NEW YORK – A lawyer for Boy George (search) is denying that drugs found in the British singer’s apartment belonged to him. Authorities said the singer, whose real name is George O’Dowd, was arraigned on drug charges early Saturday. He had called 911 to report that his home had been …

HURRICANE, W.Va. – With $340 million up for grabs in the second-biggest lottery jackpot in U.S. history, people trekked to a small-town West Virginia convenience store to buy their tickets Tuesday in the apparent belief that lightning can strike twice in the same place. Nearly three years ago, it was …

JULLA, India – Shaukat Khan hiked across a valley to collect food and supplies he thought were being handed out by authorities. Instead, he found what thousands others discovered after the massive earthquake that shattered their villages: a lot of help was coming from Kashmiri separatists on the Indian side …

WASHINGTON – The government has to do a better job of tracking down visitors to the United States who violate their visas, including identifying scofflaws faster, a Department of Homeland Security (search) report said Friday. The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (search) made only 671 apprehensions in 2004 after …

CANCUN, Mexico – Mexicans and stranded tourists, hungry and frustrated after a two-day beating by Hurricane Wilma (search), stood in line to buy supplies Sunday or simply raided grocery or furniture stores, dragging goods from shops ripped open by the storm. The hurricane’s steady march toward southern Florida meant an …

TEHRAN, Iran – Iraq’s constitutional referendum Saturday is being watched closely in this country where Shiite Muslims (search) have long held power and have close ties with the Shiites now controlling their neighbor. Publicly at least, the Islamic government here says it is neutral — and just looking for a …

OSSEO, Wis. – A bus carrying high school students home from a band competition crashed into a tractor-trailer that had jackknifed on the interstate early Sunday, killing four adults and an 11-year-old girl, officials said. Twenty-nine others were injured, some seriously, troopers said. “It’s a terrific tragedy and loss to …

LUXEMBOURG – The European Union (search) overcame last-minute doubts and opened membership talks Tuesday with Turkey — a historic move to include a predominantly Muslim nation that both sides said would benefit all of Europe. “We have just made history,” British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw (search) said after chairing the …

NALCHIK, Russia – Scores of Islamic militants launched simultaneous attacks on police and government buildings in this city in Russia’s turbulent Caucasus (search) region Thursday, sparking battles that killed at least 63 people. Chechen rebels claimed responsibility for the attacks, which forced the evacuation of schools and left corpses littering …

WASHINGTON – Investigators at the Education Department have contacted the U.S. attorney’s office regarding the Bush administration’s hiring of commentator Armstrong Williams (search) to promote its agenda. The action was disclosed by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (search), D-N.J., who has pressed for a criminal fraud investigation focused on questions about whether …