Jury: Death for man who murdered cop’s daughter

A Florida jury has recommended that a plumber who kidnapped, raped and murdered a police detective’s daughter be executed for his crimes. Michael King, 38, showed no reaction Friday afternoon as the jury’s 12-0 recommendation of death was announced in Sarasota

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Survey: Worst of recession has yet to hit U.S. cities’ coffers

The light at the end of the recession tunnel is distant and dim for the nation’s cities, according to a survey by the National League of Cities. While optimistic federal officials hint at an economic turnaround, city finance officers say the picture remains bleak for city governments. This is chiefly because a top source of municipal income — property tax revenue — tends to lag behind changes in the market

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Baby born with protruding heart battles for life

The father of a baby born with his heart protruding from his chest has told CNN about the 1100 km train journey he made to save his son’s life. Chander Majhi, 24, became a father last week but he had to leave his wife behind in hospital and make a train journey from a remote region along India’s border with Nepal to the capital New Delhi.

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Surveillance video shows Florida couple, gunmen

Dark, grainy surveillance camera images from inside the home of a slain Florida couple show the moments before their deaths as gunmen dressed in black storm their house. The images, taken at the home of Byrd and Melanie Billings, were shown Thursday to representatives from several news organizations

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Discovery launch put off until late Friday

NASA on Thursday put off the planned launch of the space shuttle Discovery for a third time to give engineers more time to study tests on a liquid hydrogen valve, the space agency announced. The shuttle’s liftoff — originally set for Tuesday — has been put off until 11:59 p.m. Friday, mission managers said.

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Brief History: Secret CIA Missions

— A federal study of mercury contamination released Wednesday found the toxic substance in every fish tested at nearly 300 streams across the country, a finding that underscores how widespread mercury pollution has become. The study by the U.S. Geological Survey is the most comprehensive look to date at mercury in the nation’s streams.

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Man gets 4 years for crashing plane, trying to fake death

A man who crashed his plane in the Florida Panhandle in an apparent attempt to fake his death was sentenced Wednesday to more than four years in federal prison, officials said. Marcus Schrenker, 38, of McCordsville, Indiana, pleaded guilty in June to charges of destruction of an aircraft and causing the Coast Guard to respond when no help is needed.

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Autistic boy saw Florida couple slain, documents say

The son of a Florida couple known for adopting special-needs children was in his parents’ room when they were slain in a home invasion last month, according to documents released by prosecutors. A nurse who works with special-needs children interviewed the boy, who has autism and speech issues, regarding the deaths of Byrd and Melanie Billings.

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