Since Watergate, every two-term president has had a second-term scandal. First-term mistakes and hyperpartisanship make probes – like those into Benghazi and the IRS – almost inevitable.
Terrorism & Security North Korean pirates seize Chinese hostages, demand a ransom
8:36 am ET - A group of Chinese fishermen are said to be held hostage in North Korea, straining ties already frayed by North Korea's missile launches.
How a toilet paper shortage may temper Chavismo in Venezuela
3:54 pm ET - Under Hugo Chávez, big businesses endured threats of state takeover. This week, Chávez's successor reached out to the boss of Venezuela's largest privately held company.
Obama to detail terrorism policy including drone attacks and Guantánamo Bay prison
3:27 pm ET - In a national security speech, President Obama will explain his policies dealing with terrorism, the use of drone aircraft, Al Qaeda, and the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.
In Israel, a modern wall is halted by ancient terraces
2:55 pm ET - Israel’s high court has issued an injunction against extending the separation barrier through the Palestinian village of Batir, famed for its 2,500-year-old terraces and aqueducts.
The good news – and the bad news – for Obama in scandal-tinged polls
11:04 am ET - President Obama's approval rating has not slipped in public opinion polls despite a trio of political scandals. But most Americans don't think much of the way the administration has handled the issues, and they believe further investigation is justified.
Did the Associated Press blow an Al Qaeda informant's cover?
4:46 pm ET - Some officials say the Associated Press scoop on a thwarted terrorist plot by an Al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen harmed the effort to neutralize a master bomb-builder. Does that excuse the Obama administration's aggressive crackdown on national security leaks?
IRS scandal becomes Republican battering ram against Obamacare (+video)
3:21 pm ET - Republicans lawmakers say the scandal over Internal Revenue Service scrutiny of conservative groups raises new doubts about President Obama’s health-insurance reform law.
Feds rooting out 'unwelcome speech' on campus: But what is that?
10:59 am ET - The failure of the University of Montana to respond adequately to sexual assault allegations has led to a broadening of how the federal government defines verbal harassment. Free speech advocates worry that the new policy will chill the right to speak freely on campus.
'Obamagate' danger for the GOP: political overreach
9:10 am ET - Republicans are jumping all over what they see as major scandals in the Obama administration, including Benghazi, the IRS, and checking journalists’ phone records. But some in the GOP are warning against the perception of overreach for partisan purposes.
Hearing on IRS: What ousted chief offers, Republicans don't buy
6:40 pm ET - Steven Miller, who resigned as acting IRS head this week, argued that the extra scrutiny for conservative groups amounted to ‘foolish mistakes.’ House Republicans see some problems reaching the White House.
Why do planets farthest from sun have highest winds? Team closes in on answer
7:55 pm ET - The planets beyond Mars exhibit the highest winds speeds of any other planets in the solar system. It's a puzzle, because less energy from the sun is available there to drive higher winds.
No more drug war in Latin America? Report explores new ways to fight drugs
4:10 pm ET - A new OAS report looks at alternatives to prohibiting the drug trade, including legal market regulation, reform of the UN drug convention, and smarter policing.
Editors' picks:
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Cover Story South Korea: The little dynamo that sneaked up on the world
South Korea, long in the shadow of other Asian 'tiger economies,' is suddenly hip and enormously prosperous – so much so that it may have outgrown its thankless dream of reuniting with the North.
- Pavlof Volcano ash cloud shows Alaska's threat to air travel (+video)
- Difference Maker He serves breakfast – with a side order of respect – to the homeless
- Moon hit by boulder-size meteoroid, causing 'explosion' visible from earth (+video)
- Collision closes New York area train route as NTSB investigates (+video)
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