Olympians share thoughts on ‘perfect athlete'

Emerging stars from the Beijing Olympics  share their surprising choices for the perfect athlete.

Gators prowl as Fay heads back to Fla.

Tropical Storm Fay hung offshore Thursday and poured more rain on Florida's central Atlantic coast after flooding hundreds of homes and leaving much of the state a soggy mess.

Amish population nearly doubles

The Amish are expanding their presence in states far beyond Pennsylvania Dutch country as they search for affordable farmland to accommodate a population that has nearly doubled in 16 years.

Owner: Doomed jet experienced overheating

The jetliner that crashed in Madrid experienced overheating in an air intake valve before a first attempt at takeoff, but it is not clear if that had anything to do with the disaster, its owner said Thursday.

Struggling at a million-dollar horse stable

In the electoral battleground of the Denver suburbs, Stan and Christine Penton are the embodiment of voters that both parties are trying desperately to woo. Msnbc.com's Mike Stuckey reports.

Illinois sheriff does jail time - voluntarily
The Lake County sheriff is behind bars — voluntarily. His goal is to talk to inmates so he can see the jail from their perspective and try to solve potential problems.

Taliban bombs kill 59 at Pakistan arms site

Two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the gates of Pakistan's main weapons complex Thursday, killing 59 people and dashing hopes for an end to political turmoil.

Up to 225 days of White House e-mail lost
According to an internal document, the White House is missing as many as 225 days of e-mail dating back to 2003.

Buzz over Biden for VP crystalizes concerns

Sen. Joe Biden's emergence at the center of speculation about who will be Barack Obama's running mate may say more about Obama's challenges in the presidential race than it does about the final selection.