House Republicans appear to be rallying behind $85 billion budget deal  —  House Republicans appeared Wednesday to be rallying around an $85 billion deal to avert ­another government shutdown, brushing off complaints from their right wing that the effort would trade immediate spending cuts for less-certain long-term savings.

The story behind “that selfie”  —  So here's the photo, my photo, which quickly lit up the world's social networks and news websites.  The “selfie” of three world leaders who, during South Africa's farewell to Nelson Mandela, were messing about like kids instead of behaving with the mournful gravitas one might expect.

Meet the littlest casualty in the war on men.  —  Hunter Yelton of Cañon City, Colo., is accused of sexual harassment.  Hunter Yelton is 6 years old and in the first grade.  “He has a crush on a girl at school, who likes him back,” reports Colorado Springs' KRDO-TV.

Juking the ObamaCare Stats  —  HHS won't disclose the enrollment data that really matter.  —  Most of Washington seems to have bought the White House claim that the 36 federal exchanges are finally working, and glory, glory, hallelujah.  But if that's really true, then what explains the ongoing secrecy and evasion?

Senate pulls an all-nighter, approves federal appeals court nominee  —  (CNN) — Frustrated Republicans are retaliating for a Democratic power play to weaken their hand in opposing presidential nominations by forcing an all-night session.  —  Votes on judicial and other appointments were set …

Nearly $90 million in fines handed down for government-funded phone fraud  —  (KMOV) - More fines issued for those involved in a government- funded “free phone” fiasco following a News 4 Investigation.  —  Two companies accused of fraud first played off the allegations to News 4's Chris Nagus …

Is The Universe A Hologram?  Physicists Say It's Possible  —  A team of physicists has provided some of the clearest evidence yet that our Universe could be just one big projection.  —  In 1997, theoretical physicist Juan Maldacena proposed that an audacious model of the Universe …

Biden: My ancestors 'didn't all come here legally'  —  Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday that some of his ancestors came to the United States illegally and said it's fruitless to compare the immigration system of the 1800s to today's.  —  “My great-great grandparents came escaping …

A year after Newtown, Americans divided on gun laws  —  Shares -  —  Tweets - Stumble  —  One year after the deadly school shooting in Newtown, Conn., Americans divide on what should happen to laws covering the sale of guns, according to a new CBS News poll.

Obama's tardy epiphany about government's flaws  —  The education of Barack Obama is a protracted process as he repeatedly alights upon the obvious with a sense of original discovery.  In a recent MSNBC interview, he restocked his pantry of excuses for his disappointing results, announcing that …

With Charges Dropped, George Zimmerman Can Get All Of His Guns Back  —  On Wednesday, Florida state prosecution dropped the domestic violence charges against George Zimmerman from a November dispute with his girlfriend Samantha Scheibe.  —  Because the charges were dropped …

Vladimir Putin defends anti-gay laws as bastion of global conservatism  —  President says Russia stands on international stage in defence of traditional values against ‘fruitless so-called tolerance’  —  Vladimir Putin has defended Russia's anti-gay laws in his annual address to both chambers of the Russian parliament.

GOP dislikes sitting congressman, eyes DWI pol with secret family  —  Republicans are so nervous about Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm's re-election chances that they've quietly reached out to former GOP Congressman Vito Fossella — who quit five years ago after confessing to having a secret second family …

Obama's Orwellian Image Control  —  THE Internet has been abuzz over the spectacle of President Obama and the prime ministers of Britain and Denmark snapping a photo of themselves — a “selfie,” to use the mot du jour — with a smartphone at the memorial service for Nelson Mandela in South Africa on Tuesday.