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2016 will never be known as the year America engaged in deep policy debates. The presidential campaign became mired in personal attacks, Republicans and Democrats retreated to their corners, and there wasn't much oxygen left for conversations on how to fix our country's biggest problems. For that reason, groundbreaking bipartisan efforts on the Hill to reform our federal justice system failed to get a floor vote in either chamber in the 114th Congress.

President Obama took unprecedented steps to retaliate against alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election, prompting an unusual tweet from Russia's Embassy. CNN's Michael Chance discusses.

President Obama this week established two more national monuments, raising to 29 the number of times he has created or added to monuments, usually to protect the environment, under the 1906 Antiquities Act.

Rob Kardashian was hospitalized Wednesday night, CNN has confirmed.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte denied reports that he threw a person off a helicopter in an interview with CNN Philippines Thursday, contradicting a statement he made on live television earlier this week.

President-elect Donald Trump is turning his attention Thursday to crafting a "short" but impactful inaugural address designed not to overly burden the thousands of supporters expected to attend next month's ceremony.

The president of the Philippines has made several controversial statements. Here are some of them.

Already mourning, fans can't help but lament the painful coincidence: One day after actress Carrie Fisher's death at age 60, her mother, actress and singer Debbie Reynolds, died unexpectedly of unknown causes. Reynolds, 84, had complained of breathing problems, an unnamed sourced told the Los Angeles Times.

A California District Attorney has dropped charges against Joseph Schwab, the man who was charged with a DUI even though a drug test only came back positive for caffeine.

President-elect Donald Trump is claiming another victory: Sprint will bring back 5,000 jobs to the U.S.

Trade is often dense and dry. But when Trump takes office next year, it will become front page news that affects you and your wallet.

A basketball match in a street crossing has gone viral. CNN's Andy Scholes reports.

Andrew Cotton is one of the world's best big wave surfers. A plumber before picking up surfing full-time, he's now looking for the biggest wave ever.

Reaction from the key players to Secretary of State John Kerry's speech, in which he laid out the Obama administration's position on Arab-Israeli peacemaking, has been swift. And in some cases harsh. But to better understand the potential significance of what Kerry said, it's worth taking a step back.

Debbie Reynolds, one of Hollywood's biggest stars in the 1950s and 1960s, died Wednesday, one day after her daughter Carrie Fisher passed away, Reynolds' son Todd Fisher said.

German authorities believe the automatic braking system installed in the truck used in the Berlin Christmas market attack may have saved lives, according to a joint investigation by German media outlets.

The US Navy has announced it will commission the USS Gabrielle Giffords, a large vessel that some members of Congress find too expensive.

Donald Trump is not afraid of litigation.

Australia police ended a two-and-a-half year drug investigation on Christmas day by busting a cartel and seizing 1102 pounds (500 kilograms) of cocaine. The December 25 bust, along with a seizure of 1336 pounds (606 kilograms) of cocaine from the same syndicate earlier this year, was worth about $259 million (AUD$360 million) and is Australia's largest ever haul from a single cartel.