SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Superstar Michael Jackson (search) was home at his Neverland ranch Thursday after being treated in the hospital for a flu-like illness. “He’s still not feeling well, but he’s going to continue his recovery at home,” Jackson spokeswoman Raymone K. Bain told The Associated Press. Jackson left …

PARK CITY, Kan. – Dennis Rader was a confusing and often frustrating man for many of his neighbors. Most said the man now accused of being the BTK serial killer (search) was a bureaucratic bully, an ordinance enforcement officer for this suburb 7 miles north of Wichita who, they said, …

WASHINGTON – New rules for a merit pay system at the Homeland Security Department (search) won cautious support Thursday from congressional investigators who also urged the agency to explain how the change would be carried out. The department needs to make sure that “sustained and committed” managers and a strong …

WASHINGTON – A second Senate Democrat said Friday he was open to President Bush’s idea of letting people divert some of their Social Security taxes to personal retirement accounts as Republican Party leaders tried to allay re-election fears among wavering GOP lawmakers. Sen. Tom Carper (search), D-Del., said any plan …

Sunday, February 27 at 8 p.m. ET! Hosted by Oliver North In this thrilling episode you’ll go to war aboard the destroyers of World War II. Their crews nicknamed these ships “tin cans” because they lacked armor. The hundreds of destroyers and the 300,000 brave souls that sailed aboard proved …

NEW YORK – The 21-year-old singer-songwriter is expecting a baby in early August with her husband, Teddy Landau, the magazine said. The couple were married last May. Landau, 40, is Branch’s bass player. A call to her agent by The Associated Press wasn’t immediately returned Friday. Branch and Landau are …

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Rev. Jerry Falwell (search) has checked into a Virginia (search) hospital for treatment of a viral infection. The 71-year-old Falwell was taken Sunday to Lynchburg General Hospital (search) after falling ill at a church service. He had battled a severe cold last week and saw a …

NEW YORK – Eminem (search), who last week wrapped up his nationwide “Anger Management” tour, has canceled his European tour, citing exhaustion and other medical issues, his record label said Tuesday. In a brief statement, Interscope Records said Eminem was scrapping the tour, which was supposed to kick off Sept. …

WASHINGTON – Employers expanded their payrolls by 207,000 in July, the most in five months, while the unemployment rate held steady at 5 percent, the government reported Friday. The latest snapshot from the Labor Department (search) offered strong evidence that the job climate is improving considerably. Boosts in hiring came …

SPACE CENTER, Houston – With the most anxiety-ridden part of their flight still to come, shuttle Discovery (search) and its crew of seven set off for home Saturday after leaving the international space station. Monday’s planned predawn re-entry will be the first by a space shuttle since Columbia’s catastrophic descent …