Iowa Poll: Clinton slides, leads Sanders by 2 points  —  Hillary Clinton has lost most of her lead over Bernie Sanders in the race to win Iowa's Democratic presidential caucuses, a new Iowa Poll shows.  —  Clinton, who has been the favorite all along, now leads Sanders by just 2 percentage points …

How Ted Cruz wins debates  —  Wolf Blitzer didn't think Ted Cruz had sufficiently answered his question.  Neither did Hugh Hewitt.  Or Maria Bartiromo.  Or Dana Bash.  So each moderator at the last two Republican debates pressed Cruz further.  —  “Yes or no?”  Blitzer demanded.

Alan Rickman, giant of British screen and stage, dies at 69  —  Much-loved star of stage, TV and films including Harry Potter and Die Hard - and owner of one of the most singular voices in acting ­- has died in London  —  Alan Rickman, one of the best-loved and most warmly admired British actors …

His rivals are saying the same thing in different ways: Marco Rubio is weak  —  Chris Christie depicts Marco Rubio as a truant schoolboy.  Jeb Bush's top ally portrays him as a weather vane.  Ted Cruz and his supporters characterize him as a nervous sellout who bowed to Democratic demands for “amnesty.”

Carson campaign in turmoil as finance chair quits  —  Ben Carson's national finance chairman Dean Parker resigned Thursday amid questions about his use of campaign funds and criticism from Carson allies and donors.  —  Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, appointed Parker, a tech industry entrepreneur …

Border officers find ton of pot in fake carrots  —  (CNN)These aren't the carrots Bugs Bunny was chomping on.  U.S. border officers seized more than a ton of marijuana stuffed into fake carrots tossed in with the real thing, officials said.  —  Officers in Pharr, Texas …

Limbaugh Unloads on Nikki Haley: GOP Wants to Drive Out All the Conservatives  —  Today, on his eponymous show, conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh joined in the endless chorus of responses to the State of the Union response leveled by South Carolina governor Nikki Haley.

Paul Ryan: Obama's State of the Union ‘degrades the presidency’  —  WASHINGTON — In a scathing response to President Obama's State of the Union Address, House Speaker Paul Ryan told USA TODAY on Wednesday that the speech's political tone toward Donald Trump and the Republican presidential field “degrades the presidency.”

Allen West: Sailors should have fought Iran  —  Former Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) is criticizing the 10 American sailors detained by the Iranian military, saying they should have resisted arrest.  —  “The result of two U.S. Navy vessels being boarded and seized by an enemy …

Planned Parenthood sues over undercover abortion videos  —  Planned Parenthood on Thursday filed a long-awaited federal lawsuit against the anti-abortion activists who have targeted the group with undercover videos for the last year.  —  The formal complaint marks the first time that Planned Parenthood …

Huckabee: “More Readiness On My Part” To Support Trump Than Others If I Lose  —  “At least with him there's an authenticity.”  —  Justin Sullivan / Getty Images  —  w.soundcloud.com  —  Mike Huckabee says if he's not the Republican nominee, he will likely support front-runner Donald Trump before other candidates in the race.

Here's What Morgan Stanley Is Telling Its Wealthiest Clients About Uber  —  No financials, but a number of risk factors.  —  Wealthy clients of Morgan Stanley and Bank of America just got dibs on shares of the unlisted Uber Technologies, but that doesn't mean they're getting a chance …

American folk singer hopes peace concert for ISIS will win over terror group  —  James Twyman, a musician and author who refers to himself as the “Peace Troubadour,” says that he intends to go to an ISIS-controlled area of Syria to perform a peace concert.  (MKawanophotography)

Bill lets businesses refuse services to gay couples in Georgia  —  STORY HIGHLIGHTS  —  Florists, bakers or any other private business owner could refuse service to gay couples getting married in Georgia, under legislation filed Wednesday that is likely to inflame the battle at the Capitol over religious freedom and gay rights.