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Shoppers Disappoint Retailers this Holiday Season

U.S. shoppers spent cautiously this holiday season, a disappointment for retailers who slashed prices to lure people into stores and now must hope for a post-Christmas burst of spending.

Obama Could Reshape 5th Circuit During 2nd Term

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is widely viewed as one of the nation's most conservative federal appellate courts, but President Barack Obama could get a chance to change that perception in his second term.

Researchers Focus on Oil Dispersant

LSU AgCenter scientists are partnering with researchers at Columbia University and Iowa State University on development of an environmentally friendly substance that could be used to clean up oil spills.

Home-Brewed Beer Faces Catch-22 in Mississippi

Catch-22 would be a good name for beer brewed at home in Mississippi.

Snowstorm Heads East After South Twisters; 3 Dead

An enormous storm system that dumped snow and sleet on the nation's midsection and unleashed damaging tornadoes around the Deep South is punching its way toward the Northeast.

Charles During, the 'King of Character Actors,' Died on Christmas Eve in NYC at Age 89

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Charles Durning grew up in poverty, lost five of his nine siblings to disease, barely lived through D-Day and was taken prisoner at the Battle of the Bulge.

Severe Weather Expected for Mississippi, Gulf Coast on Christmas

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Freezing rain and sleet made for a sloppy Christmas morning trek in parts of the nation's midsection on Tuesday, while residents along the Gulf Coast braced for thunderstorms, high winds and the possibility of tornadoes.

10 Things to Know For 12/24/12: Crapo, Sandy Hook Mourners, Holiday Sales

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers from both parties voiced their willingness Sunday to pursue some changes to the nation's gun laws, but adamant opposition from the National Rifle Association has made clear than any such effort will face significant obstacles.

Obama's Second Term: A Full Helping of Big Issues and Political Challenges

WASHINGTON (AP) — It's hardly a secret that Barack Obama, like every president no doubt, muses about his ultimate legacy and spot in the presidential pantheon. He approaches his second term confronting tough and shifting challenges that will play big roles in shaping the rest of his presidency and his eventual place in history.

10 Local Stories of the Week

There's never a slow news week in Jackson, Miss., and last week was no exception. Here are the local stories JFP reporters brought you in case you missed them.

Jamscam at Pix/Capri

Hear Johnny Bertram and the Golden Bicycles, T.B. Ledford and the Nice List Holiday Revue, El Obo, Bear Colony, Questions in Dialect, and The Weeks Saturday, Dec. 22 starting at 7 p.m. at the Pix/Capri Theater (3023 N. State St.) in Fondren.

Urban Advocates Say The Time for a Gun Control Debate is Long Overdue

For years, voices have cried in the urban wilderness: We need to talk about gun control. Yet the guns blazed on.

Miss. PTA Group Urges People to Send Snowflakes

The Mississippi Parent-Teacher Association is urging state residents to join in making snowflakes for the replacement building being decorated for students of Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary School, where the Dec. 14 school shooting occurred.

One Week After the Shooting, Details Emerge About Adam Lanza

NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) — As the nation paused to mark a week since the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, new details emerged Friday about the gunman, Adam Lanza, who acquaintances said was able to take apart and reassemble a computer in a matter of minutes but rarely spoke to anyone.

Legislators Across the Country Wading into Gun Control Debate, NRA Leader Calls for a Cop in Every School

ATLANTA (AP) — As President Barack Obama urges tighter federal gun laws, state legislators around the country have responded to the Connecticut school shooting with a flurry of their own ideas that are likely to produce fights over gun control in their upcoming sessions.

Ellington