A spokesman for President Barack Obama says the White House is still confident that Congress will pass a tax deal despite a vote by angry House Democrats to reject the emerging package.

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The new U.S. attorney in Pittsburgh has created a five-attorney civil rights unit to handle criminal and civil cases involving hate crimes, police misconduct, and other civil rights issues in the 25-county western district of Pennsylvania.

NEW YORK (AP) -- John Lennon's fans celebrated his life Wednesday by visiting Strawberry Fields, the Central Park garden dedicated in his honor, while a newly released interview he gave shortly before his death showed he was optimistic about his future.

LONDON – WikiLeaks supporters struck back Wednesday at perceived enemies of the site and its jailed founder Julian Assange, launching hacker attacks against MasterCard, Swedish prosecutors, a Swedish lawyer and a Swiss group that froze Assange's bank account.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House leaned hard on fellow Democrats Wednesday to support President Barack Obama's tax deal with Republican leaders, saying it would be foolhardy and "borderline immoral" to allow taxes to climb on the middle class and benefits to run out for the long-term jobless.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- The disparity between graduation rates for White and Black players at schools headed to bowl games grew again this year even as overall academic progress increased for both, a study released Monday found.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- A line of questioning at an appeals court hearing over California's gay marriage ban suggested the three judges could issue a decision that would legalize same-sex marriage in that state but leave intact bans in other western states under the court's jurisdiction.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A judge on Tuesday threw out a lawsuit aimed at preventing the United States from targeting anti-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki for death, but questioned whether a president or his aides can order a U.S. citizen assassinated for terrorist activity.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House on Tuesday urged congressional Democrats to quickly embrace a contentious tax cut plan that President Barack Obama cut with Republicans, arguing that the rank and file need to move on to other issues before the party loses control of the House in January.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Elizabeth Edwards is gravely ill and doctors have told her she only has weeks to live, according to a family friend who is among those who have gathered with Edwards at her North Carolina home.