LABADIE, Mo. It was bravery at the highest level: William Shemin defied German machine gun fire to sprint across a World War I battlefield and pull wounded comrades to safety. And he did so no fewer than three times. Then, with the platoon’s senior soldiers wounded or killed, the 19-year-old American took over command of […]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — After being slowed and at times stalled by ice in the Bering Sea, a Coast Guard icebreaker and a Russian tanker were making “great progress” toward Nome on Tuesday, according to an official for the corporation arranging the fuel shipment to the iced-in city. But the delivery remains challenging, said Jason […]

KOUTS, Ind. ( AP) — Authorities say a handcuffed man has stolen a police cruiser in northwest Indiana, and he radioed police for help in finding the car’s cigarette lighter and a key to unlock his hands. Investigators were still looking for 22- year- old William Francis Blankenship early this morning. Police say he somehow […]

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad joined thousands of his supporters today in an extremely rare public appearance, telling a pro- regime rally in the capital that the “ conspiracy” against his country will fail. Dressed more casually than usual in a jacket but no tie, the president told the cheering crowd that […]

NEW YORK (AP) — Hostess Brands Inc., the maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread, is seeking bankruptcy protection, blaming its pension and medical benefits obligations, increased competition and tough economic conditions. The Chapter 11 filing today comes just two years after a predecessor company emerged from bankruptcy proceedings. That company, called Interstate Bakeries and based […]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A NASA spacecraft hurtling toward Mars prepared to fire its thrusters today to put itself on course for an August landing. Engineers closely tracked the one-ton rover nicknamed Curiosity, which has been cruising along since rocketing from Earth last November. The engine firing is the most important task Curiosity will perform […]

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s domestic spy agency MI5 was named as one of the country’s most gay-friendly employers today. MI5 was ranked 62 out of 100 for being one of the best employers for lesbian, gay and bisexual staff, according to a list compiled by the equality charity Stonewall. Ernst and Young topped the list, […]

BERLIN ( AP) — Germany’s economy slipped into reverse in the last quarter of 2011 in spite of showing strong overall growth for the year of 3 percent, the country’s Federal Statistics Office said today. While the overall 2011 growth figure was as expected by analysts, the statistics office also said that the German economy […]

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Two assailants on a motorcycle attached a magnetic bomb to the car of an Iranian university professor working at a key nuclear facility, killing him and his driver today, reports said. The slayings suggest a widening covert effort to set back Iran’s atomic program. The attack in Tehran bore a strong […]

PORTLAND ( AP) — A Westbrook woman has pleaded guilty to stealing about $29,000 from her ex-husband’s retirement savings. Martha Collins pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland on Tuesday to wire fraud and identity theft. Prosecutors say she stole the money after he refused to lend her $15,000. Authorities say in July 2010 […]