Around the Nation

George Zimmerman's acquittal in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin spurred emotional reaction around the country.

The frequency of severe storms is focusing new scrutiny on whether to build in coastal, flood-prone areas. That's a question facing city leaders in Norwalk, Conn., a city on Long Island Sound. They're hoping to upgrade a public housing project using federal dollars.

As investigators look for what caused last weekend's train crash in Canada, a question is emerging across the border in the U.S.: Could it happen here? Transportation safety officials have warned railroads for years about the types of tanker cars involved in the Lac-Megantic accident. But they are still widely used in Canada and the U-S.

On Monday a judge will rule on the constitutionality of requiring all Pennsylvania voters to show state-issued photo identification. Supporters say it's a common-sense remedy for voter fraud, but opponents counter it's an attempt to disenfranchise minorities.

The cronut, a croissant-doughnut hybrid, has skyrocketed ever since Dominique Ansel started selling it at his New York City bakery this spring. Patrons line up for hours, and scalpers have jacked up the price exponentially.

As soon as Texas Gov. Rick Perry signs the sweeping, omnibus abortion bill into law, lawyers with the abortion-rights movement are poised to challenge it in federal courts. Their problem will be the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, one of the most conservative in the country.

Boeing's stock plummeted more than 7 percent on news of another fire on board a 787 Dreamliner. The plane was on the ground at London's Heathrow Airport and no passengers were on board. It's not known yet whether the fire had anything to do with the troubled plane's battery or electric system.

Wal-Mart says it will not build three of the six stores planned for Washington, D.C., after the city council passed a bill that would require the retailer to pay a wage nearly 50 percent higher than the city's minimum wage. Those three stores would be located in mostly low-income areas, with high unemployment and few places to shop. A similar situation once played out in Chicago.

The Native American pageant's goal was to help counter racism in Sheridan, Wyo., though some say it only reinforced stereotypes.

The feature film Fruitvale Station opens Friday in select markets, including the San Francisco Bay area. That's where the subject of the film, Oscar Grant, 22 and unarmed, was shot and killed by a transit police officer in 2009 — sparking violent street protests across Oakland.