Huffington Post – by Maria Fang

Asked if she was “moving in the direction of politics,” Angelina Jolie suggested Friday that she would consider running for public office in the future if “I’m needed” but added that she would prefer to focus on her work with refugees and women’s rights.

“Honestly, if you asked me 20 years ago, I would’ve laughed. I really don’t know. I always say I’ll go where I’m needed. I don’t know if I’m fit for politics. But then I’ve also joked that I don’t know if I have a skeleton left in my closet, so I’m pretty open and out there,” the actress, director and humanitarian activist told the BBC while serving as a guest editor of its morning radio show “Today.” “I can take a lot on the chin, so that’s good.”   Continue reading “Angelina Jolie Doesn’t Rule Out Running For Public Office”

NBC News

Located in a remote region of Argentina, the Chinese government says the station is used to research the dark side of the moon, but experts believe it could be linked to espionage. NBC News’ Richard Engel investigates.   Continue reading “Could this Chinese satellite station be used to spy on the U.S.?”

The Eagle – by Paul Waldman, The Washington Post

When the new year begins next week, President Donald Trump will have an acting chief of staff, an acting secretary of defense, an acting attorney general, an acting EPA administrator, no interior secretary, and no ambassador to the United Nations. The officials originally in all those positions have either been fired or have quit in various measures of disgust or scandal. His former campaign chairman, deputy campaign chairman, national security adviser and personal lawyer have all pleaded guilty to crimes.  Continue reading “This is what we were afraid of”

AOL

Former television star Roseanne Barr says she will travel to Israel in January to learn more about Jewish history and address the country’s parliament.

Barr’s longtime friend, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, first announced her plans this week on social media. Boteach’s pro-Israel organization, the World Values Network, said it is sponsoring the trip.   Continue reading “Roseanne Barr plans to visit Israel, address its parliament”

CBS News

SHAMOKIN, Pa. (CBS) — A northeastern Pennsylvania man gave a porch pirate a gift he will never forget and a surveillance camera got it all. Robert Lynch left boxes filled with kitty litter and feces on his porch in Shamokin and the boxes were stolen.

He got a good look at the thief thanks to recently installed cameras.   Continue reading “Pennsylvania Man Dupes Christmas Package Thieves With Boxes Filled With Cat Poop”

Sandhills Express

(WASHINGTON) — The House and Senate adjourned Friday night as negotiations continued between White House and congressional leaders over border wall funding, guaranteeing a partial government shutdown at midnight when 25 percent of federal government funding is set to lapse.

Many House and Senate lawmakers headed home after leaders promised to provide 24-hour notice ahead of any funding vote.   Continue reading “Partial government shutdown guaranteed as lawmakers leave Capitol Hill without a deal”

Roll Call – by Paul V. Fontelo

The combined wealth of Congress is set to plummet next year after a deluge of departures and the results of the midterm elections. Some of the wealthiest lawmakers on Capitol Hill won’t be returning next year, and the body’s $2.43 billion of personal net worth will drop by $933 million.   Continue reading “Congress Cashes Out as Rich Members Depart”

Springfield News-Sun

A driver in Slovakia survived a spectacular crash when his car mounted a ramp on the road’s hard shoulder, surging upwards before flipping and falling back down onto the road.

Slovak police said the 44-year-old driver sustained only minor bruises when his BMW car crashed ahead of the Borik tunnel in northeast Slovakia on Thursday.    Continue reading “Car in Slovakia mounts ramp, flips, falls back on road — and driver survives”

NPR – by Howard Berkes

Greg Kelly’s grandson, Caden, scampers to the tree-shaded creek behind his grandfather’s house to catch crawdads, as Kelly shuffles along, trying to keep up. Kelly’s small day pack holds an oxygen tank with a clear tube clipped to his nose. He has chairs spaced out on the short route so he can stop every few minutes, sit down and catch his breath, until he has enough wind and strength to start out again for the creek.

“I just pray that the Lord give me as much time as I can with him,” Kelly said, his eyes welling with tears. “He just lightens my life. I want to be as fun with him as I can. And do as much as I can with him.”   Continue reading “An Epidemic Is Killing Thousands Of Coal Miners. Regulators Could Have Stopped It”

LA Times

Calling President Trump’s bluff as the holiday looms, Congress worked to avert a government shutdown by sending him a budget bill funding federal operations for about seven weeks, postponing the fight over the billions he demands for a border wall.

The Senate late Wednesday, by voice vote, easily approved the stopgap spending bill to keep the government running through Feb. 8, with no money for the wall. The House plans to follow with a vote perhaps Thursday, to send the measure to the president before a Friday night deadline.

Continue reading “Senate, calling Trump’s bluff, OKs stopgap spending bill to avoid a government shutdown”

KBTX TV

BRYAN, Tex. (KBTX) – In the last two weeks, KBTX has reported at least five major accidents involving an 18-wheeler. Two of those collisions were fatal.

A local truck driving instructor says it’s a reminder for everyone to be alert on the road.  Continue reading “CDL instructor reminds drivers to be cautious with big trucks”

New York Daily News – by Greg B Smith

A union president Monday demanded that Mayor de Blasio reinstate and apologize to two city peace officers suspended over a confrontation at a welfare office that ended with NYPD cops pulling a baby from his mother’s arms.

Greg Floyd, president of Teamsters Local 237, blasted the mayor’s criticism of the two Human Resources Administration peace officers who were involved in a Dec. 7 tussle with Jazmine Headley at a welfare office in Brooklyn that wound up in a viral video.

Continue reading “Union leader demands de Blasio reinstate suspended peace officers in baby-grab incident”

Springfield News-Leader – by Wes Johnson

Four members of a southwest Missouri family have been caught in a multi-year poaching case where authorities say hundreds of deer were killed illegally.

“The deer were trophy bucks taken illegally, mostly at night, for their heads, leaving the bodies of the deer to waste,” said Lawrence County Prosecuting Attorney Don Trotter.  Continue reading “‘Bambi’ as punishment? Sentence in SW Missouri poaching case includes mandated viewings”

AOL

A Tennessee mother unloaded 34 rounds of ammunition into her four children, killing them all before turning the gun on herself, according to newly released autopsy reports.

Cynthia Collier, 55, brutally killed her adopted kids, Kaileigh Lin Collier, 17, Lia Lin Collier, 15, Bo Li Collier and Meigan Lin Collier, both 14, in October in what police have called a murder-suicide.   Continue reading “Mother shot her 4 children 34 times before turning gun on herself: autopsy reports”

AOL

In the wake of a Victoria’s Secret fashion show that many feel failed on the inclusivity front, Spain’s Angela Ponce is poised to make history as the first transgender woman to compete in Miss Universe. The program, which airs at 7 p.m. EST on Sunday from Bankok, Thailand, is a star-studded event that will feature Steve Harvey as onstage host, Ashley Graham backstage, and Ne-Yo as the lead performer.   Continue reading “Miss Spain to make history as first transgender contestant on Miss Universe”

The Eagle – by Caitlin Clark

After a year filled with public hearings, partnership announcements and meetings with landowners, Texas Central Partners is looking toward breaking ground on its Dallas-to-Houston high-speed rail in 2019.

The bullet train, which promises a 90-minute connection between the two major cities with a stop in Grimes County, is still awaiting final approval from the Federal Railroad Administration. Texas Central says construction will start immediately after that hurdle is cleared.  Continue reading “What’s ahead for the Dallas-Houston high-speed rail”

KUTV 2 News – by Alyssa Roberts

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Disney Channel actor Stoney Westmoreland, who plays in a series filmed in Utah, was arrested Friday in Salt Lake City and is accused of enticing a minor.

Court documents state Westmoreland, 48, sent pornographic images and asked to engage in sex acts with a person he believed to be 13 years old.   Continue reading “Disney Channel actor arrested for enticing a minor in Salt Lake City”

NBC New York

Luxury fashion company Prada has pulled a set of monkey trinkets from its lower Manhattan store amid outcry that the items depict blackface.

In a statement Friday, Prada said that the images have been removed from the windows of its flagship in Soho and that it “abhors racist imagery.”    Continue reading “Prada Pulls Monkey Figurines from NYC Store Amid Blackface Outcry”