National Stories

James J. Lee Shot, Gunman; 3 Hostages Safe
SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) - Police shot a man upset with the Discovery Channel network's programming who took three people hostage at the company's headquarters Wednesday, officials said. All three hostages escaped safely.  
 
Hurricane: Island Evacuations Start as Earl Nears East Coast
NAGS HEAD, N.C. (AP) - Hurricane Earl steamed toward the Eastern Seaboard on Wednesday as communities from North Carolina to New England kept a close eye on the forecast, worried that even a slight shift in the storm's predicted offshore track could put millions of people in the most densely populated part of the country in harm's way.  
 
Police: Man Holds Hostages in Discovery Building
SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) - A man upset with the Discovery Channel's environmental programming took several people hostage at the company's headquarters Wednesday, officials said.  
 
Apple Unveils New Box for Streaming TV, Movies
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Apple says it will sell a new, smaller version of its Apple TV device for streaming movies and television shows over the Internet and into the living room.  
 
Commissioner Resigns After 2 Hours in Office
MARYVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A Blount County commissioner has resigned after two hours in office.  
 
Coroner: Calif. Doctor Suffocated in Chimney
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (AP) - A coroner says a Central California doctor whose decomposing body was found in the chimney of her boyfriend's house died of asphyxiation.  
 
Ohio Killer Aims to Stop Fellow Inmate's Execution
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio death row inmate trying to prove he's mentally disabled has asked a federal judge to stop the execution of a fellow prisoner willing to testify on his behalf.  
 
Apple CEO Steve Jobs Announces New iPod Lineup
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Apple CEO Steve Jobs is introducing a new line of iPods.  
 
Favor Turns Foul When Pa. Police Officer Attacks Girl
MCKEESPORT, Pa. (AP) - A Pennsylvania officer's good deed backfired after his K-9 bit a 6-year-old girl who missed her bus to school and was offered a ride in the police cruiser.  
 
Suspect Linked to 4 Slayings in Calif. Fatally Shot After High Speed Chase
VALLEJO, Calif. (AP) - Police found two more bodies Wednesday that they believe are linked to a California man who led officers on a high-speed chase with his dead girlfriend in the passenger seat.  
 
Insurance Company: Flowers Started Ark. House Fire
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A fire that did $20,000 in damages to a northeast Arkansas home wasn't caused by an electrical problem or burning food or arson, an insurance investigator concluded.  
 
Neb. Newspaper to Accept Same Sex Wedding Announcements
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A Nebraska newspaper is easing its ban on publishing gay marriage announcements to allow notices about legally recognized same-sex unions.  
 
Officer, That's Not Me! Mistaken ID Jails Pastor
SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) - A series of unfortunate coincidences led to a case of mistaken identity that put a Louisiana minister behind bars for nearly eight hours.  
 
Obama Speech: US Combat in Iraq Over, 'Time to Turn Page'
WASHINGTON (AP) - Claiming no victory, President Barack Obama formally ended the U.S. combat role in Iraq after seven long years of bloodshed, declaring firmly Tuesday night: "It's time to turn the page." Now, he said, the nation's most urgent priority is fixing its own sickly economy.  
 
La Barbie Captured: Mexico Captures Reported Drug Lord
MEXICO CITY (AP) - A Texas-born fugitive known as "the Barbie" grinned Tuesday as police paraded him in handcuffs and described his alleged life of luxury and savagery - cut short when he became the third suspected drug lord to fall in Mexico in the past 10 months in a coup for President Felipe Calderon's war on cartels.  
 
Mark Ingram to Miss Opener with Knee Injury
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram will miss No. 1 Alabama's season opener against San Jose State after injuring his left knee during practice.  
 
Mormon Shooting, Brother: Mormon Church Shooter was Former Member
VISALIA, Calif. (AP) - The gunman in a fatal shooting of a Mormon church official in Central California was a former member of the congregation who felt wronged when a bishop "shunned him to hell" in 1988, his younger brother said Monday.  
 
Hurricane Earl Path, Growing Hurricane Threatens North Caribbean
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Hurricane Earl lashed northern Leeward Islands with heavy rain and strong winds Monday after strengthening into a Category 2 storm. Hotels were shut tightly overnight as tourists sought shelter inside their rooms.  
 
Arts Student Sues Over Pittsburgh Police Beating
PITTSBURGH (AP) - A black teen who attended the city's performing arts high school has filed a federal lawsuit saying three white Pittsburgh police officers wrongfully beat him in January, then conspired to file false charges against him and concocted a cover story for their actions.  
 
Maine Climber Found After 21 Years in Canadian Ice
JASPER, Alberta (AP) - The body of a mountain climber from Maine has been discovered in a melting glacier more than two decades after the man fell 1,000 feet to his death in the Canadian Rockies, a park official said.  
 
Obama Won't Say 'Mission Accomplished' in Speech
WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House says there are two words President Barack Obama will not say Tuesday night in his speech about the end of the U.S. combat role in Iraq. The words not spoken: "Mission accomplished."  
 
Suspect in Alaska Police Killings Surrenders
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A man accused of killing two police officers in a small Alaska village has surrendered to authorities.  
 
RV Dealer Challenges 'Twilight' Star Taylor Lautner to Push-Up Contest
LOS ANGELES (AP) - An RV dealership sued by Taylor Lautner over a custom vehicle is denying wrongdoing and has proposed a way to resolve the case out of court - a push-up contest.  
 
Vegas Police: Paris Hilton Denied Purse Containing Cocaine Was Hers
LAS VEGAS (AP) - An arrest report obtained by The Associated Press says Paris Hilton denied owning the purse in which police say they found less than a gram of cocaine after a traffic stop.  
 
Morman Bishop Shot; Police ID Alleged Shooter
VISALIA, Calif. (AP) - Authorities have identified a man suspected of shooting and killing a Mormon church official in Central California before dying in a shootout with police.  
 
Convicted Antifreeze Killer Dies in Ga. Prison
ATLANTA (AP) - A woman who killed her husband and later her boyfriend by poisoning them with antifreeze has died in an Atlanta prison.  
 
Fallen Soldier's Parents Sue Insurer Over Benefits
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - The parents of six deceased U.S. soldiers accuse Prudential Financial of paying paltry interest on military life insurance benefits and keeping more generous interest earnings for itself.  
 
Facebook Post Gets Detriot-Area Juror in Hot Water
MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (AP) - A juror has been removed from a Detroit-area trial after writing on Facebook that the defendant was guilty. The problem? The trial wasn't over.  
 
Passenger Dies on Flight from Nigeria to Atlanta
ATLANTA (AP) - Delta Air Lines says a passenger was found dead aboard a flight from Lagos, Nigeria, to Atlanta.  
 
Car Strikes Gate Outside Stephen King's Maine Home
BANGOR, Maine (AP) - Authorities say a car rammed into the security gate outside Stephen King's home in Maine.  
 
Barclays Leaderboard: Tiger Looks Like the Tiger of Old
PARAMUS, N.J. (AP) - A season filled with "worsts" finally gave way to a couple of "firsts" for Tiger Woods.  
 
Nichole John, Ambassador's Daughter, Dies in NYC Fall
NEW YORK (AP) - The 17-year-old daughter of the U.S. ambassador to Thailand plummeted to her death from a high-rise apartment building Friday morning during a party, two law enforcement officials said.  
 
Stephen Strasburg Likely to Have Tommy John Surgery
WASHINGTON (AP) - Stephen Strasburg has a torn elbow ligament and will likely have Tommy John surgery, bringing the pitcher's promising rookie season to an abrupt end.  
 
Calif. Man Sentenced for Slaying Over a Singing Dispute
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - A California man who stabbed to death an acquaintance for complaining about his singing has been sentenced to 16 years to life in prison.  
 
Dealer Painted, Drugged Horses Before Sales
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Authorities say a Southern California horse dealer has reached a plea deal after being accused of selling animals that were sick, drugged and sometimes painted a different color.  
 
Calif. Health Officials Issue Candy Warning
LOS ANGELES (AP) - California health officials are warning consumers to avoid an imported grape candy because it contains high lead levels.  
 
Stephen Strasburg Likely to Have Tommy John Surgery
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Washington Nationals say star rookie Stephen Strasburg has a "significant tear" in his elbow ligament and probably will have Tommy John surgery.  
 
Utah Court Rejects Appeal from Polygamous Sect
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Utah's Supreme Court has rejected a petition from members of a southern Utah-based polygamous sect seeking a reversal of changes made to its communal land trust.  
 
Experts Spot Planets Outside Our Solar System
GENEVA (AP) - Scientists say they've discovered five, six, or maybe seven planets orbiting a sun-like star more than 100 light-years away.  
 
Hurricane Danielle Becomes Category 4 Storm; Tropical Storm Earl Expected to Grow
MIAMI (AP) - Hurricane Danielle became a Category 4 storm early Friday far out over the Atlantic as it headed in Bermuda's direction and threatened to bring dangerous rip currents to the U.S. East Coast.  
 
Voters Pick Calif. Elephant Calf's Name
ESCONDIDO, Calif. (AP) - A 3-month-old African elephant has been named Emanti, which means water in Siswati, the language of Swaziland.  
 
Jimmy Carter Frees Aijalon Gomes From North Korea
 
 
Glenn Beck Holds Rally on Anniversary of King's 'Dream' Speech
WASHINGTON (AP) - Glenn Beck's rally on the anniversary and at the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech is drawing criticism, protests and questions about his intentions.  
 
Recession May Have Pushed US Birth Rate to New Low
The U.S. birth rate has dropped for the second year in a row, and experts think the recession is a big reason. They believe the sluggish economy has led many people to put off having children.  
 
Former FEMA Head: Gov't Didn't Tell All on Hurricane Katrina
WASHINGTON (AP) - Five years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, the federal official at the heart of a firestorm over Washington's slow response is acknowledging the government's shortcomings.  
 
Pa. Yearbook Marred by Alleged Hitler Quote
EASTON, Pa. (AP) - A quotation attributed to Adolf Hitler that made its way into a high school yearbook in Pennsylvania has left students, parents and educators mortified.  
 
Donald Bren, Jury Says No Back Child Support for Billionaire's Kids
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A jury on Thursday rejected a claim by billionaire real estate mogul Donald Bren's two adult children for $134 million in retroactive child support.  
 
Will Forte Leaving 'Saturday Night Live'
NEW YORK (AP) - Will Forte is leaving "Saturday Night Live" after eight seasons.  
 
Cake Boss Relative Arrested in New Jersey
MORRISTOWN, N.J. (AP) - The brother-in-law of "Cake Boss" television star Buddy Valastro has been arrested in New Jersey and charged with sexually assaulting a minor.  
 
Ken Mehlman, Former Republican Chairman, Says He's Gay
WASHINGTON (AP) - Former Republican Party Chairman Ken Mehlman says in a magazine interview that he is gay.