Egypt: In a tactical escalation of violence, Islamist militants in the Sinai Peninsula used a surface to air missile to shoot down an Egyptian military helicopter, killing five people on board. The militants released a video showing a man firing …

New Year’s Day The Gavel: Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor yesterday blocked the provision of Obamacare that requires the healthcare plans of religious organizations to cover birth control. The justice acted on the request of an order of nuns in …

World: Egypt’s military-backed government yesterday declared the Muslim Brotherhood to be a terrorist organization. It’s been banned twice before in its history. The police claim that a car bombing that killed 15 people Tuesday was carried out by the Brotherhood. …

Cancer Spike: Breast cancer is leading a worldwide spike in cancer deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Overall cancer deaths in 2012 were up 8 percent from the last survey in 2008. But breast cancer rose 14 percent in …

Stormy Weather: Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee all declared states of emergency as a massive snow and ice storm slides across the Midwest. Power was knocked out to tens of thousands of homes and business in North Texas as the storm …

Illegitimate: Deposed Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi appeared briefly in court for the opening of his trial today. It was his first public appearance since he was forced from office in July. Reports from the courtroom were limited, but witnesses in …

Charged: Federal prosecutors charged 23-year-old Paul Ciancia with the murder of a federal officer at LAX, a crime that could bring the death penalty. Investigators say Ciancia opened fire Friday with an assault rifle at a TSA pre-screening station, hitting …

Airport Shooting: The gunman at LAX yesterday appeared to be targeting employees of the Transportation Security Administration. One witness said, “he looked at me and he said ‘TSA?’ I shook my head, no and he kept going.”   TSA officer Gerardo …

  Mall Fight: Gunfire and explosions are still being heard from inside the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi as Kenyan forces close in on Somali the terrorists who attacked Saturday. Smoke is pouring out of the building. The military said …

Syria: The White House has released graphic video of victims in the Aug. 21 Syrian gas attack as the administration continues to press its case for an attack. The pictures show victims, some of them children, convulsing and foaming at …