December 24, 2015
Administration doubles-down on plan to deport families that crossed border illegally
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Thursday defended plans to deport families who fled violence from Central America as “consistent with our laws and our values.” Adults and children who...
Tourists in Beijing warned of possible Christmas terror threat
The US Embassy in Beijing issued a warning Thursday to Westerners in the Chinese capital of a possible terror threat against them on Christmas. French, British, Australian and Irish officials...
Americans are slowly becoming less and less religious
Americans are slowly losing their religion, according to an annual poll released Thursday. The number of adults who do not affiliate with any faith has increased over time, to 19.6...
Patients' saliva could be the key to life or death
Patients’ saliva could offer clues about how well equipped they are to fight disease — or even reflect their risk of death. A mouth swab can reveal how well stocked...
The push for Seton Hall's rising star: 'Mommy, I’m going to get you out'
It was just another fall basketball tournament. Desi Rodriguez didn’t treat it any differently, but looking back more than three years later, it was one of the turning points in...
Congress to probe sports-related concussions next year
Congress will usher in the new year with a probe of concussions that head-trauma researchers hope will shine a light on the risks of youth football. The chairman of the...
Citi Bike cashes in on late fees as ridership soars
Citi Bike ridership is soaring — along with the millions of dollars in late fees being collected by the share program, The Post has learned. New Yorkers and tourists have...
Bob Stoops' lowest moment catapulted Oklahoma to 'next Ohio State'
All Bob Stoops has done at Oklahoma is win — he just hasn’t been able to win the big one in a long time. Stoops won the national championship in...
This is Ryan Fitzpatrick's best Christmas ever
It was the night before last Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring ... not even Ryan Fitzpatrick. Eleven days before Christmas 2014, Fitzpatrick fractured his left leg...
5 stages of infuriating Giants-Panthers: Sports' new rock bottom
It began late Sunday afternoon. I still have it. Symptoms include bloating, gas, depression. Could be a case of Sepp Blatter. The depression is the worst part. It never has...
Jets' nightmare scenario would ring familiar to Todd Bowles
Todd Bowles has been through this before, so he’s prepared for the worst. The Jets’ head coach was a defensive assistant on Bruce Arians’ staff in Arizona in 2013 when...
NFL isn't buying ex-stars' Odell Beckham gay slur excuse
The NFL reportedly has found no evidence to back up claims that Odell Beckham Jr. was subjected to homophobic slurs by the Panthers last Sunday. According to The Washington Post,...
Todd Bowles better know what Rex Ryan knew about Patriots
The one thing Rex Ryan got right from the first moment he arrived until they day he left was knowing that, if the Jets were going to be taken seriously...
Revis clears up Tom Brady feud over scrutinized brief handshake
So, which is it going to be with Darrelle Revis and Tom Brady? Who will have the edge when Revis and the Jets play Brady and the Patriots on Sunday...
Fisher uses hesitant Porzingis to shut down Carmelo hero ball
Consider Wednesday night’s frustrating loss to the Cavaliers another lesson for Kristaps Porzingis — and the Knicks. The rookie phenom from Latvia enjoyed his best game in weeks, scoring 23...
Giants receivers ignore grim reality of Beckham loss
Odell Beckham Jr.’s one-game suspension means the Giants must find a way Sunday night — in potentially a season-deciding game — to replace 26 percent of their receptions, 36 percent...
From the Gospel According to Luke, Chapter 2, Verses 1-20
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made...
Cops were 'looking for a Taser' before teen was shot 16 times
CHICAGO — Recordings of Chicago police radio traffic surrounding the fatal shooting of a black teenager by a white officer show at least one responding officer asked for a Taser...
Daniel Murphy finds home with Mets' enemy
Daniel Murphy carried the Mets to the World Series last October. When the 2016 season opens, the left-handed hitting second baseman will be looking to bury his former team. Of...
Attack on Jewish student investigated as hate crime
An attack on a white Jewish student is being investigated as a hate crime at Medgar Evers College in Flatbush. Police say the incident happened at 6 p.m. Wednesday when...
Cops arrest robbery victims after finding rifle in violin case
No one will be playing the violin for these two criminals. A woman who had just been robbed at gunpoint in her Manhattan apartment by two masked men called police...
Tom Coughlin delivers Giants pep talk he knows may be his last
This is the Tom Coughlin who led the Giants to two Super Bowl victories. Call it his final rallying cry. Asked what his message he delivered now that the Giants know...
Driver attacks traffic cop after plowing into pedestrians
A motorist went on a rampage on the Upper East Side Thursday, striking several pedestrians before getting out of his car and punching a traffic agent, authorities said. Cameron Coelho,...
Henrik Lundqvist's slump exposes all the Rangers' warts
The Rangers weren’t kidding themselves with faux joy going into this three-day Christmas hiatus that started Wednesday, keeping the league dark until Saturday, when the Blueshirts return to practice preceding...
Off-duty cop fatally shoots gunman after shots fired in mall
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A long-standing dispute sparked a shooting at a crowded North Carolina shopping mall on Christmas Eve, police said, and an off-duty officer fatally shot a man who...
The video session where Nets rediscovered their mojo
Since a painful video session in Chicago on Dec. 21 – reliving their non-effort in a home loss the night before – the Nets have looked like a different team....
Knicks expect to have Carmelo Anthony back for weekend
Carmelo Anthony’s return appears imminent. He was one of the last Knicks to leave the practice floor on Thursday, offering hope he may return to the lineup Saturday night in...
There's a jail aboard, and other confessions of a cruise ship cop
A cruise is a vacation full of fun and frivolity under the sun. But if you step out of line (and we’re not talking the conga line), you’ll have to...
Why silence surrounds Jets' breakout O-line mauler
James Carpenter might be the quietest player in the Jets locker room. His teammates have a difficult time prying more than a word or two out of him in conversation....
NBA doesn't want politics in Carmelo Anthony's anti-gun ad
The Christmas Day public service announcement directed by Spike Lee and including several NBA stars is about raising awareness about gun violence, but has nothing to do with any change...
School lunch lady fired for giving free meal to hungry kid is offered job back
POCATELLO, Idaho — A southeastern Idaho cafeteria worker said she was fired for giving a student a free meal costing $1.70, but the school district offered her the job back...
NHL star's children's hospital visit makes for teary viewing
Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban proved why he is one of the best ambassadors for hockey when he recently threw a holiday bash for children at Montreal's Children's Hospital. Subban...
No white Christmas here: Santas hit the surf and sand
These Santas eschewed sleet and snow in favor of bikinis and beaches.
Why ‘Making a Murderer’ is better than ‘Serial’
Shortly before this month’s release of the much-anticipated second season of NPR’s “Serial”, another true crime series debuted, this one on Netflix: “Making a Murderer,” which tells the story of...
Oklahoma's Bob Stoops can reset clock on a brutal standard
All Bob Stoops has done at Oklahoma is win — he just hasn’t been able to win the big one in a long time. Stoops won the national championship in...
Knicks don't know where to put their $54 million center
The riddle of RoLo continues. It’s little secret why the Knicks have lost two in a row during an 11-game stretch against winning teams. In both losses, to the Magic and...
Couple gives birth in time for Christmas -- after 11 years of trying
A British couple finally added to their family — and it only took 11 years of trying. Richard and Samantha Niblock spent about $150,000 on 13 grueling cycles of in...
LeBron James dispensing so much Christmas love
LeBron James is getting in the holiday spirit. Though he was more Grinch than Santa when he told 20,000 Cavaliers fans the team "played like s--t" in Wednesday night's win...
Bergdahl: Taliban asked me if Obama is gay
Bowe Bergdahl compared his first year in Taliban captivity — starved, stinking and chained to a bed — to being tossed in a closet and forgotten. "Picture someone taking a...
It's the warmest Christmas Eve in NYC history
Before most New Yorkers even woke up Thursday morning, the city set a record for the hottest Christmas Eve in recorded history. The mercury hit 64 degrees at 12:01 a.m.,...
'It's a Wonderful Life' is atheist, Communist propaganda
The Christmas Eve showing of “It’s a Wonderful Life” may be intended to make you believe in the importance of even an ordinary person’s life, but underneath that, what are...
Justin Verlander: Sorry about that time I hit you in the balls
Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander stays current on his team's transactions and often welcomes his new teammates with Twitter well-wishes. But it got a bit awkward Wednesday. The Tigers agreed...
Bart Scott thinks his Jets defense was a little bit better
CBS analyst and former Jets linebacker Bart Scott discusses how to slow down the Patriots’ offense, Ryan Fitzpatrick’s career year and what’s gone wrong for Rex Ryan in Buffalo with...
HIV-positive man gets years in prison for unprotected sex
EASTON, Pa. — An HIV-positive Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 33 to 66 months in prison for having unprotected sex with three women he didn't tell about his condition. Northampton...
Man used Gap bag to take upskirt video of women at mall: cops
LANCASTER, Pa. — Police say a man hid a camera in a large shopping bag so he could secretly record video up the skirts of women shopping at a Pennsylvania...
Who was this year’s biggest celebrity tweeter?
Everyone is obsessed with social media these days, especially famous people. We all know that celebs love to tweet, but which famous person tweets the most?
Prices for Manhattan's top-tier homes looking less lofty
The air is getting thin at the top of Manhattan’s housing market. After peaking earlier this year, prices for the city’s luxury dwellings have been dropping every month since February,...
The day in photos: Dec. 24, 2015
The world gets in the Christmas spirit and more.
Migrants found guilty in brutal killing of British backpackers
KOH SAMUI, Thailand — A Thai court on Thursday sentenced two Myanmar migrants to death for the murder of two British backpackers on a resort island last year, in a...
Workers convicted of forcing disabled group home residents into 'Fight Club'
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. — Two former Long Island group home workers accused of encouraging a disabled resident in their care to attack another resident for their own amusement have been convicted....
Thief robs bank, buys Christmas tree, uses it to hide from cops: FBI
BEND, Ore. — The FBI says a 28-year-old man faces federal and state charges after he robbed a credit union in Bend, then went on a shopping spree that included...
Mall of America protest was 'decoy' for airport block
MINNEAPOLIS — The Mall of America was used as "a decoy" to start a protest that quickly moved to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and blocked a terminal on a busy...
Chipotle's secret Asian spin-off restaurant
Everyone's favorite burrito chain is branching out: Chipotle Mexican Grill is expanding the presence of ShopHouse, its fast-casual Southeast Asian restaurant. In late October, two new ShopHouse restaurants opened in...
Biggest celebrity gift fails
Just because they're rich and famous doesn't mean they have a good gift game. In fact, if any of these stars try to give you a present this holiday season, it's...
Belgian police arrest 9th suspect in Paris terror attacks
BRUSSELS — Belgian authorities have announced the arrest of a ninth suspect linked to last month's Paris attacks, a man they said had been in contact with the suspected ringleader's...
Caroling, bar-hopping and 6 other awesome Christmas Eve activities
Last-minute savings In need of last-minute holiday attire? Thankfully, stores are in the giving spirit on Christmas Eve. Lord & Taylor is offering up to 20 percent off regular, sale...
The only eggnog recipe you'll ever need
A blend of three different spirits makes the eggnog at classic Midtown eatery ‘21’ a real knockout. You can belly up to the West 52nd Street bar for a $17...
Salvation Army bell-ringers reveal how much they actually rake in
On a frigid Saturday afternoon in Midtown, Lizzy Cedeno appears immune to the cold. She dances as exuberantly as a Broadway hoofer, singing carols alongside the Salvation Army’s familiar red...
Deadly storm system sweeps across South
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zrv-ITJpHIA&feature=youtu.be A fierce storm system ripped through the South and Midwest Wednesday, killing at least 10 – including a child – and injuring scores more in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas....
Peter Max's wife says stepson stole $4.3M worth of paintings from her
The second wife of psychedelic painter Peter Max claims her stepson has stolen $4.3 million worth of artwork that her husband gave her in a prenuptial agreement. Mary Max’s Manhattan...
Teen suspect arrested in drugging, robbing of wealthy men
A bottle-blond teen from New Jersey has made a killing in the Big Apple by preying on wealthy men — getting picked up at bars and then ripping off her...
Cops bust man for stealing $107 worth of comic books
Cops nabbed a man who allegedly snuck out of a Staten Island comic book store with 12 books hidden under his clothes Wednesday afternoon. Nicholas Perciballi, 22, walked out of...
Cops track down sleazy thief using 'Find My iPhone' app
A pair of transit cops tracked down and arrested the crook responsible for two cell phone thefts at two different Manhattan subway stations early Saturday morning, police said. The cops,...
Donald Sterling drops lawsuit against V. Stiviano over racist recordings
Disgraced ex-Los Angeles Clippers NBA owner Donald Sterling has dropped his invasion-of-privacy lawsuit against V. Stiviano, the woman who recorded his racist rants. At the 81-year-old billionaire’s request, an LA...
Jets bracing for strategy shift from Tom Brady, Patriots
This is a different Jets team than the one that fought the Patriots to the bitter end two months ago. “A lot better,” Calvin Pace said. “The chemistry is better,...
Scientists say cancer susceptibility is genetic
Scientists claim they’ve found the strongest evidence yet to link bad genes to a dozen devastating forms of cancer. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis cited...
Unsung Giants hero OK with Pro Bowl snub
The Giants are 6-8, and only one of their players — Odell Beckham Jr. — was voted into the Pro Bowl, but they certainly could have had another. Center Weston...
Santa spreads Christmas cheer at grinch principal's school
Santa brought toys and holiday cheer on Wednesday to Brooklyn’s PS 169 — where the politically correct grinch of a principal had tried to ban a Christmas celebration before she...
Kirk Nieuwenhuis waived by Mets again, claimed by Brewers
Kirk Nieuwenhuis is a former Mets player for the second time in 2015. The 28-year outfielder was claimed off waivers by the Brewers on Wednesday, as the Mets cleared roster...
Jets honoring the player who ushered in the Tom Brady era
Sunday is Fan Appreciation Day at MetLife Stadium, but the Jets have a funny way of showing appreciation for the fans. The Jets have selected former linebacker Mo Lewis to...
Brian Cashman's ex-mistress scores plea deal in extortion plot
Yankee GM Brian Cashman’s former mistress got a sweetheart plea deal Wednesday in an extortion plot prosecutors say squeezed thousands of dollars from the then-married baseball big. Louise Neathway, 39,...
Carmelo Anthony reveals his reasoning for deciding to sit
CLEVELAND — Carmelo Anthony decided it was best to rest before Christmas. Anthony, despite participating in the morning shootaround, elected to miss Wednesday’s 91-84 loss to the Cavaliers because he...
Hondo’s feeling merry
Oh, come all ye HondoNation faithful. Joyful and triumphant Hondo is presenting his annual Christmas extravaganza, so curl up with your Post or hand-held device, turn on the Yule Log,...
Bill de Blasio defends Bratton: NYPD is not fudging stats
Mayor de Blasio on Wednesday defended the NYPD against suggestions by former Police Commissioner Ray Kelly that the NYPD is fudging stats in order to keep crime numbers down. Despite...
Warmer weather gives second life for city's ice cream vendors
The balmy city weather has been a boon to business people whose gear would normally be packed away in storage by now — ice cream vendors. “It’s a one-time-in-20-year event,”...
De Blasio and Christine Quinn play nice for the holidays
Mayor de Blasio and one of his most bitter rivals, former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, took a yuletide step toward mending fences Wednesday at a gift drive for a...
De Blasio loses two officials as administration exodus continues
Add two more casualties to the list of inner-circle appointees fleeing the de Blasio administration before the halfway mark of his first term. Rachel Godsil, a Seton Hall University law...
Why the underdog Jets can upset the Patriots
When the Patriots won the first meeting with the Jets in October in Foxborough 30-23, it was the first time since the Buttfumble Blowout of Thanksgiving 2012, that a Jets-Pats...
Drones force FAA to shut down website for upgrades
So many drone fliers have registered on a new nationwide database in the past two days that the feds have had to shut the Web site down for upgrades. More...
Long Island mall shooter is a jobless, pill-popping degenerate
The armed robber who caused a panic at the Roosevelt Field Mall by shooting a bystander while trying to swipe a $19,000 Rolex is a jobless pill popper who posted...
Nets fans greet Deron Williams with savage posters
Dallas guard Deron Williams’ anticipated return to Brooklyn went the same way his injury-riddled three-plus years in a Nets uniform did: He was undone by his own body. After a...
Daily Blotter
The Bronx A man is wanted in several street robberies in Castle Hill, authorities said. The suspect, identified as 28-year-old Shamor Draper, first struck at about 7 a.m. on Nov....
Could these divas dethrone Christmas Queen Mariah Carey?
Are you someone who wishes those who keep playing “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” would get run over by a reindeer? Check out this festive selection of new...