Four men arrested in California on terrorism charges
Four men have been arrested in southern California and charged with plotting to kill Americans overseas by joining up with al-Qaeda.
California's affirmative action ban challenged in court
Affirmative action supporters have asked a US federal appeals court to overturn California's ban on considering race in public college admissions.
Smoke pot? Who cares, says Arnie
Governator Schwarzenegger says no one cares if you smoke a joint.
Nadal, Djokovic on course for semifinal clash
Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic stayed on course for a semifinal showdown with third-round triumphs in the Indian Wells Masters series on Tuesday.
Obama, McCain appear together for first time
Sharing the stage at a mega-church, Barack Obama and John McCain hardly had time for anything but the political equivalent of an air kiss.
Calmer weather slows spread of US wildfires
Firefighters battling a raging wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills of northern California caught a break early on Friday.
Rare condors threatened by California fires
Naturalists are fearing for endangered California condors caught up in a massive two-week-old blaze still sweeping through the scenic Big Sur area.
Ferocious US wildfire approaches tourist town
A ferocious wildfire burning through the Los Padres National Forest continued creeping closer to the tourist town of Big Sur in California on Friday.
'Most great art is created in a furious moment'
Artist Alton Kelley, who created the psychedelic style of posters and other art associated with the 1960s San Francisco rock scene, has died.
Same-sex couples trade vows in California
Same-sex couples across California exchanged vows and wedding bands on the first weekend since the state began allowing gays and lesbians to marry.
Tiger's homecoming
No one does casual understatement of other-worldly sporting achievement like Tiger Woods, but the world number one has surpassed even his own standards of quiet assertiveness.
Google's first shareholder meeting draws small crowd
Google shareholders got a free lunch on Thursday at the online search engine leader's first annual meeting as a public company. There were plenty of leftovers. Fewer than 200 people attended the meeting at the company's Mountain View headquarters -- a high-tech mecca known as the "Googleplex."
Space shuttle ends mission with California landing
United States space shuttle Atlantis landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Friday after a fiery descent through the Earth's atmosphere that capped a two-week mission to the International Space Station. The shuttle touched down at Edwards at 19.49pm GMT, shimmering in the heat and sending up a plume of brownish-gray dust.
Astronomer's three-star find
An astronomer has identified a planet with three suns far away in the galaxy -- the first of a class dubbed "Tatooine planets" after the home of Luke Skywalker, the young hero of the Star Wars films. The stars are about as close to each other as Saturn is to the sun.
Cheering fans greet acquitted Jackson at Neverland
A raucous welcome greeted Michael Jackson as he returned to his Neverland Ranch after being acquitted on all counts in his child molestation trial -- a victory that triggered jubilation among the pop star's fans and embarrassment for the district attorney's office. "All of us here and millions around the world love and support you," proclaimed a banner.
'Editing' technique can rewrite genes
Scientists have developed a potentially revolutionary technique to permanently rewrite any gene in the human body. The breakthrough brings hope to millions of people with genetic diseases but campaigners have warned that the technology could be abused by parents who want to alter the physical characteristics of their children after they are born.
