U.S. and World News

US No-Fly List Doubles in One Year

WASHINGTON (AP) - A U.S. counterterrorism official says the government's list of suspected terrorists who are banned from flying to and within the U.S. has doubled in the past year.

LA School Officials Chided for Molest Case Silence

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Angry parents have confronted Los Angeles school officials, demanding to know why they weren't told for a year that a teacher was alleged to have photographed children in class for sexual thrills.

Romney Makes Potential Gaffe after Big Florida Win

Fresh off a momentum-building victory in the Florida primary, Mitt Romney made a potential speaking gaffe Wednesday when he said he "wasn't concerned about the very poor" because there is a safety net in place for them.

Facebook Files to Raise $5 Billion in IPO

Facebook just filed documents paving the way to raise $5 billion in an initial public offering of stock.

Ariz. Police Sergeant in Obama Photo flap reassigned

PEORIA, Ariz. -- A police sergeant under internal investigation for posting a controversial photo on Facebook has been taken off patrol duty pending a complete inquiry, Peoria Police Chief Roy Minter Jr. told The Republic Tuesday.

GOP Path now Winds Cross-Country Toward 'Super Tuesday'

WASHINGTON -- Mitt Romney's primary victory in Florida takes on more significance when you consider what comes next.

First Lady To Push Fitness, Healthy Diet On Leno

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) -- Jay Leno better bring a healthy appetite to the "Tonight Show."

Man Gets 26 Years after Stalking a Women for 17 Years

SEATTLE -- One day in 1994, Tracy Lundeen opened her heart to a socially awkward loner while attending middle school in Renton, Wash. Little did she know her act of kindness would set in motion a nearly two-decade-long campaign of fear and harassment that has changed her life forever.

Rescuers End Search for Missing Cruise Ship Passengers

GIGLIO, Italy -- Italian emergency officials say they are calling off a search for missing people in the submerged part of the Costa Concordia cruise ship, due to the danger to rescue workers, according to the Associated Press.

Some Frequent Flier Miles are Taxable, Citibank Says

NEW YORK -- Frequent flier miles aren't so enticing when they're taxable.

Royal Couple Welcome New Addition

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are the proud parents of a months-old pooch, and rumors they adopted a chocolate Labrador retriever are false, the palace confirmed to TODAY.com: It's a cocker spaniel.

Mob Snitch Gets 10 Years for Murder

NEW YORK-- A former New York mobster who turned against the Mafia and helped convict Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano, then acting boss of the Bonanno crime family, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Monday despite being involved in multiple murders.

Will Florida Determine a GOP Front-Runner?

WASHINGTON -- Fresh off campaigning for Newt Gingrich in Florida, former candidate Herman Cain says he also would be comfortable supporting Mitt Romney if he's the one who wins the Republican presidential nomination.

Top Senators Agree on Tough Penalties for Iran

 A top Senate Democrat and Republican have agreed on a bill to impose sweeping new penalties on Iran.

College Endowmnets Show Growth for Fiscal Year 2011

College endowments made gains in the fiscal year that ended in June, but many are still struggling to make up ground they lost in 2008 and 2009.

Study Finds Black Segregation Lowest in Century

Obama to 'Hang Out' on Google

WASHINGTON -- First it was Facebook, then Twitter. LinkedIn followed soon after. And, now, in the administration's latest attempt to connect with supporters through social media, President Obama will participate in a virtual Google+ "hangout" this evening, answering questions about his State of the Union address.

Blaze Kills 3 Young Siblings, Injures 4-Year-Old Relative

NESHOBA, Miss. -- An early-morning fire killed three toddlers in central Mississippi on Sunday. A fourth child was being treated at a burn center.

Conviction, Sentence Upheld in Palin Email Case

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- A federal appeals court panel has upheld the conviction and sentence of a University of Tennessee student in the hacking of Sarah Palin's email in 2008. 

Gingrich: 'Romney Carpet-Bombing' Record

With a new poll showing him trailing by 15 points, Newt Gingrich is slamming Mitt Romney for "carpet-bombing" his record.

Feds: Megaupload user data could be gone Thursday

WASHINGTON -- Federal prosecutors say data from users of Megaupload could be deleted as soon as Thursday.

Police use stun gun on Occupy DC protester

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Park Police say an officer used an electronic stun gun on an Occupy DC participant who was tearing down fliers warning protesters about the ban on camping in McPherson Square.