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State

Analysis: Miss. Judges See Raises with New Year

The new year marks the beginning of four years' of incremental salary increases for Mississippi judges—thanks to Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr. for a novel funding method …

Technology

NASA Planning a Road Trip for Mars Rover Curiosity

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Since captivating the world with its acrobatic landing, the Mars rover Curiosity has fallen into a rhythm: Drive, snap pictures, zap at boulders, scoop up dirt. …

NFL

Officially Eliminated from Post-Season, Saints Aim for .500, Hope to Avoid Defensive Yardage Record

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt is urging his players to keep thinking about the Lombardi Trophy as they prepare for what otherwise is an anticlimactic …

National

Maine Celebrates Gay Marriage Law with Midnight Weddings

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — After waiting years and seeing marriage rights nearly awarded and then retracted, gay couples in Maine's largest city didn't have to wait a moment longer than …

State

Court Orders Mental Health Review in Appeal

A federal judge has ordered a mental evaluation for a Mississippi death row inmate.

College

Mississippi State's Defense Ready to Rebound in Gator Bowl

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi State's veteran defense is one of the biggest reasons the program has emerged as a consistent competitor in the Southeastern Conference over the past three …

National

Fearing a Ban, Gun Buyers Swarm Stores This Holiday Season

NEW YORK (AP) — The phones at Red's Trading Post wouldn't stop ringing. Would-be customers from as far away as New York wanted to know if the Twin Falls, Idaho …

Business

Fewer U.S. Banks Failing as Industry Strengthens

U.S. banks are ending the year with their best profits since 2006 and fewer failures than at any time since the financial crisis struck in 2008. They're helping support an …

Economy

Last Ditch Effort to Avoid Fiscal Cliff Under Way

The end game at hand, the White House and Senate leaders launched a final attempt at compromise Friday night in hopes of preventing a toxic blend of middle-class tax increases …

National

Dockworkers Strike Averted for Now at U.S. Ports

Dockworkers along the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico agreed Friday to extend their contract for more than a month, averting a weekend strike that could have crippled major …

National

10 Things to Know for Friday

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and stories that will be talked about Friday.

World

Putin Signs Anti-U.S. Adoptions Bill

President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a bill banning Americans from adopting Russian children, part of a harsh response to a U.S. law targeting Russians deemed to be human rights …

National

Reaction to Death of Norman Schwarzkopf

Reaction to the death of retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf.

Health Care

Program Helps Veterans Reintegrate Through Music

During stressful times as a combat medic in Afghanistan, Mason Sullivan found solace in Vivaldi. New Jersey native Nairobi Cruz was comforted by country music, a genre she had never …

Economy

U.S. Jobless Aid Applications Fall to 5-Year Low

The average number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits over the past month fell to the lowest level since March 2008, a sign that the job market is healing.