‘Idol’ unveils Top 24 with a twist (AP)
AP - It's good news for 25 — not just 24 — singers on "American Idol."
NFL concussion fallout raises red flags in NASCAR (AP)
AP - If Michael Waltrip were to count up all the concussions he has sustained over a NASCAR career that stretches back nearly 30 years, he'd certainly hit 10 — and probably keep going.
Manny Ramirez, Athletics reach minor league deal (AP)
AP - Manny Ramirez found a taker in Oakland — at a bargain price.
Ray J expresses sorrow over friend Houston’s death (AP)
AP - Ray J — who was one of the people who spent time with Whitney Houston in her last days — is expressing his sorrow over her loss.
On birth control, Santorum out of step with nation (AP)
AP - Most Americans don't share Rick Santorum's absolutist take on abortion. He's out of step on women in combat. He questions the values of the two-thirds of mothers who work. He's even troubled by something as commonplace as birth control — for married couples.
In burning Honduras jail, inmates yelled for help (AP)
AP - COMAYAGUA, Honduras — Hector Daniel Martinez was asleep in a small metal bed, one of dozens stacked so high in a narrow barrack that they nearly touched the roof, when the flames started.
Interracial marriage in US hits new high: 1 in 12 (AP)
AP - Interracial marriages in the U.S. have climbed to 4.8 million — a record 1 in 12 — as a steady flow of new Asian and Hispanic immigrants expands the pool of prospective spouses. Blacks are now substantially more likely than before to marry whites.
China’s vice president shows personal side in Iowa (AP)
AP - China's vice president remembered the popcorn he'd received as a parting gift — and the strong Chinese liquor he left behind. He recalled one young girl asking whether he'd seen American movies, and being shocked when he told her he'd watched "The Godfather." And he often flashed that warm smile.
Best of Toy Fair 2012: SPACE.com’s Space Age Awards Winners (SPACE.com)
SPACE.com - NEW YORK — From drawing robots to stuffed spaceships, the latest in cutting-edge (and just plain cool) toys were on display here at the 109th American International Toy Fair, which concluded today (Feb. 15).
Bangkok blasts wound Iranian attacker, 4 others (AP)
AP - An Iranian man carrying grenades blew off his own legs and wounded four civilians Tuesday after an earlier blast shook his house in Bangkok, Thai authorities said. The explosions came a day after an Israeli diplomatic car was bombed in India — an attack Israel blamed on Iran.
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