A Note from Jeb Bush  —  Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!  —  Like many of you, our family was blessed with the opportunity to gather together over the recent Thanksgiving holiday.  —  Columba and I are so proud of the wonderful adults our children have become, and we loved spending time with our three precious grandchildren.

District court declares Obama immigration action unconstitutional (Updated)  —  Earlier Tuesday, a federal court in Pennsylvania declared aspects of President Obama's executive actions on immigration policy unconstitutional.  —  According to the opinion by Judge Arthur Schwab …

Sony Hackers Threaten 9/11 Attack on Movie Theaters That Screen ‘The Interview’  —  The Sony hackers have threatened a 9/11-like attack on movie theaters that screen Seth Rogen and James Franco's North Korean comedy “The Interview,” substantially escalating the stakes surrounding the release of the movie.

Ted Cruz apologizes to colleagues over antics  —  Ted Cruz privately apologized to GOP senators Tuesday for interrupting their holiday schedules by his surprise tactics that effectively brought the Senate into session over the weekend.  —  According to five senators who attended Tuesday's caucus lunch …

Hero mom calls into CSPAN to berate her arguing pundit sons  —  Democrat Brad Woodhouse and Republican Dallas Woodhouse received a surprise during their joint appearance on C-SPAN when their mother called into scold them for fighting over the holidays.  (C-SPAN)

The Collapse of Putin's Economic System  —  The foundations on which Vladimir Putin built his 15 years in charge of Russia are giving way.  —  The meltdown of the ruble, which has plunged 18 percent against the dollar in the last two days alone, is endangering the mantra of stability around which Putin has based his rule.

“Witness 40”: Exposing A Fraud In Ferguson  —  TSG probe unmasks grand jury witness who spun fabricated tale  —  The grand jury witness who testified that she saw Michael Brown pummel a cop before charging at him “like a football player, head down,” is a troubled, bipolar Missouri woman …

Taliban Besiege Pakistan School, Leaving 145 Dead  —  LONDON — First the Pakistani Taliban bombed or burned over 1,000 schools.  Then they shot Malala Yousafzai, the teenage advocate for girls' rights.  —  But on Tuesday, the Taliban took their war on education to a ruthless new low …

Congress quietly ends federal government's ban on medical marijuana  —  Tucked deep inside the 1,603-page federal spending measure is a provision that effectively ends the federal government's prohibition on medical marijuana and signals a major shift in drug policy.

GOP Sen. Coburn blocks terrorism insurance measure  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican senator Tuesday blocked a bill that would have renewed a government program credited with reviving the market for insurance against terrorist strikes after the Sept. 11 attacks.

L.A. will buy 7,000 body cameras for police officers  —  L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Tuesday that the city would purchase 7,000 body cameras for police officers in an effort to increase transparency.  —  Body cameras for officers have become a major issue in the wake of the shooting …

Senate approves new auto safety chief  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Tuesday confirmed a new administrator to lead the government's auto safety agency, which faces complaints that regulators bungled two high-profile recalls involving faulty ignition switches and exploding air bags.

Gay-Bashing Suspects Held on All Charges  —  On Tuesday in Courtroom 406 at the Criminal Justice Center on Filbert Street, the three defendants in the Center City gay bashing case — Kevin Harrigan, Kathryn Knott, and Philip Williams — appeared before Judge Charles Hayden for a preliminary hearing …