Government and politics

Trump uses Assange to cast doubt on US intel case on hacking

By STEVE PEOPLES and LAURIE KELLMAN President-elect Donald Trump is using WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to cast doubt on the U.S. intelligence community’s case that Russia was behind hacking of the Democratic National Committee ahead of the 2016 election. And he’s suggesting that the DNC is to blame for the hacking of its computers and […]

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Obama, Pence to Capitol as health care overhaul fight begins

By ALAN FRAM Donald Trump warned congressional Republicans on Wednesday against letting Democrats dodge blame for problems with President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul, even as the GOP-led Congress takes initial steps toward dismantling the law. “Massive increases of ObamaCare will take place this year and Dems are to blame for the mess,” the president-elect

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Suspect in Istanbul club attack who killed 39 still at large

By ZEYNEP BILGINSOY and SUZAN FRASER A manhunt is on in Turkey for an assailant who unleashed a salvo of bullets in front of and inside a crowded Istanbul nightclub during New Year’s celebrations Sunday, killing at least 39 people before fleeing. Foreigners were among the fatalities, including an 18-year-old Israeli woman, three Indian citizens,

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Illinois law enlists hairstylists to prevent domestic abuse

By CARYN ROUSSEAU An Illinois law that takes effect Sunday aims to take advantage of the trusted relationship between hairstylists and their clients to prevent domestic violence. Stylists, barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, hair braiders and nail technicians in Illinois will receive an hour of mandated abuse-prevention training as part of the licensing process. The law does

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Putin says Russia won’t expel US diplomats in hacking flap

By JOSH LEDERMAN and NATALIYA VASILYEVA President Vladimir Putin castigated the United States on Friday for imposing sanctions and expelling Russian diplomats amid allegations of Russian meddling in the American presidential election, but said no U.S. diplomats will be ousted in reprisal for President Barack Obama’s moves in the wake of hacking attacks. In a

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In parting shot, Kerry tears into Israel over settlements

By JOSH LEDERMAN and MATTHEW DALY Secretary of State John Kerry tore into Israel on Wednesday for settlement-building, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of dragging Israel away from democracy and forcefully rejecting the notion that America had abandoned Israel with a controversial U.N. vote. Israel’s government accused Kerry of a skewed attempt to blame Israel

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Israel: ‘Ironclad information’ White House behind UN rebuke

By JOSEF FEDERMAN Doubling down on its public break with the Obama administration, a furious Israeli government on Tuesday said it had received “ironclad” information from Arab sources that Washington actively helped craft last week’s U.N. resolution declaring Israeli settlements illegal. The allegations further poisoned the increasingly toxic atmosphere between Israel and the outgoing Obama

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Philippines seizes huge haul of suspected meth, arrests 6

By AARON FAVILA Philippine authorities seized more than half a metric ton of suspected methamphetamine Friday in suburban Manila and arrested six people in what could be one of the largest drug seizures under President Rodrigo Duterte. National Bureau of Investigation agents initially seized about 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of the substance, locally known as

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