Candidates court vote of Kenya's Muslim minority in nation's closest election ever

KIBERA, Kenya - In the Kenyan slum of Kibera these days, the ancient cadences of the Muslim call to prayer compete with election propaganda blaring from loudspeakers.

Bush makes holiday phone calls to U.S. troops around the world

Leader of Iraq's Catholics urges emigrants to return in Christmas message

Virginia Tech victims' families lobby for state changes in gun, mental health laws

RICHMOND, Va. - As he sat in a hospital, watching blood ooze from his son Colin's gunshot wounds, Andrew Goddard negotiated with a higher power: Let my son live, and I will do what I can to spare another parent this torture.

Beauty salons enlisted in fight against domestic violence

NEW YORK - At the Divas beauty salon, Spanish-language talk shows play on the TV, blow driers and scissors are at the ready and customers chat about everything from men to money to jobs.

Pakistan opposition leader Bhutto says ruling party failing to fight Islamic militants

LARKANA, Pakistan - Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto accused the government Sunday of failing to crush Islamic militants, days after a suicide bombing killed 56 people during prayers in a mosque.

Today in History - December 23

Today is Sunday, Dec. 23, the 357th day of 2007. There are eight days left in the year.

Deported former Milwaukee police officer arrives in Mexico

GUADALAJARA, Mexico - The U.S. deported a man to Mexico on Sunday who had taken a dead cousin's identity to pose as a citizen in order to become a Milwaukee police officer.

Living out parable of giving, congregation receives joy in return

CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio - The Rev. Hamilton Coe Throckmorton shivered with anticipation as he gazed at the loot - wads of $50 bills piled high beside boxes of crayons in a Sunday school classroom.

Boro man selected to Agri-Leaders development program

Elliott Marsh of Statesboro has been selected as a participant in the Georgia Agri-Leaders Forum's Leadership Development Program for 2008. Marsh, coordinator and instructor of agribusiness courses, is employed with Ogeechee Technical College in Statesboro. Jimmy Hill, executive manager of the Georgia Agri-Leaders Forum Foundation, said, "Elliott was chosen to participate in the year-long leadership program because of his involvement in and commitment to Georgia agriculture."

AP Impact: Americans' debt woes expanding. Now it's unpaid credit card bills that are rising.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth, an icon of tradition, launches video site on YouTube

LONDON - Just call her Queen e-Lizabeth.

For some, the writers strike is the Grinch that stole Christmas

Police Report – December 24

Note: All information included in this report is taken from law enforcement incident reports and arrest records, which are public records and available for review at any and all local law enforcement agencies. Not every arrest leads to a conviction. Guilt or innocence is determined by the court system.

Holiday shoppers crowd stores on last weekend before Christmas, as stores remain on edge

NEW YORK - The nation's shoppers - taking advantage of deep discounts and expanded hours - jammed stores over the last weekend before Christmas to try to grab a hard-to-find Wii or scoop up bargains on other items. But the spending surge may not be enough to offset what is shaping up to be a mediocre December for some retailers.

Messi, Neymar lead all scorers

RIO DE JANEIRO - The race for the World Cup golden boot turned into a Barcelona battle Wednesday as Lionel Messi scored twice to lead Argentina to an entertaining 3-2 win over Nigeria and match Neymar's tournament-leading four goals in three games for Brazil.

Djokovic needs four sets to advance

LONDON - Novak Djokovic held his breath. Radek Stepanek knelt on the Wimbledon turf and folded his hands in mock prayer.

League removes cap on damages for concussions

The NFL agreed Wednesday to remove a $675 million cap on damages from thousands of concussion-related claims after a federal judge questioned whether there would be enough money to cover as many as 20,000 retired players.

Giants' Lincecum tosses no-hitter

SAN FRANCISCO - Tim Lincecum pitched his second no-hitter against the San Diego Padres in less than a year, allowing only one runner Wednesday and leading the San Francisco Giants to a 4-0 win.

Bulloch CRCT results mixed, but eighth grade soars

In their final encounter with the Criterion Referenced Competency Tests, Bulloch County students passed at a rate higher than or equal to the state's in half of the grade-level subject areas.

Boomerang kids: why grads are still moving back home

The economy may be picking back up, but college graduates are still moving back to mom and dad's house.

Why some companies see their workforce as an investment instead of a cost

Being a barista isn't glamorous but it can pay more than similar jobs. Last week, Starbucks announced that it will offer a tuition-assistance program to all of its 135,000 U.S. employees that work at least 20 hours a week.

Wage theft: How employers steal millions from American workers every week

There are thieves stealing billions of dollars in America who are not robbers targeting convenience stores or banks. They are not thugs pointing guns and grabbing cash at gas stations. The billions stolen are part of "wage theft," and the culprits in the workplace are employers, not employees.

Bad statistics that stop people from having kids

Why are fewer people getting married and having children today? Why do those who have children have fewer of them? Why are more and more choosing to have no children at all?

Willingway, Georgia Southern conference will update addiction treatment methods

For Dr. Al Mooney, Director of Addiction Medicine and Recovery at Willingway, one of the key factors that distinguishes this week's Addiction Update Conference is its "focus on the solutions rather than the problems."

Let's start talking about health and weight

Note: The following is one of a series of articles from the Canyon Ranch Institute dedicated to showing people how to live healthier and encouraging folks to take small steps to adjust their lifestyle.

Why you must have life insurance

Life insurance isn't just for married couples with children. The need for life insurance is much broader.

Willingway Family Workshop can begin the healing process

"Today we leave with a clear understanding of what is and isn't our role in our loved one's recovery. There is peace in knowing we have begun the healing process."

5 tips to help your teen become a better driver

When it comes to teen driving, parents play a key role in improving safety. That's the idea behind the "5 to Drive" initiative - a campaign from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that encourages parents to start conversations about safe driving by:

Five factors you must consider when buying auto insurance

There are a number of key factors most insurance companies use to calculate how much you'll pay for auto insurance. What's important to remember is that you can control many of these factors.