VITERBO, Italy – An Italian judge has dismissed an atheist’s petition that a small-town priest should stand trial for asserting that Jesus Christ existed, both sides said on Friday. Luigi Cascioli, a 72-year-old retired agronomist, had accused the Rev. Enrico Righi of violating two laws with the assertion, which he …

CHARLESTON, w.vA. – About 350 dead cats, dogs and other animals have been found in illegal dumps in Hampshire and Hardy counties, the state Division of Natural Resources said Tuesday. More than 250 animal carcasses — including mice, rats, rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, foxes, hawks and deer — were found in …

NEW YORK – Skinny pants, and clothes that are either shiny or slightly shabby, were among the early trends for fall at New York Fashion Week. Metallic fabrics replaced the beading that has been popular for several seasons, while distressed leathers, especially in military-inspired garments, looked modern and worn-in at …

CAIRO, Egypt – Tests confirmed the deadly strain of bird flu in Egypt, as France reported a probable first case Friday and the United Nations expressed growing concern about the virus’ spread through West Africa. Egypt reported Friday that 18-20 dead birds had tested positive for bird flu. A U.N. …

Conventional tests won’t uncover heart disease in as many as 3 million U.S. women — because instead of the usual bulky clogs in main arteries, these women have a hard-to-spot buildup in smaller blood vessels, researchers said Tuesday. These are the women who come to the doctor complaining of chest …

ST. LOUIS – Scientists said Monday they have begun slicing and dicing the first of hundreds of microscopic specks of comet dust, virtually unchanged since the birth of the solar system, that a NASA spacecraft successfully returned to Earth in late January. Preliminary analysis shows the dust, captured when the …

McKINNEY, Texas – The murder trial of a woman accused of killing her baby by severing the girl’s arms went into its fourth day of jury deliberations Saturday. Dena Schlosser, 37, has pleaded innocent by reason of insanity in the death of her 10-month-old daughter Margaret. Prosecutors want her sentenced …

LOS ANGELES – The Walt Disney Co. (DIS) Monday posted a 7 percent rise in first-quarter profit as improved results at its theme park, television and consumer products units outweighed a weak performance at its movie studio. The company also said its ABC Radio stations would merge with Citadel Broadcasting …

WASHINGTON – Government at all levels took an indifferent stance toward disaster preparations after the 2001 terror attacks, leaving the Gulf Coast vulnerable to Hurricane Katrina and contributing to the death and suffering the storm inflicted, a House inquiry concludes. Finding fault with the White House down to local officials, …

NEW YORK – The winter Olympics proved no match for television’s gold-medal winner, “American Idol.” Fox’s phenomenally successful contest crushed the Olympics in head-to-head competition on Tuesday night, 27 million viewers to 16.1 million, according to Nielsen Media Research. The Olympics recovered a bit after “Idol” went off the air, …