Nation and World news from Belleville, IL

Nation/World

$590M-plus Powerball: 1 winning ticket sold

A customer, right, waits for his Powerball lottery ticket at a convenience store in Chicago on Saturday, May 18, 2013. A little more than a year after three tickets split a world-record lottery prize, the jackpot for Saturday's Powerball drawing was nearing historic territory. Should nobody pick the correct six numbers, the prize money will roll over to next week's drawing and almost certainly eclipse the $656 million doled out to winners in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland in the Mega Millions game in March 2012.

It's all about the odds, and one lone ticket in Florida has beaten them all by matching each of the numbers drawn for the highest Powerball jackpot in history at an estimated $590.5 million, lottery officials said Sunday.

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Archive by category ''Nation/World

NATIONAL

Police: Gunman taunted pair before firing fatal shot into man's face

A gunman used homophobic slurs before firing a fatal shot point-blank into a man's face on a Manhattan street alive with a weekend midnight crowd, a killing New York's police commissioner called an "anti-gay" hate crime.
NATIONAL

Split-second choice ended with NY student dead

The Long Island college student was being held in a headlock by a masked intruder with a loaded gun to her head, police said. Then the gunman took aim at an officer.

WORLD

Syrian state media: Regime troops deep in key town

Syrian state media say army units have pushed deeper into a strategic town near the Lebanese border and are fighting street battles with the rebels.
NATIONAL

Tornadoes slam Plains, Midwest; 1 dead in Okla.

Hearing on the radio that a violent storm was approaching her rural Oklahoma neighborhood, Lindsay Carter took advantage of the advanced warning, gathered her belongings and fled. When she returned, there was little left of the community she called home.
NATIONAL POLITICS

Column: Dustups have government's role in common

A big brother you can trust to keep you safe, give you a hand and do right by you? Or a big brother who snoops, lies and bullies you in all corners of your life?

30 minutes ago
NATIONAL POLITICS

AP IMPACT: Military sex abuse victims seek VA help

More than 85,000 veterans were treated last year for injuries or illness stemming from sexual abuse in the military, and 4,000 sought disability benefits, underscoring the staggering long-term impact of a crisis that has roiled the Pentagon and been condemned by President Barack Obama as ""shameful...

35 minutes ago
WORLD

Macau lawyer says assault was intimidation attempt

A Macau lawyer assaulted in broad daylight in the Chinese gambling haven says the attack was an attempt to intimidate him.

30 minutes ago
WORLD

Suicide bomber kills 8 at Afghan province council

Afghan officials say a suicide bomber has struck outside a provincial council building in the country's north. A lawmaker says the council chief and at least seven others were killed.

1 hour ago
NATIONAL

Arias returns to court for penalty phase of trial

Jodi Arias returns to court Monday for the continuation of the penalty phase of her trial after being convicted of first-degree murder in the killing of her one-time lover as jurors consider a sentence of life in prison or execution.

55 minutes ago
WORLD

Chinese premier: Peace requires India-China trust

China's new premier said Monday he chose India for his first foreign visit because cooperation between the world's two most populous nations is crucial to world stability and economic growth.

2 hours ago