(AP) Russia closes criminal case of Greenpeace activistBy IRINA TITOVAAssociated PressST. PETERSBURG, RussiaOne of the activists detained in Russia’s Arctic has been granted amnesty, Greenpeace said on Tuesday. The 30 crew members aboard a Greenpeace ship were detained at a
On December 23 the inventor of the world’s most popular firearm–the AK-47–died and was quickly eulogized by the Associated Press (AP) as an inventor of “assault weapons” who “sowed havoc” and “[contributed] to bloodshed.” Mikhail Kalashnikov was 94 years old
(AP) Iceland’s hidden elves delay road projectsBy JENNA GOTTLIEBAssociated PressREYKJAVIK, IcelandIn this land of fire and ice, where the fog-shrouded lava fields offer a spooky landscape in which anything might lurk, stories abound of the “hidden folk” — thousands of
With veterans’ groups fighting against cuts in military pensions, the Associated Press (AP) is out with a story suggesting that in light of active duty military pay, healthcare, and “quality of life” benefits, retiring military personnel should be able to
(AP) Health plan sticker shock ahead for some buyersBy CARLA K. JOHNSONAP Medical WriterCHICAGOAs a key enrollment deadline hits Monday, many people without health insurance have been sizing up policies on the new government health care marketplace and making what
(AP) Pussy Riot member released from prisonBy NATALIYA VASILYEVAAssociated PressMOSCOWA member of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot was released from prison Monday, saying that the amnesty bill that gave her freedom was a Kremlin public relations stunt. Maria Alekhina
(AP) Rodman leaves NKorea without word if he met leaderBEIJINGFormer basketball star Dennis Rodman left North Korea on Monday without answering questions from the media on whether he had met with leader Kim Jong Un. The two struck up a
(AP) Obama attends Oregon State-Akron game in HawaiiBy OSKAR GARCIAAssociated PressHONOLULUPresident Barack Obama and the vacationing first family momentarily skipped the beach in Hawaii on Sunday to take in a college basketball game. Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and daughters
By JANET McCONNAUGHEYAssociated PressNEW ORLEANS Louisiana’s lieutenant governor says the “Duck Dynasty” reality TV show is important to state tourism–and he could help connect the Robertson family with new producers if they cannot reach agreement with the A&E network. The
FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES “On the ninth of my planned 15 bomb runs, at 1,200 feet, an enemy antiaircraft shell exploded in the cockpit. Instinctively, I pulled back on the stick to gain altitude. Then I passed out. When
(AP) Rebels hold key oil capital in South SudanBy RODNEY MUHUMUZAAssociated PressKAMPALA, UgandaRenegade troops loyal to South Sudan’s former deputy president have taken the capital of a key oil-producing state as fighting between military factions spread across the nation Sunday,
(AP) Official: Car bombing in Libya kills at least 6By ESAM MOHAMEDAssociated PressTRIPOLI, LibyaA security official in Libya says a car bombing on the outskirts of the eastern city of Benghazi has killed at least six people. The official says
Four U.S. soldiers were wounded on December 21 while trying to evacuate Americans from Bor, South Sudan. According to the Associated Press, the soldiers were wounded when their U.S. military aircraft came under attack. The aircraft took “heavy fire” as
(AP) Memorials mark Lockerbie attack anniversaryBy ERIC TUCKER and SYLVIA HUIAssociated PressARLINGTON, Va.Families of some of the 270 people who died in the bombing of an airliner over Scotland 25 years ago gathered Saturday for memorial services in the U.S.
(AP) Gay couples wed in Utah after judge overturns banBy BRADY McCOMBS and PAUL FOYAssociated PressSALT LAKE CITYElisa Noel rushed to the county clerk’s office with her partner immediately after learning that a federal judge overturned Utah’s ban on gay
By JOSH LEDERMANAssociated PressHONOLULUPresident Barack Obama has begun his annual winter vacation in Hawaii. The president, first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia landed in Honolulu shortly before midnight local time. Their two dogs, Sunny and Bo, joined
(AP) Rough health law fallout tightens key Senate racesBy THOMAS BEAUMONTAssociated PressGRAND RAPIDS, Mich.Thanks to the fiasco that followed the launch of President Barack Obama’s health care law, Democrats are bracing for hard-fought Senate races in states they hoped to
(AP) Syrian rebels seize strategic hospital in AleppoBy DIAA HADIDAssociated PressBEIRUTSyrian rebels gained control of a strategic hospital near Aleppo, despite days of relentless bombing of opposition-held areas in the northern city, activists said Saturday. The shattered remains of the
(AP) US military aircraft hit in S. Sudan, 4 woundedBy RODNEY MUHUMUZA and JASON STRAZIUSOAssociated PressKAMPALA, UgandaRebel gunfire hit a U.S. military aircraft trying to evacuate American citizens caught in a remote region of South Sudan that on Saturday became
(AP) Helicopter gunships used in Mexico resort battleBy MARK STEVENSONAssociated PressMEXICO CITYTwo government helicopter gunships opened fire on 10 vehicles fleeing a luxury beach condo complex during this week’s gun battle at the Gulf of California resort of Puerto Penasco,
Dennis Rodman landed in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday on the second visit of his “basketball diplomacy” tour. The high-profile trip comes a week after Kim Jong-un executed his uncle, Jang Song Thaek. Many foreign observers interpret such rash behavioral exhibitions as possible camouflage
(AP) Obama orders military to review sexual assaultBy NEDRA PICKLERAssociated PressWASHINGTONPresident Barack Obama is ordering a review of the military’s response to sexual assault in the armed forces. Obama says in a statement provided to The Associated Press that his
(AP) Rodman holds tryouts for Pyongyang exhibition gameBy ERIC TALMADGEAssociated PressPYONGYANG, North KoreaFormer NBA star Dennis Rodman held tryouts Friday for a North Korean team to face a dozen NBA veterans in an exhibition game on leader Kim Jong Un’s
(AP) NY court restores Saudi Arabia in Sept. 11 lawsuitBy LARRY NEUMEISTERAssociated PressNEW YORKA federal appeals court on Thursday reinstated Saudi Arabia as a defendant in lawsuits claiming it provided support to al-Qaida before the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
(AP) Japan robot chats with astronaut on space stationBy EMILY WANGAssociated PressTOKYOThe first humanoid robot in space made small talk with a Japanese astronaut and said it had no problem with zero gravity on the International Space Station. Footage released
(AP) Over 80 injured in partial London theater collapseBy CASSANDRA VINOGRADAssociated PressLONDONBritish officials say more than 80 people have been injured — seven of them seriously — by a roof collapse at a packed London theater. London Ambulance Services says
(AP) Lockheed Martin ends Boy Scouts gifts over gay banBRETT ZONGKERAssociated PressWASHINGTONDefense and aerospace giant Lockheed Martin is halting its donations to the Boy Scouts of America over the organization’s ban on gays serving as adult leaders after a review
(AP) Pa. pastor defrocked after performing gay weddingBy KATHY MATHESONAssociated PressNORRISTOWN, Pa.United Methodist church officials defrocked a pastor from central Pennsylvania on Thursday who officiated his son’s gay wedding in Massachusetts, a move seen as contradictory to the denomination’s beliefs.
(AP) UN finds systematic disappearances in SyriaBy JOHN HEILPRIN and BARBARA SURKAssociated PressGENEVAA U.N. panel probing war crimes in Syria reported Thursday that people around the country are systematically vanishing without a trace as part of a widespread campaign of
(AP) Rodman in NKorea to prep for game on leader’s BdayBy ERIC TALMADGEAssociated PressPYONGYANG, North KoreaFormer NBA star Dennis Rodman arrived in North Korea on Thursday to meet leader Kim Jong Un and put the finishing touches on plans to
(AP) Rodman in NKorea to prep for game on leader’s BdayBy ERIC TALMADGEAssociated PressPYONGYANG, North KoreaFormer NBA star Dennis Rodman arrived in North Korea on Thursday to meet leader Kim Jong Un and put the finishing touches on plans to
By JESSICA HERNDONAP Film WriterLOS ANGELESThere may be legal ramifications for Shia LaBeouf after he acknowledged borrowing from another artist’s work without giving proper credit. LaBeouf debuted his short film, “Howard Cantour.com,” online on Monday starring Jim Gaffigan. It examines
(AP)By DAVID ESPO and DONNA CASSATAAssociated PressWASHINGTONPresident Barack Obama intends to nominate Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., as ambassador to China, Democratic officials said Wednesday, turning to a lawmaker well-versed in trade issues to fill one of the nation’s most important
(AP) Gattuso targeted as Italian fixing inquiry widensBy ANDREW DAMPFAP Sports WriterROMEFormer AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso, one of the key players in Italy’s World Cup-winning team in 2006, was placed under investigation for match-fixing Tuesday as a widening inquiry
(AP) Shooting victim’s family sues Aaron HernandezBy PAT EATON-ROBBAssociated PressHARTFORD, Conn.Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has been sued by the family of a man he’s accused of killing while police investigate the death of another person on
(AP) Conn. woman with ties to Aaron Hernandez diesBy PAT EATON-ROBBAssociated PressHARTFORD, Conn.Police are investigating the death of a 27-year-old woman with ties to Aaron Hernandez, the former New England Patriots player charged with murder. Tabitha Perry was found unconscious
(AP) Russia passes amnesty bill, but still questionsBy NATALIYA VASILYEVAAssociated PressMOSCOWRussia’s parliament on Wednesday passed an amnesty bill that includes the 30-member crew of a Greenpeace ship detained after an Arctic protest, but it wasn’t immediately clear when or if
(AP) US sending $25M in new typhoon aid to PhilippinesBy MATTHEW LEEAP Diplomatic WriterTACLOBAN, PhilippinesThe United States is providing nearly $25 million in additional humanitarian aid to help the Philippines deal with the enormous devastation and deaths wrought by Typhoon
(AP) India diplomat says she faced cavity search in NYCBy NIRMALA GEORGEAssociated PressNEW DELHIAn Indian diplomat said she faced repeated “handcuffing, stripping and cavity searches” following her arrest in New York City on visa fraud charges in a case that
(AP) Minn. archbishop denies touching minorBy AMY FORLITIAssociated PressMINNEAPOLISSt. Paul-Minneapolis Archbishop John Nienstedt announced Tuesday that he’s stepping down from public ministry while police investigate an allegation that he improperly touched a boy during a public photo session four years
