Obama's Republican ally on Cuba  —  How a conservative Mormon became the biggest Republican Cuba advocate.  —  It all started when Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake found himself in a dark park in Havana trying to score some ice cream.  —  Flake, a devout Mormon, doesn't drink or smoke …

North Korea says it's not involved in Sony hack; proposes joint probe with US  —  North Korea says it can prove it is not behind the massive Sony Pictures cyberattack that has led to several e-mail leaks, threats on movie theaters and the cancellation of the release of the movie “The Interview.”

President Obama's ‘betrayal’ of Cuban democrats  —  PRESIDENT OBAMA said he decided to normalize relations with Cuba because “we can do more to support the Cuban people and promote our values through engagement.”  So it's important to know the reaction of those Cubans who have put their lives …

Politician ‘follows’ porn star, says Twitter account was hacked  —  Steve Bellone said his Twitter account was hacked after his “followers” list included Duke porn star Belle Knox.  —  Honestly, my Twitter account was hacked!  —  A Suffolk County politician pulled a move …

Why single payer died in Vermont  —  Vermont was supposed to be the beacon for a single-payer health care system in America.  But now its plans are in ruins, and its onetime champion Gov. Peter Shumlin may have set back the cause.  —  Advocates of a “Medicare for all” …

2 NYPD cops shot dead ‘execution style’ in Brooklyn  —  A possible suspect was found shot at the scene and rushed to a nearby hospital.  —  Two uniformed NYPD officers were shot dead — execution style — as they sat in their marked police car on a Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, street corner.

How to Tell Whether Obama Did the Right Thing on Cuba  —  On my most recent visit to Cuba this past March, I brought my family with me, because I wanted my children to see what Cuba looked like before everything changed.  I didn't realize quite how quickly that change would come.

Investigators Said to Seek No Penalty for C.I.A.'s Computer Search  —  WASHINGTON — A panel investigating the Central Intelligence Agency's search of a computer network used by staff members of the Senate Intelligence Committee who were looking into the C.I.A.'s use of torture will recommend …

In a Break From Partisan Rancor, Ohio Moves to Make Elections More Competitive  —  COLUMBUS, Ohio — Of 435 House races in November, only a few dozen were considered competitive — a result of decades of drawing district lines for partisan advantage, generally by state legislatures.

Google vs Hollywood on Sony hack  —  Cybersecurity questions and box office turmoil aside, another storyline is emerging after the high-profile hacking of Sony Entertainment: A renewed battle between Google and Hollywood.  —  News reports this week, rooted in part from leaked Sony documents …

Paul slams Rubio as ‘isolationist’ on Cuba  —  Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is hitting back against Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) on Cuba in a preview of a possible debate between two presidential hopefuls.  —  In a series of tweets at Rubio on Friday afternoon, Paul called the Florida senator an …

Should Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld & CIA Officials Be Tried for Torture?  War Crimes Case Filed in Germany … A human rights group in Berlin, Germany, has filed a criminal complaint against the architects of the George W. Bush administration's torture program.  The European Center for Constitutional …

US releases four Gitmo prisoners to Afghanistan  —  The Pentagon on Saturday announced that it had transferred four detainees from the Guantanamo Bay prison facility back to their home country of Afghanistan.  —  The Defense Department said all four men had been “unanimously approved for transfer” …