WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama blames Republicans for blocking an election-year increase in the federal minimum wage and says their vote denied millions of Americans a way out of poverty.

Republicans argue that an increase in the minimum wage would result in job losses. In a mostly partisan vote, the Senate failed to proceed to a full debate on the issue Wednesday.

The White House and Democrats are pressing for an increase from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour. Obama spoke at an event in the White House following the Senate vote.

Democrats believe the wage increase has widespread support and is a winning political issue heading into the November congressional elections.

PITTSBURGH — More than 300 part-time professors at Point Park University in Pittsburgh plan to vote on whether to unionize.The United Steelworkers says its Adjunct Faculty Association got permission from the National Labor Relations Board to hold the mail-in vote sometime in the next 60 days.The Adjunct Faculty Association organized a similar vote at Duquesne University, another private, liberal arts school in the city and part-time professors there voted to unionize in 2012.But that school, which is Catholic, has appealed the results of that vote by arguing the school has a faith-based exemption from NLRB jurisdiction.Union officials say Point Park has 314 adjunct professors.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — California jurors are slated to start a second full day of deliberations in a closely watched patent trial pitting the world's two top smartphone makers against each other.The four men and four women are scheduled to resume their deliberations today in San Jose federal court. They began deliberating behind closed doors late Tuesday afternoon.Apple accuses Samsung of copying iPhone features in creating its line of smartphones. Samsung has countersued, claiming Apple ripped off its technology in creating the iPhone.Apple is seeking $2.2 billion, and Samsung asked jurors for a little more than $6 million.

NEW YORK — Burger King reported a higher first-quarter profit as new restaurant openings overseas and lower costs offset weak sales in the U.S.The Miami-based chain said sales at established U.S. locations edged up just 0.1 percent, dampened by bad weather.McDonald’s, Taco Bell and Dunkin’ Donuts also reported underwhelming domestic sales for the first three months of the year, citing the severe weather. Chipotle and Starbucks, which charge higher prices, saw healthy sales gains under the same conditions.For the quarter, Burger King earned $60.4 million, or 17 cents per share. Not including one-time items, it earned 20 cents per share, a penny more than Wall Street expected.