ATLANTA – A man wanted in Florida in the death of his ex-girlfriend climbed an 18-story crane Wednesday at a construction site and remained perched there Thursday afternoon as authorities tried to talk him down. The man got onto the crane around 5 p.m. Wednesday and indicated he was contemplating …

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. – A welder’s torch sparked an explosion in an underground gas tank Friday evening, hurling a 1,000-pound asphalt chunk into the air that killed a passing driver, authorities said. At least two others were injured in the blast, including the welder and a passenger in the victim’s vehicle. …

LONDON – Here’s a look at key moments in Tony Blair’s eight years as prime minister: —May 1, 1997: Tony Blair’s Labour Party (search) wins 419 of 659 seats in the House of Commons, ending 18 years of Conservative rule. —Aug. 31, 1997: Blair makes memorable speech after the death …

WASHINGTON – Citing Colin Powell’s (search) dedication to public service and to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Anti-Defamation League (search) on Monday presented the former secretary of state with its highest honor, the America’s Democratic Legacy Award (search). “This one will always be special to me because this is an …

WASHINGTON – Police on Monday tackled and dragged away a man with two suitcases who stationed himself in front of the west side of the Capitol and asked to see the president. The man refused to say anything else to an officer who tried to talk with him, authorities said. …

WASHINGTON – A Senate committee on Tuesday hailed President Bush’s choice to be the next NASA administrator while giving rocket scientist Michael Griffin (search) a daunting list of tasks, including saving the Hubble telescope (search) and speeding the delivery of a new manned space vehicle. Members of the Senate Commerce …

MADISON, Wis. – Tommy Thompson’s little brother is back in politics. Ed Thompson (search) won a spot on the Tomah City Council (search) in the spring elections without even running. He was an unofficial write-in candidate (search) and never campaigned. He says he’ll formally accept the position Friday. Ed Thompson’s …

WASHINGTON – A big surge in energy costs pushed producer prices (search) up a steep 0.7 percent last month but underlying price pressures were subdued, a government report showed on Tuesday. The Labor Department (search) said the jump in its producer price index (search), a measure of prices received by …

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Security forces have killed 15 Islamic militants in four days, including three on the most wanted list, in the most intensive fighting yet seen in Saudi Arabia’s two-year war on terror — a sign the kingdom may have Al Qaeda (search) on the defensive. The latest …

FORT WORTH, Texas – Kimberly Kay Jackson loved getting pedicures each month, especially with bright pink nail polish, although as a paraplegic she couldn’t feel the massages and bubbling water on her feet. But after her heel was cut with a pumice stone during a July pedicure, she developed an …