By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Two boys who were allegedly ambushed by bottle-rocket-launching snipers illustrate the need for responsible use of fireworks, according to police, who say such actions can constitute assault if a victim chooses to press charges.While charges remain pending against some teen-agers for the incident which reportedly…

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government is losing the battle to keep the world’s most dangerous weapons away from terrorists, largely because of its failure to monitor nuclear materials at the source, former Sen. Sam Nunn said Monday. “We are in a race between cooperation and catastrophe, and the threat is outrunning our response,” said…

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The dance floor glitters with the refracted light from the sparkles and spangles decorating the women’s gowns and surrounding set. The studio audience “oohs” and “aahs” as the competitors prance and posture, swoop and glide, shimmy and shake. And when the music stops, either groans or shouts of glee greet the…

ATLANTA (AP) — After a decade and a half of spending more time on the police blotter than the pop charts, Bobby Brown wants the world to know he’s not really a bad boy. “They’ve made my life out to be problems, problems, problems,” said Brown, who spent the 1980s and early ’90s on the…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Are bloggers going mainstream? Web log founders who built followings with anti-establishment postings are now lobbying the establishment to try to fend off government regulation. Some are even working with a political action committee, lawyers and public-relations consultants to do it. They say they have no choice. “There’s a certain responsibility I…

CAPE SAN BLAS, Fla. (AP) — Beachgoers warily returned to the water Tuesday after the second shark attack in three days off the Florida Panhandle, with tourism officials hoping the maulings won’t scare visitors away ahead of the July 4 weekend. Most vacationers here were aware of the shark attacks that left a 16-year-old boy…

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Actress Jennifer Tilly won the Ladies no-limit Texas Hold ‘Em event at the World Series of Poker — the first time a celebrity has won an event at the famous tournament. Tilly’s skillful play and admitted good luck earned her $158,625. She beat 600 players to capture first place in a…

WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite growing doubts about the news media’s patriotism, most people still have a positive view of news outlets like their daily newspaper, local TV, network television news and cable news networks, a poll found. While the public views much of the news media favorably, they are less inclined to consider those sources…

By Gary Clothier / Ask Mr. Know-It-All Q: Three Dog Night was the name of a popular rock group in the ’70s. Do you have any idea what the name means? — P.D., via e-mail.A: The group took its name from a magazine story claiming that Australian aborigines described a really cold night as one…

CHICAGO (AP) — Even though a panel of experts has thrown cold water on the automatic need to get an annual checkup, physicians haven’t always gotten the message, a new survey says. The survey, published Monday, found that while there’s no evidence annual physicals for healthy people are useful, 65 percent of primary care doctors…