A SpaceX Dragon capsule remains on course for the International Space Station despite the failure of one of nine engines on its booster rocket after launch, the company reported Monday.

US-Skydiver-Record-Attempt

Skydiver Felix Baumgartner is aiming to pull off a record-breaking free-fall jump from the edge of space Tuesday, wearing nothing but a space suit, a helmet and a parachute.

US-Scotus-College-Admissions-Race

Heman Marion Sweatt and Abigail Noel Fisher both wanted to attend the University of Texas at Austin. Both filed civil rights lawsuits, and the Supreme Court ultimately agreed to hear their separate appeals. Their cases, although more than half a century apart, shared much in common -- vexing questions of competition, fairness, and demographics -- but it is the key difference between these plaintiffs that now confronts the nation's highest court: Sweatt was black, Fisher is white.

US-Anti-Jihad-Ads-DC

An anti-jihad ad that has caused a stir in other cities now has another destination for its message: the subways of Washington. The ad by the American Freedom Defense Initiative states, "In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad." Jihad - Arabic for "struggle" - is considered a religious duty for Muslims, although there are both benign and militant interpretations of what it means. Last month, the American Freedom Defense Initiative posted the ads in the subways of New York and San Francisco.

US-LGBT-Month-Schools

American schools recognize African-American History Month and Women's History Month. This year, for the first time, two school districts are celebrating LGBT History Month, which started seven years ago and kicked off this year on October 1. The Broward County school district in Florida signed a resolution in September in support of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender Americans. Last week, the Los Angeles school district, the nation's second-largest, also signed on. The two districts have more than 1 million students.

US-Pentagon-No-Surprises

If there is one thing U.S. military commanders don't like, it's a surprise on the battlefield.

Pennsylvania-Jerry-Sandusky-Sentencing

Nearly a year after the Penn State scandal erupted, leading to the firing of iconic head football coach Joe Paterno and the ouster of the university's longtime president, the public will learn what punishment is to be doled out to convicted pedophile Jerry Sandusky. The 68-year-old former defensive coordinator could be sentenced to life behind bars.

Michigan-Detroit-Police

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said Monday that the city's police chief has stepped down from his post after an investigation showed that he had been in a relationship with a subordinate.

Ohio-Backyard-Coyotes

"Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" Those creatures had Dorothy worried on the yellow brick road in "The Wizard of Oz" -- and now you may need to worry about seeing them and other large carnivores in your backyard, an Ohio State University researcher says.

TRAVEL-Alaska-Air-Delays

Severed telecommunications cables disrupted ticketing and airport check-in systems at Alaska Airlines on Monday, creating long delays and cancellations for thousands of passengers traveling at the end of a busy holiday weekend.

SPORT-Brees-Breaks-Unitas-Record

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw a touchdown pass in the first quarter of Sunday night's game against the San Diego Chargers. That's not exactly news, because throwing touchdown passes is what Drew Brees does -- and does and does and does. What is news is that it was the 48th consecutive game in which Brees has thrown for a TD.

POLITICS

POL-Early-Voting

Voters in California, Indiana and Oregon can take advantage of the Columbus Day holiday to cast their ballots Monday when the three states join ten other states that already have started early voting.

POL-Poll-Romney-Ahead

Two national polls released Monday suggest Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney got a bounce out of last week's first presidential debate, though they differ on how much of a bump the GOP nominee received after his performance in Denver. According to a Pew Research Center survey released Monday afternoon, 49% of likely voters say they back Romney, with 45% supporting President Barack Obama. The survey was conducted October 4-7, the four days after last Wednesday's first presidential debate in Denver, Colorado. Romney's four-point advantage is within the survey's sampling error. In Pew's previous poll, conducted in mid-September, the president had a 51%-43% lead among likely voters. Meanwhile, Gallup's latest daily tracking poll of registered voters, also released Monday afternoon, indicates the president with a 50%-45% advantage over Romney. The president's edge is within the survey's sampling error. The poll was conducted October 1-7, both before and after the debate.

POL-Obama-Ad-Foreign-Policy

Mitt Romney promised Monday to restore U.S. foreign policy to a traditional role dating back decades, based on exerting global influence through military and economic power, in a major speech two weeks before he debates President Barack Obama on international issues. In the address at the Virginia Military Institute, Romney argued that Obama is failing to provide the global leadership needed and expected by the rest of the world, especially key allies such as Israel.

POL-Fact-Check-Romney-Iran

In what his campaign billed as a "major foreign policy speech" Monday, lasting about 20 minutes, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney took on President Obama's handling of protests in Iran after disputed elections three years ago.