AP - The record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season refused to end Tuesday as Tropical Storm Zeta defied expectations and gained strength as it churned well offshore.

AP - Tropical Storm Zeta continued to defy expectations early Wednesday as it maintained strength and churned in the open Atlantic, but it posed no threat to land, forecasters said.

AP - Hurricane Katrina evacuees around the nation who faced a Jan. 7 deadline for checking out of their government-funded hotel rooms have received a reprieve: Federal officials will keep paying for the rooms beyond that date as they iron out issues arising from a class-action lawsuit.

AP - It's lunchtime and Elvira and Nick are having a quick bite, then it's back to an afternoon of swimming in their big glass house on the Mississippi River.

Reuters - New Orleans could take three to five years to regain its population of nearly half a million before Hurricane Katrina, Mayor Ray Nagin said on Sunday, in a more optimistic view than some predictions the historic jazz city may never fully recover.

AP - Hurricane Katrina evacuees around the nation who faced a Jan. 7 deadline for checking out of their government-funded hotel rooms have received a reprieve: Federal officials will keep paying for the rooms beyond that date as they iron out issues arising from a class-action lawsuit.

AP - It's lunchtime and Elvira and Nick are having a quick bite, then it's back to an afternoon of swimming in their big glass house on the Mississippi River.

Reuters - New Orleans could take three to five years to regain its population of nearly half a million before Hurricane Katrina, Mayor Ray Nagin said on Sunday, in a more optimistic view than some predictions the historic jazz city may never fully recover.

Reuters - Tropical Storm Zeta weakened slightly as it churned over the open Atlantic on Wednesday, but it clung tenaciously to tropical-storm strength despite unfavorable winter conditions.

USATODAY.com - For President Bush, 2005 was a year of growing public impatience with the Iraq war, angst over gas prices, devastation from Hurricane Katrina, the collapse of his Social Security plan and a firestorm over domestic spying. Now he faces a challenge that's upended the best-laid plans of his predecessors. His sixth year in office.

USATODAY.com - For President Bush, 2005 was a year of growing public impatience with the Iraq war, angst over gas prices, devastation from Hurricane Katrina, the collapse of his Social Security plan and a firestorm over domestic spying. Now he faces a challenge that's upended the best-laid plans of his predecessors. His sixth year in office.

AP - Hurricane Katrina evacuees around the nation who faced a Jan. 7 deadline for checking out of their government-funded hotel rooms have received a reprieve: Federal officials will keep paying for the rooms beyond that date as they iron out issues arising from a class-action lawsuit.

AP - It's lunchtime and Elvira and Nick are having a quick bite, then it's back to an afternoon of swimming in their big glass house on the Mississippi River.

Reuters - New Orleans could take three to five years to regain its population of nearly half a million before Hurricane Katrina, Mayor Ray Nagin said on Sunday, in a more optimistic view than some predictions the historic jazz city may never fully recover.

AP - Tropical Storm Zeta finally started weakening Wednesday after it unexpectedly maintained strength for a day in the open Atlantic.

AP - Puppies are popping up everywhere amid the rubble left by Hurricane Katrina - and animal welfare workers on the northern Gulf Coast fear it is only the start of a big boom in dog births.

USATODAY.com - For President Bush, 2005 was a year of growing public impatience with the Iraq war, angst over gas prices, devastation from Hurricane Katrina, the collapse of his Social Security plan and a firestorm over domestic spying. Now he faces a challenge that's upended the best-laid plans of his predecessors. His sixth year in office.

AP - Hurricane Katrina evacuees around the nation who faced a Jan. 7 deadline for checking out of their government-funded hotel rooms have received a reprieve: Federal officials will keep paying for the rooms beyond that date as they iron out issues arising from a class-action lawsuit.

AP - It's lunchtime and Elvira and Nick are having a quick bite, then it's back to an afternoon of swimming in their big glass house on the Mississippi River.

Reuters - New Orleans could take three to five years to regain its population of nearly half a million before Hurricane Katrina, Mayor Ray Nagin said on Sunday, in a more optimistic view than some predictions the historic jazz city may never fully recover.

AP - Tropical Storm Zeta finally started weakening Wednesday after it unexpectedly maintained strength for a day in the open Atlantic.

AP - Puppies are popping up everywhere amid the rubble left by Hurricane Katrina - and animal welfare workers on the northern Gulf Coast fear it is only the start of a big boom in dog births.

USATODAY.com - For President Bush, 2005 was a year of growing public impatience with the Iraq war, angst over gas prices, devastation from Hurricane Katrina, the collapse of his Social Security plan and a firestorm over domestic spying. Now he faces a challenge that's upended the best-laid plans of his predecessors. His sixth year in office.

AP - Hurricane Katrina evacuees around the nation who faced a Jan. 7 deadline for checking out of their government-funded hotel rooms have received a reprieve: Federal officials will keep paying for the rooms beyond that date as they iron out issues arising from a class-action lawsuit.

AP - It's lunchtime and Elvira and Nick are having a quick bite, then it's back to an afternoon of swimming in their big glass house on the Mississippi River.

Reuters - New Orleans could take three to five years to regain its population of nearly half a million before Hurricane Katrina, Mayor Ray Nagin said on Sunday, in a more optimistic view than some predictions the historic jazz city may never fully recover.