RANCHI - Maoist guerrillas shot dead a Congress leader in Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district to protest the Green Hunt operation in the state, police said Wednesday.

Six Pakistani soldiers killed in suicide attack

ISLAMABAD - At least six Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide blast Wednesday in the country’s northwest tribal region bordering Afghanistan, state television reported.

Officials: 9 people shot, 3 killed in Washington DC drive-by shooting; 3 arrests made

Officials: 9 people shot, 3 killed in southeastern DC drive-by; 3 arrests but no motive yet

Pakistani cab driver with terror links to remain behind bars

CHICAGO - A Pakistani American taxi driver charged with trying to send money to a Pakistani terrorist leader with links to Al Qaeda will remain behind bars until a formal hearing on April 7.

Mexican suspect: Juarez killings targeted vehicle of Texas jail guard

Oregon judge increases possible damages in sex abuse lawsuit against Boy Scouts of America

Liberian teenager pleads guilty to sexual assault in gang-rape of 8-year-old girl in Phoenix

Officials: 9 people shot in southern DC, 3 arrested; police do not yet have motive

Calif. prosecutors deny concealing evidence in Polanski case, demand film director’s return

Priest involved in sex-abuse investigation of Wisconsin colleague defends Vatican’s response

Condemned Houston man executed Tuesday evening for murder during robbery; appeals exhausted

HUNTSVILLE, Texas — Condemned prisoner Franklin Dewayne Alix was executed Tuesday evening for fatally shooting a Houston man during a robbery.

California officers on leave after rush-hour shooting of suspect after highway pursuit

Philanthropist charged with molesting Russian dance student, 12, bringing boy back to Philly

Colombian rebels free soldier held hostage for 12 years, one of FARC’s longest-held captives

County coroner trying to identify body parts found at Kansas City, Kan., medical waste company

Critics say inoperable cameras along NYC transportation routes are a picture of insecurity

Calif. judge finds accused Garner-Affleck stalker insane, sends man to state mental hospital

Minn. man accused of trapping ex-wife in car, shooting her to death in front of couple’s kids

US official says efforts to fight nation’s fastest growing crime, identity theft, fall short

Boy Scouts open their defense in Oregon sex abuse lawsuit that seeks $25 million

APNewsBreak: Vatican cites sovereignty as defense in abuse case, says bishops aren’t employees

Mexico police find 6 bodies, 4 decapitated, in central state

Chess teacher sentenced for fleeing to Belize instead of registering as sex offender in Colo.

Texas financier Stanford asks for new attorneys in $7 billion fraud case

Inmates in restrictive federal prison units sue for more contact with family and friends

APNewsBreak: Vatican mounts legal defense to shield pope from US sex abuse lawsuit

VATICAN CITY — Dragged deeper than ever before into the clerical sex abuse scandal, the Vatican is launching a legal defense that the church hopes will shield the pope from a lawsuit in Kentucky seeking to have him deposed.

Calif. judge sentences serial killer Rodney Alcala to death for 5 slayings

Robbers drill through underground wall, tie up guard in Paris bank heist

After 9 charged in bullied Mass. girl’s suicide, schools face tough questions on prevention

UN accepts Pakistani request to delay release of report on Benazir Bhutto assassination

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2 charged with murder in death of California woman dragged by car after soured drug deal

2 charged with murder in Calif. dragging death

Fla. Panhandle deputy uses Google Earth to arrest, charge man with illegally dumping boat

Fla. deputy uses Google Earth to make arrest

3rd New Orleans police officer expected to plead guilty in probe of Katrina bridge shootings

Officer expected to plead guilty in Katrina probe

Federal judge seeks more answers on alleged CIA misconduct in $3 million settlement

Judge seeks more answers on alleged CIA misconduct

Niger’s police arrest more than half a dozen officials from ousted leader’s administration

Niger police arrest officials loyal to ex-leader

Former Indiana basketball player Todd Leary faces July trial in alleged mortgage scheme

July trial set for former basketball player Leary

16 months after 26/11, Taj Ballroom welcomes patrons

MUMBAI - Curious guests and old regulars started trooping into the famous Ballroom of the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel - severely damaged and scarred during the Nov 26, 2008, Mumbai terror attacks - which re-opened here Tuesday.

Steelers’ Rooney says team “disappointed” with Holmes incident

Steelers “disappointed” with Holmes incident

Actor Rip Torn pleads not guilty to burglary and firearms charges in Connecticut bank break-in

Rip Torn pleads not guilty in Conn. bank break-in

Iran says its agents free diplomat kidnapped in 2008 in Pakistan

Iran: Agents free diplomat kidnapped in Pakistan

Iranian diplomat recovered 15 months after kidnapping

ISLAMABAD - An Iranian diplomat kidnapped in Pakistan 15 months ago has been recovered after a successful operation by Iran’s intelligence agencies, Tehran’s envoy here said Tuesday.

NY court upholds hate crime conviction in synagogue attack, rules buildings too can be targets

NY court sees synagogue attack as hate crime

German who claims CIA kidnapped him sentenced to prison for attack on town mayor

Alleged CIA victim sentenced over mayor attack

Supreme Court restricts whistleblower lawsuits against local governments

Consultant to Mass. school where 9 are charged in bullying didn’t use all her advice

Bullying expert: Mass. school didn’t use advice

Maoists torch four trucks, blow up school

RANCHI - Maoist rebels torched four trucks and blew up a school building in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, police said Tuesday.

With shaky skills and rusty ammo, Nigerian navy faces increasingly violent pirates

With rusty ammo, Nigeria confronts pirates

NC officers find husband and wife, 2 children dead in apparent suicide-slaying

Suicide-slaying suspected in deaths of 4 in NC

Dutch and British police join forces in bid to solve 2 grisly body-in-bag slayings

Dutch, British police link 2 grisly slayings