NEW YORK – Edie Falco (search) has adopted a baby boy, her agent confirmed Wednesday. Falco, 41, took the infant home in December, within days of his birth. She named him Anderson, her mother’s maiden name, Falco’s agent, Richie Jackson, told The Associated Press. The adoption was first reported by …

WASHINGTON – Al Qaeda (search) had progressed much further toward developing a particular biological weapon before the Sept. 11 attacks than the United States realized, the presidential commission investigating intelligence on weapons of mass destruction (search) found. The intelligence community was surprised by Al Qaeda’s advances in a virulent strain …

NEW YORK – Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) on Tuesday named Paul Jacobs (search) as chief executive officer to succeed his father, Irwin Jacobs (search), who will remain chairman of the wireless technology company he founded. Paul Jacobs, 42, who will assume the CEO position on July 1, currently serves as executive …

WASHINGTON – Anyone who stopped by Tuesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for Thomas Griffith (search) might have thought that the fate of the nation’s second-highest court hinged on whether Griffith paid his annual dues as a member of the District of Columbia bar. Griffith failed to pay his bar …

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Deputy U.S. Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz (search) will focus on measures to boost economic growth, cut poverty and clamp down on graft around the globe if he is elected World Bank president later this week, he said in an interview published Monday. Asked by The Jakarta Post …

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – A feeble-looking Michael Jackson (search ) ambled out of court in pajama bottoms Thursday after facing the boy who has accused him of child molestation for a second day and almost landing in jail for being late to court. The pop star, wearing a coat over …

VATICAN CITY – Pope John Paul II (search) might leave the hospital where he is recovering from throat surgery early next week, a priest from the pontiff’s hometown said Saturday, giving details of a conversation with the pontiff’s closest aide. The Rev. Richard Nitschke, visiting with a group of pilgrims …

LYNCHBURG, Va – The Rev. Jerry Falwell (search) was hospitalized in critical condition Tuesday, battling his second case of viral pneumonia in just five weeks, hospital and church officials said. Falwell, 71, was admitted to Lynchburg General Hospital (search) shortly before midnight Monday suffering from “respiratory arrest,” the hospital said …

BROOKFIELD, Wis. – It was just another weekend service for churchgoers in this Milwaukee suburb when, without warning, they began to be gunned down by one of their own. Now victims’ relatives are struggling to keep their faith and find answers. “This is a totally senseless thing,” said Jeff Miller, …

WASHINGTON – President Bush and his allies have about three months to sell the public on his proposals to change Social Security (search), the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee says, as Republicans continue their search for Democrats who might come aboard. Bush was in Nebraska, Arkansas and Florida on …