Wearing your hoodie in public could soon cost you up to a $500 fine  —  OKLAHOMA CITY,Okla.-The cold Oklahoma weather has many sporting hoodies outside to help fight the cold, but wearing a hood in a public place could soon be against the law.  —  The idea of banning hoods is not new to Oklahoma …

Dems warn GOP: No ‘ideologue’ in budget job  —  Senate Democrats are warning Republicans to tread carefully with their selection of a budget scorekeeper for the new Congress, saying they will “strongly object to any effort to politicize this important office.”

Republicans in state governments plan juggernaut of conservative legislation  —  Legislators in the 24 states where Republicans now hold total control plan to push a series of aggressive policy initiatives in the coming year aimed at limiting the power of the federal government and rekindling the culture wars.

Kentucky Man Helps ‘Brave’ Girl Who Survived Plane Crash  —  Shaking and upset, a 7-year-old girl who survived a plane crash in southwestern Kentucky that killed her parents, sister, and cousin found herself on the doorstep of Larry Wilkins's home.  —  “When I answered the door, there was a bloody girl,” said Wilkins.

GOP focus for Congress: Cut deficit, don't stumble  —  Associated Press 1 hr ago  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — In the first Republican-dominated Congress to confront President Barack Obama, GOP leaders will focus on bolstering the economy and cutting the budget — and oh yes …

U.S. Attorney's Office Will Not Pursue Charges Against John W. Hinckley, Jr. for Death of James Brady  —  Legal Barriers Cited in Decision  —  WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia announced today that it will not pursue criminal charges against John W. Hinckley …

Conway man faces sex assault charges over incident with nephew's girlfriend  —  A Conway man is in jail facing sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in which he allegedly assaulted his nephew's girlfriend.  —  William L. Mattson, 52, of Conway, was arrested by Conway police …

Bratton warns NYPD not to turn backs on mayor at cop's funeral  —  Police Commissioner Bill Bratton is so worried his cops will turn their backs to his boss again that he sent out a memo pleading with them not to do it again, The Post has learned.  —  “A hero's funeral is about grieving …

Treasury Imposes Sanctions Against the Government of The Democratic People's Republic Of Korea  —  Action Targets the Government of North Korea in Response to Recent Provocations  —  WASHINGTON - In response to the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's numerous provocations …

Al-Qaeda suspect dies days before US trial  —  New York (AFP) - A Libyan accused over the 1998 Al-Qaeda bombings of US embassies in Africa died on Friday, days before he was to stand trial in New York.  —  Abu Anas al-Libi, 50, was on the FBI's most-wanted list with a $5 million price …

An “Obama Unbound” effect - or Viva Obama?  —  Since mid-December, President Obama's net approve/disapprove numbers have shot up.  This graph shows the median of the last 21 days of polling.  The current level, a net disapproval of only 2%, reflects six pollsters (Gallup, Rasmussen, CNN, ARG, YouGov/Economist, and ABC/Post).

In Sweden, the Land of the Open Door, Anti-Muslim Sentiment Finds a Foothold  —  ESKILSTUNA, Sweden — As Khalif Samantar knelt for afternoon prayers at the Eskilstuna Islamic Dawa Center on Christmas Day, he sensed a growing heat and a low, rushing sound coming from a nearby hallway.

Many Identities of New York Officers' Killer in a Life of Wrong Turns  —  His entire life, Ismaaiyl Brinsley tried on identities as if they were new clothes.  He was a bad boy with a gun, a fashionable man in Gucci and Cartier, a T-shirt maker, a film director, a screenwriter, a devout Muslim, a rap producer.