National

Two cars are submerged in floodwaters in a park in Kimmswick, Mo. Gov. Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency because of widespread flooding around the state, which has closed many roads.

Towns Along The Mississippi River Evacuate As Floodwaters Swell

6:37pm December 29, 2015

by Laura Wagner

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon activated the National Guard as flooding closed interstate highways and forced people from their homes. The river is expected to crest Thursday at its highest level since 1993.

Smoke rises from ISIS positions following a U.S.-led coalition airstrike in the Huz neighborhood in downtown Ramadi, Iraq, on Dec. 26.

Airstrike Kills ISIS Leader Directly Linked To Paris Attackers

6:36pm December 29, 2015

by Laura Wagner

Charaffe al Mouadan, a Syrian-based ISIS member, had ties to suspected Paris mastermind Abdelhamid Abaaoud. Mouadan was among 10 ISIS militants killed in coalition strikes over the past month.

President Richard Nixon meets with John Kasich, a freshman at Ohio State, on Dec. 22, 1970.

The Student Who Once Nudged His Way To The Oval Office Now Hopes To Move In

6:30pm December 29, 2015

by Don Gonyea

John Kasich, GOP presidential hopeful, has had a habit of speaking his mind, even as a college student at Ohio State. It has served the Ohio governor well in politics.

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Mourners gather for the funeral of Harris County Deputy Darren Goforth, killed as he pumped gas in a surprise attack in August. According to new national statistics, 42 police officers were shot and killed in 2015.

National

Number Of Police Officers Killed By Gunfire Fell 14 Percent In 2015, Study Says

5:08pm December 29, 2015

by Bill Chappell

Of the 124 officers who died, the largest number (52) were killed in traffic-related incidents, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Another 42 were shot and killed.

Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke, who was charged with murder last month in the shooting death of Laquan McDonald, arrives at the Cook County Criminal Court for a status hearing on Dec. 18.

National

Chicago Officer Who Shot Teen 16 Times Pleads Not Guilty To Murder

4:50pm December 29, 2015

by Bill Chappell

The city's police force has come under new scrutiny in recent days, after two more people — a 19-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman — were shot and killed by police.

A U.S. Coast Guard crew (foreground) with six Cubans who were picked up in the Florida Straits in May. A larger Coast Guard vessel is in the background. The number of Cubans trying to reach the U.S. has soared in the past year. Many Cubans believe it will

Cuban Immigrants Flow Into The U.S., Fearing The Rules Will Change

4:18pm December 29, 2015

by Greg Allen

One consequence of improved relations is that Cubans believe it will soon be harder to immigrate to the U.S. This year has seen the largest influx of Cubans in more than two decades.

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A CVS store on Eighth Avenue in Manhattan, N.Y.

Repeat Violators Of Health Privacy Laws Often Go Unpunished

3:35pm December 29, 2015

Regulators have logged dozens, even hundreds of complaints against some health providers for violating federal patient privacy law. Warnings are doled out privately, and sanctions are rarely imposed.

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The Writing Assignment That Changes Lives

How Writing Down Specific Goals Can Empower You

2:04pm December 29, 2015

by Anya Kamenetz

The act of writing can affect health, happiness and success. In one experiment, goal-setting dramatically reduced the achievement gap.

National

Cleveland Grand Jury Declines To Indict Police Officers In Tamir Rice Probe

1:07pm December 29, 2015

by Nick Castele

A grand jury won't bring charges against two Cleveland police officers in the 2014 killing of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who was shot by officers while playing with an air gun in a park.

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National

Calif. Authorities To Utilize New Law Aimed At Preventing Mass Shootings

1:04pm December 29, 2015

by Ben Adler

Advocates hope gun violence restraining orders will keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. Critics say the new law, that takes effect in January, is ripe for abuse.

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