F.C.C. Is Set to Regulate Net Access  —  The Federal Communications Commission appears poised to pass a controversial set of rules that broadly create two classes of Internet access, one for fixed-line providers and the other for the wireless Net.  —  The proposed rules of the online road …

GOP senators concede arms treaty will secure enough votes to pass  —  Republican senators say privately they expect the Senate to ratify the New START treaty this week, which would hand President Obama his third major victory of the lame-duck session.  —  GOP senators — including those who plan …

That snow is what global warming looks like  —  Unusually cold winters may make you think scientists have got it all wrong.  But the data reveal a chilling truth  —  There were two silent calls, followed by a message left on my voicemail.  She had a soft, gentle voice and a mid-Wales accent.

Coburn may block 9/11 bill  —  New York Democrats hoping for quick action on a bill to give health care compensation to Ground Zero workers are about to run into Tom Coburn.  —  The Oklahoma Republican and physician — known in the Senate as “Dr. No” for his penchant in blocking bills …

Christie frees man in gun case  —  New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie gave the Aitken family all they wanted for Christmas Monday.  —  Christie signed a letter ordering Brian Aitken, a New Jersey man sentenced to seven years in jail for having weapons he legally purchased in Colorado …

Harry Potter actress was beaten and branded a prostitute by her brother after dating man ‘who was not a Muslim’  —  A Harry Potter actress fled her home after her father and brother threatened to kill her for going out with a Hindu man, a court heard yesterday.

Haley Barbour's Account Of Civil Rights Era In Mississippi Assailed By NAACP, Historians  —  What's Your Reaction: … WASHINGTON — Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R) has set off a firestorm of controversy over his comments on the civil rights era in his hometown of Yazoo City …

U.S. Military Seeks to Expand Raids in Pakistan  —  WASHINGTON — Senior American military commanders in Afghanistan are pushing for an expanded campaign of Special Operations ground raids across the border into Pakistan's tribal areas, a risky strategy reflecting the growing frustration …

On Palin's Reading List, C.S. Lewis  —  He wasn't a children's writer, as the governor's critics proclaim—not by a long shot.  —  Since Katie Couric first asked the question a couple of years back, journalists continue to pepper Sarah Palin with that classic ice-breaker: “So, what are you reading?”

Attorney General's Blunt Warning on Terror Attacks  —  AG Eric Holder Says ‘Terrorists Only Have to Be Successful Once’  —  Attorney General Eric Holder has an urgent message for Americans: While he is confident that the United States will continue to thwart attacks, “the terrorists only have to be successful once.”

Janet Napolitano: We're Working “24/7, 364″ To Keep The American People Safe  —  Ya gotta wonder which day America's anti-terror forces are kicking their feet up with a book and maybe a nap, instead of, you know, “keeping the American people safe?”  —  On ABC's World News tonight …

Muslim pupil offended by the word ‘jamón’ in class in Cádiz  —  The boy's family have reported the geography teacher to the police and the courts  —  The parents of a Muslim boy who attends a secondary school in La Línea, Cádiz province, have reported their son's teacher …

Funding Deal Snags Health Law  —  WASHINGTON—A Senate deal to fund the federal government until early March doesn't include money to enact the health-care overhaul or stepped up regulation of Wall Street, boosting Republican efforts to curb key elements of President Barack Obama's domestic agenda.

Dems prepare defense of healthcare law in face of repeal threats  —  Democrats are preparing a spirited defense of the healthcare law in the face of Republican efforts to dismantle it.  —  Statements from lawmakers, advocates and the administration reveal a multi-pronged strategy …

Steele: RNC Member Jim Bopp Is An ‘Idiot’ Who Opposes My Chairmanship After Losing $1 Million RNC Contract  —  Last week, RNC Chairman Michael Steele made headlines by announcing a surprise bid to run for another term as the leader of the Republican Party.  However, not only are many other candidates …

Joe Manchin stands by skirting votes  —  Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) stands by his decision to miss voting on the repeal of “don't ask, don't tell” and the immigration reform bill, the DREAM Act - two major Democratic-backed pieces of legislation.  —  This weekend the West Virginia Democrat's office released …

Justice Dept. Is Criticized as Corruption Cases Close  —  WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has shut down a wave of high-profile investigations of members of Congress over the past few months, drawing criticism that the government's premier anticorruption agency has lost its nerve …

Actor Injured in Fall During ‘Spider-Man’ Performance  —  An actor playing Spider-Man was injured during a performance of the Broadway musical “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” on Monday night.  Above, an image from a video taken by a New York Times reader.  —  Updated