Email this ArticleEarl downgraded as it smacks New England
Earl weakened to a tropical storm as it brushed Cap Cod and Nantucket with pelting rain, strong gusts and pounding surf early Saturday as steamed past New England. North Carolina - Hurricane Earl - United States - Time Warner Cable - Tropical cyclone
Before-and-after images of damaged buildings on Victoria Street in Christchurch, New Zealand.New Zealand quake sparks state of emergency
Authorities declared an overnight curfew for Saturday after a major earthquake hit New Zealand's second-biggest city.New Zealand - South Island - Earthquake - Oceania - Christchurch
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrives at the RTE studios in Dublin, Ireland, for an interview on Friday. He was targeted by anti-war protesters on Saturday.Protesters hurl eggs, shoes at Tony Blair
Anti-war protesters hurled shoes and eggs at Tony Blair on Saturday as he arrived for the first public signing of his fast-selling memoir.Tony Blair - Prime Minister - History - Parliament - Northern Ireland
Byt the time the Santa Susana Field Laboratory was shuttered, testing and several nuclear accidents since 1959 left a toxic stew of radioactive and chemical contamination.Calif. nuke meltdown site finally set for cleanup
More than five decades after a partial nuclear meltdown just outside Los Angeles, state and federal officials Friday announced agreements to remove all contamination.Los Angeles - California - Nuclear meltdown - United States - Counties
Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: More than a decade ago, British physicist Stephen Hawking said there was a 50-50 chance that a unified "theory of everything" would be discovered within 20 years. Now he explains why he thinks the theory has been found.Cosmic Log: Is the grand design within our grasp?
Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: More than a decade ago, British physicist Stephen Hawking said there was a 50-50 chance that a unified "theory of everything" would be discovered within 20 years. Now he explains why he thinks the theory has been found.Stephen Hawking - Physicist - Physics - Alan Boyle - British people
Huguette Clark, heiress to a copper fortune, has been secluded for decades. In June she turned 104 in a New York hospital.Family of copper heiress asks court to protect her
Several relatives of 104-year-old reclusive heiress Huguette Clark went to court Friday, asking for a guardian to protect her. Msnbc.com's Bill Dedman reports.Bill Dedman - United States - Msnbc.com - Huguette Clark - California
Nine people, including four foreigners, were killed when the skydiving plane crashed and burst into flames at a popular New Zealand tourist spot, officials said. Tourists killed in New Zealand plane crash
Nine people were killed after a light aircraft used for skydiving crashed in New Zealand's South Island, police said Saturday.New Zealand - Oceania - Earthquake - Christchurch - Government
Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich speaks to supporters during a campaign stop in Zanesville, Ohio, on Aug. 4. He leads Gov. Ted Strickland in the polls. NYT: GOP poised to control 30 governor seats
NYT: Republicans are on track to do particularly well in Midwest swing states in the Nov. 2 election, according to the FiveThirtyEight gubernatorial forecasting model.Republican - FiveThirtyEight.com - United States - Politics - Swing state
Email this ArticleZoo attack: Sea lion mauls 11-year-old boy
An 11-year-old boy was recovering Saturday after a sea lion mauled him at a popular Sydney zoo's aquarium show as horrified visitors looked on. Sea lion - Biology - Zoology - Zoos and Aquariums - Sydney
Republican Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, shown at her gubernatorial debate Wednesday, says she was wrong about beheadings in her state.Arizona governor says beheadings claim 'an error'
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, who gained fame defending the state's immigration law and warning of border violence, says her claim that headless bodies were turning up in state was 'an error.'Jan Brewer - Arizona - United States - Law - Immigration
Kara DioGuardi has quit "American Idol," meaning the only judge remaining from the 2010 season is Randy Jackson.Judge Kara DioGuardi leaves 'American Idol'
FOX reality show has yet to announce a new lineup, but  Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Elton John are among  the reported front-runners. The show returns to the air in January.Steven Tyler - Kara DioGuardi - American Idol - Jennifer Lopez - Television
Game icon Duke Nukem will wield his over-the-top guns and attitude yet again. After more than a decade of delays, "Duke Nukem Forever" will debut on the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC game systems in 2011.Babes, bullets, bombs! Duke Nukem makes a comeback
Game icon Duke Nukem will wield his over-the-top guns and attitude yet again. After more than a decade of delays, "Duke Nukem Forever" will debut on the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC game systems in 2011.Xbox 360 - Duke Nukem - Duke Nukem Forever - PlayStation 3 - Video game
Rafael Nadal celebrates a point against Denis Istomin during their second-round match at the U.S. Open on Friday night. Nadal overcomes great shot to advance at Open
Even Rafael Nadal felt compelled to applaud when his second-round opponent at the U.S. Open hit a spectacular, full-sprint winner. The shot put Denis Istomin within two points of tying the match at a set apiece, but he couldn't close the deal and lost to the top-seeded Spaniard 6-2, 7-6 (5), 7-5 Friday night.Denis Istomin - US Open - Rafael Nadal - Sport - Tennis
Email this ArticleKey evidence pulled from BP spill site
The piece of equipment at the center of the investigation into the Deepwater Horizon explosion and spill was being retrieved from a mile below the sea, BP announced Friday. Deepwater Horizon - BP - Oil spill - Environment - Energy
Florida Senate candidates, Democrat Kendrick Meek, left, and Republican Marco Rubio, right.Puzzling over Florida's three-way Senate math
If Kendrick Meek gets almost every one of Florida's Democrats, he can win the Senate race. But will that happen in a year in which polls show a GOP edge in voter enthusiasm?Florida - Kendrick Meek - Democratic - United States Senate - United States
Venus Williams celebrates after her 6-2, 6-1 victory over Mandy Minella at the U.S. Open on Friday.Venus sparkles to reach fourth round at Open
Her play sparkling as much as her sequined dress, Venus Williams easily eliminated 185th-ranked qualifier Mandy Minella of Luxembourg 6-2, 6-1 on Friday night at the U.S. Open.Venus Williams - US Open - Luxembourg - Mandy Minella - Tennis
Email this Article911 callers describe Discovery Channel gunman
Emergency calls placed minutes after a gunman entered the Discovery Channel's headquarters include descriptions of the propane tanks strapped to his body and a blinking device in his left hand. Discovery Channel - Propane - Television - Silver Spring Maryland - Arts
Cincinnati's Ramon Hernandez, right, looks back at home plate umpire Jeff Kellogg as Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina pumps his fist after Hernandez was called out on strikes to end the game Friday night. The Cardinals won 3-2.Cards snap 5-game skid, beat rival Reds
Rookie Jaime Garcia beat the Reds for the fourth time, halting the St. Louis Cardinals' five-game losing streak and ending Cincinnati's four-game run in a 3-2 victory on Friday night.St Louis Cardinals - Cincinnati Reds - Cincinnati - sport - Baseball
Dr. Michael Duncan, NASA's deputy chief medical officer, left, accompanied by other experts, speaks during a press conference outside San Jose mine in Copiapo, Chile, on Friday.NASA advises Chile on trapped, isolated miners
A team of NASA doctors and engineers recommended Friday that Chilean authorities regulate the day-and-night sleep patterns of 33 trapped miners, boost their Vitamin D intake and phase in an exercise program as their nutrition improves.NASA - Chile - Nutrition - Technology - Space
Email this ArticleNYC mosque backer gave to Hamas-linked charity
One of the investors in a proposed Islamic center near the World Trade Center site is a Long Island medical clinic owner whose expressions of sympathy for Palestinians included a donation to a charity later shut down for links to Hamas. Hamas - Long Island - World Trade Center - Islam - Middle East
Judicial police and Mexican army present to the press the six suspects late, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2010. The men allegedly participated in an Aug. 31 attack with gasoline bombs inside a bar where six women and two men died in Cancun. One of the detainees, left, accidentally burned his hands and legs in the attack, which led police to their arrest. (AP Photo/Israel Leal) Mexico arrests 6 in deadly Cancun bar blaze
Mexican police have arrested six suspects in a bar fire that killed eight in the resort city of Cancun.Mexico - Cancún - Quintana Roo - Police - Cancun
Email this ArticleAmazon may be headed for another bad drought
Drought has cut Peru's Amazon River to its lowest level in 40 years and it is already below the minimum set in 2005, when a devastating dry spell damaged vast swaths of South American rainforest in the worst drought in decades. Peru - Drought - South America - Amazon River - Rainforest
Email this ArticleStrasburg has Tommy John surgery
Nationals rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg had reconstructive elbow surgery Friday that could keep him out of the starting rotation until the 2012 season. Stephen Strasburg - Tommy John surgery - Washington Nationals - Surgery - Medicine
Email this ArticleHead of alleged trafficking scheme arrested
The head of a labor recruiting company accused of exploiting 400 workers from Thailand and forcing them to work on U.S. farms pleaded not guilty Friday, part of what the FBI calls the largest human-trafficking case charged in U.S. history Thailand - United States - Federal Bureau of Investigation - Human trafficking - Los Angeles
Email this ArticleAuthorities: Fire at Tenn. mosque site was arson
Federal investigators have decided a suspicious fire that damaged construction equipment at the site of a future mosque in Tennessee was arson. Construction - Arson - Tennessee - Islam - Business
Email this Article2 lawmakers among 6 dead in Mexico plane crash
A plane crash in southern Mexico killed all six people on board Friday, including two federal legislators and two mayors-elect. Mexico - Aviation accidents and incidents - Transportation - Aviation - Accidents
Email this ArticleGoogle settles Buzz privacy lawsuit
Google has settled a lawsuit alleging privacy violations in connection with its Buzz social networking service, according to a court document filed on Friday. Google - Social network service - Search - Lawsuit - Search Engines
Email this ArticleMexican drug kingpin gets 27 years in Ariz. prison
A Mexican man who prosecutors say headed a major drug-smuggling ring that shipped tons of marijuana into the U.S. was sentenced Friday to 27 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $4 million to the American government. Cannabis - Illegal drug trade - Federal government of the United States - Prison - Drugs
Tiger Woods struggles through his tee shot on the third hole during the first round of the Deutsche Bank Championship on Friday.Tiger struggles to stay in FedEx Cup hunt
Tiger Woods shoots a 1-over 72, while Zach Johnson and Jason Day beat up on the TPC Boston and beat the rain to share the lead at 8 under in the Deutsche Bank Championship on Friday.Tiger Woods - Deutsche Bank Championship - TPC Boston - FedEx Cup - Golf
Miami-Dade Police and Fire Rescue vehicles are shown at the Miami International Airport arrival level early Friday.Man in '03 bomb scare sets off airport shutdown
A scientist detained at Miami's airport because of a suspicious item in his luggage had once been charged with illegally transporting bubonic plague, a senior law enforcement official said.Miami - Law - Law Enforcement - Miami International Airport - Federal Bureau of Investigation
Earl speeds up, expected to cause destructive waves
Tropical Storm Earl is gaining momentum as it barrels up the Atlantic Ocean about 100 miles from the U.S. East Coast. Earl still had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph.
Adult services censored on Craigslist
Embattled online classified service Craigslist apparently made a change to its website early Saturday, censoring its adult services section.
Mistrial in alleged 'sham marriage' case
The sham marriage trial of actress Fernanda Romero, which the judge has likened to a soap opera, appeared threatened with a mistrial Friday after a dramatic turn a day earlier.
U.N. envoy in Pakistan flood aid plea
A United Nations representative on Saturday pleaded for more international aid to help the millions of Pakistanis displaced from flooding that has ravaged the country for more than a month.
Feds bust huge human-trafficking ring
Six job recruiters have been indicted in federal court in what the FBI has called the largest human-trafficking operation ever to result in charges in the United States.
UPS plane crashes near Dubai, kills 2
A cargo plane has crashed in an uninhabited area near the Dubai airport, according to the official WAM news agency in the United Arab Emirates.
Florida love triangle killer sentenced
A Florida judge sentenced Rachel Wade, the 20-year-old woman convicted of second-degree murder for fatally stabbing her romantic rival in a fight last year, to 27 years in prison Friday.
Mexicans: U.S. cartoonist went too far
An American's cartoon showing the eagle in the Mexican flag dead in a pool of blood is drawing criticism.
Acid victim: Shades, God saved eyes
Bethany Storro doesn't usually wear sunglasses, but she got a surprise paycheck and bought a pair earlier this week. Those sunglasses, she is convinced, saved her eyesight when a woman threw a cup of acid in her face 20 minutes later.
Girl, 4, weighed 15 pounds at death
The mother of a 4-year-old girl, found dead in her Brooklyn home Thursday morning, was charged Friday with second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child, according to police.