ALBANY, N.Y. – Criminal charges against New Paltz Village Mayor Jason West (search) for marrying gay couples were reinstated by a judge today. Twenty-four misdemeanor counts were filed against West after he married a series of gay couples last February in the Hudson Valley college town of New Paltz (search). …

LONDON – The New York Mercantile Exchange (search), the world’s biggest energy futures marketplace, announced plans Monday to open a futures energy exchange in London, home of its biggest rival, the International Petroleum Exchange (search). Nymex President James Newsome said that Nymex intends to open the exchange, to be called …

HARTFORD, Conn. – Five of the seven inmates on Connecticut’s death row were on a hunger strike Thursday, protesting living conditions at the Northern Correctional Institution (search) in Somers. Brian Garnett, a Department of Correction spokesman, confirmed that the inmates informed correctional staff on Wednesday that they would not accept …

WASHINGTON – The following is a transcript from President Bush’s press conference held to name John Negroponte, the current U.S. ambassador to Iraq, as the nation’s first national intelligence director. PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you very much. I appreciate you’re coming here. I’m pleased to announce my decision to nominate Ambassador …

All pregnant women and newborns should be screened for a serious infection called toxoplasmosis (search), says one group of researchers. They say that the majority of women with the infection have no symptoms. Many don’t realize they have been exposed to a parasite that can cause serious health risks or …

WASHINGTON – Immigration legislation passed by the House (search) would allow the federal government to complete a controversial fence on the border with Mexico (search), regardless of environmental concerns, and force the states to make sure they’re not granting driver’s licenses to illegal aliens. The legislation, passed Thursday by a …

NEW YORK – “The Gates” (search) are open — all 7,500 of ’em. The biggest art project in New York City’s history debuted Saturday in Central Park with the unfurling of saffron-colored fabric banners suspended in 16-foot-high frames, providing a splash of sunrise 26 years in the making. “I came …

NEW YORK – The father of teen movie star Lindsay Lohan (search) threatened to kill his estranged wife and children, according to allegations in divorce papers. “O.J. Simpson has nothing on me,” Michael Lohan (search) allegedly told the family’s security guard last year. “I know exactly how I’m going to …

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two police officers patrolling the St. Johns River (search) to prevent Super Bowl terrorism were seriously injured when their boat crashed into a bridge support. The officers remained hospitalized Friday. They were identified as James Brunet, 41, who was listed in critical condition with non-life threatening injuries, …

SAN FRANCISCO – Fiona Apple (search) is ending her curiously long hiatus from the business of making music. A year after 11 tracks were leaked onto the Internet, drawing praise from critics and fans, Epic Records (search) announced Monday that Apple’s “Extraordinary Machine” will be released Oct. 4. It’s been …