U.S. to Restore Full Relations With Cuba, Erasing a Last Trace of Cold War Hostility … WASHINGTON — President Obama on Wednesday ordered the restoration of full diplomatic relations with Cuba and the opening of an embassy in Havana for the first time in more than a half-century as he vowed to …

U.S. Said to Find North Korea Ordered Cyberattack on Sony  —  WASHINGTON — American officials have concluded that North Korea ordered the attacks on Sony Pictures's computers, a determination reached as the studio decided Wednesday to cancel the release of a movie comedy about the assassination …

The Obamas: How We Deal with Our Own Racist Experiences  —  The Obamas open up about raising their daughters, the impact of stereotypes, and what's on the POTUS dance party playlist.  Subscribe now for instant access to the exclusive PEOPLE interview!  —  The protective bubble that comes …

Did Ted Cruz really bungle the lame-duck session for Republicans?  —  There's no doubt that many Republican senators, and plenty of conservative commentators, were angry at GOP Sen. Ted Cruz for raising a time-consuming objection to passage of the “Cromnibus” spending bill in an effort …

For immediate release  —  Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in October suggests that economic activity is expanding at a moderate pace.  Labor market conditions improved further, with solid job gains and a lower unemployment rate.

Words Exchanged Before KCEN Employee Shot in Station Parking Lot  —  (KCEN) - Law enforcement officials have taken a man who was hold up inside of a house into custody.  They are calling him a person of interest in the shooting of Patrick Crawford.  But they are not saying whether or not he is the shooter.

Vermont bails on single-payer health care  —  Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin on Wednesday dropped his plan to enact a single-payer health care system in his state — a plan that had won praise from liberals but never really got much past the framework stage.  —  “This is not the right time” …

Citing Health Risks, Cuomo Bans Fracking in New York State  —  Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's administration announced on Wednesday that it would ban hydraulic fracturing in New York State because of concerns over health risks, ending years of debate over a method of extracting natural gas.

U Michigan Department Chair: We Should ‘Hate Republicans’  —  A University of Michigan department chairwoman has published an article titled, “It's Okay To Hate Republicans,” which will probably make all of her conservative students feel really comfortable and totally certain that they're being graded fairly.

Executions, new death sentences continue to fall  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Executions and new death sentences dropped to their lowest numbers in decades in 2014, an anti-death penalty group said in a new report.  —  The Death Penalty Information Center, a nonprofit organization that opposes executions …

Johns Hopkins mistakenly says ‘yes’ to hundreds of rejected applicants  —  Sam Stephenson was steeling himself for another round of college applications after his first choice, Johns Hopkins University, turned him down.  Then the 17-year-old from Culpeper County in Virginia received an e-mail …

Time to lay off the doughnuts!  Study reveals cops are the most obese workers in America  —  Their job is to protect and serve - but it seems some police officers interpret this as an excuse to enjoy too many extra servings at the lunch table.  —  A study has revealed US cops have the highest rates …

A black hole for our best and brightest  —  Wall Street is expanding, and the economy is worse off for it.  —  NEW YORK — The thing Deborah Jackson remembers from her first interviews at Goldman Sachs is the slogan.  It was stamped on the glass doors of the offices in the investment bank's headquarters …

Our Commitment to Safety  —  Millions of people have come to rely on Uber for daily commutes, special nights out, and reliable transportation for their loved ones.  Riders are served by the hundreds of thousands of Uber driver partners whose service reduces drunk and distracted driving …

Stephen Collins Confesses Sexual Abuse of Underage Girls to PEOPLE: ‘I Did Something Terribly Wrong’  —  Embattled actor Stephen Collins has released a lengthy statement to PEOPLE in which he admits to inappropriate sexual contact with three female minors.  —  The 67-year-old …

Grimes pledges legal challenge if Paul attempts simultaneous races  —  Alison Lundergan Grimes says she will challenge Senator Rand Paul if he tries to get on the ballot for both Senate re-election and president  —  FRANKFORT, Ky. (WHAS11) — Six weeks after she lost her own bid for the U-S Senate …