Iraqi leader al-Maliki extends overtures to rivals

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi forces and Sunni militants battled fiercely for control of the nation’s largest oil refinery on Wednesday as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki went on a diplomatic offensive, reaching out in a tel…

Court: $1.8 million house built on park must be removed

NARRAGANSETT, R.I. (AP) — A developer who mistakenly built a $1.8 million waterfront house on parkland has been ordered to remove it.

Phoenix VA doled out $10M in bonuses

PHOENIX (AP) — Workers at the Phoenix VA Health Care System — where investigators say veterans’ health was jeopardized when employees covered up long wait times for patients — received about $10 million in bonuses,…

Lawmakers: IRS lost more emails in Tea Party probe

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Internal Revenue Service has lost more emails connected to the tea party investigation, congressional investigators said Tuesday.

Wildfire threatens homes, livestock

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A fast-moving wildfire near the Arizona-New Mexico border grew Tuesday as it approached two communities and threatened traditional grazing lands on the Navajo Nation, where sheep are a stap…

N.D. pumping 1 million barrels of oil per day

WILLISTON, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota has joined the ranks of the few places in the world that produce more than a million barrels of oil per day, due in large part to the rich Bakken shale formation in the western p…

U.S. seizes Benghazi suspect

 WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. special forces seized a “key leader” of the deadly Benghazi, Libya, attack and he is on his way to face trial in the U.S. for the fiery assault that killed the U.S. ambassador and three othe…

Hidden Cash craze hits New York City's Central Park

NEW YORK (AP) — Guided by a few clues from Twitter, Stephanie Culff hailed a cab to Central Park on Saturday and started searching for money planted there by Hidden Cash, the scavenger hunt craze that made its New …

Soldier's story shows tragedy of World War I

NIEUWKERKE, Belgium (AP) — In a neatly clipped corner of the Westhof Farm Cemetery, an Australian family huddled around Pvt. Andrew Bayne’s grave. One century after the start of World War I, the family found closur…

After defeating Cantor, Dave Brat avoids spotlight

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The giant slayer isn’t quite ready for his close up.

Idaho challenger joins GOP leadership contest

WASHINGTON — The son of a Bakersfield, Calif., firefighter, Rep. Kevin McCarthy has hauled plenty of political hose to get where he is now, seemingly perched on the edge of real power in the U.S. House of Represent…

Poachers massacre 68 elephants in Congo park

Former Afghanistan captive heading for Texas hospital

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who has been recovering in Germany after five years as a Taliban captive, is returning to the United States today, but he will not receive the promotion that would have been au…

Iraq collapsing in face of militants

 BAGHDAD (AP) — Islamic militants who seized cities and towns vowed Thursday to march on Baghdad to settle old scores, joined by Saddam Hussein-era loyalists and other disaffected Sunnis capitalizing on the governm…