Nation news briefs

TEXAN WINS 'WACKY WARNINGS' CONTEST WITH GLOBE: WINONA, Texas (AP) - A decorative globe not meant for use in getting from here to there has helped a Texas woman win the 15th Annual Wacky Warning Labels contest.

Study: State pension shortfalls ballooned in 2010 across USA

Jury begins deliberating in burned Fla. teen case

New Asian immigrants now surpass Hispanics

Wildfires claim 189 homes in Colorado

Veterinarians may give NC zoo elephant contacts

Ohio police: Car into crowd appears accidental

LIMA, Ohio (AP) - A woman who suddenly drove her car into a crowded town square, injuring dozens, likely did so accidentally, authorities in northwest Ohio said Sunday.

Easing of pot laws poses challenge for parents

DENVER (AP) - Michael Jolton was a young father with a 5-year-old son when Colorado legalized medical marijuana in 2000. Now he's got three boys, the oldest near adulthood, and finds himself repeatedly explaining green-leafed marijuana ads and "free joint" promotions endemic in his suburban hometown.

Chowchilla 'busnapper' wins release from prison

US reveals accusations against Secret Service

Texas teacher had kindergarten kids hit alleged bully on class

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - A Texas teacher will lose her job after ordering more than 20 kindergartners to line up and hit a classmate accused of being a bully, a district spokesman said Friday. The teacher at a suburban San Antonio school is accused of orchestrating the slugfest after a younger teaching colleague went to her last month seeking suggestions on how ...

Catholic hospitals reject birth control compromise

Conn. man calls 911 over beef about sandwich order

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - A man angry that a deli had fouled up his sandwich order decided to take his beef to police. The man, identified by police as Rother McLennon of East Hartford, called 911 on Wednesday and complained that he "specifically asked for little turkey and little ham, a lot of cheese and a lot of mayonnaise," and the ...

Pentagon to mark gay pride month

Senate panel boosts spending on IRS, Pell Grants

WASHINGTON (AP) - A Senate panel divided along party lines Thursday to approve legislation funding President Barack Obama's health care and financial services overhaul laws and boosting spending on the IRS and Pell Grants for low-income college students.

Deadly Oklahoma tornado widest on record

Land dispute to blame for missing Marine

NY boy, 10, grabs home intruder's gun, shoots wall

Nation news briefs

NM PROF: 'OBESE' GRAD APPLICANTS LACK 'WILLPOWER' : ALBUQUEQUE, N.M. (AP) - A University of New Mexico psychology professor is under fire after he tweeted that people battling obesity don't have the willpower to finish doctorate degrees.

Foreclosure auction scam crack down

HPV a growing cause of upper throat cancer

Jury finds for Ohio Catholic school teacher fired after becoming pregnant

New US-Mexico border crossing stalls

Trade winds drop, Hawaii gets muggy

Fort Hood suspect to represent himself

Man hunting for pythons finds mysterious jewelry

White House promises veto of GOP spending plan

Odd News

LAW CHANGE KILLS GERMANY'S LONGEST WORD: BERLIN (AP) - A tweak to state laws in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to conform with current EU regulations has caused an unexpected casualty: the longest word in the German language.

Scott Weiland sues over his Stone Temple Pilots ouster

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Scott Weiland has countersued his former band mates in Stone Temple Pilots claiming they had no right to expel him and shouldn't be allowed to perform with a new lead singer. Weiland's suit was filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, one week after his former collaborators sued to get him to stop using the band's music in solo performances. The singer's case claims the three other members of Stone Temple ...

Prosecutor: Manning aided enemy