Four more car fires broke out in the Los Angeles area New Year's Eve, leaving authorities to probe for links to a series of arson blazes that burned dozens of cars and spread to some structures.

The Des Moines Register’s Iowa Poll shows just how volatile the Republican race for the presidential nomination is. Mitt Romney holds onto a slim lead, but Rick Santorum is surging toward second place and 40 percent of likely caucus-goers say they haven't made up their mind.

After a 3½-month journey, a NASA spacecraft flew over the moon's south pole, fired its engine and dropped into orbit in the first of two back-to-back arrivals over the New Year's weekend.

AP - Surging into top-tier contention, Republican Rick Santorum came under sharp criticism from rivals hoping to slow his momentum two days before Iowa's kickoff caucuses. The former Pennsylvania senator defended his record in Washington and cast himself as the most electable conservative alternative to front-runner Mitt Romney.

AP - Bullish yet wary, President Barack Obama is highlighting recent economic bright spots while taking care not to overstate a recovery that still has not put millions back to work.

AP - Baby boomers take note: Medicare as your parents have known it is headed for big changes no matter who wins the White House in 2012. You may not like it, but you might have to accept it.