In a world filled with seemingly daily disasters and endless turmoil, it’s no wonder that superheroes are as popular as ever, from blockbuster movies all the way to the local toy shop. DC Comics is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the iconic Caped Crusader by declaring July 23 “Batman Day.” The event coincides with the Wednesday-night kickoff of San Diego Comic-Con.

In a Wednesday night news conference at Sporting Park, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and Sporting Club and Wyandotte County officials unveiled plans to construct a $75 million-plus National Training and Coaching Development Center — which will serve as a home base for the U.S. Soccer Federation and its national teams.

Both school districts are taking advantage of a new federal provision for districts to forgo the expensive paperwork and bureaucracy in managing lunch accounts and simply feed all kids the same.

An Air Algerie flight carrying 116 people from Burkina Faso to Algeria's capital disappeared from radar early Thursday over northern Mali during a rainstorm, officials said. France deployed fighter jets to search for wreckage and the country's president said the plane most likely crashed.

Rapper Nelly, who is from St. Louis, admitted his a fan of Kansas basketball and during a visit to ESPN had his photo taken with Jayhawks football coach Charlie Weis.