House Republicans repudiate McCarthy comments on Benghazi probe  — McCarthy said Tuesday night that the GOP-led Congress had succeeded by bringing down Clinton's poll numbers because of the Benghazi probe  —  Washington (CNN)House Republicans on Wednesday sharply repudiated …

First on CNN: Biden expected to skip first Democratic debate  —  Washington (CNN)Vice President Joe Biden has extended his window for deciding whether to jump into the 2016 presidential campaign, several Democrats say, allowing the contest to play out even longer before he answers …

State to close 5 parks, cut back services at driver license offices  —  State parks and driver license offices were the first casualties announced because of the reduced state budget, which goes into effect Thursday.  —  The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced today that driver license examiners …

Kentucky gov. candidate snubs Rand Paul  —  Rand Paul's return to Kentucky this weekend to aid the stumbling campaign of his home-state's Republican gubernatorial nominee just got really awkward.  —  During a radio debate Wednesday morning, Matt Bevin, the GOP candidate for governor …

Trump Would Now Give Syrian Refugees the Boot  —  On the first campaign stop since announcing his tax plan, GOP front-runner Donald Trump came out swinging Wednesday night to a crowd of over 3,500 in Keene, N.H.  —  Changing his tune on Syrian refugees, after once saying he would grant …

Putin wants to humiliate Obama with airstrikes in Syria  —  Barack Obama extends his hand to Vladimir Putin during their meeting at the United Nations General Assembly.  —  The first thing to understand about Vladimir Putin is that he's not content just to win.  He has to destroy his opponents, foreign or domestic.

Secret Service official wanted to embarrass congressman  —  An assistant director of the Secret Service urged that unflattering information the agency had in its files about a congressman ­critical of the service should be made public, according to a government watchdog report released Wednesday.

Emails: Russia-linked hackers tried to access Clinton server  —  2 photos  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia-linked hackers tried at least five times to pry into Hillary Rodham Clinton's private email account while she was secretary of state, emails released Wednesday show.

Cougar sightings rattle residents  —  Big cats seen in Lucerne Valley, Hesperia

Sweet Cakes owners who refused to make same-sex wedding cake now refuse to pay $135,000 damages  —  “They are entitled to ... review of the case, but do not have the right to disregard a legally binding order.”  —  The Oregon couple who made national headlines when they refused to bake …

A Chief Justice Without a Friend  —  Lest anyone suppose that the beating Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. is taking from Republican candidates might cause liberals to enfold him in a comforting embrace, the current issue of The Nation puts that thought to rest.

GOP grapples over scope of budget deal  —  Senate Republicans are debating how far to go in budget talks with President Obama and Democratic leaders that would set spending levels for the federal government and possibly raise the debt ceiling.  —  The big question is how far Senate Majority …

Why Pope Francis' Meeting With Kim Davis Is Such a Disaster  —  I woke up this morning to reports that during his recent U.S. visit, Pope Francis met with Kim Davis, a Kentucky county clerk best known for refusing to issue lawful marriage licenses, interfering with the ability of her deputies …

Exclusive: Obama brushed off Reid's plea on Palestinian state  —  <p>Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid on two different occasions this year went to White House chief of staff Denis McDonough seeking a public commitment from President Barack Obama that he would veto any U.N. resolution calling …

Kissinger Biography Is Great, Says Pal of Author and Kissinger in New York Times  —  This Sunday, the New York Times Book Review will publish a review of the first volume of Niall Ferguson's authorized biography of Henry Kissinger, Kissinger: The Idealist.  The reviewer is Andrew Roberts.

Judge in Wyoming blocks fracking rule  —  A federal judge has issued an injunction against new Department of Interior regulations for hydraulic fracturing on federal land.  —  Judge Scott Skavdahl of the U.S. District Court of Wyoming ruled Wednesday that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) …

Tensions in government as refugee crisis bites  —  Tensions within Austria's government, stoked by the refugee crisis, burst into the open on Thursday as the head of the conservative People's Party threatened to scupper the ruling coalition after less than two years in office.