FRONT-RUNNER-I-NESS IN DOUBT?

Romney trying hard to lower expectations in South Carolina

mitt-romney-gage-skidmore-jan-20-flickr

With the crucial Republican presidential primary in South Carolina just hours away, front-runner Mitt Romney on Friday lowered expectations for how well he will do.

VICTORY LAP

Internet wins: PIPA/SOPA postponed

Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) with President Barack Obama. Photo: AFP.

After vowing to move forward with an up or down vote on controversial anti-piracy legislation, two key lawmakers announced Friday that the votes are off, indefinitely.

NOTHING IS SACRED

Gay hookup app Grindr hacked, users exposed

A man uses a smartphone. Photo: Shutterstock, all rights reserved.

The popular gay hookup app Grindr admitted Friday that a hack completely exposed users’ accounts, including identifying information, ongoing chats and photos.

OUR MAN IN D.C.

Holder, top DOJ lawyers tied to big banks

Attorney General Eric Holder at a Department of Justice press conference. Photo: AFP.

Attorney General Eric Holder and Lanny Breuer, head of the DOJ’s criminal division, were partners for years at a law firm that represented a Who’s Who of big banks.

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Obama commits to universal birth control

Birth control pills,  courtesy of Flickr/brains the head, Creative Commons licensed

The Obama administration announced Friday it would stand by a policy that requires virtually all insurance to cover family planning, including female contraceptives.

OWNERSHIP SOCIETY

Small biz coalition calls for overthrow of Citizens United

A businessman wearing a pig mask. Photo: iStock, all rights reserved.

A recent survey of small business owners found that most of those polled believe the influx of private money into public elections is a bad thing, and should be stopped.

Science

Rare monkey is rediscovered in Borneo

An endangered monkey known as the Miller’s Grizzled Langur has been discovered on the island…

Third baby dies after Belfast hospital outbreak

A third baby has died after an outbreak of a deadly infection in a Belfast…

Tech News

Demand Progress: U.S. responded to blackout protest with the middle finger

The advocacy group Demand Progress condemned the Obama administration on Thursday after the FBI took…

‘Anonymous’ allegedly crashes Justice.gov after FBI shuts down MegaUpload

Hacktivists affiliated with the “Anonymous” movement took credit for crashing the websites of the U.S.…

Media

US shutdown of sharing site draws hacker retaliation

US authorities have shut down one of the largest file-sharing websites and charged seven people…

Colbert plans South Carolina rally with Herman Cain

By Grace Wyler He may not have been a great presidential candidate, but there is no…

World

Polish lawmaker smokes ‘marijuana’ in parliament

Janusz Palikot, the leader of a new party which brought in Poland’s first trans-gender and openly gay MPs, launched a…

Violence keeps Syria on edge, Arab mission in doubt

AMMAN (Reuters) – Scattered violence broke out on Friday in Syria, where Arab peace monitors have completed a month-long mission,…

British police make arrest over Saddam’s bronze buttock

LONDON — British police arrested a 66-year-old man in connection with part of a bronze statue of Saddam Hussein, a…

Romania opposition supporters stage mass protest

BUCHAREST — Around 7,000 people joined a mass opposition demonstration in Bucharest on Thursday calling on Romanian President Traian Basescu…

U.S. News

Rosa Parks sign defaced with ‘KKK’ graffiti

Authorities are investigating a possible hate crime after a sign honoring a civil rights hero…

Gingrich turns ‘open marriage’ question into attack on CNN

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, who once said “people have every right to ask the…

Ohio voters want fracking halted for safety studies: poll

CLEVELAND (Reuters) – Ohio voters by a wide margin want a halt to hydrofracking until…

Gingrich blasts media as Republicans clash

Surging Republican White House hopeful Newt Gingrich blasted US media digging into his past marital…

After Internet blackout, all GOP candidates agree SOPA sucks

Following the protests Wednesday that saw dozens of websites go dark in opposition to federal…