Hail, damaging winds, tornadoes possible in Ga

ATLANTA (AP) - Forecasters say damaging winds will be the main threat as storms move into Georgia on Thursday, but some tornadoes will also be possible.

Woods favored, but challengers aplenty at Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - Eighty-three-year-old Arnold Palmer punched the air on an overcast morning.

Ga. couple arrested after son suffers brain injury

MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) - A metro Atlanta couple is being held in the Cobb County jail after their special needs son was hospitalized with a brain injury.

5 Ga. firefighters taken hostage; SWAT on scene

SUWANEE, Ga. (AP) - Authorities in northwest Georgia say a barricaded man is holding five firefighters hostage.

98 warrants issued in Ga. child porn investigation

Braves acquire RHP Ayala from Orioles

ATLANTA (AP) - The Atlanta Braves have bolstered their bullpen depth by acquiring right-handed reliever Luis Ayala from the Baltimore Orioles for a minor-leaguer.

Survivor of '63 Ala. church bombing seeks funds

Standard & Poor's 500 climbs to an all-time high

Rogers, Bare, Clement in Country Hall of Fame

Senators unveil deal on gun sales background check

Strong storms, possible tornadoes could strike Ga.

ATLANTA (AP) - Forecasters say strong to severe thunderstorms are expected Thursday afternoon into Friday morning across Georgia.

US couple in jail after fleeing to Cuba with kids

Obama sends Congress $3.8 trillion spending plan

Ga. man in wheelchair dies after being hit by car

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - An Athens man riding in a motorized wheelchair has died after being hit by a car.

3 Ga.-based soldiers killed in Afghanistan attack

FORT STEWART, Ga. (AP) - The Army says three soldiers based at Fort Stewart in southeast Georgia died in a weekend suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan that also killed an American diplomat.

Georgia lawmakers eye Tennessee water

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - Georgia lawmakers are again contesting the state's border with Tennessee in a long-standing dispute involving the ongoing war over water between the two states.

Homes wrecked, dozen hurt in Mississippi tornado

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) - Residents shaken by a tornado that mangled homes in Mississippi were waking up Monday to a day of removing trees, patching roofs and giving thanks for their survival. More than a dozen in the state were injured. Daylight also offered emergency management officials the chance to get a better handle on the damage that stretched across several counties. Gov. Phil Bryant planned to visit hard-hit Hattiesburg, where a twister moved ...

Text of pope announcement he will resign Feb. 28

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday he would resign Feb. 28 because he is simply too old to carry on. Here is the text of his announcement, delivered to cardinals gathered for a ceremony to name three new saints.

Bill would close talks on troubled school boards

ATLANTA (AP) - State education officials could deliberate privately on whether to recommend the removal of troubled school boards under a plan being considered by Georgia legislators.

Senator vows to delay Obama's nominees over Libya

WASHINGTON (AP) - A leading Republican senator said Sunday he would hold up Senate confirmation of President Barack Obama's nominees to head the Defense Department and the CIA until the White House provided more answers about the deadly Sept. 11 attack against a U.S. installation in Benghazi, Libya.

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.