All USA Update
As Ariel Castro home demolished, Michelle Knight builds new lifeThe home where three Cleveland women were held captive for a decade by Ariel Castro was demolished Wednesday. Michelle Knight, who is becoming the public face of the victims, was there.
Ariel Castro house of horrors to be razed. What's next for the site?The three women held captive by Ariel Castro will have a lead role, along with members of the Cleveland community, in determining what will replace the Castro house, says the president of the bank that now owns the property. Demolition begins Wednesday.
- Amelia Earhart: Distant relative with same name to retrace last flight
Amelia Earhart aims to fly the route of her storied relative in a latest-model single-engine plane next year. The flight is to raise money for her foundation to encourage girls to fly.
George Zimmerman stopped for speeding in Texas, tells officer he's armedGeorge Zimmerman was pulled over for speeding in Texas, saying he was armed and going 'nowhere in particular.' The officer let Zimmerman off with only a warning for his driving.
Guns in schools: Arkansas district will arm 20 teachers and staffClarksville school district is the latest rural school in a conservative state to give teachers handguns. But soaring insurance costs have often made such programs prohibitively expensive.
Penn State hearing: Did officials cover up Jerry Sandusky sex crimes?A preliminary hearing for three former Penn State officials begins Monday. It will determine whether to move forward with a trial on charges that the men conspired to cover up abuse by Jerry Sandusky.
Amanda Berry surprise appearance onstage a step toward 'normal life'Amanda Berry, who was one of three women held captive for a decade in a Cleveland house, on Saturday made her first public appearance since being freed. Amanda Berry joined rapper Nelly onstage at a music festival.
Ariel Castro accepts plea that spares his life – and his kidnapping victimsFacing 997 counts, including rape and aggravated murder, Ariel Castro opts for a plea deal for life plus 1,000 years in prison without parole, sparing himself the death penalty and the women he kidnapped from testifying.
Gulf rig explosion: Natural gas leaks have stopped, as probe continuesThe explosion and fire at a natural gas rig off the Louisiana coast raise new questions about the role of blowout preventers and overall safety of drilling operations in the Gulf.
Natural gas rig explodes, partially collapses in Gulf. How big a disaster?A natural gas rig off the Louisiana coast exploded Tuesday and continued to burn Wednesday. It's unclear when the well will be plugged, but natural gas spills are different from oil spills.
Southwest jet's landing-gear collapse: third major runway accident this monthThe front landing gear of a Southwest flight collapsed upon landing at New York's LaGuardia airport Monday. This follows runway accidents in San Francisco and London. A government agency says the FAA needs to keep better data on runway accidents.
Royal baby birth on the cheap? Why US births can cost much more.Royal baby news reports say Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, is in labor in a hospital suite with a birthing pool, satellite TV, and Internet access. Similar services in the US cost more.
Trayvon Martin rallies: Has Al Sharpton 'gone mainstream'?Trayvon Martin rallies took place across the US Saturday. Their tone and nonviolence point to how their organizer, the Rev. Al Sharpton, has evolved.
How did a potential Whitey Bulger witness die? Boston buzzing.Stephen Rakes, who claimed he and his then-wife were forced to sell their liquor store to reputed mobster James 'Whitey' Bulger, was found dead the day after prosecutors removed him from their witness list.
Rolling Stone cover: Are stores going too far in pulling the magazine?The image of accused Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in what many see as a rock-star pose has drawn a firestorm of criticism. At least six retailers have vowed not to sell that issue of Rolling Stone.
Heat wave: Northeast faces a few more scorchers. Then, relief!With the highest above-normal heat in the nation, New York opens more than 400 cooling centers. Some 100,000 Maryland residents may be without water for days. But cooler air is expected Friday.
Juror B37: 'Race did not play a role' in Zimmerman trial. Protesters disagree.Juror B37 says race was not considered in the decision to acquit George Zimmerman. In a sign of a big disconnect, though, many Americans see race as an unavoidable factor in the outcome for Trayvon Martin.
Bradley Manning case: lawyers battle over most serious chargeDefense lawyers say the prosecution has not proven that Pfc. Bradley Manning intended to aid the enemy in releasing classified information to WikiLeaks.
KTVU apologizes for airing racist pilot names, but Asiana says it will sueKTVU apologizes, but still, the broadcast 'seriously damaged' Asiana Airline’s reputation, a company spokesman said. An anchor for the California TV station read incorrect and racially offensive names of the pilots.
Asiana pilot names: KTVU apologizes for racist prank, but lawsuit possibleAsiana pilot names were wrong and racist, KTVU apologizes. But amid an already controversial investigation into the Asiana Flight 214 crash, the airline threatens legal action.
