Obama, Boehner meet on 'fiscal cliff'

Senate takes step toward banning stalking software apps on cell phones

Texas man accused of carving pentagram into son

RICHLAND HILLS, Texas (AP) - A North Texas man carved a large pentagram into his 6-year-old son's back Wednesday, telling a 911 dispatcher that he did it because "it's a holy day," police said.

Gimmicky date a boost for lovelorn Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Las Vegas, land of the quickie wedding, is in the midst of a serious love recession, and chapels in the city accustomed to playing the numbers were not about to let the latest money-making opportunity - Wednesday's auspicious 12/12/12 date - pass without a marketing push.

NY agency voting on using smartphones to hail cabs

NEW YORK (AP) - Every New Yorker knows how to hail a yellow cab. The next step for some might be to "e-hail" a cab using a smartphone. Members of the city's Taxi & Limousine Commission are to vote today on whether to allow people to nab a ride electronically. Downloaded apps would link customers with drivers. If the vote is yes, companies offering the high-tech hailing method can compete for business. TLC Commissioner David ...

More than 700 vehicle batteries stolen in Texas

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Apparent power-hungry thieves have stolen more than 700 vehicle batteries from a South Texas business.

Nation news briefs

COURT RULING ON ILL. GUN BAN SETS STAGE FOR FIGHT: CHICAGO (AP) - Backers of Illinois' ban on concealed weapons vowed Wednesday to fight for continued controls on gun possession, a day after a federal appeals court struck down the nation's last such prohibition as unconstitutional and ordered the state to craft a law allowing it.

Christie: My weight no bar to presidency

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says he is "more than a little" overweight - but fit enough to be in the White House. The Republican governor was asked about his weight problem during an interview with Barbara Walters for her "10 Most Fascinating People" special Wednesday night on ABC. Walters told the governor some ...

10 arrested in cybercrime ring

WASHINGTON (AP) - Ten people have been arrested as part of an investigation into international cybercrime rings that steal millions of computer users' credit card, bank account and other personal information, the FBI said. Individuals from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, New Zealand, Peru, Britain and the U.S. were arrested in an operation carried out with the assistance of the Facebook social ...

Oregon mall shooter used stolen rifle

Marine who died in Iraq won't get Medal of Honor

SAN DIEGO (AP) - The secretary of defense has denied a request to upgrade a fallen Marine's Navy Cross to the Medal of Honor, a San Diego congressman's office said Wednesday. The Pentagon told Rep. Duncan Hunter it supports the decision of former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who honored Sgt. Rafael Peralta with the Navy Cross instead of the military's highest honor. ...

Whites no longer a majority in US by 2043

Air Force sends mystery mini-shuttle back to space

At least 1 dead in Portland area mall shooting

Court strikes down Illinois' concealed carry ban

FBI digging at ex-home of famed NY mobster

IRS worker: No political bias against tea party

Feds fire, demote employees over killing, rape

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - Federal probation officers in upstate New York have been fired or demoted after a man they were monitoring was charged with slipping out of his electronic bracelet, raping a 10-year-old girl and killing her mother during a carjacking at a New York mall. The changes at the federal probation office in Syracuse were detailed in a letter from U.S. courts administrators to Rep. Dan Maffei, who had written to the courts ...

Odd News

DRIVER SAYS HE WAS SPEEDING SO HE COULD DRY CAR: BLACK DIAMOND, Alberta (AP) - He was drying off his freshly washed car.

18 mayors want Congress to limit use of food stamps to buy soda

USFS may not refill Incline Lake after all

RENO, Nev. (AP) - The U.S. Forest Service is leaning toward abandoning plans to restore a small lake overlooking Lake Tahoe to the way it was when the rich and famous vacationed at the private enclave a half century ago and instead let it return to a natural wetland. The federal government bought Incline Lake for $43.5 million in a land deal five years ago with the intention of repairing a small dam built in ...

Nation news briefs

FORMER PA. TEACHER CHARGED FOR CLASSROOM PIERCINGS: DILLSBURG, Pa. (AP) - A former teacher in central Pennsylvania is facing charges after police say she allowed a student to perform body piercings in class.

Fox News sued over airing suicide

NYC to offer free phone-charging stations in parks

Boy, 13, charged in 'wrestling' death of girl, 5

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A 13-year-old boy from a New Orleans suburb was charged with second-degree murder in the death of his 5-year-old half-sister after investigators said he told them he repeatedly struck her with wrestling moves imitated from TV.

NASA picks 8 new astronauts, 4 of them women

Ga. radio hosts fired; mocked ex-player with ALS

ATLANTA (AP) - The cast of an Atlanta sports radio show has been fired after mocking a former NFL player who has Lou Gehrig's disease, a station official said Monday.

Bear mauls Alaska man who gave it barbecue meat

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A black bear mauled a man at a campground in Alaska, but the animal won't likely threaten other people, the state Department of Fish and Game said. Spokesman Ken Marsh said the bear was "pretty much goaded" into the attack Saturday near Eklutna Lake Campground north of Anchorage because the man fed it meat from a church barbecue, the Anchorage Daily News (reported. The man could be charged with illegally feeding ...

Ex-hitman heartbroken Bulger was informant

Official: Solar plane to help energy use on ground