CBS ANNOUNCES STEPHEN COLBERT AS THE NEXT HOST OF “THE LATE SHOW”  —  The CBS Television Network today announced that Stephen Colbert, the host, writer and executive producer of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning “The Colbert Report,” will succeed David Letterman as the host of THE LATE SHOW …

King may switch sides and join the Republicans after midterms  —  Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), who caucuses with the Democrats, will decide after the midterm elections whether to switch sides and join the Republicans.  —  He is leaving open the possibility of aligning himself with the GOP if control of the upper chamber changes hands.

Contemptible John Kerry blames Israel for his own mess  —  John Kerry, our secretary of state, is very angry with Israel.  “Poof,” he said on Tuesday — describing how Israel destroyed his “peace process” the other week.  Just like that.  —  The first thing to say is that if a peace process can go …

When the French clock off at 6pm, they really mean it  —  A new labour agreement in France means that employees must ignore their bosses' work emails once they are out of the office and relaxing at home - even on their smartphones  —  Just in case you weren't jealous enough of the French already …

House Conservatives Plot to Oust Boehner, Put Scare Into Cantor  —  One plan: Force the speaker to step aside before the new year.  —  Several dozen frustrated House conservatives are scheming to infiltrate the GOP leadership next year—possibly by forcing Speaker John Boehner …

More Republicans See Health Care Stance as ‘Very Important’ to Midterm Vote  —  Views of ACA Little Changed Following Enrollment Surge  —  In looking ahead to this fall's elections, Republicans are more likely than Democrats to view a candidate's position on the Affordable Care Act as very important to their vote.

DNC blames MSNBC for ‘double standard’ over Scarborough keynote  —  The Democratic National Committee's top spokesperson has sent a letter to MSNBC President Phil Griffin accusing the network of a “double standard” after its decision to allow host Joe Scarborough, a Republican …

The Fortune interview: Rupert Murdoch  —  Defending a newspaper empire amid scandal, splitting a global media conglomerate into two public companies, enduring a high-profile divorce, and struggling to repair frayed relationships with grown children — it's been a trying few years for Rupert Murdoch.

Could America Become Mississippi?  —  The country's demographic trends could lead to racially polarized electorates akin to the Deep South.  —  Does a dramatic change in your social environment make you more conservative, and if so, what kind of change would it take?  —  JAMELLE BOUIE

House panel holds ex-IRS official Lerner in contempt  —  A House panel voted along party lines to hold ex-IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress on Thursday, paving the way for a full House vote as Republicans turn up the heat on the woman at the center of the controversy over tax-exempt tea party groups.

Science teacher's suspension spurs petition drive  —  Cortines School's Greg Schiller was removed by L.A. Unified after two students' projects were deemed to resemble weapons.  —  Rogan and Susan Ferguson say district officials confiscated their son Asa's science fair project, “Evolution of a Coil Gun.”

Eric Holder strays from planned remarks  —  Attorney General Eric Holder strayed from prepared remarks to slam the way he was “treated” by a House committee the day before, calling it evidence of “ugly and divisive” civil rights challenges facing him and President Barack Obama

Jimmy Carter Talks About Iran, Campus Rape, Jesus Christ and the Paintings of W.  —  Former President Jimmy Carter, a hobbyist painter for more than two decades, counts himself a fan of George W. Bush's art.  “He does very interesting work,” Carter told TIME in an interview by phone on Wednesday.

New Rule Prohibits Voters In Miami-Dade County From Using The Restroom, No Matter How Long The Line  —  South Floridians stand in line during the last day of early voting in Miami, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012.  —  CREDIT: AP Photo/Alan Diaz  —  During the 2012 presidential election …

Scathing Report Cites ‘Excessive Force’ by Albuquerque Police  —  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — In a scathing assessment, the Justice Department said Thursday that the Albuquerque Police Department, whose officers have shot and killed 23 people in the last four years, had engaged in a …

Kerry ‘betrayed and surprised’ by McCain onslaught  —  Secretary of State John Kerry felt “betrayed and surprised” by Republican Sen. John McCain's withering and highly personal criticisms at a congressional hearing, a senior administration official told Yahoo News on Wednesday.

New numbers in Arkansas Senate battle  —  (CNN) - Mark Pryor is considered one of the most endangered Democratic senators running for re-election this year, but a new poll has some good news for the two-term Arkansas lawmaker.  —  According to a non-partisan, live operator survey …

Glenn Greenwald Is Coming To America  —  For the first time since his reporting on the National Security Agency's global surveillance programs made Edward Snowden a household name, Glenn Greenwald plans to return to the United States.  —  Greenwald, who lives in Rio de Janeiro …

Dem senator defends the Koch brothers  —  Sen. Joe Manchin on Thursday strongly defended the Koch brothers from attacks by fellow Democrats, saying the wealthy and politically active businessmen are taxpaying Americans who are creating jobs.  —  “People want jobs.  You don't beat up people.