Justine Sacco, Fired After Tweet on AIDS in Africa, Issues Apology  —  The communications director fired over a tweet evoking AIDS and race that was sent as she was headed to Africa has now apologized, saying she is “ashamed” for her insensitivity to the millions of people living with the virus.

AL SHARPTON'S CHICAGO TOWN HALL ERUPTS INTO REVOLT AGAINST MACHINE POLITICS  —  On Thursday, a town hall meeting hosted by Al Sharpton and the National Action Network to address gun violence exploded into a revolt against “Chicago Machine” politics, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and the aldermen in City Hall …

Democratic senator: Obama's lack of congressional friendships hurts policy efforts  —  (CNN) - The President's failure to build friendships with lawmakers has damaged his chances of finding bipartisan support for legislation, a senator from his own party said Sunday.

The Atheist's Guide to Christmas  —  With the Yuletide season upon us, America is once again engaged in the standard asinine debates about the holiday: Is Santa white?  Is that decorated green perennial at the mall supposed to be called a “holiday treet”?  If you neglect to say the word …

The duck and jackass dynasty  —  Not the biggest jackass in the story.  —  I got the gist of the “Duck Dynasty” thing after my first and only viewing: bunch of rural jackasses who somehow struck it rich get brought into our living rooms to be laughed at by the rest of us aristocrats.  —  Well, all right.

DC staff irked as NBC News eyes cuts  —  David Gregory, host of NBC's 'Meet the Press Inset: NBC News boss Deborah Turness  —  NBC News boss Deborah Turness is spending the last few days of the year eyeing cuts — moves that could include axing some senior on-air talent, The Post has learned.

Tom Steyer may be liberals' answer to the Koch brothers  —  The California billionaire is building a vast political network and inserting himself into elections nationwide, with a focus on fossil fuels and global warming.  —  Tom Steyer, a former hedge fund manager, is spending some of his fortune …

Obamacare outreach hits the clubs  —  For Obamacare outreach, a Zumba class may work better than a gay bar.  —  Washington's new health insurance exchange dispatched a signup envoy to one of the city's gay clubs one recent night to get out the word about Obamacare.

Is Arkansas Still Friendly to Bill?  Clinton Tests It  —  LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — When it came time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of a dam on the Little Red River this fall, former President Bill Clinton came running.  But once he arrived in the state, he had more on his mind than just public works.

Michelle Nunn, Jason Carter hope to rechart the course of Georgia politics  —  MACON, Ga. — The two major parties here don't agree on many things.  One of them is that it is only a matter of time before Georgia goes from being a Republican stronghold to a state that is up for grabs.

Ideas From a Manger  —  PAUSE for a moment, in the last leg of your holiday shopping, to glance at one of the manger scenes you pass along the way.  Cast your eyes across the shepherds and animals, the infant and the kings.  Then try to see the scene this way: not just as a pious set-piece …

Rand Paul walks tightrope to expand GOP's appeal  —  Rand Paul cracks jokes about smoking pot.  He says the GOP needs to bring minorities and “people with ponytails” into the fold.  The Kentucky senator doesn't back gay marriage, but he's not out beating the drums against it, either.

12 killed in attacks against church in southern Syria  —  Syria's armed rebels fired multiple mortar shells on a church in Syria's southern province of Daraa, killing 12 people and injuring many others, the pro- government al-Ekhbarieh TV reported.  —  The shells landed at the old Church …