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High court torn over law banning lies about medals

WASHINGTON (AP) — Free speech cases before the Supreme Court often lead justices to consider far-fetched scenarios, and Wednesday’s argument over a law making it a crime to lie about having received top military honors was no exception.

Teenage girl dies after inhaling helium at party

EAGLE POINT, Ore. (AP) — Last weekend, 14-year-old Ashley Long told her parents she was going to a slumber party. But instead of spending the night watching videos and eating popcorn two blocks away, she piled into a car with a bunch of her friends and rode to a condo in Medford, Ore., where police say the big sister of one of her friends was throwing a party with booze and marijuana.

Congressional offices receive mailed threats

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some congressional offices outside Washington and media organizations have received threatening letters containing a suspicious powdery substance that was tested and proved to be harmless, the FBI and the Senate’s top law enforcement officer said Wednesday.

2 shot, 1 dead at Va. Wal-Mart distribution center

DINWIDDIE, Va. (AP) — An employee of a Wal-Mart Stores Inc. distribution center in Virginia shot and wounded his manager Wednesday, then killed himself as deputies approached him, authorities said.

Stepmom, grandmother charged in Ala. girl’s death

GADSDEN, Ala. (AP) — The grandmother and stepmother of a 9-year-old Alabama girl who died after witnesses said she was forced to run for three hours as punishment for lying have been charged with murder and are being held in jail.

Congress targets federal workers for savings

Federal workers have become the go-to targets as Congress, and the White House, search for ways to lower the deficit, pay for tax cuts and put off looming reductions to defense spending.

Ex-judge in Massachusetts defends forced abortion ruling

A retired Massachusetts judge on Tuesday defended her decision to order a mentally ill woman to have an abortion and be sterilized against her wishes, and she blasted Boston University for rescinding a job offer after her ruling sparked controversy.

Southern Baptist leaders OK ‘Great Commission’

Some Southern Baptists worry their denomination’s name still carries the stigma of a 19th century split with northern Baptists over slavery.

Romney says Obama has ‘fought against religion’

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Tuesday that President Barack Obama’s administration has “fought against religion” and sought to substitute a “secular” agenda for one grounded in faith.

Muslim monitoring sparks outrage

New York City’s mayor faced off with the president of Yale University on Monday over efforts by the city’s police department to monitor Muslim student groups.

Obama promotes modest American dream

This time around, President Barack Obama’s message can sound decidedly down-to-earth.

Duo's lawyer blames fans for Indiana injuries

Fans who were killed and injured when stage rigging and sound equipment collapsed onto them as they awaited a Sugarland concert at the Indiana State Fair failed to take steps to ensure their own safety and are at least in part to blame for their injuries, the country duo’s attorneys said.

Santorum blasts Obama’s motives on power, abortion

A surging Rick Santorum is making increasingly harsh remarks about President Barack Obama, questioning not just the president’s competence but his motives and even his Christian values.

NJ man charged with repeatedly running over lover

A man angry that his girlfriend was trying to break up with him struck her with his car and repeatedly backed over her body, prosecutors said Tuesday in charging him with murder.

Authorities say children tied to bed in Texas home

The eight children confined in a small, dark bedroom with a piece of plywood over the window included two 2-year-olds tied to a bed and a 5-year-old girl “in a restraint on a filthy mattress,” the child welfare worker who discovered them said in a court document.

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