TIMBUKTU, Mali — The love story in this fabled desert outpost began over the phone, when he dialed the wrong number. It nearly ended with the couple’s death at the hands of Islamic extremists who … more

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — South Dakota is on the lookout for dairy cows. Gov. Dennis Daugaard and state agriculture officials are traveling this week to the World Ag Expo in Tulare, Calif., with the … more

WASHINGTON —A veteran who helped "defend the indefensible" at a vulnerable Army outpost in Afghanistan received the nation's highest award for military valor Monday at a tearful White House … more

WASHINGTON — Robert Gates, a former defense secretary and spymaster, is backing lawmakers’ proposal to form a special court to review President Barack Obama’s deadly drone strikes against … more

VATICAN CITY — PWith a few words in Latin, Pope Benedict XVI did what no pope has done in more than half a millennium, stunning the world by announcing his resignation Monday and leaving the … more

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — 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 … more

HAMDEN, Conn.— The East Coast woke up under a blanket of snow this weekend and collectively documented the experience on the myriad social and mobile inventions of the past decade. Facebook, … more

DES MOINES, Iowa — The smell of bacon was in the air Saturday as thousands converged on Iowa's capital city for an increasingly popular festival celebrating all things connected with the … more

NEW YORK — Ladies and gentlemen, now warming up in the Westminster dogpen, the Bronx Bowser. Meet sweet Mitch, a 5-year-old yellow Labrador retriever. He's a rookie at America's top dog show, … more

IRVINE, Calif. — A $1 million reward for a fugitive ex-police officer wanted in the slayings of three people took authorities to a San Fernando Valley home improvement store but so far prompted no … more