US launches new batch of graphic anti-smoking ads

Mother, son die in house fire in northwest Georgia

RINGGOLD, Ga. (AP) - State fire officials say a mother and her young son were both killed when an early morning fire swept through their home in the northwest Georgia town of Ringgold.

Sheriff identifies toddler killed in dog attack

PEMBROKE, Ga. (AP) - Authorities in coastal Georgia identified the toddler who was mauled to death by a pack of dogs as Monica Renee Laminack, who would have turned 2 years old in June.

Stocks struggle for direction in early trading

NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. stocks darted between small gains and losses in early trading Thursday as investors considered mixed signals from the U.S. economy and Europe.

Arsenal of weapons found in Newtown gunman's home

Absences pile up at Ga. school as sickness spreads

CARROLLTON, Ga. (AP) - Administrators at a west Georgia elementary school are hoping the upcoming spring break will interrupt a cycle of sickness that led to more than 150 absences.

GOP moves to catch up with Democrats on technology

Ga. woman's camera washes ashore in Taiwan

NEWNAN, Ga. (AP) - A Georgia woman has been reunited with her camera and photos after the camera she lost during a 2007 trip to Hawaii washed ashore in Taiwan.

Wine fight over vintage fakes airs out in NY court

NEW YORK (AP) - The market where vintage wines are traded like treasured works of art has gotten a taste test in a New York court where a billionaire is accusing a wealthy California wine merchant of cheating him.

Senators tour border, say immigration bill near

2 dead, 2 hospitalized in suspect Ga. gas leak

EAST POINT, Ga. (AP) - Fire officials in metro Atlanta say a man and boy have died in a suspected carbon monoxide leak in East Point.

Ga. Legislature: Lots undecided heading to finale

ATLANTA (AP) - The General Assembly convenes Thursday for the final day of the 2013 session. Here's a look at some of the legislation that's already passed, what's pending and some bills whose future is uncertain.

Investors struggle to get past Europe's woes

NEW YORK (AP) - Investors just can't get past Europe.

A boost for gay marriage: Justices question US law

Police: Slain baby, mom victims of random crime

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - Almost a week after a baby was fatally shot in his stroller, police in coastal Georgia are saying for the first time they believe the child and his mother were victims of a random crime.

Emory president's essay draws criticisms

ATLANTA (AP) - In recent years, Emory University made a point to acknowledge how the school was once led by slave owners, but an essay by the school president has renewed debate about racial sensitivity on campus. Emory President James Wagner recently wrote about the three-fifths compromise on slavery in 1787 to talk about the value of finding common ground in politics. In the compromise, northern and southern states agreed that three-fifths of the ...

Some patients won't see nurses of different race

DETROIT (AP) - It's been called one of medicine's "open secrets" - allowing patients to refuse treatment by a doctor or nurse of another race. In the latest example, a white man with a swastika tattoo insisted that black nurses not be allowed to touch his newborn. Now two black nurses are suing the hospital, claiming it bowed to his illegal demands. The Michigan cases are among several lawsuits filed in recent years that ...

Dow bounces from 2-day slide to a 3-digit gain

Strong earnings from big U.S. companies pushed the Dow Jones industrial average to a rare triple-digit gain Friday, but the S&P 500 index still posted its first weekly loss of the year.

FDA approves new targeted breast cancer drug

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Food and Drug Administration has approved a first-of-a-kind breast cancer medication that targets tumor cells while sparing healthy ones. The drug Kadcyla from Roche combines the established drug Herceptin with a powerful chemotherapy drug and a third chemical linking the medicines together. The chemical keeps the cocktail intact until it binds to a cancer cell, delivering a potent dose of anti-tumor poison. Cancer researchers say the drug is an important ...

Sheriff to put idle inmates to work outside jail

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) - Saying he's tired of seeing prisoners sit around and drink coffee and watch TV, a newly elected Georgia sheriff plans to put them to work.

Rat tales abound in NYC after Superstorm Sandy

NEW YORK (AP) - At the height of Superstorm Sandy, city residents watching seawater pour into the subway system couldn't help but wonder: What will become of all the rats?

Ga. executes man who killed college students

JACKSON, Ga. (AP) - Georgia has executed a 38-year-old inmate convicted of killing two college students in 1995.

GOP senators are treading carefully with tea party

WASHINGTON (AP) - Twice burned, Republicans are treading carefully around tea party groups as they pursue a Senate majority that slipped through their fingers in 2010 and 2012.

Harvick wins 1st duel for 2nd victory at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Perfect so far at Speedweeks, Kevin Harvick has positioned himself as the favorite to win the Daytona 500.

Flu shot did poor job against worst bug in seniors

ATLANTA (AP) - This year's flu shot is doing a startlingly dismal job of protecting senior citizens from the harshest strain this season, proving only 9 percent effective, the government said Thursday.

Ga. high court dismisses request to stay execution

ATLANTA (AP) - The Georgia Supreme Court has dismissed a request for a stay by a Georgia death row inmate whose execution is set for Thursday.

NTSB: Plane aborted landing, hit utility pole

THOMSON, Ga. (AP) - A small plane aborted its landing at a Georgia airport before it hit a 60-foot utility pole and crashed, killing five people onboard and leaving two hurt, federal authorities said Thursday. National Transportation Safety Board member Robert Sumwalt said at a news conference Thursday afternoon that the plane burst into flames after crashing. One of the plane's wings was cut off when it hit the pole, causing the plane to ...

US stocks keep sliding on weak data, Fed qualms

U.S. stocks continued a two-day slide Thursday on weak economic data and concern about the Federal Reserve's resolve to keep juicing the market. European stocks were sharply lower a day after U.S. stocks sustained some of their steepest declines this year. A monthly survey of European executives showed that business activity in the European Union slowed in February, a strong signal that a downturn that began last year will continue into 2013. France's CAC ...

US Supreme Court denies stay for Ga. inmate Cook

ATLANTA (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request by Georgia death row inmate Andrew Cook to delay his execution.

Stocks slip following homebuilding slowdown

NEW YORK (AP) - Caterpillar helped drag the stock market lower Wednesday after the industrial giant reported weaker worldwide sales. A mixed report on housing also weighed on the market. News that Apple's major supplier, Foxconn, stopped hiring at its largest plant in China helped push down Apple's stock. Foxconn reportedly said the hiring freeze was not caused by slumping orders for iPhones. Apple fell $7.29 to $452.70. Trading turned choppy after the ...