U.S. Economy Unexpectedly Contracts in Fourth Quarter  —  Private-Sector Hiring Rose by 192,000 in January, ADP Reports  —  WASHINGTON—U.S. economic momentum screeched to a halt in the final months of 2012, as businesses pared back inventories and government spending fell sharply …

Reid declines to endorse Feinstein's assault-weapons ban  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Tuesday declined to voice support for Democratic legislation that would ban assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips.  —  Reid said he would bring gun-violence legislation …

President Obama's popularity surges to three-year high  —  President Obama is riding a wave of personal popularity into his second term, with his highest favorability ratings since his first year in office, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.  —  Fully 60 percent of Americans …

Israel strikes at Syria-Lebanon border, sources say  —  Alleged airstrike comes day after Lebanon reported three separate overflights by IAF jets; Israel increasingly concerned over fate of Syrian chemical weapons.  —  A western diplomat and three regional security sources said Wednesday …

FBI raids West Palm Beach office of doctor tied to U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez  —  The FBI raided the office of a South Florida eye doctor who last year was accused of providing prostitutes to longtime ally Sen. Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat.  —  MCAPUTO@MIAMIHERALD.COM

Strict Gun Laws in Chicago Can't Stem Fatal Shots  —  CHICAGO — Not a single gun shop can be found in this city because they are outlawed.  Handguns were banned in Chicago for decades, too, until 2010, when the United States Supreme Court ruled that was going too far, leading city leaders …

Neil Heslin, Father Of Newtown Victim, Heckled By Pro-Gun Activists (VIDEO, PHOTOS)  —  Gun Control, Video, Coyote Maverick, Jesse Lewis, Jesse McCord Lewis, Neil Heslin, Second Amendment, Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting, Gun Violence Prevention Working Group, Guns …

Who Are the Gang Of 8 in Senate Immigration Debate?  —  The Senate's so-called “Gang of 8” has gained national attention in the past week by announcing sweeping plans for bipartisan immigration reform.  But who can count themselves as members of Capitol Hill's newest clique?

Deep spending cuts are likely, lawmakers say, with no deal on sequester in sight  —  Alex Wong/Getty Images - “I think [the cuts are] more likely to happen.  And I'm ashamed of the Congress, I'm ashamed of the president, and I'm ashamed of being in this body, quite frankly,” said Sen. Lindsey O. Graham …

Louisiana Will Eliminate Health Benefits For HIV Patients, Poor Children, And First Time Moms This Week  —  Last week, Louisiana's poor and terminally ill residents won a surprising victory when Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) announced that his state would not stop providing hospice care to its Medicaid beneficiaries.

January 2013 Ratings: Fox News Down Compared To Last Year  —  With January complete, Fox News has completed 11 straight years of being number one in cable news in both primetime and total day.  That said, the network saw significant ratings declines in January-particularly …

That Cuddly Kitty Is Deadlier Than You Think  —  For all the adorable images of cats that play the piano, flush the toilet, mew melodiously and find their way back home over hundreds of miles, scientists have identified a shocking new truth: cats are far deadlier than anyone realized.

Al Gore Dreams of Electric Jeeps  —  Readers of the former vice president's book might be excused for thinking that all of the evils in the world come from corporations.  —  There have always been two Al Gores.  There is techno-enthusiast Al, who, during his 2000 run for president …

Scott Brown ‘leaning strongly’ toward Senate bid  —  BOSTON (AP) — GOP officials close to Scott Brown report that the former Republican senator is “leaning strongly toward running” in the special election to replace Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry.  —  They report that Brown is likely to enter the race early next week.

FDA Allows College Campus To Make Contraception More Accessible With Plan B Vending Machine  —  The FDA will allow a Pennsylvania-area college to continue dispensing emergency contraception to its students through a vending machine, just as it has done for the past three years …

Exclusive: CIA nominee had detailed knowledge of “enhanced interrogation techniques”  —  (Reuters) - John Brennan, President Barack Obama's nominee to head the CIA, had detailed, contemporaneous knowledge of the use of “enhanced interrogation techniques” on captured terrorism suspects during …

George Ryan Enters Halfway House After Years In Prison  —  Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan entered the Salvation Army halfway house in Chicago Wednesday morning after being released from prison.  He served a sentence for corruption charges.  —  Former Gov. George Ryan was released …

Unions, Hollywood open to bankrolling Obama's advocacy arm  —  Labor unions and Hollywood donors are open to bankrolling Organizing for Action, the outside group that has been formed in support of President Obama's second-term agenda.  —  Traditionally one of the biggest donors to Democrats …

GOP's Electoral Vote Scheme Already On Life Support  —  Four states down, and just two remain.  —  Key Republican officials in Virginia, Ohio, Florida, and Michigan are coming out against a RNC-backed scheme to rig the electoral vote in Democratic-leaning states in order to boost Republican presidential candidates.

BREAKING: Virginia Senate Committee Overwhelmingly Kills Electoral Vote Rigging Scheme … ProgressVirginia reported Tuesday afternoon that the Virginia Senate's Privileges and Elections Committee killed Sen. Charles “Bill” Carrico Sr.'s electoral college-rigging bill, despite an offer …

Bob Guccione's Penthouse secrets bared  —  A Wealthy hedge funder who began buying unclaimed storage lockers as a hobby has uncovered a treasure trove of artifacts from the estate of late Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione.  —  Jeremy Frommer, a former Royal Bank of Canada managing director …