WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A dispute over public prayers at town board meetings will be taken up by the Supreme Court in coming months, another contentious case over the intersection of faith and the public arena.

The first congressional hearing on IRS targeting of conservative groups began Friday with the House Ways and Means Committee looking at what it called political discrimination.
However, partisan politics became evident early when the top Republican and Democrat on the committee differed on the underlying purpose of the hearing.

Federal authorities are investigating threatening letters allegedly containing deadly ricin in Spokane, Washington, the FBI said Thursday

Investigators have not ruled out an intentional fire being behind explosions at a fertilizer plant in the small town of West that left 15 people dead, the Texas fire marshal said Thursday.

The House of Representatives passed a measure to repeal Obamacare entirely on Thursday -- a move the GOP-led chamber has done twice already. But the latest scandal involving the IRS, one of the key agencies charged with enforcing the health care law, is adding fuel to the political fire over the controversial new law.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The New York State attorney general is investigating whether fast food restaurant owners have cheated their workers out of wages.

(CNN) -- In light of two new cases this month involving sexual assault in the military -- allegedly by the service members tasked to prevent such crimes -- legislation is being introduced Thursday that could ease victims' quest for justice.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Here they go again.

In a blue prison jumpsuit, O.J. Simpson took the witness stand Wednesday in his effort to get a new trial on robbery, assault and kidnapping charges from 2007. A deputy escorted him to the stand and unlocked the manacles on his hands.

For the second time this month, a U.S. service member who worked in a military sexual assault prevention program has been accused of a sexual crime. In the latest incident, an Army sergeant first class assigned to such a program at Fort Hood, Texas, is being investigated for alleged sexual assault, pandering, abusive sexual contact and maltreatment of subordinates. Charges had not been filed as of Wednesday morning.