THE NATIONAL DEBT CLOCK

"I am not worried about the deficit.  It is big enough to take care of itself."

                                                                                            Ronald Reagan

J.D. Crowe, the Mobile Register

Patrick Chappatte, Le Temps & International Herald Tribune

 Steve Breen, San Diego Union-Tribune

R.J. Matson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Chris Britt, Washington State Journal-Register

Steve Kelley, The Times Picayune

Jimmy Margulies, The Record of Hackensack, NJ

 John Darkow, The Columbia Daily Tribune

 Joe Heller, Green Bay Press-Gazette

Michael Ramirez, Investors Business Daily

Jerry Holbert, The Boston Herald

WEATHER: 

LONG-TERM FORECAST:

'Northern US to see colder-than-normal temps for 2nd half of winter

South will be warmer than normal.  

ALABAMA:

Weekend twister damage rises to 500 homes

(Weather graphics courtesy weather.com)

UN WEATHER AGENCY:

Concentrations of global warming gases are at record levels

INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE PANEL: 

Warns world's leader to "Get ready for extreme weather" 

STUDY:

Climate change blamed for rise in rainfall levels in world's largest river basins

CLIMATE SCIENTISTS:

More weather disasters ahead

WORLDWIDE: 

Natural disaster refugees soar to 42 million

REPORTS:

Experts now predict a much bigger global warming sea level rise is likely

 2010 tied as warmest year on record, U.S. says

 Last decade warmest on record, review finds

GLOBAL WARMING STUDY:

Rising temperatures 'the new normal'

Worst-case scenario...7.2 F warmer by 2060's

SPORTS:

 

STATE COLLEGE:

Paterno buried after emotional funeral procession

 

AUSTRALIAN OPEN:

Nadal outlasts Federer to reach Aussie Open final

Sharapova powers into Australian Open final

  

NHL:

Thursday:

No games scheduled

Wednesday’s game:

• Canadiens 7, Red Wings 2

Tuesday’s games:

• Canucks 3, Oilers 2, SO

• Sharks 1, Flames 0

• Wild 3, Avalanche 2

• Coyotes 3, Senators 2

• Predators 3, Blackhawks 1

• Penguins 3, Blues 2, SO

• Stars 1, Ducks 0

• Flyers 3, Panthers 2, SO

• Maple Leafs 4, Islanders 3, OT

• Lightning 4, Blue Jackets 2

• Sabres 2, Devils 1, SO

• Capitals 5, Bruins 3

• Rangers 3, Jets 0

Briere is 6th Flyer to have concussion

Click here for USA Today’s NHL concussion tracker

 

NBA:

Thursday’s games:

• Clippers 98, Grizzlies 91

• Celtics 91, Magic 83

Wednesday’s games:

• Lakers 96, Clippers 91

• Warriors 101, Trail Blazers 93

• Nuggets 122, Kings 93

• Raptors 111, Jazz 106, 2OT

• Timberwolves 105, Mavericks 90

• Spurs 105, Hawks 83

• Pacers 95, Bulls 90

• Thunder 101, Hornets 91

• Bucks 105, Rockets 99

• Heat 101, Pistons 98

• Nets 97, 76ers 90, OT

• Wizards 92, Bobcats 75

• Cavaliers 91, Knicks 81

Lakers pass Knicks as most valuable franchise

Wizards fire coach Flip Saunders after 2-15 start

   

NFL:

IT WILL BE THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS VS. THE NY GIANTS IN SUPER BOWL XLIV

 

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP:

The New York Giants beat the 49'ers in Frisco, in OT, 20-17

 

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP:

Patriots stun the Ravens 23-20, gain 7th Super Bowl appearance

 

Dolphins hire Pack's offensive coordinator Joe Philbin as head coach

Roethlisberger settles suit alleging '08 rape

 

SALT LAKE CITY:

Freestyle skiing star Sarah Burke dies from injuries 9 days after crash

 

Canadian freestyle skiing champion, Sarah Burke succumbed to injuries she sustained

after a horrific accident during a Half Pipe training run on January 10.  Doctors said she

died of irreversible brain injuries.

(File photo)

 

TERRELL OWENS:

T.O. announces he's leaving NFL for the IFL

  

KENTUCKY:

Muhammad Ali cheered at 70th birthday bash in Louisville

 

BOWL GAMES

#2 Alabama blanks #1 LSU 21-0 for BCS National Championship 

Northern Ilinois beats Arkansas State, 38-20 in the GoDaddy.com Bowl 

SMU tops Pitt 28-6 in the BBVA Compass Bowl 

#7 Arkansas beats #11 Kansas State 29-16 to win the Cotton Bowl

#23 West Virginia runs it up against #14 Clemson, 70-33 in the Orange Bowl

#13 Michigan beats #17 Virginia Tech 23-20 in the Sugar Bowl 

#4 Stanford runs out of Luck as #3 Oklahoma St. wins Fiesta Bowl, 41-38 

#6 Oregon beats #9 Wisonsin 45-38  to win 1st Rose Bowl in 95 years

No. #11 South Caroline beats #21 Nebraska in Capital One Bowl, 30-13 

#12 Michigan St. earns 3-OT win over #18 Georgia, 33-30 in Outback Bowl 

#24 Penn St falls to # 20 Houston in Ticket City Bowl, 30-14

Gators beat Buckeyes 24-17 in Gator Bowl 

Cincinnati runs over Vanderbilt 31-24 in Liberty Bowl

Auburn outguns Virginia 43-24 in Chick-fil-A Bowl

 #19 Oklahoma outscores Iowa 31-14 in Insight Bowl

Utah takes Georgia Tech 30-27 in the Sun Bowl

Rutgers downs Iowa St. 27-13 in Pinstripe Bowl

Mississippi St. tops Wake Forest 23-17 in Music City Bowl

BYU scores last-minute TD to beat Tulsa 24-21 in Armed Forces Bowl

Baylor outshoots Washington, 67-56, a record in the Alamo Bowl

FSU rallies to beat Note Dame 18-14 in Champs Sports Bowl

Nevada loses to #22 Southern Miss, 24-17 in Hawaii Bowl 

Texas beats California 21-10 in Holiday Bowl

Toledo edges Air Force 42-41 in wild Military Bowl

Purdue beats Wester Michigan 37-32 in wild, back-and-forth Pizza Bowl

 Illinois outduels UCLA 20-14 in the Fight Hunger Bowl

Missouri beats North Carolina 41-24 in the Independence Bowl

Purdue overcomes Western Michigan 37-32 in Little Caesars Bowl 

#8 Boise St. clobbers ASU 56-24 in Las Vegas Bowl 

#16 TCU tops La. Tech in Poinsettia Bowl

North Carolina State over Louisville 31-24 in the Belk Bowl

UL-Lafayette tops San Diego State 32-30 in New Orleans Bowl 

Marshall defeats FIU 20-10 in Beef 'O' Brady Bowl

Temple runs over Wyoming 37-15 in New Mexico Bowl

La.-Lafayette beats SDSU 32-30 in New Orleans Bowl thriller

Ohio rallies over Utah State 24-23 in Idaho Potato Bowl for first ever bowl victory

 

News:

Quickly scan the latest news, business, sports and weather.

(Each story hyperlinked for more detail) 

   TOP STORIES: 

NBC/WSJ POLLS: 

Members of Congress? 56% of Americans say get rid of them all and start over 

Gingrich leads Romney 37% to 28%, but badly trails Obama

DEFENSE SECRETARY LEON PANETTA:

Military budget cuts will not discriminate; will affect 'all 50 states'

CONNECTICUT:

Home invasion killer is sentenced to death

KENTUCKY:

Ship carrying rocket parts, hits bridge

A large portion of the Eggner's Ferry Bridge lies draped across the bow of the Delta Mariner

cargo ship after the boat, carrying a cargo of rocket parts, came too close and brought it

down.  The bridge connects US 68 and Kentucky Route 80 over the Tennessee River and

handles about 2,800 vehilces per-day.  No injuries were reported.

(Photo courtesy AP)

ITALY:

Wrecked cruise ship passengers offered $14,460

Divers find 16th body in cruise ship wreck; 17 still missing

Crews set to remove oil from Italian wreck

Salvage crews at work, lashing a huge barge to the side of the stricken ship in

advance of a delicate operation to siphon-off its nearly full-load of fuel oil.

Officials said it will be a slow process that could take up to a month to complete.

(Photo courtesy AP)

IRAQ:

Suicide car bombing Friday, 01/27/12, kills at least 26, wounds at least 53 in Baghdad

CAIRO:

Egypt bans the son of Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood from leaving country

3 others also put under 'defacto detention' for 'unauthorized' pro-democracy activity 

Crowds gather in Cairo's Tahrir Square to marks one year since uprising

ANALYSIS:  Egyptians see remarkable year not living up to potential

SPACE ROCK COMES CLOSE:

Bus-size asteroid will pass Earth only 37,000 miles away at 10:30 am EST Friday  

TWITTER:

To censor user content in some countries

ARIZONA:

Arizona Republican Governor Jan Brewer, Obama in 'tense' exchange

On his arrival at airport, she tries to lecture him on immigration issues

Finger-pointing time at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport just after Air Force One touched

down Wednesday. The short testy exchange had to do with immigration issues.

Governor Brewer says Obama "is out of touch" on immigration. The President accused

her of "misrepresenting" a previous White House meeting they had in a book she wrote.

Obama is holding a handwritten note she gave him, inviting him back to meet with her.

(Photo coutesy AP)

AUSTRALIA:
Australia's Prime Minister dragged away from Aboriginal protest

PM Julia Gillard visibly shaken after being trapped during a ceremon

Bodyguards and police hustle Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard out of a reception area

in Canberra Thursday, 01/26/12 after an anti-government demonstration apparently got out of

hand.  The occasion was one of many country-wide events celebrating "Australia Day," the

224th anniversary of the founding of the country.  Groups of Aboriginies protested the day of

observation as "an invasion" of their country by the British.

(Photo courtesy EPA)

CNN/TIME/ORC POLL:

Romney and Gingrich neck-and-neck before this weekend's primary in Florida

NANCY PELOSI:

'Gingrich will never be president...there is something I know" 

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi being interviewed by CNN's John King Tuesday night. She responded

to Kings' question on whether nor not there was a chance Gingrich could become president by

saying:  "Let me just make my prediction and stand byit.  It isn't going to happen.  There is

something I know."  When pressed, she would not say what it was that she knew about Gingrich

that would prevent him from gaining the Oval Office.  When informed of Pelosi's statement,

Gingrich challenged her to "spit it out". 

(Photo from TV footage courtesy CNN)

STATE COLLEGE:

Paterno buried after emotional funeral procession

Thousands of mourners turned out Wednesday 01/25/12 to bid farewell to Penn State

football coach, Joe Paterno, who died of lung cancer at the age of 85.  Thousands of

people lined up for 2 viewings held before his funeral was held.

(Photo courtesy AP)

SOLAR STORM:

Sun's flares spark brilliant northern lights

Solar flares on the sun Tuesday 01/24/12 sparked spectacular northern lights shows

over Norway on Thursday, 01/26/12.

(Composite image by WydeWorld.com from NASA photo on left and articlightphoto.com on right)

SOMALIA:

2 hostages in Somalia, 1 American and 1 Dutch citizen are freed in US Navy raid

AP: Navy SEALs who rescued 2 Somalia hostages are same who killed bin Laden

The 2 hostages rescued in a daring raid early Wednesday morning 01/25/12 in Somalia. On the left,

60-year-old Poul Hagen Thisted of Denmark and on the right, 32-year-old Jessica Buchanan of the

US. They had been captured by Somalia pirates in October and held for ransom. The US Navy

SEAL team that killed killed Osama bin Laden in a raid in Pakistan in May last year is the same

group that rescued Thisted and Buchanan by helicopter extraction. The US says 9 pirates were

killed in the raid. President Obama personally signed off on the mission. The 2 hostages had

been in Somalia working for a Denmark-based operation that finds and defuses land mines.

There are at least 4 other hostages being held by Somali pirates, including an American

journalist, 2 Spanish doctors and a British tourist.

(Composite image by WydeWorld.com from family-supplied photos)

STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS:

 Obama declares: "We've come too far to turn back now" 

"Our Union is getting stronger" 

 "We cannot be divided into wealthy and struggling Americans"

President calls on the wealthy to pay more

Obama stands by energy initiatives

Click here for full text of President's speech 

With Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner in the background,

President Barack Obama acknowledges applause from the Joint Session of Congress

 after his State of the Union Address Tuesday night.

(Photo courtesy EPA)

GOP RESPONSE:

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels says State of the Union "is grave" 

MITT ROMNEY:

Releases income records that show he pays less than 14% in taxes

For fiscal years 2010 & 2011, he earned $42.5M, pays only $6.2M in federal tax

MILITARY TRIBUNAL:

US Marine will serve no time in Iraqi killings case

DEPT. OF VETERANS AFFAIRS:

Probe finds 123 burial problems at VA cemeteries

GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING OFFICE:

Study shows the numbers of homeless female veterans surging 

FEDS:

5th person arrested in Megaupload case

ARKANSAS:

Democrat campaign manager's cat beaten to death, 'liberal' scrawled on it

The cat that belonged to Jake Burris, who found it on his doorstep on returning to

his Russelville home.  The cat had been beaten to death and spray-painted with

the word "liberal" on its side.  Burris is the campaign director for a Democratic

hopeful running for US Congress.

(Photo courtesy mailonline.com)

OKLAHOMA:

Hospital must pay country singer Garth Brooks $1 million

Concerns money he donated that hospital was found to have mis-used 

NYC:

Crossing sign outside NYC high school misspelled

A sign of the state of education in the US?

(Photo courtesy mailonline.com)

HARVARD STUDY:

Household chemicals ruin efficacy of children's vaccinations 

HOLLYWOOD:

'Hugo' leads Oscar nominations with 11

Some surprises in Oscar nomination list

KANSAS:

Nation's oldest federal judge dies at 104

The Honorable Wesley Brown, a US Senior District Judge who sat in Wichita, here

pictured when he turned 100 in 2007.  He died at the age of 104 in an assisted-living

center Monday, 01/23/12.  Judge Brown was appointed to the federal bench by

President John F. Kennedy in 1962.  Associates said that although his case load

was lighter in recent years, he kept working almost until the end.

(File photo)

WASHINGTON:

Former CIA agent charged with leaking info in Gitmo case

SUPREME COURT:

Court rules on GPS tracking but leaves larger privacy issues unresolved

Ruling: Law enforcement needs warrant for GPS tracking

CHICAGO:

US Senator Mark Kirk, 52, (R-Ill) suffers stroke, undergoes surgery

STANFORD UNIVERSITY:

Study says women feel pain more intensely than men

TENNESSEE:

Senator Rand Paul  says he was 'detained' for refusing TSA pat-down

Incident occured at Nashville Airport Monday morning; Paul has been a vocal critic of TSA

ARIZONA:

Tucson mall shooting victim, Gabrielle Giffords steps down from Congress

Giffords meets with supporters on last day in office

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, shot once in the head during a one-man attack just over

a year ago, had been mulling whether or not to stay in the House. In a YouTube video posted

Sunday 01/22/12, she announced she has decided to step aside.  The Arizona Democrat

was nearly killed while campaigning in a Tucson Mall.  6 people, including a member of her

staff were killed and 13 others were wounded in the shooting 01/08/11.

NEVADA:

Flash floods feared after now-contained Reno wildfire

PENTAGON:

Thousands of sex assaults go unreported

GUTTMACHER INSTITUTE STUDY:

Abortion rates higher where it's illegal

THE WHITE HOUSE:

Obama rejects controversial Keystone crude oil pipeline

  This page was last modified on Friday, January 27, 2012 06:53:00 PM