Medical help for illegal immigrants could haunt Mitt Romney  —  On the Republican campaign trail, he derides any such public aid.  But the healthcare law he signed as Massachusetts governor allows it.  —  Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney sharply criticizes public aid for illegal immigrants.

Shootings way up in two weeks  —  Bullets are flying over Broadway — and everywhere else in the city.  —  The number of people shot surged 154 percent two weeks ago — to 56 from 22 over the same week last year — and spiked 28 percent in the last month.  —  Last week tallied another increase …

Jobs Plan Stalled, Obama to Try New Economic Drive  —  WASHINGTON — With his jobs plan stymied in Congress by Republican opposition, President Obama on Monday will begin a series of executive-branch actions to confront housing, education and other economic problems over the coming months …

Chemical bomb tossed into Occupy Maine encampment  —  PORTLAND — Portland police are looking for the person who threw a chemical bomb at the Occupy Maine encampment in Portland during the early morning hours today.  —  Sgt. Glen McGary said police responded around 4 a.m. today to an explosion …

Libya's liberation: interim ruler unveils more radical than expected plans for Islamic law  —  Libya's interim leader outlined more radical plans to introduce Islamic law than expected as he declared the official liberation of the country.  —  Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, the chairman …

Lieberman Irks Democrats Before Race for His Senate Seat  —  WASHINGTON — A few months ago, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut who is allied with the Democratic majority in the Senate, had a surprising guest at his office: Linda E. McMahon, the former wrestling mogul …

Democrats duck Obama  —  Despite President Barack Obama's sagging poll ratings, top Democratic leaders from around the country insist they'd love for him to visit.  From state party chairmen to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the message remains remarkably consistent: No one views the president as a political liability.

The Hill Poll: Most voters say the United States is in decline  —  More than two-thirds of voters say the United States is declining, and a clear majority think the next generation will be worse off than this one, according to the results of a new poll commissioned by The Hill.

The Hole in Europe's Bucket  —  If it weren't so tragic, the current European crisis would be funny, in a gallows-humor sort of way.  For as one rescue plan after another falls flat, Europe's Very Serious People — who are, if such a thing is possible, even more pompous and self-regarding …

Americans Would Swap Electoral College for Popular Vote  —  Majority of Republicans now agree with most Democrats that Constitution should be amended  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Nearly 11 years after the 2000 presidential election brought the idiosyncrasies of the United States' Electoral College into full view …

More Jobs Predicted for Machines, Not People  —  A faltering economy explains much of the job shortage in America, but advancing technology has sharply magnified the effect, more so than is generally understood, according to two researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Michele Bachmann, Husband Marcus Defend Characterizing Being Gay As ‘Personal Enslavement’ … 2012 Elections , Michele Bachmann , Republican Candidates , Elections 2012 , Gay Marriage , Gay Rights , Michele Bachmann 2012 , Republican Primary , Same-Sex Marriage , Video , Bachmann …

Zimbabwe's PM Morgan Tsvangirai in gay rights U-turn  —  Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in gay rights U-turn  —  Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has reversed his position on gay rights, saying he now wants them enshrined in a new constitution.

Santorum: Because Of Obama, We've ‘Lost The War In Iraq’  —  Last Friday, President Obama announced a total troop withdrawal from Iraq at the end of year to signify that “after nine years, America's war in Iraq will be over.”  Naturally, the 2012 GOP presidential field took this historic opportunity …

Where Spots Are Hot … The South Norwalk Metro-North station.  Some Connecticut commuters face long waiting lists for parking permits.  —  FAIRFIELD, Conn.—In the Metro-North parking lots along Connecticut's Gold Coast, the haves and the have-nots aren't defined by their clothes, car or even their net worth.

Former New Jersey Governors Condemn Viki Knox's Anti-Gay Rant  —  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) has criticized Union Township high school teacher Viki Knox for writing that homosexuality is a “perverted sin” that “breeds like cancer” on her Facebook wall, characterizing the comments as …

Key general: Iraq pullout plan a ‘disaster’  —  Others echo call for strength against Iran  —  An Iraqi police officer mans a checkpoint in central Baghdad.  A U.S. State Department program to train Iraqi police lacks focus, could become a “bottomless pit” of American money …

NASA wants grandma's moonrock  —  A 74-year-old grandmother who was the target of a NASA sting operation to uncover a piece of lunar dust said the incident was so frightening that she lost control of her bladder and was left with bruises from rough handling by federal agents.

Rhode Island: Athens of America?  —  Rhode Island is looking more and more like Greece, and not in a good way.  That is one message of this important piece by Mary Williams Walsh in the New York Times.  Years of blue social policy have wrecked local and state government finance …

U.S. rating likely to be downgraded again: Merrill  —  NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States will likely suffer the loss of its triple-A credit rating from another major rating agency by the end of this year due to concerns over the deficit, Bank of America Merrill Lynch forecasts.