Iran 's Heavyweight Absence Hangs Over Syria TalksIt's the regional heavyweight that few want at the table, but without it any attempt to end the Syria war may be futile. Iran's backing is crucial for President Bashar Assad's hold on power — and for the Iranians, Syria …
Va. AG: State Marriage Ban UnconstitutionalFollowing a seismic political shift in Virginia's top elected offices, the new attorney general has concluded that the state's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional and he will no longer defend it in federal lawsuits, his office said Thursday.
Egypt's President: Police State Has EndedEgypt's military-backed interim president said Thursday that the country's uprisings have put an end to the police state and to abuses, part of a campaign to rebrand the security forces amid a heavy handed crackdown on Islamists and other critics …
Immigrants' Group Seeks Expanded In-State TuitionThe Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance is asking lawmakers to approve in-state college tuition for children who graduate from high school in Mississippi after being brought to the U.S. by parents who lack proper immigration documents.
Bryant Discusses Safety and Jobs in State of StateMississippi Gov. Phil Bryant says in his State of the State speech that he wants to hire more Highway Patrol troopers, focus on job development, improve the budget process and continue trying to reduce the teen pregnancy rate.
Syrian Peace Talks Stuck Over Assad's FuturePeace talks intended to carve a path out of Syria's civil war got off to a rocky start Wednesday as a bitter clash over President Bashar Assad's future threatened to collapse the negotiations even before they really begin.
Violence Across Syria as Peace Conference BeginsSyrian forces and opposition fighters clashed Wednesday in different parts of Syria as a peace conference to end its nearly three-year conflict began in Switzerland, activists and state media said.
Cochran, Wicker Back Easing Concealed Gun LimitsMississippi Republican Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker are co-sponsoring a bill that would require most states to recognize permits other states issue that allow people to carry concealed firearms.
Syria Peace Talks: Hyped as Crucial, DownplayedIn nearly the same breath, the world's most powerful diplomats have talked about the importance of this week's peace conference on Syria and downplayed expectations for a breakthrough.
State Victories Create Dilemma for Abortion FoesOpponents who have chipped away at abortion with state-level restrictions are facing a dilemma in some of the places where they have been most successful: Do they continue with that approach or seek more dramatic policies that risk court rulings …
Halliburton Manager Gets Probation in Gulf SpillA former Halliburton manager was sentenced Tuesday to one year of probation for destroying evidence in the aftermath of BP's massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Ricin Letters Suspect Guilty of FondlingThe man who pleaded guilty last week to sending poison-laced letters to President Barack Obama and other officials has now pleaded guilty to unrelated fondling charges.