Judge Halts New York City Soda Ban … A state judge on Monday stopped Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration from banning the sale of large sugary drinks at New York City restaurants and other venues, a major defeat for a mayor who has made public-health initiatives a cornerstone of his tenure.

Breitbarted  —  OK, I'm an evil person — and my scheming has paid off.  —  On Friday I started hearing from friends about a fake story making the rounds about my allegedly filing for personal bankruptcy; I even got asked about the story by a reporter from Russian television, who was very embarrassed when I told him it was fake.

Joe Lieberman to join conservative think tank  —  Former Sen. Joe Lieberman is joining the conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute, the organization announced Monday.  —  Lieberman — Al Gore's vice presidential running mate in 2000 and a Democratic presidential candidate in 2004 …

Why Everyone Hates The White House Beat Now  —  BuzzFeed's new White House reporter explores the declining prestige of his “soul-killing” assignment.  —  The White House press corps is seen as Obama arrives to speak.  —  Image by Charles Dharapak / AP  —  WASHINGTON — Freshly minted …

Chief of US Pacific forces calls climate biggest worry  —  CAMBRIDGE — America's top military officer in charge of monitoring hostile actions by North Korea, escalating tensions between China and Japan, and a spike in computer attacks traced to China provides an unexpected answer when asked …

After Watering Down Financial Reform, Ex-Senator Scott Brown Joins Goldman Sachs' Lobbying Firm … During his nearly three years in the U.S. Senate, Scott Brown (R-MA) frequently came to the aid of the financial sector — watering down the Dodd-Frank bill and working to weaken it after its passage …

Why the Senate Democrats' Budget Will Be Vague  —  The fewer specifics they offer, the less political ammunition there will be for the GOP to use against them.  —  The GOP has long hoped that by prodding the Senate majority to produce a budget, it could force Democrats to commit to paper …

Sunday Talk Interviews Show Why Jeb Bush Will Never Be President  —  The younger Bush may be flirting with a run, but for a Republican to seriously compete in 2016, he must publicly distance himself from George W. Bush—and in five interviews Sunday, Jeb showed he wouldn't do that if he could.

Matt Lauer's Bruising Year After Ann Curry's Ouster Devastated the ‘Today’ Show  —  The Today host tells Howard Kurtz that NBC mishandled Ann Curry's ouster and describes how the network is rebuilding the show.  Plus, his secret talks with Katie Couric.  —  One day last fall …

Green Cars Have a Dirty Little Secret  —  Producing and charging electric cars means heavy carbon-dioxide emissions.  —  Electric cars are promoted as the chic harbinger of an environmentally benign future.  Ads assure us of “zero emissions,” and President Obama has promised a million on the road by 2015.

Obama phones Sen. Kirk  —  President Obama called Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) on Monday.  —  “They discussed bipartisanship in terms of the budget and getting something done,” a Kirk spokesman said in an email to The Hill.  “They discussed North Korean/Iranian nuclear programs.  They discussed guns.”

Paul Ryan Reverses Himself Yet Again On Medicare Cuts  —  When he unveils his budget plan this week, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) will complete a 720-degree flip on President Obama's cuts to Medicare providers in the Affordable Care Act.  —  As he revealed on “Fox News Sunday,” Ryan's upcoming budget will sustain the cuts.

US-born former Army vet known as ‘The American’ fights alongside Al Qaeda  —  He's a U.S.-trained soldier turned Muslim warrior who moves between America and countries where the winds of the Arab spring blow, fighting alongside jihadists and America-hating terrorists while celebrating his bloody exploits on YouTube videos.

Chris Huhne: I am sorry  —  Jailed ex-minister tells the Guardian he accepts responsibility for chain of events that led to prison and loss of political career  —  Chris Huhne, the jailed former cabinet member, has apologised unreservedly for lying for two years about asking his wife …

Smaller States Find Outsize Clout Growing in Senate  —  At left, the view toward Vermont from Washington County, N.Y., left.  Vermont got much more federal stimulus money than larger states.  “We never saw any of the positive impact of the stimulus funds,” said Peter Aust, top right …

Congressional Black Caucus ‘disappointed’ in Obama's Cabinet picks  —  (CNN) - Rep. Marcia Fudge, chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, expressed concern in a letter to President Barack Obama over the lack of African Americans among his new Cabinet picks.