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.

AP source: US seeks China's help after cyberattack  —  HONOLULU (AP) — The United States is asking China for help as it weighs potential responses to a cyberattack against Sony Pictures Entertainment that the U.S. has blamed on North Korea.  —  A senior Obama administration official …

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 …

GOP to back ‘The Interview’ if it gets to theaters  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The GOP is calling on supporters to buy a ticket to the movie “The Interview” if theater owners reverse their decision not to show the film amid threats of retaliation for its comedic take on assassinating North Korea's leader.

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 …

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.

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 …

Police: Man in elf costume charged with DWI  —  Associated Press 2 hrs ago  —  RIVERDALE, N.J. (AP) — Police say an elf on the sauce is facing drunken driving charges in New Jersey.  —  Riverdale police tell NJ.com (http://bit.ly/1wX1laR ) that 23-year-old Brian Chellis was found passed …

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 …

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 …

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” …

Democratic techies' divided loyalties  —  Ex-Obama hands split between Clinton, rivals.  —  Scores of the Democratic techies who helped Barack Obama defeat Hillary Clinton for the 2008 presidential nomination are now seeking alternatives to Clinton in 2016.