SUPREME COURT-GAY MARRIAGE

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court says it will decide whether same-sex couples nationwide have a right to marry under the Constitution, setting the stage for a potentially historic ruling. 

CIA LEAK

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia - In early 2000, the U.S. government pinned its hopes for disrupting Iran's nuclear ambitions on a Russian emigre working for the CIA who was in Vienna looking to deliver bogus nuclear blueprints to the Iranians. Unfortunately the asset, nicknamed "Merlin," was having a hard time finding the Iranians' address. 

PENTAGON-SYRIAN REBELS

WASHINGTON - The program to train moderate Syrian rebels could involve as many as 1,000 U.S. trainers and support personnel, the Pentagon says. 

VENEZUELA-CRISIS

CARACAS, Venezuela - When President Nicolas Maduro returns from an urgent fundraising trip to seven nations, he'll find his oil-dependent economy teetering on the edge and desperate Venezuelans searching empty store shelves for basic goods.

UNITED STATES-IRAN

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama comes out swinging against congressional attempts to slap fresh sanctions on Iran, warning such a move would likely destroy nuclear talks and increase prospects for a military showdown. 

BRAZIL-DRY SAO PAULO

SAO PAULO - Halfway through the rainy season, the key reservoir for the hemisphere's largest city holds just 6 percent of its capacity, and experts warn that Sao Paulo authorities must take urgent steps to prevent the worst drought in more than 80 years from drying it out. 

DEA-PHONE RECORDS

WASHINGTON - The Drug Enforcement Administration has formally acknowledged that it maintained a sweeping database of phone calls made from the United States to multiple foreign countries. 

CUBA-READY FOR AMERICANS?

HAVANA - Tens of thousands more American tourists are expected to flock to Cuba this year where some five-star hotels don't have working air-conditioning or hand towels. The U.S. hopes the wave will fuel one of the healthiest parts of Cuba's entrepreneurial sector - the thousands of private bed and breakfasts. 

KEYSTONE PIPELINE-NEBRASKA

LINCOLN, Nebraska - Opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline in Nebraska have filed two new lawsuits over the proposed route, after the state's Supreme Court recently tossed a previous legal challenge.

HAITI-OPPOSITION PROTEST

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Several thousand supporters of Haitian opposition factions march through the capital's congested streets chanting calls for the president's removal amid political uncertainty accompanying the dissolution of parliament. 

HOMELAND SECURITY-VISA WAIVERS

WASHINGTON - Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson acknowledges concerns that terrorists might use the visa waiver program to enter the United States, and says his department is taking steps to address weaknesses in the program.