Miss America' song cut from pageant over dispute

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - The next Miss America won't hear a familiar refrain when she's crowned in Atlantic City, N.J., in September.

Amanda Berry's sister offers thanks, seeks privacy

Former US official describes Libya attack

Nick Saban's Ga. mountain mansion to be auctioned

Some hospitals charge vastly more for same care

Suspect in Ohio helped neighbors look for missing

CLEVELAND (AP) - In the years after his friend's daughter vanished while walking home from school, Ariel Castro handed out fliers with the 14-year-old's photo and performed music at a fundraiser held in her honor.

Deal signs $37.1B budget; touts spending restraint

ATLANTA (AP) - Gov. Nathan Deal signed a $37.1 billion total budget for fiscal year 2014 on Tuesday, saying the plan balances the budget without raising taxes and reduces government spending.

Georgia Gov. Deal signs teacher evaluations bill

ATLANTA (AP) - Gov. Nathan Deal has signed a bill to standardize annual evaluations for Georgia teachers and principals based, in part, on student performance.

Dow Jones industrial average back above 15,000

NEW YORK (AP) - The Dow Jones industrial average was headed for its first close above 15,000 Tuesday as Wall Street followed world markets higher.

Ga. to release new grades for public schools

Rain boosts bacteria levels in Chattahoochee River

ATLANTA (AP) - Authorities say recent rains have sent bacteria levels soaring in the Chattahoochee River.

Girl wounded by knife in Savannah middle school

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - Authorities say a girl was taken to a hospital after an attack involving a knife inside a Savannah middle school.

Limo driver, survivor views differ on fatal fire

Transcript of long-missing woman's 911 call

Former MLB outfielder Otis Nixon arrested

CANTON, Ga. (AP) - Former Major League outfielder Otis Nixon has been arrested on drug charges following a weekend traffic stop in suburban Atlanta.

Another blow to taxpayers

ATLANTA (AP) - In a case that's being watched closely in Georgia, a federal appeals court has upheld a temporary ban on a Florida law requiring drug testing of welfare recipients.

More of the same Bull

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) - No progress to report in negotiations with Congress, President Barack Obama on Tuesday singled out for praise the few Republicans who say they're open to aspects of his approach to averting looming government-wide spending cuts, seeking to turn up the heat on GOP leaders ahead of Friday's deadline.

Bernanke signals continued support for low rates

WASHINGTON (AP) - Ben Bernanke sent a message Tuesday to Congress: The Federal Reserve's low-interest-rate policies are giving crucial support to an economy still burdened by high unemployment. The Fed chairman acknowledged the risks of keeping rates low indefinitely. But he expressed confidence that such risks pose little threat now. Delivering the Fed's semiannual monetary report to Congress, Bernanke sought to minimize concerns that the central bank's easy-money policies might cause runaway inflation ...

Dorothy Hamill and Andy Dick among 'Dancing' stars

NEW YORK (AP) - A gold-medal figure skater, a country music legend and a kooky comedian are stepping their way onto "Dancing With the Stars."

Strong start on Wall Street; Home Depot leads Dow

NEW YORK (AP) - Strong earnings reports from Home Depot and Macy's helped lift stock indexes in early trading on Wall Street Tuesday. A jump in home sales and consumer confidence also brought buyers back to the market.

Italian election inconclusive; global markets drop

ROME (AP) - Italy emerged from elections Tuesday with no clear winner, driving markets around the world markedly lower as investors worried that one of Europe's biggest economies would be unable to build a governing coalition that can stay the course on unpopular austerity measures.

Kerry pushes trans-Atlantic free trade in Germany

BERLIN (AP) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pushed Tuesday for a free-trade agreement between the United States and Europe, saying it is a priority for President Barack Obama's second term that would help create jobs and growth on both sides of the Atlantic.

More Obama scare tactics

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama and his officials are doing their best to drum up public concern over the shock wave of spending cuts that could strike the government in just days. So it's a good time to be alert for sky-is-falling hype.

Organizers cancel this year's Redneck Games

EAST DUBLIN, Ga. (AP) - Organizers of the Redneck Games, a Georgia festival that includes competitions such as toilet seat horseshoes and mud pit belly flops, say this summer's event is being canceled.

Drop in Taliban attacks incorrect

WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S.-led military command in Afghanistan is acknowledging that its report of a decline last year in Taliban attacks was incorrect. Officials say corrected figures will show no decline.

Bork: Nixon offered next high court vacancy in '73

WASHINGTON (AP) - Robert Bork says President Richard Nixon promised him the next Supreme Court vacancy after Bork complied with Nixon's order to fire Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox in 1973.

Senate panel sets gun bill plans but delay likely

WASHINGTON (AP) - The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee announced plans Monday for his panel to start voting later this week on an assault weapons ban and other gun curbs, but that session is widely expected to be delayed a week.

Stocks drop as Italy heads for political disarra

NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks had their worst drop in more than three months as the prospect of political paralysis in Italy raised the specter of Europe's debt crisis flaring up again.

Sotomayor criticizes prosecutor for racial remark

WASHINGTON (AP) - Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Monday publicly criticized a federal prosecutor for what she called "a racially charged remark" during a drug trial.

Ikea withdraws meatballs in Europe, 21 nations hit

STOCKHOLM (AP) - Swedish furniture giant Ikea became entangled in Europe's widening meat scandal Monday, forced to withdraw meatballs from stores across Europe amid suspicions that they contained horse meat. Stores in the U.S. and Canada were not affected, Ikea said. The company reacted after authorities in the Czech Republic said they had detected horse DNA in tests of 1-kilogram (2.2-pound) packs of frozen meatballs that were labeled as beef and pork. The Czech ...