Tamerlan Tsarnaev got Mass. welfare benefits  —  By:  —  Marathon bombings mastermind Tamerlan Tsarnaev was living on taxpayer-funded state welfare benefits even as he was delving deep into the world of radical anti-American Islamism, the Herald has learned.

Mixed Reactions to Senate Gun Vote  —  Democrats More Disappointed than Angry  —  OVERVIEW  —  The key Senate vote that halted gun control legislation last week is drawing a mixed reaction from the American public: 47% express negative feelings about the vote while 39% have a positive reaction …

New York Man Charged with Internet Extortion and Cyber Stalking … A 21-year-old Great Neck, New York man was charged in a criminal complaint in the Eastern District of Michigan with Internet extortion and cyber stalking, announced United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade.

Obama's tattoo threat  —  President Barack Obama revealed he and first lady Michelle Obama have a master plan to prevent their two daughters from getting tattoos.  —  “What we've said to the girls is that 'If you guys ever decide to get a tattoo, then Mommy and me will get the exact same tattoo …

Pelosi Best Known, Least Liked of Congressional Leaders  —  Americans view top four leaders in House and Senate negatively, on balance  —  PRINCETON, NJ — The top Republican and Democratic leaders in the U.S. House and Senate are a generally unpopular foursome, with Democratic House Minority …

GOP may pull contentious Obamacare bill  —  House Republican leadership is considering canceling a vote this week on the “Helping Sick Americans Now Act,” a bill touted by Majority Leader Eric Cantor as a critical way to improve President Barack Obama's health care law, according to multiple sources.

Meet The New Man At The Center Of The Ricin Case  —  As the case against Paul Kevin Curtis for allegedly mailing ricin was unraveling Tuesday afternoon, FBI agents were already searching the house of another man in connection with the ongoing investigation.  —  Their focus has shifted …

Hundreds of service workers strike in Chicago  —  Hundreds of fast food and retail workers went on strike in Chicago Wednesday morning in a labor action consciously modeled on New York City's fast food workers campaign and the nationwide Walmart strike which occurred last Thanksgiving.

Here Comes Amazon's Kindle TV Set-Top Box  —  Amazon (AMZN) is making e-readers and tablets and will likely soon introduce a smartphone.  As it works to build all types of connected devices, that leaves a natural next step: a television set-top box.  The e-commerce giant is planning …

Ron Paul fans furious over Rand Paul's drone flip-flop  —  Ron Paul's vibrant fan base is in open rebellion today over Rand Paul's perceived reversal on domestic drone strikes.  The Kentucky senator, whose famous 13-hour Senate floor filibuster did much to strengthen his ties …

Ayotte faces backlash over gun vote  —  Gun show background checks are pretty universally popular in New Hampshire...and Kelly Ayotte is facing some serious backlash from voters in the state for voting against them last week.  —  Ayotte now has a negative approval rating with 44% of voters giving her good marks and 46% disapproving.

Bush on Cheney: 'It's been cordial'  —  Former President George W. Bush is in the midst of a media blitz to promote the Thursday opening of his presidential library and has generally projected a jaunty, at-peace air as he takes questions about his tumultuous eight years in the White House.

Hillary Clinton hits the speaking circuit  —  Hillary Clinton's next chapter — the paid speaking circuit — begins today.  —  The former first lady, senator and secretary of state has overnight become one of the most in-demand speakers in the world — as a a reported $200,000-a-pop fee attests …

Turbulence at The Times  —  One Monday morning in April, Jill Abramson called Dean Baquet into her office to complain.  The executive editor of The New York Times was upset about the paper's recent news coverage — she felt it wasn't “buzzy” enough, a source there said — and placed blame on Baquet, her managing editor.

Mark Pryor May Soon Have A Bloomberg Problem  —  Mayors Against Illegal Guns mulls months-long campaign against Democratic senator from Arkansas  —  Mayors Against Illegal Guns, the well-funded group co-founded by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, is seriously considering a months-long television …

House GOP report says Clinton rejected plea for more security in Libya  —  House Republicans charged Tuesday that then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton rejected a direct plea for additional security for U.S. diplomats in Libya before the fatal attack in Benghazi last year …