Trump dominates GOP field heading into 2016  —  Washington (CNN)Donald Trump seems set to end 2015 as the dominant force in the race for next year's Republican nomination for president, with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz now a clear — yet distant — second after a strong debate performance, a new CNN/ORC poll released on Wednesday has found.

Ted Cruz uses his kids as political props  —  There is an unspoken rule in editorial cartooning that a politician's children are off-limits.  People don't get to choose their family members so obviously it's unfair to ridicule kids for their parent's behavior while in office or on the campaign trail- besides, they're children.

FOX Business Network Announces Entry Criteria for GOP Primary Debates on Jan. 14  —  FOX Business Network has announced the candidate criteria for its two Republican presidential primary debates on January 14, 2016.  —  The debates, which have been sanctioned by the Republican National Committee …

The Long Battle for Ramadi  —  Iraqi ground forces stormed Ramadi on Tuesday in an attempt to wrest control of the Iraqi city from the Islamic State, which has controlled it for months.  —  The troops began their offensive Monday night on the edges of the city, and by midday Tuesday …

To Rein In Wall Street, Fix the Fed  —  WALL STREET is still out of control.  Seven years ago, the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department bailed out the largest financial institutions in this country because they were considered too big to fail.  But almost every one is bigger today than it was before the bailout.

US stops British Muslim family from boarding flight to visit Disneyland  —  A British Muslim family heading for Disneyland was barred from boarding a flight to Los Angeles by US authorities at London's Gatwick airport amid concerns of an American overreaction to the perceived terrorist threat.

N.B.A. Lends Its Name and Its Stars to Campaign Against Gun Violence  —  The National Basketball Association, alarmed by the death toll from shootings across the country, is stepping directly into the polarizing debate over guns, regulation and the Second Amendment with an unusual advertising campaign …

Arizona GOP taps creationist chemtrail truther to lead Senate education committee  —  DON'T MISS STORIES.  FOLLOW RAW STORY!  —  An Arizona lawmaker who believes the earth is only 6,000 years old and that the U.S. government regularly sprays its citizens with mind-controlling chemtrails …

Support for legal abortion at highest level in 2 years  —  1 photo  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Support for legal abortion in the U.S. has edged up to its highest level in the past two years, with an Associated Press-GfK poll showing an apparent increase in support among Democrats and Republicans alike over the last year.