Struggling to Gauge ISIS Threat, Even as U.S. Prepares to Act  —  WASHINGTON — The violent ambitions of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria have been condemned across the world: in Europe and the Middle East, by Sunni nations and Shiite ones, and by sworn enemies like Israel and Iran.

Ted Cruz Booed Off Stage At Middle East Christian Conference [VIDEO]  —  Sen. Ted Cruz was booed offstage at a conference for Middle Eastern Christians Wednesday night after saying that “Christians have no greater ally than Israel.”  —  Cruz, the keynote speaker at the sold-out D.C. dinner gala …

New Michael Brown shooting witnesses describe scene  —  (CNN) — Two men, shocked at what they saw, describe an unarmed teenager with his hands up in the air as he's gunned down by a police officer.  —  They were contractors doing construction work in Ferguson, Missouri, on the day Michael Brown was killed.

Obama's New War on ISIS May Be Illegal  —  In a stunning turnaround, the Obama administration is arguing that a law authorizing a war on al Qaeda be used to justify strikes on al Qaeda's foes.  —  President Obama's new war against ISIS is off to a shaky legal start.

Oscar Pistorius Not Guilty of Murder; Still Faces Lesser Homicide Charge  —  PRETORIA, South Africa — The judge presiding over the trial of Oscar Pistorius, the Paralympic athlete, cleared him of the two most serious murder charges against him on Thursday, almost certainly sparing him a long prison sentence.

Turkey refuses US permission for combat missions against ISIS: official  —  ANKARA: Turkey will refuse to allow a US-led coalition to attack jihadists in neighbouring Iraq and Syria from its air bases, nor will it take part in combat operations against militants, a government official told AFP Thursday.

Arnold had Shriver scrubbed from portrait  —  He scrubbed her from his heart!  —  Arnold Schwarzenegger was so hot to erase any memory of his marriage to Maria Shriver that he had her face scrubbed from his official portrait as governor of California — and he didn't even care …

Jay Carney's rough first night vs. John McCain  —  Former White House press secretary Jay Carney is used to battling it out with journalists.  But on Wednesday evening he had a new adversary: Sen. John McCain.  —  In an appearance on CNN as its newest contributor, following President Barack Obama's prime …

Loose Lips: Hell hath no fury like a Palin family visit.  Campaigns gear up.  Mayor Dan grabs a Tiger by the tail.  —  About 65 people showed for the fundraiser for gubernatorial candidate Bill Walker and lt. gov. candidate Byron Mallott on Monday night.  It wasn't the usual Dem crowd.

Exclusive: Joe Biden to chase Hillary Clinton to Iowa next week  —  Vice President Joe Biden will make a splash in Iowa with an official White House visit next week, just three days after Hillary Clinton basks in a major media spotlight here.  —  Both Democrats are considered potential 2016 presidential candidates.

Stop the Anti-Obamacare Shenanigans  —  SO far, opponents of the Affordable Care Act have lost every major battle to repeal or invalidate it.  Some of them are now urging the courts to interpret the health reform law in a way that would guarantee its failure.

Kansas High Court Rejects Kobach's Request To Transfer Senate Case  —  The Kansas Supreme Court has decided to hear the lawsuit Democratic Senate nominee Chad Taylor has brought against Secretary of State Kris Kobach, after Kobach argued that the case should be transferred to a lower court.

Catholic League Says It Will Not March In 2015 St. Patrick's Day Parade  —  NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) — The world's largest St. Patrick's Day parade is making more headlines.  —  A week after Organizers of the NYC St. Patrick's Day parade announced that they are ending a ban and allowing …

Georgia Secretary Of State Laments That Democrats Are Registering Minority Voters  —  Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp (R)  —  CREDIT: Office of the Secretary of State  —  A day after the Senior Deputy Whip for the Georgia Senate Republicans vowed to block early voting dates and locations …

The Strange Case Of A Father Who Sued The Obama Administration To Keep His Daughters From Getting Birth Control  —  Providing two college-age women with health insurance that covers birth control, according to an attorney for Missouri state Rep. Paul Joseph Wieland (R) and his wife Teresa …

Goodell Under Siege  —  NEW YORK — The Ray Rice tornado has been swirling for three days now, and the twists and turns have been fast and furious.  Have you ever seen a story go so frenetic in three days?  As Wednesday evening began, one NFL owner told me he didn't think NFL commissioner Roger Goodell …