Syrian rebels pledge loyalty to al-Qaeda … BEIRUT — A Syrian rebel group's April pledge of allegiance to al-Qaeda's replacement for Osama bin Laden suggests that the terrorist group's influence is not waning and that it may take a greater role in the Western-backed fight to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad.

U.S. Agencies Said to Swap Data With Thousands of Firms  —  Thousands of technology, finance and manufacturing companies are working closely with U.S. national security agencies, providing sensitive information and in return receiving benefits that include access to classified intelligence, four people familiar with the process said.

CBS News confirms multiple breaches of Sharyl Attkisson's computer  —  CBS News reporter Sharyl Attkisson revealed in May that her computer had been compromised.  When asked about the situation, CBS News responded with a statement that it was conducting an investigation.

Santorum: Why Romney didn't win  —  Rick Santorum ripped Mitt Romney's campaign Thursday for mishandling President Barack Obama's “you didn't build that” gaffe last summer.  —  The former Pennsylvania senator recalled all the business owners who spoke at the Republican National Convention.

Jeb Bush touts ‘fertile,’ pro-family immigrants  —  Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) on Friday said the United States needs immigration reform because immigrants are more ‘fertile,’ have strong family values and will keep the nation young.  —  Speaking to an audience of religious conservatives …

Reps. King, Bachmann and Gohmert beg Glenn Beck's viewers for support: We're losing badly  —  Three of the most controversial Republican members of Congress appeared on Glenn Beck's program Thursday to beg his viewers for support.  —  Reps. Steve King (IA), Michele Bachmann (MN) …

Christie, Bill Clinton Warm to Latest Bipartisan Presidential ‘Bromance’  —  What is it with Chris Christie and Democratic presidents?  —  First, the Republican governor from New Jersey surprised his party by embracing — both figuratively and literally — President Obama.

Secret Court Ruling Put Tech Companies in Data Bind  —  SAN FRANCISCO — In a secret court in Washington, Yahoo's top lawyers made their case.  The government had sought help in spying on certain foreign users, without a warrant, and Yahoo had refused, saying the broad requests were unconstitutional.

Sympathy for the Luddites  —  In 1786, the cloth workers of Leeds, a wool-industry center in northern England, issued a protest against the growing use of “scribbling” machines, which were taking over a task formerly performed by skilled labor.  “How are those men, thus thrown out of employ …

Freedom: The Unfolding Revolution  —  'Why are there no libertarian countries?  In a much-discussed essay for Salon, Michael Lind asks: “If libertarians are correct in claiming that they understand how best to organize a modern society, how is it that not a single country in the world …

Baucus: ‘Creeping’ interest in carbon tax  —  Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said interest in carbon taxes among senators is “creeping up,” but his House GOP counterpart flatly said he's not open to the idea.  —  Baucus, the top Senate negotiator in tax code overhaul talks …

Religion and Inequality  —  About a century ago, Walter Judd was a 17-year-old boy hoping to go to college at the University of Nebraska.  His father pulled him aside and told him that, though the family had happily paid for Judd's two sisters to go to college, Judd himself would get no money for tuition or room and board.

Four States Pushing Through Last-Minute Abortion Restrictions Before Lawmakers Break For The Summer  —  (Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)  —  Across the country, states' legislative sessions are drawing to a close.  Over the past several months, lawmakers have been busy enacting …

FBI hasn't contacted a single tea party group in IRS probe, groups say  —  There is no evidence that the FBI has contacted a single tea party group in its criminal investigation of the Internal Revenue Service, according to the groups the IRS abused.  —  “We have not been contacted …

The Bell Tolls for the ‘New Majority’  —  Next year should be a banner year for the GOP, and may yet be.  —  Obamacare, a “train wreck” about to happen, says Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, goes into full effect Jan. 1, with the popular IRS as enforcer.  —  The Obama media feel betrayed …

Do low taxes on the rich leave the middle-class with lower wages?  —  Raising taxes on the rich often gets proposed as a way of combating the rise of financial inequality.  But how important is tax policy, really?  —  Andrew Fieldhouse, a federal budget policy analyst at the Economic Policy Institute …

Birthday Song's Copyright Leads to a Lawsuit for the Ages  —  The song “Happy Birthday to You” is widely credited for being the most performed song in the world.  But one of its latest venues may be the federal courthouse in Manhattan, where the only parties may be the litigants to a new legal battle.