A man fatally injured one person, then burst into a Wyoming college class Friday morning to kill another person and, ultimately, himself, police said.
California-Tennis-Beating-Murder
New evidence has persuaded Los Angeles County prosecutors to drop murder charges against a U.S. Open tennis umpire. Lois Goodman, 70, had been accused of bludgeoning her 80-year-old husband, Alan, with a coffee mug, and then fatally stabbing him with the broken mug's shards at their California home in April.
Arizona-Social-Security-Building-Explosion
Authorities arrested a man during a traffic stop Friday in connection with an explosion at the Social Security office in Casa Grande, Arizona, a law enforcement official said.
MED-fda-generic-lipitor
The Food and Drug Administration advised patients Friday to keep taking a popular cholesterol drug even though it might contain specks of glass, reversing advice it gave just a day ago.
TRAVEL-new-york-tourism-sandy
The crowd of festival goers at a holiday market in New York City's Columbus Circle Friday seemed to support the message city tourism officials have been spreading far and wide: The Big Apple is open for business and welcoming its usual influx of holiday visitors. Superstorm Sandy's wrath a month ago will cost New York state $41 billion, according to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, but tourists have largely been unfazed by the storm, which caused very little damage to Midtown Manhattan, the hub of the city's magical holiday attractions.
TRAVEL-Flight-Attendants-OSHA
Flight attendants who have OSHA protections on the ground -- but lose them the minute they board a plane -- may soon retain those protections in the sky. In a move that may also benefit airline passengers, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced Friday they plan to share responsibility for the flight attendants' safety on aircraft. Flight attendants would, for the first time, be able to report workplace injuries and illnesses to OSHA, ending a 37-year era in which the FAA claimed sole jurisdiction for cabin safety.
TRAVEL-DC-Inauguration-Limousines
For the swarms of limousines headed to the Obama inauguration, the toll to enter Washington just got a lot cheaper. The District of Columbia Taxicab Commission on Friday scuttled plans to require each out-of-town limo to obtain a $500 permit, lowering it to $150.
POLITICS
POL-Fiscal-Cliff-Proposal
The White House and Congressional Republicans are squaring off in negotiations to avert the fiscal cliff, with each side accusing the other of blocking a deal. For the first time we're getting a look at what the White House is offering to break the stalemate. Republicans consider it an overreach. Democrats make clear it's a first offer, to get specific on the numbers.
POL-Fiscal-Cliff
Stumping for a deal to avoid automatic tax increases and spending cuts that will otherwise hit at year's end, President Barack Obama on Friday toured a Pennsylvania toy factory that's churning out would-be holiday gifts, warning of a "Scrooge" Christmas if Congress does not pass legislation extending tax cuts for 98% of Americans.
POL-Baucus-Fiscal-Cliff
While there is currently no plan for Congressional leaders to meet with the president, according to an official familiar with the situation, Democratic Sen. Max Baucus said the two sides should get to work on the fiscal cliff negotiations-and soon, before the U.S. enters "uncharted waters."
POL-Progressives-Pressure-Lawmakers
Two coalitions of progressive groups are trying to exert more pressure on lawmakers to protect the Bush-era tax cuts for the middle class as congressional leaders and the White House try to avert the fiscal cliff when all tax rates rise and major spending cuts are enacted at the beginning of next year.
POL-House-GOP-Immigration-Bill
The U.S. House approved Republican-backed immigration legislation on Friday that had previously fallen short in September, though Democrats described it as a piecemeal political move by Republicans after their poor election showing among non-white voters. House Democrats predicted it would fail in the Democratic-controlled Senate, partly due to White House opposition. The "STEM Jobs Act" would grant as many as 55,000 visas to non-citizens who complete some advanced degrees at U.S. universities in science, technology, engineering, and math.
POL-Boehner-Appoints-Woman
House Speaker John Boehner named Rep. Candice Miller of Michigan as the chairman of the House Administration Committee on Friday, three days after the Republican conference took heat for electing only males as committee heads.
POL-Rand-Paul-Middle-East
Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, will travel to the Middle East in the new year, his spokeswoman confirmed to CNN on Friday.
MONEY
MONEY-stocks-markets
U.S. stocks went nowhere Friday as investors remain sidelined by political gridlock in Washington.
MONEY-european-bailout-downgrade
Another day, another European downgrade. Ratings agency Moody's announced a downgrade Friday of the continent's main bailout vehicle, the European Stability Mechanism, knocking it one notch from prized Aaa status to Aa1.
FEATURES AND COMMENTARY
ENT-Carrie-Underwood-to-star-in-NBC's-'The-Sound-of-Music'
Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens and Carrie Underwood as Maria? On Friday, NBC announced its plans to air a live broadcast of "The Sound of Music," starring Underwood as Maria, based on the original musical.
ENT-MTV's-'Buckwild'-to-premiere-January-3
With MTV's "Jersey Shore" coming to an end, the network is readying a new group of party animals to fill the void -- and the Thursday night time slot. "Buckwild," which follows a group of nine friends on their quest to entertain themselves in Sissonville, West Virginia, is set to premiere on January 3, according to MTV.
ENT-Clint-Eastwood's-daughter-named-Miss-Golden-Globe-2013
Looks like Clint Eastwood and Frances Fisher's daughter will join hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler on stage during the 2013 Golden Globes. Francesca Eastwood was named Miss Golden Globe by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at an event on Thursday.
