National news briefs

Family doctor picked as surgeon general

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama nominated for surgeon general a rural family physician who has faced hurricanes, flood and fire to care for impoverished patients along Alabama's Gulf Coast.

Obama says Dr. Regina Benjamin understands the needs of the poor and uninsured, making her uniquely qualified to be America's doctor as his administration tries to revamp the health care system.

Storms scrub launch of shuttle again

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Thunderstorms once again forced NASA to call off the launch of space shuttle Endeavour on Monday, the fifth delay for the space station construction mission.

NASA said it would try again Wednesday, after taking a one-day break.

In a scene nearly identical to Sunday, launch managers halted the countdown just minutes before Endeavour and seven astronauts were supposed to blast off in the early evening.

Some cat purrs may mean 'feed me now'

NEW YORK (AP) — A cat's purr normally says, "I'm happy." But a new study suggests some purrs send cat owners a much different message: "Feed me!"

Researchers found that purrs of hungry cats included a higher-pitched sound, somewhat like a cry or meow. They played recordings of these purrs from 10 cats to 50 human volunteers. Even people who'd never owned a cat found them to be more urgent and less pleasant than contented purrs from the same animals.

These food-seeking purrs may exploit the way humans naturally respond to a baby's cry, the researchers suggest.

Des Moines to let dancers go all night

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Dancing the night away in Iowa's largest city doesn't seem to be at the top of many must-do lists. After all, it's illegal.

But that likely will change. The Des Moines City Council on Monday tentatively agreed to repeal an obscure city ordinance that outlaws public dancing in the city after 2 a.m. A final decision won't come until mid-August.

The ordinance dates to at least 1942. It bans public dancing between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday and until 8 a.m. on Sunday.

Priest convicted of abusing altar boy

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) — A Roman Catholic priest has been convicted of sexually abusing an altar boy at a Germantown church more than seven years ago.