Sony exec fires back at President Obama  —  Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton, denying that the studio had “caved” by scrapping next week's opening of “The Interview,” fired back Friday after President Obama said the studio had “made a mistake.”  —  “The president, the press …

Some witnesses lied to Michael Brown grand jury, McCulloch says.  So why have them testify?  —  Certain witnesses who spoke before the grand jury investigating the Aug. 9 shooting of Michael Brown told obvious lies under oath, St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch said Friday.

Rand Paul Battles Marco Rubio Over Cuba Policy  —  The libertarian-hawk fight begins.  —  Kentucky Senator Rand Paul took his time responding to this week's Cuba policy thaw.  Florida Senator Marco Rubio, the son of immigrants who fled the pre-Castro regime, called a press conference …

In Case You Missed It, Obama Made History Today: Calls Only on Female Reporters … Mark this down as a historic day in White House history.  —  President Obama has just become the first president to field questions from only female reporters at a White House press conference.

How One Man Is Terrorizing Neighbors With a Hostile Holiday Decoration Display  —  Homeowners on Fairley Road in Ross Township, Pennsylvania, say their neighbor Bill Ansell is terrorizing them year round with his hostile anti-Christmas spirit.  —  “Any opportunity he has to make our life a hardship …

Castro's Hipster Apologists Want to Keep Cuba ‘Authentically’ Poor  —  The thawing of diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba has elicited a lot of patronizing, asinine fretting about the imminent “Americanization” of Cuba.  —  Alan Gross was in a cheery mood, having survived a grim five-year stint in a Cuban prison.

Obama labor board comes down hard on McDonald's  —  In a significant victory for fast-food demonstrators, the Obama administration filed 13 legal complaints on Friday against McDonald's USA, LLC, alleging 78 instances in which it violated federal labor law by punishing workers for taking part in fast food protests.

Family finds creepy surprise after Craigslist buy  —  A Midlands family says a couch they bought just about a month ago has infested their home with bed bugs.  —  They have a warning about where they bought that couch.  —  They bought it on craigslist, and with roughly 5,000 pieces …

How bad would an IRS shutdown be?  —  The IRS chief's warning on Thursday that drastic budget cuts may force a shutdown for perhaps days is his latest bid to illustrate the impact of starving the tax agency.  —  But how bad would it really be?  —  Story Continued Below

A Vermont Senator Asks, Why Not a Socialist President?  —  AMES, Iowa — Senator Bernard Sanders, an independent from Vermont who calls himself a socialist, was riding in the back seat of a rented blue minivan this week when his aide abruptly announced they were being pulled over by the Iowa State Police for speeding.

Obama renews tax breaks, creates ABLE accounts  —  Associated Press 1 hr ago  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has signed legislation renewing dozens of costly tax breaks for millions of businesses and individuals.  —  The bill signed Friday extends the breaks through Dec. 31.

MIT Computer Scientists Demonstrate the Hard Way That Gender Still Matters  —  An aerial view of the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  David L Ryan/The Boston Globe/Getty Images  —  “We're 3 female computer scientists at MIT, here to answer questions about programming and academia.

Obama signs massive defense spending bill  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Friday signed into law a massive defense policy bill that endorses his plan to fight Islamic State militants, including air strikes and training Iraqis and moderate Syrian rebels.

Sharpton to have say over how Sony makes movies  —  Al Sharpton holds a press conference at the Greenwich Hotel following his meeting with Sony executive Amy Pascal.  —  Coming to a theater near you: Al Sharpton.  —  Hollywood came to the Rev. Al Thursday as embattled Sony …