SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge overturned California’s gay-marriage ban Wednesday in a landmark case that could eventually force the U.S. Supreme Court to confront the question of whether same-sex couples have a constitutional right to wed.
AP source: Favre tells Vikings he will not return
MANKATO, Minn. — Brett Favre’s stint with the Minnesota Vikings appears to be over after a single season.
Favre has informed the Vikings he will not return to Minnesota this fall, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Dining services taking over club meals
This fall, student clubs will have to say goodbye to Davanni’s pizza, Noodles and Company dishes and Chipotle burritos at weekly convocation hour meetings.
The biggest change in the new purchasing regulations, and the change that will affect students most, is that food for any campus function will have to be ordered through campus catering services instead of from off-campus vendors.
Poll: Dayton, Kelliher lead Emmer in gov. matchups
MINNEAPOLIS — A Star Tribune Minnesota Poll published Sunday found that Democrats Mark Dayton and Margaret Anderson Kelliher lead Republican Tom Emmer in the race for governor.
Professor’s comments spark climate change debate
Mechanical engineering professor John Abraham ignited the blogosphere this June when he posted an online slideshow rebutting a speech by a British climate change skeptic.
Economic growth likely slowed in second quarter
Economists expect the government to report Friday that economic growth slowed in the April-to-June quarter as consumers bought less, builders pulled back further, and cash-hungry state and local governments cut spending.
Arizona preparing appeal of immigration ruling
PHOENIX — Arizona is preparing to ask an appeals court to lift a judge’s ruling that put most of the state’s immigration law on hold in a key first-round victory for the federal government in a fight that may go to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Minn. gubernatorial candidates burn through cash
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota’s gubernatorial hopefuls have burned through donations just to win the backing of their parties, and with months to go until the general election, the top contenders have relatively little money left.
US official: BP CEO Tony Hayward, under fire for handling of Gulf spill, will be replaced
NEW ORLEANS — Gaffe-prone BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward — who incensed many on the Gulf Coast by saying he wanted his life back as they struggled with the fallout from the company’s massive oil spill — will be replaced, a senior U.S. government official said Sunday.
Gadget makers forced to look at links to Congo war
NEW YORK — Does that smart phone in your pocket contribute to rape and murder in the depths of Africa? Soon, you’ll know: A new U.S. law requires companies to certify whether their products contain minerals from rebel-controlled mines in Congo and surrounding countries.
NKorea tensions spike at Asian security forum
HANOI, Vietnam — North Korea inflamed tensions over the deadly sinking of a South Korean warship by threatening the United States and South Korea on Friday with a “physical response” if they carry out naval maneuvers this weekend. The U.S. refused to back down.
In Iraq, 5 US governors say conditions improving
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Five U.S. governors visiting Iraq said Wednesday that conditions have improved, with Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon pronouncing that President Barack Obama’s goal of reducing U.S. forces to 50,000 troops by Sept. 1 is achievable.
Filibuster broken, jobless benefits may flow soon
WASHINGTON — With a GOP filibuster safely broken, the Senate is poised to pass legislation restoring jobless benefits for millions of people unable to find work in the frail economic recovery.
St. Thomas prepares for largest-ever freshman class
This year’s incoming freshman class is on track to be the largest in St. Thomas history, with 1,522 students currently enrolled. The record class size is already posing challenges to university officials.
Campus Ministry shifting from chaplains to peer ministers
Campus Ministry staff will begin the process this fall of transforming the current hall chaplain program into a peer ministry program, and when the new program is fully implemented by the fall of 2011, undergraduates serving as peer ministers will entirely replace live-in hall chaplains.