BOSTON – Boston Celtics captain Paul Pierce lifted the trophy over his head and pumped vigorously, egging on the thousands of fans who lined the streets to chant even louder: “MVP! MVP!” “We’re tired of watching these parades on TV. Now we get to enjoy our own,” Pierce said Thursday …

MOGADISHU, Somalia – More than 40 civilians have been killed in the Somali capital this week, the United Nations’ humanitarian agency said Friday. About 20 civilians were killed Thursday as Ethiopian and Somali soldiers battled insurgents in Mogadishu, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in its …

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A sheriff’s investigator in Florida says police are re-examining the death of a man who was the third husband of a North Carolina woman with five dead spouses. Lt. Nancy Alvarez of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday her investigators are trying to find medical records …

LONDON – Amy Winehouse’s husband beat up a pub landlord and then offered him $400,000 to keep quiet about the attack, a prosecutor said Tuesday. Prosecution lawyer Sean Larkin said barman James King suffered a broken cheekbone in the June 2006 attack by Blake Fielder-Civil and another man — but …

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 30-foot-long sperm whale weighing more than 8 tons was euthanized after stranding itself in shallow surf along the Texas coast. The whale washed up about 40 feet from the shore Tuesday on Mustang Island. Onlookers watched it thrash about before veterinarian Tim Tristan gave the …

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on Monday turned down a plea by environmental groups to rein in the Bush administration’s power to waive laws and regulations to speed construction of a fence along the U.S.-Mexican border. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has used authority given to him by Congress in …

JACKSON, Mich. – An Iraq war veteran accused of raping his 3-month-old daughter in Michigan has pleaded guilty to attempted child abuse. Former Army paratrooper Kirk Coleman’s plea came Friday after prosecutors agreed to drop charges of criminal sexual conduct and child abuse. Authorities say Coleman attacked the baby in …

“Austin Powers” actor Verne Troyer is suing TMZ for violating his rights by publishing and airing portions of his sex tape, TMZ reports. The actor, who played Mini Me in “Austin Powers,” claims in the $20 million suit that TMZ infringed on his copyright and trademark and violated his privacy …

DARTMOUTH, Mass – Authorities say a couple trying to beat the high cost of gasoline accidentally caused a fire that burned their apartment complex. Fire Chief Richard Arruda says the couple had about 45 gallons of gasoline in nine plastic jugs stacked in a closet that also housed an air …

BAGHDAD – The U.S. military has postponed a ceremony to hand over security of Anbar province to Iraqi forces. High winds and possible sandstorms were cited as the reason for the delay. But the announcement also comes a day after a suicide attack in the province killed more than 20 …