One thing we don't know about Hillary  —  Did she learn any lessons from 2008?  —  Hillary Clinton made her first public speech since leaving the State Department last night, addressing the Vital Global Leadership Awards at the Kennedy Center.  She did not say she is running for president in 2016.

N. Korea approves nuclear strike on United States  —  SEOUL — North Korea dramatically escalated its warlike rhetoric on Thursday, warning that it had authorised plans for nuclear strikes on targets in the United States.  —  “The moment of explosion is approaching fast,” the North Korean military said …

In a Budget Gesture, Obama Will Return 5% of His Salary  —  President Obama plans to return 5 percent of his salary to the Treasury in solidarity with federal workers who are going to be furloughed as part of the budget cutting process known as sequester, an administration official said Wednesday.

Remembering the Affair to Remember  —  It's kind of nice to have Mark Sanford back.  —  Perhaps not if you're from South Carolina.  It is my strong impression that many South Carolinians are tired of their former governor, who so famously snuck off to Argentina for some extramarital recreation …

Media Covers up Democrat-Backed Planned Parenthood's Support for Infanticide  —  For almost as long as there have been two parties, there have been accusations of mainstream media bias.  Conservatives know it's real.  Liberals insist it's imagined.  Bias is evident not only in how events …

As lead sponsor in House on gun legislation, Rep. Diana DeGette appears to not understand how they work  —  Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette didn't appear to understand how guns work Tuesday at a forum on gun control.  In two different Congresses, she has been the lead sponsor on legislation to ban high-capacity ammunition magazines.

Obama in California for Congressional Fund-Raisers  —  WASHINGTON — As he battles to advance legislative priorities on gun control and taxes, President Obama opened a multimillion-dollar fund-raising drive Wednesday in the hope of winning a friendlier Congress for his final two years in office.

Cuccinelli challenges Va. sodomy ruling  — Stumble upon something good?  Share it on StumbleUpon  — Send via Email  — Send this page to Print Friendly  —  Virginia Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli is challenging a ruling that overturned the state's sodomy law.

STUDY: States With Loose Gun Laws Have Higher Rates Of Gun Violence  —  The National Rifle Association (NRA) and its allies in Congress frequently claim that gun violence is highest in places with the toughest crime laws.  But a new study from the Center for American Progress (CAP) …

A Leave of Presence  —  Thank you.  Forty-six years ago on April 3, 1967, I became the film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.  Some of you have read my reviews and columns and even written to me since that time.  Others were introduced to my film criticism through the television show …

We need a nuclear deterrent more than ever  —  As Britain marks the 100th Vanguard patrol, Prime Minister David Cameron explains why he believes it is vital to renew Trident  —  HMS Victorious, the Royal Navy's Trident submarine, sailing up Gareloch, on the West Coast of Scotland

State Legislature Approves Historic Gun Bill; Governor To Sign It Thursday At Noon  —  After more than 13 hours of debate that was at moments impassioned and agonized, the General Assembly early Thursday approved an historic and far-reaching gun-control bill that proponents said was their toughest …

Obama: ‘No conflict’ between gun control and gun rights  —  President Obama on Wednesday will argue there is “no conflict” between tougher gun control measures and protecting the right to bear arms.  —  In a speech just miles from the Aurora, Colo. movie theater where 12 people were killed …

Scientists Find Signal in Space That Could Be Dark Matter  —  A search for the collision of matter and antimatter in our galaxy has turned up a signal that might be the best direct evidence of dark matter to date.  —  These are the first findings to come from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment …

Gay son of Rep. Salmon defends father  —  Rep. Matt Salmon's son defended his father a few days after the Arizona Republican said he did not support same-sex marriage even though his son is gay.  —  Over the weekend Rep. Salmon said he opposed same-sex marriage despite his son's sexuality.

House Group's Immigration Bill Takes Shape  —  WASHINGTON — In the shadow of a bipartisan Senate group preparing to roll out broad immigration legislation next week, shortly after Congress returns from its holiday break, a bipartisan group of eight House members is readying its own bill.