Topic: Montgomery (Alabama)

World's largest inflatable vehicle -- Bullet 580 airship -- inflated and ready for action

Wow! The Bullet 580 airship is as long as a 23-floor skyscraper and can reach top speeds of 80mph.

Air Force says X37-B space plane is not a weapon

Air Force spokesman says X37-B space plane is not a "weaponization of space."

Responding with prayer to the rise of militias

A Christian Science perspective.

Hutaree: Why is the Midwest a hotbed of militia activity?

Michigan is second only to Texas in the number of 'patriot' groups, including militias like the Hutaree. It has a long tradition of spawning antigovernment groups.

Hutaree militia arrests point to tripling of militias since 2008

Federal authorities arrested nine members of the Hutaree militia, a fringe Christian group in Michigan, this weekend. The indictment alleges that the group was planning to kill law-enforcement officers as part of a plan to 'levy war' on the United States.

Constance McMillen case: proms as gay-rights battleground

A federal judge said a Mississippi high school violated Constance McMillen's rights when it said she couldn't bring a girlfriend to prom. But the school is avoiding the gay rights issue by canceling prom and allowing parents to sponsor a substitute dance.

Political extremism: Not so easy to categorize

Both sides in the political debate have tried to label the IRS suicide pilot and the Pentagon shooter. But the truth here is way beyond such facile political analysis.

2009 National Book Award winners

Supreme Court case: juvenile offenders serving life in prison

The Supreme Court on Monday takes up two cases that explore the question: Should juveniles convicted of nonlethal crimes be sentenced to life in prison without parole?

Is Jeffrey Skilling the worst boss ever?

Jeffrey Skilling will get a Supreme Court hearing. Could any bosses be worse than the ex-Enron chief? Here's five.

Alabama county lays off 1 in 4 workers after bond fiasco

Jefferson County risks becoming the largest local-government bankruptcy in recent US history.

Civil rights group warns of neo-Nazis in the US military

Their numbers are small, but unit morale, cohesion, and discipline could be harmed.

Photo exhibit offers an intimate look at America's jazz ambassadors

Black jazz legends were sent abroad as part of a State Department diplomatic push even while segregation continued back home.

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

Before Rosa Parks, there was Claudette Colvin.

From Alabama civil rights tribute, higher hopes for race relations

A gathering in Selma honored the gains of old – and registered new expectations for the Obama era.

Classic book review: At Canaan's Edge

Martin Luther King Jr. was no saint, but this nuanced biography confirms his many virtues.

Knox Elementary goes to Washington for the inauguration

Students from the all-black school in Selma, Ala., will get a chance to witness history – and wear their new winter parkas.

New lawmakers vow to renounce partisanship

Party leaders are likely to find congressional freshmen more independent than usual.

President-Elect Barack Obama's acceptance speech

Guest workers win in court over low pay

Increased rights from recent rulings in San Francisco and Atlanta, Georgia, may force a rethinking of this immigration program.

Obama's speech through the eyes of the media

Battle over Confederate flag hits highways

Huge displays along interstates raise old debates over the history of war and slavery.

USA

How African-Americans stand 40 years after the death of Martin Luther King

A statistical snapshot of black progress in areas from education to home ownership.