Sotomayor watches Senate’s confirmation vote among colleagues at US courthouse in NYC

NEW YORK — Sonia Sotomayor bathed in applause from friends and colleagues at a federal courthouse in lower Manhattan Thursday as the Senate voted to confirm her appointment to the Supreme Court.

Sotomayor confirmed as first Hispanic Supreme Court justice in historic Senate vote

WASHINGTON — Sonia Sotomayor won confirmation Thursday as the nation’s first Hispanic Supreme Court justice, a history-making Senate vote that capped a summer-long debate heavy with ethnic politics and hints of high court fights to come.

Obama hails confirmation of Sotomayor as Supreme Court justice

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is lauding the barrier-breaking confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor to be the first Hispanic justice on the Supreme Court.

Senate confirms Sotomayor, first Hispanic Supreme Court justice, in historic vote

WASHINGTON — The Senate confirmed Sonia Sotomayor Thursday as the first Hispanic justice on the Supreme Court.

Study: Recession slowing illegal immigration from Mexico, but those already here staying put

WASHINGTON — Apparently deterred by rising unemployment in the U.S., the number of Mexican immigrants who crossed the border dropped sharply in the past year to the lowest level in a decade, even while undocumented workers already here are opting to stay.

Democrat captures vacant US House seat in Los Angeles-area district

LOS ANGELES — Democrat Judy Chu has easily claimed a vacant U.S. House seat in a Los Angeles-area district, reinforcing the Democratic majority on Capitol Hill.

GOP to confront Sotomayor with her own words at Tuesday’s session

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans plan to confront Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor with her own words from speeches years ago and more recently decisions she rendered as appeals court judge that were later reversed by the Supreme Court.

Analysis: Republican Party uses Sotomayor hearings to define itself but treads carefully

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans came to praise Sonia Sotomayor, but not necessarily to vote for her.

Sotomayor would be 6th Catholic on Supreme Court, but from different mold than other justices

NEW YORK — If Judge Sonia Sotomayor is confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court, she will be the sixth Roman Catholic of the nine justices.

Is Supreme Court nominee Sotomayor a blue-collar Latina or wealthy elite?

WASHINGTON — There are two sides to Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor: a Latina from a blue-collar family and a wealthy member of America’s power elite.

Camphor-containing products may cause seizures in kids

WASHINGTON - Improper use of camphor-containing products may lead to seizures in young children, according to a study.

Obama wants replacement for Justice Souter to have empathy, intellect; groups seek fight

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is promising to work quickly and deliberately to name a replacement for retiring Justice David H. Souter who could double the number of women on the Supreme Court, become the first Hispanic justice, or do both.

Text of President Barack Obama’s news conference on Wednesday

Text of President Barack Obama’s news conference on Wednesday at the White House, as transcribed by CQ Transcriptions:

Supreme Court appears divided on claims of reverse discrimination in firefighters’ lawsuit

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court appeared divided Wednesday over whether a Connecticut city’s decision to scrap a promotion exam for firefighters because too few minorities passed violates the civil rights of top-scoring white applicants.

Supreme Court weighs claims of reverse discrimination in firefighters’ lawsuit

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is weighing whether a Connecticut city’s decision to scrap a promotion exam for firefighters because too few minorities passed violates the civil rights of top-scoring white applicants.