UNITED STATES

Gay marriage became legal in New York on Sunday as same-sex couples rushed to exchange vows on the first day; 659 marriage licenses were issued yesterday in New York City alone.

At this juncture, the most likely solution to the acrimonious stalemate on Capitol Hill between Democrats and Republicans that threatens to trigger a dreaded U.S. Government default may be a hybrid plan combining elements of bills by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and by House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.

Amnesty International said its website had been blocked in Saudi Arabia after the rights group published a leaked draft of an anti-terror law and accused the kingdom of planning to use the legislation to crush dissent.

Ryan Lochte's victory in the mens' 200 meters freestyle at the world swimming championships Tuesday not only allowed him to emerge from compatriot Michael Phelps's shadow but could set up a mouthwatering 'Race of the Century - Part Two' at next year's London Olympics.

Gold held steady below its record high on Tuesday as investors waited to see if President Barack Obama's appeal for lawmakers to break a deadlock in U.S. debt talks would succeed, while the euro zone debt crisis lent support.

IMF chief Christine Lagarde on Tuesday urged the United States to quickly resolve a political stalemate over raising the debt ceiling, warning that failure to reach an agreement would have serious consequences for the world economy.

China?s State Oceanic Administration said that the Jiaolong submarine, 8.2 meters long, weighing 22 tons and carrying a three-man crew, reached a depth of 5,057 meters (about 16,500 feet) Tuesday morning, spending over six hours underwater.

U.S. single-family home prices were unchanged in May, though prices were still down compared to a year earlier, a closely watched survey said on Tuesday.

An HTC spokesperson told Bloomberg that the company is willing to negotiate with Apple before both companies? United States International Trade Commission (ITC) rulings against each other finalize.

orbjørn Eriksen, a former press secretary to Jens Stoltenberg, Norway's prime minister, called it a "a new low" for Beck.

New single-family home sales unexpectedly fell in June, but a sharp rise in prices and declining supply suggested the market for new houses was starting to stabilize, a government report showed on Tuesday.

BlackRock's CEO Larry Fink urges President Obama and John Boehner to come to an agreement.

Stocks fell on Tuesday as concerns about debt ceiling talks offset strong earnings from blue chip companies.

JetBlue Airways reported a 19 percent drop in second-quarter profit despite rising revenue as fuel prices battered the low-cost carrier and its rivals in the United States.

A government program to track guns purchased by drug cartels resulted in over 100 guns turning up at crime scenes, including that of a murdered U.S. Border Patrol agent, according to a highly critical report released by lawmakers on Tuesday.

Ford's near-term success is riding on getting a new UAW contract that controls labor costs for the next four years. If Ford is successful, the company's costs paid for debt will improve with a credit rating upgrade.

Chrysler Group LLC, controlled by Fiat SpA , reported a second-quarter net loss on Tuesday after the U.S. automaker repaid $7.6 billion in loans to the U.S. and Canadian governments.

Lawyers, psychiatrists and police were discussing the mental health of Anders Behring Breivik after the anti-Islam radical admitted to a bombing and shooting spree that killed 76 people. More than 100,000 Norwegians attended a rally in Oslo on Monday, many carrying white and red roses in mourning.

Netflix Inc, facing a backlash from customers upset over a price hike, warned its subscriber growth would cool down in the third quarter, and its shares fell 10 percent.

Social games maker Zynga is partnering with Tencent Holdings Ltd, the Chinese Internet company, to launch its first game in mainland China as it tries to find new users by tapping into the $5.8 billion Chinese games market.

Fast food chain to introduce fruit and vegetables for more healthful Happy Meal