Ben Carson blasts RNC, threatens to leave Republican Party  —  Ben Carson on Friday blasted the Republican National Committee following a Washington Post report that nearly two-dozen establishment party figures were prepping for a potential brokered convention as Donald Trump continues to lead most polls.

House: Could Trump Lead to Apocalypse for Republicans?  —  To most Republican strategists, there's no bigger nightmare than Donald Trump as the GOP's presidential nominee in 2016.  This week, just about every Democrat running for president, Senate, House, and their respective campaign committees sought …

McConnell poised to give Jon Stewart what he wants  —  After weeks of withering criticism from comedian Jon Stewart, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell guaranteed on Friday that a health care bill for 9/11 first responders will be included in a must-pass, year-end spending deal.

Executive Order — Half-Day Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on Thursday, December 24, 2015  —  HALF-DAY CLOSING OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES  —  By the authority vested in me as President of the United States of America …

WATCH: Carly Fiorina snarls at CNN host after he confronts her over Planned Parenthood smears  —  DON'T MISS STORIES.  FOLLOW RAW STORY!  —  Aspiring 2016 GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina went from smiling to combative in a split-second during a contentious debate …

AS TRUMP RISES, CLINTON PREACHES LOVE AND KINDNESS  —  URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — Hillary Clinton had just finished detailing the dangers of terrorism, recalling tough calls in the White House situation room as secretary of state and lashing out at her Republican rivals for threatening the safety of Americans.

San Bernardino Attackers' Friend Spoke of ‘Sleeper Cells’ Before Rampage  —  RIVERSIDE, Calif. — The regulars did not take it seriously when Enrique Marquez mused about terrorism at Morgan's Tavern, a dank dive bar where Mr. Marquez hauled ice, cleaned bathrooms and checked IDs at the door.

Homeland Security Shut Down Investigation Into Farook And Malik Linked Islamist Group To Protect ‘Civil Liberties’ Of Potential Terrorists  —  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been accused of deleting intelligence records relating to dangerous Islamists linked to terrorists Sayed Farook …

Two Muslim women attacked in Tampa  —  We're learning about attacks on two Muslim women, right here in the Tampa Bay area.  Their attorney says one of the women was shot at, and another one was nearly driven off the road — both because of their Muslim faith.  —  CONNECT

More than 250 years of prison recommended  —  The jurors recommended a total of 263 years of prison time for Holtzclaw's crimes.  Formal sentencing is set for next month.  —  “We're going to ask the judge to make sure that this defendant never sees the light of day,” District Attorney David Prater said.

(Updated) Wichita lawmaker hired by Kansas Family Policy Council, letter says  —  Kansas Family Policy Council announces hiring of Rep. Steve Brunk in letter to supporters  —  Brunk said he won't be a lobbyist and might not need to leave the Legislature

FBI investigating fire at Coachella Valley mosque  —  Authorities are investigating a fire that erupted in the lobby of the Islamic Society of the Coachella Valley mosque.  —  The fire was reported at 12:09 p.m. Friday inside the mosque in the 84600 block of Avenue 49 in Coachella …

Trump takes on Cruz, but lightly  —  Donald Trump didn't hit back hard at Ted Cruz, but he couldn't let the Texas senator's dismissive private comments about his candidacy, which surfaced this week, go by without taking a shot.  —  Or two.  —  Trump, speaking to a crowd of several hundred people inside …

Banksy's Newest Works Make a Point About Immigration  —  LONDON — The graffiti artist Banksy unveiled his latest artworks on Friday — immigration-themed murals that he painted onto public spaces in and around the “jungle,” a refugee camp near Calais, France.

EXCLUSIVE: Bronx priest stole more than $1M from two NYC churches, used the cash on wild S&M romance with beefy boyfriend: lawsuit  —  Father, forgive him.  —  A scandalous lawsuit accuses a Bronx priest of looting more than $1 million from a pair of city parishes — then spending the cash …

WMUR booted from next Democratic debate  —  New Hampshire's most influential television station is being pushed out of next week's Democratic debate.  —  The reason?  A labor dispute between a handful of employees at the station, WMUR, and its owner, the Hearst CorporationS.

Survey of Kentucky Residents on State Health Policy  —  Liz Hamel, Mira Norton, and Mollyann Brodie  —  Executive Summary  —  Kentucky has received national attention as the only Southern state to fully embrace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by creating its own state-based health insurance marketplace …

Donald Trump Really Doesn't Want Me to Tell You This, But ...  Over a long weekend on assignment for Playboy magazine, Mark Bowden found that behind the garish Trump façade lies only more ugliness.  —  I spent a long, awkward weekend with Donald Trump in November 1996 …

Discrimination by Airbnb Hosts Is Widespread, Report Says  —  Airbnb likes to refer to itself as less a company than a “community.”  To that end, it has made trust between real people a cornerstone of its business strategy in short-term home rentals.  —  But new research suggests that when users get real, racism can result.

ISIS release chilling new ‘end of the world’ video showing final battle with ‘crusaders’  —  The terror group have released footage showing an ISIS 'armoured vehicle advancing towards Colosseum in reference to the ‘armies of Rome’ … ISIS has released chilling new footage depicting its apocalyptic vision of the end of the world.

Leo DiCaprio Now Officially a Joke in Canada: Confuses Chinook Wind with Climate Change  —  Leonardo DiCaprio has spoken movingly about how he witnessed at first hand the horrors of climate change during the making of his Oscar-tipped movie The Revenant.  —  Most of the wintry revenge Western …