Obama sees narrower terror threat, defends drones
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama sought Thursday to advance the U.S. beyond the unrelenting war effort of the past dozen years, defining a narrower terror threat from smaller networks and homegrown extremists rather than the grandiose plots of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida....

Boy Scouts approve plan to accept openly gay boys
GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) -- The Boy Scouts of America threw open its ranks Thursday to gay Scouts but not gay Scout leaders - a fiercely contested compromise that some warned could fracture the organization and lead to mass defections of members and donors....

IRS replaces official in tea party controversy
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Moving quickly to stem a raging controversy, the new acting head of the Internal Revenue Service started cleaning house Thursday by replacing the supervisor who oversaw agents involved in targeting tea party groups....

Distraught mom becomes face of Oklahoma storm
MOORE, Okla. (AP) -- A massive tornado was carving its way through town. There was no time to hesitate. LaTisha Garcia had to get to her children....

Weiner gets started stumping in NYC mayoral race
NEW YORK (AP) -- Anthony Weiner set out to reintroduce himself to voters Thursday as he embarked on a mayoral bid after leaving Congress in a sexting scandal. He found a much more supportive reception in his first campaign stop than he did from the state's top Democrat, who bluntly criticized his candidacy a day earlier....

Latest deadly tornado tests Oklahoma town's mettle
MOORE, Okla. (AP) -- Having lived most of her life in this Oklahoma City suburb, Barbara Bryen never feared twisters. They were just part of life in a particularly deadly stretch of Tornado Alley....

Obama lifts ban on Guantanamo transfers to Yemen
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama is lifting his self-imposed ban on transferring Guantanamo Bay detainees to Yemen, where a leadership upheaval has improved the country's security but not eliminated a terrorist organization trying to recruit jihadists....

Defense releases photos, texts of Trayvon Martin
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Data released Thursday by the defense from slain Florida teenager Trayvon Martin's cellphone includes texts with a friend about fighting, smoking pot and being forced to move out of his mother's house because of trouble at school, as well as photos of a gun and what looks to be a potted marijuana plant....

Jurors deadlock on Jodi Arias penalty; retrial set
PHOENIX (AP) -- The jury in Jodi Arias' trial was dismissed Thursday after failing to reach a unanimous decision on whether the woman they convicted of murdering her one-time boyfriend should be sentenced to life or death in a case that has captured headlines worldwide with its sex, lies, violence....

Procter & Gamble brings back A.G. Lafley as CEO
NEW YORK (AP) -- Procter & Gamble is bringing back former CEO A.G. Lafley, a 33-year industry veteran, to its top post in a surprise move as the world's largest consumer goods maker tries to improve its results globally....