Foster Friess, a Santorum Supporter With Deep Pockets  —  Mitt Romney and Foster Friess, a wealthy donor to conservative causes, were walking out of an event together a few months ago when Mr. Friess broke the news: After backing Mr. Romney for president four years ago, he was getting behind Rick Santorum this time around.

States Negotiate $26 Billion Deal for Homeowners  —  After months of painstaking talks, government authorities and five of the nation's biggest banks have agreed to a $26 billion settlement that could provide relief to nearly two million current and former American homeowners harmed by the bursting …

Senate Democrats Say Obama ‘Reinforced’ His Stance on Contraception Mandate at Democratic Retreat  —  President Obama “reinforced” his stance on the controversial contraception mandate while speaking at the Democrats' annual retreat at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. today, Senate Democrats said.

The White House Has No Opinion About Whether the Senate Should Pass a Budget - Today's Q's for O's WH - 2/8/12  —  TAPPER: President Obama is going to be introducing his outline for a budget.  Fed Chair Bernanke has said the lack of a budget having been passed by the Senate has had an adverse affect …

The Himalayas and nearby peaks have lost no ice in past 10 years, study shows  —  Meltwater from Asia's peaks is much less than previously estimated, but lead scientist says the loss of ice caps and glaciers around the world remains a serious concern  —  • Live Q&A: What does the Himalaya glacier study mean for climate change?

Michelle Obama Targets Obesity in Military  —  First Lady Michelle Obama leaves Thursday for a three-day, four-state tour to mark the second anniversary of her “Let's Move!” initiative to get Americans to eat healthier and be more physically fit. … The trip is a mix of events and announcements …

Congress' Job Approval at New Low of 10%  —  Republicans and Democrats equally negative  —  PRINCETON, NJ — A record-low 10% of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, down from 13% in January and the previous low of 11%, recorded in December 2011.

Greece bailout: Coalition fails to agree cuts  —  The party leaders only received the text of the draft proposals on Wednesday morning  —  Greek PM Lucas Papademos has failed to secure the support of his coalition for a raft of new austerity measures, after more than seven hours of talks.

Romney's new test  —  Newt Gingrich's surprise victory in South Carolina a few weeks ago forced Mitt Romney to show he could get tough in Florida.  Now Rick Santorum's stunning sweep of three contests on Tuesday night should force Romney to do something far more difficult: transform himself into a leader who can energize his party.

U.S. and Israel Split on Ways to Deter Iran  —  WASHINGTON — Amid mounting tensions over whether Israel will carry out a military strike against Iran's nuclear program, the United States and Israel remain at odds over a fundamental question: whether Iran's crucial nuclear facilities are about to become impregnable.

Drilling Reaches Lake Vostok, Long Trapped Under Antarctic Ice Sheet  —  MOSCOW — In the coldest spot on the earth's coldest continent, Russian scientists have reached a freshwater lake the size of Lake Ontario after spending a decade drilling through more than two miles of solid ice, the scientists said on Wednesday.

Repulsive progressive hypocrisy  —  A new poll shows deep support among liberals for the very Bush/Cheney policies they once pretended to despise  —  During the Bush years, Guantanamo was the core symbol of right-wing radicalism and what was back then referred to as the …

The making of gay marriage's top foe  —  Salon exclusive: How Maggie Gallagher's college pregnancy made her a single mom, and a traditional marriage zealot  —  In September 1978, Yale freshmen would not have voted Maggie Gallagher the member of the Class of 1982 most likely to get pregnant before graduation.