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HONOLULU – Hawaii politicians are scrambling to gather enough votes in Congress to pass a bill that would grant Native Hawaiians a degree of self-government and possibly a share of the land ruled by their ancestors. After seven years of debate, the proposal to recognize Native Hawaiians as indigenous inhabitants …

Independence, Mo. – The couple accused of videotaping the rape and murder of a 41-year-old Independence, Mo., woman pleaded not guilty Tuesday, while police continued to search for bodies connected to the pair. Richard Davis, 41, and Dena Riley, 39, were arraigned Tuesday morning in Jackson County Missouri Circuit Court …

LONDON – Oil dropped on Wednesday after Washington said it would talk to major OPEC producer Iran and forge a “new and positive” relationship — provided it stopped uranium enrichment. A long-running dispute between the West and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions has stoked prices above $70 as investors fear …

RAINIER, Ore. – Demolition crews on Sunday destroyed the 499-foot cooling tower at a defunct commercial nuclear power plant. With a rumble, the tower leaned to the side and collapsed upon itself — leaving a cloud of dust and multi-ton pile of rubble. It took less than 10 seconds and …

BEIJING – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday that she and Chinese President Hu Jintao are united in their opposition to Iran possessing nuclear weapons and their determination that the dispute be settled diplomatically. But Merkel, speaking after a meeting with Hu, did not say whether the two sides discussed …

BAYONNE, N.J. – Wielding a scissors, a woman who helped raise more than 400 foster children over 27 years snipped a ribbon to christen the world’s largest cruise ship Friday while it docked near the Statue of Liberty. “I name this ship the ‘Freedom of the Sea.’ May God bless …

This is a partial transcript of “Special Report With Brit Hume” from April 28, 2006, that has been edited for clarity. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: The temptation in Washington is to tax everything and they spend the money, they being the people in Washington, the answer is …

WASHINGTON – Rob Portman won Senate confirmation as director of the White House budget office Friday, moving over from his post as U.S. trade representative. Portman, a former GOP congressman from Cincinnati, replaces White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten as director of the Office of Management and Budget. The …

COVINGTON, Ga. – Police arrested a man accused of running over five people, including three toddlers, with a car in the parking lot of a McDonald’s restaurant Tuesday. Lanny Barnes, 46, was in custody and charges against him were pending, Covington Assistant Police Chief Almond Turner said. “All indications are …

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – An Israeli airstrike hit a car filled with militants as it drove through the central Gaza Strip on Monday, wounding three militants, witnesses and the Israeli army said. The airstrike took place in the village of Abassan, east of the town of Khan Younis, and …