All USA Update
- State Department may have covered up sex and drug scandals, report says
The State Department is under fire after an internal memo has surfaced that claims investigations into employee misbehavior were called off or manipulated.
Santa Monica shootings: Were gun control laws powerless to stop suspect?John Zawahri, the alleged attacker in the Santa Monica shootings, had a semiautomatic rifle, more than 1,000 bullets, and a history of mental troubles, law enforcement sources say.
Philadelphia building collapse: Was demolition being done correctly?The Philadelphia building collapse that killed six and injured 14 happened as the building was being demolished. Eyewitness accounts offer clues into what might have gone wrong.
Growth industry? Suburban mom allegedly ran $3 million marijuana business.A woman from upper-class Scarsdale, N.Y., is charged with growing pot in a Queens warehouse. That would be illegal, but it points to the possibilities of the legal marijuana industry as states legalize the drug.
Mammoth Oklahoma tornado was widest ever recorded – almost strongest, tooThe Oklahoma tornado that killed four storm chasers Friday in El Reno was wider than Manhattan and had winds almost as strong as the record-breaking 1999 Moore tornado.
Obama email flap: White House defends top officials' use of 'secret' accountsObama email policy came under fire Tuesday after a news report that some top political appointees use 'secret' government accounts in a bid to avoid unwanted messages. That prompted a spirited defense of the practice from White House spokesman Jay Carney.
IRS commissioner: 'Primary mission' is regaining public trustThe IRS suffered a 'fundamental failure' of management, the new chief told Congress on his 12th day in office. Daniel Werfel said he had already replaced leadership 'at several critical levels.'
Bradley Manning court-martial starts: key points in the WikiLeaks casePfc. Bradley Manning, whose trial begins Monday, is accused of passing more than 700,000 government and military documents to the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks.
- Who was Nicole Mansfield and what was she doing in Syria?
Mother. American. Convert to Islam. Nicole Mansfield, who was killed in Syria while allegedly fighting with rebels opposed to the Assad regime, may be the first US citizen to die in the civil war there.
Obama targeted in latest threatening letter with anti-gun control messageLetters threatening New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his gun-control group tested positive for ricin, officials said Wednesday. On Thursday, a similar letter addressed to President Obama surfaced.
Joe Miller tries again in Alaska: Another tea party dust-up?Tea party favorite Joe Miller won the Republican US Senate primary in 2010, but lost to GOP incumbent Lisa Murkowski's write-in campaign. Now he's back, exploring a challenge to Democratic Sen. Mark Begich in 2014.
Working moms as primary breadwinners: why the US is seeing so many moreIn 4 out of 10 US households, the mother now earns the key income, according to a new Pew study. More women are single mothers, and more wives are outearning their husbands.
George Zimmerman defense team loses key rulings in Trayvon Martin caseA Florida judge on Tuesday barred lawyers from mentioning controversial texts and photos by Trayvon Martin in opening arguments – one of several defeats for George Zimmerman's defense.
National Spelling Bee adds vocab test: Do the kids like it?The 86th Scripps National Spelling Bee now requires young competitors to know how to use words, such as flibbertigibbet – a favorite word of student participants – not just how to spell them.
Skagit River bridge collapse: Not the only one waiting to happenThe collapse of the I-5 bridge over the Skagit River is a reminder that thousands of bridges in the US are in serious need of repair or replacement. President Obama proposed a "Fix it First" program, but the budget 'sequester' may have squelched that.
- Bombs in teen bedroom: How Columbine copycat plot was foiled
Bombs in teen bedroom were for a Columbine-style attack against an Oregon school, a prosecutor says. But the plot was foiled in the same way many such plots are uncovered.
Collapse of I-5 bridge in Washington State: no fatalities, many questionsThe collapse of a 'functionally obsolete' bridge on I-5 in Washington State plunged three, later rescued, into icy water. It's also reviving a debate on how to fund billions in infrastructure repair.
- West Point video allegations add to Pentagon plague of sexual misconduct cases
An Army sergeant who served two tours in Iraq has been accused of secretly videotaping female students as they showered at West Point, the latest in a string of sexual misconduct cases in the military.
Drone strikes: Four American citizens killed in drone strikesDrone strikes: Four American citizens killed. Attorney General Eric Holder acknowledged Wednesday that US drones have killed four American citizens in Pakistan and Yemen, justifying the attacks under US and international law. President Obama is scheduled to address the subject in a speech Thursday.
- FBI kills Chechen man during Boston bombing probe: What's known of him?
An FBI interrogation, part of the Boston bombing probe, ends in shooting death of a Chechen immigrant in Florida. The man reportedly knew suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev. FBI claims self-defense.
