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Although nothing in this world is certain but death and taxes, even the funeral industry is getting squeezed by the recession.

For Pittsburgh-based Matthews International Corp., one of the world's leading suppliers of caskets and bronze cemetery markers, that's brought challenges and opportunities.

WASHINGTON - About the only consistent thing in this burg over 46 years of observation is that a whole lot of the politicians that run it never seem to learn from the past. When it comes to corruption, they just keep thinking they can beat the odds.

ELDORADO, Texas - The woman who stood up to now-imprisoned Warren Jeffs had no trouble standing up to a bulldog defense attorney Wednesday during the child sexual assault trial of a polygamist sect member.

A kindergarten teacher was removed from classroom duties Wednesday pending investigation of an incident in which she is accused of asking a 6-year-old girl to clean up another student's urine and then rewarding the girl with play money.

WASHINGTON - Samples of Chinese drywall have been found to contain significantly more sulfur-generating bacteria than comparable North American drywall, a finding scientists believe could provide a pathway to help desperate and furious homeowners.

The ferocious great white sharks of Northern California spend their time devouring sea lions, traveling, mating and, occasionally, touring San Francisco Bay, but they never socialize with sharks from other regions, according to a new study.

"Ever had leprosy? Thanks to animal research, you won't."

That message, emblazoned on 15 billboards around Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., strikes at the heart of a largely hidden but heated health care battle being waged beyond the national debate over access to medical care.

As the worst recession since the Great Depression appears to be ending, the Social Security Administration is grappling with a flood of disability applications due to aging baby-boomers and heavy job losses.

Pending claims are expected to jump 70 percent this year, said Dan Allsup, spokesman for Allsup Inc., which represents people applying for disability payments.

BEDFORD, Pa. - Land surveyor Lee Geisler was researching old property records not long ago when he spotted a criminal record from the 1890s. A man was sentenced to three days in the stocks and a public lashing for marital infidelity.

Federal agents are raiding thousands of homes of criminal illegal immigrants under Obama administration directives that emphasize apprehending dangerous criminals over arresting nonviolent illegal residents.