On Iran, Hagel Muddles the Message  —  Dealing with Iran is complicated, but President Obama's policy on the question of whether a nuclear-armed Iran could be successfully “contained” - the way the Soviet Union was during the cold war - is simple.  —  His answer is no.

Edward I. Koch |  1924-2013: Edward I. Koch, Mayor as Brash as His City, Dies at 88  —  Edward I. Koch, the master showman of City Hall, who parlayed shrewd political instincts and plenty of chutzpah into three tumultuous terms as New York's mayor with all the tenacity …

Scott Brown won't run for Senate  —  Former Massachusetts Republican senator Scott Brown will not run in the special election for outgoing Democratic Sen. John Kerry's seat, according to a Republican source familiar with his plans.  Brown's decision means Kerry's seat is very likely to remain in Democratic hands.

Keeping our users secure  —  As you may have read, there's been a recent uptick in large-scale security attacks aimed at U.S. technology and media companies.  Within the last two weeks, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal have chronicled breaches of their systems …

The White House's contraceptives compromise  —  The Obama administration proposed broader latitude Friday for religious nonprofits that object to the mandated coverage of contraceptives, one that will allow large faith-based hospitals and universities to issue plans that do not directly provide birth control coverage.

Hillary Clinton: ‘I am more optimistic today’  —  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said goodbye to the nation's diplomatic corps and aid workers on her last day on the job, and said she was more upbeat about the fate of the world than she had been at the start of her tenure.

Former First Dog Barney Bush Passes Away  —  The Bush family statement, via Reuters:

APNEWSBREAK: MARINES ISSUE SURVEY ON WOMEN'S ROLE  —  You are here  —  Home » James F. Amos » APNewsBreak: Marines issue survey on women's role  —  SAN DIEGO (AP) — A Marine Corps survey found about 17 percent of male Marine respondents who planned to stay in the service …

The Democrats' Unconstitutional Gun Grab  —  It's not just Washington: all across the country, the Democratic Party is trying to rob firearm owners of their constitutional rights.  Here in Minnesota, the Democrats took control of both houses of the legislature in November …

Conservatives Shocked to Discover Healthcare in America is Really Expensive  —  “Can you respond to this?” asks a reader via Twitter.  “Conservative friends are posting it all over.”  It turns out that “this” is a headline from CNS: … Apparently conservatives are outraged by this …

2nd Oval Office Readied in White House Rehab Project  —  This summer there will be two Oval Offices in the White House complex, and it won't be a case of double vision.  —  In preparation for a major, two-year renovation of the West Wing, the government is undertaking extensive work to complete …

The Easy Problem  —  Over here in the department of punditry, we deal with a lot of hard issues, ones on which the evidence is mixed and the options are all bad.  But the immigration issue is a blessed relief.  On immigration, the evidence is overwhelming; the best way forward is clear.

Iran's space monkey triumph exposed as a fake … Iran enjoyed rare triumph on Monday — the successful launch of a monkey into space.  —  The regime proclaimed it as proof that Iranian scientists could match their Western counterparts, evidence that international sanctions were ineffectual, and a stepping stone to a manned flight.

2 Dead in Suicide Bombing at U.S. Embassy in Turkey  —  ISTANBUL — A suicide bomber was killed on Friday in an attack at the American Embassy in the Turkish capital, Ankara, in which a security employee died and another person was injured, according to Alaattin Yuksel, the Ankara governor.

Hannity Explodes After Being Confronted By ThinkProgress About Previous Offer To Be Waterboarded For Charity  —  Fox News host Sean Hannity is so adamant that waterboarding is not torture that he once offered to be waterboarded at a charity event and donate the proceeds to soldiers' families.

Keystone pipeline decision to languish until mid-June-US source  —  * No time frame for national interest determination  —  The Obama administration's decision on the Keystone XL oil pipeline will not be made until at least June, a U.S. official said, which would delay the project for months …

Why Obama Is Giving Up on Right-Leaning Whites  —  For decades, Democrats shaped their policies around fears of the culturally conservative white voters to the GOP.  But Obama's winning coalition has altered that calculus.  —  With his suddenly aggressive second-term agenda …