The Effects of a Minimum-Wage Increase on Employment and Family Income  —  Increasing the minimum wage would have two principal effects on low-wage workers.  Most of them would receive higher pay that would increase their family's income, and some of those families would see their income rise above the federal poverty threshold.

Scott Brown no longer under contract with Fox News  —  Ex-senator mum on whether he will run in N.H.  —  Former US senator Scott Brown, a frequent presence on Fox News, is no longer under contract with the widely watched cable station, a development sure to fan flames of speculation about his potential US Senate bid in New Hampshire.

Baca apologizes for calling Negrete McLeod a ‘bimbo’  —  Former Rep. Joe Baca (D-Calif.) is apologizing for calling Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-Calif.) “some bimbo” after the woman who defeated him last year announced her retirement.  —  In an interview earlier Tuesday with The Hill …

Kiev Protesters Set Square Ablaze to Thwart Police  —  KIEV, Ukraine — With hundreds of riot police officers advancing from all sides after a day of deadly mayhem here in the Ukrainian capital, antigovernment protesters mounted a final desperate and seemingly doomed act of defiance late on Tuesday evening …

Blair advised Brooks on phone-hacking scandal, court hears  —  Former prime minister suggested setting up ‘Hutton style’ inquiry, according to email from former News International chief  —  Read Rebekah Brooks's email to James Murdoch in full (PDF)  —  Tony Blair advised Rebekah Brooks to launch a …

President Obama Pens Personal Apology to an Art Historian  —  Art historian Ann Collins Johns of the University of Texas at Austin (image used with permission)  —  Professor Ann Collins Johns at the University of Texas at Austin was just as peeved as many people were about President Barack Obama's knock on art history majors.

Homeland Security is seeking a national license plate tracking system  —  The Department of Homeland Security wants a private company to provide a national license-plate tracking system that would give the agency access to vast amounts of information from commercial and law enforcement tag readers …

Scott Walker, eyeing 2016, faces fallout from probes as ex-aide's e-mails are released  —  MILWAUKEE — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who has been eyeing a 2016 presidential run since his battles with labor unions made him a Republican star, is in the midst of dealing with the fallout …

Release Detail  —  February 19, 2014 - Ohio Gov Can't Break Free Of Unknown Challenger, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Divided On Death Penalty  —  Watch Video: Assistant Director Tim Malloy discusses poll results  —  Ohio Gov. John Kasich has a 51 - 36 percent job approval rating …

The IRS targets political speech again  —  Discouraging debate and curbing information … The Internal Revenue Service is used to being universally disliked every April 15.  But this year, the widespread denunciations have started early, and for good reason.

Greg Abbott says he's campaigning with Ted Nugent “to expose” Wendy Davis on gun rights  —  Republican Greg Abbott touted Ted Nugent today as a political comrade in arms.  He largely avoided questions about Democrats who have singed out Nugent's outspoken comments calling President Obama …

It's True: Liberals Like Cats More Than Conservatives Do  —  Preferences for pets or particular kinds of food can accurately predict partisanship, research from more than 200,000 TIME readers shows  —  In January, TIME ran a 12-question quiz that guessed your politics based on things …

Who are the real thugs?  —  Let's play a game.  It's called: “Who's the Thug?”  —  It's the day after Thanksgiving 2012, and four teenagers are sitting in a Dodge Durango outside a convenience store in Jacksonville, Fla.  —  The Durango is red, which is unimportant.  The teenagers are black, which is important.

McCain eyes Armed Services Committee  —  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Tuesday night said if Republicans win control of the Senate this year, he would want to be chairman of the Armed Services Committee.  —  McCain was asked in an interview on Phoenix radio station KFYI's “The Mike Broomhead Show” …

Jim Crow laws for gays and lesbians?  Column  —  Kansas legislation could make discrimination easy.  —  What's the matter with Kansas?  A bill protecting the religious freedom of businesses and individuals to refuse services to same-sex couples passed the state House of Representatives last week.

Why the Archbishop of Westminster is wrong about welfare  —  Our plan for Britain is not just about saving money, but about doing what is right, says the Prime Minister  —  It is sometimes said that the Church should not get involved in politics.  I disagree.

READING THE NUMBERS  —  Last week's report about the declining abortion rate in the United States was potentially good news for everyone, especially, one would think, for right-to-life groups.  Most of them, though, weren't cheering.  A statement from Americans United for Life called the report …

Loan Complaints by Homeowners Rise Once More  —  A growing number of homeowners trying to avert foreclosure are confronting problems on a new front as the mortgage industry undergoes a seismic shift.  —  Shoddy paperwork, erroneous fees and wrongful evictions — the same abuses that dogged …

Soldier convicted in rape, murder of Iraqi girl is found hanged  —  Steven Dale Green in a booking mug shot taken at the Mecklenburg County Jail in Charlotte, N.C., in July 2006.  (Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office / July 3, 2006)  —  This post has been updated.  See below for details.