Report: 8 years of Obama vacations cost at least $85 million

As America's first family enjoys its eighth and final vacation in Hawaii, new estimates put the price tag of the Obamas' annual trip at $3.5 million or more. In total, the cost of the first family's personal or largely personal travel during the last eight years comes to $85 million - though that is likely to climb to $90 million after additional records are released, according to the conservative group Judicial Watch based on federal government records.

Federal judge orders torture report preserved

A federal judge ordered the government Wednesday to preserve a 2014 Senate report documenting the alleged abuse of CIA detainees that occurred after the September 11 attacks. Lawyers for Abd al-Rahim Al-Nashiri -- who has been charged for his involvement in the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000 -- sought preservation last month of a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report entitled, "Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program."

Legislators Propose Bills To Change Electoral Vote

Every four years after a presidential election, it seems, delegates and senators introduce bills to the General Assembly to change the way Virginia allocates its 13 Electoral College votes. A pair of Republicans prefiled identical House and Senate bills for the 2017 legislative session beginning Jan. 11 that would award only two of the commonwealth's 13 electoral votes to the winner of the statewide popular vote.

Security concerns high for Trump inauguration

Security surrounding the inauguration of Donald Trump is proving to be the most challenging in recent history, according to senior officials involved in its planning, largely because of the same forces of political rancor that shaped the race for the presidency. On top of the daunting threats to any inaugural ceremony, the three dozen agencies responsible for security at the Jan. 20 festivities are preparing for the possibility of large numbers of protesters flooding the capital, along with what may be nearly 1 million supporters of Trump.

Obama library gears up

After turning over the White House next month to a successor who aims to scuttle some of his key initiatives, President Barack Obama and his foundation will begin seeking out donors to lead their fund drive for a presidential library and museum on Chicago's South Side. Obama's library planners have declined to provide a cost estimate, but the George W. Bush library and endowment cost more than $500 million.

Obama’s courageous, appropriate farewell shot at the Israeli settlements

The United States last week abstained vetoing a United Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements as illegal under international law. Our country has a duty and obligation to support a resilient peace in the Middle East even if it has a sincere disagreement with its close ally Israel.

President-elect Trump could make over 100 judicial appointments

Mr. Trump will inherit an estimated 103 such vacancies throughout federal and district courts, allowing him and his Republican allies to reshape the judiciary with dozens of lifetime appointments. President Barack Obama only inherited 54 such vacancies from his predecessor, President George W. Bush.

India official met Trump national security adviser this week

India's national security adviser made a low-key visit to Washington earlier this week to meet with a senior aide to President-elect Donald Trump, Indian diplomats said Friday, in a sign of New Delhi's desire to forge close ties with the incoming U.S. administration. India's Ajit Doval met for more than one hour with Michael Flynn, Trump's national security adviser, and they discussed their respective security priorities, including counterterrorism.