More details on missing girl...Obama pushes national service...Death by poison conviction

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BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) More details are emerging about the disappearance of a 12-year-old Vermont girl. In court papers, federal authorities say the girl's uncle brought her home to have sex with her. They say a teenage girl admitted helping Brooke Bennett's uncle drop the 12-year-old off at a store on June 25th, and then pick her up and return to his home. Brooke has not been seen since.

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GRANITE CITY, Ill. (AP) Police are looking into whether drugs fueled a killing rampage that left eight people dead in Illinois and Missouri. Suspect Nicholas Sheley (SHEE'lee) was shackled and wearing an orange jumpsuit today as he was led out of the Granite City, Illinois, police department to be driven to the county jail, where an afternoon court appearance is possible.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) Expanding the Peace Corps, Americorps and the all-volunteer military are part of Barack Obama's idea to expand national service programs. The Democratic presidential candidate told a crowd at the University of Colorado that they should think about what they can do to shape the future of the country.

Washington (AP) President Bush concedes it has been a "tough month" in Afghanistan, where more U.S. and NATO troops died during the past two months than died in Iraq. The Pentagon says it is too strapped to send more forces to Afghanistan right now, but hopes to be able to shift forces if security continues to improve in Iraq.

WOBURN, Mass. (AP) A Massachusetts jury has convicted a former Missouri radio reporter of killing his wife by poisoning her Gatorade with antifreeze. The jury deliberated for less than two days before finding James Keown (KOW'-in) guilty of first-degree murder. He faces an automatic sentence of life in prison without parole.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 07-02-08 1352CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list