Roger Ebert dies at 70 after battle with cancer  —  Except for those he hated.  —  For a film with a daring director, a talented cast, a captivating plot or, ideally, all three, there could be no better advocate than Roger Ebert, who passionately celebrated and promoted excellence in film …

Bill Nelson reverses opposition to gay marriage  —  Sen. Bill Nelson has reversed his opposition to gay marriage, becoming the latest senator to do so.  Now, only six Democrats in the chamber are opposed to gay marriage.  —  In a statement to the Tampa Bay Times editorial board, he wrote:

Majority Now Supports Legalizing Marijuana  —  OVERVIEW  —  For the first time in more than four decades of polling on the issue, a majority of Americans favor legalizing the use of marijuana.  A national survey finds that 52% say that the use of marijuana should be made legal while 45% say it should not.

The 13 Hottest Attorneys General  —  Weird thing to say, President Obama.  —  Rosie Gray  —  an hour ago  —  39 responses

Blair Scorned at Home Builds Business Empire Abroad  —  Blair Builds Business Empire, Embraces Philanthropy  —  On a snowy morning in the middle of February, Tony Blair, looking trim from his four- to five-times- a-week workout regime, is sipping coffee in his office in London's Mayfair district.

Most don't want same-sex marriage decision left to states, poll finds  —  Half of the country supports same-sex marriage, and most people don't believe the issue should be left to the states, according to a new poll.  —  The latest Quinnipiac University survey comes just a week …

Obama: Newtown Shooter Gunned Down 20 Children With ‘Fully Automatic Weapon’  —  At a fundraiser last night in San Francisco, President Barack Obama said that the Newtown killer gunned down 20 children using a “fully automatic weapon.”  From the official transcript, provided by the White House:

As Senate Prepares To Take Up Background Checks, NRA Warns Of Outright Gun Confiscation  —  As the U.S. Senate prepares to consider a package of gun violence prevention proposals next week, the National Rifle Association has moved into full campaign mode, fighting against reforms backed by 91 percent of the American public.

Introducing Home  —  Today we're introducing Home - a new way to turn your Android phone into a great, living, social phone.  —  We all want to share and connect.  That's how we discover new information and build meaningful relationships.  But today, phones are built around tasks and apps.

Scott Brown Won't Rule Out New Hampshire Senate Bid  —  ABC News' Arlette Saenz, Michael Falcone and Elizabeth Hartfield report:  —  Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown told reporters Thursday night that he is not ruling out a run for Senate in the neighboring state of New Hampshire in 2014.

In Obama Budget, Social Programs Face a Cutback  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama next week will take the political risk of formally proposing cuts to Social Security and Medicare in his annual budget in an effort to demonstrate his willingness to compromise with Republicans and revive prospects …

George Osborne parks in disabled bay: Tory Chancellor causes outrage by ignoring restrictions  —  He was branded selfish and arrogant after allowing his chauffeur to park his £50,000 Land Rover in a space reserved for the disabled  —  Dozy parker: Mr Osborne returns to his car

Judge Who Sent Racist, Anti-Obama Email Will Retire From Bench  —  Last year, former Chief Judge Richard Cebull, a George W. Bush appointee to the federal district court in Montana, admitted to sending a racist email forward comparing President Obama's conception to sex with a dog:

Holder takes $10,750 sequester pay cut in gesture to Justice Department workers  —  Attorney General Eric Holder is joining other top Obama administration officials in voluntarily taking a pay cut to show solidarity with federal workers affected by sequestration.

North Korea's missile launchers on the move, indicating possible new provocation  —  North Korea has begun moving its mid-range missile launchers, possibly indicating a looming test as tensions are already boiling on the peninsula, U.S. officials told Fox News.

McAuliffe Tight-Lipped on Child Sodomy Case  —  Liberal blogs have been ridiculing Virginia attorney general and gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli for prosecuting a 47-year-old man named William Scott MacDonald under Virginia's anti-sodomy law.  While the prosecution is an obvious sign …

Apple's iMessage encryption trips up feds' surveillance  —  Internal document from the Drug Enforcement Administration complains that messages sent with Apple's encrypted chat service are “impossible to intercept,” even with a warrant.  —  Encryption used in Apple's iMessage chat service …

Why 2012 Postmortems Overstate Republican Woes  —  Since the 2012 elections, there's been an extended debate over the strength of the current Democratic majority and the future viability of the Republican Party.  I've long argued that these postmortems are overwrought, and nothing about the results altered that.

Matt Blank, Dennis Basso and the Story Behind Meghan McCain's Latest TV Project  —  Last week, it was all about authors and agents, and today it was television titans' turn in the rotating cast of characters that is Wednesdays at Michael's.  Tonight when Liz Smith hosts her annual kick-off …

PAC launches to support bearded political candidates  —  A Political Action Committee (PAC) launched this week to support bearded candidates, according to paperwork filed Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).  —  The Bearded Entrepreneurs for the Advancement of a Responsible Democracy …