GOP preparing for contested convention  —  Republican officials and leading figures in the party's establishment are now preparing for the possibility of a brokered convention as Donald Trump continues sit atop the polls and the presidential race.  —  More than 20 of them convened Monday …

White House Readies Executive Action On Gun Control  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama's advisers are finalizing a proposal that would expand background checks on gun sales without congressional approval.  —  White House adviser Valerie Jarrett says the president has asked his team …

Actor Kurt Russell Fiercely Pushes Back Against Anti-Gun Hollywood Interviewer: ‘What Are You Going to Do, Ban Everything?’  —  Legendary actor Kurt Russell said in a recent interview with Hollywood reporter Jeffery Wells that it's “absolutely insane” to believe that more gun control will curb terrorist attacks.

See How NPR Hacks Up Testy Interview with Ted Cruz  —  Share it Tweet it  —  NPR Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep is a big fan of President Obama, and when he interviews him, he helpfully sets him up.  In a recent interview on race relations, Inskeep added little prompts instead of questions.

‘Suspension proceedings’ begin after photos of Citadel cadets in white hoods posted online  —  CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — After photos surfaced on social media showing Citadel cadets in white Klan hoods and reportedly singing Christmas carols, a source close to the school said all of the members of the group have been identified.

Democratic Congresswoman: “Between 5 And 20%” Of Muslims Willing To Use Terrorism To Institute Caliphate  —  “We know that there is a small group, and we don't know how big that is — it can be anywhere between 5 and 20%, from the people that I speak to — that Islam is their religion …

Russell Taylor gets 27 years in child porn case  —  INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A judge sentenced the former head of Jared Fogle's charity to 27 years in prison Thursday afternoon.  —  Russell Taylor pleaded guilty to 13 federal crimes during his sentencing hearing — 12 counts of child exploitation …

Putin's Quagmire in Syria Proves Obama Prescient  —  Officials in Moscow no longer talking about war lasting months  —  Russia's mid-November surge doubled cost of military campaign  —  U.S. President Barack Obama, facing criticism at home over his Islamic State strategy …

Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Every Student Succeeds Act  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the following statement on the conference report of the Every Student Succeeds Act (S. 1177), currently under consideration in the Senate:

Democrats demand end to ban on gun violence research  —  House Democrats are adding a controversial new demand to the government funding talks: ending a 19-year old ban on gun violence research by the federal government.  —  Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced Thursday …

Landlord claims tenants illegally turned three-bedroom apartment in Queens into 10 bedrooms  —  ELMHURST, Queens — Eddie Shiew owns a three-story home in Elmhurst, Queens, as a rental property.  He recently rented the third floor, a three-bedroom apartment, to Burak Firik and Dogan Kimilli for $2,500 a month.

Millennials Want To Send Troops To Fight ISIS, But Don't Want To Serve  —  In the wake of the Paris attacks, a majority of young Americans support sending U.S. ground troops to fight ISIS, according to wide-ranging new poll from the Harvard Institute of Politics.