Are parties hurtling toward 'fiscal cliff'?

With little tangible headway being made in Washington on averting the looming federal taxes-and-spending crisis, a key observer said Wednesday that he puts the chances of Congress reaching a deal before the Jan. 1 "fiscal cliff" deadline at less than 1 in 3.

Power struggle in Egypt raises fear of civil war

The power struggle between Egypt's Islamic and secularist forces intensified Wednesday, with some analysts warning of civil war and supporters of the Islamist government planning to march Saturday on a central square in Cairo where opponents have been holding a sit-in for more than a week.

Justice asks for more on Solyndra

The Justice Department probe into the collapse of solar panel maker Solyndra LLC after the company received a half-billion dollars in federal loan guarantees has prompted requests by government lawyers investigating the company for closing documents and invoices, according to newly filed court records.

Congress implored to denounce sexual-orientation therapy

In the latest attack on therapies aimed at helping gay patients who want to become heterosexual, a California congresswoman Wednesday said she was introducing a resolution calling on the U.S. Congress to denounce the practice.

Obama 'proud' of Rice, GOP still skeptical

President Obama said Wednesday that U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan E. Rice has been "extraordinary" as he sought to boost the embattled diplomat's prospects on Capitol Hill, where she has been trying to smooth the way for a possible promotion to secretary of state but has stumbled in meetings with key Republican senators.

Small town, big hopes: Shopping district sets sail, anchored by Wal-Mart

If the sign on the building didn't say Wal-Mart, you might mistake it for Bloomingdale's.

2 tickets strike gold in record Powerball jackpot

The richest Powerball jackpot ever — and the second-largest top prize in U.S. lottery history — has been won. The question now becomes: Who are the lucky winners waking up to new lives as multimillionaires?

Hill panels play musical chairs

Twelve years after his father gave up the gavel of the House transportation committee shortly before resigning from Congress, his son, Rep. Bill Shuster, will take command of the influential panel in January.

House panel promises more aggressive oversight of Veterans Affairs

The truce is over and expect more aggressive oversight in the coming months, a House committee chairman angrily told leaders of the Department of Veterans Affairs on Wednesday.

Inside the Beltway: Bill and the hoodie

Two decades have passed since nightclub entertainer and blond bombshell Gennifer Flowers stepped before cameras and announced she had a 12-year affair with then-Gov. Bill Clinton, joining a roster of attractive women who reported similar dalliances, wanted and unwanted. Miss Flowers has stepped forward once again to reveal that in 2005, Mr. Clinton offered to come visit her once again.

Senate calls for more Marines at U.S. diplomatic posts

The Senate voted Wednesday to authorize adding Marine security forces to more U.S. diplomatic posts around the globe in the wake of the the Sept. 11 terrorist assault in Benghazi, Libya, that left four Americans dead.

Obama, Romney to meet for lunch at White House

Mitt Romney will have a private lunch with President Obama at the White House on Thursday, their first meeting since the Republican nominee lost the election to the incumbent Nov. 6.

Motivational maestro Zig Ziglar dies at 86

Hilary Hinton "Zig" Ziglar, 86, the man of a million motivational maxims who bucked up and cheered on three generations of Willy Lomans over a 40-year international speaking career, died near his home in Plano, Texas, Wednesday after a brief battle with pneumonia.

Officials to break ground for center at Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, Jill Biden and military families will hold a ceremonial groundbreaking Wednesday for a new education center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington.

Fed survey: U.S. economy growing at steady pace

A pickup in consumer spending and steady home sales helped lift economic growth in October and early November in most parts of the United States, according to a Federal Reserve survey released Wednesday. The one exception was the Northeast, which was slowed by superstorm Sandy.

Commentary

WOLF: GOP must fight corporate welfare

No one accuses establishment Republicans of being terribly brave or bright, but this insanity has got to stop: Democrats repeatedly frighten Republicans into accepting their statist agenda and then blame them for behaving like, well, Democrats. Republicans just keep falling for it.

DANNENFELSER: 'Culture wars' are just getting started

Happy days are here again for Planned Parenthood. November's elections brought the $1 billion domestic organization, the largest abortion enterprise in the United States, a victory at the polls for which, in the manner of such things, it deserves credit. It has helped return to the White House the most active pro-abortion president in American history, protected the largest expansion of abortion and abortion subsidies since Roe v. Wade, and reinstated a Democratic Senate that will block pro-life initiatives and battle tooth and nail for judges who will protect abortion on demand.

MILLER: Thwarting global gun grabbers

The United Nations is pushing gun control on a global scale, and President Obama is on board. Just a few hours after re-election was assured, the president's representative cast a vote for the Arms Trade Treaty at a U.N. committee meeting. The loosely drafted agreement doesn't go after guns directly, but the language enables activist judges to get creative in restricting Americans' exercise of their Second Amendment rights. A final General Assembly decision on the treaty is expected in March, and House Republicans are locked and loaded to stop it.

EDITORIAL: Egypt's new pharaoh

The Arab Spring is showing its true winter colors. Egypt, a former U.S. ally, is rebranding its nascent democracy with oppressive Islamist cant. No one should be surprised.

SCHUETTE: Seeing discrimination in nondiscrimination

In 2006, Michigan voters approved an amendment to their constitution prohibiting racial, gender and ethnic discrimination in public employment, public contracting and public education. Yet the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in Cincinnati struck it down last year.