Questions about freed soldier...Differences on VA fixes..."Bottle bombs" confession

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army sergeant released by the Taliban in exchange for five militants held at Guantanamo is being checked out and treated at a U.S. military hospital in Germany. A former senior defense official says a Pentagon investigation concluded in 2010 that Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl walked away from his unit, and after an initial flurry of searching the military decided not to exert extraordinary efforts to rescue him.

WASHINGTON (AP) — There is a competing legislation in Congress on how to fix patient delays and other problems plaguing the Veterans Affairs Department. In the Senate, a bill by Vermont's Bernie Sanders would give the VA authority to immediately remove senior executives based on poor job performance while preventing "wholesale political firings." Sponsors of a House bill deny it would trample worker rights.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa company has agreed to pay $6.8 million in fines for selling old eggs with false labels for years as well as the tainted products that caused a nationwide salmonella outbreak in 2010. The owner and chief operating officer of Quality Eggs are expected to plead guilty tomorrow to charges of bribing a federal inspector.

CHICAGO (AP) — Federal appeals court judges are questioning the bankrupt Archdiocese of Milwaukee's claim that it needs all the money in a $55 million trust fund to maintain its cemeteries. The judges are questioning whether some of the money can be used to compensate victims of clergy sexual abuse. A federal judge in Milwaukee previously ruled the money was off-limits.

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) — Authorities say a Maryland man confessed to setting off "bottle bombs" in six incidents at five movie theaters in Virginia and Maryland. Manuel Joyner faces charges in multiple jurisdictions. A motive is not clear. A series of criminal charges and peace orders had been filed against Joyner in recent years related to stalking an ex-girlfriend.

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