Senators seek deal on gun-sale background checks
Written by ALAN FRAM,Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan quartet of senators, including two National Rifle Association members and two with "F'' ratings from the potent firearms lobby, are quietly trying to find a compromise on expanding the requirement for gun-sale background checks.
Mountain manhunt for ex-cop accused of killing 3
Written by TAMI ABDOLLAH,Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A fired police officer who threatened to bring "warfare" to the Los Angeles Police Department went on a shooting rampage that left a policeman and two others dead and set off an extraordinary manhunt that had three states and Mexico on alert for much of Thursday.
Brennan defends drone strikes, even on Americans
Written by KIMBERLY DOZIER,AP Intelligence Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — CIA Director-designate John Brennan strongly defended anti-terror attacks by unmanned drones Thursday under close questioning at a protest-disrupted confirmation hearing. On a second controversial topic, he said that after reading a classified intelligence report on harsh interrogation techniques, he does not know if waterboarding has yielded useful information.
'Being Mandela:' Granddaughters dish on show
Written by ALEXANDRA OLSON,Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — The newest reality television show is in some ways like any other: mother and daughters, sibling rivalry, family gossip and talk of Big Grandpa, who is very strict but loves it when his great-grandchildren are around making a racket. But that's where the twist comes in: Big Grandpa is Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid legend.
EU leaders inch toward budget deal at tough summit
Written by RAF CASERT,Associated Press SARAH DiLORENZO,Associated Press
BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders closed in on a deal that would cut the bloc's budget for the first time in history and deliver a strong message that years of expanding EU powers were on the wane.
Police: NY mom used kiss to give jailed son drugs
Written by AP
Police: NY mom used kiss to give jailed son drugs
PENN YAN, N.Y. (AP) — Police say an upstate New York woman passed drugs to her son while kissing him when she visited him in jail.
Senate poised to renew Violence Against Women Act
Written by JIM ABRAMS,Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is poised to rewrite the federal government's principal anti-domestic abuse law with new protections for gays, lesbians, immigrants and Native American women.
White House allies produce preschool-for-all plan
Written by PHILIP ELLIOTT,Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Days before President Barack Obama outlines his agenda for the coming year, a think tank with close ties to the White House is outlining a plan that would provide preschool for all children within five years.