A senior U.S. official says a proposed U.S.-South Korean free trade agreement will not provide a back door for imports to the United States from communist North Korea.

A New Mexico state employee has been placed on leave for a website posting the secretary of state says was "deeply offensive" toward two African-American legislators.

Chicago Police Superintendent Terry Hillard says two officers have been placed on administrative duty as the department investigates allegations that they were involved in the sexual assault of a woman on the city's North Side this week.

Hispanic families and immigrant advocates are pleading with President Barack Obama to ease his immigration enforcement policies.

Officials with the company that operates Japan's tsunami-stricken nuclear plant say radioactive contamination in groundwater underneath a reactor has been measured at 10,000 times the government health standard.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates says that some country other than the U.S. should do the training and equipping of the Libyan opposition groups.

As the U.S. debates its future role in the Libyan conflict, Defense officials slammed the brakes on any broad participation Thursday, with Defense Secretary Robert Gates saying there will be no American ground troops in Libya "as long as I am in this job."

Republicans in Congress are set to air results from one of their first formal investigations of the Obama administration, an inquiry into secretive reviews by political advisers at the Homeland Security Department of hundreds of requests for government files under the Freedom of Information Act.

Space shuttle commander Mark Kelly is still awaiting doctors' final OK on whether his congresswoman wife can attend his launch in just under three weeks.

Republicans in Congress are airing results from one of their first formal investigations of the Obama administration, an inquiry into secretive reviews by political advisers at the Homeland Security Department of hundreds of Freedom of Information requests.

A federal judge has sentenced two former New Orleans police officers for their roles in the shooting death of a man whose body was later burned following Hurricane Katrina.

The government is warning people not to use those giant see-through inflatable spheres known as "water walking balls" because of the risk of suffocation or drowning.

A bevy of economic reports Wednesday bolstered the case for a strengthening job market, with private payrolls and business confidence surging and layoffs waning.

In letters sent to the U.S. attorney general and Texas public safety director,the attorneys allege the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has violated federal law for more than 25 years.

Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, the departing commanding general, on Wednesday granted a request by Maj. Nidal Hasan's attorney to delay proceedings until late April.