Political Climate: Delegates to the world climate change summit in Paris were expected to release the draft of an agreement that would commit nearly every country on earth to reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. The target is to keep …

The Co-Pilot: Investigators say today that the co-pilot of the Germanwings jet that crashed in the French Alps had an illness he was hiding from his employers, possibly depression. Prosecutors say they found a note at the home of Andreas …

Nation: President Obama sent Congress a $4 trillion budget that’s a challenge to the Republican majority to get up and do something to help the middle class. He wants to help the middle class pay for education, childcare, and job …

Jersey Shore: Federal examiners are looking into whether Gov. Chris Christie’s administration improperly used a portion of $25 million given the state to promote tourism following Hurricane Sandy. The winning bid of $4.7 million for an advertising campaign was $2 …

Pussy Riot: Two members of the Russian punk bank Pussy Riot just released from prison said they still oppose President Vladimir Putin. In a Moscow press conference, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova said, “We still want to do what we said in our …

Nation: The roadblock is usually in the House, but there’s some doubt this week whether the federal budget compromise will pass the Senate. Some Republican senators are miffed that they were not included in the negotiations between House Republican Paul …

Pyongyang Purge: The formerly powerful uncle of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un was executed immediately after he was found guilty of plotting against the government, according to the country’s state news agency. Chang Song-thaek was physically removed from a Communist …

Deal: House and Senate negotiators reached a budget deal for the first time in three years, potentially avoiding another government shutdown in January. Washington’s Democratic Sen. Patty Murray said, “We have broken through the partisanship and gridlock.”   The agreement …

National: The Defense Department will spend $1 billion to beef up west coast missile defenses in response to threats from North Korea and Iran. Fourteen missile interceptors will be added to 30 already in place in California and Alaska, but …

National: Rep. Paul Ryan unveiled a Republican budget plan that would slash taxes on the rich from 39% to 25% while eliminating President Obama’s health care reform, Wall Street regulations and plans for high-speed rail. Medicare would be mostly privatized. …