National News for WSLS 10

What’s coming up on NBC Nightly News

Fri, 16 May 2008 16:38:00 EDT

A look at what Brian Williams will bring to you tonight after WSLS at 6:00 p.m.

Alabama sheriffs feed inmates on $1.75 a day

Fri, 16 May 2008 15:35:01 EDT

How could anyone turn a profit feeding men and women for an entire day on less than the price of a Coke and a bag of Fritos? Sheriffs practice Depression-style frugality and rely on such things as day-old bread, cut-rate vegetables and cheap inmate labor.

Myanmar cyclone death toll nearly 78,000

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:56:00 EDT

The cyclone’s official death toll has nearly doubled to almost 78,000 and another 56,000 people remain missing two weeks after the devastating storm, state television reported Friday.

Gay marriage opponents vow to fight Calif. ruling

Fri, 16 May 2008 08:25:01 EDT

With a stroke of a pen Thursday, the Republican-dominated court swept away decades of tradition and said there was no legally justifiable reason why the state should withhold the institution of marriage because of a couple’s sexual orientation.

Senate votes to roll back media ownership rule

Fri, 16 May 2008 08:24:00 EDT

The unusual “resolution of disapproval,” sponsored by Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and 26 other senators, was approved by a voice vote. The measures sponsors include both Democratic candidates for president, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois.

Study finds Cox and Comcast blocked some internet subscribers’ connections

Thu, 15 May 2008 16:43:00 EDT

Comcast Corp.’s interference with Internet traffic has prompted a federal investigation and is at the center of calls for “Net Neutrality” laws, but another U.S. cable company appears to be doing the same thing without drawing scrutiny. A study released Thursday found conclusive signs that file-sharing attempts by subscribers of Cox Communications were blocked, along with customers at Comcast and Singapore’s StarHub.

IRS says 350,000 didn’t get child credit in tax rebate

Thu, 15 May 2008 16:23:00 EDT

The tax agency says human error and computer glitches were responsible for the problem

Woman indicted in MySpace suicide case

Thu, 15 May 2008 15:14:00 EDT

A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted a Missouri woman for her alleged role in perpetrating a hoax on the online social network MySpace against a 13-year-old neighbor girl who then committed suicide.

California Supreme Court overturns gay marriage ban

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:29:00 EDT

In a monumental victory for the gay rights movement, the California Supreme Court overturned a voter-approved ban on gay marriage Thursday in a ruling that would allow same-sex couples in the nation’s biggest state to tie the knot.

China quake deaths could rise to 50,000

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:25:00 EDT

More than 72 hours after the quake rattled central China, rescuers appeared to shift from poring through downed buildings for survivors to the grim duty of searching for bodies - with 10 million directly affected by Monday’s temblor.

Man takes flight with jet-powered wings

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:23:00 EDT

A 48-year-old extreme sports enthusiast has taken human flight to a new level by strapping on a pair of jet-powered wings and performing figure eights above the Swiss Alps. He plans to cross the English Channel later this year.

Firefighters get upper hand on Florida wildfire

Thu, 15 May 2008 09:06:00 EDT

Schools that had been closed for two days reopened Thursday, electricity was being restored and many residents had already returned to the area where about 20 homes were destroyed and 140 structures damaged.

A personality test for your cat

Wed, 14 May 2008 18:02:01 EDT

The Feline-ality program wasdeveloped by behaviorist Dr. Emily Weiss of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Caught on camera: Man goes for deputy’s gun in court

Wed, 14 May 2008 12:46:00 EDT

A man punched a sheriff’s deputy and tried to grab the officer’s handgun from its holster after a judge in Battle Creek convicted him of murder in the killings of his wife and son.

Myanmar police block aid workers, food piles up for Cyclone victims

Wed, 14 May 2008 11:51:00 EDT

Emergency food shipments are backing up at the main airport in Myanmar. Relief workers reported some storm survivors were being given spoiled food, adding to fears that the ruling military junta could be misappropriating assistance.

A pirate, a Rabbi, or a notorious bank robber

Wed, 14 May 2008 11:49:00 EDT

New York police are looking for a suspect who they say robs banks wearing various disguises. They say he’s been terrorizing bank tellers since 2006.

Israel unveils part of Dead Sea Scrolls

Wed, 14 May 2008 11:35:01 EDT

Visitors to the Jerusalem conference had the privilege of being able to look at a segment of a unique ancient Dead Sea scroll of Psalms. Historians believe the document was written or copied in Israel between 250 BC and 68 AD.

Rescuers find survivors of China earthquake

Wed, 14 May 2008 11:12:01 EDT

Military helicopters dropped food and medicine to Chinese earthquake survivors who remained cut off Wednesday in remote mountain villages behind roads clogged by landslides, while the official death count rose to nearly 15,000.

Father jailed after daughter fails GED

Wed, 14 May 2008 11:10:00 EDT

A man ordered by a judge to make sure his daughter hit the books was jailed because she failed to earn a high school equivalency diploma. He was sentenced to 180 days for contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a minor.

5th suspect charged in Sean Taylor slaying

Wed, 14 May 2008 10:18:00 EDT

Prosecutors in Miami say a fifth person has been charged in the slaying of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor.

McCain commits to addressing global warming

Tue, 13 May 2008 16:33:00 EDT

Sen. John McCain reasserted his commitment to stopping global warming during an environmental roundtable in Washington state.

Nashville 911 dispatcher curses woman

Tue, 13 May 2008 14:16:00 EDT

A 911 dispatcher in Nashville, Tennessee curses a woman after he hangs up the call with her.

Marines protect base from scrap metal thieves

Tue, 13 May 2008 10:51:00 EDT

U.S. military officials say intruders are sneaking onto bases to steal military equipment left over from training exercises.

Wildfires destory homes in Florida

Tue, 13 May 2008 10:45:00 EDT

A line of wildfires continues to burn across Florida’s Atlantic coast. Some 70 homes have either been damaged or destroyed. 3500 acres have been burned. The biggest blaze is in Palm Bay.

China welcome foreign aid as death count rises from earthquake

Tue, 13 May 2008 10:44:01 EDT

The Chinese government says it will welcome offers of foreign aid after the country was rocked by a massive earthquake that has killed nearly 12,000 people.

Pat Tillman book tells of search for information

Tue, 13 May 2008 10:42:00 EDT

The mother of former NFL player-turned soldier Pat Tillman uses her new book to suggest that the military’s account of how her son died in Afghanistan is still not the true story.

More U.S. aid heading to Myanmar

Tue, 13 May 2008 10:41:00 EDT

Myanmar’s military junta has agreed to accept more U.S. Help, opening the door for what could be a massive cyclone relief operation. However, the United Nations warned that less than a quarter of the victims’ needs are being met.

No death penalty in Sean Taylor murder case

Tue, 13 May 2008 10:39:00 EDT

Prosecutors in Miami say they won’t seek the death penalty against four people charged with murder in the case of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor if they are convicted.

Man, woman indicted in sale of child for sex acts

Tue, 13 May 2008 10:01:00 EDT

Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment Monday accusing a man and woman of training the woman’s child to be a dominatrix, selling her sexual services and photographing some of the acts.

More storms headed for tornado-damaged Mo., Ark.

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:53:00 EDT

The National Weather Service said thunderstorms carrying hail were likely through midmorning in parts of southwest Missouri.

Hundreds of central Florida homes evacuated as wildfires burn

Mon, 12 May 2008 17:33:00 EDT

Florida Governor Charlie Crist has declared a state of emergency as several wildfires burn along the state’s central Atlantic coast.

First lady says storm threatened wedding plans

Mon, 12 May 2008 16:22:00 EDT

The first family and the White House staff have been extremely tightlipped about discussing the private outdoor wedding ceremony on Saturday that drew about 200 guests.

Congress divided on energy plan

Mon, 12 May 2008 13:50:01 EDT

A Senate vote on a GOP plan is scheduled for Tuesday, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised to bring up a Democratic package before the Memorial Day congressional recess.

Suspects In Sean Taylor’s Death Won’t Face Execution

Mon, 12 May 2008 12:49:00 EDT

Prosecutors in Miami say they won’t seek the death penalty against four people charged with murder in the case of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor if they are convicted.

Congress eyes dramatic expansion of GI bill

Mon, 12 May 2008 12:14:00 EDT

Congressional Democrats are pushing what could become the most dramatic expansion of college aid for military veterans since World War II, with a bill they hope will buoy them this election season and become an albatross for Republicans.

Tornado-ravaged Oklahoma town might not rebuild

Mon, 12 May 2008 11:52:00 EDT

The tornado — spawned by storms that also killed at least 16 people in Missouri and Georgia — could be the ultimate incentive for those 800 or so residents who have been reluctant to leave, now that most of their homes have been ruined, said John Sparkman, head of the housing authority.

Update: Death toll in China earthquake rises to 8,533

Mon, 12 May 2008 11:34:00 EDT

A massive earthquake struck central China on Monday and state media reported that as many as 5,000 people were killed in a single county while nearly 900 students were trapped under the rubble of their school.

Court rejects appeal in tobacco settlement case

Mon, 12 May 2008 10:39:00 EDT

Supreme Court rejected an appeal Monday by a California smoker who alleged the multibillion dollar tobacco settlement between 46 states and the four major cigarette companies was anticompetitive and violated antitrust laws.

Number of disabled veterans rising

Mon, 12 May 2008 10:19:01 EDT

Increasing numbers of U.S. troops have left the military with damaged bodies and minds, an ever-larger pool of disabled veterans that will cost the nation billions for decades to come — even as the total population of America’s vets shrinks.

Behind the food riots: a debate on how best to farm

Sun, 11 May 2008 05:28:00 EDT

Around the world, governments are trying every play in their books to stave off food riots — sending troops to hand out food in slums, ordering sweeping wage increases, banning grain exports and suspending futures trading. The United States is promising millions in emergency food aid.

Jenna Bush’s wedding is low-key affair at ranch

Sat, 10 May 2008 22:42:00 EDT

Jenna Bush and Henry Hager said “I do” Saturday at President Bush’s ranch in Crawford where the corn is thigh-high, roads are named Cattle Drive and the Texas flag is painted on the rooftops of barns.

At least 11 dead in Central U.S. in new round of tornadoes

Sat, 10 May 2008 22:38:00 EDT

Eleven deaths are now reported after thunderstorms and tornadoes tore across the nation’s heartland Saturday evening.

Jenna Bush’s ring

Fri, 09 May 2008 13:48:00 EDT

The brilliant diamond-and-sapphire ring that Henry Hager presented to first twin Jenna Bush when he proposed in August was the result of 125 years of cumulative jewelry experience.
Click for audio slideshow

Teacher accused of sex with student expressed concern during call

Fri, 09 May 2008 12:03:00 EDT

“It would be all over the news and everything,” Stephanie Ragusa told the student, according to a transcript of the recorded phone conversation received Thursday by The Tampa Tribune.

South Florida towns to vote on sucession from state

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:23:00 EDT

Discontented by what they perceive as a Capitol snubbing, the mayors of two small Broward County cities have raised the battle flag of rebellion, pitting, once again, north against south. City commission there recently passed a resolution on forming two Floridas: north and south.

U.S. diplomat receives key North Korean nuclear documents

Thu, 08 May 2008 12:20:00 EDT

It was a step toward the Bush administration’s goal of a full accounting of the isolated regime’s nuclear past.

N.Y. congressman admits affair, out-of-wedlock child

Thu, 08 May 2008 12:10:00 EDT

Rep. Vito Fossella of New York acknowledged on Thursday that he fathered a child from an extramarital affair, answering questions that arose from his arrest on drunken driving charges last week.

Pentagon steps up prep for Myanmar humanitarian mission

Thu, 08 May 2008 12:01:01 EDT

Though the country’s military junta had not accepted the offer of help, the U.S. Air Force also moved more airplanes to a staging area in neighboring Thailand, Air Force spokeswoman Megan Orton said at the Pentagon.

Six fraternities suspended in drug probe at San Diego State

Wed, 07 May 2008 08:40:00 EDT

Twenty-nine people were arrested early Tuesday in raids at nine locations including the Theta Chi fraternity, where agents found cocaine, Ecstasy and three guns.

Senators call for EPA to reconsider ethanol output mandate

Mon, 05 May 2008 14:18:00 EDT

Twenty-four Republican senators sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency suggesting it waive, or restructure, rules that require a five-fold increase in ethanol production over the next 15 years. They said those rules should be waived to put more corn back into the food supply for livestock, and to encourage farmers to plant other crops.

Boomers say that if they could turn back time, they’d save more money

Mon, 05 May 2008 11:17:00 EDT

According to The McKinsey Quarterly, the business journal of McKinsey and Company, a global consultancy, 50 percent of boomers envision a comfortable retirement but haven’t prepared for it and still spend more than they earn.

Cyclone death toll nears 4,000 in Myanmar

Mon, 05 May 2008 08:37:01 EDT

Almost 4,000 people were killed and nearly 3,000 others are unaccounted for in a single town after a devastating cyclone in Myanmar, a state radio station said Monday.

Transferring soldiers hurt in home sales

Fri, 02 May 2008 11:56:00 EDT

Congressman asks if help is available to those taking losses as they sell in slumping market

Maine river crests after surging to record high

Thu, 01 May 2008 12:33:01 EDT

Rain and melting snow raised the St. John to more than 30 feet — about 5 feet above flood stage — causing widespread flooding. The previous record crest of 27.3 feet was set in 1979.

Shooting on Florida Atlantic Univ. campus

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:59:00 EDT

Police at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton are continuing to search for an armed suspect, who opened fire during the night at a party on campus.

Truckers protest fuel prices in Washington D.C.

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:48:00 EDT

The truckers are calling on Congress to stop subsidizing big oil companies, release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserves, and end exports of oil from Alaska, among other things.

Rev. Wright Calls Sermon Flap an “Attack on the Black Church”

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:40:00 EDT

Rev. Jeremiah Wright, called the month-long debate over portions of his past sermons an attack on the black church Monday and repeatedly accused the media of taking his words out of context.

Veterans, military at odds over enhanced GI Bill

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:57:01 EDT

Congress is considering proposals to increase veterans education benefits, potentially nearly doubling the program’s cost to the taxpayers. The military, however, worries that better benefits will degrade the services’ warfighting ability by prompting excessive numbers of men and women to leave the services.

Madden NFL ‘09 hopes to break cover curse with Brett Favre

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:56:01 EDT

Favre is the first retired player to have his visage on the video game. And yes, he is retired, despite the rumblings that nothing is final - and despite not having filed papers with the league to make it official.

Shark attack kills man in California

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:51:00 EDT

A shark attacked and killed a swimmer who was training in the ocean off San Diego County Friday with a group of local triathletes, authorities said.

Click here for video

Website helps students grapple with world of money

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:29:00 EDT

Developed and rolled out last fall by the nonprofit National Endowment for Financial Education, CashCourse is being used on more than 60 college campuses by thousands of young students. Among the schools tapping into CashCourse are the University of Virginia, the College of William and Mary and Old Dominion University.

Study says near extinction threatened people

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:05:00 EDT

Human beings may have had a brush with extinction 70,000 years ago, an extensive genetic study suggests.

Spy arrest

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:08:00 EDT

Army veteran charged with passing secrets to Israel in ‘80s

Raging bull hurts six in rodeo crowd

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:34:00 EDT

A 3,000-pound bull jumped over an eight-foot fence during a Northern California rodeo and injured three children and three adults.

Virginia woman gives pope a copy of the Quran

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:20:00 EDT

A Virginia leader of multiethnic and religious dialogue was one of five people to make a presentation to Pope Benedict XVI at an interfaith meeting last night—the pope’s final event in the nation’s capital.

House approves measure aimed at keeping college loan money available

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:27:00 EDT

With all of the turmoil in the credit markets, Congress is taking steps to make sure students can still get college loans.

Nearly 1 in 5 veterans report mental problems

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:23:01 EDT

Roughly one in five U.S. troops is suffering from major depression or post-traumatic stress from serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and an equal number have suffered brain injuries, a new study estimates.

Father of April 16th victim speaks out on campus safety

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:53:00 EDT

William O’Neil, told The Providence Journal that Virginia Tech “did nothing to protect my son.” But he also says the shootings have prompted colleges and universities to pay closer attention to student safety.

Radical cleric demands Iraq troops fired for desertion in Basra get jobs back

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:45:01 EDT

The anti-U.S. cleric says those who gave up their arms “were only obeying their grand religious leaders” and “were driven by their religious duties.”

Teenagers accused in taped beating charged as adults

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:39:00 EDT

Prosecutors raised the stakes in the videotaped beating of a Lakeland girl with their decision Thursday to try eight teenage defendants as adults and with crimes that include kidnapping.

Senator John Warner backed climate-change bill gains steam

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:34:00 EDT

Senator Warner recognizes hard sell to persuade fellow Republicans

FDA Finds Hazardous Levels of Selenium in two supplements

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:14:00 EDT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it has found hazardous levels of selenium in samples of certain flavors of the dietary supplement products “Total Body Formula” and “Total Body Mega Formula.” The FDA has received 43 reports of persons from nine states who experienced serious adverse reactions using these products.

Teenager car crashes cost America $34 Billion according to AAA

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:12:01 EDT

A first-ever analysis from AAA finds that crashes involving teen drivers ages 15 to 17 cost American society more than $34 billion annually in medical expenses, lost work, property damage, quality of life loss and other related costs in 2006.

Florida sheriff’s office releases “shock video”

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:16:00 EDT

Eight Florida teenagers are charged with beating 16-year-old Victoria Lindsay.
Click here to watch the video

MeadWestvaco sells six mills in South Carolina

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:17:00 EDT

KapStone Paper buying six MeadWestvaco mills for $485 million

Tonight on NBC Nightly News: Monday April 7th, 2008

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:52:01 EDT

A look at what’s coming up tonight on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams

Childen flee as school bus rolls down hill in Ohio

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:34:00 EDT

Screaming children jumped off a school bus as it rolled downhill Monday while the driver was in a gas station restroom, the station’s manager said. A child took the wheel and steered it into a pillar to keep it from going farther, a fire official said.

Body Found Under West Virginia Bridge

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 21:52:00 EDT

The body of a man is found under a West Virginia Bridge Wednesday.http://www.wsls.com/images/uploads/generic-PoliceLights.JPG

Report says Southeast does poorly in caring for children

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:55:00 EDT

When it comes to a child’s well being, where he or she lives may make a big difference, says a report released Wednesday by a non-partisan children’s organization.

Fed chairman warns of possible recession in testimony to Congress

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:01:00 EDT

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned Congress on Wednesday that the economy may shrink over the first half of this year, saying “a recession is possible.” Yet, he didn’t offer any assurances of further interest rate cuts.

White House says President Bush reflects every day on troops lost in battle

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:18:00 EDT

The White House says President Bush “bears responsibility” for the decision to go to war in Iraq and spends time every day thinking about the U.S. troops who have lost their lives in battle.

Another company recalls blood thinner

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:05:01 EDT

In the recall announced Friday, B. Braun Medical Inc. said it was recalling 23 lots of heparin as a precautionary measure. No adverse events have been reported in connection with their product, company officials said in a press release.

Star explodes halfway across universe; sets record

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:01:00 EDT

The aging star, in a previously unknown galaxy, exploded in a gamma ray burst 7.5 billion light years away, its light finally reaching Earth early Wednesday.

Immigration agent charged with demanding sex for woman’s green card

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:10:00 EDT

Queens prosecutors said Isaac R. Baichu, an adjudication officer at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Garden City, threatened to hold up the woman’s application and even deport her relatives if she didn’t acquiesce.

`Lunatic Asylum’ renaming in West Virginia sparks fury

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:24:00 EDT

To some, the title acknowledges history by readopting one of the
many names previously held by the long-vacant, 19th century mental
institution known most recently as Weston Hospital.

Registered sex offender caught in Internet sting runs for mayor of Dallas suburb

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:04:01 EDT

James Brian Sliter says he’s sorry and needs to prove he can be an asset to his community. The 42-year-old was arrested after arranging sex with someone he met on the Internet who he thought was a 15-year-old girl.

State Department warns American spectators at Olympics not to expect privacy

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:01:00 EDT

“All hotel rooms and offices are considered to be subject to on-site or remote technical monitoring at all times,” the department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs advised on Thursday.

Suit seeks settlement on Civil War debt

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:51:00 EDT

Descendant of a 19th century Tampa business owner has sued the city to collect on a Civil War-era promissory note for implements and ammunition to defend the town.

China Blankets Tibetan Areas With Troops

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 03:54:00 EDT

Thousands of troops converged on foot, trucks and helicopters in Tibetan areas of western China on Friday as the government stepped up its hunt for protesters in last week’s anti-government riots in Tibet’s capital.

The violence in Lhasa - a stunning show of defiance against 57 years of Chinese rule - has sparked sympathy demonstrations in neighboring provinces, prompting Beijing to blanket a huge area with troops and warn tourists and foreign journalists to stay away

Stingray Kills Woman on Boat in Fla

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 03:53:00 EDT

A 75-pound stingray killed a Michigan woman Thursday when it flew out of the water and struck her face as she rode a boat in the Florida Keys, officials said.

Judy Kay Zagorski, of Pigeon, Mich., was sitting in the front seat of a boat going 25 mph when the spotted eagle ray, with a wingspan of 5 to 6 feet, leaped out of the water, said Jorge Pino, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Inspector Arrested in NYC Crane Collapse

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 03:52:00 EDT

A city inspector has been charged with lying about checking on a construction crane that collapsed 11 days later, killing seven people in a dense Manhattan neighborhood.

Edward Marquette, 46, was arraigned and released without bail Thursday on charges of falsifying business records and offering a false instrument for filing.

“We will not tolerate this kind of behavior at the Department of Buildings,” buildings Commissioner Patricia Lancaster said at a news conference. “I do not and will not tolerate any misconduct in my department.”

Ex-SLA Member Freed From Calif. Prison

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 03:47:00 EDT

The former Symbionese Liberation Army fugitive who hid for years by posing as an ordinary housewife has been released from prison after serving time for trying to bomb police cars, corrections officials said Thursday.

Weary Midwesterners Battle Rising Rivers

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 03:45:00 EDT

With more than a dozen people killed by floodwaters and rivers still rising, weary Midwesterners on Thursday weighed not just the prospect of a sodden cleanup but the likelihood that their communities could be inundated again.

Families in some areas have been forced from their homes multiple times in the past few years, making the routine of filling sandbags and rescuing furniture into a familiar drill.

“We’ve been through this before,” said Michelle Buhlinger, who works for the school district in Valley Park in suburban St. Louis. “We’re expecting the levee to hold up, but we don’t want to take any chances.”

The first day of spring brought much-needed sunshine to some flooded communities, but many swelling rivers were not expected to crest until the weekend in Arkansas, Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana and Kentucky.

75-pound stingray leaps from water, kills woman on boat in Florida Keys

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT

Judy Kay Zagorski, of Pigeon, Mich., was sitting in a boat going 25 mph when the spotted eagle ray, with a wingspan of 5 to 6 feet, leaped out of the water, said Jorge Pino, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

New York City announces arrest in deadly construction crane collapse

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:42:00 EDT

City officials say the man never inspected the giant crane before it fell and crushed a townhouse.

Feds probe S.C. Highway Patrol after videos show subjects hit by cars

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:48:00 EDT

McDonald wouldn’t say whether indictments could come from the investigation, which was first reported Thursday by The State newspaper of Columbia.
Click here to watch the video

House panel investigating electrocutions in Iraq

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:24:00 EDT

Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said Wednesday he has asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates to hand over documents relating to the management of electrical systems at facilities in Iraq.

D.C. court bars Libby from practicing law after perjury conviction

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:16:01 EDT

Last May, a court panel that oversees lawyer ethics recommended that Libby be stripped of his law license in Washington. The Board on Professional Responsibility then found that Libby’s conviction for lying to the FBI about the case of former CIA operative Valerie Plame amounted to “crimes that involve moral turpitude.”

Cheney: Afghanistan Needs NATO Help

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:10:01 EDT

Vice President Dick Cheney on Thursday called the U.S. commitment to Afghanistan “firm and unshakable” and said members of NATO need to step up their commitment to help it continue to rebound from years of tyranny and war.

Problems in Afghanistan will be a key topic at the NATO summit early next month in Romania. NATO’s force is about 43,000-strong, but commanders seek more combat troops for areas in southern Afghanistan where Taliban and al-Qaida fighters are the most active.

Oil Falls Under $100 on Waning Demand

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:08:00 EDT

Oil prices slid below $100 a barrel Thursday, extending their retreat in the previous session driven by data that showed demand for petroleum products is waning in the face of record high prices.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s weekly inventory report said Wednesday that overall consumption of oil and its products fell 3.2 percent over the last four weeks compared with the same period last year. Demand for gasoline fell 1 percent during the same period.

The demand numbers in the report overshadowed data showing that supplies of crude oil grew less than expected last week, while gasoline and heating oil supplies fell.

Light, sweet crude for May delivery dropped $3.14 to $99.40 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was the first dip by a front-month oil contract under $100 since March 5. The contract fell $5.96 to settle at $102.54 a barrel on Wednesday.

In its daily report, Vienna’s JBC Energy mentioned “fears for the US economy and selling across commodity markets by investment funds” as possible reasons for the decline.