Retracted autism study an ‘elaborate fraud,’ British journal finds  —  Editor's note: Watch Anderson Cooper's interview with the author of the discredited study, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, on “AC360°” at 10 p.m. ET tonight.  —  (CNN) — A now-retracted British study that linked autism …

Obama Turning to Experienced Hands as He Remakes Staff  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama closed in Wednesday on a decision to fill two top positions and recharge his administration, stopping just short of naming a new chief of staff and a top economic adviser to guide the White House through a new period of divided government.

A very smart speech by Speaker Boehner  —  If you spent the afternoon watching C-SPAN, as I did, you heard applause.  A lot of it.  Over and over again.  And when John Boehner took the podium to be sworn in as Speaker of the House of Representatives, it swelled back up, and stayed there.

Gibbs: Senator Obama Only Voted Against Raising Debt Ceiling in 2006 Because He Knew It Would Pass Anyway  —  On Sunday, President Obama's top economic adviser, Council of Economic Advisers chair Austan Goolsbee, cautioned members of Congress not to “play chicken” by voting against raising …

Goldman Flooded With Facebook Orders  —  Inundated with demand, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. plans to stop taking orders for shares of Facebook Inc. on Thursday, and has told some would-be investors to expect just a small fraction of the shares they requested, according to people familiar with the situation.

Republicans to Spend $1.1 Million Reciting Constitution on House Floor  —  As we reported this morning, House Republicans will kick-start the 112th Congress tomorrow with a spirited recitation of the Constitution, a document whose recent relevance is due largely to the ideological and sartorial interests of the Tea Party.

Hoyer: Tea Party People Come From Unhappy Families  —  On the eve of his demotion by voters from House Majority Leader to House Minority Whip, Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., Hoyer offered this insight into the psychology of the Tea Party movement: … So, there you have it.

Steve King unveils birthright bill  —  Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) isn't wasting any time with his immigration agenda, dropping a bill on the first day of Congress that goes after birthright citizenship.  —  King's measure would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act, ending automatic citizenship for anyone born in the country.

A self-destructive move  —  The junior Democratic senators are fed up, understandably so, with the institution's glacial pace.  Liberal activists are demanding filibuster reform - now.  —  They should be careful what they wish for.  —  The reforms being discussed make complete sense.

The Man Who Spilled the Secrets  —  The collaboration between WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the Web's notorious information anarchist, and some of the world's most respected news organizations began at The Guardian, a nearly 200-year-old British paper.  What followed was a clash of civilizations …

Bachmann considering White House bid, aides say  —  Aides say she has made no decision.  But ‘nothing is off the table.’  —  WASHINGTON - Fresh off winning re-election and proving she can raise massive amounts of campaign cash, Rep. Michele Bachmann is beginning to consider a presidential run, according to close congressional aides.

KFC employee screams insults at customer  —  A worker at a KFC restaurant in Sydney has been suspended after he was filmed screaming vicious insults and threatening to attack a customer.  —  The violent outburst happened at a Halal-friendly KFC in Punchbowl on December 26 …

Could you pass a US citizenship test?  —  In order to become a US citizen, immigrants must pass the Naturalization Test.  American citizenship bestows the right to vote, improves the likelihood of family members living in other countries to come and live in the US, gives eligibility for federal jobs …

Julian Assange's sex-crime accusers deserve to be named  —  The shielding of sex-crime accusers is a Victorian relic.  Women are moral adults and should be treated as such  —  As Swedish prosecutors' sex-crime allegations against Julian Assange play out, one aspect of the case merits serious scrutiny.

Granite Status Exclusive: Santorum hires Mike Biundo to head his PAC in NH  —  WEDNESDAY UPDATE: THE FIRST 2012 HIRING.  Mike Biundo, the veteran Manchester conservative political strategist who guided Frank Guinta's campaigns for mayor of the state's largest city and then for the U.S. House …

Reinhardt's Non-Disqualification Memorandum—Part 1  —  A month ago, Judge Reinhardt immediately denied Prop 8 proponents' motion to disqualify him from taking part in the Prop 8 appeal.  As he put it, “for reasons that I shall provide in a memorandum to be filed in due course …

Why Our Best Officers Are Leaving  —  Why are so many of the most talented officers now abandoning military life for the private sector?  An exclusive survey of West Point graduates shows that it's not just money.  Increasingly, the military is creating a command structure that rewards conformism and ignores merit.