Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 446
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Air Force took the extraordinary step Thursday of firing nine midlevel nuclear commanders and announcing it will discipline dozens of junior officers at a nuclear missile base, responding firmly to an exam-cheating scandal that spanned a far longer period than originally reported. A 10th commander, the senior officer at the base, resigned and will retire from the Air Force. Air Force officials called the discipline unprecedented in the history of America's intercontinental ballistic missile force. The As...
HELENA - State Sen. Jason Priest's estranged wife feared her husband's anger would turn to violence when she picked up their young daughter last month, prompting her boyfriend to call for police assistance, according to a recording of the call released in a public records request. The call was made Feb. 1, soon before an encounter outside the Red Lodge Republican's home that led to criminal charges accusing Priest of shoving his wife, breaking her boyfriend's rib and throwing the 4-year-old girl. Priest, 45, has denied the...
BILLINGS (AP) — Former state Judge Susan Watters has been sworn in as Montana's first female U.S. District Court judge. U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy swore in the 55-year-old Billings native in a Thursday ceremony at the federal courthouse attended by several dozen friends, colleagues and family members. Watters worked in private practice and as a prosecutor before becoming a state judge 15 years ago. She fills a vacancy on the federal bench created with the retirement of U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull. Other f...
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama intends to nominate Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., as ambassador to China, Democratic officials said Wednesday, turning to a lawmaker well-versed in trade issues to fill one of the nation's most important diplomatic posts. If confirmed by the Senate, Baucus would replace Ambassador Gary Locke, who announced last month he was stepping down. There was no immediate comment from the White House on the disclosure, which was made by officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were...
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Nelson Mandela, who became one of the world's most beloved statesmen and a colossus of the 20th century when he emerged from 27 years in prison to negotiate an end to white minority rule in South Africa, has died. He was 95. South African President Jacob Zuma made the announcement at a news conference late Thursday, saying "we've lost our greatest son." His death closed the final chapter in South Africa's struggle to cast off apartheid, leaving the world with indelible memories of a man of astonishing g...
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says he hears Americans who are upset about losing their health insurance "loud and clear" and is offering a fix. Obama on Thursday announced that insurance companies can keep offering consumers plans that would otherwise be cancelled. The president noted that the first-month enrollment numbers in health care plans under his law are lagging and he isn't happy about it. He said that "we fumbled the roll-out" of the program. And he vowed to build a better health care system for every A...
WASHINGTON (AP) — A police officer was reported injured after gunshots at the U.S. Capitol, police said Thursday. They locked down the entire complex, at least temporarily derailing debate over how to end a government shutdown. The shooting unfolded after police chased a black car up Constitution Avenue toward the Capitol, said tourist Edmund Ofori-Attah, who walked toward the scene as the car stopped. "Then I heard the gunfire" and hit the ground, he said. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., told reporters he was walking from the C...
BILLINGS (AP) — The mother of a 14-year-old girl who was raped by her teacher and later committed suicide appeared at a raucous Thursday protest against the judge who sentenced the man to a month in jail and said the victim was "older than her chronological age." The protest came as prosecutors considered an appeal of the sentence by Montana District Judge G. Todd Baugh, whose actions in the case have drawn condemnation from across the country. Joining in the backlash was Montana's governor, who said the judge's comments "...
BILLINGS — A Montana judge apologized Wednesday for saying a 14-year-old rape victim was "older than her chronological age" and had as much control of the situation as the teacher who raped her — remarks that prompted protests and a petition for his resignation. District Judge G. Todd Baugh made the comments Monday while sentencing former Billings Senior High School teacher Stacey Rambold to a 15-year prison sentence then suspending all but 31 days and giving him credit for one day already served. Yellowstone County off...
I was at Gary & Leo's Fresh Foods Aug. 2, doing my weekly shopping. I could not find a certain item. There was another lady customer in the same aisle as I. I asked her if she knew where this item was. She said, "It should be here. I'll go look." I said, no need. I was in another aisle, and a few minutes later this wonderful lady came over to me and said she'd found my item, and she was not going to give up until she found it for me. I thanked her many times and never asked her name because I could not believe this special...
NEW YORK — The Boy Scouts of America may soon give sponsors of troops the authority to decide whether to accept gays as scouts and leaders — a potentially dramatic retreat from an exclusionary nationwide policy that has provoked relentless protests. Under the change now being discussed, the different religious and civic groups that sponsor Scout units would be able to decide for themselves how to address the issue — either maintaining an exclusion of gays, as is now required of all units, or opening up their membe...
NEW YORK — The Boy Scouts of America may soon give sponsors of troops the authority to decide whether to accept gays as scouts and leaders — a potentially dramatic retreat from an exclusionary nationwide policy that has provoked relentless protests. Under the change now being discussed, the different religious and civic groups that sponsor Scout units would be able to decide for themselves how to address the issue — either maintaining an exclusion of gays, as is now required of all units, or opening up their membe...
WASHINGTON (AP) — Home prices are surging, job growth is strengthening and stocks are setting record highs. All of which explains why Americans are more hopeful about the economy than at any other point in five years. Investors on Tuesday celebrated the latest buoyant reports on consumer confidence and housing prices, which together suggest that growth could accelerate in the second half of 2013. Greater confidence could spur people to spend more and help offset tax increases and federal spending cuts. And the fastest rise in...
OKLAHOMA CITY — Seven tornadoes have swept through their town since they were born, but as new graduates donned caps and gowns to say goodbye to their high schools Saturday, they vowed they wouldn't say goodbye to Moore. "I wouldn't want to be in any other place. It's our roots. Tornadoes are a part of life here," said 18-year-old Brooke Potter, whose current college aspirations take her to two neighboring towns. Saturday's graduations for Westmoore, Southmoore and Moore high schools are another step toward normalcy for this...
SAN JOSE, Calif. — After all that talk about improving on last year's NCAA tournament dud, Montana played even worse in its return trip. Star guard Will Cherry shot just 1 for 12 and the 13th-seeded Grizzlies had no answers for No. 4 seed Syracuse's zone defense in an 81-34 loss Thursday night. AP Photo Montana head coach Wayne Tinkle, middle, consoles star guards Kareem Jamar, left and Will Cherry near the end of Thursday night's NCAA Tournament game against Syracuse in San Jose, Calif. The Grizzlies scored a season-low 3...
WASHINGTON (AP) — Declaring "our journey is not complete," President Barack Obama took the oath of office for his second term before a crowd of hundreds of thousands Monday, urging the nation to set an unwavering course toward prosperity and freedom for all its citizens and protect the social safety net that has sheltered the poor, elderly and needy. AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais President Barack Obama waves after his speech while Vice President Joe Biden applauds at the ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol d...
WASHINGTON (AP) — Declaring "our journey is not complete," President Barack Obama took the oath of office for his second term before a crowd of hundreds of thousands Monday, urging the nation to set an unwavering course toward prosperity and freedom for all its citizens and protect the social safety net that has sheltered the poor, elderly and needy. AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais President Barack Obama waves after his speech while Vice President Joe Biden applauds at the ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol d...
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama was sworn in for four more years Sunday in a simple ceremony at the White House, embarking on a second-term quest to restore a still-shaky economy and combat terrorists overseas while swearing an age-old oath to "preserve, protect and defend" the Constitution. AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski, Pool President Barack Obama is officially sworn-in by Chief Justice John Roberts in the Blue Room of the White House during the 57th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, Sunday. "I did it," a s...
Moment after nail-biting moment, the events shoved us through a week that felt like an unremitting series of tragedies: Deadly bombs. Poison letters. A town shattered by a colossal explosion. A violent manhunt that paralyzed a major city, emptying streets of people and filling them with heavily armed police and piercing sirens. Amid the chaos came an emotional Senate gun control vote that inflamed American divisions and evoked memories of the Newtown massacre. And through it all, torrential rain pushed the Mississippi River...
WASHINGTON — Pressing toward his second term, President Barack Obama touted "the importance of giving back" as he kicked off three days of inaugural celebrations Saturday with a National Day of Service. AP Photo/Susan Walsh First lady Michelle Obama stains a bookshelf at Burrville Elementary School in Washington, Saturday, as the first family participated in a community service project for the National Day of Service as part of the 57th Presidential Inauguration. The president, along with first lady Michelle Obama and d...
TEUBENVILLE, Ohio (AP) — A judge on Sunday convicted two members of Steubenville's celebrated high school football team of raping a drunken 16-year-old girl, concluding a months-long ordeal for the victim and the accused, even though the case is far from over for the community. Ohio's attorney general immediately announced he's investigating whether coaches, parents or other students broke the law by refusing to speak up. Among those his office has interviewed: revered head coach Reno Saccoccia and the owners of one of the h...
BOSTON (AP) — Two bombs exploded near the finish of the Boston Marathon on Monday, killing two people, injuring 23 others and sending authorities rushing to aid wounded spectators, race organizers and police said. One runner, a Rhode Island state trooper, said he saw at least two dozen people with very serious injuries, including missing limbs. AP Photo/WBZTV In this image from video provided by WBZ TV, spectators and runners run from what was described as twin explosions that shook the finish line of the Boston Marathon, M...
WASHINGTON (AP) — Osama bin Laden's spokesman and son-in-law has been captured by the United States, officials said Thursday, in what a senior congressman called a "very significant victory" in the ongoing fight against al-Qaida. Abu Ghaith's extradition to the United States is imminent, and he is expected to be prosecuted in federal court in New York, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information. Rep. Peter King, the former chairman of t...
WASHINGTON — U.S. employers added just 88,000 jobs in March, the fewest in nine months and a sharp retreat after a period of strong hiring. The slowdown is a reminder that the job market's path back to full health will be uneven. AP Photo/Steve Helber A help wanted sign is shown in front of a restaurant in Richmond, Va. The U.S. economy has enjoyed a four-month stretch of robust job gains. Last month, 88,000 jobs were created. The Labor Department said Friday that the unemployment rate dipped to 7.6 percent from 7.7 p...
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Fueled by outrage from even the governor when the video went public, Rutgers fired basketball coach Mike Rice on Wednesday after deciding it didn't go far enough by suspending and fining him for shoving, kicking and throwing balls at players along with spewing gay slurs. AP Photo/Mel Evans, File Rutgers coach Mike Rice reacts to play during an NCAA college basketball game against Connecticut in Piscataway, N.J., on Jan. 7. Athletic director Tim Pernetti was given a copy of the tape by a former e...