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A three-judge federal appellate court heard arguments Wednesday on whether a 1996 federal law that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman - thus denies marital benefits to gay couples married under state law - is constitutional.

The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) amounts to "across-the-board ...

DETROIT (AP) -- Detroit's City Council and a state-appointed review team have reached an agreement aimed at fixing Detroit's broken finances and avoiding the appointment of an emergency manager....

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- The suspect in a shooting rampage at a California Christian university that killed seven people was on campus because of a tuition dispute, but previously had not shown any signs of violence, the school's founder says....

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Mitt Romney unleashed a strong attack on President Barack Obama's truthfulness Wednesday, accusing him of running a "hide-and-seek" re-election campaign designed to distract voters from his first-term record while denying them information about his plans for a second....

CHICAGO (AP) -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday that the Justice Department will respond "appropriately" to a federal appellate judge in Texas who demanded a letter recognizing federal courts' authority to strike down laws passed by Congress....

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration said Wednesday that it would soon nominate an ambassador to Myanmar and ease some travel and financial restrictions on the formerly military-run Southeast Asian nation following historic elections that saw opposition gains in parliament....

NEW YORK (AP) -- A former Soviet officer dubbed the "Merchant of Death" for his reputation for putting deadly weapons into the hands of violent dictators and regimes is set for sentencing Thursday....

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Five former New Orleans police officers were sentenced Wednesday to prison terms ranging from six to 65 years for their roles in deadly shootings of unarmed residents in the chaotic days after Hurricane Katrina, with the judge lashing out at prosecutors for two hours on their handling of the case....

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Felipe Santos, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and Terrance Williams, a black man, had little in common until about eight years ago. That was when they disappeared three months apart in the Naples area, both of them right after crossing paths with sheriff's Deputy Steven Calkins....

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Felipe Santos, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and Terrance Williams, a black man, had little in common until about eight years ago. That was when they disappeared three months apart in the Naples area, both of them right after crossing paths with sheriff's Deputy Steven Calkins....

TAMPA, Fla. — Felipe Santos, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and Terrance Williams, a black man, had little in common until about eight years ago. That was when they disappeared three months apart in the Naples area, both of them right after crossing paths with sheriff's Deputy Steven Calkins.

Investigations ...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A majority of Hispanics prefer to identify themselves according to their families' countries of origin, rather than by the government's suggested terms "Hispanic" or "Latino," Pew Hispanic Center reported Wednesday....

DENVER (AP) -- A woman believed killed in last week's devastating Colorado wildfire called 911 soon after the fire broke out, and authorities said Wednesday her call, along with that of a couple later found dead at their burned home, were among the early ones dispatchers received reporting the blaze....

DENVER (AP) -- A woman believed killed in last week's devastating Colorado wildfire called 911 soon after the fire broke out, and authorities said Wednesday her call, along with that of a couple later found dead at their burned home, were among the early ones dispatchers received reporting the blaze....

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The discovery of a giant meat-eating dinosaur sporting a downy coat has some scientists reimagining the look of Tyrannosaurus rex....

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) -- Police at a California college pepper-sprayed as many as 30 demonstrators as students angry over a plan to offer high-priced courses tried to push their way into a trustees meeting, authorities said....

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A 30-year-old former Marine testified in a landmark clergy abuse case Wednesday that he was a good child with a bright future until he was molested by a priest he described as a "sexual predator."...

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Five former New Orleans police officers were sentenced Wednesday to prison terms ranging from six to 65 years for their roles in deadly shootings of unarmed residents on a bridge after Hurricane Katrina.

Kenneth Bowen, Robert Gisevius, Anthony Villavaso and Robert Faulcon were convicted of firearms ...

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) -- Attorneys for the Army psychiatrist charged in the deadly Fort Hood shooting rampage have asked to further postpone his military trial until October....

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A Tennessee judge was so addicted to prescription drugs during his final two years on the bench, he was having sex and buying pills during courtroom breaks, at times purchasing from convicts he had previously sentenced, an investigation found. His behavior has called into question many of the cases he presided over, including one of Knoxville's most notorious murders....