New Orleans

Sarah Broom's childhood house is the fulcrum for her memoir about her large and complex family. But perhaps more important, it stands in for the countless ways America has failed African Americans.

The storm system has prompted tornado and flash flood warnings, and officials are keeping a close watch on New Orleans' levee system and infrastructure, which failed during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The water in the Gulf of Mexico is hot and the Mississippi River is high. That could spell disaster for Louisiana.

New Orleans krewes stage parades through the city in the weeks leading up to Mardi Gras. This year, a krewe formed by Mexican immigrants, Krewe de Mayahuel, showcased Mexican history and art.

Marzieh Hashemi's son tells The Associated Press that his mother was detained on Sunday at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis. U.S. law enforcement agencies have declined to comment.

In New Orleans, the lifelike representations have become a part of the city's tradition of social grieving and are a source of healing, especially in communities that have suffered from gun violence.

Tighter regulations on oyster harvesting have helped reduce the number of people affected by the deadly bacteria Vibrio vulnificus, but warming waters have allowed the bacteria to expand and thrive.

"Read my lips" succeeded at countering Bush's image problem. But if it improved his chances of being elected in 1988, it may have ruined his chances of being re-elected in 1992.

It's been a year since sexual harassment allegations toppled celebrity chef John Besh. His restaurant group, now led by a woman, has been trying to change a toxic workplace one policy at a time.

Some years the virus would wipe out a tenth of the population, earning New Orleans the nickname "Necropolis." The gruesome disease killed thousands, scapegoated immigrants and upheld white supremacy.

Houses were made with inferior materials and poor construction, lawyers say. "I made a promise to the folks of the Lower Ninth to help them rebuild – it is a promise I intend to keep," the actor says.

Two people shot into a crowd at a New Orleans strip mall Saturday night, before running away. Police are asking the public for help identifying the pair.