R&B singer Chris Brown was praised by a Los Angeles judge on Thursday for making "extremely favorable" progress following his sentence for assaulting ex-girlfriend Rihanna.

Judge rules ex-sailor granted conditional pardon can be retried in rape, murder case. Prosecutors can retry an ex-sailor who received a conditional pardon from Virginia's governor after spending 11 years in prison for the rape and murder of a fellow sailor's wife, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

Arizona couple indicted on theft charges in case of stolen luggage from Phoenix airport. Authorities say an Arizona couple has been indicted in the theft of nearly 1,000 pieces of luggage from baggage claim carousels at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Kansas City man who left his wallet on the counter during bank robbery pleads not guilty. A Kansas City man who left his wallet on the counter of a bank he was robbing has pleaded guilty in federal court. Albert Perkins, 40, admitted Thursday that he stole more than $3,100 from First Federal Bank in Kansas City on May 7. Prosecutors said that after he ordered a teller to give him all the $100 bills, he placed his wallet on the counter and handed her a plastic bag.

Plea deal reached for 1 of 7 suspects in Pa. steel town's series of arsons. A former assistant fire chief accused of setting two small fires in an arson-plagued steel town near Philadelphia has worked out a plea bargain freeing him from jail.

Closing arguments were to begin Friday in the trial of American student Amanda Knox for the 2007 murder of her British housemate in the Italian university town of Perugia.

Man accused of using squeegee to attack man in fight over who was first at Arkansas gas pump. A man accused of using a squeegee to hit another man during a fight over who was first in line at a gas pump was due in court on charges. The man, Hector Chavez, 21, was to be arraigned Friday in Faulkner County Circuit Court on a second-degree battery charge.

Indianapolis police arrest teen who warmed baby's bottle while allegedly robbing house. An 18-year-old is in police custody after he warmed up a bottle for a crying baby inside the house he was allegedly robbing. Indianapolis police arrested the suspect at Arlington High School on Tuesday after receiving a tip from a television viewer saw surveillance video on a newscast.

Prosecutors: South Carolina men, calling themselves '3 Hebrew Boys' ran Ponzi scheme. Three South Carolina men accused of bilking people out of more than $80 million lied about how they would invest their money, so it doesn't matter if investors knew it was risky, prosecutors said Thursday.

Prosecutors: South Carolina men, calling themselves '3 Hebrew Boys' ran Ponzi scheme. Three South Carolina men accused of bilking people out of more than $80 million lied about how they would invest their money, so it doesn't matter if investors knew it was risky, prosecutors said Thursday.

Los Angeles man who claimed disability spotted on TV show, sentenced for tax, insurance fraud. California tax officials say an interior designer's false disability claim was uncovered when he was spotted on a home improvement television show.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A masked gunman entered a church and shot dead a Russian Orthodox priest well-known for his missionary work among the young, investigators said Friday.

Former CEO of Bricsnet FM America held after grand jury indicts him on embezzlement charges. The former head of San Francisco software company is being held without bail after a federal grand jury indicted him on embezzlement charges.

Philippine troops have killed one of the top commanders of the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group, the military said Friday.

Gunman opens fire on Pacific island of Saipan; 5 dead, including 2 young children. A gunman went on a rampage on the Pacific resort island of Saipan on Friday, killing four people and wounding six others before fatally shooting himself, officials said.

Closing arguments were to begin Friday in the trial of American student Amanda Knox for the 2007 murder of her British housemate in the Italian university town of Perugia.

A gunman went on the rampage in the Northern Mariana Islands in the western Pacific on Friday, killing at least four people and wounding eight mostly Korean tourists, officials and reports said.

Gunman opens fire on Pacific island of Saipan; 5 dead, including 2 young children. A gunman went on a rampage on the Pacific resort island of Saipan on Friday, killing four people and wounding six others before fatally shooting himself, officials said.

Russian Orthodox priest shot dead in Moscow church, assistant wounded. A gunman killed a Russian Orthodox priest in his Moscow church and seriously wounded the reverend's assistant, officials said Friday.

Closing arguments were to begin on Friday in the trial of American student Amanda Knox for the 2007 murder of her British housemate in the Italian university town of Perugia.