IRS chief declines to identify employees involved in scandal
WASHINGTON - The outgoing head of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service angered Republican lawmakers on Friday by resisting their demands that he identify who at the tax-collection agency had inappropriately targeted conservative groups for extra scrutiny.
Illinois Senate approves marijuana for medical uses
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois - The Illinois Senate on Friday voted to approve the use of marijuana for medical purposes, which if signed into law would make it the second-most-populous state in the nation after California to allow the drug's use for medical purposes.
Commuter trains collide in Connecticut, injuring up to 60 people
FAIRFIELD, Connecticut - A commuter train traveling eastbound from New York City derailed near the Connecticut suburb of Fairfield during the evening rush hour on Friday and collided with a westbound commuter train, injuring up to 60 people, three critically, officials said.
Powerball jackpot grows to a record $600 million
- The jackpot for the Powerball lottery has soared to a record $600 million and the top prize may swell to nearly $1 billion if no one draws the winning numbers this weekend, a lottery official said on Friday.
Colorado sheriffs sue to block new gun-control laws
DENVER - A group of Colorado county sheriffs, angry about two new state gun control laws passed in the wake of last year's mass shootings in Connecticut and Colorado, filed a federal lawsuit on Friday seeking to block the laws from going into effect.
Obama seeks to cut Afghan war spending by 10 percent
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama on Friday trimmed his funding request for the war in Afghanistan and other overseas operations by 10 percent, reflecting his plans to wind down the U.S. presence in that country.
Pentagon chief vows to 'fix' military's sexual assault problem
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered top military chiefs on Friday to redouble their effort to address the problem of sexual assault, saying the frequency and perceived tolerance of the crime was eroding the military's ability conduct its mission.
Tech, labor brandish dueling studies in immigration fight
WASHINGTON - The technology industry and organized labor are locked in a fight that threatens to complicate the U.S. Senate's immigration bill.
O.J. Simpson's ex-lawyer says "poured his soul" into Nevada trial
LAS VEGAS - An attorney who O.J. Simpson claims botched his Nevada robbery trial five years ago told a court on Friday that he poured his "blood, sweat and soul" into defending the former football hero, who he said had been badly tainted by his sensational 1990s murder case.
Virus found in Iowa hog population, possibly beyond
WASHINGTON - A potentially fatal hog virus, porcine epidemic diarrhea, has been found in the United States for the first time, government and private industry officials said on Friday, posing a new threat for the country's struggling pork producers.
McCain, Biden coming together for Sedona, Arizona forum
These days Washington is not known for bipartisanship, but every now and then a breakthrough is made. It is noteworthy that Vice President Joe Biden, a Democrat, and Senator John McCain, a Republican, are appearing together at a forum in Sedona, Arizona on Friday.



