Federal officials say 20 arrests show that Mexico's most violent drug cartels are exploiting U.S. gun laws to acquire massive quantities of assault rifles.

The Northeast warmed up on Tuesday from below zero temperatures a day earlier, but a storm packing snow as well as freezing rain was moving in Wednesday and behind it was another cold front.

One of British soccer's leading television commentators was fired Tuesday, a day after being taken off the air and temporarily suspended for making sexist remarks about a female match official.

Thousands of anti-government protesters, some hurling rocks and climbing atop an armored police truck, clashed with riot police Tuesday in the center of Cairo in a Tunisia-inspired demonstration to demand the end of Hosni Mubarak's nearly 30 years in power. Three people were killed in confrontations around the country.

Civility or just silly, the push to mix Republicans and Democrats through the audience of President Barack Obama's televised State of the Union address spread across Capitol Hill on Monday, fueled by signals that Americans want to see more cooperation among the nation's leaders.

Actress Hailee Steinfeld, 14, tells TODAY?s Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb that she awoke to her parents screaming when her name was read as an Academy Award nominee for Best Supporting Actress. (TODAY show)

The Illinois Supreme Court has agreed to hear Rahm Emanuel's appeal of a decision that threw him off the ballot for Chicago mayor and ordered the city to include his name on any ballots being printed.

Hess: Who?s your Player of the Year? It seems like the only names I hear when talking heads broach the subject are Kemba Walker, Jimmer Fredette, and Jared Sullinger. But are they worthy of that?

Saints QB Drew Brees believes Pittsburgh's recent experience on the Super Bowl stage gives them an advantage over Green Bay in this year's game. (NBC Sports)

False assumptions are hard to block once you get a look a this color-coded map of profanity on Twitter .

If you're the kind of guy who finds dating real women a bit too taxing, there's an app for that. Launched just in time for Valentines Day, it's called "My Virtual Girlfriend" ? an iPhone app that is part game, part entertainment novelty and all kinds of creepy.

Ally Smith Babineaux, who became known as the ?Bionic Bride? when a mechanical pump enabled her to marry her fiance despite her damaged heart, remains in critical condition in a Texas hospital, but is ?a little better,? her doctor reports.

A photographer with severe autism has learned to share his world with others through images he captures with his camera. KING's Linda Brill reports. (NBC News Channel)

Want to be among the non-scammed Super Bowl fans? Study these tips from the experts.

A small California business is all set to be featured in tonight's State of the Union address after the owners posted a video praising the government assistance that helped them get started. KNBC's Robert Kovacik reports. (NBC News Channel)

The British monarchy saga "The King's Speech" leads the Academy Awards with 12 nominations, including best picture and acting honors for Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush.

Super Bowl travelers are packing everything from T-shirts to wool overcoats for Dallas-Fort Worth's fickle winter weather, and they'll have plenty of indoor/outdoor options for their itineraries.

Amy Chua, who has spurred controversy with the strict approach to parenting espoused in her book ?Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,? told TODAY?s Meredith Vieira that some critics can?t tell when she?s kidding. She also defended such practices as calling her child ?garbage,? which she said she did only once. (TODAY show)

A judge on Tuesday handed down a life sentence against the first Guantanamo detainee to have a civilian trial.

Two in three Americans admit to spewing germs like walking influenza factories, a new survey shows  just as flu season kicks into high gear.

Michael Jackson's doctor has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the pop star's death.

Ted Williams, the formerly homeless man whose "golden voice" triggered a media sensation earlier this month, has reportedly left a rehab facility after less than two weeks of treatment for drug and alcohol addiction.

After a decade of multibillion-dollar losses, U.S. airlines appear to be on course to prosper for years to come for a simple reason: They are flying less.

Sleeping with and kissing your animals on their little pet lips can put you at risk for some serious medical problems -- including the plague,  says a new study.

The billionaire chosen by Hezbollah and its allies as Lebanon's prime minister called for a unity government  as U.S. Secretary of State Clinton warned that a government dominated by the group would mean changes in U.S. relation.

As the U.S. transitions away from incandescent bulbs, consumers will be left with two lighting alternatives: CFLs and LEDs. Americans have been slow to take a shine to either one.