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U.S. Punishes Russia for Election Hacking, Ejecting Operatives — WASHINGTON — The Obama administration struck back at Russia on Thursday for its efforts to influence the 2016 election, ejecting 35 Russian intelligence operatives from the United States and imposing sanctions on Russia's …
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CNN, Raw Story, Consortiumnews.com, CNBC, Mother Jones, The Guardian, New York Magazine, The Gateway Pundit, Heat Street, The Point, ThinkProgress, Taylor Marsh, Liberal Values, Gothamist, Politicus USA, AOL, Jezebel, twitchy.com, Scared Monkeys, Mediaite, Daily Kos, RedState, The Democratic Daily, TheBlaze and Engadget
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Statement by the President on Actions in Response to Russian Malicious Cyber Activity and Harassment — Today, I have ordered a number of actions in response to the Russian government's aggressive harassment of U.S. officials and cyber operations aimed at the U.S. election.


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 …
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The Last Refuge, The Atlantic, RedState, The Moderate Voice and TheBlaze

Obama's Russia sanctions put Hill Republicans in a box — President Barack Obama's eleventh-hour Russia sanctions present a big test for congressional Republicans, who are torn between decades-old GOP principles and their new standard-bearer's unorthodox embrace of Russian President Vladimir Putin.


Obama orders Russia expulsions, sanctions for interference in 2016 election — President Barack Obama on Thursday ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats and sanctioned Russian intelligence officials who Washington believes were involved in hacking U.S. political groups in the 2016 presidential election.
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TalkLeft, The Gateway Pundit, Fox News Insider, VentureBeat, Infowars, Shadowproof and The Week

FACT SHEET: Actions in Response to Russian Malicious Cyber Activity and Harassment — Today, President Obama authorized a number of actions in response to the Russian government's aggressive harassment of U.S. officials and cyber operations aimed at the U.S. election in 2016.
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emptywheel, Vox, Real Clear Politics, Infowars, TheBlaze and KQED News

Resource Center — Home » Resource Center » Financial Sanctions » OFAC Recent Actions » Issuance of Amended Executive Order 13694; Cyber-Related Sanctions Designations — Issuance of Amended Executive Order 13694; Cyber-Related Sanctions Designations
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Business Insider, Politico, The Daily Caller, Vocativ, NoisyRoom.net, Talking Points Memo and The Verge


Kremlin spokesman vows retaliation against U.S. sanctions
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Balloon Juice

Comment by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova on new threats of sanctions from the United States
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The Daily Caller, AOL, The Gateway Pundit, Business Insider, Sputnik International, Gizmodo and BizPac Review

Russia sanctions announced by White House
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Politico, The Last Refuge and Business Insider


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 …
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Little Green Footballs, Mediaite, Raw Story and TheBlaze
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Trump New York co-chair won't resign despite racist remarks about Obamas — Carl Paladino, who said he wanted to see president dead of mad cow disease and first lady living with a gorilla, will not resign despite school board voting him out — The Trump presidential campaign New York co-chair …
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Raw Story, alan.com and New York Times


UK Government issues unprecedented attack on the US after Secretary of State John Kerry branded Israeli regime the ‘most right-wing in history’ — No 10 says it was inappropriate of Kerry to attack the make-up of the democratically-elected Israeli government
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The Resurgent, New York Times, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Israel Matzav
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Will John Kerry's Israel Speech Tear the Democrats Apart?
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Mediaite

Bibi Netanyahu Makes Trump His Chump
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Washington Monthly, No More Mister Nice Blog, Booman Tribune, Taylor Marsh, alan.com, Tikun Olam and US Department of State

Julie Bishop backs Israel rather than the US over UN resolution
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The Times of Israel

Schumer: Kerry ‘emboldened extremists on both sides’
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Hot Air, Vox, Washington Post, Red Alert Politics, Washington Times, TheBlaze, Outside the Beltway, Jezebel, Fox News, The Gateway Pundit, Associated Press, Haaretz and New York Times


Gun-loving conservative columnist accidentally killed after letting teen boy hold his firearm — DON'T MISS STORIES. FOLLOW RAW STORY! — M.D. Harmon, a conservative columnist who frequently wrote in favor of gun ownership rights for the Portland Press Herald, died this week after being accidentally shot by a teenage boy.
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Hullabaloo, Law News and The Portland Press Herald


Harsh US Sanctions Ban Russian Use Of Maryland's Grills, Ocean Views — Ruthless US sanctions have banned the use of a highly-private and strategically placed Russian “spy compound,” a vacation retreat center in Maryland where families grilled burgers, hot dogs, and maybe even nuclear-Russian shish kebobs.


11 A-list artists that refused to perform at Donald Trump's inauguration — If Donald Trump were still just a regular old billionaire and threw a party at Trump Tower in New York City, celebrities would be lined up out the door, and the most famous artists would be pining for a chance to perform.
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Salon, portal.liberalamerica.org, AOL, The Daily Caller, BizPac Review, Fox News Insider and Raw Story


Milo Yiannopoulos Strikes $250K Book Deal (Exclusive) — “They said banning me from Twitter would finish me off. Just as I predicted, the opposite has happened,” says Yiannopoulos. — Milo Yiannopoulos has parlayed his ban from Twitter — and some controversial appearances on college campuses …
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Slate, The Guardian, Heat Street, Reuters, Red Alert Politics, CNBC, twitchy.com, Politico, New York Magazine, Mashable, Mediaite, The Week and Talking Points Memo, more at Mediagazer »


Some New Year's Resolutions for Our Progressive Pals — The year 2016 was a great one for our progressive friends - except for that whole utter repudiation unpleasantness of last November. Now, as a concerned conservative friend eager to help, let me offer you some New Year's resolutions that will keep you on the path to success.


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.
Discussion:
RedState and Red Alert Politics


Why Russia-brokered Syrian ceasefire has chance of succeeding — Nothing is ever certain, but in the case of Syria peace drive Moscow is at centre of decision making while US is out in the cold — Labelled an international pariah only months ago by Boris Johnson, and warned he would be stuck …


Anthony Bourdain on Sichuan Peppers, Sex, Eating Dogs, and Political Correctness — An exclusive post-election interview with the culinary celebrity host of Parts Unknown. — From Iran to to Hanoi to rural New England: Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown on CNN has covered a lot of territory, like No Reservations before it.
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Questions and Observations, Townhall.com, TheBlaze, Mediaite and Hit & Run


Democrats Have a Religion Problem — There aren't many people like Michael Wear in today's Democratic Party. The former director of Barack Obama's 2012 faith-outreach efforts is a theologically conservative evangelical Christian. He is opposed to both abortion and same-sex marriage …
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New York Magazine, Mediaite, Washington Times and The Resurgent

Congress leaves Trump with unlimited war powers — For much of President Barack Obama's second term, Congress sought to pass a formal authorization for the war against the Islamic State — both to signal the country's resolve and to provide a check on the president's unfettered war powers.
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Common Dreams and The Week


Heat-activated penile implant might restore sexual function in men with ED — The basic technology for penile implants hasn't improved much in 40 years. — But Brian Le, a new faculty member in the Department of Urology with a background in materials science, is hoping …
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Gizmodo and New York Magazine