AUG 4 TRIAL DATE SET FOR OHIO MAN ACCUSED OF KIDNAPPING THREE WOMEN AND HOLDING THEM IN HIS HOME FOR ABOUT A DECADE *

52-YR-OLD ARIEL CASTRO APPEARED IN COURT TODAY FOR A BRIEF HEARING *

MEANWHILE, LAWMAKERS IN COLUMBUS ARE DISCUSSING RELIEF PAYMENTS TO THE THREE WOMEN *

BIPARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS IS FLOATING A PROPOSAL TO AVOID DOUBLING OF STUDENT LOANS RATES ON JULY 1 *

MEASURE COULD HELP STUDENTS DODGE AN EXTRA $1,000 EACH YEAR IN COSTS FOR LOANS TAKEN FOR CLASSES THIS FALL *

PARTY-LINE PROPOSALS ON STUDENT LOANS FAILED IN THE SENATE LAST WEEK *

FL JUDGE READS FORMAL CHARGES AGAINST FORMER NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH VOLUNTEER GEORGE ZIMMERMAN TO 40 POTENTIAL JURORS *

JURORS ARE MOVING ON TO THE SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONING OF WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THE CASE *

ZIMMERMAN IS PLEADING NOT GUILTY TO MURDERING 17-YR-OLD TRAYVON MARTIN LAST YEAR AND IS CLAIMING SELF-DEFENSE *

FBI SAYS IT'S FOUND NO SIGNS OF THE REMAINS OF FORMER TEAMSTERS UNION LEADER JIMMY HOFFA AND IS ENDING A DIG IN SUBURBAN DETROIT *

AUTHORITIES HAVE PURSUED MULTIPLE LEADS ON HOFFA'S WHEREABOUTS SINCE HIS DISAPPEARANCE IN 1975 *

HE WAS LAST SEEN OUTSIDE AN OAKLAND COUNTY RESTAURANT WHERE HE WAS TO MEET WITH A NJ TEAMSTERS BOSS AND A DETROIT MAFIA CAPTAIN *

FBI FINDS POSSIBLE HUMAN REMAINS AFTER DIGGING AT A NYC HOUSE ONCE OCCUPIED BY A GANGSTER PORTRAYED BY ROBERT DE NIRO IN THE 1990 MOVIE "GOODFELLAS" *

DIGGING STARTED YESTERDAY IN QUEENS AT THE FMR HOME OF JAMES BURKE, A LUCCHESE CRIME FAMILY ASSOCIATE KNOWN AS "JIMMY THE GENT" *

BURKE DIED IN PRISON IN 1996 TWO DECADES AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY MASTERMINDED A $6 MIL HEIST AT JFK AIRPORT *

AFGHAN PRES HAMID KARZAI SUSPENDS TALKS WITH THE U.S. AND CANCELS A PEACE DELEGATION TO THE TALIBAN *

KARZAI IS ANGRY OVER THE TALIBAN'S MOVE TO CAST THEIR NEW QATAR OFFICE AS A RIVAL EMBASSY *

SECY OF STATE JOHN KERRY SAYS HE SPOKE WITH KARZAI ON THE PHONE AND ASSURED HIM HE WOULD WORK TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE *

THE TALIBAN HELD A RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY AT THE NEW EMBASSY, ANNOYING KARZAI AND OTHER AFGHANS *

U.S. BLASTS CHINA AND RUSSIA FOR FAILING TO MEET MINIMUM STANDARDS TO FIGHT HUMAN TRAFFICKING *

STATE DEPT DOWNGRADED THE COUNTRIES, PUTTING THEM ON A PAR WITH N KOREA AND SYRIA *

THE U.S. ALSO DOWNGRADED UZBEKISTAN OVER ITS STATE-SANCTIONED USE OF FORCED LABOR IN ITS ANNUAL COTTON HARVEST *

PRES OBAMA NOW HAS 90 DAYS TO DETERMINE WHETHER TO APPLY SANCTIONS, ALTHOUGH THAT WOULD BE UNLIKELY *

SEVEN AL QAEDA-LINKED TERRORISTS ATTACK THE UN COMPOUND IN MOGADISHU WITH A TRUCK BOMB, KILLING AT LEAST 13 *

AT LEAST THREE FOREIGNERS WERE AMONG THE DEAD *

AL-SHABAB TERROR GROUP HAS CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY, CALLING THE UN A "MERCHANT OF DEATH" *

TROPICAL STORM BARRY FORMS OFF MEXICO'S GULF COAST *

NATL HURRICANE CENTER SAYS THE ATLANTIC SEASON'S SECOND TROPICAL STORM IS DRENCHING THE REGION WITH UP TO 10 INCHES OF RAIN *

BARRY IS ABOUT 70 MILES EAST OF VERACRUZ, MEXICO, WHERE IT'S EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL TOMORROW MORNING *

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM PUNTA EL LAGARTO TO BARRA DE NAUTLA *

HEZBOLLAH FIGHTERS JOIN SYRIAN FORCES IN BATTLING REBELS IN A DAMASCUS SUBURB THAT'S HOME TO THE SHIITE SAYIDA ZEINAB SHRINE *

THE SHRINE HAS BECOME A SYMBOL FOR SHIITE FIGHTERS BACKING PRES BASHAR ASSAD *

FIGHTING IN THE AREA SOUTH OF THE CAPITAL IS PART OF A WIDER MILITARY OFFENSIVE BY ASSAD'S FORCES TO RECAPTURE SUBURBS HELD BY REBELS *