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National

Public to Comment on 1st-in-Nation Tobacco Ban

A proposed first-in-the-nation ban on sales of all tobacco and nicotine products has bitterly divided this small community, and health officials are bracing for an onslaught of opinions as they …

World

Cosmic 1st: Spacecraft Sends Lander Toward Comet

Hundreds of millions of miles from Earth, a European spacecraft released a lander toward the icy, dusty surface of a speeding comet Wednesday, setting off a seven-hour countdown to an …

World

Israel Approves 200 New Homes in East Jerusalem

Israeli authorities gave preliminary approval Wednesday for construction of 200 new homes in a Jewish area of east Jerusalem, a move likely to ratchet up already heightened tensions in the …

Health Care

Ebola Workers Ask Congress for Help

Health workers on the front line of the Ebola crisis say the need for urgent help isn't letting up, as Congress begins considering President Barack Obama's $6.2 billion emergency aid …

Economy

Miss. Budgeters Expect Modest Growth in Spending

Top Mississippi lawmakers said Monday they expect a 3 percent increase in state spending during the coming year, reflecting a prediction of modest growth in the state economy.

Tease photo Business

KiOR Files for Bankruptcy, but Not Miss. Unit

Biofuel maker KiOR Inc. has filed for bankruptcy, although its Mississippi subsidiary has not, preserving the chance that its Columbus plant could be sold quickly.

Tease photo Person of the Day

Nick Taylor

Nick Taylor was down on his game over the summer, struggling with his putter as he fought to earn a PGA Tour card. So even he was a little stunned …

Crime

Postal Service Says it is Victim of Hacking Attack

The U.S. Postal Service said Monday it is the victim of a cyberattack and that information about its employees, including Social Security numbers, may have been compromised.

National

Obama and GOP Lawmakers Break Bread but Not Ice

Disagreement wasn't supposed to be on the menu at the White House luncheon designed to bring together President Barack Obama and Republicans who will soon control the next Congress. Instead …

National

Obama Wants More Regulation of Internet Providers

Internet providers shouldn't be allowed cut deals with online services like Netflix or YouTube to move their content faster, and should be regulated more like phone companies, President Barack Obama …

World

In Shift, Russia Lets Ruble Float Free in Markets

Russia's Central Bank on Monday scrapped its daily controls on the value of the ruble, allowing the battered currency to float freely in financial markets earlier than planned.

World

Liberia Village Becomes a New Ebola Epicenter

A schoolteacher brought his sick daughter from Liberia's capital to this small town of 300 people. Soon he was dead along with his entire family, and they are now buried …

World

An Awkward Handshake: Leaders of China, Japan Meet

An uneasy handshake Monday between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe marked the first meeting between the two men since either took power, and an awkward …

National

US Faces Last Best Chance on Iran Nuke Deal

The Obama administration is facing its last best chance to curb Iran's nuclear program — not just to meet an end-of-the-month deadline for a deal, but also to seal one …

LGBT

Hearing Set on Challenge to Miss. Gay Marriage Ban

A federal judge will hear arguments next week in a lawsuit that challenges Mississippi's ban on same-sex marriage.