LOS ANGELES – A forensic scientist testified Tuesday at Robert Blake’s (search) murder trial that the former “Baretta” (search) star had far less gunshot residue on his hands than would have been expected if he had shot his wife. Celia Hartnett, who has worked in the field for 32 years, …

The U.S. surgeon general has a strong message for women who are pregnant or likely to become pregnant: Don’t drink alcohol. In an advisory issued on Monday, Richard H. Carmona, MD, MPH, warns that no amount of alcohol can be considered safe during pregnancy. “When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, …

NEW YORK – Investigators probing alleged corruption at the United Nations Oil-for-Food program are scrutinizing thousands of pages of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan‘s (search) documents, including e-mail and phone records, to determine whether he exerted influence in securing a contract for a Swiss company that employed his son. Paul Volcker …

This is a partial transcript from “Hannity & Colmes,” August 16, 2005, that has been edited for clarity. SEAN HANNITY, CO-HOST: As we continue on this special edition of “Hannity & Colmes,” I’m Sean Hannity, reporting from Midland, Texas, the home of George Herbert Walker Bush. And still to come, …

My mother lives in a nursing home and will soon go on Medicaid. Can she give me and my sister $10,000 each and still qualify? Some people believe it’s unethical to give money away to others knowing that the government — and thus taxpayers — will soon be stepping in …

KABUL, Afghanistan – A bomb killed a U.S. service member and wounded four when it exploded near their armored vehicle in eastern Afghanistan (search), the military said on Saturday. The blast occurred Friday in Paktika province near the border with Pakistan (search). The wounded were rushed to nearby bases for …

LONDON – To crack down on Muslim extremists, one place authorities in Great Britain are looking harder at is the Internet because potential terrorists can learn how to make bombs, sneak through airport security or even murder a U.S. soldier without ever leaving home. “This is a real problem because …

If you reworked your mortgage last year, you’ve earned a nice tax deduction. And if you borrowed a little extra, you might get a bigger break. Low rates last year enticed many people to refinance their mortgages. And some cash-strapped refinancers decided to borrow even more money, in the form …

LOS ANGELES – Hollywood directors reached a tentative contract deal with studios, a development that could turn up the pressure on striking writers to settle their 2-month-old walkout that has crippled the entertainment industry. “Two words describe this agreement — groundbreaking and substantial,” said Gil Cates, chair of the Directors …

Health authorities said a 70-year-old woman died and a 57-year-old man is critically ill in a Boston hospital after each was given a kidney from an infected donor, reports The Boston Globe. The kidney was infected with a hard-to-detect virus, health officials said, which came from a 49-year-old homeless man …