Recently in National News Category

Mexican immigration to the United States is steeply declining, CNN reported.

According the a report released by the Pew Hispanic Center Monday, the immigration rate from Mexico to the United States has decreased, while the amount of Mexican immigrants leaving the United States has increased sharply.

From 2005 to 2010, only 1.37 million Mexicans immigrated to the United States, about half of the immigrants from previous five year periods.

Between 2005 and 2010, around 1.39 million Mexican immigrants returned to Mexico from the United States, more than twice the amount that have done so in past five-year periods.

Mexican census data shows that there are more U.S. born children living in Mexico, the likely result of their parents being deported, the Denver Post reported.

Organizers of the 116th Boston Marathon asked many runners to skip the race Monday because of unseasonably warm temperatures, the New York Times reported.

The marathon began Monday morning with temperatures in the low 70's, scheduled to rise to 80's before the runners made their way to the finish line.

Race organizers gave runners the option to defer their run until the 2013 marathon.

"For the overwhelming majority of those who have entered to participate in the 2012 Boston Marathon, you should adopt the attitude that this is not a race. It is an experience," race organizers said in an email to those registered to run.

The top women ran the first three miles at a pace that would have them finished in 2 hours and 38 minutes, the slowest Boston Marathon finish since 1978, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Although runners have to meet strict qualifications to participate in the Boston Marathon, race organizers urged non-elite runners to skip the race this year and try again next year.

"You've got to know your own body," Mike Buenting of Minneapolis told the Los Angeles Times. "You have to know how to hydrate and the rest will take care of itself."

George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch leader that claimed self defense after shooting Trayvon Martin in February, was charged with second-degree murder Wednesday, according to the Washington Post.

Under Florida law, second-degree murder does not imply premeditation but instead says the crime was carried out with "a depraved mind regardless of human life."

Zimmerman turned himself in and will appear before a Seminole County magistrate Thursday.

Martin's parents applauded Florida special prosecutor for charging Zimmerman with second-degree murder.

Martin's parents told Fox News that they were pleased with the results but want more.

"The question I would really like to ask him is, if he could look into Trayvon's eyes and see how innocent he was, would he have then pulled the trigger? Or would he have just let him go on home?" said his father, Tracy Martin.

Seven are dead and three wounded after a 43-year-old former student went on a killing spree Monday at an Oakland, California religious college, CNN reported.

No charges have been filed against One L. Goh and police are still trying to discover the shooter's motive.

Shots were fired at around 10:30 a.m. in a small building that houses Oikos University in East Oakland.

The relationships between Goh and the victims are still unknown.

The small university caters to the Korean-American community and was founded around 10 years ago, ABC News reported.

Goh was a nursing student at Oikos University in the past, but it is unclear whether he dropped out or was expelled from the school.

Goh was detained at a local shopping center after a description of the suspect was released.

The Environmental Protection Agency will impose new greenhouse gas limits on new power plants as early as Tuesday, the Washington Post reported.

The new rules may put an end to the construction of traditional coal-fired power plant facilities in the United States.

The proposed rule states that new power plants must emit less than 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt of electricity produced.

The ban does not effect coal plants that are already permitted, but will most likely prevent the construction of new plants, as it is very hard for them to meet the proposed carbon dioxide limit.

This is the first ever limit of greenhouse gas emissions from power plants in the United States, the Huffington Post reported.

Coal based power plants that will break ground within the next year will be exempt from the limitations.

For Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney led former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum by a 47%-to-35% margin in the recent Illinois Republican primary, CNN reported.

Romney was set to win around 41 of the 54 Illinois delegates, leaving him with a total of 562, more than twice the number of Rick Santorum, in second with 249.

Santorum has been thriving in rural areas and those that consider themselves extremely conservative.

Both Santorum and Romney plan to campaign in Louisiana, Wisconsin, and North Carolina along with Texas Rep. Ron Paul and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Illinois is a unique state in that voters vote once for their Republican candidate and once more for their delegate choices, according to the Huffington Post.

At a disadvantage, Santorum failed to qualify for the ballot in four of the state's 18 congressional delegates, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The number of delegates required to clinch the Republic presidential nomination is 1,144.

One person was killed and six were injured when a meth lab exploded in a nursing home in Ohio Sunday night, USA Today reported.

Around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday night, police were called to the Parkhaven nursing home after a fire damaged the second floor of the building, FOX 8 reported.

Shawn Warrens, 31, a non-resident, was killed in the fire.

Ashtabula Fire Chief Ron Pristera said that four others were injured in the fire, one with severe injuries.

Authorities are still discovering the origin of the meth lab and why it was hidden in a room at the nursing home.

The nursing home's lawyer and spokesperson had no comment.

One student was killed and four were injured in a shooting at an Ohio high school Monday, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Chardon Police Chief Timothy McKenna said that a suspect has been taken into custody; his name is being withheld because he is a minor.

McKenna said that the injured students have been hospitalized but gave no other information about their conditions.

Officials said that the gunman opened fire in the school's cafeteria around 7:30 a.m.

Danny Komertz, a 15-year-old student at Chardon High, said the shooter was an outcast and was bullied, the Houston Chronicle
reported.

The slain student has been identified as Daniel Parmertor.

The remains of a 14-year-old girl missing since 1999 were found in the house of an accused rapist's house while it was being demolished Saturday, CBS reported.

Nicholle Coppler's remains were found in a crawl space while the foundation was being dug out, police said.

Glen Fryer, the former owner of the home, killed himself in 2002 while he was awaiting sentencing for raping a girl.

Fryer was a suspect in Coppler's death in 1999, the New York Daily News reported.

At least two other people lived in the house with Fryer and Coppler's were the only remains found on the property.

The state took possession of the house after taxes had gone unpaid, police said.

President Obama's approval rating has jumped to 50% for the first time in eight months, CNN reported.

The last time Obama's approval was over 50% was after Osama bin Laden was killed last May.

The CNN/ORC International Poll indicates that Obama's chances of being reelected are on the rise.

Polls on the economy and the future of America have seen positive results in the last few months, the Global Post reported.

Obama is gaining ground on Gov. Mitt Romney, Rep. Ron Paul and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich since the January polls

In hypothetical match-ups with registered votes, the president has a 51%-46% margin over Romney, a 52%-45% margin over both Santorum and Paul and a 55%-42% margin over Gingrich.