The clock ran out on Russia's payments. But there's a twist: Russia does not consider itself in default because the country has the money, just its payments have been blocked by Western sanctions.

The 6-to-3 decision is the latest example of the court's conservative supermajority requiring more accommodation for religion in public schools and less separation between church and state.

Abortion is still legal in Michigan but it's the subject of litigation, is moving toward the ballot as a state constitutional amendment and will be a big issue in the competitive race for governor.

As the midterm primary season rolls along, voters may have noticed a strange phenomenon of political advertising: Democrats paying for ads supporting Republican candidates.