Listen to ‘Dear Sugars’: A Spy in the House of Love —With Ariel Levy

By THE NEW YORK TIMES from NYT Podcasts http://ift.tt/2BDdZUv

Michelle Wolf Is Not Afraid to Joke About Vaginas

By VALERIYA SAFRONOVA from NYT Fashion & Style http://ift.tt/2ADaTSQ

Republicans Rewrite Portions Of Tax Bill Hours Before Vote

WASHINGTON ― Senate Republicans avoided the most embarrassing scenario for their tax bill Thursday ― an unexpected floor defeat that would have sent the legislation back to committee ― but they are still facing a significant stumbling block and, hours before a vote, are still changing portions of their bill.

Ann Curry On Matt Lauer Firing: 'We Need To Make Our Workspaces Safer'

Former “Today” show co-host Ann Curry is speaking out about Matt Lauer’s recent firing from the NBC morning show.

The Funniest Tweets From Parents This Week

Kids may say the darndest things, but parents tweet about them in the funniest ways.

Dems Erupt In Anger After 'Corrupt' Tax Bill Passes The Senate

Democratic senators unleashed their anger on Twitter after Republicans voted to pass their tax bill through the Senate shortly before 2 a.m. on Saturday.

Yemen Huthis claim ballistic missile hits Saudi target

Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels said Thursday they fired a ballistic missile at Saudi Arabia and hit a military target, in the second such attack this month, after threatening to retaliate over a crippling blockade. "We confirm the success of our ballistic missile trial, which hit its military target inside Saudi Arabia," the Huthi-run Al-Masira television channel said. A spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sen. Chuck Schumer Shames GOP Tax Bill: It's A 'Stunning Deception'

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) shamed Republicans on the Senate floor hours before lawmakers voted on their nearly 500-page tax bill, which included handwritten notes and crossed-out pages.

Michael Flynn pleads guilty to lying to the FBI and plans to 'cooperate' with Russia probe

President Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, pleaded guilty to a charge of making false statements to the FBI.

Lebanon's Hariri says Damascus wants him killed

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri charged that the Syrian regime which he blames for his father's assassination also wants him killed, in an interview published Thursday in French magazine Paris Match. Hariri assessed that the regime's military successes against rebels in the Syrian conflict were victories for presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Iran's Hassan Rouhani rather than their allied Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad. "I have a lot of enemies, extremists and the Syrian regime.

Trump May Move U.S. Embassy In Israel To Jerusalem. Here's Why That Matters.

President Donald Trump is expected to make a key policy announcement next week on the U.S. position on the status of Jerusalem, a decision that may have dramatic repercussions for the delicate peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.

How the GOP tax bill will impact your family

Under the Republican plan, corporations will keep their tax cuts. House Speaker Paul Ryan said that companies will use that money to expand and hire, but not everyone agrees.

Matt Lauer responds publicly to misconduct allegations

“To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry,” the former “Today” show host said in a statement on Thursday.

UK reeling as Trump upbraids May in anti-Muslim tweet row

Britain was reeling Thursday after US President Donald Trump castigated Prime Minister Theresa May over her rebuke to him for posting anti-Muslim tweets, but the government sought to play down the row. Plunging headlong into a high-profile spat with one of America's closest international partners, Trump suggested May focus on defending Britain rather than criticising him after he retweeted anti-Muslim videos from a British far-right group. Trump had to delete an earlier tweet with the same message after he used the wrong Twitter handle for May, instead tagging @theresamay, who is reportedly a 41-year-old mother from Bognor Regis with just six followers.

Stocks Are Tanking After Former Trump Aide Michael Flynn Pleaded Guilty to Lying to the FBI

Flynn has indicated he will cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation

Police: Driver purposely struck wife, child of deputy

PHOENIX (AP) — Witnesses pulled a man out of a pickup truck and detained him for police after he appeared to intentionally drive onto a Phoenix sidewalk, killing the wife of a deputy sheriff and injuring his 11-year-old daughter authorities said Thursday.

Sen. Chuck Schumer Shames GOP Tax Bill: It's A 'Stunning Deception'

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) shamed Republicans on the Senate floor hours before lawmakers voted on their nearly 500-page tax bill, which included handwritten notes and crossed-out pages.

U.S. prosecutors seek arrest of illegal immigrant acquitted of Kate Steinle murder

By Dan Whitcomb LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors on Friday sought to arrest an illegal immigrant acquitted of murdering a San Francisco woman in a case raised during the 2016 presidential campaign, saying his conviction on a lesser weapons charge violated the terms of his supervised release. A San Francisco Superior Court jury on Thursday found Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, 45, not guilty of murder and manslaughter charges in connection with the July 1, 2015, death of Kate Steinle. President Donald Trump, who had used the Steinle case as a rallying cry against the pro-immigration policies of so-called sanctuary cities during his successful run for the presidency, called the verdict "disgraceful" on Twitter.

White House excludes April Ryan from Christmas party

The White House reportedly failed to invite one prominent journalist of color to this year's Christmas party, and it's the first time she's been excluded from the event in 20 years.

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz talks Puerto Rico's recovery with Stephen Colbert

About 50 percent of Puerto Rico still does not have power and the rest of the island still has unstable electricity according to San Juan's Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, who described the post-Hurricane Maria landscape leaving the island in a "touch and go situation still."  Cruz stopped by the studio to share what has been happening in the U.S. territory since the hurricane's destruction—and took some time to join the show's "Trump Attacked Me On Twitter" Hall Of Fame.  "President Trump has not been up to the standards that this country deserves," Cruz said, before referencing his "big mouth" in comparison to the "big hearts" of citizens who have helped in the midst of the crisis.  "There's a stark contrast between the American people and their huge heart and how you've poured your support out to us... and those who can see you, because they have electricity, are really cognizant of the fact that you have been one of those voices who has never forgotten us," she continued, explaining that a new foundation called "Somebody Help Us" is just one of the many ways you can continue to help with hurricane relief.  

Woman heard 'horror movie' screams before student's death

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A neighbor of a man charged with killing a Temple University student says she heard screams that reminded her of a horror movie the night the woman disappeared.

White House staff exits likely as Trump's first year draws to a close: sources

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's expected exit from the Trump administration is one of many staff changes likely as President Donald Trump nears the end of his first year in office, with sources saying top economic adviser Gary Cohn and son-in-law Jared Kushner could be among those who depart. Cohn, whose relationship with Trump became tense earlier this year, has considered leaving once the Republican effort to overhaul the U.S. tax system is completed in Congress, according to the sources with ties to the White House who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Does Kratom Really Kill? Officials Aren't Telling Us The Whole Story.

John Grove stood out among the dozens of fatal drug overdose victims the Georgia Bureau of Investigation examined in November 2016.

China, Myanmar hail close ties amid Rohingya outcry

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Aung San Suu Kyi touted their nations' close ties on Friday as Myanmar's civilian leader, under fire over the Rohingya refugee crisis, visited Beijing on Friday. Suu Kyi was in friendly territory in China and neither she nor Xi publicly mentioned the plight of Myanmar's Muslim minority group as they met in the Chinese capital. "The (Communist) Party and the Chinese government will, as in the past, continue their policy of friendship towards Myanmar," Xi told Suu Kyi during their meeting, according to the Xinhua news agency.

Female Comics Take On the Rape Joke

By AINARA TIEFENTHÄLER from NYT Arts http://ift.tt/2AOLVR0

So, Meghan Markle, Are You Familiar With the Statute of Rhuddlan?

By KIMIKO de FREYTAS-TAMURA from NYT World http://ift.tt/2AkVndB

‘No Such Thing as Rohingya’: Myanmar Erases a History

By HANNAH BEECH from NYT World http://ift.tt/2iCDfFZ

Learning by Doing at Latin American Hotels

By JESSICA COLLEY CLARKE from NYT Travel http://ift.tt/2BrI3Sg

California Dreams (but No Palm Trees) at a London Restaurant

By DAVID FARLEY from NYT Travel http://ift.tt/2Buo3Oz

In a Minneapolis Suburb, French Cuisine, Tradition and Charm

By KRISTIN VUKOVIC from NYT Travel http://ift.tt/2nnV7Ws

How to Have a Luxurious Vacation in Australia for Less

By SHIVANI VORA from NYT Travel http://ift.tt/2AAI8Gb

From the Arctic’s Melting Ice, an Unexpected Digital Hub

By CECILIA KANG from NYT Technology http://ift.tt/2nreQor

Matt Lauer responds publicly to misconduct allegations

“To the people I have hurt, I am truly sorry,” the former “Today” show host said in a statement on Thursday.

People Really Appreciate The Irony Of Michael Flynn's 'Lock Her Up' Chant

Michael Flynn famously led a “lock her up” chant aimed at Hillary Clinton during the 2016 Republican National Convention ― words that are ringing particularly ironic now.

Nobody can call Trump a 'kook' around Lindsey Graham, who called Trump a kook

The South Carolina senator is blasting the press for calling Donald Trump the same thing he once called him.

Police: Driver purposely struck wife, child of deputy

PHOENIX (AP) — Witnesses pulled a man out of a pickup truck and detained him for police after he appeared to intentionally drive onto a Phoenix sidewalk, killing the wife of a deputy sheriff and injuring his 11-year-old daughter authorities said Thursday.

Obama to work for better US-China ties: state media

Barack Obama has met President Xi Jinping, with the former US president hoping to improve ties between their two countries, China's state media said, as relations between Beijing and Washington are tested over North Korea. Obama met Xi on Wednesday in Beijng at Diaoyutai Guest House, a sprawling complex frequently used to house visiting leaders. Obama was in China as part of a world speaking tour.

Matt Lauer Speaks Out After Firing From 'Today' Show Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Matt Lauer has apologized in the wake of his termination from the “Today” show for “inappropriate sexual behavior” while also deflecting some of the allegations leveled against him.

Hawaii Sounds Cold War-Era Siren to Prepare Residents for Possible Nuclear Attack from North Korea

A siren blared across Hawaii on Friday for the first time since the end of the Cold War in an effort to prepare tourists and residents for a possible nuclear attack from North Korea.

James Comey Basks In The Glow Of Michael Flynn's Downfall

In response to former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s guilty plea Friday on a charge of lying to the FBI, Comey tweeted and Instagrammed a verse from the Bible about the virtues of justice.

Trump mocked over empty seats White House Christmas Tree Lighting

The Trump White House drew mockery this week from critics who were quick to notice empty seats at the annual White House Christmas Tree Lighting event on Thursday night.

Scientists Make Surprise Discovery Inside Newly Uncovered Pterosaur Eggs

Over 200 perfectly preserved eggs were found in China.

Trump calls the New York Times 'a virtual lobbyist' against GOP tax bill

President Trump lashed out at the New York Times on Thursday after the newspaper’s editorial board published the telephone numbers of Republican senators on Twitter, urging readers to call to oppose the GOP tax reform bill.

Honduras Declares Curfew as Protests Over Vote Count Continue

By ELISABETH MALKIN from NYT World http://ift.tt/2jEg3TU

Donald Trump Urged Top Republicans To End Senate Russia Probe: Report

Over the summer, President Donald Trump contacted Senate Republicans multiple times, urging them to end the Senate’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, according to The New York Times. A half-dozen lawmakers and aides told the Times that the president had asked several senators to quickly end the investigation ― including Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who is leading the Senate Intelligence Committee’s Russia investigation, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Intelligence Committee member Roy Blunt (R-Mo.).

56 Holiday Jell-O Shots That Will Get Your Holiday Party LIT

Garrison Keillor firing prompts backlash from his fans

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Outraged Garrison Keillor fans deluged Minnesota Public Radio Thursday with complaints about the firing of the humorist over alleged workplace misconduct.

North Korea Can Strike America Now—and Our Options Are All Still Bad

As long as Pyongyang refuses to talk and continues to build and test relentlessly, will pressure to strike North Korea become too great? On November 29, North Korea broke its seventy-five day lull in missile tests to launch yet another intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). There had been some hope that the ten-week pause suggested that the North felt it had gone far enough and now might negotiate.

Mitch McConnell Says Republicans Have The Votes To Pass Tax Bill

told reporters Friday Republicans have the votes to pass their tax bill.

Here's Why You Don't Need To Worry About The Christmas Tree Shortage

For the past few years, news outlets have covered Christmas tree shortages and this year is no exception.