All USA Update
New York pro-ferret lobby rejoices: Don't lump us with even-toed ungulatesFerrets may be weaseling their way back into the heart of the Big Apple, as the city's Board of Health takes up petition to lift a 15-year-old ban on the right to own a ferret.
Federal judge orders halt to executions in Ohio until mid-AugustAfter a January execution appeared to cause intense pain, Ohio planned to increase the dosage of its lethal injections. The moratorium aims to give defense lawyers time to prepare challenges.
Remembering the colossal Maya Angelou: 'But still, like air, I'll rise'Maya Angelou, a giant in American life and letters, who died on Wednesday, led a breakthrough for black women writers and left behind a sweeping record of engagement with life.
After Elliot Rodger manifesto, women unite under #YesAllWomenHours after Friday's attack by Elliot Rodger, Twitter users shared under the hashtag #YesAllWomen their stories of how women still deal with anti-women attitudes.
NASA reveals 'Global Selfie.' Will image boost interest in space program?NASA used some 36,000 'selfies' sent in honor of Earth Day to create a composite image of the Earth. It's a pretty cool trick, but we've yet to see if the US space agency's PR efforts can conjure up more funding and public support.
Outlook for Memorial Day travel: congested!Memorial Day weekend marks the start of the summer travel season. Looks like the 2014 holiday is going to be a doozy, with about 1 in 10 Americans planning to get out of town.
Climate change: Super PAC targets Republicans who deny human role in warmingBillionaire Tom Steyer has pledged $50m. to NextGen Climate Action. In a bid to counter the Koch brothers, the super PAC is targeting Republicans who deny human-caused climate change.
Prosecutors release note of Boston bombing suspect, defend questioningBoston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was questioned for 36 hours without an attorney – and the defense wants his statements excluded as evidence. Prosecutors, defending the interrogation, cite a note Tsarnaev is alleged to have written while hiding in a boat.
'Stairway to Heaven' controversy: Can anyone own a chord progression?'Stairway to Heaven' features an iconic intro that classic rockers Led Zeppelin have been accused of pirating from the band Spirit. When do inspiration and influence cross the line into plagiarism?
Iron Man: Super suit trying to jump from the movie screen to the battlefieldSpecial ops forces may be able to don, in a few years, an 'Iron Man-like' suit equipped with a liquid armor exoskeleton, smart fabrics that stop bleeding, and enhanced sensory capabilities.
Spectacular Wyoming cloud formation: What is a supercell, anyway?Storm chasers' time-lapsed footage of a Wyoming supercell is taking the Internet by storm. Where do these spectacular and potentially deadly cloud formations come from?
Do e-cigarettes help break the nicotine habit, or make it harder to quit?One study says electronic cigarettes boost smoking cessation success rates by 60 percent. Another says e-cigarettes merely shift the nicotine habit to another delivery device. What are would-be quitters to do?
Horse nasal strips: California Chrome gets OK for use in Triple CrownHorse nasal strips figured in California Chrome's surge to victory in the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes. But until Monday, it wasn't clear that officials would allow them in his June 7 run for the Belmont Stakes.
Weather gives San Diego firefighters a break for nowWildfires around San Diego are being contained as cooler, damper weather moves in. But it's just the beginning of a fire season likely to be severe as California experiences extreme drought.
California wildfires: Could foul play be to blame?Two teenagers have been arrested for setting small fires in Escondido, Calif. No evidence links them to a string of wildfires in San Diego County, but some experts wonder if arson may be at play.
Aaron Hernandez indicted in two additional murdersFormer New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez has been charged with the murders of two Cape Verdean nationals in a 2012 drive-by shooting.
Minnesota passes first-in-nation smart phone 'kill switch' lawMinnesota becomes the first state to demand smart phones have kill switches to deactivate them if they’re stolen. The legislation is aimed at the rising trend of smart phone muggings.
Obama warns transportation money will run out if Congress dawdlesPresident Obama warned that Congress's failure to pass transportation funding could cost 700,000 jobs and effectively force states to halt 100,000 improvement projects.
Idaho's gay marriage ban is latest to be struck down in courtNot counting Idaho, 17 states have legalized gay marriage. Idaho's governor has said he plans to appeal the decision by a US district magistrate judge.
Immigration reform: Congress can still act before midterms, Obama saysPresident Obama says the window for passing immigration reform legislation is rapidly closing as midterm elections approach. Will he go it alone if the House doesn't pick up the ball?
