Americans gather joyfully to mark bin Laden death

NEW YORK – Joyous at the release of a decade's frustration, Americans streamed to the site of the World Trade Center, the gates of the White House and smaller but no less jubilant gatherings across the nation to celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden — cheering, waving flags and belting the national anthem.

Ground zero, more familiar these past 10 years for bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace" and solemn speeches and arguments over what to build to honor the Sept. 11 dead, became, for the first time, a place of revelry.

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Why the U.S. acted alone

Osama bin Laden’s cave turned out to be a mansion. The desolate mountains where he was hiding proved, in the end, to be the pleasant little hill town of Abbottabad, only 30 miles from the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. He’s been holed up, and on Sunday was at last gunned down, in the biggest house around. He lived with relatives and an entourage behind high walls topped with barbed wire, in a community that’s also home to several Pakistani army units. A military academy is just a few hundred yards down the road.

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After bin Laden: A stronger America

President Obama walked down an empty corridor to the East Room of the White House on Sunday night to announce the killing of Osama bin Laden. It was like he was walking out of a forgotten dream. Remember that quest we began nearly 10 years ago? Remember "dead or alive"?

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US kills Osama bin Laden decade after 9/11 attacks

WASHINGTON – Osama bin Laden, the face of global terrorism and architect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, was killed in a firefight with elite American forces Monday, then quickly buried at sea in a stunning finale to a furtive decade on the run.

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US Red Cross chief struck by tsunami's destruction

TOKYO – The head of the American Red Cross, who has visited earthquake zones in Haiti and China, said Thursday that she was overwhelmed by the "miles and miles" of devastation along Japan's tsunami-battered northeastern coast.

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Libyan doctor says NATO airstrike killed 12 rebels

MISRATA, Libya – Moammar Gadhafi's forces shelled the besieged rebel frontline city of Misrata Thursday, hitting residential areas on its outskirts and wounding four people, a doctor said.

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Analysis: Obama had no choice in 'birther' fight

WASHINGTON – Confronting doubters who harbor questions about his place of birth, President Barack Obama chose to defy one of his White House's own rules: Don't get dragged into the news skirmish of the day.

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