Court: CA gay marriage ban is unconstitutional (AP)
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:10:21 GMT
AP - A federal appeals court on Tuesday declared California's same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional but agreed to give sponsors of the bitterly contested, voter-approved law time to appeal the ruling before ordering the state to resume allowing gay couples to wed.

Correction: GOP Campaign story (AP)
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:24:16 GMT
AP - In a Feb. 6 story about the Republican presidential campaign, The Associated Press mischaracterized the Obama administration's directive regarding birth control and religious institutions. The directive requires church-affiliated employers to cover birth control for their employees regardless of the institutions' religious beliefs.

Russia pushes Syria reforms as bloodshed mounts (AP)
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:50:55 GMT
AP - Days after blocking a U.S.-backed peace plan at the U.N., senior Russian officials pushed for reforms Tuesday during an emergency meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad, promoting a settlement to end the uprising without removing him from power.

Komen exec quits after Planned Parenthood flap (AP)
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:29:12 GMT
AP - The vice president of public policy at Susan G. Komen for the Cure who backed the breast cancer charity's move to strip Planned Parenthood of funding resigned Tuesday, saying she stands by the now-abandoned decision that set of a storm of controversy.

Dad who killed self, sons in blaze left voicemail (AP)
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:22:53 GMT
AP - Before setting his house ablaze and killing himself and his two young sons, Josh Powell left a voicemail for family members saying he couldn't live without the boys and didn't want to go on anymore.

AG: Complaints warrant tougher Sandusky bail rules (AP)
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:06:38 GMT
AP - Pennsylvania state prosecutors are seeking changes in Jerry Sandusky's bail conditions after getting complaints he's been watching children in a nearby schoolyard from the back porch of his home, where he's on house arrest awaiting trial on child molestation charges.

No cigar: Economic embargo on Cuba turns 50 (AP)
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:30:49 GMT
AP - When it started, American teenagers were doing "The Twist." The United States had yet to put a man into orbit around the Earth. And a first-class U.S. postage stamp cost 4 cents.

Pa. vending machine dispenses 'morning-after' pill (AP)
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:28:07 GMT
AP - Students at Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania can get the "morning-after" pill by sliding $25 into a vending machine installed at the request of the student government.

Coroner rules Don Cornelius' death a suicide (AP)
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:48:18 GMT
AP - Coroner's officials on Tuesday ruled Don Cornelius' death a suicide, nearly a week after the "Soul Train" creator and host killed himself with a gunshot to the head.

Giants lauded as Super Bowl champs in NYC parade (AP)
Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:33:19 GMT
AP - Thousands of fans roared as New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning hoisted the team's Super Bowl trophy from a glittering blue-and-white float Tuesday during a victory parade through New York City, which Mayor Michael Bloomberg quipped should now be nicknamed the "Big Blue Apple."