Valley Mountain Library Consortium

A judge called the plot to hide the shooting of unarmed residents crossing a bridge a "despicable" scheme that immeasurably compounded Hurricane Katrina's damage. Jeffrey Lehrmann pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony, meaning he knew about the crime and didn't report it. He faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake capable of tremendous damage struck central Chile early Saturday, shaking the capital for a minute and a half and setting off a tsunami.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

Across the country, cash-strapped cities are coming up with novel ideas for raising money — imposing new charges on everything from sodas and plastic bags to library late fees and emergency-response services. With at least two more years of bad budgets ahead, look for cities to turn to niche taxes.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

The Senate Banking Committee chairman plans to offer his own financial regulation bill without GOP support after a month of talks with Republican Sen. Bob Corker found some common ground but didn't yield agreement on consumer protections and other sticking points.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Thursday that Pakistan has a key role to play in peace talks with the Taliban, a possible attempt to quash speculation that his government was trying to sideline its neighbor.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

A series of strong aftershocks from last month's devastating quake rocked Chile on Thursday as a new president was sworn into office and immediately urged coastal residents to move to higher ground in case of a tsunami.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

Elkhart, Ind., is known as the RV-making capital of the world. The mayor wants to claim a new title: the electric vehicle capital of the world. Stimulus grants and other incentives are attracting companies planning to build electric vehicles to Elkhart. It's hoped the new business will fill the void created by a serious slump in recreational vehicle sales.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

Greek police fired tear gas to disperse protesters throwing rocks and firebombs outside Parliament as tens of thousands of people marched through Athens to protest measures to cut the country's debt. The strike grounded all flights and brought public transport to a halt.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

The U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly shrank in January, reflecting a big drop in imports of oil and foreign cars. American exports also fell, a potential blow to hopes that the economic recovery will be aided this year by U.S. sales abroad.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

The emerging consensus in Afghanistan is that military action alone will not win the war against the Taliban and a political solution will be necessary. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has reached out to some Taliban leaders. But analysts say the Taliban and the U.S. are not ready for full-scale negotiations — yet.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

Preliminary election results show Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki leading in the mainly Shiite provinces of Babil and Najaf, while a coalition led by his top secular rival, former Premier Ayad Allawi, was ahead in the former Sunni insurgent strongholds of Diyala and Salahuddin. But the chaotic vote count was marred by accusations of fraud.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

The number of newly laid-off workers requesting unemployment benefits slipped by 6,000 last week. But the four-week average of claims climbed, reflecting a sharp increase in claims last month.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

Wrapping up a three-day visit, the U.S. vice president urges both sides to get past the uproar sparked by an Israeli plan for new settlement construction in disputed east Jerusalem and focus on U.S.-mediated peace talks. "If each waits stubbornly ... this will go on for an eternity," Biden says.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

Fears remain about the hundreds of thousands of homeowners who are still being evaluated for help under loan modification programs. Many analysts say most of those borrowers will eventually lose their homes, sparking a new round of foreclosures later this year.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

Facing potential bankruptcy, the board that governs the once flush-with-cash Kansas City school district is taking the unusual and contentious step of shuttering almost half its schools.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

To show support for schoolchildren devastated by the earthquake, fifth-graders in Northridge, Calif., sent the kids letters that included poems, comic strips and stickers. The students in California and those in Haiti say they'd like to be pen pals for life.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

Justice Department attorneys who once helped represent terrorism detainees are at the center of a raging dispute. Conservatives say that the politically appointed lawyers are influencing U.S. policy to help their former clients.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

The divide on Capitol Hill is commonly depicted as Democrats versus Republicans and for good reason — the greatest rift in Congress is indeed partisan. But there's also a cleft between members of the same party, Democrats specifically, with a split between House and Senate members.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

The president denounced waste, inefficiency and downright fraud in the government's health care system on Wednesday as he sought to rally public support for his revamped overhaul plan.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

Lice in children have been treated for years with lotions, creams and shampoos. But the little critters are becoming more and more resistant. Now an oral drug already used to treat certain parasites in people appears to kill lice as well. Researchers say it could be an alternative when standard treatments fail.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us