PRINCE GEORGE, British Columbia – A Canadian man thought he had come up with the perfect romantic setting to propose to his high school sweetheart until airport security got involved. Aaron Tkachuk, 24, had intended to propose to girlfriend Jennifer Rubadeau during a Caribbean cruise this week, but instead had …

Two Virginia teenagers have been charged with several felonies in connection with a shooting spree along Interstate 64. Authorities believe a pair of troublemaking teens were behind a series of random shootings in an area where memories of the Washington-area sniper shootings six years ago are still fresh. One of …

OMAHA, Neb. – A 10-year-old Nebraska girl with terminal brain cancer had a simple last wish: to have her dad by her side as she lay on her death bed. On Wednesday, seemingly against all odds, Jayci Yaeger’s wish came true. Her father, Jason Yaeger, who has been locked up …

RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a Marine charged with killing a pregnant colleague. The FBI already has had an offer of $25,000 for information leading to the arrest of Cpl. Cesar Laurean. Easley …

WASHINGTON – The Federal Communications Commission is investigating why an Alabama television station went dark during a Feb. 24 broadcast of a “60 Minutes” installment. The blackout occurred on WHNT-TV in Huntsville, Ala., during a segment on imprisoned former Gov. Don Siegelman that suggested he was the victim of a …

ALBANY, N.Y. – David Paterson has become New York’s first black governor. The Harlem Democrat took the oath of office just after 1 p.m. Monday in a ceremony at the state Capitol in Albany. Lawmakers in attendance cheered and chanted his name as he prepared to give his inaugural address. …

SEATTLE – Microsoft Corp. posted a major package of updates and security fixes for its Windows Vista operating system for download starting Tuesday. People whose PCs run the newest Microsoft operating system can visit Microsoft’s Windows Update or Download Center Web sites and download the free Service Pack 1. Many …

LOS ANGELES – With jury selection set to begin Wednesday in the federal wiretapping case against Anthony Pellicano, the private investigator could soon spark some courtroom fireworks if any of his former Hollywood A-list clients take the stand to testify against him. “I’m not going to willfully hurt anyone,” Pellicano …

NEW YORK – The search for a New Jersey woman missing since her son was found abandoned in a parking lot last summer led authorities on Sunday to a Staten Island pond, where human bones were discovered in a suitcase. Two men were charged last week in Amy Giordano’s disappearance, …

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – The mother of one of the four Christian peace activists held hostage in Iraq made a televised plea Sunday for her son to be freed unharmed — just four days ahead of the deadline his captors set to kill him and three companions. Manjeet Kaur Sooden, …