By The Associated Press

St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols looks up as he crosses home after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning of Game 3 of baseball's World Series against the Texas Rangers Saturday

Pujols hits 3 homers, Cards romp past Texas

Albert Pujols began the game hoping to shake his slump and maybe get a hit. He did that, and a whole lot more: He produced the defining game of his career, and perhaps the greatest hitting performance in World Series history.

  • Oct 23, 2011
St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols looks up as he crosses home after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning of Game 3 of baseball's World Series against the Texas Rangers Saturday

Shark kills American diver in 3rd recent attack off western Australia

A great white shark killed an American recreational diver off southwest Australia, in the third of a recent string of fatal attacks that have shaken beach-loving residents and sparked fears of a rogue predator targeting humans.

  • Oct 23, 2011
Driver Parker Kligerman (29) slides sideways as Todd Bodine (5) races during the NASCAR Trucks Series Coca-Cola Powered by Fred's auto race at the Talladega Superspeedway

Martin, Jimmie Johnson give Hendrick Motorsports qualifying sweep at Talladega

For the first time since Dan Wheldon’s fatal accident, the focus was back on the race track.

  • Oct 23, 2011
Driver Parker Kligerman (29) slides sideways as Todd Bodine (5) races during the NASCAR Trucks Series Coca-Cola Powered by Fred's auto race at the Talladega Superspeedway
Undated artist rendering provided by EADS Astrium shows the scientific satellite ROSAT. Andreas Schuetz

Defunct satellite expected to hit Earth Sunday: German scientists

A defunct satellite is hurtling toward the atmosphere and pieces of it are expected crash to the Earth on Sunday, according to the German Aerospace Center.

  • Oct 22, 2011
Undated artist rendering provided by EADS Astrium shows the scientific satellite ROSAT. Andreas Schuetz
St. Louis Cardinals' Allen Craig hits an RBI single during the sixth inning of Game 1 of baseball's World Series against the Texas Rangers Wednesday

La Russa’s moves pay dividends for Cardinals

Texas manager Ron Washington joked about not being able to match wits with Tony La Russa. No joke. Who can, these days? The St. Louis boss looked like a genius once again in Game 1

  • Oct 20, 2011
St. Louis Cardinals' Allen Craig hits an RBI single during the sixth inning of Game 1 of baseball's World Series against the Texas Rangers Wednesday
Washington Capitals defenseman Dennis Wideman (6) blocks a shot in front of goalie Tomas Vokoun (29)

Ilya, Vokoun meeting lofty expectations

Ilya Bryzgalov wanted a hefty contract from a team that would contend for a Stanley Cup.

  • Oct 20, 2011
Washington Capitals defenseman Dennis Wideman (6) blocks a shot in front of goalie Tomas Vokoun (29)

NBA owners, players hold lengthy bargaining session

NBA owners and players ended negotiations Wednesday after more than eight hours.

  • Oct 20, 2011

Cutler has no regrets about profanity toward Martz

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler wasn’t apologizing or expressing any regret for shouting a profanity directed at offensive co-ordinator Mike Martz.

  • Oct 20, 2011
Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush (22) is tackled by New York Jets inside linebacker Bart Scott during the first quarter of an NFL football game Monday

Jets beat winless Dolphins

For a team in turmoil, this was one therapeutic win. It certainly wasn’t pretty or convincing. But it did the job for Rex Ryan and his feuding New York Jets.

  • Oct 18, 2011
Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush (22) is tackled by New York Jets inside linebacker Bart Scott during the first quarter of an NFL football game Monday

Surprise NL champs have home-field advantage

That chant of “Happy Flight! Happy Flight!” has been exceptionally joyful lately for the St. Louis Cardinals.

  • Oct 18, 2011

Rangers don’t really know Cards

The Texas Rangers know who they’re playing in the World Series. Yet, the American League champions don’t really know the St. Louis Cardinals.

  • Oct 18, 2011

NBA owners, players set to use mediation

NBA owners and players are ready to try mediation, and commissioner David Stern wants results quickly.

  • Oct 17, 2011
Poland's Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski

IMF asked to draw up ways to help stem eurozone crisis

The finance chiefs of the world’s leading economies opened the door Saturday for the International Monetary Fund to play a bigger role in fighting the eurozone’s escalating debt troubles.

Poland's Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski
In this Oct. 1

World’s population hits 7 billion

As of Oct. 31, according to the U.N. Population Fund, there will be 7 billion people sharing Earth’s land and resources.

  • Oct 17, 2011
In this Oct. 1

Arab League stops short of suspending Syria’s membership

Gulf countries seeking to suspend Syria’s membership to the Arab League over its bloody crackdown on protesters failed to gain enough support Sunday to push the measure through, reflecting deep divisions among the body’s 22 nations.

  • Oct 17, 2011
Franko Lucarelli covered his mouth by a U.S. dollar bill as thousands of protesters marching through the downtown financial district to Los Angeles City Hall as part of the solidarity movement with Occupy Wall Street

Hundreds arrested in anti-Wall Street protests across US

Several hundred protesters in at least seven U.S. cities supporting the growing Occupy Wall Street movement were arrested over the weekend after refusing to obey police orders to leave public areas, including 175 people at a park in Chicago, where the arrests brought about a new phase of civil disobedience, organizers there said Sunday.

  • Oct 17, 2011
Franko Lucarelli covered his mouth by a U.S. dollar bill as thousands of protesters marching through the downtown financial district to Los Angeles City Hall as part of the solidarity movement with Occupy Wall Street
President Barack Obama

Obama praises King at memorial dedication

President Barack Obama saluted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sunday as a man who “stirred our conscience” and made the Union “more perfect,” rejoicing in the dedication of a monument memorializing the slain civil rights leader’s life and work.

  • Oct 17, 2011
President Barack Obama
St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Jason Motte throws during the eighth inning of Game 5 of baseball's National League championship series against the Milwaukee Brewers Friday

Cardinals beat bumbling Brewers

The way the Milwaukee Brewers bumbled defensively, another short start didn’t slow the St. Louis Cardinals.

  • Oct 15, 2011
St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Jason Motte throws during the eighth inning of Game 5 of baseball's National League championship series against the Milwaukee Brewers Friday

‘Unrealistic’ for NBA to think all teams will be competitive: Wade

Dwyane Wade thinks it’s “unrealistic” for the NBA to expect every team to be competitive every season, is bothered by the notion that player greed is fuelling the lockout, and sounds less than optimistic that mediation will end the impasse.

  • Oct 15, 2011

Wade says it’s ‘unrealistic’ for NBA to think all teams will be competitive

Dwyane Wade thinks it’s “unrealistic” for the NBA to expect every team to be competitive every season, is bothered by the notion that player greed is fuelling the lockout, and sounds less than optimistic that mediation will end the impasse.

  • Oct 14, 2011