Assange lawyer: Manning commutation doesn't meet extradition offer's conditions  —  The attorney for Julian Assange said President Obama's commutation of Chelsea Manning's sentence does not meet the conditions of the WikiLeaks head's offer to be extradited to the United States if Manning were pardoned.

Reality bites: Trump's wake-up call  —  NEW YORK — On Twitter and in public, Donald Trump remains an uncompromising mix of bluster and bombast.  Behind the scenes, he's confronting, and in some cases succumbing (slightly) to, the hard truths of governing and leading a world that hangs on his every word.

President Bush moved to ICU; Mrs. Bush also hospitalized  —  Former President George H.W. Bush has been at Houston Methodist Hospital for treatment of pneumonia.  Mrs. Bush has also been admitted to the hospital due to “fatigue and coughing”. … HOUSTON - Former President George H.W. Bush …

How Donald Trump came up with ‘Make America Great Again’ … “Make America Great Again.”  —  The four words that would help propel Donald Trump to the White House were an inspiration born years before, when hardly anyone but Trump himself could imagine him taking the oath of office as the 45th president of the United States.

Earth Sets a Temperature Record for the Third Straight Year  —  Marking another milestone for a changing planet, scientists reported on Wednesday that the Earth reached its highest temperature on record in 2016 — trouncing a record set only a year earlier, which beat one set in 2014.

Betsy DeVos Fight Demonstrates Donald Trump's Serious About Changing Washington  —  It's hard to grill something in just five minutes.  But that didn't stop Democrats from trying.  —  Sen. Lamar Alexander's (R-TN) decision as chairman of the Senate education committee to limit senators …

Trump's D.C. hotel bans press during inauguration week  —  The Trump International Hotel in Washington is banning the media from its premises during inauguration week.  —  “Media is not allowed in this week in respect of the privacy of our guests,” Patricia Tang, the hotel's director of sales and marketing wrote in an email.

FBI, 5 other agencies probe possible covert Kremlin aid to Trump  —  WASHINGTON  —  The FBI and five other law enforcement and intelligence agencies have collaborated for months in an investigation into Russian attempts to influence the November election, including whether money …

Ads in Dozens of Cities Offer to Pay Protesters Up to $2,500 to Disrupt Trump Inauguration; UPDATE: It Was a Hoax  —  Update: On “Tucker Carlson Tonight” Tuesday, the Fox News host exposed the group behind the ads as a fraud.  The man claiming to be the director of operations …

Price: 'Nobody's Interested in Pulling the Rug Out' on Health Coverage  —  Right Now: President Obama is addressing the press corps for the last time from the White House.  Follow our live coverage and analysis.  —  Representative Tom Price of Georgia, the nominee for health and human services secretary …

At least 32 JCCs across US targeted in second wave of bomb threats  —  This is a developing story.  —  WASHINGTON (JTA) — At least 32 Jewish community centers in 16 states States have received bomb threats, Jewish security officials said, in the second wave of such mass disruption in two weeks.

Trump Budget Nominee Did Not Pay Taxes for Employee  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald J. Trump's choice for White House budget director failed to pay more than $15,000 in payroll taxes for a household employee, he admitted in a statement to the Senate Budget Committee …

Democratic Rep. Gabbard Makes Secret Trip to Syria  —  The Hawaii lawmaker, who has bucked both parties on the issue of Syria, met with government officials on a “fact finding” trip.  —  Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii has just departed war-torn Damascus following a trip her aides described as a …

Tom Price Just Contradicted Trump Team's Defense Of His Questionable Stock Trades  —  Trump's pick for HHS secretary admitted he, not an independent financial adviser, chose to buy stock in a biotech firm.  —  Money in Politics Reporter, The Huffington Post

Democrats: Left in the Lurch  —  The curious decline and uncertain future of the Democratic Party  —  When President-elect Donald Trump replaces Barack Obama on January 20, the Democratic Party will find itself more removed from power than at almost any point since the party's creation.

U.S. Catholics, non-Catholics continue to view Pope Francis favorably  —  Some world leaders begin their tenures with high favorability ratings - only to see their popularity fall over time.  But, in the U.S., Pope Francis remains as popular as ever, with seven-in-ten Americans saying …