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Banned during the Cultural Revolution, China's ancient funeral practices are re-emerging — but with new twists. One of China's most famous professional mourners creates modern funerals with Chinese characteristics — burning paper money, wailing and prostrating, karaoke eulogies and strobe lights.

President Obama leaves Wednesday morning for a week-long tour through three African countries. It's his first extended visit to the continent as president. He'll be making stops in Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania.

President Obama on Tuesday announced a wide-ranging plan to address climate change. Rather than taking it to Congress, Obama is implementing the plan on his own. The president wants the Environmental Protection Agency to restrict carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. The biggest source of those emissions is coal-fired facilities.

The 94-year-old anti-apartheid legend and former president remains hospitalized in critical condition.

The hawk's name is Rufus and his job is to scare pesky pigeons away from the All England Club before the crowds of tennis fans arrive. Rufus also worked the 2012 Olympics. The hawk — of course — has his own Twitter account to squawk at his admirers.

Gennady Onishchenko, Russia's chief sanitary inspector, would like to see more "food patriotism" throughout the country. Translation: More borscht — cut the meals at McDonalds.

Also: John Quincy Adams' ode to the Eurasian Bull finch; Jane Austen may be the new face on the £10 note; Barnes & Noble struggles.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down the Defense of Marriage Act, ruling that legally married same-sex couples are now entitled to the same federal benefits as married opposite-sex couples. They also weighed in on California's same-sex marriage ban. Read annotated versions of the rulings.

Some tough news about several historically black colleges has prompted folks to wonder if they're viable and necessary — questions that sometimes simplify their strengths and challenges.

Men with low-grade prostate cancer are choosing robotic surgery and other expensive treatments, even though they probably don't need treatment at all, a study says. Less testing and waiting before deciding to treat would reduce harmful side effects in many cases.