Tea Party candidates launch battle against Republican honchos  —  Several Republican senators' reelection efforts are being threatened by conservative challengers such as the controversial Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Tex.)  —  Republican honchos like Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) are facing an uprising.

Iowa Poll: The early favorites for 2016 presidential race  —  Iowa Poll: Presidential candidate preferences: Iowa Poll: Presidential candidate preferences  —  Hillary Clinton, left, and Paul Ryan / Getty Images photos  —  Coming Monday  —  How do Iowans feel about health care reform and its rollout?

Ambassador Kennedy: A star is born  —  Caroline Kennedy is a long way from Syracuse.  —  The soft-spoken presidential scion, who four years ago this month toured upstate New York in a short and ill-fated bid for the U.S. Senate, has swept with force into her newest public role as President Barack Obama's ambassador in Japan.

Inside the Saudi 9/11 coverup  —  After the 9/11 attacks, the public was told al Qaeda acted alone, with no state sponsors.  —  But the White House never let it see an entire section of Congress' investigative report on 9/11 dealing with “specific sources of foreign support” for the 19 hijackers, 15 of whom were Saudi nationals.

Peter O'Toole, star of Lawrence of Arabia, dies aged 81  —  Actor who shot to fame in David Lean's 1962 masterpiece and received eight Oscar nominations has died in hospital in London  —  The actor Peter O'Toole who found stardom in David Lean's masterpiece Lawrence of Arabia, has died aged 81, his family has annouced.

White House delayed enacting rules ahead of 2012 election to avoid controversy  —  The White House systematically delayed enacting a series of rules on the environment, worker safety and health care to prevent them from becoming points of contention before the 2012 election …

McCain: CIA did not tell Congress the truth about Levinson  —  (CNN) - Sen. John McCain joined CNN's “State of the Union” from Kiev, Ukraine, on Sunday after the Arizona Republican addressed thousands of protesters who are angry over the Ukrainian government's decision to backpedal away from an agreement with the European Union.

George P. takes baby steps away from Bush name  —  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The latest scion of one of America's most powerful political dynasties is trying to convince voters he's something other than what his famous surname suggests.  —  George P. Bush, the 37-year-old grandson of one former president …

A Formula for Happiness  —  HAPPINESS has traditionally been considered an elusive and evanescent thing.  To some, even trying to achieve it is an exercise in futility.  It has been said that “happiness is as a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”

US embassy in London unveils huge tapestry of Obama, gushes over his ‘warm smile’ [pics]  —  Bask in the warmth, Twitchy readers.  Just bask. … President Selfie fits right in, huh?  —  (Photo credit: U.S. Embassy London)  —  Subtle placement.  —  (Photo credit: U.S. Embassy London)

23% Name Pope Francis Most Influential, 21% Say Obama  —  Time magazine named Pope Francis its “Person of the Year” last week, and nearly one-in-four Americans agrees with that pick.  —  Rasmussen Reports gave Americans a similar list of influential people worldwide, and 23% said Pope Francis was the most influential person in 2013.

“Never be afraid of tenderness”  —  In this exclusive interview, Pope Francis speaks about Christmas, hunger in the world, the suffering of children, the reform of the Roman Curia, women cardinals, the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), and the upcoming visit to the Holy Land