Putin says he won't deport U.S. diplomats as he looks to cultivate relations with Trump  —  MOSCOW — In a rare break from the diplomatic tradition of reciprocal punishment, Russian President Vladi­mir Putin said Friday he would not deport U.S. diplomats in a tit-for-tat response …

Singer resigns from Mormon Tabernacle Choir, says she ‘could never look myself in the mirror again’ if she performed for Trump  —  Protest » She says she can't “in good conscience” take part in the ceremonies.  —  The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's acceptance of the invitation to sing …

Nixon's lawyer accuses Trump of lying  —  Richard Nixon's former lawyer is accusing President-elect Donald Trump  —  of constantly lying to the American people.  —  John Dean, who served as White House Counsel to the former president and was directly involved in the Watergate scandal …

California Democrats legalize child prostitution  —  Beginning on Jan. 1, prostitution by minors will be legal in California.  Yes, you read that right.  —  SB 1322 bars law enforcement from arresting sex workers who are under the age of 18 for soliciting or engaging in prostitution, or loitering with the intent to do so.

Skeptical Climate Scientists Coming In From the Cold  —  In the world of climate science, the skeptics are coming in from the cold.  —  Researchers who see global warming as something less than a planet-ending calamity believe the incoming Trump administration may allow their views to be developed and heard.

Britain, edging towards Trump, scolds Kerry over Israel  —  Britain scolded U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for describing the Israeli government as the most right-wing in Israeli history, a move that aligns Prime Minister Theresa May more closely with President-elect Donald Trump.

Obama's ugly bid to snub voters and tie Trump's hands  —  In his waning days in the White House, President Obama is desperately trying to make his policies as permanent as possible by tying the hands of his successor — and far more than other presidents have done on their way out.

The Death of Clintonism  —  In September 1963, two months before his death, John F. Kennedy mused aloud to his old friend the journalist Charles Bartlett about the prospects for the 1968 presidential election, in which, he presciently worried, his brother Robert might run against Lyndon Johnson.

Self-Driving Cars Will Make Organ Shortages Even Worse  —  We need to prepare for that now.  —  Much has been said about the ways we expect our oncoming fleet of driverless cars to change the way we live—remaking us all into passengers, rewiring our economy, retooling our views of ownership, and reshaping our cities and roads.

States that legalized marijuana saw a drop in traffic deaths  —  Ayrn Taylor, a United Food and Commercial Workers union (UFCW) member and employee at the Venice Beach Care Center, displays medical marijuana during a media visit at the medical marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles, California February 6, 2013.

Buffalo School Board Passes Resolution Telling Carl Paladino To Resign Within 24 Hours  —  His fellow board members say Paladino, a Donald Trump ally, needs to resign within 24 hours or they will seek his removal from the state.  —  BUFFALO, N.Y. The Buffalo Board of Education voted 6-2 Thursday …

FBI, DHS release report on Russia hacking  —  The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday released a joint report detailing how investigators linked the Russian government to hacks on various Democratic political organizations.  —  The document makes clear reference …