AZ seeks high-court hearing on benefits

The U.S. Supreme Court could decide this week whether to let Arizona argue that it has the right to deny benefits to the domestic partners of its gay employees. Attorneys for the state are asking the justices to overturn lower court rulings that concluded it is illegal discrimination to provide health care and other perks to spouses of straight workers while making those benefits off limits to those who are gay. The first step is getting the nation's high court to agree to hear the case.