With AAA having estimated that Thanksgiving day will likely witness the US national average gas price dropping to between $3.25 and $3.40 per gallon, holiday travelers in Alabama apparently have more to cheer about --- with the gas costs in the state already being lower than the country-wide average; and still falling further.

Going by the statistics shared by AAA in its fuel gauge report released on Tuesday, the average cost of one gallon of unleaded gas in Alabama was $3.22; and, in Tuscaloosa, the average was $3.21.

A local television reported that three people were killed and three others were wounded on Friday in a shooting at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama,. Huntsville police told the

local NBC affiliate WAFF  that the suspect was a female member of the University of Alabama- Huntsville faculty. She had reportedly been denied tenure in her job.

The campus was put on lock-down and the suspected shooter was in custody, the university said on its website, adding that no students were involved.

The shooting happened in the Shelby Centre, a math and science classroom building, where the suspected faculty member had reportedly just learned she would not receive tenure during a

biology faculty meeting.

According to a U. S. government study 35% of black Americans were obese, leading ahead of other major racial or ethnic groups.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday that 29% of Hispanics and 24% of whites are obese and overall 26% of U. S. adults are obese.

Obesity rates and racial differences have been seen to go hand in hand earlier but health officials were surprised at the difference in figures. The new CDC report is the first to study the gap state by state and they reported that blacks had significantly higher obesity rates in 21 states and somewhat higher rates in many others.

Birmingham, Alabama  - US doubles twins Bob and Mike Bryan combined for their record-setting 15th victory in the Davis Cup to seize a 2-1 lead over Switzerland on Saturday.

The 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-2) defeat of Swiss Stan Wawrinka and Yves Allegro leaves the 32-time champion hosts within one win from a place in the quarter-finals next July in Croatia.

Andy Roddick will take on Wawrinka on Sunday to try to ice the tie.

The Bryans have become the most successful doubles paring in American Davis history after compiling a 15-2 record.

Birmingham, Alabama  - Andy Roddick stepped in to clean up the mess left by James Blake's loss, pulling the 32-time champion US level 1-1 with Switzerland on day one of their Davis Cup World Group tie on Friday.

The top American crushed Marco Chiudinelli 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) to restore order to a tie in which the hosts were installed as heavy favourites due to the absence of Roger Federer across the net.

Birmingham, Alabama  - James Blake crumbled under serving pressure as Stan Wawrinka handed Switzerland the 1-0 lead over the heavily favoured US on Friday in their Davis Cup World Group first round.

The 16th-ranked Swiss fought back in three hours to secure a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) win against Blake, whose game has been off the boil for six months.

"I feel bad about letting the team down," said Blake. "But the team has picked me up many times before. After I beat myself up for a few more hours, I'll be ready to play on Sunday."

Birmingham, Alabama  - James Blake will be hoping for Davis Cup rehabilitation when he opens the tie against Switzerland for the 32-time champion United States on Friday.

The world number 13 missed last September's losing semi-final against Spain in Madrid, calling himself burnt out.

This season has not been much better for Blake, but the American is at least more convinced of his chances as the Swiss and the Americans play for the third time.

AUBURN, Ala., Dec. 3  -- Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville announced his resignation Wednesday following a season-ending 36-0 loss to archrival Alabama.

The loss to the top-ranked and unbeaten Crimson Tide ended a disappointing 5-7 2008 season, and eliminated any chance at a bowl appearance.

U. S. health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the rate of new diabetes cases in the country increased by
90 % in the last decade as a result of increasing obesity and sedentary lifestyles. The numbers may be underestimated as these are from self reported surveys conducted by the CDC and about a third of people with diabetes don't yet know they have the disease.

London, July 9 : Cops in Alabama, US, arrested a goat after it climbed on top of a Mercedes-Benz.

The incident first started when a woman driving the luxury car saw the goat happily playing a game of tag on the US 72 Northern Alabama highway.

She stopped in order to avoid hurting the playful animals, but then looked on helplessly as the goat jumped on her Mercedes and refused to come down.

Fearing that the animal would scratch her car, or dent it, the woman then called the Limestone county Sheriff’s department, reported The Sun.

A deputy then came to the rescue and finally got the goat down and put it in his patrol car.