UT/TT Poll: Cruz Leads Trump in Texas; Rubio Lags Behind … UT/TT Poll, February 2016 - Methodology UT/TT Poll, February 2016 - Summary  —  With a week remaining before the Texas Republican primary, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has an 8-percentage-point lead over Donald Trump, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.

VIDEO: OBAMA CRACKS JOKE ABOUT SCALIA'S DEATH  —  President grins after making joke at late Supreme Court justice's expense  —  During his National Governors Association speech Monday, President Obama joked there was a lot to get done during his final days in office, including “appointing judges.”

Obama: I'm ‘Absolutely Committed to Closing’ Gitmo  —  President Barack Obama on Tuesday presented a long-awaited plan to Congress to shut down the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, insisting that keeping the prison open is “contrary to our values.”  —  “It's been clear that the detention center …

Bill Gates backs FBI iPhone hack request  —  Bill Gates has broken ranks with Silicon Valley in the stand-off between Apple and the US government, saying technology companies should be forced to co-operate with law enforcement in terrorism investigations.  —  The Microsoft founder took issue …

“Dishonest” and “Socialist” Lead U.S. Reactions to Dems  —  PRINCETON, N.J. — Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have multifaceted images among the American public.  But the most common responses Americans give when asked to say what comes to mind when they think of each are “dishonest” …

Ben Carson: Obama was ‘raised white’  —  GREENVILLE, S.C. - Ben Carson is the only person in the 2016 presidential field who is vying to become the country's second African-American president.  —  If truth be told, however, he's not entirely sure he wouldn't actually be the first.

EXCLUSIVE: ICE Officer to Rubio: ‘You Lied to American Public on FOX News,’ Challenges Him to Meet  —  Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Council President Chris Crane is issuing a challenge to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) following Rubio's attack on the officer.

Dynel Lane, accused of cutting baby from womb, found guilty of attempted murder … BOULDER, Colo. — Dynel Lane, the Longmont woman accused of attacking another woman and cutting the unborn baby from her womb, was found guilty of six felony counts, including attempted first-degree murder …

Death Valley Is Experiencing a Colorful ‘Superbloom’  —  Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth, is currently a riot of color: More than 20 different kinds of desert wildflowers are in bloom there after record-breaking rains last October.  —  It's the best bloom there since 2005 …

Conservative Writer Ben Shapiro Banned from CSULA  —  Early Tuesday morning, conservative writer Ben Shapiro revealed on Twitter that his planned speech on February 25 at California State University-Los Angeles had been canceled by the university's president.