Judiciary panel set to vote on Sotomayor, Senate confirmation appears certain next week

WASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor appears headed to quick confirmation as the first Hispanic justice in spite of opposition from a growing chorus of conservative Republican senators who say she would bring liberal bias to the high court.

Supreme Court nominee faces harsh criticism for temperament

WASHINGTON — Sonia Sotomayor kept her cool Tuesday, even when she was being portrayed at her Supreme Court confirmation hearing as just the opposite — a hotheaded judge who is sometimes mean to lawyers who appear before her.

Sotomayor pushes back on GOP bias charges in intense exchanges; court confirmation seen likely

WASHINGTON — Sonia Sotomayor pushed back vigorously Tuesday against Republican charges that she would bring bias and a liberal agenda to her seat as the first Hispanic woman on the Supreme Court, insisting repeatedly she would be impartial as GOP senators tried to undercut her with her own words from past speeches.

Sotomayor on Sotomayor: Silent no more, Supreme Court nominee revises and extends past remarks

WASHINGTON — It’s a good thing Sonia Sotomayor speaks Sotomayoran.

A look at some of the question and answer exchanges in Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation hearing

A look at some exchanges during the fourth day of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearings on the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor:

Sotomayor says ‘impartial justice’ will trump any narrow cause if she’s confirmed as justice

WASHINGTON — Her confirmation all but assured, Sonia Sotomayor pledged Monday to serve the “larger interest of impartial justice” rather than any narrow cause if she becomes the first Hispanic on the Supreme Court.

Some comments from the Sotomayor confirmation hearing

Some excerpts from comments during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

6 months before Cuba prison closes, Obama lawyers say it’s unclear how to deal with detainees

WASHINGTON — Basic questions remain unanswered over how to prosecute or otherwise deal with hundreds of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Obama administration lawyers acknowledged Tuesday, just over six months before the prison is expected to close.

NYPD official: Guantanamo detainee trials could hinder new terror investigations

WASHINGTON — A top New York anti-terror official said Tuesday that trials of Guantanamo Bay detainees could weaken the ability of the FBI and other agencies to chase new cases.

Guided through the House by Democrats, war-funding bill may face difficulty in Senate

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Wednesday that this is the last time Congress will go through the ordeal of passing an off-the-books, expensive bill to fund two wars. It may also be one of the more difficult.

With House vote, Senate poised to approve $106 billion war-funding bill

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Wednesday that this is the last time Congress will go through the ordeal of passing an expensive, unpaid-for war spending bill. It may also be one of the more difficult.

Being a woman in Sharia-dominated Pak can be unnerving: US

WASHINGTON - The United States Congress, and particularly the Senate, feels that being a woman in a Pakistan dominated by the Sharia can be an unnerving experience.