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ADVANCE FOR USE MONDAY, JAN. 18, 2015 AND THEREAFTER - In this Jan. 4, 2016 photo, Gwen Easter testifies before an Omaha Public Schools board meeting in Omaha, Neb. Easter, who runs a community center and preschool program, assailed the proposals to teach acceptance and understanding of gay and transgender youth. "That's the real agenda _ the same-sex stuff," she declared during remarks that drew cheers from her allies in the crowd. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

In Omaha, and much of US, debate over sex ed rages on

OMAHA, Nebraska — Rival factions yelling at one another amid angry pushing. Tirades about condoms, and claims of misinformation. A parent declaring that children are… Continue reading

ADVANCE FOR USE MONDAY, JAN. 18, 2015 AND THEREAFTER - In this Jan. 4, 2016 photo, Gwen Easter testifies before an Omaha Public Schools board meeting in Omaha, Neb. Easter, who runs a community center and preschool program, assailed the proposals to teach acceptance and understanding of gay and transgender youth. "That's the real agenda _ the same-sex stuff," she declared during remarks that drew cheers from her allies in the crowd. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during the Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate at the North Charleston Coliseum, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016, in North Charleston, S.C. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Trump, Cruz go at each other in year’s first debate

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — Donald Trump doubled down Thursday on his questions about Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s eligibility to serve as president, telling his rival… Continue reading

Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during the Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate at the North Charleston Coliseum, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016, in North Charleston, S.C. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Iran says it has removed core of reactor, key to nuke deal

TEHRAN, Iran — Nuclear technicians have finished removing the core of the Iran’s only nuclear heavy water reactor as part of Tehran’s obligations under its… Continue reading

WHO declares end to Ebola epidemic after 11,300 deaths

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization declared an end to the deadliest Ebola outbreak ever on Thursday after no new cases emerged in Liberia,… Continue reading

Balbir Atwal, the owner of a 7-Eleven store that sold a winning Powerball lottery ticket, holds up a Millionaire Made Here sign at his store in Chino Hills, California on Thursday.

Who got 3 winning tickets to $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot?

MUNFORD, Tenn. — Mystery winners in Tennessee, Florida and California should get their affairs in order before they claim their thirds of the unprecedented $1.6… Continue reading

Balbir Atwal, the owner of a 7-Eleven store that sold a winning Powerball lottery ticket, holds up a Millionaire Made Here sign at his store in Chino Hills, California on Thursday.
In this June 9, 2015 photo, actor Alan Rickman attends The Public Theater's Annual Gala at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in New York.

Alan Rickman, star of stage and ‘Harry Potter,’ dies at 69

LONDON — British actor Alan Rickman, a classically trained stage star and sensual screen villain in the “Harry Potter” saga and other films, has died.… Continue reading

In this June 9, 2015 photo, actor Alan Rickman attends The Public Theater's Annual Gala at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in New York.

Once again, lack of diversity bemoaned in Oscar slate

A year after host Neil Patrick Harris quipped that the Oscars were honoring Hollywood’s “best and whitest,” the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences… Continue reading

US Navy sailors released unharmed by Iran

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — It turned out to be the international crisis that wasn’t.Less than a day after 10 U.S. Navy sailors were detained… Continue reading

Ocean search for Malaysian airliner finds 2nd shipwreck

CANBERRA, Australia — The undersea search for the Malaysian airliner that vanished almost two years ago has found a second 19th century shipwreck deep in… Continue reading

Once accommodating neighbors now turn back Syrian refugees

BEIRUT — After taking in a million Syrian refugees, Lebanon has quietly changed course in recent months, forcing refugees to return to Syria — where… Continue reading

Stocks plunge as a dismal start to 2016 gets worse

The dismal start to 2016 on Wall Street got a lot worse Wednesday.Stocks tumbled again on fears of a global slowdown and alarm over plummeting… Continue reading

More employers try to help workers pay student loans

NEW YORK — Employers are discovering that making it easier for workers to pay off their student loans helps to attract and keep a happy… Continue reading

Bob Kunst, of Miami Beach, Fla., wears a Hillary Clinton as he stands outside the North Charleston Coliseum, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016, in North Charleston, S.C., in advance of Thursday's Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

Ryan, Haley offer new answer to Trump

WASHINGTON — Two fresh faces in the Republican Party — House Speaker Paul Ryan and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley — are offering messages of… Continue reading

Bob Kunst, of Miami Beach, Fla., wears a Hillary Clinton as he stands outside the North Charleston Coliseum, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016, in North Charleston, S.C., in advance of Thursday's Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)
President Barack Obama walks along the colonnade of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, to the residence from the Oval Office, hours before giving his State Of The Union address. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Obama: Future depends on fixing politics

WASHINGTON — Lamenting the nation’s persistently deep divides, President Barack Obama declared Tuesday night that opportunity and security for American families “will only happen if… Continue reading

President Barack Obama walks along the colonnade of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, to the residence from the Oval Office, hours before giving his State Of The Union address. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

2 Navy boats held by Iran but will be returned

WASHINGTON — Iran was holding 10 U.S. Navy sailors and their two small boats that drifted into Iranian waters after experiencing mechanical problems. Iran accused… Continue reading

Iraq attacks shatter relative calm after IS losses

BAGHDAD — Deadly attacks in Baghdad and a nearby town have shattered the relative calm far from the front lines of the war against the… Continue reading

In this Monday photo, people wait to leave the besieged town of Madaya, northwest of Damascus, Syria. U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said about 400 people need to be evacuated immediately to receive life-saving treatment for medical conditions, malnourishment and starvation.

Siege, starvation leaves Syrian town in ‘grim’ state

BEIRUT — Siege and starvation have left the rebel-held Syrian town of Madaya in a nightmarish state not seen elsewhere in the country, a U.N.… Continue reading

In this Monday photo, people wait to leave the besieged town of Madaya, northwest of Damascus, Syria. U.N. humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said about 400 people need to be evacuated immediately to receive life-saving treatment for medical conditions, malnourishment and starvation.

Suicide bomber kills 10, wounds 15 in Istanbul

ISTANBUL — A suicide bomber affiliated with the Islamic State group detonated a bomb in a historic district of Istanbul popular with tourists Tuesday morning,… Continue reading

High court: Florida death penalty system is unconstitutional

WASHINGTON (AP) — Florida’s unique system for sentencing people to death is unconstitutional because it gives too much power to judges — and not enough… Continue reading

Texas ‘affluenza’ teen’s mom released from jail

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The mother of a fugitive teenager known for using an “affluenza” defense in a fatal drunken-driving wreck was released from… Continue reading