 11:29pm MST

A California death row inmate has provided maps that led to the remains of two bodies and an abandoned rural well that has yielded 1,000 pieces and fragments of bone, authorities said.

FCC set to impose new limits on robocalls

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 10:11pm MST

The Federal Communications Commission is expected to approve rules Wednesday further limiting "robocalls" from telemarketers.

Pop diva's death hits New Jersey hard

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 8:32pm MST

Many in northern New Jersey are in mourning following the sudden death of singer Whitney Houston, whom they've long considered one of their own.

Any forgiveness for Chris Brown?

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 7:15pm MST

It started for Sarah when she saw that singer Chris Brown was trending on Twitter Sunday night and decided to make a tongue-in-cheek joke.

Sandusky case costing Penn State nearly $3.2 million, university says

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 6:51pm MST

Pennsylvania's flagship university says it has run up nearly $3.2 million in combined legal, consultant, and public relation fees pertaining to the investigation of charges against former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.

NRC: Michigan nuclear plant cited for safety violations

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 6:32pm MST

A nuclear power plant in Covert, Michigan, has been cited for three safety violations, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, joining two other U.S. nuclear plants in getting extra scrutiny from inspectors.

Apple 'determined' to improve conditions at plants in China

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 4:44pm MST

Apple CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday said that the world's most valuable tech company is doing everything it can to address growing concerns over working conditions at its Chinese manufacturing plants.

China's heir apparent makes a nostalgic trip to Muscatine, Iowa

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 3:53pm MST

China's heir apparent is returning to Iowa to visit people who hosted him during a 1985 agricultural trip.

Federal agencies recover $4 billion in health care fraud losses

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 1:39pm MST

The federal government recovered almost $4.1 billion stolen in health care fraud schemes during fiscal year 2011, Obama administration officials announced Tuesday. The figure is up 58 percent from 2009.

Joint chiefs chair: Chinese hacking not necessarily a hostile act

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 12:07pm MST

The U.S. top military officer said that, should China's military be found to be behind hacks into the U.S. infrastructure, it would not necessarily be a hostile act.

Child at center of high court fight over custody gets closure

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 11:18am MST

He was known only as A.J.A.-- a little boy at the center of a international custody fight that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The near decade-long dispute has now come to an end, not because of any judicial action, but simply because of time.

Delilah: 'Queen of Love Songs'

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 8:03am MST

Meet the Queen of Sappy Love Songs

Houston's family prepares for funeral

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 7:53am MST

The funeral for pop superstar Whitney Houston will be held Saturday at her childhood New Jersey church, according to the owner of the funeral home handling the arrangements.

Mayweather: 'Lin hype is based on race'

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 7:38am MST

Jeremy Lin has taken the basketball world by storm, but boxing star Floyd Mayweather Jr. claims the hype surrounding NBA sensation is based on his ethnic background rather than his talent.

The science of kissing

Posted: February 14th, 2012, 7:16am MST

Sheril Kirshenbaum says a kiss is a test for a relationship -- setting off chemical signals about whether to proceed or pull back

JFK library opens 1st batch of Jackie's papers

Posted: February 13th, 2012, 6:55pm MST

Dinner invitations, decorating notes and a congratulatory telegram were among the first batch of personal papers from former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis released Monday.

Administration proposes increase in transportation spending

Posted: February 13th, 2012, 3:44pm MST

President Barack Obama wants to raise the Department of Transportation budget by 2 percent next year.

5.5-magnitude earthquake rattles Northern California

Posted: February 13th, 2012, 2:37pm MST

A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck Northern California on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

Bus company, driver sued in FAMU hazing death

Posted: February 13th, 2012, 2:30pm MST

A lawsuit filed by the family of Robert Champion, the Florida A&M University band member allegedly beaten to death in a hazing ritual, accused the bus company involved in the deadly assault and the bus driver of negligence, their attorney said Monday.

President Obama unveils $3.8 trillion budget

Posted: February 13th, 2012, 11:19am MST

When President Barack Obama rolls out his 2013 budget proposal Monday, it's likely to unleash another round of political finger-pointing on Capitol Hill.

Judge: Sandusky can see his grandchildren

Posted: February 13th, 2012, 10:03am MST

A Pennsylvania judge has ruled that the former Penn State assistant football coach currently awaiting trial on child sex assault charges can visit with some of his grandchildren

'Upbeat and joyful' before death

Posted: February 13th, 2012, 8:10am MST

A singer who participated in an impromptu duet with Whitney Houston at a party two days before Houston's death said Monday she noticed nothing amiss and the superstar was "upbeat and joyful."

Grammys salute late icon

Posted: February 13th, 2012, 4:50am MST

One more time, Whitney Houston brought a crowd to its feet.

Glenn Campbell talks about Grammys, living with Alzheimer's

Posted: February 12th, 2012, 3:17pm MST

Last June, Glen Campbell stunned fans when he revealed in a press release that he was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. It was not an easy decision to go public with his private struggle, but his family felt it was a decision that needed to be made.

European crude drives up U.S. gas prices

Posted: February 12th, 2012, 2:13pm MST

A sharp increase in the price of North Sea oil helped drive U.S. gasoline prices up about 12 cents a gallon since late January, according to a new nationwide survey.

Are cigarette makers right this time?

Posted: February 12th, 2012, 7:15am MST

Bob Greene says cigarette makers fighting a mandate to show graphic warnings on packs have a compelling First Amendment argument.

Music legend dead at 48

Posted: February 12th, 2012, 5:48am MST

Two loud booms jolted awake the music industry executive in her fifth-floor room of the Beverly Hilton hotel.

Was there a second gunman in RFK's assassination?

Posted: February 12th, 2012, 3:26am MST

Most Americans know of the Zapruder film of the JFK assassination -- the one and only visual recording of the killing of an American president.

Powell brothers recalled as smart, loving boys

Posted: February 11th, 2012, 6:01pm MST

Hundreds packed a Tacoma, Washington, church on Saturday to remember the lives of young Braden and Charlie Powell, who police say were killed six days earlier by their father Josh Powell in a double murder-suicide.

Police identify three men in video of gay man's beating

Posted: February 11th, 2012, 12:30pm MST

Police have identified three men seen on a video brutally beating a young man and shouting anti-gay slurs in Atlanta.

A bloody start to the year for Philadelphia

Posted: February 11th, 2012, 11:11am MST

Stephanie Mayweather is out of answers. Standing outside a corner market in crime-ridden North Philadelphia, she throws her arms up in desperation. 2012 has proven to be a bloody start for the year in her city with 34 homicides in January alone.

Romney does campaign first as Paul hopes for first win in Maine

Posted: February 11th, 2012, 2:26am MST

GOP candidate Mitt Romney put a good end to a bad week Saturday -- winning the Maine caucuses hours after placing first in a closely watched straw poll of conservative leaders and activists.

Catholic group wary of contraception deal

Posted: February 10th, 2012, 11:20pm MST

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops denounced President Barack Obama's compromise over whether to require religiously affiliated institutions to provide contraception to female employees.

Blood found on comforter in Josh Powell's storage unit

Posted: February 10th, 2012, 9:40pm MST

Initial tests detected blood on a comforter found in a storage unit in Washington state belonging to Josh Powell, authorities said.

Hackers reportedly take down CIA, state of Alabama websites

Posted: February 10th, 2012, 5:56pm MST

Websites affiliated with the CIA and the state of Alabama were down Friday, allegedly done in by hackers, a state official and a well-known hacking group reported.

Cape Cod dolphin death toll reaches 103

Posted: February 10th, 2012, 5:34pm MST

The number of unexplained dolphin deaths on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, rose Friday, with rescuers tallying the toll at 103.

Obama outlines contraception compromise plan

Posted: February 10th, 2012, 12:21pm MST

Here is a statement the White House issued Friday on President Barack Obama's compromise over the controversy swirling around a plan to require full contraception insurance coverage for female employees at religiously affiliated institutions:

Cameron Crazies', not lately

Posted: February 10th, 2012, 9:04am MST

It is the place where the "Air Ball" chant was invented. It is or has been home to Crazy Towel Guy, Viking Guy and Bunch of Guys. A man once distracted an opponent's free-throw shooter by rising from his seat and dancing while wearing a dark blue Speedo and nothing else. That guy became a pastor.

Prosecutors to ask judge to keep Sandusky indoors

Posted: February 10th, 2012, 5:04am MST

A prosecution request for Jerry Sandusky to stay indoors during his house arrest will be one of many issues argued Friday at a court hearing in Pennsylvania.

Testimony continues in lacrosse player's murder trial

Posted: February 10th, 2012, 1:45am MST

The prosecution will call a new witness to the stand Friday in the murder trial of former University of Virginia lacrosse player George Huguely, who is accused of fatally beating his ex-girlfriend.

Madonna stalker escapes

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 11:45pm MST

A man convicted of stalking singer Madonna, and who once threatened to knife her, has escaped from a southern California mental hospital and is being sought by police.

Singapore court to rule on extradition of four to U.S.

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 10:35pm MST

A Singapore court is expected to rule Friday on whether to extradite to the United States four people accused of a conspiracy in which electronic components from a U.S. company were smuggled to Iran and ended up in explosives in Iraq.

7-year-old girl fights off alleged kidnapper at Wal-Mart

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 7:07pm MST

A 7-year-old Georgia girl fought off a man who'd grabbed her in the aisle of a Walmart, with police eventually tracking down the suspect they accuse of attempted kidnapping.

Driver herds kids off bus before it blows

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 6:03pm MST

After noticing smoke seeping inside, a North Carolina bus driver rushed six elementary school children off her vehicle moments before it burst into flames.

High court rejects stay in Spanish sunken treasure case

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 5:43pm MST

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday declined to hear an emergency application for a stay filed by a Florida deep-sea salvage company that wanted to maintain possession of a half billion dollars worth of gold and silver coins until a final decision is made about who owns them.

Utah inmate asks to die by firing squad

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 5:40pm MST

A Utah death row inmate, convicted of beating a man with a tire jack and puncturing his liver with an inserted tire iron, has requested that he be allowed to die by firing squad, officials said Thursday.

Giving ex-addicts a healthy 'high'

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 2:52pm MST

Scott Strode overcame his addictions through sport, and now he's helping others do the same.

10 states freed from 'No Child Left Behind'

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 1:20pm MST

Ten states are being granted waivers from parts of the No Child Left Behind education law. President Obama says the move aims to "combine greater freedom with greater accountability."

Resolution to N. Dakota school nickname dispute still seems far off

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 12:52pm MST

Sports seasons come and go, but a long-running debate about the use of a Native American nickname and logo by University of North Dakota athletic teams appears nowhere close to a final outcome.

Hotel workers in New York to get panic button

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 10:23am MST

Nearly a year after a New York City hotel housekeeper claimed she was sexually assaulted by a prominent French politician, hotel workers who enter guest rooms will be provided with portable panic buttons.

The deadly path to legal status

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 6:58am MST

Tania Nava has one piece of advice for anyone seeking to come out of the shadows and pursue a path to U.S. citizenship: don't do it.

Mississippi pardons to be challenged at court hearing

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 2:58am MST

The Mississippi Supreme Court will hear arguments Thursday about the legality of scores of controversial pardons issued recently by outgoing Gov. Haley Barbour.

Authorites probe 911 response to Josh Powell's home

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 1:00am MST

Authorities launched an investigation into how dispatchers handled 911 calls from those seeking help before Josh Powell killed his sons and himself in his Washington home.

Embattled L.A. school set to reopen

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 12:53am MST

A Los Angeles, California, school at the center of a shocking child abuse scandal reopens Thursday with an entirely new staff, including the principal, teachers, administrators and janitors.

Rutgers student's suicide shouldn't define him, brother says

Posted: February 9th, 2012, 12:34am MST

Almost 15 months since Tyler Clementi committed suicide, his older brother James wants people to know that "he's much more than the way that he died."

Official: Suspect in 'South Park' threats to plead guilty

Posted: February 8th, 2012, 11:38pm MST

A New York man charged with posting online threats against creators of the television show "South Park" is expected to plead guilty Thursday in a Virginia federal court, a senior U.S. counter-terrorism official said.

Washington state legislature votes to approve same-sex marriage

Posted: February 8th, 2012, 7:37pm MST

A bipartisan group of lawmakers in Washington State voted Wednesday in favor of a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, putting Washington on the path toward becoming the seventh state in the nation to legalize marriage for gay and lesbian couples.

Loss of innocence befalls Los Angeles families at Miramonte School

Posted: February 8th, 2012, 6:35pm MST

Sergio Blanco faced the most painstaking moment of parenthood the past week when he had to ask his two of his young sons whether they were sexually molested at Miramonte Elementary School.

School will continue using Fighting Sioux nickname

Posted: February 8th, 2012, 6:27pm MST

The dispute between the NCAA and the University of North Dakota over its Fighting Sioux nickname and logo took a new turn Wednesday when the school said the filing of petitions requires it to use the nickname and logo while the issue plays out, possibly in a statewide vote.

Los Angeles authorities find 200 more photos in teacher case

Posted: February 8th, 2012, 3:59pm MST

Los Angeles County investigators have found 200 more photos allegedly taken by a former public elementary school teacher now facing 23 felony counts of lewd acts with pupils, a sheriff's spokesman said Wednesday.

Gingrich looks to Super Tuesday lift

Posted: February 8th, 2012, 3:05pm MST

Coming off a drubbing by conservative rival Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich plans to head to home turf as part of his strategy to revitalize his struggling presidential campaign with a strong showing in next month's Super Tuesday primaries.

January the 4th-warmest in more than a century

Posted: February 8th, 2012, 12:07pm MST

Dogwood and daffodils are abloom across the South, a fact that's not really that unusual until you look at the calendar -- it's only the first week of February.

Vending machine dispenses emergency contraception

Posted: February 8th, 2012, 12:01pm MST

Vending machine offerings at a Pennsylvania university are expanding beyond the world of junk food and into the world of contraception.

University of Florida suspends fraternity for 'physical hazing incident'

Posted: February 8th, 2012, 10:07am MST

The University of Florida has temporarily suspended its chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity after learning about a hazing incident involving fraternity members, a university spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Sound recordings amend history

Posted: February 8th, 2012, 8:50am MST

Brooks is part of a network of historians and audiophiles on a mission to find and preserve the earliest recordings ever made.

Victim in Atlanta video beating to speak out

Posted: February 8th, 2012, 7:57am MST

The victim of a vicious beating by a gang of men shouting anti-gay slurs plans to speak out Wednesday about his ordeal in a working-class neighborhood of Atlanta.

Five things we learned from Tuesday's Santorum sweep

Posted: February 8th, 2012, 6:36am MST

Rick Santorum's clean sweep in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri on Tuesday was the latest plot twist in what was already a potboiler of a Republican presidential campaign. Here are five things we learned from Tuesday:

Funeral for Powell boys set for Saturday in Washington

Posted: February 8th, 2012, 1:24am MST

Funeral services for the sons of Josh Powell are scheduled for early Saturday afternoon in Puyallup, Washington, where authorities say Powell set his house on fire, killing all three of them.

Presidential historian pleads guilty to stealing documents

Posted: February 7th, 2012, 9:40pm MST

A self-styled presidential historian who claimed to have moved among presidential circles pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing historical documents worth well over a million dollars, officials said.

Psychologist: Hinckley 'would not pose a significant risk'

Posted: February 7th, 2012, 8:09pm MST

A forensic psychologist endorsed a proposal to allow presidential assailant John Hinckley Jr. more freedom away from his mental hospital, giving his opinion that Hinckley "would not pose a significant risk."

Suspect dies after 3 people are shot at transit station near Dallas

Posted: February 7th, 2012, 5:39pm MST

A shooting suspect died of a gunshot wound after allegedly shooting three people Tuesday at a Dallas Area Rapid Transit station just north of Dallas, officials said.

Caribbean cruise cut short by illness

Posted: February 7th, 2012, 4:44pm MST

Passengers on the Crown Princess are coming home early from a Caribbean cruise, thanks to a second nasty outbreak of gastrointestinal illness.

South Carolina responds in court on voter ID law

Posted: February 7th, 2012, 4:23pm MST

The state of South Carolina told a federal court in the nation's capital Tuesday it has a right to require voters to present a photo ID at the polls, despite opposition from the Obama administration's civil rights lawyers.

Coroner rules Don Cornelius death a suicide

Posted: February 7th, 2012, 4:00pm MST

The death of Don Cornelius, the founder of the "Soul Train" television show, has been ruled a suicide, officials said Tuesday.

Texas begins enforcing law requiring pre-abortion sonogram

Posted: February 7th, 2012, 1:30pm MST

Texas health officials began enforcing Tuesday a controversial law that requires doctors to provide a sonogram to pregnant women before they get an abortion.

Komen Foundation VP resigns after funding controversy

Posted: February 7th, 2012, 9:57am MST

Karen Handel, a vice president with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, resigned her position Tuesday following a controversy over funding for some Planned Parenthood projects, the foundation said.

A bullet, broken heart & murder

Posted: February 7th, 2012, 9:21am MST

The prosecutor sounded like the narrator of a hard-boiled police drama as he carefully laid out pieces of the puzzle that led detectives to arrest one of their own in a 23-year-old cold case.

Authorities: Powell kids struck with hatchet before blaze

Posted: February 7th, 2012, 8:12am MST

The tragic tale of two boys killed along with their father in an apparent murder-suicide took another gruesome turn after authorities said the children suffered hatchet wounds before dying of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Military rape victims need justice

Posted: February 7th, 2012, 7:11am MST

Jackie Speier: Rape in the military is epidemic, yet only a few cases go to trial -- largely because commanders call all the shots. Victims deserve impartial investigations and a chance for cases to be tried in a military court.

Pardoned murderer 'not going' back to Mississippi for hearing

Posted: February 7th, 2012, 3:21am MST

A Wyoming attorney representing a convicted murderer recently pardoned by Mississippi's outgoing governor says his client will not attend a Mississippi Supreme Court hearing this week on the constitutionality of his and some 200 other pardons.

Appeals court to rule on Proposition 8

Posted: February 7th, 2012, 2:51am MST

A federal appeals court ruled against California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage Tuesday, arguing the ban unconstitutionally singles out gays and lesbians for discrimination.

L.A. school to replace staff

Posted: February 7th, 2012, 12:54am MST

Students at Miramonte Elementary School will return to class later this week to a new staff because administrators do not want any more "surprises" at the Los Angeles school that is at the center of two child abuse cases. The school will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday to "take a break," the Los Angeles Unified School system said.

DEA slaps two Florida pharmacies, distributor over pill sales

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 7:49pm MST

Agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency raided two CVS pharmacies in central Florida over the weekend, removing controlled substances and suspending the stores' ability to handle or distribute drugs such as painkillers oxycodone and hydrocodone.

Judge extends treatment for Giffords shooting suspect

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 7:27pm MST

The man accused of killing six people in an Arizona shooting rampage can receive medical treatment for another four months, a federal judge ruled Monday, after reviewing a report from a psychologist that found "measurable progress" in the suspect's condition.

Montana airport gets rare TSA concession: Private screeners

Posted: February 6th, 2012, 7:23pm MST

Every Spring, when West Yellowstone Airport in Montana opens for the season, the TSA flies in six people to staff the airport's one-lane security checkpoint. Every fall, it flies the screeners home.