Boston bomb suspect read jihadist sites

BOSTON (AP) - Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev was an ardent reader of jihadist websites and extremist propaganda, U.S. officials said Tuesday, adding another piece to the body of evidence they say suggests the two brothers were motivated by an anti-American, radical version of Islam.

Germany: Bieber's monkey going nowhere

BERLIN (AP) - German customs authorities say Justin Bieber's monkey is going nowhere, despite a request of the animal shelter where it's living that it go to a zoo.

Appeals court lifts stay of execution for Ga. man

ATLANTA (AP) - A federal appeals court that halted the execution of a Georgia man has lifted its stay, clearing the way for a new execution date.

College head to reimburse school for wedding costs

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - Officials at a Georgia university say the college president plans to reimburse the school for costs of a state-owned bus that was used to carry guests of a private wedding at his home.

Woman injured in marathon blast faces challenges

BOSTON (AP) - As this shocked city observed a moment of silence, Heather Abbott was following through on a difficult decision - allowing doctors to amputate her left foot, which was mangled in the bombings that shattered the Boston Marathon.

Police probe mail thefts from 48 victims in NE Ga.

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - Dozens of northeast Georgia residents say their mail was stolen in a mystery that involves plastic bags full of mail found in the bed of a pickup truck.

UGA unveils redesigned license plate

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - The University of Georgia has revamped its specialty license plate in the hopes of getting even more backers of Bulldog Nation to show their support.

Stocks edge higher as energy stocks rebound

Bombing suspect charged, could face death penalty

BOSTON (AP) - Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was charged in his hospital room Monday with using a weapon of mass destruction to kill, and he could face the death penalty if convicted.

State fire investigators: Church blaze was arson

COCHRAN, Ga. (AP) - State fire investigators say a blaze that destroyed a 50-year-old church in central Georgia over the weekend was arson.

Stocks edge down at the start of big earnings week

Legislature's inaction puts drug effort at risk

ATLANTA (AP) - A new program designed to combat prescription drug abuse in Georgia might run out of money to operate only a few months after it gets under way in June.

Witherspoon ' embarrassed' by arrest; hearing set

ATLANTA (AP) - A court hearing on a disorderly conduct charge is scheduled for actress Reese Witherspoon, who said she's "deeply embarrassed" by what she said to a state trooper during a traffic stop in Atlanta.

The stories of 2 brothers suspected in bombing

Boy Scouts propose to lift gay ban for youth

NEW YORK (AP) - Searching for compromise on a divisive issue, the Boy Scouts of America is proposing to partially lift its long-standing exclusion of gays - allowing them as youth members but continuing to bar them as adult leaders.

Falcons stadium debate puts focus on priorities

ATLANTA (AP) - State and local officials are contemplating using millions of dollars generated by a special hotel tax to help finance a new stadium for the Atlanta Falcons, a move that has some residents wondering: Why, when so much needs to be done to shore up roads, mass transit and struggling schools?

Charges added in Southeast sex trafficking case

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - More suspects have been charged in connection with what federal prosecutors say was a sex trafficking ring that forced women into prostitution and traded them like slaves between cities in Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas.

Ga. House passes $19B amended budget

ATLANTA (AP) - An amended $19 billion budget plan for Georgia now heads to the state Senate.

Postal Service lost $1.3 billion over quarter

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Postal Service lost $1.3 billion in the final three months of last year despite a blizzard of campaign advertising for the fall political elections and a big holiday mail and shipping season.

Broun says he wants automatic budget cuts to occur

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - Traveling across Georgia to tout his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, Republican Rep. Paul Broun said Friday that he sees $100 billion in automatic budget cuts as Washington's only realistic option for trimming spending. Even with the Pentagon warning that the cuts would devastate the military, Broun said: "I want to see it go into place."

Man acquitted in fight over stinky feet

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - An Augusta man jailed after police said an argument over stinky feet left his roommate with a minor wound has been acquitted.

Stocks edge higher after trade deficit report

NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks are edging higher in early trading on Wall Street after a report showed that the U.S. trade deficit narrowed sharply in December. Stocks were also boosted by strong earnings reports. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 66 points to 14,010 shortly after the opening bell Friday. The Standard & Poor's 500 index was up eight points at 1,517 and the Nasdaq composite rose 28 points at 3,192. The ...

Massive manhunt on for ex-cop accused of killing 3

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Thousands of police officers throughout Southern California and neighboring states hunted Thursday for a disgruntled former Los Angeles officer wanted for going on a deadly shooting rampage that he warned in an online posting would target those on the force who wronged him, authorities said. Police issued a statewide "officer safety warning" and police were sent to protect people named in the posting that was believed to be written by ...

Gov. Deal: HOPE will be expanded for tech grants

ATLANTA (AP) - Gov. Nathan Deal and state lawmakers have reached an agreement to lower the grade requirements to qualify for HOPE grants at Georgia technical schools.

Obama pushes 2nd term agenda to House Democrats

LEESBURG, Va. (AP) - President Barack Obama predicted a tough road ahead as he urged House Democrats on Thursday to stick to their principles on guns, immigration and the economy in legislative fights with Republicans.

Boy charged with making threat involving school

GAINESVILLE, Ga. (AP) - Authorities say a seventh-grade student at a Hall County school is accused of making a terroristic threat after they say another student heard the 14-year-old make a comment about "shooting up the school."

Senate poised to renew Violence Against Women Act

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate is poised to strengthen the principal federal anti-domestic abuse law, spreading its protection to gays, lesbians, immigrants and Native American women.

Weak earnings outweigh jobs news; stocks slip

NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks remained in a holding pattern Thursday. Major indexes edged lower after a report that showed the jobs market is maintaining a slow, but steady, recovery failed to inspire investors.

1 lane remains closed on I-16 after fiery crashes

MONTROSE, Ga. (AP) - One westbound lane of Interstate 16 remained closed Thursday morning, a day after more than two dozen cars and trucks collided in a fiery pileup.

Movie makers plan sprawling GA studio

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (AP) - Several investors in metro Atlanta have announced plans to build what would be the largest film studio complex in Georgia.