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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Paul Ryan Called 'Genius' While I'm 'Fraud'

Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Monday attacked what she

Accused Russian Agent Maria Butina Reaches Plea Deal With Federal Prosecutors: Reports

Maria Butina, a Russian gun-rights activist accused of working as an agent for

Ex-lawyer blames Trump 'dirty deeds' as he gets 3 years

Donald Trump's former lawyer apologized Wednesday for covering up the "dirty deeds" of his ex-boss as he was sentenced to three years for multiple crimes including hush money payments implicating the US president. Pleading for leniency in a packed Manhattan courtroom before US District Court Judge William H. Pauley III, Michael Cohen said he had been led astray by misplaced admiration for Trump. Cohen's lawyers had argued for no jail time after he admitted charges brought by federal prosecutors in New York of tax evasion, providing false statements to a bank and illegal campaign contributions.

Russia fines Google for not complying with search results law - TASS

Russia fined Google 500,000 roubles ($7,530) on Tuesday for failing to comply with a legal requirement to remove certain entries from its search results, Russia's communications watchdog was quoted as saying by TASS news agency. Russia said last month that it had opened a civil case against Google as it had not joined a state registry that lists banned websites that Moscow believes contain illegal information and was therefore not compliant with the law. Alexander Zharov, head of watchdog Roscomnadzor, said Russia could open a new case against Google if it did not fall in line with the law, TASS reported.

Outrage over a controversial plea deal for a former ex-fraternity president

The former Baylor fraternity president was accused of rape and will not face jail time or be forced to register as a sex offender. ABC News' Janai Norman reports.

GOP chairman: Vote tally sharing would warrant new election

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina's Republican Party chairman said Tuesday that the state should order a new election in an unresolved congressional race if an affidavit alleging some early voting totals were improperly shared before Election Day is accurate.

US military declares five missing Marines dead after Japan crash

The US military said Tuesday five Marines who had been missing since two planes crashed off Japan a week ago were dead. The announcement brings the final toll in the December 6 crash to six, with a seventh crew member rescued after the incident. It prompted a massive search and rescue operation, which the US military said had now been called off.

10 interesting facts about Christmas trees

With the Christmas tree’s lengthy history comes a number of fascinating facts about this popular holiday staple.

Police Responding to Noise Complaint Decide to Just Join the Party

"Instead of something negative...it was something wholesome"

Roger, The Incredibly Buff Kangaroo, Has Died At Age 12

A buff kangaroo who shot to international fame after he was photographed

James Alex Fields Jr. Sentenced To Life In Prison For Murder Of Heather Heyer

Neo-Nazi James Alex Fields Jr. was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison for

Canadian former diplomat detained in China amid tensions

A Canadian former diplomat has been detained in China, the think tank where he now works said Tuesday, amid Beijing's outrage over the arrest of a senior technology executive. The International Crisis Group said it was aware of reports of the detention of Michael Kovrig, a Chinese-speaking expert who served as a Canadian diplomat in Beijing, Hong Kong and at the United Nations. Kovrig went to work last year for the International Crisis Group, which is known for its research on peaceful solutions to global conflicts.

Gunman kills at least two in French Christmas market and flees

With France still on high alert after a wave of attacks commissioned or inspired by Islamic State militants since early 2015, the counter-terrorism prosecutor opened an investigation. Amid fast-moving, confusing scenes it was not clear if the suspect, identified by police as Strasbourg-born Chekatt Cherif, 29, had been cornered by commandos or had slipped the dragnet. "There was confusion initially but they locked the front doors pretty soon after the gunshots," said U.S. citizen Elizabeth Osterwisch, who was sheltering on the top floor of the Galeries Lafayette department store.

Gilets Jaunes Come to Brexit Britain’s Rescue

The gilets jaunes’ protests in France have caused a pretty stunning volte face from President Emmanuel Macron, with more than 10 billion euros ($11.4 billion) of minimum wage and pension tax changes proposed this week. Alongside France’s already-announced reversal of a fuel tax rise, this could increase France’s deficit by as much as 0.6 percentage points to about 3.4 percent of gross domestic product. “Le spread” of 10-year French government bonds to German bunds has widened by 10 basis points in December, creating the biggest gap since Macron was elected in May 2017.

Indiana teen charged with killing pregnant schoolmate

MISHAWAKA, Ind. (AP) — An Indiana high school football player told investigators that he killed a 17-year-old schoolmate because he was angry that she waited so long to tell him she was pregnant with his child that it was too late to get an abortion, authorities said Monday.

Pope removes two cardinals linked to sex abuse allegations from his inner circle

Two leading cardinals allegedly linked to sexual abuse have been dismissed from Pope Francis' inner circle. Australian Cardinal George Pell and Chilean Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz have been removed from the so-called C9 Council of Cardinals, an advisory body set up by Francis, the Vatican said on Wednesday. Cardinal Pell, appointed head of the Vatican’s economic secretariat by the pope in 2014, has taken a leave of absence to fight allegations of historic sexual misconduct in Australia. He is still officially in charge of Vatican finances, a position considered one of the most powerful in the Catholic hierarchy. Francisco Errazuriz Ossa has been accused of covering up allegations against abusive priests in Chile. Congolese Laurent Monsengwo, 79, who retired as archbishop of Kinshasa in November, is also leaving the advisory council. Vatican spokesman Greg Burke announced the changes on Wednesday, saying Francis had written to the three prelates individually in October, "thanking them for the work they have done for the past five years." In a statement Mr Burke said the Pope had reflected on “the work, structure and composition” of the council after meeting council members in September. Chile's Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa has also been removed Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File At its latest meeting this week the advisory body discussed a variety of issues from Vatican spending constraints to the special conference on the protection of minors to be held at the Vatican at the end of February next year. The Catholic Church has been hit by a series of child abuse scandals in recent years in countries including the US, Ireland, Chile and Ireland, with widespread allegations of cover-ups against clergy, including the pope himself. Mr Errazuriz, long considered a close papal ally, was archbishop of Santiago from 1998-2010.  He has come under fire in recent months amid claims that he hid the crimes of Chile’s allegedly abusive priests including Fernando Karadima, who has been accused of a string of child sex offenses going back to 1984. Profile | Pope Francis Mr Pell, former archbishop of Sydney, has consistently denied allegations of sexual abuse made against him. Specific details of the accusations have been suppressed by a court order and Australian law strictly limits reporting on proceedings.   Mr Burke declined to comment on court proceedings against 77-year-old Mr Pell saying: "The Holy See has the utmost respect for Australian judicial authorities. We are aware that there is a suppression order in place by the court and we respect that order.” The Pope created the council of cardinals after his election in 2013, tasking the group with helping him reform the Vatican bureaucracy known as the Roman Curia. Mr Burke said the three cardinals would not be replaced immediately, leaving the council temporarily with six members.

Stacey Abrams Says She’ll Run Again After Losing Fierce Battle For Georgia Governor

Stacey Abrams is not done yet.

President Trump meets with Pelosi, Schumer

Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer meet with the president before a crucial government funding deadline.

'The Guardians' For Truth Named Time Magazine's 2018 Person Of The Year

Time magazine on Tuesday announced a group of journalists it called "The

Indian girl seeks father's arrest over broken promise to build lavatory

Millions of Indians do not have access to sanitation and open defecation is a problem, even in developed, industrial states. The girl, E. Hanifa Zaara, didn't want to go out in the open and won a promise from her father to build a lavatory indoors, said police officer A. Valarmathi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has been pushing a campaign to build 100 million toilets over five years but the drive has not covered large parts of the country.

China warns against 'bullying' of its citizens

China's foreign minister warned Tuesday against the "bullying" of any Chinese citizen, amid a diplomatic fracas over the arrest of a Huawei executive on a US warrant in Canada. Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of telecommunications behemoth Huawei, was on December 1 arrested in Vancouver on US fraud charges related to sanctions-breaking dealings with Iran, infuriating China. "The safety and security of Chinese compatriots are our priority, China will never sit idly by and ignore any bullying that violates the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a speech in Beijing, without directly referring to the Huawei case.

The Latest: Russian envoy knocks UN policy on Iran

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The Latest on the U.N. Security Council session on Iran's compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal (all times local):

Trade Bear David Woo Hasn't Been This Nervous Since 2008

The Bank of America strategist is the most worried about volatility in global markets -- particularly in the developing world -- since the 2008 financial crisis. "We’ll have a $1 trillion budget deficit, a big fight over the debt ceiling, gridlock and the U.S. economy will be slowing at the same time," Woo said from New York.

Texas ready to execute man convicted of 1993 murder, assault

Alvin Braziel, 43, is scheduled to die by lethal injection in the state's death chamber in Huntsville at 6 p.m. CST (0000 GMT), the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said. Braziel was convicted and sentenced to death in 2001.

'We are entering a dangerous period,' 44 former senators warn lawmakers in letter

"We are at an inflection point in which the foundational principles of our democracy and our national security interests are at stake," they wrote.

Palestinians offer new details of Israel's botched Gaza raid

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — The small town of Abassan in the Gaza Strip is a tough place to infiltrate — everyone knows everyone else and outsiders passing through quickly attract attention. So when strangers drove through town, suspicious Hamas security men stopped the van and questioned those inside.

Save on this ultra-sharp knife set and give a holiday gift that will actually get used

Searching for a great holiday gift that won't end up in next year's white elephant game?  This knife set, available now for a hugely discounted price of $58, might just do the trick. These lightweight yet robust knives are made from super strong zirconium ceramic. Even if you don't have someone on your gift list who's worthy of super shark knives, buy them for yourself and use them to prepare a special holiday meal.   As an added bonus, each purchase of these knives provides ten hungry Americans with a meal on your behalf through Feeding America — so you can feel good about your purchase no matter what. So, get yourself — or someone on your holiday gift list — a gift that's a cut above the rest. The three-knife set is already discounted by a whopping 78%.  But order with the coupon code GREENMONDAY20 and get an extra 20% of your entire purchase.  Before you know it, you'll be chopping, dicing, slicing, paring, and julienning your way to a successful holiday season. Image: Chef's Foundry 3-piece knife set — $58 See Details

Conservative Columnist Thinks 1 Word In Cohen Memo May Seal Donald Trump’s Fate

One seven-letter word ― "synergy" ― may prove critical in proving the

Khashoggi, other persecuted journalists named Time 'Person of the Year'

Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in October at his country's Istanbul consulate, was named Time magazine's "Person of the Year" Tuesday, an honor he shared with other persecuted journalists dubbed as "guardians" of the truth. Among those named with Khashoggi were Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo -- currently imprisoned in Myanmar -- and the staff of the Capital Gazette in the US city of Annapolis, including five members killed in a June shooting. US President Donald Trump, the 2016 "Person of the Year," was the bookmakers' favorite this year but in the end was runner-up.

Opposition UK lawmakers call for second Brexit referendum preparations

Less than four months until the United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union on March 29, Brexit was plunged into chaos on Monday when May accepted that British lawmakers would not accept her deal and withdrew a key vote on it. The ultimate outcome of Brexit is now uncertain. "The UK is in the middle of a constitutional crisis, which is unparalleled in modern history," said Ian Blackford, the leader of the Scottish National Party in Westminster.

Sanctions Will Harm Only the Iranian Regime, Not the Iranian People

That is why Washington must maintain them.

Google CEO Argues for Company's China Return in Congress

Pichai has been under pressure from politicians, activists and staff to stop building a censored search engine for China. Late on Monday, a coalition of human rights groups asked Google to commit to not working with the Chinese government on censorship and surveillance.

California wildfires cleanup to cost at least $3 billion

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — State and federal authorities estimated Tuesday that it will cost at least $3 billion to clear debris from 19,000 homes and businesses destroyed by three California wildfires last month.

California nuns stole school funds for Vegas gambling, travel

Sisters Mary Margaret Kreuper and Lana Chang, who are said to be best friends, took the money from tuition, fees and donations at St. James Catholic School in Torrance, south of Los Angeles. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles said the missing money was discovered during a routine audit and it is believed the nuns operated their scheme over at least a decade. Kreuper was principal at the school for 29 years until her retirement earlier this year.

The Latest: Man speaks about 5 young cousins killed in fire

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) — The Latest on an Ohio house fire that killed five children (all times local):

NY Daily News Mocks Trump's Hunt For 'Spineless, Clueless' Chief Of Staff

The New York Daily News has taken aim at President Donald Trump as he searches

Pinterest releases its picks of top travel trends for 2019

Abandoned castles, small town travel and fall getaways are some of the top travel trends predicted to become increasingly popular in 2019 by Pinterest. 

U.S. arrests religious leaders, activists at border protest

More than 400 demonstrators, many leaders of churches, mosques, synagogues and indigenous communities, sought a halt to detention and deportation of migrants and for the United States to welcome the caravan that arrived in Tijuana, Mexico in November. Singing and praying, religious leaders moved forward in lines of four to six, some wearing T-shirts reading, "Love Knows No Borders." They were handcuffed and led away by federal agents upon entering a restricted area in front of the fence. "As a Quaker who believes in our shared humanity...We’re calling on the U.S. to respect the rights of migrants," said Joyce Ajlouny, general secretary of the American Friends Service Committee, which has run a week of actions to back migrants.

Does GOP have the votes to secure funds for border security?

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi challenges Republicans to pass border security bill; senior Capitol Hill producer Chad Pergram reports.

Israel PM warns Hezbollah of reprisals over 'attack tunnels'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hezbollah of reprisals after the military said on Tuesday it had uncovered a third "attack tunnel" infiltrating its territory from Lebanon. "If Hezbollah makes the serious mistake of attacking us or confronting what we are doing now it will face unimaginable blows" in retaliation, Netanyahu said during a visit to northern Israel. "We will pursue this operation as long as the threat of Hezbollah tunnels persists," the premier, who was accompanied by the army chief of staff, said in a statement released by his office.

The Last Days of a Central Banker Under Fire in Modi's India

Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel announced his resignation on Dec. 10, citing personal reasons. The surprise departure by Patel, who still had 9 months left in his three-year term, startled colleagues inside the central bank’s 25-floor headquarters on Mint Street in south Mumbai. Patel’s unceremonious exit marked the culmination of a power struggle that had been raging behind the scenes for more than a year.

In Iceland, 13 'Yule Lads' come to town to herald Christmas

MYVATN, Iceland (AP) — The people of northern Iceland have had their travel plans disrupted with a record high snowfall this December. Roads have been shut, flights cancelled and school suspended.

Kevin McCarthy Says Democrats Shouldn't Spend A Lot Of Time Investigating Trump

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) urged Democrats not to dwell