National News

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two pivotal senators have announced a bipartisan deal on expanding background checks to more gun buyers. The agreement could build support for President Barack Obama's drive to curb firearms violence.

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President Obama was at a fundraiser event in Northern California addressing the audience and he made the statement " is the best looking Attorney General." Reports indicate that the crowd reveled in the comment's lightheartedness but Obama's critics were soon to raise their eyebrows. 

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Job growth appeared to slow drastically during March, as employers added 88,000 new jobs, down from 268,000 in February. The unemployment rate went down a tick, from 7.7 percent to 7.6, but that was due to a reduction in the labor force.

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Montana's chief federal judge will retire following an inquiry into an email he forwarded that included a racist joke involving President Barack Obama.

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A year ago, scientists linked nerve-agent pesticides to the recent collapse in the bee population. California commercial bee keepers have reported a 40% - 50% drop in number of bees. France and Italy are among countries who have banned such pesticides. If the bees continue to die off, will we be able to pollinate our millions of acres of crops in the United States? 

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DENVER (AP) — Lawyers for Colorado theater shooting suspect James Holmes have offered to have him plead guilty and serve the rest of his life in prison to avoid the death penalty.

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SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia grand jury has indicted a 17-year-old suspect in last week's fatal shooting of a baby in his stroller and in another unrelated shooting 10 days earlier in a robbery attempt.

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On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard its second day of arguments on the issue of same-sex marriage, specifically a challenge to the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). This follows Tuesday's case concerning California's Proposition 8.

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On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Hollingsworth v. Perry, the case that is challenging the constitutionality of California's Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage. It is the first of two gay-marriage-related cases the court will hear this week; on Wednesday it will hear arguments in United States v. Windsor, a challenge to the constitutionality of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - One winning ticket for Saturday night's drawing of the $338.3 million Powerball jackpot was sold in New Jersey.

The New Jersey Lottery released a statement that the grand prize winner was sold in that state for an annuity of $338,300,000 - or $211,026,552

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