House Republicans gut their own oversight  —  In one of their first moves of the new Congress, House Republicans have voted to gut their own independent ethics watchdog — a huge blow to cheerleaders of congressional oversight and one that dismantles major reforms adopted after the Jack Abramoff scandal.

Trump: North Korea will be stopped  —  President-elect Donald Trump tweeted Monday evening that North Korea won't reach the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon that will be able to hit the United States.  —  “North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing …

Repeal and Delay Is Forever  —  The Republican Party has used health care to its advantage for the last seven years by following the same strategy: advocating an alternative plan that does not and cannot exist.  During this entire time, President Obama has held power.

Israeli police question PM Netanyahu in corruption probe  —  Israeli police have questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of an inquiry into corruption allegations.  —  Ahead of their arrival at his residence, Mr Netanyahu again denied any wrongdoing.

Nude Neptune sunk by Facebook's privacy controls  —  A statue of Neptune in the Italian city of Bologna has fallen foul of Facebook's privacy policies, which claim it is “explicitly sexual.”  —  According to the Telegraph, local writer Elisa Barbari chose the 16th-century statue …

Many in U.S. Skeptical Trump Can Handle Presidential Duties  —  PRINCETON, N.J. — As Donald Trump prepares to take the presidential oath on Jan. 20, less than half of Americans are confident in his ability to handle an international crisis (46%), to use military force wisely (47%) …

Donald Trump's New Year's Eve speech cited Dubai business partner  —  Hussain Sajwani, founder of the DAMAC Group  —  (CNN)Donald Trump gave a lengthy description of his electoral victory, and lavished praise upon a Dubai business partner, during a ten-minute speech to 800 paying guests at his Florida estate Saturday night.

Joe Scarborough against the world  —  Joe Scarborough is fed up with his critics.  —  “I am sick and tired of people misrepresenting me and making snide assumptions and giving readers false conclusions,” the “Morning Joe” co-host told CNNMoney on Monday.  In 2017, he said, he was “going to war against lies.”

Former Chicago police chief blasts Black Lives Matter  —  Former Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy on Sunday blamed the Black Lives Matter movement for causing a rise in violent crime around the country.  —  During a radio interview with John Catsimatidis on AM 970 in New York …

Adviser contradicts Trump: Russians hacked the US  —  Washington (CNN)A top adviser to President-elect Donald Trump said Monday he thinks the Russians were involved in election-related hacking of the US — a very different view than that held by the incoming administration.

Turkey nightclub attack: IS says it carried out shooting  —  So-called Islamic State says it was behind the new year attack on a Turkish nightclub that killed 39 people.  —  The group said in a statement it was carried out by “a heroic soldier”.  —  At least 600 revellers were celebrating …

Obama could still force Garland onto court during ‘intersession recess’  —  President Obama will have one last chance to force Judge Merrick Garland onto the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday — but it's a legal gamble and one that has so many pitfalls that even those who say he could get away with it believe it isn't worth the fight.

Robert Lighthizer Is Expected to Be Named U.S. Trade Representative  —  Donald Trump is also considering ways to bring his daughter and son-in-law into the administration  —  Donald Trump is expected to name Robert Lighthizer, a former trade official under President Ronald Reagan …

Inauguration ceremony  —  I've been asked and this is my answer.  If you allow me to sing “strange fruit” a song that has huge historical importance, a song that was blacklisted in the United States for being too controversial.  A song that speaks to all the disregarded and down trodden black people in the United States.