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Students and teachers at a school in Havana celebrate after listening to a nationally broadcast by Cuba's President Raul Castro about the country's restoration of relations with the United States on Wednesday.(Photo: Ramon Espinosa, AP)
Historic day for U.S.-Cuba relations means you can stop smuggling those Cuban cigars
The U.S. and Cuba struck a historic deal today. It started when Cuba released American prisoner Alan Gross, who was arrested in 2009 on espionage charges for trying to hook Cuban residents up with the Internet (the audacity). The U.S., meanwhile, agreed to release three Cubans accused of spying in the United States. The prisoner swap was part of an agreement to normalize relations between the U.S. and its foe of more than five decades. (Pope Francis apparently played a big role in the deal. Former Cuban President Fidel Castro did not.) The two countries have been estranged since formal ties were severed in 1961. So what does "normalize relations" actually mean? The biggest shift in the American-Cuban relationship will include more trade and travel between the nations (exciting, but may not mean a beach getaway just yet), a general easing of the U.S. embargo against Cuba (cigars!) and the prospect of a U.S. embassy in Havana. (We're placing bets on Ambassador Bey and Ambassador Jay.) Here's more on how things between the two countries are going to change.
U.S. says North Korea was behind massive cyber attack on Sony
North Korea has denied it, but a federal law enforcement official said U.S. authorities have determined North Korea is behind the recent cyber attack on Sony Pictures. The official, who is not authorized to comment publicly, said a formal announcement by the U.S. government could come as soon as Thursday. Law enforcement agencies say there is no credible intelligence to indicate there is an active plot against movie theaters in the United States, but Sony still canceled the release of The Interview, the Seth Rogen-James Franco comedy about an assassination attempt on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Major movie theater chains bailed on the film, which was slated to open on Christmas Day, amid threats from hackers threatening a "9/11"-style attack. The situation came to a head yesterday, when a note from the Guardians of Peace group posted online warned potential moviegoers, "We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time. (If your house is nearby, you'd better leave.)"
Stephen Collins confesses to sexual abuse of underage girls
Stephen Collins is breaking his silence. The 7th Heaven actor has been mum since a flurry of molestation stories about him surfaced in October after a recording from a therapy session with his wife was leaked. He released a statement to People admitting he inappropriately touched one young girl and exposed himself to two others from 1973 to 1994. Collins said he apologized to one of the victims, who he said was "gracious." He said he didn't approach the other two after he learned in treatment that "being direct about such matters could actually make things worse for them." Collins is going to sit down with Katie Couric for an in-depth interview, which will stream on Yahoo! and air Friday on ABC's 20/20.
'An unprecedented national tragedy': Murder charges in deadly meningitis outbreak
In 2012, a scary outbreak of fungal meningitis killed 64 people. The outbreak was tied to a compounding pharmacy in Massachusetts, and today, two pharmacy officials were hit with a range of charges, including multiple counts of second-degree murder. About 750 people in 20 states developed meningitis or other infections after receiving contaminated steroids. The U.S. attorney's office says the firm's most senior pharmacists knew drugs were being made in "thoroughly contaminated labs," sometimes with expired ingredients. It gets worse, according to the indictment: Technicians allegedly faked documentation to try and convince regulators that appropriate cleaning and disinfecting protocols were followed. U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz called the deadly outbreak "an unprecedented national tragedy."
In this Oct. 16, 2012 file photo a Food and Drug Administration Agent stands at the doorway of New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass.(Photo: Bill Sikes, AP)
Diversity is spicing up U.S. cuisine. Pass those tamales
America is changing and so is the country's menu — just head to a strip mall in suburban Atlanta if you want proof. In Part 5 of our Changing Face of America series, which looks at the effect of increasing diversity on our nation, USA TODAY heads to Gwinnett County, Ga., where rapidly changing demographics have spurred an array of restaurant choices. From homemade tamales to Korean barbecue and fusion cuisine, Gwinnett County's dining scene is no longer defined by chain restaurants. The changes seen there are likely to be seen throughout the country as diversity increases, feeding debate about authenticity and deeply held food traditions.
Extra Bites
Day in Pictures: Our favorite photo from today's gallery.
Children play in a snow-covered park in Sapporo, in Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. Blizzard conditions in northern Japan forced the cancellation of almost 300 flights.(Photo: JIJI PRESS via AFP/Getty Images)
Have you seen it? Flash mob does the tango for the Pope.
Couples celebrated Pope Francis's birthday with a mass Tango dance in Saint Peter's square. (Dec. 17)
Kimmy K. is real clear on why she cropped baby North out of a photo: "I was feeling my look."
The first mountain lion in Kentucky since the Civil War was killed this week.
Residents in this small town bare all for their yearly calendar. Find out why.
Thinking about retirement? Here are seven financial goals for the end of the year.
Short on time? Listen to today's stories below:
Today in Christmas: Surprising song lyrics
Everyone loves Christmas music, but there are definitely some popular ones with very weird lyrics. Patrick Jones (@Patrick_E_Jones) explains.
Video provided by Buzz60 Newslook
Holiday lights: Share your Hanukkah photos and traditions with us!
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This is a compilation of stories from across USA TODAY.
Contributing: David Jackson, Alan Gomez, Gregg Zoroya, Nancy Trejos, Paul Singer, John Bacon, Ann Oldenburg, Cooper Allen, Bryan Alexander, Andrea Mandell and Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY; Lori Grisham, Mary Bowerman, USA TODAY Network
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