Stocks mostly lower on tepid US economic growth

NEW YORK (AP) - Stock prices were mostly lower on Friday after several companies, including Amazon.com, released weak earnings and the government reported that the U.S. economy expanded at a slower rate than economists were expecting.

Early morning earthquake latest to hit east Ga

LINCOLNTON, Ga. (AP) - Authorities say an early morning earthquake that struck east Georgia is the latest in a series of quakes to hit the region.

Bill to end airport delays headed for House vote

Politics on hold at the dedication of Bush library

Singer Currington charged with threats to Ga. man

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - Police in coastal Georgia say country singer Billy Currington may have videotaped himself chasing a 70-year-old tour boat captain and threatening to "finish him off."

Boston victims face huge bills; donations pour in

Deal signs second part of GA criminal justice bill

ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has signed the second round of a criminal justice bill into law.

Stocks up as job market improves; stimulus chatter

NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. stocks moved higher Thursday after claims for unemployment benefits fell and name-brand companies like Royal Caribbean and Harley-Davidson reported healthy profits.

Police: Boston suspects planned to attack New York

Swedish police find drugs on Bieber tour bus

STOCKHOLM (AP) - Swedish police say they have found drugs on board a tour bus used by Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber.

Dog being evaluated after mauling toddler to death

ATLANTA (AP) - Authorities say they plan to evaluate the health and temperament of a family dog that attacked and killed a toddler in his home south of Atlanta.

Officials: Bomb suspect silent after read rights

Presidents converge to salute one of their own

Georgia signs junior college forward Cameron Forte

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) - Georgia has signed Cameron Forte, one of the nation's top junior college scorers.

Weak earnings prospects weigh on stocks

Deal approved in Muslims' suit against McDonald's

DETROIT (AP) - A judge has finalized a $700,000 settlement between McDonald's and members of Michigan's Muslim community over claims a Detroit-area restaurant falsely advertised food as prepared according to Islamic law.

Officials: 2nd letter to Senate tested for ricin

WASHINGTON (AP) - Law enforcement officials say a second letter sent to the U.S. Senate has been intercepted and is being tested for poisonous ricin. Two officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the letter was being treated in the same manner as a separate one sent to Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker and was undergoing field tests. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. The letter to ...

Secret Service: Suspicious letter mailed to Obama

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Secret Service says it has intercepted a letter addressed to President Barack Obama that contained a "suspicious substance."

Senate vote nears, background check bill in peril

WASHINGTON (AP) - A bipartisan effort to expand background checks is in deep trouble as the Senate approaches a long-awaited vote on the linchpin of the drive to curb gun violence. As the showdown draws near, an Associated Press-GfK poll shows ebbing public support for tightening gun control laws. In the run-up to the roll call expected Wednesday, so many Republicans had declared their opposition to the background check measure that supporters - mostly ...

Authorities recover pressure cooker lid

WASHINGTON (AP) - Authorities investigating the deadly bombings at the Boston Marathon have recovered a piece of circuit board that they believe was part of one of the explosive devices, and also found the lid of a pressure cooker that apparently was catapulted onto the roof of a nearby building. A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation confirmed to The Associated Press on Wednesday that authorities have recovered what they believe are some ...

In NYC, strains of solidarity with rival Boston

NEW YORK (AP) - A stadium full of Yankees fans stood arm in arm at the bottom of the third inning in the Bronx, singing along to "Sweet Caroline," the Boston Red Sox anthem. Irony and sarcasm were absent. Sincerity was the mood of the night. The rival teams have buried the hatchet - at least for now. Yankee fans belted the Neil Diamond hit during a game Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, showing ...

GA thrift shop worker hospitalized after explosion

ATLANTA (AP) - Authorities say a thrift shop employee has been hospitalized with burns after opening a package.

Criticism of immigration bill from left and right

WASHINGTON (AP) - To some conservatives, it's amnesty. To some immigration advocates, it's unnecessarily punitive. The Senate's new bipartisan immigration bill drew criticism from the right and from the left Tuesday - convincing members of the bipartisan "Gang of Eight" that wrote it that they're on the right track. "This has something for everybody to hate," said Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. Said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.: "No one gets everything they want." Schumer and ...

DHS: No evidence of broader plot tied to Boston

WASHINGTON (AP) - Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says there is no evidence that the bombings at the Boston Marathon are part of a wider plot. Napolitano says DHS will maintain what she called "enhanced security measures at transportation hubs" as a precaution. Two people briefed on the investigation tell The Associated Press that a pair of bombs packed into pressure cookers and concealed in duffel bags blew up within seconds of each other. ...

American Airlines halts flights, passengers stuck

DALLAS (AP) - American Airlines grounded flights across the country Tuesday because of an outage of its main reservations system. Thousands of passengers were stranded at airports and on airplanes. A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration said American asked to halt its flights until 5 p.m. EDT. Flights into American's five biggest cities - New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami - are stopped until 5:30 p.m. EDT. "Any American plane sitting ...

US housing starts surpass 1 million in March

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. homebuilders broke the 1 million mark in March for the first time since June 2008. The gain signals continued strength for the housing recovery at the start of the spring buying season. The overall pace of homes started rose 7 percent from February to March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.04 million, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. Apartment construction, which tends to fluctuate sharply from month to month, ...

Ga. family home safe after Boston bombing

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. (AP) - A Georgia family is back home on Tybee Island after witnessing the bomb explosions at yesterday's Boston Marathon.

Regents again raise Ga. tuition 2.5 to 7 percent

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - Students at Georgia's public colleges and universities will see their tuition increase by $32 to $270 per semester next fall. The Board of Regents approved tuition and fee increases Tuesday during a meeting in Savannah. Board members agreed to raise tuition by the same rates as last year, which are the lowest cost increases for attending Georgia colleges in a decade. Tuition will rise just 2.5 percent at 27 of ...

Child cruelty charges filed in fatal GA dog attack

ELLABELL, Ga. (AP) - A woman has been charged with child cruelty after her daughter was mauled to death by seven dogs authorities say her family owned.

Stock market rebounds from worst day of the year

NEW YORK (AP) - Strong housing and earnings reports helped stocks rebound from their worst day of the year. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 129 points, or 0.9 percent, on Tuesday, to 14,728 as of 1:50 p.m. EDT, winning back about half of the 265 points it lost a day earlier. Home construction topped 1 million last month, the highest level since June 2008. Robust earnings from companies including Coca-Cola also propelled ...