Judge orders sanity review in Afghan massacre case
Written by GENE JOHNSON,Associated Press
SEATTLE (AP) — An Army staff sergeant accused of massacring Afghan civilians must undergo an official sanity review before a mental health defense can be presented, the military judge overseeing the case said Thursday.
GOP eyes new election laws
Written by STEVE PEOPLES,Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — After back-to-back presidential losses, Republicans in key states want to change the rules to make it easier for them to win.
Sheriffs, state lawmakers push back on gun control
Written by JEFF BARNARD,Associated Press
GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) — From Oregon to Mississippi, President Barack Obama's proposed ban on new assault weapons and large-capacity magazines struck a nerve among rural lawmen and lawmakers, many of whom vowed to ignore any restrictions — and even try to stop federal officials from enforcing gun policy in their jurisdictions.
Deficient levees found across America
Written by CAIN BURDEAU,Associated Press JOHN FLESHER,Associated Press
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Inspectors taking the first-ever inventory of flood control systems overseen by the federal government have found hundreds of structures at risk of failing and endangering people and property in 37 states.
Militants say 35 hostages dead in Algerian raid
Written by AOMAR OUALI PAUL SCHEMM
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Algeria raided a remote Sahara gas plant on Thursday in an attempt to free dozens of foreign hostages held by militants with ties to Mali's rebel Islamists, U.K. and Japanese diplomats said. The militants claimed strafing by Algerian helicopters killed 35 hostages and 15 kidnappers.
Panetta defends Obama's gun control package
Written by LOLITA C. BALDOR,Associated Press
VICENZA, Italy (AP) — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta fired off a strong defense of gun control legislation Thursday, in front of a decidedly skeptical audience.
Fewer US homes repossessed by banks in 2012
Written by ALEX VEIGA,AP Real Estate Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lenders took possession of fewer U.S. homes in 2012 than a year earlier, as the pace of new homes entering the path to foreclosure slowed and banks increasingly opted to allow troubled borrowers to sell their homes for less than what they owed on their mortgage.
Lawyer: Surgeons left 16 items in man after op
Written by AP
BERLIN (AP) — A lawyer in Germany claims surgeons left up to 16 objects in her client's body after an operation for prostate cancer.