NRA stumbles in fight with Obama over gun-control proposals  —  Facing its toughest fight over gun reform in decades, the National Rifle Association (NRA) has stumbled out of the gate.  —  The powerful gun-lobby group responded to last month's Newtown, Conn., massacre with a defiant press conference calling …

ALGERIAN ASSAULT ENDS CRISIS, 19 HOSTAGES DEAD  —  AIN AMENAS, Algeria (AP) — Algerian special forces stormed a natural gas complex in the middle of the Sahara desert on Saturday in a “final assault” that ended a four-day-old hostage crisis, according to the state news agency and two foreign governments.

Heartstopping moment would-be assassin aims gun at Bulgarian opposition leader's head and pulls the trigger... but victim survives after weapon misfires  — Dramatic footage shows man storming the stage and attempting to shoot the politician from point blank range

Congressman Receives Threats From Gun Advocates Warning Him To ‘Watch His Back’  —  Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN), gun safety advocate who represents “real gun country,” told MSNBC's Chris Hayes on Saturday that his office is receiving anonymous threats, warning the Congressman to watch his back.

My last letter to the president  —  Editor's note: CNN reporter and anchor Tom Foreman has been writing a letter each day, every day, to President Barack Obama since he was inaugurated four years ago.  This is his last one.  —  Washington (CNN) — When President Obama raises his hand, I will put down my pen.

Obamas, Bidens participate in Day of Service  —  (CNN) - President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden participated in a National Day of Service on Saturday, joining what event organizers say are volunteers around the country in local service projects.

A minority posture for House GOP  —  WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - House Republicans appeared to be coming to grips with a stark realization as they returned to Washington from a three-day retreat here — they have a majority in name only.  —  The party begins the 113th Congress with reduced numbers …

Not how the news was supposed to go for Carmen Ortiz  —  Yesterday and today were supposed to be spectacular news days for US Attorney Carmen Ortiz: yesterday morning, hundreds of state and federal police successfully executed a massive raid on violent gangs in Boston, arresting 27 …

Obama's No. 1 Second-Term Goal—Win Back The House  —  President Obama takes the oath of office on Jan. 20, 2009, as his wife Michelle, holds the Lincoln Bible and daughters Sasha and Malia watch at the... View Enlarged Image  —  On the night President Obama won re-election …

Well-Trod Path: Political Donor to Ambassador  —  When President Obama hosted dozens of his top donors at the White House in late November for a celebratory post-election dinner of chicken and pumpkin pie, few in the room could claim to have done more to elect him than Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue magazine.

Rick Santorum Blames Gay Marriage, Abortion And Porn Ideals On College Indoctrination  —  FOLLOW:  —  Rick Santorum, Rick Santorum Marriage, Rick Santorum Abortion, Rick Santorum College, Rick Santorum College Indoctrination, Rick Santorum Gay Marriage, Rick Santorum Gay Rights, Rick Santorum Pornography, College News

The Cynicism of Dick Morris  —  One of the architects of the anti-militia panic is now borrowing the militias' rhetoric. … The longtime political consultant Dick Morris has a new book out, and—no, wait, don't go away.  Morris may not be a thoughtful pundit or an admirable man, but he sure makes an interesting case study.

‘Taxation Without Representation’ plates on Obama motorcade  —  President Obama's motorcade sported “Taxation Without Representation” license plates for the first time on Saturday.  —  As part of the National Day of Service kicking of a weekend of inaugural events, the president has traveled …

No, Sidwell Friends School has no armed guards  —  The National Rifle Association is airing a television ad (and has on its website this four-minute video) that says the private school that President Obama's daughters attend, Sidwell Friends School, has 11 armed guards.  It doesn't.

Not With A Bang But With A Whimper  —  When you're wrong, you're wrong.  I thought that by ruling out any way to bypass the debt limit, the White House was setting itself up, at least potentially, for an ignominious cave-in.  But it appears that the strategy has worked, and it's the Republicans giving up.

Campaign Finance Reform Advocate Defeats Right Wing Millionaire In NY Senate Race … Progressive Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk has been elected to the New York State Senate over former Assemblyman George Amedore (R), after a successful court challenge led to the counting of 99 previously uncounted ballots from the November elections.