Authorities have clear video images of two suspects in Boston Marathon bombings, official says  —  Authorities have clear video images of two separate suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings carrying black bags at each explosion site and are planning to release the images today in an appeal …

A Senate in the Gun Lobby's Grip  —  SENATORS say they fear the N.R.A. and the gun lobby.  But I think that fear must be nothing compared to the fear the first graders in Sandy Hook Elementary School felt as their lives ended in a hail of bullets.  The fear that those children who survived …

EMS Director Says 60 To 70 Dead In West Explosion  —  West EMS Director Dr. George Smith says as many as 60 or 70 people died and hundreds were injured Wednesday night in a fertilizer plant explosion in West.  —  A rescuer earlier said he knew of five deaths.

MIND-BOGGLING DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT RICIN LETTER SUSPECT: 'I'M ON THE HIDDEN FRONT LINES OF A SECRET WAR'  —  Paul Kevin Curtis, 45, of Tupelo, Miss., has been arrested in connection with ricin letters that were sent to both Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and President Barack Obama," The New York Times reports.

Gang of Eight aims to stop conservative attacks  —  The Senate's Gang of Eight is mounting an aggressive lobbying campaign with one major goal: weaken the conservative opposition to a sweeping immigration overhaul.  —  Hours after the bill was unveiled after 2 a.m. Wednesday …

Gun Violence Victims Detained, Put Through Background Check For Yelling ‘Shame On You’ At Senators  —  “Shame on you!”  Patricia Maisch and Lori Haas yelled in rapid succession at the 46 senators who had just voted to kill a compromise amendment to expand background checks for gun purchases at gun shows or online.

How Savvy Jenny Sanford Sabotaged Ex-Husband Mark's Political Comeback  —  Obama Delivers Emotional Condemnation of Senate Republicans After Gun-Control Defeat  —  A couple of months ago, when I was reporting a feature on Mark Sanford's political comeback and the ongoing soap opera between …

Mitch McConnell ad seizes on secret audio  —  Mitch McConnell continues to seize on the bungled taping of his Louisville campaign headquarters.  —  The Senate Minority Leader will go on the air Thursday with a new commercial that links last week's brouhaha to the Democratic president's desire to oust him.

Former chief of staff to break silence on Michele Bachmann  —  WASHINGTON - GOP operative Andy Parrish, a former chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, is expected to tell an Iowa Senate ­ethics panel that her 2012 presidential campaign made improper payments to its state chairman.

Phillies pitcher Jonathan Papelbon: Obama out for guns  —  Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jonathan Papelbon says that the president is out to take your guns.  —  The pitcher, who came to prominence during his run with the Boston Red Sox (including as the team's closer during …