US, China forge tentative deal on Chinese activist allowing him to come to America

Nation news briefs

CHINA'S CHEN SPEAKS BY PHONE TO CONGRESS HEARING: WASHINGTON (AP) - Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng spoke to a congressional hearing Thursday from his Beijing hospital bed - and requested a meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Romney, Mormons brace for a mean political season

Officials use bin Laden letters to degrade al-Qaida

Tallest man in US in Mass. seeking shoes, normalcy

Newt Gingrich ends campaign, urges party to back Romney

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) - Newt Gingrich, the colorful former House speaker and fiery partisan, formally exited the Republican presidential contest Wednesday and vowed to help Mitt Romney's bid to defeat President Barack Obama.

Afghanistan security deal Obama signed has numerous holes in it

Former ICE agent sentenced in no-work scheme

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A former federal immigration agent has been sentenced to one month behind bars and a $5,000 fine for lying to investigators about a fraud scheme that netted her and her husband more than $500,000. City News Service reports 54-year-old Taryn Johnston was on the payroll for six years at a job her husband got her for at U.S. ...

Nation news briefs

TESTIMONY ON EDWARDS' WIFE HEARING OF AFFAIR: GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) - A former adviser to John Edwards recounted Wednesday how the former presidential candidate's now-deceased wife indignantly confronted her husband, baring her chest in front of staff members the day after a tabloid reported that he was cheating on her.

13 charged in hazing death of band member

Conviction in thwarted subway bomb plot

Nation news briefs

FACEBOOK TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BECOME ORGAN DONOR: NEW YORK (AP) - Facebook wants to help you share your organs.

Obama flies to Afghanistan to tout to nation his foreign policy record

SC teacher facing charges over 'Jew' comment

Iowa case asks: Is it a crime to harass animals?

Country singer charged with threats to Ga. man

GOP puts off its health care bill

Boston bomb investigation extends to Russia; terror list had one brother

Government reviewing prison phone charges

Texas plant blast loss likely exceeds $100M

Mississippi men's feud looms over ricin probe

Obama administration missed Fisker clues

White House open to fix on FAA furloughs

Brown pushing school-funding changes