Life requested for US suspect in Italy murder case

PERUGIA, Italy — Prosecutors on Saturday asked an Italian court to hand down life sentences to an American student and her ex-boyfriend for their alleged roles in the fatal stabbing of a young British woman during a drug-fueled sex game.

Coal mine blast kills 42 in China, 66 trapped

HARBIN, China — Rescuers working in frigid cold and darkness tried to reach 66 people believed trapped a third of a mile (half a kilometer) underground after a huge gas explosion Saturday ripped through a coal mine in northern China, killing at least 42 people.

Rocket hits outside luxury hotel in Afghan capital

KABUL — A rocket hit outside the luxury Serena Hotel in Afghanistan's capital late Saturday, wounding two people, the Interior Ministry said.

AP reporter caught up in Stalin family's agony

WASHINGTON, Conn. — Newly arrived in Moscow on his first foreign assignment, Associated Press correspondent George Krimsky sensed he had a sensational Cold War scoop on his hands and he pounced.

Atlantis astronauts take 2nd spacewalk of mission

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — An astronaut anticipating the birth of his daughter at any moment embarked on the first spacewalk of his career Saturday, tackling a load of maintenance work outside the International Space Station.

Postal Service to resume North Pole Santa letters

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Wide-eyed children around the world will be hearing from Santa's "elves" at the North Pole after all.

US to drop shooting case against Blackwater guard

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department intends to drop manslaughter and weapons charges against one of the Blackwater Worldwide security guards involved in a deadly 2007 Baghdad shooting, prosecutors said in court documents Friday.

Resort island reels after deadly attack by gunman

SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands — The gunman who carried out Saipan's most violent attack in recent memory ended his life on the same rocky cliffs where numerous Japanese leapt to their deaths to avoid capture by U.S. troops during World War II.

Levin: could be more e-mails from Ft. Hood suspect

WASHINGTON — WASHINGTON - The government intercepted at least 18 e-mails between the alleged Fort Hood gunman and a radical Muslim cleric, and a key senator says there could be more communications that might have tipped off law enforcement or military officials.

Italian police arrest 2 linked to Mumbai attacks

ROME — Italian police on Saturday arrested a Pakistani father and son accused of helping fund and providing logistical support for last year's terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, authorities said.