AUBURN, W.Va. – Authorities believe a 30-year-old woman fatally shot two boys ages 5 and 8 before killing herself. State police said in a news release Sunday that an initial investigation indicates the woman killed the boys Saturday, but they declined to release additional details. Authorities arrived at the scene, …

LES COMBES, Italy – Pope Benedict XVI said Friday that he does not plan to intervene diplomatically in the Middle East fighting, but called on people of all religions to join Sunday’s worldwide day of prayers for peace. “I think it is best to leave that to the diplomats, because …

ALBUQUERQUE – Beam me up, indeed! James Doohan, the actor who played chief engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott on the original “Star Trek” TV series, will have a few grams of his ashes launched 70 miles into space this fall from southern New Mexico. Houston-based Space Services, Inc., plans also to …

This is a partial transcript from “The O’Reilly Factor,” July 13, 2006, that has been edited for clarity. BILL O’REILLY, HOST: “Back of the Book” segment tonight, already “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” has grossed about $350 million worldwide. It’s only been out a week. That is almost …

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A judge on Monday ordered a psychological examination for a woman accused of killing a pregnant acquaintance and her fetus. Tiffany Hall, 24, looked sullen as she appeared at an arraignment hearing via video conference from the St. Clair County Jail, where she is being …

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – A national black Republican group is running a radio advertisement accusing Democrats of starting the Ku Klux Klan and saying the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Republican, a claim challenged by civil-rights researchers. Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, the black Republican nominee for Maryland’s open Senate …

BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand‘s coup leaders strengthened their grip on power Friday by sidelining key military supporters of the ousted prime minister, and one official said a former army commander and close adviser to the king had been picked as interim premier. Thailand’s auditor general, Jaruvan Maintaka, told reporters late …

LOS ANGELES – The Walt Disney Co. (DIS) has sold 125,000 digital copies of films through Apple Computer Inc.’s (AAPL) iTunes store in less than a week, generating $1 million, Disney chief executive Robert Iger said Tuesday. Disney expects revenue of $50 million in the first year from its iTunes …

HAVANA – Fidel Castro said in a statement Tuesday that he has lost more than 41 pounds since he had intestinal surgery but added that the “most critical moment” was behind him. The Cuban leader announced on July 31 that he was stepping aside as president to recover from the …

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Aid workers warned Saturday of a humanitarian catastrophe if the United Nations and Red Cross pull out of Sri Lanka, where agency staff are facing mounting restrictions and threats to their safety amid a worsening civil conflict. U.N. agencies and the International Committee of the Red …