Obama leads Romney in hunt for all-important electoral votes

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - President Barack Obama enters the final hours of the 2012 campaign with an edge in the hunt for the 270 electoral votes needed to win and more ways to reach that magic number. Yet the race is remarkably close in at least six states that could go either way, giving Republican Mitt Romney hope that he can pull off a come-from-behind victory.

Officials counter reports on Benghazi attacks

NYC Marathon off, Miami player donates to relief effort

NEW YORK (AP) - The New York City Marathon is off, and a marathon ride into the city prompted Dwyane Wade to help those still dealing with the horrendous aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.

The fight for votes in Pennsylvania: Is it a pivotal state?

Iraq war contractor ordered to pay $85M

Battered by storm, Staten Islanders feel forgotten

Fuel shortage means gridlock in lines for gas

Pastor charged with killing fiancee's daughter

US officials: No delays in rescue effort in Libya

Storm-wracked states prepare for Election Day

Exasperation builds on in storm-stricken NYC

Odd News

POLICE CALLED FOR SHOT WOMAN FIND HALLOWEEN ZOMBIE: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Police in Alabama were called to what looked like a woman shot dead in her car but found a Halloween reveler they described as drunk and passed out in a bloody-looking zombie costume.

NYC boys found dead, swept away from mother by raging storm waters

New York struggles back 2 days after killer storm leaves72 dead in its wake

Insurer won't cover armed Pinal posse

PHOENIX (AP) - An insurance pool that covers sheriff's volunteers in 11 of Arizona's 15 counties is changing its policies to exclude an armed volunteer posse that the state's second most famous sheriff plans to deploy to scan the desert for smugglers. Following legal warnings from alarmed underwriters, the Arizona Counties Insurance Pool decided not to provide liability coverage for the posse ...

Lawyer: Former ricin suspect's home is unlivable

1st female Iraq war resister to be court-martialed

Abortion trial stirs debate on when life ends

Boston suspect's defense team gets major boost

Army says no to more tanks, but Congress insists on them

WASHINGTON (AP) - Built to dominate the enemy in combat, the Army's hulking Abrams tank is proving equally hard to beat in a budget battle.

Dozens of air shows cancel without military jets due to federal budget cuts

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Dozens of air shows that draw tens of thousands of people and generate millions of dollars for local economies have been cancelled this year after the military grounded its jet and demonstration teams because of automatic federal budget cuts.

A new front for gun background checks

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - After struggling to sway both state and federal lawmakers, proponents of expanding background checks for gun sales are now exploring whether they will have more success by taking the issue directly to voters.

Man charged in suspicious letters case

BRANDON, Miss. (AP) - The arrest of a 41-year-old Mississippi martial arts instructor in a case of poison-laced letters sent to President Barack Obama and others capped a week in which investigators initially zeroed in on a rival of James Everett Dutschke, then decided they had the wrong man.

So.Cal collector selling off 55,000 dresses, ballgowns

GARDENA (AP) - It was a sale fit for a princess on Saturday as a Southern California man put up for sale some of the 55,000 dresses and ballgowns in his collection.

Anthony Foxx in line for transportation post

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama on Monday will nominate Charlotte, N.C., Mayor Anthony Foxx as his new transportation secretary, a White House official said Sunday.

Obama jokes about aging during 2nd term

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama joked Saturday that the years are catching up to him and he's not "the strapping young Muslim socialist" he used to be.

Police say 4 people stabbed at Albuquerque church

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Police say a 24-year-old man stabbed four people at a Catholic church in Albuquerque as a Sunday mass was nearing its end.

Methane report further divides fracking camps

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Environmental Protection Agency has dramatically lowered its estimate of how much of a potent heat-trapping gas leaks during natural gas production, in a shift with major implications for a debate that has divided environmentalists: Does the recent boom in fracking help or hurt the fight against climate change?

NYPD whistle-blowers testify at stop-frisk trial

NEW YORK (AP) - After Officer Pedro Serrano decided to testify in federal court about what he sees as wrongdoing within the New York Police Department, a rat sticker appeared on his locker.

Nation news briefs

WIKILEAKS SUSPECT NAMED SF PRIDE PARADE MARSHAL: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The U.S. Army private charged in a massive leak of U.S. secrets to the WikiLeaks website has been named as a grand marshal of San Francisco's annual gay rights parade, a choice that was immediately condemned by several groups representing gay and lesbian service members.