The state of North Carolina filed an appeal Friday to a judge's ruling that license plates with the words "Choose Life" on them are unconstitutional because the state does not offer an alternative for supporters of abortion rights.

US-ICE-child-abuse-arrest

A high-profile appeal for help from the public to solve a child pornography case led to an arrest of one suspect in Los Angeles, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced.

US-Native-American-Adoption-Dispute

A custody battle involving the "best interests" of a 3-year-old Cherokee girl will be taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court, an issue spanning the rights of adoptive parents and the desire to preserve Native American families within tribes.

MED-FDA-Foodborne-Illnesses

The Food and Drug Administration proposed two new rules Friday that it estimates could eliminate up to 1.25 million foodborne illnesses each year from such pathogens as Salmonella, Listeria and E. Coli. The new regulations are part of the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act, which aims to make the agency more proactive at preventing outbreaks. Each year one out of every six Americans gets sick from foodborne illnesses, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Roughly 128,000 people are hospitalized and 3,000 die.

MED-Massachusetts-Pharmacy-Meningitis

A Massachusetts pharmacy linked to a meningitis outbreak says its cleaning contractor should share blame for the apparent mishap that left dozens dead nationwide.

MED-drowsy-driving

Most of us are familiar with the dangers of drunken driving, but drowsy driving can be just as deadly. Studies estimate 15% to 33% of fatal crashes involve tired drivers, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

MED-Obamacare-2013

Some 50 million Americans still lack health insurance. That will change for the greater majority when the Affordable Health Care Act, or Obamacare, as it's more commonly known, rolls out over the next couple of years.

POLITICS

POL-Violence-Against-Women-Act-Debate

Who in Congress doesn't want to pass a bill that helps protect women against acts of violence? No one, of course. But the Violence Against Women Act, first passed in 1994 and reauthorized previously without fanfare, hit a snag this time around. The hiccup in the bill involved groups of vulnerable people: Native Americans, immigrants and those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT. That's the reason there was no consensus over a law that primarily provides support for organizations that serve domestic violence victims, said Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wisconsin, herself a rape victim.

POL-Congress-Watchdog-Reauthorized

Just hours after taking office, the new House of Representatives reinstated a team of ethics investigators that had faced what seemed like a certain death due to lawmakers' inaction. Overshadowed by the recent fiscal cliff hubbub, lawmakers from the last session had neglected to decide whether or not to renew the Office of Congressional Ethics. Last week, CNN reported on the concerns among public interests groups that lawmakers were purposely trying to kill the OCE through their inaction to avoid future ethics investigations.

POL-Poll-Fiscal-Cliff

A new poll shows neither Republicans nor Democrats in Congress weathered the fiscal cliff showdown well, and Americans' views on the agreement are sharply divided along political lines.

POL-WH-Hagel-Nomination

The White House has told some senior members of Congress to expect President Obama to nominate Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense, according to a knowledgeable source. Another source with knowledge of the nomination called it "locked down."

POL-Leaders-Defend-Hagel

Former members of Congress and foreign policy professionals are coming to the defense of former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, who's expected to be tapped as the nominee for Defense Secretary. Known as the Bipartisan Group, they have letters published in several publications defending Hagel, who has come under harsh criticism from some members of Congress and conservative activists over past positions not supporting sanctions against Iran and what some of them consider a dovish defense point of view. Also some pro-Israel lobbyists believe he has not been supportive enough of the Jewish state. Hagel also opposed the surge of troops in Iraq pushed by the Bush administration.

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