Fidel Castro, Cuba’s despot for the better of a half a century turned secretive retiree, allegedly made his first public appearance in nine months at an art show in Havana this week. The New York Times reports that video has
(AP) Chemical spill shuts down much of W.Va. capitalBy JOHN RABYAssociated PressCHARLESTON, W.Va.Schools and restaurants closed, grocery stores sold out of bottled water, and state legislators who had just started their session canceled the day’s business after a chemical spill
Though Pope Francis has referred to same-sex marriage as “a move of the father of lies who wishes to confuse and deceive the children of God,” a nun who is president of a Seattle-area Catholic high school has said that
By JOHN RABYAssociated PressCHARLESTON, W.Va.West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin declared a state of emergency for five counties Thursday night because of a chemical spill into the Elk River in Charleston, advising residents not to drink, bathe, cook or wash
(AP) Deep freeze may have cost economy about $5 billionBy STEVE KARNOWSKIAssociated PressMINNEAPOLISHunkering down at home rather than going to work, canceling thousands of flights and repairing burst pipes from the Midwest to the Southeast has its price. By one
(AP)By JOSH LEDERMANAssociated PressWASHINGTONPresident Barack Obama is setting up a panel to study the United States’ energy strategy and then report to the president every four years. In a presidential memorandum, Obama says the U.S. needs a comprehensive, coordinated strategy
The Associated Press reports that former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who was incapacitated by a series of strokes in the winter of 2005-6 and has been comatose ever since, is in a “grave” condition. The Sharon family has been
(AP) Christie fires aide, apologizes for traffic jamsBy ANGELA DELLI SANTI and GEOFF MULVIHILLAssociated PressTRENTON, N.J.Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday apologized to his constituents and said he was “embarrassed and humiliated” by his staff but had no idea his aides
(AP) Food companies cut 6.4 trillion caloriesBy MARY CLARE JALONICKAssociated PressWASHINGTONSome of the nation’s largest food companies have cut calories in their products by more than 6.4 trillion, according to a new study. The study sponsored by the Robert Wood
(AP) Forced abortion highlights abuses in China policyBy DIDI TANGAssociated PressBEIJINGWhen her mind is clear, Gong Qifeng can recall how she begged for mercy. Several people pinned her head, arms, knees and ankles to a hospital bed before driving a
(AP) Business lobby seeks major push on immigrationBy JIM KUHNHENNAssociated PressWASHINGTONThe president of the US Chamber of Commerce says the nation’s biggest business lobby intends to “pull out all the stops” to pass an overhaul of immigration laws. That would
(AP) Republicans promote ways of helping the poorBy KEN THOMASAssociated PressWASHINGTONFaced with an empathy gap before the 2014 midterm elections, Republicans are trying to forge a new image as a party that helps the poor and lifts struggling workers into
(AP) Director Zhang Yimou fined $1.2M for having 3 kidsBy DIDI TANGAssociated PressBEIJINGFamed film director Zhang Yimou must pay more than $1.2 million in fines for having three children in violation of China’s strict family planning rules, officials said Thursday.
The U.S. Departments of Education (DOE) and Justice (DOJ) issued a joint release Wednesday of what they have referred to as a “discipline guidance package that will assist states, districts and schools in developing practices and strategies to enhance school
On Tuesday, the Omaha Police Officers Association posted a video on its website of a toddler hurling profanities and racial slurs after being encouraged by a number of adults. According to the Associated Press, the toddler has since been put
(AP) Dennis Rodman apologizes for Bae commentsBy ERIC TALMADGEAssociated PressPYONGYANG, North KoreaDennis Rodman has apologized for comments about captive American missionary Kenneth Bae in an interview with CNN. A day after the former basketball star sang “Happy Birthday” to North
(AP) Iraq: Fighters urged to go as supplies run shortBy QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA and ADAM SCHRECKAssociated PressBAGHDADTribal leaders in the besieged city of Fallujah warned al-Qaida-linked fighters to leave to avoid a military showdown, echoing a call by Iraq’s prime minister
(AP) 4 suspects in NJ mall carjacking plead not guiltyBy SAMANTHA HENRYAssociated PressNEWARK, N.J.Four men charged in the fatal carjacking of a young lawyer outside an upscale New Jersey mall pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony murder and other charges.
(AP) Wisconsin governor dismissed after serving on juryBy DINESH RAMDEAssociated PressMILWAUKEEWisconsin Gov. Scott Walker served two days as Juror No. 20 on a personal-injury case, but he was dismissed just before deliberations began Wednesday because the CEO of a company
(AP) Le Batard gave his Hall vote to website DeadspinBy The Associated Press ESPN host Dan Le Batard (right) says he gave his baseball Hall of Fame ballot to the website Deadspin because he detests the “hypocrisy” in the voting
(AP) Gov’t: End overly zealous discipline in schoolsBy KIMBERLY HEFLINGAP Education WriterWASHINGTONThe Obama administration is urging schools to abandon overly zealous discipline policies that civil rights advocates have long said lead to a school-to-prison pipeline that discriminates against minority students.The
(AP) Rodman sings happy birthday to North Korean leaderBy ERIC TALMADGEAssociated PressPYONGYANG, North KoreaDennis Rodman sang “Happy Birthday” to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before leading a squad of former NBA stars onto the court Wednesday at a Pyongyang
(AP) Polar air blamed for 21 deaths nationwideBy RAY HENRYAssociated PressATLANTAFountains froze over, a 200-foot Ferris wheel in Atlanta shut down, and Southerners had to dig out winter coats, hats and gloves they almost never have to use. The brutal
(AP) UN warns of humanitarian threat in western IraqBy SINAN SALAHEDDINAssociated PressBAGHDADThe top United Nations official in Iraq is warning of a “critical humanitarian situation” in the country’s west as government forces attempt to regain control of two key cities
(AP) India takes aim at privileges held by US diplomatsBy ELIZABETH A. KENNEDYAssociated PressNEW DELHIIndia chipped away at America’s diplomatic perks Wednesday, ordering the envoys to obey local traffic laws and warning that a popular U.S. Embassy club violates diplomatic
