Prosecutors offer to read actor John Stamos’ lines at sentencing in Mich. extortion case

Stamos wants to be heard at Mich. court hearing

Blagojevich defense team scaled down for retrial as lead attorney leaves case

Blagojevich retrial defense team scaled down

R&B singer Mario charged with assaulting his mother at their Baltimore home

R&B singer Mario charged with assaulting mother

Former Seton Hall basketball player pleads guilty in robbery at home near campus

Ex-Seton Hall player pleads guilty in robbery

Recent allegations against Colorado prosecutor includes claim of a sexually suggestive text

Colo. DA allegations involve suggestive text

Colombian police say attempt to kidnap brother of slain drug lord Pablo Escobar foiled

Colombia: Attempt to kidnap Escobar brother foiled

Michigan prosecutor’s blog raises questions about public workers’ rights to unpleasant speech

Mich. worker’s blog sparks debate on free speech

Judge dismisses case against brother-in-law of Osama bin Laden’s bodyguard

Case tossed against man linked to bin Laden guard

DA: Singer-songwriter Bruno Mars faces cocaine charge following Las Vegas arrest

Singer Bruno Mars facing cocaine charge in Vegas

Army investigators seize photos of soldiers posing with Afghan corpses, severed body parts

Photos show US soldiers posing with Afghan corpses

NJ student’s death becomes touchstone for those fighting bullying, suicides of young gays

NJ student’s suicide resonates on campus, beyond

Judge in Illinois dismisses weapons charge against former police officer Drew Peterson

Judge dismisses Drew Peterson weapons charge

Grand jury indicts accused kidnappers of woman held for 18 years in California

Grand jury indicts accused California kidnappers

Grocer Aldi says customer info exposed by vandalized payment machines in 11 states, cities

Grocer Aldi says vandals compromised payments

Pa. lawyer, arts supporter convicted of federal sex crimes involving Russian ballet student

Pa. lawyer found guilty in Russian child-sex case

Search teams look for US tourist shot by suspected pirates on Mexican side of border lake

Search teams seek US man shot in Mexican waters

FBI says cyber-thieves who stole $70M caught with help from Ukraine, Netherlands, UK

FBI says cyber-thieves stole $70 million

WASHINGTON — The FBI and law enforcement agencies in Ukraine, the Netherlands and Britain are tracking down international cyber criminals who stole $70 million by using malware that captured passwords and account numbers to log onto online bank accounts.

UN chief condemns Nigeria bombings

UNITED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Friday condemned the bombings in Nigeria that left at least 14 people dead and assured the West African country of “unflinching support” in addressing the challenges confronting the most populous country in Africa.

Security guard fatally shot outside South Fla. bank, authorities search for 2 armed suspects

Security guard fatally shot outside Fla. bank

Woman sought restraining order against Colo. prosecutor accused of unlawful sexual contact

Woman sought restraining order for Colo prosecutor

Border shooting game sparks controversy in Germany close to the reunification’s anniversary

Border shooting game sparks controversy in Germany

Meghalaya official abducted by rebels

SHILLONG - Militant group Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) abducted a Meghalaya government official and his driver at gunpoint, a police official said Friday.

Defense: 2nd Conn. home-invasion defendant escalated violence; prosecutor says blame is shared

Defense: Other Conn. defendant escalated violence

Police: Wyoming woman ditches escapee who passed out drunk in car during kidnapping

Woman flees escaped prisoner who passed out drunk

Federal jury in Salt Lake City due to get case in library explosion trial

Jury to get case in Utah library explosion trial

US judge asks Vatican to serve Pope, 2 others with legal documents, but it’s a long shot

US judge asks Vatican to serve court paper to pope

Tennessee man charged with threatening Ohio congressman amid health care debate

Tenn. man charged with threat to Ohio congressman

Brothers file bankruptcy settlement plan in St. Louis in US Fidelis case

Brothers file bankruptcy plan in US Fidelis case

Rutgers students wear black, leave flowers after suicide of teen’

Emotions run high at Rutgers after teen’s suicide

Indian police accused of assaulting 2 Associated Press journalists in troubled Indian Kashmir

Police accused of beating AP reporters in Kashmir

US officials say they believe bin Laden and senior al-Qaida involved in Europe terror plot

Officials think bin Laden involved in Europe plot

Woman took out a restraining order against Colo. prosecutor accused of unlawful sexual contact

Woman had restraining order for Colo. prosecutor

Prosecutor tells jury both suspects in home invasion are to blame for 3 deaths in Conn. home

Conn. attorney: 2 home-invasion suspects at fault

Ex-Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf admits mistakes while in power; launches party

Ex-Pakistani leader admits mistakes while in power

German man confesses to terrorism charges linked to group that plotted to attack US targets

German man confesses in court to terrorism charges

15 die in bombing at Nigerian I-day parade

NAIROBI/ABUJA - At least 15 people died Friday in twin car bomb blasts in the Nigerian capital Abuja as the West African nation commemorated the 50th anniversary of its independence from Britain, witnesses said.

ESPN’s Jay Mariotti pleads no contest in LA to misdemeanor in incident with female companion

ESPN’s Mariotti pleads no contest to misdemeanor

Raman Singh thanks media for securing cops’ release

RAIPUR - Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and the state police chief Friday thanked the media for its role in securing the release of four policemen who were abducted by Maoists Sep 19.

Search resumes for US tourist shot by suspected pirates on Mexican side of border lake

Search resumes for US man shot in Mexican waters

Former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf forms political party and returns to politics

Ex-Pakistani general forms political party

Hardcore rebel surrenders in Meghalaya

SHILLONG - A hardcore rebel member of the outlawed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) in Meghalaya has surrendered, a Border Security Force (BSF) official said Friday.

Woman found not guilty in husband’s hunting death, arguing she mistook him for a bear

Hunter who shot husband found not guilty

GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR, Newfoundland — An American woman was found not guilty Friday of criminal negligence causing death in the fatal shooting of her husband while hunting four years ago in central Newfoundland.

Texas sheriff says Mexican bandits chased American into US waters after shooting her husband

Texas sheriff: Mexican bandits entered US waters

Ex-NJ Gov. McGreevey, who resigned after announcing he was gay, saddened by student suicide

Ex-NJ gov. McGreevey saddened by teen’s suicide

Police: Texas boy, 4, manages to start van, then runs over, kills newborn and hurts mother

Police: Texas 4-year-old runs over, kills newborn

Top IRA dissident gets 20-year prison sentence for trying to buy weapons from British agents

Top IRA dissident sentenced for trying to buy arms

Sweden ups terror threat alert to ‘elevated,’ but sees no imminent attack

Sweden ups terror threat alert to ‘elevated’

SC prisons chief says he’s testing technology to block calls of inmates’ smuggled cell phones

Prison chief eyes new cell phone intercept system

Philippine charged with offending Catholics after protesting clergy’s stance on contraception

Philippine tour guide’s protest offends Catholics

Judge to rule on request by Blagojevich lawyers to leave ex-Ill. governor’s corruption case

Judge to decide if Blagojevich lawyers can leave