The Bush administration is preparing to ease the way for the nation's largest private landowner to convert hundreds of thousands of acres of mountain forestland to residential subdivisions.

When Robert Mugabe told security officials he had lost Zimbabwe's presidential election and planned to give up power, a top general responded the choice was not Mugabe's alone to make.

The National Park Service is considering reopening Lady Liberty's crown for the first time since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to documents a congressman released on July Fourth.

Colorado beat the Florida Marlins 18-17 after trailing by nine runs in the biggest comeback in Rockies history on Friday.

The Palestinian who went on a deadly rampage on a Jerusalem street this week had spent years in a romantic relationship with a Jewish Israeli woman, relatives said.

Venus and Serena Williams have a busy schedule Saturday. First they?ll be on opposite sides of the Centre Court net, each trying to beat the other for the Wimbledon singles title ? their seventh all-in-the-family final at a Grand Slam tournament, but first since 2003.  Then they?ll pair up to play side-by-side in the women?s doubles final, a berth they earned by winning in the semifinals Friday.

A pair of out-of-control wildfires roared along California's central coast Friday, chewing through opposite ends of a parched forest and threatening a total of more than 4,500 homes. homes.

Michael Phelps claimed a world record in the 200 IM with a time of 1 minute, 54.80 seconds, beating the mark of 1:54.98 he set while winning seven events at last year?s world championships in Australia.

A video taken during the Colombian mission that rescued 15 hostages showed them hugging one another and crying tears of joy.

Gov. Charlie Crist won't be sleeping alone in the governor's mansion much longer ? he is engaged to a woman he met in New York City last September who quickly captured his heart.

Former Sen. Jesse Helms, who built a career along the fault lines of racial politics and battled liberals, Communists and the occasional fellow Republican during 30 years in Congress, died Friday. He was 86.

Here?s what victory will look like for Tour de France organizers: The riders reach the finish line in three weeks with no doping scandals.

Joey Chestnut has reclaimed the top spot as winner of the annual hot dog eating contest in Coney Island after first tying with archrival Takeru Kobayashi in a 10-minute chow-down and then beating him in a five-dog eat-off.

?Crocodile Dundee? star Paul Hogan challenged Australian tax authorities Friday to track him down in the United States.

The call girl involved in a scandal that brought down New York's former governor has dropped a lawsuit claiming "Girls Gone Wild" exploited her image.

Americans across the country mixed patriotism and plain old good fun to mark Independence Day on Friday.