Nation

South Carolina first lady Jenny Sanford issued the following statement Thursday, breaking two days of silence that followed her husband's latest revelations to The Associated Press about his extramarital affair, including his statement that his Argentine mistress was his "soul mate":

NEW YORK A bankruptcy judge on Thursday ruled that a group representing General Motors Corp.'s salaried retirees cannot form a formal committee to negotiate with the automaker as it attempts to reorganize and emerge from Chapter 11 as a new company.

MINNEAPOLIS Malt-O-Meal Co. is voluntarily recalling oatmeal that contains instant nonfat dry milk that may be contaminated with salmonella.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. An admitted marijuana supplier accused of kidnapping a 15-year-old boy over a drug debt and ordering his death testified at his murder trial that he fled the country for nearly five years because he thought police would kill him on sight.

PHILADELPHIA A federal appeals court will not reconsider its ruling that overturned a murder conviction.

CHICAGO Former Illinois first lady Patti Blagojevich said Friday that making new friends during her time on NBC's reality show "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!" helped her get over those she's lost since her husband's arrest on federal corruption charges.

CHICAGO Credit the recession for "staycations" and bringing us more game-night parties at home. But also give it a shout for spurring more first dates.

NEW YORK More than a quarter million people are wondering what will happen to their fingerprints, Social Security numbers, home addresses and other personal information now that a company that sped them through airport security is out of business.

SALEM, Mass. A woman accused of withholding cancer treatment from her autistic son by canceling appointments and not filling prescriptions pleaded not guilty Monday to an attempted murder charge in the boy's death.

MIAMI A Miami priest who left the Catholic Church after photos surfaced of him kissing his girlfriend on the beach has married her at an Episcopal church.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas The cell phone containing videos of abuse at a Texas facility for the mentally disabled was found in a clothing store and offered to two television stations before being taken to an off-duty police officer, the man who found the phone testified Monday.

CLEVELAND Hundreds of gulls were killed or maimed in Cleveland after what investigators believe was cooking oil spewed from a sewer pipe into the Cuyahoga (keye-uh-HOH'-guh) River.

BOSTON The clip-clop of police horses will no longer heard on Boston streets.

Today is Monday, July 6, the 187th day of 2009. There are 178 days left in the year.

PORTLAND, Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe, a key figure in shaping federal health care legislation, said Monday that a government-run plan that would take effect if the private insurance market fails to deliver affordable coverage could bridge the partisan divide that threatens to derail President Barack Obama's efforts to reform the system.

FREEHOLD, N.J. The former fiancee of a man accused of killing a masseuse he met on Craigslist has ended the relationship and wants to get on with her life.

MCKEES ROCKS, Pa. The funeral for television product pitchman Billy Mays will be held Friday in the Pittsburgh suburb where he was born and raised.

WASHINGTON For the third time in nine months, a major subway or commuter rail crash occurred in a big city.