Biden says Obama offered financial help amid son's illness  —  Washington (CNN)As his eldest son faced the prospect of resigning as Delaware's attorney general amid health concerns, Vice President Joe Biden received an offer that floored him: financial support from his boss, President Barack Obama.

Obama, Democrats at odds before State of the Union address  —  Tensions between liberal Democrats and President Obama are bubbling up as the president heads to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to deliver his final State of the Union address to a restless ­Congress.

War over gay marriage to play out at SOTU  —  Share Tweet Reddit Digg Mail Print SMS More  —  President Obama's effort to stack the audience with those who support his causes at his last State of the Union Address is being rebuffed by conservatives inviting guests that challenged Obamacare and gay marriage.

Rand Paul and Carly Fiorina Cut From Next Republican Mainstage Debate  —  Republican presidential candidates Rand Paul and Carly Fiorina have been cut from the next mainstage debate on Thursday.  —  According to a newly-announced lineup by debate host Fox Business Network …

Bevin notifies feds he'll dismantle kynect  —  FRANKFORT, Ky. Following through on a campaign pledge, Gov. Matt Bevin has notified federal authorities he plans to dismantle kynect, Kentucky's health insurance exchange created under the Affordable Care Act.  —  The decision drew immediate fire …

President Obama on Donald Trump: ‘Talk to me if he wins’  —  President Obama, on the eve of his final State of the Union address, rejected the message Donald Trump has capitalized on in his presidential campaign.  —  “The message that Donald Trump's putting out has had adherence a lot of times during the course of our history.

Supreme Court conservatives appear ready to overturn mandatory union fees  —  People participate in a Jan. 11 rally at the Supreme Court in Washington as the justices heard arguments in Friedrichs vs. California Teachers Assn.  —  Reporting from Washington

RISE IN MIGRANTS LEAVING GERMANY FOLLOWING COLOGNE SEX ATTACKS  —  Germany has started sending a growing number of migrants back to Austria since the New Year's Eve sex attacks in Cologne shocked the country.  —  Some of the departing migrants said they did not want asylum in Germany …

David Bowie Allowed His Art to Deliver a Final Message  —  In the video for David Bowie's “Lazarus,” released last week, the mythic singer and rock ‘n’ roll shape-shifter, ever thin but bordering on gaunt, is blindfolded and writhing in a hospital bed.  “Look up here, I'm in heaven,” he sings.

Denying the Obvious About Islamist Terror  —  After another ISIS-inspired shooting, Philadelphia's mayor joins the chorus: It's not about religion, no sir.  —  It required only half a minute for the mayor of Philadelphia, Democrat Jim Kenney, to achieve national fame.

Is This The End of ‘The New Republic’?  —  After spending ‘over $20 million’ on the political and cultural journal, Chris Hughes' decision to sell ‘TNR’ could mark its death knell.  —  In what some knowledgeable observers characterized as the death knell for a nearly 102-year-old American institution …

Executive actions used to enhance power of government  —  There he goes again.  President Obama is shamelessly, cynically and hypocritically exploiting a mass shooting to advance his gun control agenda.  The executive actions he proposed Tuesday would have had no preventive impact whatsoever …

Chinese Gaming Billionaire Buys U.S. Gay Dating App Grindr  —  Beijing Kunlun Tech offers $93 million for 60 percent stake  —  Kunlun shares hit maximum daily limit in share trading  —  One of China's newly minted technology billionaires signed a deal to buy a controlling stake in Grindr …