Burris rejected; Senate bid wins crucial support
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Roland Burris failed to capture President-elect Barack Obama's old Senate seat Tuesday in a wild piece of political theater, but the Democrats' opposition cracked when a key chairwoman said seating him was simply the legal thing to do....

Ex-eBay CEO largely unknown amid Calif. gov.'s bid
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Former eBay executive Meg Whitman brings intrigue and a big bank account to California's beleaguered Republican Party....

Blagojevich race card lands softly in Senate fight
The first race card of the Obama era is now in play. In an apparent bid to save his political life - or perhaps just irritate and confound his enemies - Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is trying to wedge a black man into the all-white Senate. On Tuesday, Blagojevich's choice, Roland Burris, was turned away on Capitol Hill when he tried to take his seat....

Death of Travolta's son raises medical questions
Millions of children and adults have seizures in the United States, but dying from one is rare. That only adds to the confusion and mystery surrounding the life and death of Jett Travolta, the 16-year-old son of actors John Travolta and Kelly Preston....

State unemployment claim systems overwhelmed
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Electronic unemployment filing systems have crashed in at least three states in recent days amid an unprecedented crush of thousands of newly jobless Americans seeking benefits, and other states were adjusting their systems to avoid being next....

Police arrest parishioners at New Orleans church
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Police on Tuesday cleared out two New Orleans Catholic churches occupied by former parishioners opposed to the archdiocese's decision to close them, breaking down a door at one....

Prosecutor: Ex-Calif. sheriff cheated to get job
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) -- A former Orange County sheriff gave power and influence to those who helped him win his first election through bribes and kickbacks laundered as campaign contributions, a federal prosecutor said Tuesday in closing arguments....

Coleman sues over Minnesota Senate recount result
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Republican Norm Coleman filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging Democrat Al Franken's apparent recount victory in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race, delaying a resolution of the contest for weeks or months....

Ore. woman wakes up wounded by bullet through wall
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- It wasn't until the nurse in the emergency room lifted up a phone and said, "We've got a gunshot victim," that Sandra Howell understood why her arm hurt so much....

Ex-refugee now 1st Vietnamese-American congressman
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- When Anh "Joseph" Cao was 8 and Saigon was about to fall, his mother asked if he wanted to take a trip to the beach....