Four migrants found dead on packed cargo ship brought to Italy

Four migrants were found dead on a cargo ship which was taken to Italy after apparently being abandoned by its crew in Greek waters, the Italian Red Cross said on Wednesday. The Blue Sky M was carrying an estimated 900 migrants when it was spotted drifting near the coast of Corfu on Tuesday.

http://www.trust.org/item/20141231105020-0jedi

MoveOn petition for the resignation of NYPD union president Pat Lynch

The intense reaction of disgust and horror that I experienced while watching that notorious clip of Pat Lynch blaming de Blasio and the peaceful protestors for the murders of the two NYPD police officers... that intense reaction motivated me to do a Google search for online petitions addressing the situation, and I found one on MoveOn.com: http://goo.gl/... Having already shared it on Twitter and FB, I figured it makes sense to share it here as well -- doing my part to make sure this petition gets as many signatures as possible. Unlike most online petitions I've signed, with this one I took the time to go deep in contributing my own thoughts prior to submitting my signature.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/31/1354855/-MoveOn-petition-for-the-resignation-of-NYPD-union-president-Pat-Lynch

North Woods national park proponents hiring outreach coordinator to promote plan

The effort to create a North Woods national park adjacent to Baxter State Park soon will have a local voice to answer people's questions and enlist their support. David Farmer, a spokesman for leading park advocate Lucas St. Clair and Katahdin Woods and Waters , said that the outreach coordinator position is "a continuation of what we have been working on."

http://bangordailynews.com/2014/12/31/news/penobscot/north-woods-national-park-proponents-hiring-outreach-coordinator-to-promote-plan/

Putin sends New Year's message to Obama

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said in a New Year's message to U.S. President Barack Obama that Moscow is looking for equality in bilateral relations next year. The Kremlin on Wednesday published several dozen New Year's messages addressed to heads of states and international organizations such as the Olympic Committee and FIFA.

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-world/world/article5223981.html

US releases 5 Guantanamo prisoners, sends them to Kazakhstan

Five men held for a dozen years without charge at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have been sent to the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan for resettlement. The two men from Tunisia and three Yemenis are among dozens of men held at Guantanamo who have been cleared for release but cannot be sent home.

http://www.wbrz.com/news/us-releases-5-guantanamo-prisoners-sends-them-to-kazakhstan-68190/

New laws for 2015 ban 'tiger selfies', hike minimum wages

New state laws taking effect Thursday give livestock in California more living room, approve direct-to-consumer wine shipments in Massachusetts and levy the ultimate punishment on wannabe teen drivers in Nevada by denying them licenses if they skip too much school. Other laws will allow Louisiana teens as young as 16 to register to vote, crack down on meth dealers in Michigan, end tax breaks for Hollywood in North Carolina and raise the minimum wage in Ohio, New York, Rhode Island and elsewhere.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/12/31/new-laws-for-2015-ban-tiger-selfies-hike-minimum-wages/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fpolitics+%28Internal+-+Politics+-+Text%29

GfK Poll: Americans support menu labeling

AP-GfK Poll: Americans support menu labeling - Associated Press 1 hr ago - WASHINGTON (AP) - More than half of Americans say they already have enough information at restaurants to decide whether they are making a healthy purchase. But they want even more.

http://www.memeorandum.com/141231/p5#a141231p5

French ceremony as new NATO Afghan mission takes over

Newly-graduated Afghan National Army cadets attend their graduation ceremony at the Afghan Kabul Military training center in Kabul on December 30, 2014. AFP PHOTO/Wakil Kohsar KABUL: The last French troops in Afghanistan held a ceremony in Kabul on Wednesday to mark the end of their deployment after NATO combat operations closed down and as a new "train and support" mission takes over.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/World/2014/Dec-31/282749-french-ceremony-as-new-nato-afghan-mission-takes-over.ashx

photo-21-300x300

Faced with $20 billion dollar loss in Rateables from Sandy, Vicari said storm recovery continued to be an obstacle over the past year, as well as getting residents back into their homes. He noted that will be a long-term goal heading into 2015.

http://wobm.com/ocean-county-freeholder-director-vicari-looks-back-at-2014/

Inflation No-Show Unlikely to Slow Fed Countdown to Rate Liftoff

Price gauges have hovered below the Fed's 2 percent goal for much of the economic expansion that began in June 2009. Close

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-31/inflation-no-show-unlikely-to-slow-fed-countdown-to-rate-liftoff.html

More

New episodes in the nation's long-running political drama over health care are coming via your news feed in 2015. The fate of President Barack Obama's health care law again hangs in the balance as the Supreme Court weighs another legal challenge to the program, now covering millions of people.

http://www.toledonewsnow.com/story/27734817/5-things-to-know-obama-health-law-again-in-play

U.S. Navy cannot be trusted; Growler training is a burden | Letter

I am submitting this letter to the editor in response to "Training meant to protect, save American lives" press release by Capt. Mike Nortier.

http://www.whidbeynewstimes.com/opinion/letters/287160211.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wntletters+%28Letters+to+the+Editor+-+Whidbey+News-Times%29

2014 In Review: Two Tragic Deaths Rock Greenwich

Emily Fedorko , 16, died Aug. 6 in a water-tubing accident Wednesday on the waters of Long Island Sound off Greenwich Point. Emily was an Old Greenwich resident and would have been a junior in the fall at Greenwich High School.

http://greenwich.dailyvoice.com/news/2014-review-two-tragic-deaths-rock-greenwich

Waiting For A Break: Obama on 'Strategic Patience' In Foreign Policy

NPR's Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep interviews President Obama on Dec. 17 in the Oval Office, where they discussed U.S. involvement in the Middle East and the world as a whole. President Obama has two more years in office to match his grand ambitions to the grim realities in foreign policy.

http://www.kqed.org/news/story/2014/12/31/152801/waiting_for_a_break_obama_on_strategic_patience_in_foreign?category=politics

US releases 5 Guantanamo prisoners, sends them to Kazakhstan

Five men who were held for a dozen years without charge at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have been sent to the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan for resettlement, the U.S. government announced. The two men from Tunisia and three from Yemen had been cleared for release from the prison by a government task force but could not be sent to their homelands.

http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2025348425_apxguantanamoprisonersreleased.html?syndication=rss

South Boat ramp opens as Lake Mendocino rises

USACE Spokesman J.D. Hardesty said the boat ramp had been closed earlier this year because the water level was so low, people could not drive far enough down the ramp to launch. "Everything had to be hand-launched," Hardesty said, adding that the heavier-than-normal rainfall so far this season boosted the level of the lake so much that "water has come up into the channel."

http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/news/ci_27228488/south-boat-ramp-opens-lake-mendocino-rises.html

Slant 12-31-2014

Oregon's minimum wage goes up 15 cents an hour to $9.25 in January, thanks to a ballot measure in 2002 that tied the minimum wage to inflation.

http://www.eugeneweekly.com/20141231/slant/slant-12-31-2014

SlideshowBig Flour Fight

The flour, eggs, and firecrackers were flying over the weekend in the Spanish town of Ibi, where locals celebrated the annual Els Enfarinats Festival with a mock battle for control of the city, all for a worthy cause. Here's a look.

http://www.nationalreview.com/slideshows/395554

Jerry's Predictions for 2015

Ketchup : the Rs in Congress will be playing it for the next two years, and BO in Washington will be rampant.

http://www.eugeneweekly.com/20141231/design-matters/jerry%E2%80%99s-predictions-2015

GOP leaders look for Scalise flap to blow over

Scalise, the Republican whip in the House, said Tuesday that he regrets making the speech in 2002 and condemns the views of such groups. He said that as a state legislator he spoke to many groups at that time about a major tax issue.

http://www.wral.com/gop-leaders-look-for-scalise-flap-to-blow-over/14320026/

Activist Alert 12-31-2014

Friends of Trees will be planting native trees and shrubs from 8:45 am to 1 pm Saturday, Jan. 3, near Beltline in the grassy field northwest of Elysium Avenue and Providence Street.

http://www.eugeneweekly.com/20141231/activist-alert/activist-alert-12-31-2014

The Year According to Rep. Tom Cole

Rep. Tom Cole, the unofficial spokesman of the GOP rank and file in the House, has never been shy about telling the truth - at least the truth as the Oklahoma Republican sees it - with anyone who'll listen. Continuing a tradition that began last year , Cole got on the phone recently with CQ Roll Call for more than an hour to review the ups and downs of 2014 .

http://blogs.rollcall.com/218/the-year-according-to-rep-tom-cole/?dcz=

Waiting For A Break: Obama on 'Strategic Patience' In Foreign Policy

President Obama has two more years in office to match his grand ambitions to the grim realities in foreign policy. He spoke of his plans in a year-end interview with NPR, shortly before leaving Washington for the holidays.

http://www.npr.org/2014/12/31/372558821/waiting-for-a-break-obama-on-strategic-patience-in-foreign-policy?

The nation in brief

QUOTE OF THE DAY "It was a mistake I regret." Steve Scalise, the third-ranking House Republican, referring to a speech he delivered to a white supremacy group in 2002

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/dec/31/harvard-law-oks-assault-policy-redo-gro/

Boehner: Grimm right to resign

House Speaker John Boehner said Tuesday that New York Rep. Michael Grimm made the right decision by resigning from Congress after pleading guilty to tax evasion charges.

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/dec/31/boehner-grimm-right-to-resign-20141231/

New whip regrets white-group speech

Third-ranking House Republican Steve Scalise said Tuesday that his 2002 speech to a white supremacy group 'was a mistake I regret,' and House Speaker John Boehner said he continues to support the Louisiana congressman.

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/dec/31/new-whip-regrets-white-group-speech-201/

Immigration, VA and a GOP wave among 2014 political highlights

President Barack Obama moved unilaterally to reform the nation's immigration system by executive action, providing deportation relief for up to 5 million undocumented immigrants, "You'll be able to apply to stay in this country temporarily, without fear of deportation," Obama said of the action. "He has no constitutional authority to do this.

http://www.kfvs12.com/story/27734697/immigration-va-and-a-gop-wave-among-2014-political-highlights

AirAsia Flight QZ8501: How passenger jets avoid bad weather

Indonesia AirAsia's Flight QZ8501, an Airbus A320-200 carrying 162, lost contact with air traffic control early on Sunday during bad weather on a flight from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore. Aviation experts say that poor weather alone is almost never the sole cause of a commercial airliner crash, but pilots will try to avoid nasty systems just to be safe.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/airasia-flight-qz8501-how-passenger-jets-avoid-bad-weather-1.2886436?cmp=rss

Frederick H. Dobbs

Fred attended Duke University, West Virginia University and West Virginia University Medical School, where he specialized in radiology.

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014412310304

Potent Powdered Caffeine Raises Safety Worries

One teaspoon of pure caffeine powder delivers about the same jolt as 25 cups cups of coffee. Lethal overdoses are too easy, the FDA says.

http://www.wnyc.org/story/potent-powdered-caffeine-raises-safety-worries/

It's Not Insurance, but Maybe It's a Start

Zumba classes are one of many "wellness" offerings for women to help improve their fitness and health at Grameen VidaSana, in Queens. Inirina Garcia can't remember the last time she saw a primary care doctor to talk about her health.

http://www.wnyc.org/story/its-not-insurance-maybe-its-start/

Lancaster Navy officer earns MBE

Congratulations, you're now registered! Let us know what news and updates you want to hear about and we'll send them straight to your inbox. Lieutenant Commander Graham Thorley has been recognised for this work on Royal Navy submarine operations in over 30 years of service.

http://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/local/lancaster-navy-officer-earns-mbe-1-7024507

U.S. airport security stops record number of guns

The number of guns detected at airport security checkpoints continues to set new records, but the reason why remains uncertain. Up to the final week of the year, the Transportation Security Administration found 2,164 guns in carry-on luggage, an increase of nearly 20 percent from the previous year.

http://wtop.com/local/2014/12/u-s-airport-security-stops-record-number-guns/

The New Stupid Party

A constant of political life has been that there is only one "stupid party" in America-the Republican Party. Then one day you get out of bed, look out the window and what do you see? Democrats.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/dan-henninger-the-new-stupid-party-1418862634?tesla=y&mg=reno64-wsj&url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB12265722269804043990704580343481738030928.html

Foul Balls and the symbol for three strikes

Congressman Steve Scalise is quickly becoming the most racist whip not held by Simon Legree . And considering his past competition, that's saying something.

http://firedoglake.com/2014/12/31/foul-balls-and-the-symbol-for-three-strikes/

5 things to know: Obama health law again in play

In his Nov. 12, 2014 file photo, the HealthCare.gov website, where people can buy health insurance, on a laptop screen, shown in Portland, Ore. The first 50-state report on the latest sign-up season under President Barack Obama's health care law shows more than 4 million people signed up for the first time or re-enrolled.

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/medical/article/5-things-to-know-Obama-health-law-again-in-play-5987009.php

Cuba detains dissidents before protest

Cuban officials arrested at least three members of the political opposition Tuesday ahead of a protest art performance seen as the first major test of the government's tolerance for dissent since the declaration of detente with the U.S. Expatriate artist Tania Bruguera returned to Cuba Friday with plans to set up an open microphone for anyone to speak on the Plaza of the Revolution, a square overlooked by the president's office, military headquarters and huge portraits of revolutionary heroes Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos. Hours before the planned performance, police arrested at least three well-known dissidents and calls stopped going through to Bruguera's cellphone.

http://mashable.com/2014/12/31/cuba-detains-dissidents-before-protest/?utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_medium=feed&utm_source=feedburner

The Imperial Presidency Comes to Kaneohe Klipper's 16th Hole

Patrick L. Smith on the decline and fall of American journalism; Peter Lee on China and its Uyghur problem; Dave Macaray on brain trauma, profits and the NFL; Lee Ballinger on the bloody history of cotton. PLUS: "The Vindication of Love" by JoAnn Wypijewski; "The Age of SurrealPolitick" by Jeffrey St. Clair; "The Radiation Zone" by Kristin Kolb; "Washington's Enemies List" by Mike Whitney; "The School of Moral Statecraft" by Chris Floyd and "The Surveillance Films of Laura Poitras" by Kim Nicolini.

http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/12/31/the-imperial-presidency-comes-to-kaneohe-klippers-16th-hole/?#038;#038;

The Wall Street Journal: Sony hack: Behind the scenes as the crisis unfolded

The day after Sony Pictures employees discovered that company email was unusable following a cyberattack, senior executives came up with an old-style communication network: a phone tree, in which updates on the hack were relayed from person to person. studio's 6,000 employees were forced to improvise, with cellphones, Gmail accounts and notepads.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sony-hack-behind-the-scenes-as-the-crisis-unfolded-2014-12-31?siteid=rss&rss=1

House GOP moves to contain fallout from scandals

Republican leaders moved forcefully on Tuesday to control the damage from a pair of scandals that have suddenly disrupted the party as it prepares to take full control of Capitol Hill. In back-to-back moves, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, pushed out Rep. Michael Grimm, R-N.Y., who pleaded guilty last week to federal tax evasion charges, while also backing Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., after his admission that he once addressed a white supremacist group before coming to Capitol Hill.

http://www.theday.com/nation/20141231/house-gop-moves-to-contain-fallout-from-scandals

GfK Poll: Americans support menu labeling

More than half of Americans say they already have enough information at restaurants to decide whether they are making a healthy purchase. But they want even more.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/ap-gfk-poll-americans-support-menu-labeling

2015 wishes: Top 10 things we want to see

New Year's eve is upon us. Looking back upon 2014, we see signs for optimism about 2015.

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20141231/OPINION01/141239858

2014 year in review: GOP swarms Concord; Dems retain top spots

Former Republican Mass. U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, left, shakes hands with incumbent U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. before a live televised debate hosted by New England Cable News, the Concord Monitor and the University of New Hampshire at the Capitol Center for the Arts Oct. 21 in Concord.

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20141231/NEWS0605/141239862

GOP leaders look for Scalise flap to blow over

In this Nov. 18, 2014 file photo, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of La., right, with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., left, and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, following a House GOP caucus meeting. Scalise acknowledged that he once addressed a gathering of white supremacists.

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/politics/article/GOP-leaders-look-for-Scalise-flap-to-blow-over-5987011.php

Elon Musk, left, and Gov. Brian Sandoval, right, worked together to bring Tesla to Nevada.

Glen Adair speaks to the 2004 Carson High graduating class after Charity Ricks and Maria Urbina presented their principal a cap and gown on his last offiical day of duty. It was his last graduation before retiring.

http://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/9601883-113/carson-nevada-state-2014

My 2016 Progressive Democratic vote

If my presidential vote was made today....Less than 23 months from the election of 2016........I have a list that is evolving...... Here is the 2nd draft....of that list... 1- Senator Russ Feingold... 2- Senator Elizabeth Warren 3- Hillary Clinton 4- Economist and Secretary Robert Reich 5- Senator Barbara Boxer 6- Senator Bernie Sanders 7- Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor A tag is a way to search for this diary. If someone is searching for "Barack Obama," is this a diary they'd be trying to find? Use a person's full name, without any title.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/31/1354854/-My-2016-Progressive-Democratic-vote

The Room That Isn't There

I do realize this is not a diary about anything earth shattering or of political importance. It is a way to ease back into diary writing after a hiatus of sorts.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/31/1354756/-The-Room-That-Isn-t-There

Do not open this link,

A tag is a way to search for this diary. If someone is searching for "Barack Obama," is this a diary they'd be trying to find? Use a person's full name, without any title.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/31/1308736/-Do-not-open-this-link

2014: Mixed Bag For Armed Forces

As Armed Forces grappled with steep rise in terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014 amid heightened tension along the border with Pakistan, fresh breeze blew across the corridors of Defence Ministry which saw the new government pushing for faster acquisition process. During the year, defence forces launched gigantic rescue and relief operations in Jammu and Kashmir following the devastating floods and in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha after cyclone 'Hudhud' besides being the first to reach out to Maldives after it lone desalination unit caught fire.

http://www.outlookindia.com/news/article/2014-Mixed-Bag-For-Armed-Forces/875145

Governor Tomblin announces the elimination of the Business Franchise Tax

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin announced Tuesday the Business Franchise Tax will be eliminated effective Jan. 1, 2015. The move is being referred to as the latest step in a series of reductions attempting to improve West Virginia's business climate and lead to new investments across the state.

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/sid/228985401

AP Source: New York congressman to resign from office following guilty plea on tax charge

Following his guilty plea, Republican Rep.

http://uaport.net/en/news/ua/t/1412/30/1348196

Low-profile US diplomat helped negotiate with Cuba

A low-profile American diplomat born in Honduras to a prominent political family helped handle top-secret U.S. negotiations with Cuba. Ricardo Zuniga accompanied longtime Obama foreign policy aide Ben Rhodes to a series of meetings in Canada and at the Vatican that led to President Barack Obama's move to re-establish diplomatic ties with the Cold War foe.

http://www.newschannel9.com/template/inews_wire/wires.national/361c7878-www.newschannel9.com.shtml

Conservative U.S. Rep. Dave Camp leaves Congress as one of its most powerful members

U.S. Rep. Dave Camp, R-Midland, has represented the residents of central and northern Michigan in Congress for the last 24 years. Find out how that legacy of service began, and how Camp feels looking back on it.

http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2014/12/us_rep_dave_camp_reflects_on_2.html

After guilty plea, NY congressman says he'll resign Jan. 5

"The events which led to this day did not break my spirit, nor the will of the voters," he said. "However, I do not believe that I can continue to be 100% effective in the next Congress, and therefore, out of respect for the office and the people I so proudly represent, it is time for me to start the next chapter of my life."

http://nj1015.com/after-guilty-plea-ny-congressman-says-hell-resign-jan-5/

Mr Verma comes to India

Richard Rahul Verma, the first Indian American to serve as US Ambassador to New delhi, quips that surviving the first month in India is his first goal. Aziz Haniffa/ Rediff.com , the only journalist invited to Verma's swearing-in at the US State Department, reports from Washington, DC.

http://www.rediff.com/news/special/mr-verma-comes-to-india/20141230.htm

Errol Louis: De Blasio's steep learning curve

A s he grapples with the task of uniting a divided city, a key question facing Mayor de Blasio is not whether he can broaden his coalition but whether he even wants to. At multiple points during a tumultuous first year in office, de Blasio and his team have confidently brushed off advice, asserting that they need no help understanding or navigating the city's political waters.

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/errol-louis-de-blasio-steep-learning-curve-article-1.2060095

Documents Feds declined to prosecute former Sen. Ensign out of deference fear of high-profile loss

Our eNewspaper network was founded in 2002 to provide stand-alone digital news sites tailored for the most searched-for locations for news. With a traditional newspaper format, more than 100 sites were established each with a newspaper-type name to cover the highest-ranked regions, countries, cities and states.

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/sid/228954273

Former KKK leader says his political adviser was a friendlya with Rep. Scalise

Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke said late Monday that his longtime political adviser, Kenny Knight, was "friendly" with House Majority Whip Steve Scalise in 2002, and cited that relationship as the reason Scalise accepted an invitation that year to speak at a gathering of white supremacists. "Scalise would communicate a lot with my campaign manager, Kenny Knight," Duke said in a phone interview.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/12/30/former-kkk-leader-says-his-political-adviser-was-friendly-with-rep-scalise/

TV Grab: A rescuer is lowered on rope from a hovering helicopter near ...

This aerial photo shows a piece of object floating on the waters of Java Sea near Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia. - Virat Kohli raises his bat after making 50 runs against Australia on the final day of their cricket test match in Melbourne, Australia.

http://www.outlookindia.com/photos/dayin/12/30/2014/100927

BHEL enters into partnership to bid for submarine deal

State-owned power equipment maker Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd has entered into a partnership with Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited and Hindustan Shipyards Limited to bid for the P-75 I submarine project of the Indian Navy. "The consortium will jointly stake claim with the ministry of defence for being considered as a prospective bidder for the proposed P-75 I project of the Indian Navy for building six submarines at an Indian shipyard," BHEL said in a statement.

http://www.newkerala.com/news/2014/fullnews-144535.html

Obama golf game forces Army couple to move wedding

This Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014 photo provided by Keao's Photography shows Natalie Heimel, second from left, and Edward Mallue Jr., third from left, both U.S. Army captains stationed in Hawaii, reacting with thei... . FILE -In this Dec. 24, 2014 file photo, President Barack Obama drives away from the 18th hole in a golf cart, far right, with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak as they play golf at Marine Corps Base Hawaii's Kaneoh... HONOLULU - A couple getting married near President Barack Obama's vacation spot in Hawaii learned the hard way that the big day rarely goes exactly as planned.

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/27726891/obama-golf-game-forces-army-couple-to-move-wedding

Will Clinton run? She needs to decide in 2015

A still undeclared candidate, Clinton sits atop the prospective field of Democratic presidentia... . FILE - In this June 13, 2014 file photo, Hillary Rodham Clinton's newly released book is distributed to ticket holders before Clinton appeared at an event to discuss choices and challenges she faced during her four years a... .

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/27726871/will-clinton-run-she-needs-to-decide-in-2015

Six bodies spotted - three recovered - in search for missing AirAsia flight

Six bodies from the AirAsia flight which disappeared on Sunday have been spotted off the coast of Borneo, and three have been recovered, Indonesian officials said today. The bodies were found in the Java Sea about six miles from Flight 8501's last communications with air traffic control.

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/asia-pacific/bodies-recovered-in-search-for-missing-airasia-flight-30869584.html

Re-elected Ohio officeholders set inaugural plans

A family day at the Ohio Statehouse and appearances by high-level jurists and a U.S. senator are part of the inaugural festivities of statewide officeholders being planned for January. Gov. John Kasich led a Republican sweep in November that is returning all of Ohio's sitting statewide officeholders to their jobs.

http://www.the-daily-record.com/latest%20headlines/2014/12/30/re-elected-ohio-officeholders-set-inaugural-plans

Area of search is expanded as hunt for lost plane goes on

A crew member of an Indonesian Air Force C-130 airplane of the 31st Air Squadron looks out the window Monday during a search operation for the missing AirAsia flight 8501 jetliner over the waters of Karimata Strait in Indonesia.

http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com/article.cfm?ID=44867

Fines set to begin

It's the first year all taxpayers have to report to the Internal Revenue Service whether they had health insurance for the previous year, as required under President Barack Obama's law.

http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com/article.cfm?ID=44863

Times have changed, KKK edition

Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana got into the news recently after it came out that in 2002 he'd spoken at a meeting of "the European-American Unity and Rights Organization, which was founded two years earlier by David Duke, the former Ku Klux Klan leader and Louisiana politician. Scalise graduated from Archbishop Rummel High School in Metairie in Jefferson Parish and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, with a major in computer programming and a minor in political science.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/12/30/times-have-changed-kkk-edition/

US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard tries her hands on a spinning wheel...

This aerial photo shows a piece of object floating on the waters of Java Sea near Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia. - Virat Kohli raises his bat after making 50 runs against Australia on the final day of their cricket test match in Melbourne, Australia.

http://www.outlookindia.com/photos/dayin/12/30/2014/100922

Grady L. Ingram

He was born in Troy, AL on March 30, 1928, the son of Grady Leroy Ingram and Carolyn Cochran Ingram.

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014412300304

Florida Developer Will Ask FAA To Raise St. Pete Height Cap

The FAA currently restricts building in the city of St. Petersburg, FL to 400 feet in height, but one developer in the region plans to petition the agency to raise that limit. The Tampa Bay Business Journal relays a report from the Tampa Bay Times that identifies the Kolter Group as the developer that will explore the request.

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=c1dbc0e9-3a7f-41d9-8101-9cef6b81717f

Trespassers Cause Radar Malfunction In Pennsylvania

State police troopers were dispatched early Sunday to an FAA facility in Penn Township in Snyder County, PA after an alarm was triggered by four men trespassing on the property. The four had entered an FAA tower tripping the alarm, which had caused an "air traffic directional range to malfunction, causing loss of aviation radar," according to the police report.

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=fdac0159-ef76-4ffa-bb35-566135ec4b28

New Book Champions Parents as School Consumers

Review of The School Choice Journey: School Vouchers and the Empowerment of Urban Families , Thomas Stewart and Patrick J. Wolf , Palgrave Macmillan, 2014, 236 pp., $95.00. It's difficult to fathom why there hasn't been an academic book dedicated to examining a specific example of a school choice program since 2002.

http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2014/12/30/new-book-champions-parents-school-consumers

Death penalty trial in Boston bombing case - enormous responsibility' for jurors

In January the U.S. Department of Justice notified a federal judge they planned to seek the death penalty in their case against Boston Marathon Bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, launching a complicated and rare legal process that could take years. Former Rhode Island U.S. Attorney Robert Corrente said the task for the 12 jurors - and six alternates - who will be impaneled for the trial is "an enormous responsibility."

http://wwlp.com/2014/12/30/death-penalty-trial-in-boston-bombing-case-enormous-responsibility-for-jurors/

Making Enemies America Can't Afford: Congress Votes More Sanctions on Russia

Congress long ago learned that public scrutiny makes it harder to pass bad bills. So in the midst of negotiations to avoid another government shut-down earlier this month both houses of Congress rammed through new sanctions against Russia as part of the misnamed "Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doug-bandow/making-enemies-america-ca_b_6394300.html

No health insurance? Penalties to rise in 2015

It's the first year all taxpayers have to report to the Internal Revenue Service whether they had health insurance for the previous year, as required under President Barack Obama's law. Those who were uninsured face fines, unless they qualify for one of about 30 exemptions, most of which involve financial hardships.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/no-health-insurance-penalties-rise-2015

Obama golf game bumps Army couple's wedding spot

A couple getting married near President Barack Obama's vacation spot in Hawaii learned the hard way that the big day rarely goes exactly as planned. Natalie Heimel and Edward Mallue Jr. - both U.S. Army captains stationed in Hawaii - were scheduled to tie the knot Sunday at Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course, a military course with ocean views near Obama's rented vacation home in Kailua.

http://www.morningjournalnews.com/page/content.detail/id/765478/Obama-golf-game-bumps-Army-couple-s-wedding-spot.html?isap=1&nav=5021

President Obama's golf game disrupts military wedding

This Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014, photo provided by Keao's Photography shows Natalie Heimel, second from left, and Edward Mallue Jr., third from left, both U.S. Army captains stationed in Hawaii, reacting with their wedding party after getting a phone call from President Obama during their ceremony at Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. The couple was told on Saturday they would have to have to move their wedding away from the 16th hole because Obama and his friends planned to golf.

http://www.krmg.com/news/news/national/president-obamas-golf-game-disrupts-military-weddi/njcm4/

Rapid growth leaves Asian airlines searching for pilots

Most of those aircraft feed the insatiable demand in Asia. The rapid growth of Asian airlines is helping bolster economies and change lifestyles, but it's also creating a daunting safety challenge as more passengers head into an increasingly crowded airspace.

http://www.wafb.com/story/27726823/rapid-growth-leaves-asian-airlines-searching-for-pilots

Europe's Cheap Borrowing Costs Lure Corporate Fundraising

An employee climbs stairs inside the Apple Inc. store in Paris, France. Apple's 1.4 billion euros of 1.625 percent securities, issued at 99.5 euro cents traded at 102 cents on the euro yesterday. Close

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-30/apple-s-atlantic-bond-crossing-sets-2015-course-credit-markets.html

Search area expanded in hunt for AirAsia plane

A crewman of an Indonesian Air Force C-130 airplane of the 31st Air Squadron uses a binocular to scan the horizon during a search operation for the missing AirAsia flight 8501 jetliner over the waters of Karimata Strait in Indonesia, Monday. Search planes and ships from several countries on Monday were scouring Indonesian waters over which an AirAsia jet disappeared, more than a day into the region's latest aviation mystery.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20141230/NEWS/312309978/1052/rss01&source=rss

No health insurance? Penalties to rise in 2015

The cost of being uninsured in America is going up significantly next year for millions of peopl... . FILE - In his Nov. 12, 2014 file photo, the HealthCare.gov website, where people can buy health insurance, on a laptop screen, shown in Portland, Ore.

http://www.wafb.com/story/27722585/no-health-insurance-penalties-to-rise-in-2015

Obama golf game forces Army couple to move wedding

A couple getting married near President Barack Obama's vacation spot in Hawaii learned the hard way that the big day rarely goes exactly as planned. Natalie Heimel and Edward Mallue Jr. - both U.S. Army captains stationed in Hawaii - were scheduled to tie the knot Sunday at Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course, a military course with ocean views near Obama's rented vacation home in Kailua.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=157&sid=32922411&s_cid=rss-157

Will Clinton run? She needs to decide in 2015

A still undeclared candidate, Hillary Rodham Clinton sits atop the prospective field of Democratic presidential candidates for 2016. But as Clinton has said before, if she runs again, she'll work as hard as any underdog.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_27227296/will-clinton-run-she-needs-decide-2015?source=rss

Julianne Moore: Stop School Shootings by Donating to Gun Control

According to CTNews , Moore wrote a letter asking possible contributors for donations of "$5 or more" to "stop gun violence" and "save lives." In the letter, she cited Everytown's false claim that there have been "nearly 100 school shootings since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary."

http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2014/12/29/actress-julianne-moore-stop-school-shootings-by-donating-to-gun-control/

The Fleeting Obsessions Of The White House Press Corps

If you didn't like the news on any given week of 2014, you were mostly in luck. You could just wait a few days until the press moved on.

http://www.npr.org/2014/12/30/373738692/the-fleeting-obsessions-of-the-white-house-press-corps?

Editorial: Heal the rift

No mayor could be more full-throated in expressing praise for the NYPD than Bill de Blasio was at the swearing-in Monday of 884 rookie cops. "You serve in the greatest and finest police department on this Earth," he told the newest members of the Finest.

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/editorial-heal-rift-article-1.2060122

Sheriff shakeups shape 2014

Chesterfield County's top lawman hopes to restore public trust in a sheriff's office rocked by scandal in 2014. Sheriff Jay Brooks' election and former Sheriff Sam Parker's conviction on public corruption charges ranked as The Cheraw Chronicle's top story of 2014.

http://www.thecherawchronicle.com/news/home_top-localnews1/151035911/Sheriff-shakeups-shape-2014

Mississippi man appeals fraud conviction

Aubrey Brant Sturdivant of Waynesboro is serving a 41-month prison sentence for a 2013 conviction in federal court in Jackson for conspiracy to defraud the government. Sturdivant was indicted in 2011.

http://www.wlox.com/story/27727191/mississippi-man-appeals-fraud-conviction

More

The cost of being uninsured in America is going up significantly next year for millions of peopl... . FILE - In his Nov. 12, 2014 file photo, the HealthCare.gov website, where people can buy health insurance, on a laptop screen, shown in Portland, Ore.

http://www.wfmj.com/story/27722585/no-health-insurance-penalties-to-rise-in-2015

Quote of the Day

"I never say never." - President Obama, in an interview with NPR, on the possibility of opening a U.S. Embassy in Iran.

http://politicalwire.com/2014/12/30/quote-of-the-day-842/

Rapid growth leaves Asian airlines searching for pilots

A crew of an Indonesian Air Force C-130 airplane of the 31st Air Squadron, looks out of the window during a search operation for the missing AirAsia flight 8501 jetliner over the waters of Karimata Strait in Indonesia, Monday, Dec. 29, 2014. Search planes and ships from several countries on Monday were scouring Indonesian waters over which an AirAsia jet disappeared, more than a day into the region's latest aviation mystery.

http://www.timesunion.com/news/world/article/Rapid-growth-leaves-Asian-airlines-searching-for-5984677.php

Uninsured must pay IRS in 2015

It's the first year all taxpayers have to report to the Internal Revenue Service whether they had health insurance for the previous year, as required under President Barack Obama's law. Those who were uninsured face fines, unless they qualify for one of about 30 exemptions, most of which involve financial hardships.

http://www.theday.com/national-business/20141230/uninsured-must-pay-irs-in-2015

No health insurance? Penalties to rise in 2015

In this photo taken Aug. 21, 2014, health care tax forms 8962, 1095-A, and 8965, are seen in Washington. Being uninsured in America will cost you more in 2015.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/12/30/5412788/being-uninsured-in-america-will.html#storylink=rss

Photo: File-This Dec. 23, 2014, file photo shows Rep. Mic

File-This Dec. 23, 2014, file photo shows Rep. Michael Grimm, center, leaving Federal court in Brooklyn after pleading guilty to a federal tax evasion charge rather than go to trial in New York. A Republican source says the New York congressman is expected to resign before Congress returns to Washington next week.

http://lasvegassun.com/photos/2014/dec/29/590403/

Who hacked Sony becomes Internet's new mystery

Everyone has a theory about who really hacked Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. Despite President Barack Obama's conclusion that North Korea was the culprit, the Internet's newest game of whodunit continues. Top theories include disgruntled Sony insiders, hired hackers, other foreign governments or Internet hooligans.

http://www.keprtv.com/news/tech/Who-hacked-Sony-becomes-Internets-new-mystery-286784371.html

The 2014 SCOTUS Awards

We live in a celebrity culture, driven by personality worship and superstar veneration. And so it's fitting that at the end of each year, we're treated to "best-of" lists that rank and grade our luminaries and their achievements for practically everything - from the movies they make and the songs they sing to how beautiful they are, and how much wealth they've accumulated.

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_2014_scotus_awards_20141230?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+Truthdig+Truthdig%253A+Drilling+Beneath+the+Headlines

Low-profile US diplomat helped negotiate with Cuba

A low-profile American diplomat born in Honduras to a prominent political family helped handle top-secret U.S. negotiations with Cuba. Ricardo Zuniga accompanied longtime Obama foreign policy aide Ben Rhodes to a series of meetings in Canada and at the Vatican that led to President Barack Obama's move to re-establish diplomatic ties with the Cold War foe.

http://www.13wham.com/template/inews_wire/wires.national/361c7878-www.13wham.com.shtml

Key Royale homeowner sues Holmes Beach for remodeling permit

After more than a year of wrangling with city officials in an attempt to remodel 626 Key Royale Drive - including an appeal to the Florida Building Commission - the homeowner has filed suit against the city of Holmes Beach. In their lawsuit, owner Leah Marie Enterprises LLC and corporate manager Kathleen Morgan, represented by Sarasota attorney David Johnson, Morgan's husband, seek a court order requiring Holmes Beach to issue a permit to renovate the home.

http://www.islander.org/2014/12/key-royale-homeowner-sues-holmes-beach-for-remodeling-permit/?#038;#038;

EDITORIAL: More Keystone stonewalling from president

The Keystone XL pipeline appears dead for the duration of Barack Obama's presidency. After dancing around the topic and delaying any sort of action on the project for years, the president provided a concrete position during his year-end White House news conference on Dec. 19, saying that Keystone XL would provide "not even a nominal benefit" to U.S. consumers.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/opinion/editorial-more-keystone-stonewalling-president

Justice Stevensto run for his seat

State Supreme Court Justice Correale F. Stevens of Sugarloaf Twp. is running for election to the post he was appointed to two years ago.

http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/justice-stevensto-run-for-his-seat-1.1810036

ARSA, ATEC Offer Aviation Maintenance Scholarships

The Aeronautical Repair Station Association and the Aviation Technician Aviation Council joined with the Northrop Rice Foundation to give the gift of a future in aviation maintenance. Through the participation of ten sponsors, NRF provides award and scholarship support for students, instructors, veterans and schools.

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=d7970319-6451-4581-b0a4-f4406009db6e

'Despicable act' fuels tension

Some blame New York mayor Bill de Blasio and politicians for the ongoing violence in the city, writes Jamelle Bouie. smaaiyl Brinsley shot a former girlfriend in Baltimore, and hours later, in Brooklyn, New York, he ambushed and killed two police officers in their car and then killed himself.

http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/despicable-act-fuels-tension-1.1799644

Despite Election Defeat, Obama Sees Room To Push His Agenda

Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep interviews President Obama on Dec. 17 in the Oval Office, where they discussed recent moves on Cuba and immigration, and prospects for cooperation with a GOP-dominated Congress. President Obama has begun his administration's final phase the way he began several other chapters of his presidency: seeking to recover from disaster.

http://www.kqed.org/news/story/2014/12/29/152645/despite_election_defeat_obama_sees_room_to_push_his_agenda?category=politics

2014 In Review: Malloy Prepares For Second Term After Winning Tight Race

In a hard-fought campaign that mirrored their exceptionally close 2010 gubernatorial campaign, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy was able to fend off Greenwich multimillionaire Tom Foley to win his second consecutive four-year term as governor in November's election. A former mayor of Stamford, Malloy was able to overcome an early campaign lead by Foley - a Quinnipiac University poll in early September had Foley leading Malloy by 6 percentage points.

http://weston.dailyvoice.com/politics/2014-review-malloy-prepares-second-term-after-winning-tight-race

Texas license plate challenges sensitive people

The Battle of Palmito Ranch near Brownsville, Texas, on May 13, 1865, is called the last battle of the Civil War, but the Texas Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans might consider that judgment premature, given its conflict with the state's Department of Transportation and Department of Motor Vehicles. This skirmish is of national interest because it implicates a burgeoning new entitlement: the right to pass through life without encountering any disagreeable thought.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2014/12/29/commentary/texas-license-plate-challenges-sensitive-people/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+japantimes+%28The+Japan+Times%3A+All+Stories%29

Political Targeting Pushes Bounds of Privacy

Politico : "In the 2014 campaign, many voters expressed outrage over the National Security Agency's collection of telephone metadata, and others complained about retailers using tricks to get their emails and other personal information. But by far the most sweeping violator of privacy wasn't the government or big-box stores: It was the very political leaders to whom the voters were appealing."

http://politicalwire.com/2014/12/29/political-targeting-pushes-bounds-of-privacy/

Republicans see diversity in their 2016 hopefuls

In this Dec. 17, 2014 file photo, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., the son of Cuban immigrants, expresses his disappointment in President Barack Obama's initiative to normalize relations between the United States and Cuba, during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington. Long criticized as the party of old white men, Republicans are seeing a diverse group of people step up for possible contention in the 2016 presidential race.

http://www.news965.com/news/ap/top-news/republicans-see-diversity-in-their-2016-hopefuls/njcDT/

GOP puts up a bigger tent for minority challenge

Long criticized as the party of old white men, the GOP's next class of presidential contenders may include two Hispanic senators, an Indian-American governor, a female business leader and an African-American neurosurgeon. In a group that could exceed a dozen Republican White House prospects, all but a few are in their 40s or 50s, while one of the oldest white men is a fluent Spanish speaker whose wife is a native Mexican.

http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/gop-puts-up-a-bigger-tent-for-minority-challenge-1.1809575

Despite Election Defeat, Obama Sees Room To Push His Agenda

President Obama has begun his administration's final phase the way he began several other chapters of his presidency: seeking to recover from disaster. Obama has moved vigorously since his party lost the Senate in November.

http://www.npr.org/2014/12/29/372537535/despite-election-defeat-obama-sees-room-to-push-his-agenda?

The Year of Unconventional Wisdom

Voters had a way of not always following the script-otherwise known as "conventional wisdom"-set out by those whose columns, microphones, talk shows, and TV appearances give them the prominence to proclaim what quickly is accepted as the way it is. Perhaps the biggest lesson learned from the year gone by is that conventional wisdom-always subject to change-now does so more rapidly than ever.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/white-house/the-year-of-unconventional-wisdom-20141229

2014, According to the Drudge Report

Don't doubt the influence of Matt Drudge. According to Quantcast , the Drudge Report sees a steady stream of more than 2 million unique visitors daily.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/2014-according-to-the-drudge-report-20141229

2015's Policy Battles: Obamacare, Net Neutrality, Keystone, and Surveillance Reform

The status quo has shifted, but has it shifted enough to break the gridlock that has gripped Washington for the past four years? Those bullish on "grand bargains" and "comprehensive reforms" see pieces in place. With Mitch McConnell replacing Harry Reid at the helm of the Senate, the "House passes a bill, which the Senate buries" dynamic of the past two Congresses is over.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/domesticpolicy/2015-s-policy-battles-obamacare-net-neutrality-keystone-and-surveillance-reform-20141229

Obama: Iran has 'chance to get right with the world' - NPR

Iran could become a "very successful regional power" if Tehran agrees to a long-term deal to curb its nuclear program, President Barack Obama said in an interview with NPR News. "They've got a chance to get right with the world," Obama said in the interview, which was taped at the White House on Dec. 18 and is set to air this week.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/29/us-usa-obama-iran-idUSKBN0K70KX20141229?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews

Obama's warning to GOP: I'll use veto pen to defend actions on health care, environment

Warning from President Barack Obama to congressional Republicans: I have a veto pen and, come January, I won't be afraid to use it. Since taking office in 2009, Obama has only vetoed legislation twice, both in fairly minor circumstances.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/286992621.html

Obama warns GOP he plans to use veto pen in 2015

President Barack Obama is putting congressional Republicans on notice that he expects to use his veto pen far more often next year. Obama says he hasn't vetoed many bills since taking office in 2009.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2014/dec/29/obama-warns-gop-he-plans-to-use-veto-pen-in-2015/

Bernardo de G lvez y Madrid's Very Good Year

Rep. Jeff Miller sponsored the bill granting Bernardo de GA lvez y Madrid honorary citizenship. Among the flurry of bills President Barack Obama signed into law before heading to Hawaii for the holidays was a resolution granting GA lvez honorary U.S. citizenship, something that's only happened eight times in U.S. history and is a distinction bestowed only on non-U.S. citizens of "exceptional merit."

http://blogs.rollcall.com/hill-blotter/bernardo-de-galvez-y-madrids-very-good-year/?dcz=

10 Races to Watch in 2016: Nevada Senate

Republicans ousted Sen. Harry Reid as majority leader in 2014. This cycle, the GOP wants to finish the job and defeat the Democrat at home in Nevada.

http://atr.rollcall.com/races-to-watch-2016-nevada-senate-harry-reid/?dcz=

Despite Election Defeat, Obama Sees Room To Push His Agenda

President Obama has begun his administration's final phase the way he began several other chapters of his presidency: seeking to recover from disaster. Obama has moved vigorously since his party lost the Senate in November.

http://www.wnyc.org/story/despite-election-defeat-obama-sees-room-to-push-his-agenda/

Obama Finds Reset Button With 2 Years To Go: Is It Too Late?

As he looks toward his seventh year in the White House, President Obama still believes there is time to make his presidency a transformational moment in history. In an interview recorded shortly before he left for Christmas vacation in Hawaii , the president told NPR's Steve Inskeep that 2014 had been "a bumpy ride" but also the "breakthrough year" he himself had predicted.

http://www.wnyc.org/story/obama-finds-reset-button-with-2-years-to-go-is-it-too-late/

US President Barack Obama

In a tape that is set to air this week, US President says Iran should seize the chance of a deal that could lift crippling sanctions. WASHINGTON - Iran could become a "very successful regional power" if Tehran agrees to a long-term deal to curb its nuclear program, President Barack Obama said in an interview with NPR News.

http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Obama-Iran-has-chance-to-get-right-with-the-world-386035

US marks end of 13 year long war in Afghanistan, Obama praises troops for their sacrifices

The longest war in American history has come to a "responsible conclusion" with the withdrawal of US and NATO combat forces from Afghanistan, US President Barack Obama has said but warned that the country remains "a dangerous place". NATO's war in Afghanistan, fought for 13 years, came to a formal end on Sunday with a flag-lowering ceremony in Kabul that marked the transition of the fighting from US-led combat troops to the country's own security forces.

http://indianexpress.com/article/world/americas/us-marks-end-of-13-year-long-war-in-afghanistan-obama-praises-troops-for-their-sacrifices/

Fox News presenter mocked after appearing to link disappearance of...

A Fox News presenter who commented that the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 may have disappeared because the pilots used metric, rather than imperial, measurement systems has been lambasted online. Footage appears to show presenter Anna Kooiman link the use of different measurement systems to the safety of flights abroad.

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/trending/fox-news-presenter-mocked-after-appearing-to-link-disappearance-of-flight-qz8501-with-pilots-use-of-the-metric-system-30867592.html

Agriculture minister says time running short for U.S. to fix meat label law

Canada's agriculture minister says time is running short for the U.S. to avoid trade tariffs over its discriminatory meat labelling laws. Gerry Ritz said if Washington doesn't change its country of origin labelling laws to comply with World Trade Organization rulings in the coming months, Canada will apply as early as the summer to impose retaliatory tariffs on a long list of U.S. goods including beef, orange juice and wine.

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/business-news/agriculture-minister-says-time-running-short-for-u-s-to-fix-meat-label-law/

Fox News presenter mocked after appearing to link disappearance of...

Presenter Anna Kooiman has been the subject of some sharp ridicule on Twitter: 'Shocking to think people get paid to be idiots" Note: We do not store your email address but your IP address will be logged to prevent abuse of this feature. Please read our Legal Terms & Policies A Fox News presenter who commented that the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 may have disappeared because the pilots used metric, rather than imperial, measurement systems has been lambasted online.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/fox-news-presenter-mocked-after-appearing-to-link-disappearance-of-flight-qz8501-with-pilots-use-of-metric-and-imperial-measurement-systems-9947713.html

Agriculture minister says time running short for U.S. to fix meat label law

Canada's agriculture minister says time is running short for the U.S. to avoid trade tariffs over its discriminatory meat labelling laws. Gerry Ritz said if Washington doesn't change its country of origin labelling laws to comply with World Trade Organization rulings in the coming months, Canada will apply as early as the summer to impose retaliatory tariffs on a long list of U.S. goods including beef, orange juice and wine.

http://www.cfra.com/NationalCP/Article.aspx?id=448371

Sony says PlayStation still has problems

Sony Corp's PlayStation Network suffered connection problems for a fourth straight day since hackers attacked the video game network, and the company said on Sunday that service was gradually being restored. The hacker activist group known as Lizard Squad has claimed responsibility for disrupting both the PlayStation Network and Microsoft Corp's Xbox Live on Christmas Day.

http://www.businessworld.ie/livenews.htm?a=3248219

Ohio House GOP freshman Becker is no shrinking violet

State Rep. John Becker shook his head as he looked over the glut of more than 20 bills on the House calendar for the final session day of the year. Although he can't vouch for everyone else, the Republican from suburban Cincinnati has been busy in his first term.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/12/29/gop-freshman-no-shrinking-violet.html

Jameis Winston -- Late Night Chicken Run ... Hits Roscoes with 3 Women

Jameis Winston and Barack Obama have something in common -- they both ordered the same exact meal at Roscoe's House Of Chicken 'N Waffles. TMZ Sports has learned the Florida State QB hit up the iconic L.A. chicken joint around 12:30 AM Sunday for a late night meal.

http://www.tmz.com/2014/12/29/jameis-winston-late-night-chicken-run-at-roscoes/

Police reformers' legitimate concerns

It is striking that while reason and courage have largely guided efforts to reform our democratic institutions, attempts to reform policing policies and practices have often found irrational intractability on both sides of the political aisle. In the wake of the brutal slayings of two of his police officers, Bill Bratton, commissioner of the New York City Police Department, has, for example, equated the current tension between his department and protesters seeking law enforcement reforms to the tension of the 1970s, when New York police officers were targeted and killed by militants attached to the black liberation movement.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20141229/COLUMN44/312299980

Stakes high for Indonesia as aviation safety in spotlight again

The Airbus A320, with 162 people on board, is presumed to have crashed into the Java Sea on a flight from Indonesia's second city Surabaya to Singapore on Sunday, putting renewed scrutiny on the regulation of airlines in a country that remains on the European Union's aviation blacklist. Malaysian-listed budget carrier AirAsia and its regional affiliates have up until now had a near blemish-free safety record, but officials were quick to announce on Monday a review of Indonesia AirAsia's operations.

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/transport/airasia-flight-qz8501/stakes-high-for-indonesia-as-aviation-safety-in-spotlight-again

2014 saw shift on same-sex marriage

For the first time, a majority of Americans are living in a state that allows gay marriage. After a year of court opinions tossing out many remaining restrictions, the dynamic in 2014 changed from how many states allow same-sex marriage to how many states don't.

http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2014/dec/29/2014-saw-shift-on-same-sex-marriage-201/

USS Fort Worth arrives in Singapore, to support US rebalance to Asia-Pacific

After a brief stop in Jakarta, the USS Fort Worth, a combat ship of the United States Navy, arrived in Singapore on Monday morning, to begin about 15 months of operations in the Asia-Pacific. It is the second US Navy littoral combat ship deployed in support of the Asia-Pacific rebalance, an initiative first announced by Singapore and the US at the Shangri-La Dialogue in 2011.

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/more-singapore-stories/story/uss-fort-worth-arrives-singapore-support-us-rebalance-as

NATO's Afghanistan combat mission ends

The 13-year NATO combat mission in Afghanistan formally ended Sunday with a ceremonial retirement of its green flag and a pledge by top officials of the U.S.-led coalition to remain reliable partners in Afghanistan's unfinished war against the Taliban and other militant groups. Scores of Afghan and foreign officials gathered to witness the symbolic shift to a new, much smaller NATO assistance and training mission.

http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2014/dec/29/nato-s-afghanistan-combat-mission-ends-/

SINGAPORE: USS Fort Worth arrives in S'pore, to support US rebalance to Asia-Pacific

After a brief stop in Jakarta, the USS Fort Worth, a combat ship of the United States Navy, arrived in Singapore on Monday morning, to begin about 15 months of operations in the Asia-Pacific. It is the second US Navy littoral combat ship deployed in support of the Asia-Pacific rebalance, an initiative first announced by Singapore and the US at the Shangri-La Dialogue in 2011.

http://www.asianewsnet.net/USS-Fort-Worth-arrives-in-Spore-to-support-US-reba-69718.html

Singapore: Missing Airasia Flight: Second C-130 flight finds no sign of missing plane

Twenty-four volunteers from the Republic of Singapore Air Force climbed on board two military aircraft on Monday to help look for the missing AirAsia QZ8501 flight. One plane left Paya Lebar Air Base at about 6.30am on Monday, while the other left the base a few hours later at about 12.40pm.

http://www.asianewsnet.net/MISSING-AIRASIA-FLIGHT-Second-C-130-flight-finds-n-69717.html

Agri-Pulse: New Optimism For China Trade Expansion, Improved U.S. Exports

PULSE : NEW OPTIMISM FOR CHINA TRADE EXPANSION, IMPROVED U.S. EXPORTS Dec. 29, 2014 Agri-Pulse reports: For the last 13 months, most of the news coming out of China regarding the U.S. grain trade has been one of frustration and uncertainty, putting a damper on commodity prices that have already tumbled from historic highs. In mid-November 2013, China began rejecting shipments of U.S. corn and corn byproducts after finding the presence of Syngenta's Agrisure Viptera seed trait mixed in shipments.

http://www.agrimarketing.com/s/93220

Trial Date Set For Chinese Couple In Seed Corn Theft

TRIAL DATE SET FOR CHINESE COUPLE IN SEED CORN THEFT Dec. 29, 2014 Des Moines Register reports: A September trial date has been set for a brother and sister charged with trying to steal patented corn seeds from Iowa test fields. Mo Hailong and Mo Yun are scheduled to face trial for conspiring to steal trade secrets on Sept.

http://www.agrimarketing.com/s/93213

Stakes high for Indonesia as aviation safety in spotlight again

The disappearance of an Indonesia AirAsia passenger jet comes at a sensitive time for Jakarta's aviation authorities, as they strive to improve the country's safety reputation to match its status as one of the airline industry's fastest growing markets. The Airbus A320, with 162 people on board, is presumed to have crashed into the Java Sea on a flight from Indonesia's second city Surabaya to Singapore on Sunday, putting renewed scrutiny on the regulation of airlines in a country that remains on the European Union's aviation blacklist.

http://www.trust.org/item/20141229090035-ecgmf

Mexico calls for larger, more diverse UN Security Council

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http://www.trust.org/item/20141229082817-9om6x/?source=fiOtherNews2

Court jesters

The spectacle of 23,000 cops at the funeral for slain Police Officer Rafael Ramos Saturday sent a powerful message of support for police. And when they turned their backs as Mayor de Blasio eulogized Ramos, that, too was an unmistakable sign of their resentment of de Blasio's bias against them.

http://nypost.com/2014/12/27/court-jesters/

Smiles at Christmas

Lynn Parfrey, from the Rotary Club of Swindon Phoenix, with Joshua Ranson, Sam Radford, Kacey Manning and Manveer Sandhu. Picture: DAVE COX Eleca Rodrigues, Mike Hobbs, Inacio Gracias, Jo Hopson and Mark Carr from Carillion help Jody Higgins, right, from Barnado's, sort donations DOZENS around the town did their bit in the run up to the big day to make sure every child had a good Christmas this year.

http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/NEWS/11690335.Smiles_at_Christmas/?ref=rss

Search for missing AirAsia flight expands, plane presumed at sea bottom

The search and rescue operation for a missing AirAsia plane expanded on Monday with more countries joining the sea and aerial search while an Indonesian official assumed that the ill-fated jetliner is likely at the bottom of the sea. Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency told the media that the missing jet with 162 people on board is believed to have sunken into the bottom of the sea based on the coordinates given and evaluations.

http://www.nepalnews.com/index.php/news/42601-search-for-missing-airasia-flight-expands,-plane-presumed-at-sea-bottom

December 29: Cops, horses and kindness

Brooklyn: The myth that mayors Rudy Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg supported the police is absurd. They are arguably the worst enemies the NYPD ever had, who imposed hostile ticket and arrest quotas - a revenue grab that made everyone hate cops and made cops hate themselves - while giving themselves and their cronies huge pay bumps, even as New York's Finest and Bravest got stiffed.

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/december-29-cops-horses-kindness-article-1.2057660

Column: Future uncertain, Romney sits atop GOP polls

It can be hard to take the idea of a Mitt Romney 2016 presidential run seriously. After all, this is the man who said of losing general election candidates, "They become a loser for life."

http://www.daily-times.com/farmington-opinion/ci_27211151/column-future-uncertain-romney-sits-atop-gop-polls

Mother: No justice yet in daughter's slaying in Hartford

Asher Glace, a 21-year-old nursing student, was gunned down in the driveway of her Hartford home. Glace was a key witness in a North End bar murder case that was to go to trial in two months.

http://www.theday.com/state-news/20141229/mother-no-justice-yet-in-daughters-slaying

The return of Cuba Derangement Syndrome

Barack Obama has made a geopolitical irrelevancy suddenly relevant to American presidential politics. For decades, Cuba has been instructive as a museum of two stark failures: socialism and the U.S. embargo.

http://www.stripes.com/opinion/the-return-of-cuba-derangement-syndrome-1.321358

Boeing calls tanker prototype's first flight successful

Several traditional reservists within the 18th Air Refueling Squadron work regularly as commercial pilots and are already qualified by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly the KC-46 in its derivative form, the Boeing 767-200. With approximately 15 traditional reservists who work as commercial airline pilots, the 18th ARS has the luxury of prior 767 airframe experience within their ranks.

http://www.stripes.com/news/us/boeing-calls-tanker-prototype-s-first-flight-successful-1.321405

AZAL receives second Dreamliner

"In addition to the possibility of using the liner middle dimension on long-haul routes, 787 AZAL will provide unsurpassed fuel efficiency and environmental performance by reducing fuel consumption and emissions by 20 percent compared with the aircraft, which 787 model will replace," Boeing company said. AZAL's staff instruction on operating the new Boeing B-787-8 will be completed within the next two months, after which the aircraft will begin to provide services to passengers.

http://www.today.az/news/business/138134.html

Federal aid now is available for shellfishermen, seaweed farmers

Connecticut shellfishermen and seaweed farmers will be eligible for federal assistance to cover losses due to severe weather, because of a change in U.S. Department of Agriculture policy made possible in the 2014 Farm Bill. "We're thrilled.

http://www.theday.com/local/20141229/federal-aid-now-is-available-for-shellfishermen-seaweed-farmers

Did Drought and Climate Change cause Middle Eastern States to Collapse in 2014?

The Middle East, from North Africa to Afghanistan, has seen an unusual number of governments collapse in recent years. Libya, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen have abruptly become something akin to failed states, and masses overthrew dictators in Egypt and Tunisia.

http://www.juancole.com/2014/12/climate-eastern-collapse.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+juancole%2Fymbn+%28Informed+Comment%29

Slain NYPD officer mourned at funeral, fellow officers protest against mayor

Thousands of police officers from across the U.S. packed a church and spilled onto the streets on Saturday to honor a slain New York officer as a devoted family man, aspiring chaplain and hero, though an air of unrest surrounding his ambush shooting was not completely pushed aside. While mourners inside the church applauded politely as Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke, hundreds of officers outside turned their backs on him to protest what they see as his support for demonstrators angry over killings by police.

http://indianexpress.com/article/world/americas/slain-nypd-officer-mourned-at-funeral-fellow-officers-protest-against-mayor/

I Say Good Riddance To 2014, And Welcome 2015 With Hope

I don't know about you, but I'm glad to see 2014 go. It was the year that "the ugly" came out.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/28/1354358/-I-Say-Good-Riddance-To-2014-And-Welcome-2015-With-Hope

Singapore Activates Air Force, Navy to Search Missing Jet

Singapore said on Sunday it has activated its air force and navy to help in the search and rescue operation for the AirAsia jet that went missing on a flight from Surabaya, Indonesia to Singapore. "Two C130s are already on stand-by for this purpose.

http://www.marinelink.com/news/singapore-activates382964.aspx

George Will - Cuba Derangement Syndrome

Barack Obama has made a geopolitical irrelevancy suddenly relevant to American presidential politics.

http://www.crescent-news.com/opinion/2014/12/28/george-will-cuba-derangement-syndrome

Congressman speaks for small businesses

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, the departing chairman of the U.S. House's Small Business Committee, elevated the profile of such firms partly through the committees works on issues such as federal contracts and the more than 200 hearings the panel held. U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, the departing chairman of the U.S. House's Small Business Committee, elevated the profile of such firms partly through the committees works on issues such as federal contracts and the more than 200 hearings the panel held.

http://www.rockymounttelegram.com/business/congressman-speaks-small-businesses-2745033

This day in history

Today is Sunday, Dec. 28, the 362nd day of 2014. There are three days left in the year.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20141228/NEWS/312289993/1102/RSS01&source=rss

Mr. Obama comes to town and other top stories of 2014

Let's be honest, most high school commencement ceremonies can be an outright snooze. Graduates count down classmates crossing the stage for their diplomas to the end of the alphabet, eager to get the heck out and proceed to a family party.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20141228/NEWS/312289839/1116/RSS03&source=rss

Campanale prepares to take office in 17th Worcester District

Kate Campanale, newly-elected state representative in the 17th Worcester District, at home on Saturday, as she looks forward to taking her new legislative seat. It was a "real shocker," as one news account put it.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20141228/NEWS/312289843/1116/RSS03&source=rss

IMB Concerned About Compensating Pirates

The International Maritime Bureau has joined other maritime organisations in expressing concern over the decision to compensate convicted Somali pirates. These criminals have been responsible for taking hostage thousands of seafarers, who were subjected to unprovoked violence and sometimes torture.

http://www.marinelink.com/news/compensating-concerned382957.aspx

Death penalty states unmoved by botched execution

Oklahoma's last execution went so badly that the state tried to cancel it before it was over. With the inmate writhing while the lethal drugs seeped into his body, his executioners drew the viewing gallery curtains, concealing what the warden later described as "a bloody mess."

http://www.ksla.com/story/27714022/death-penalty-states-unmoved-by-botched-execution

Trib overview of the same sex marriage appeal

Fourteen states allowed same-sex marriage when Cleopatra De Leon and Nicole Dimetman filed a lawsuit late last year challenging Texas' constitutional ban on marriages that are not between a man and a woman. The couple, married in Massachusetts in 2009, lives in Austin and collided with Texas law when they could not both be listed on the birth certificate of their first child.

http://offthekuff.com/wp/?p=64493

Smerconish: My meeting with Fidel Castro

President Obama's reestablishment of relations with Cuba has me thinking about the night I spent more than six hours with Fidel Castro. I was in Havana in 2002 with U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, on assignment as a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News.

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20141228_The_Pulse__My_meeting_with_Fidel.html

Air Asia flight missing after losing contact with ATC

Singapore, Dec 28 : An AirAsia flight with 162 people aboard went missing en route from Indonesia to Singapore on Sunday after losing contact with air traffic controllers. There were unconfirmed reports that an aircraft has crashed in the waters off East Belitung, off the east coast of Sumatra.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1141228/jsp/frontpage/story_19267921.jsp

US, NATO to mark end of mission to Afghanistan

The United States and NATO will mark the formal end of the war in Afghanistan on Sunday with a ceremony at their military headquarters in Kabul as the insurgency they fought for 13 years remains as ferocious and deadly as at any time since the 2001 invasion that unseated the Taliban regime following the Sept. 11 attacks.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/article5065764.html

Adelson shouldn't have so much pull

A prohibition of gambling on the Internet is a pet project of billionaire Sheldon Adelson. He does not want competition against his mega casino network and has paid millions to politicians and groups to have Congress ban Internet gambling technology.

http://lasvegassun.com/news/2014/dec/28/adelson-shouldnt-have-so-much-pull/

Journalist To Be Executed For Blasphemy In Mauritania

It is a time of fear in the face of freedom, a time of an emptying country and swelling cities, a time for the widening of previous roads and the opening of new paths, yet a time when these paths are mined by knowing algorithms of the all-seeing eye. It is the time of the warrior's peace and the miser's charity, when the planting of a seed is an act of conscientious objection.

http://irregulartimes.com/2014/12/28/journalist-to-be-executed-for-blasphemy-in-mauritania/

Congress likely to make key decisions on drones

The Obama administration is about to propose long-awaited rules for commercial drone operations in U.S. skies, but key decisions on how much access to grant drones are likely to come from Congress next year. Federal Aviation Administration officials have said they want to release proposed rules before the end of this month, but other government and industry officials say they are likely to be delayed until January.

http://krqe.com/ap/congress-likely-to-make-key-decisions-on-drones/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+krqe-business+%28Local+News+from+KRQE.com%29

NTSB Faa investigate Westminster plane crash

Our eNewspaper network was founded in 2002 to provide stand-alone digital news sites tailored for the most searched-for locations for news. With a traditional newspaper format, more than 100 sites were established each with a newspaper-type name to cover the highest-ranked regions, countries, cities and states.

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/sid/228913181

2 planes collide at Carroll County airport

Maryland State Police said reports of the planes colliding came in around 3:49 p.m.According to witness reports, a white Piper Single low-wing plane was approaching the runway eastbound for a landing. A red Aerobatic Biplane was also on approach and did not see the Piper.

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/sid/228910785

"The Interview" Opens to Sold-Out Crowds

Sony is thanking theater-goers for watching the limited release of The Interview , which grossed over $1 million in its first day in theaters. "Considering the incredibly challenging circumstances, we are extremely grateful to the people all over the country who came out to experience The Interview on the first day of its unconventional release," Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution for Sony Pictures Entertainment, said in a statement Friday.

http://www.catcountry96.com/common/more.php?m=58&ts=1419744003&article=F3ED1D858D1811E4B51EFEFDADE6840A&mode=2

Big changes coming to Cuba tourism

A tourist looks out from his hotel room's balcony Dec. 19 in Havana, Cuba. In the past, "people-to-people" U.S. travelers could only go to Cuba under a license obtained by a travel company in a time-consuming process followed by lengthy government verification that travelers weren't engaging in inappropriate leisure tourism.

http://www.theday.com/national-business/20141228/big-changes-coming-to-cuba-tourism

Congress Likely to Make Key Decisions on Drones

The Obama administration is about to propose long-awaited rules for commercial drone operations in U.S. skies, but key decisions on how much access to grant drones are likely to come from Congress next year. Federal Aviation Administration officials have said they want to release proposed rules before the end of this month, but other government and industry officials say they are likely to be delayed until January.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/congress-make-key-decisions-drones-27859832

Little-known book by pope outlines views, hopes for Cuba

Pope Francis greets attendees during a recent audience with the Holy See's employees in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican. In a 1998 booklet, "Dialogues between John Paul II and Fidel Castro," then Jorge Mario Bergoglio criticizes socialism and denounces the U.S. embargo of Cuba.

http://www.theday.com/books/20141228/little-known-book-by-pope-outlines-views-hopes-for-cuba

Dubai Shares Lead Gulf Stocks Higher as U.S. Confidence Grows

Shares in Dubai rose to the highest level in more than two weeks following a record close for U.S. stocks last week. Qatari shares also advanced.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-28/dubai-shares-lead-gulf-stocks-higher-as-u-s-confidence-grows.html

Insured cry foul on Sandy claim denials

When superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast, flood insurance companies working for the Federal Emergency Management Agency dispatched an army of structural engineers to do some detective work. Subscribers must LOG-IN to read this full story.

http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2014/dec/28/insured-cry-foul-on-sandy-claim-denials/

Thompson Joins Bipartisan Effort to Rescind Obama Admin. Proposed Rule on Electric Power Generation

Bellefonte, PA - U.S. Representative Glenn 'GT' Thompson has joined with nearly one hundred fellow Members of Congress in sending a letter to President Obama to express concerns regarding the proposed rule announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on June 2, 2014, entitled "Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units." "The EPA's new rule on electric power generation is yet another unworkable policy from the Obama Administration that will threaten America's access to affordable and reliable energy," stated Rep. Thompson.

http://m.northcentralpa.com/feeditem/2014-12-23_thompson-joins-bipartisan-effort-rescind-obama-admin-proposed-rule-electric-powe

Inside Israel, 11:13 AMLikud's Gay Forum Head Runs in Primaries

Amir Ohana, the head of Likud's Gay Forum, has announced his candidacy in Likud's upcoming primaries, saying he wants to show that members of Israel's gay community, who traditionally gravitate to the Left, should not have to sacrifice right-wing beliefs. In an interview with Channel 10 News , Ohana, who is running for a position on Likud's Knesset list, stressed, "it is legitimate for each person to choose how he wants to live his/her life."

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/189195

Insured cry foul on Sandy claim denials

NEW YORK -- When superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast, flood insurance companies working for the Federal Emergency Management Agency dispatched an army of structural engineers to do some detective work.

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/dec/28/insured-cry-foul-on-sandy-claim-denials/

MLK Commemoration Celebrates King's Legacy; Features Keynote Speaker Dyson

Penn State's 30th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration will celebrate the late civil rights leader's life and work with a message that "Now, More Than Ever," is the time to make King's vision of a more just and peaceful world a reality. The commemoration features events throughout the month of January, highlighted by the Jan. 22 Evening Celebration with keynote speaker Michael Eric Dyson, the well-known professor and author of numerous books on society, culture, history and race.

http://gantdaily.com/2014/12/28/mlk-commemoration-celebrates-kings-legacy-features-keynote-speaker-dyson/

FAA nears long-awaited drone rules, but key decisions on drones likely to come from Congress

The Obama administration is about to propose long-awaited rules for commercial drone operations in U.S. skies, but key decisions on how much access to grant drones are likely to come from Congress next year. Federal Aviation Administration officials have said they want to release proposed rules before the end of this month, but other government and industry officials say they are likely to be delayed until January.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/286951001.html

Kasich: A balanced budget ... no more important issue

A little more than a year ago, Gov. John Kasich joined the Republican leaders of the Ohio legislature in a ceremonial letter signing, noting the state's adoption of a resolution urging President Barack Obama and the U.S. Congress to pursue a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

http://www.the-daily-record.com/local%20news/2014/12/28/kasich-a-balanced-budget-no-more-important-issue

Prizes for saving get U.S. OK

WASHINGTON -- Banks have given away gift cards, frequent flier miles and even toasters to lure customers. Now, with the passage of legislation sponsored by Arkansas U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, banks can also give away big cash prizes if state law allows it.

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/dec/28/prizes-for-saving-get-u-s-ok-20141228/

Tragic Sixth Sense? AirAsia QZ8501 crew's haunting tweets on MH370, MH17

Malaysia-owned AirAsia's missing flight QZ8501 has knocked the wind out of a region, already plagued by heavy rains and flood, but still resilient enough to be looking forward to welcoming in a new year. Now families of the 162 people on board the Singapore-bound flight are fearing the worst as latest details forebode the worst scenario.

http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=430032:tragic-sixth-sense?-airasia-qz8501-crews-haunting-tweets-on-mh370-mh17&Itemid=2

Leaping into 2015

My French teacher Mr Lilla told a true story about a man, as iconic as any Taffy or Mrs Bhakcu, in the East Port-of-Spain plannings where he grew up. He wanted to end his life and jumped from the top floor of the building.

http://www.guardian.co.tt/columnist/2014-12-28/leaping-2015

Who's stupid now, Professor Gruber?

Those of you who do not depend on the mainstream media to inform you are now very familiar with Jonathan Gruber of MIT. Numerous videos have surfaced in which he explains how he assisted the Obama administration and the Democrats in deceiving the American people regarding Obama-care by twisting facts and numbers in order to get it passed into law.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20141228/LETTERS/312289973/1017/rss01&source=rss

Ferry Carrying 466 Ordered Evacuated After Fire

A fire broke out on the car deck of a ferry carrying 466 people from Greece to Italy early Sunday, forcing authorities to order an evacuation. Nearby ships have been instructed to take passengers and crew members from the ferry Norman Atlantic, west of the island of Corfu, said Merchant Marine Minister Miltiadis Varvitsiotis.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/12/28/ferry-carrying-466-ordered-evacuated-after-fire/?#038;#038;#038;

A Sea of Blue Salutes Fallen Police Officer

New York police officers escorted the hearse carrying slain Officer Rafael Ramos after his funeral at Christ Tabernacle Church in Glendale, N.Y., on Saturday. John Taggart for The Wall Street Journal The funeral procession for Officer Rafael Ramos in Glendale, N.Y., He and his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, were gunned down last weekend while sitting in their patrol car in Brooklyn.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/fallen-nypd-officer-receives-inspectors-funeral-1419692781?mod=trending_now_9

Cuba Derangement Syndrome strikes again

Barack Obama has made a geopolitical irrelevancy suddenly relevant to American presidential politics. For decades, Cuba has been instructive as a museum of two stark failures: socialism and the U.S. embargo.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2014/12/28/commentary/world-commentary/cuba-derangement-syndrome-strikes/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+japantimes+%28The+Japan+Times%3A+All+Stories%29

'Yes we can!' president faces twilight of maybes

It was supposed to be a joke. "Are you still president?" comedian Stephen Colbert asked Barack Obama earlier this month.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/12/28/world/politics-diplomacy-world/yes-we-can-president-faces-twilight-of-maybes/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+japantimes+%28The+Japan+Times%3A+All+Stories%29

New York airlift wing gets new commander

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced the selection of a man from Lancaster as the next leader of the New York Air National Guard's 107th Airlift Wing at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. In a release issued by his office this week, Cuomo announced the selection of Col.

http://www.stripes.com/news/air-force/new-york-airlift-wing-gets-new-commander-1.321343

Sony works for third day to restore PlayStation after attack

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. worked for a third day Saturday to restore services to its PlayStation gaming network as the FBI said it was looking into the disruption, which began on Christmas Day. "We are aware of the reports and are investigating the Sony PlayStation matter," Federal Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman Jenny Shearer said via email.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/12/28/business/corporate-business/sony-works-for-third-day-to-restore-playstation-after-attack/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+japantimes+%28The+Japan+Times%3A+All+Stories%29

William McCulloch knew the art of political compromise served the people: Thomas Suddes

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio speaks on July 2, 2009, when Piqua, Ohio's downtown square was renamed William Moore McCulloch Square, in honor of the late congressman who played a critical role in passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act 45 years earlier. Boehner now holds the congressional seat.

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/12/william_mccullough_knew_that_c.html

Commentary: The wrong side of history

Sen. Marco Rubio has his views, and he's sticking to them. He fiercely opposes all of President Obama's initiatives to normalize relations with Cuba.

http://www.the-daily-record.com/opinion/2014/12/28/commentary-the-wrong-side-of-history

Commentary: Cuba derangement syndrome

Barack Obama has made a geopolitical irrelevancy suddenly relevant to American presidential politics. For decades, Cuba has been instructive as a museum of two stark failures: socialism and the U.S. embargo.

http://www.the-daily-record.com/opinion/2014/12/28/commentary-cuba-derangement-syndrome

Amid tension, more than 20,000 attend NYPD funeral

Thousands of police officers, state troopers, sheriff's deputies and others from law enforcement agencies big and small across the country gathered at the New York City funeral of a slain officer killed with his partner in a brazen daytime ambush a week ago. The sea of blue uniforms stretched for blocks outside the Christ Tabernacle Church in Queens on Saturday, as police helicopters flew above in a missing-man formation and Officer Rafael Ramos' body was carried by pallbearers in a casket draped in the New York Police Department flag.

http://www.fox23.com/ap/ap/top-news/amid-tension-more-than-20000-attend-nypd-funeral/njbwK/

Celebrity odds and ends

Despite President Barack Obama's conclusion North Korea was the culprit, the Internet's newest game of whodunit continues. Top theories include disgruntled Sony insiders, hired hackers, other foreign governments or Internet hooligans.

http://www.the-daily-record.com/latest%20headlines/2014/12/28/celebrity-odds-and-ends

NYC officer mourned at funeral as tensions linger

Thousands of police officers from across the nation packed a church and spilled onto streets Saturday to honor Officer Rafael Ramos as a devoted family man, aspiring chaplain and hero, though an air of unrest surrounding his ambush shooting was not completely pushed aside. While mourners inside the church applauded politely as Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke, hundreds of officers outside turned their backs on him in a show of disrespect for what they see as his support for anti-police protesters.

http://www.the-daily-record.com/latest%20headlines/2014/12/28/nyc-officer-mourned-at-funeral-as-tensions-linger

An Engineering Student Notes Democrats Push Diversity On Industry,...

You couldn't make it up if you tried. The Republican Party, despite its usual incompetence, manages to get a majority in both the House and Senate.

https://www.vdare.com/letters/an-engineering-student-notes-democrats-push-diversity-on-industry-but-dont-practice-it-themselves

View from the back bench

In the best of times, it's frustrating being a freshman member of the U.S. House of Representatives – especially if your party is in the minority. Back-benchers, as they are called, are mostly observers in the House, where party leaders call the shots.

http://www.capecodtimes.com/article/20141228/OPINION/141229702/101090/NEWS01

Jonah Goldberg: Dear GOP: Show, Don't Tell

I understand that the Seinfeldian faux-holiday Festivus is behind us, but I want to get at least this one grievance in for next year a bit early. Republicans have a tendency to tell, not show.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/395404/dear-gop-show-dont-tell-jonah-goldberg

Arthur Cottle

Shrewsbury - Arthur G Cottle went home surrounded in love to the Lord and his loving heavenly family on Dec 21st 2014. He was the son of the late Ervin G. and Uldene A. Cottle.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20141227/OBIT/412270309/1001/RSS01&source=rss

Policies of GOP governors could find national play

One group of potential candidates for president probably won't be shuffling off to Iowa, New Hampshire or other early campaign spots in the new year. They'll be hunkered down in statehouses across the Midwest, pushing bills through their legislatures.

http://www.krmg.com/ap/ap/top-news/policies-of-gop-governors-could-find-national-play/njbgF/

Clark County diversity director settlement to cost $150,000-plus

Clark County will pay its diversity director $150,486 to settle a federal wage discrimination lawsuit that the U.S. Department of Justice filed against the county. [ News Source ]

http://www.personalinjurylawnews.com/clark-county-diversity-director-settlement-to-cost-150000-plus/

Mourners gather for slain New York policeman

Police officers in dress uniform and other mourners joined a somber, four-block line outside a New York City church on Friday for the wake of one of two officers shot by a man who said he was avenging the killing of unarmed black men by police. Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were slain last Saturday afternoon while sitting in their patrol car in Brooklyn.

http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-mourners-gather-for-slain-new-york-policeman-2047396

Faster growth in U.S., Ohio has several causes

Six years after a financial collapse plunged the nation into the worst economic crisis since the 1930s, the U.S. economy has rebounded with its strongest rate of quarterly growth since early in the previous decade. The U.S. Department of Commerce reported this week that the economy expanded at a brisk 5 percent pace in the third quarter.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/12/27/faster-growth-in-u-s--ohio-has-several-causes.html

Najib's Hypocrisy Catches Up: Obama slammed for golfing with 'radical Islamist' M'sian PM

President Barack Obama's zealous pursuit of the perfect golf game has led to his latest challenger on a Hawaiian golf course during his Christmas holiday vacation. The nation's Commander in Chief teed-off on Christmas eve with the radical Islamist prime minister of Malaysia, who praised the actions of terrorist groups such the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria for their victories.

http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=429541:najibs-hypocrisy-catches-up-obama-slammed-for-golfing-with-radical-islamist-msian-pm&Itemid=2

Thousands attend wake of officer killed in ambush shooting

Thousands of uniformed police officers from New York City and around the country gathered at the solemn, eight-hour wake of a city policeman who was killed along with his partner in a brazen daytime shooting a week ago. Mayor Bill de Blasio, who had been criticized by the police union for his handling of protests critical of officers, briefly attended Officer Rafael Ramos' viewing Friday at the Christ Tabernacle Church in Queens, where Ramos was brought in a flag-draped casket and viewed in full dress uniform.

http://www.macleans.ca/news/world/thousands-attend-wake-of-officer-killed-in-ambush-shooting/

De Blasio, Biden expected to speak at funeral for NYPD officer

Thousands of people were expected to attend the funeral of a New York City police officer shot to death along with his partner one week ago in a brazen daylight ambush that shook the city and put an end to large-scale local protests criticizing police following a series of high-profile deaths in police custody. Vice President Joe Biden and Mayor Bill de Blasio were expected to speak Saturday at the funeral of Officer Rafael Ramos, who was described the day before during an eight-hour wake attended by thousands of police officers from New York and across the country as a selfless, caring and compassionate man.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/12/27/de-blasio-biden-expected-to-attend-funeral-for-nypd-officer/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fnational+%28Internal+-+US+Latest+-+Text%29

Republicans plan to attack Obama's climate agenda early and often

President Obama's climate agenda has dominated the energy and environment debate for the past year. Next year, the debate will be defined by how his administration defends it against a Republican Congress.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/republicans-plan-to-attack-obamas-climate-agenda-early-and-often/article/2557856?custom_click=rss

Ohio's lengthy legislative to-do list for 2015 includes algal blooms and energy: editorial

Ohio's 131st General Assembly opens for business next month. Its premier responsibility, arguably, is to write and approve a balanced state budget for the two years that begin July 1. The 132 legislators, led by Republicans, will be guided, though not bound, by the budget recommendations Republican Gov. John Kasich makes.

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/12/ohios_lengthy_legislative_to-d.html

North Korea blames U.S. for Internet outages

North Korea accused the United States on Saturday of being responsible for Internet outages it experienced in recent days amid a confrontation between them over the hacking of the film studio Sony Pictures. North Korea's main internet sites experienced intermittent disruptions early in the week for reasons that U.S. tech companies said could range from technological glitches to a hacking attack.

http://usa.news.net/article/2547492/north-korea-blames-us-for-internet-outages

Officers salute NY cop's casket

The wife and two sons of a policeman gunned down along with his partner in a brazen daylight ambush were joined at his wake Friday by hundreds of uniformed officers, including dozens who saluted as his flag-draped casket was carried into the church. The day-long tribute to Officer Rafael Ramos occurred at a Queens church where friends and colleagues spoke of him as an embodiment of the selfless, compassionate and heroic nature the New York Police Department wants its finest officers to project.

http://www.the-daily-record.com/latest%20headlines/2014/12/27/officers-salute-ny-cop-s-casket

Big changes coming to Cuba tourism with U.S. opening

U.S. tourists are roaming the streets of Old Havana, listening to lectures on Art Deco architecture and meeting with jazz musicians. What they aren't doing yet -- at least most of the time -- is lounging in the sun and sipping mojitos at white-sand-beach resorts.

http://www.the-daily-record.com/latest%20headlines/2014/12/27/big-changes-coming-to-cuba-tourism-with-u-s-opening

N. Korea compares Obama to monkey in hacking row

North Korea has compared President Barack Obama to a monkey and blamed the U.S. for shutting down its Internet amid the hacking row over the movie "The Interview." The North has denied involvement in a crippling cyberattack on Sony Pictures, but has expressed fury over the comedy, which depicts the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

http://www.kansas.com/entertainment/celebrities/article5040015.html