U.S. National News

AMES, Iowa - The sign sits propped on a wooden chair, inviting all comers: "Ask an Atheist."

HONOLULU - On New Year's Eve each year, thousands line up at fish counters across Hawaii to buy blocks of raw tuna, hoping that eating it will bring good luck and prosperity in the new year. This year, the long tradition may get a little more difficult to observe.

BURLINGTON, Vt. - Police found him sitting on the floor of his old apartment near a bucket of urine, still dressed in his hospital gown.

ATLANTA - When Liz Fitzgerald realized her son and daughter were forced to read books in math class while the other children caught up, she had them moved into gifted classes at their suburban Atlanta elementary school.

CHICAGO - Step outside Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Studios and into the near west side neighborhood that's been home to her television talk show for two decades, and it's easy to get a sense of what she's meant to Chicago.

DETROIT - Berry Gordy founded what would become Motown Records a half-century ago with an $800 loan. Today, that would get you two tickets with a bit to spare to the Motown 50 Golden Gala.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Wide-eyed children around the world will be hearing from Santa's "elves" at the North Pole after all.

NEW YORK - A collection of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the rhinestone-studded glove he wore when he unveiled the moonwalk in 1983, is being sold at auction.

LOS ANGELES - Vampires and werewolves have vanquished a dark knight. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" took in $72.7 million in its first day to break the single day domestic box office record previously held by "The Dark Knight," which had a $67.2 million opening day last year.

WASHINGTON — The government intercepted at least 18 e-mails between the alleged Fort Hood gunman and a radical Muslim cleric, and a key senator says there could be more communications that might have tipped off law enforcement or military officials.

BERKELEY, Calif. - Dozens of demonstrators who barricaded themselves inside a campus building at the University of California, Berkeley in a protest over fee hikes and budget cuts were removed late Friday, bringing the daylong occupation to an end, university officials said.

LAS VEGAS - A powerful anesthetic recovered from Michael Jackson's bedside after he died had been purchased in Nevada by his doctor who had it shipped to California, court documents show.

SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands - The gunman who carried out Saipan's most violent attack in recent memory ended his life on the same rocky cliffs where numerous Japanese leapt to their deaths to avoid capture by U.S. troops during World War II.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Thieves shot to death five Arkansas family members and burned their bodies for the meager bounty of a set of wheel rims and some flat-screen televisions, court documents said Friday.

CHICAGO - For more than two decades, Oprah Winfrey has been the inspirational, change-your-life champion who reigned over daytime television much like Johnny Carson once ruled late night.