LOS ANGELES – “Heroes” actress Hayden Panettiere says her father’s arrest on suspicion of felony spousal abuse earlier this month was “blown way out of proportion.” “It was blown way out of proportion by a sheriff who wanted his 15 minutes of fame,” she tells “Extra.” “My family is wonderful …

WASHINGTON – The second-ranking U.S. diplomat will travel to Vietnam, Cambodia and Hong Kong next month. The State Department said Wednesday that Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte’s Sept. 10-18 trip will be an opportunity to deepen U.S. engagement in an increasingly dynamic region. The trip announcement comes as the …

WEST DUNDEE, Ill. – A Kane County judge has sentenced a West Dundee woman to pick up roadkill after she pleaded guilty to stabbing two of her ex-husband’s lizards, killing one of them. Judge Grant Wegner said 38-year-old Sara Tinsley’s sentence was appropriate. She also was given 18 months probation, …

“High School Musical” underwear for young girls have sparked outrage — because they have the words “Dive in” on them. A British woman bought a packet of five pairs, with a “Disney-approved” design promoting the hit movie, for her seven-year-old granddaughter. “When she put them on, myself and my daughter …

WASHINGTON – The Food and Drug Administration has tripled the number of deaths it attributes to side effects of the blood thinner heparin, which triggered a massive recall earlier this year. The agency has been investigating contamination of heparin made by the manufacturer Baxter International Inc., which it linked to …

BEIJING – A Chinese court sentenced 17 people to jail terms Tuesday ranging from three years to life in prison for their alleged roles in the deadly riots in the Tibetan capital last month, state media reported. The Intermediate People’s Court of Lhasa announced the sentences at an open session, …

LONDON – A coroner’s jury ruled Monday that Princess Diana and boyfriend Dodi Fayed were unlawfully killed through the reckless actions of their driver and paparazzi in 1997. The jury had been told a verdict of unlawful killing would mean they believed the reckless behavior of the driver and paparazzi …

Thursday, March 27, 2008 – According to th the American Automobile Association’s Fuel Guage Report, the current price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.36. • Click here for the full report.

HARARE, Zimbabwe – A nationwide strike called by Zimbabwe’s opposition to protest the withholding of election results appeared to falter Tuesday as police and soldiers fanned out across the country. Many in the capital said they were not aware of the protest. Most of the news media are state-controlled. Zimbabwe …

A former Wall Street banker is blaming a popular Parkinson’s disease medication for triggering a gambling addiction that caused him to lose $3 million, Reuters reported. Randolph Simens, 55, says that he took the drug Mirapex from 2002 to 2007 after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The drug, he says, …