Headlines:
From Al Jazeera, Associated Press, BBC News, Reuters, The Globe and Mail, New York Times, and Wired
Clashes in Brussels over UN migration pact – (BBC News)
Thousands attend a march called by Flemish right-wing parties over fears of increasing immigration.
French city remembers victims of Christmas market attack – (Associated Press)
PARIS (AP) — Residents of Strasbourg filled a square in the French city Sunday to show respect and sympathy for the four people killed and the dozen wounded during a shooting attack near a famous Christmas market. According to local newspaper DNA, more than 1…
Giuliani: ‘Over my dead body’ will Mueller interview Trump – (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — With a number of probes moving closer to the Oval Office, President Donald Trump and his attorney unleased a fresh series of attacks Sunday on the investigators, questioning their integrity while categorically ruling out the possibility of a…
US Air Force set to launch 1st next-generation GPS satellite – (Associated Press)
DENVER (AP) — After months of delays, the U.S. Air Force is about to launch the first of a new generation of GPS satellites, designed to be more accurate, secure and versatile. But some of their most highly touted features will not be fully available until 20…
Any decision on Brexit deal will happen in New Year – British trade minister – (Reuters)
British trade minister Liam Fox said on Sunday talks with the European Union to secure “assurances” for parliament on Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal will take time, with a decision expected in the New Year.
Blast kills four in Syria’s Afrin held by Turkey-backed rebels – (Al Jazeera English)
Car bomb attack comes after Turkish leader Erdogan threatened to launch new offensive against US-allied Kurdish forces.
Planes struggle to land at Manchester Airport – (BBC News)
Storm Deirdre has brought strong winds to the UK this weekend, resulting in planes having to abort landings.
PewDiePie printer hackers strike again – (BBC News)
The perpetrators are urging victims to support the YouTube star and protect their systems.
Kushner-linked firm targets richer areas in program for poor – (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — A real estate investment firm co-founded by President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, is betting big on the administration’s Opportunity Zone tax breaks but isn’t that interested in steering its investors to the poorest…
Rashida Tlaib to wear Palestinian dress at US Congress swear-in – (Al Jazeera English)
Democratic representative is the first Palestinian American woman to serve in US Congress.
Turkey would consider working with Assad if he won a democratic Syrian election – (Reuters)
Turkey and other world powers would consider working with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad if he won a democratic election, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a conference in Qatar on Sunday.
Huge blast rocks restaurant in Japan – (BBC News)
Some 20 people are reported injured in the explosion and fire in the city of Sapporo.
Hondurans who fled political violence fear for lives if sent home – (Reuters)
The Pineda family trudged northward for more than a month with a caravan of Central American migrants who are now stuck at the U.S. border. But they were on the run in Honduras much longer than that due to fears of political persecution.
Nations at climate talks back universal emissions rules – (Associated Press)
KATOWICE, Poland (AP) — Nearly 200 countries at the U.N. climate talks have agreed upon universal, transparent rules on how nations can cut greenhouse gas emissions and curb global warming, putting the principles of the 2015 Paris climate accord into action. …
North Korea marks 7th anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s death – (Associated Press)
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — North Koreans are marking the seventh anniversary of the death of leader Kim Jong Il with visits to statues and vows of loyalty to his son and successor, Kim Jong Un. As snow fell Sunday, tens of thousands of people offered flowe…
Executive’s arrest, security worries stymie Huawei’s reach – (Associated Press)
BEIJING (AP) — While a Huawei executive faces possible U.S. charges over trade with Iran, the Chinese tech giant’s ambition to be a leader in next-generation telecoms is colliding with security worries abroad. Australia and New Zealand have barred Huawei Tech…
After outcry over appointment, Trump’s top law enforcer treading lightly – (Reuters)
Matthew Whitaker flew to Dallas last week to deliver his latest speech since U.S. President Donald Trump installed him as acting attorney general, an appointment embroiled in criticism and court challenges.
Ten years on, Fed’s long, strange, trip to zero redefined central banking – (Reuters)
ZIRP. ZLB. ELB.
UK would have to delay Brexit for an ‘entirely new’ proposal: Irish foreign minister – (Reuters)
Britain would likely have to delay its departure from the European Union or rescind its exit notification “for the moment” if it wanted to put an “entirely new” Brexit proposal forward, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Sunday.
Investigations look at Trump’s life from all angles – (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Investigations now entangle Donald Trump’s White House, campaign, transition, inauguration, charity and business. For Trump, the political, the personal and the deeply personal are all under examination. Less than two years into Trump’s pres…
***
From various sources
NGO to press PA to release U.S. citizen arrested for land sale to Jews – (The Jerusalem Post)
“Due to the heavy concern of human rights violations being perpetuated against the captive by the PA, we ask for his immediate release.”
‘Our baby united the Jewish people’ say parents from Ofra terror attack – (The Jerusalem Post)
An emotional press conference held in Shaarei Tzedek Hospital by Amichai and his wife Shira who were both shot and wounded on last Sunday.
Netanyahu’s gov’t advances bill to legalize 70 West Bank outposts – (The Jerusalem Post)
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked praised the bill, saying, “the terrorists will know that we are here to stay. Attacks will not deter us.”
Tlaib to wear Palestinian gown to swearing-in ceremony at Congress – (The Jerusalem Post)
She made the announcement in an Instagram post featuring a photo of the dress she said she will wear to the ceremony.
Justice Ginsburg: Health is ‘fine’ after fall – CNN Video – (CNN)
More than a month after falling and fracturing three ribs, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says that she is “almost repaired.”
Sen. Collins: Kavanaugh demonstrated fairness – CNN Video – (CNN)
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) defended her decision to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, saying he demonstrated impartiality by voting not to hear a case that involved Planned Parenthood.
How One Man Was Sold Into Libya’s Modern-Day Slave Trade – (Buzzfeed)
Slavery is thriving in Libya, where thousands of black Africans hoping to get to Europe instead find themselves bought and sold, forced to work for nothing, and facing torture at the hands of their ow
Palestinians accuse IDF of using their security cameras against them – (The Jerusalem Post)
IDF troops raided a number of buildings in Ramallah and its twin city of Al-Bireh and confiscated security camera footage.
Watch: Sports Personality of the Year 2018 red carpet show – (BBC Sport)
Full BBC One coverage, red carpet build-up, and complementary live text of the 2018 BBC Sports Personality of the Year show from Birmingham.
HQ Trivia boss Colin Kroll is dead at 35 after an apparent overdose – (Mashable)
Colin Kroll, with business partner Rus Yusupov, was a co-founder of both ‘HQ Trivia’ and Vine.
Donald Trump Hires Prominent Bitcoin Supporter Mick Mulvaney to White House Staff – (Crypto Coins News)
U.S. President Donald Trump has hired the prominent Bitcoin supporter Mick Mulvaney to be his new White House Chief of Staff. Donald Trump is one of the most polarizing people on Planet Earth and whether you
Children facing Christmas without their mother after blunder – (Daily Mail)
A Home Office blunder left mother-of-three Patcharee Peacock, 35, from New Forest, Hampshire, stunned after she was refused a visa to return to Britain.
Boy, five, rescued from a devastating house fire dies in hospital – (Daily Mail)
Harvey Collison (pictured with sister Isabella) died in hospital after he was seriously injured in the blaze at his home in Collingham, near Newark, Nottinghamshire, police confirmed.
Which agencies would a government shutdown affect? – (CBS News)
Ben Domenech, Kelsey Snell, Ed Wong and Margaret Talev discuss the possibility of a government shutdown and President Trump’s new chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.
Coalition announces budget surplus and $553m spending on aged care – (The Guardian (AU))
Treasurer to forecast a surplus by 2020 ‘without increasing taxes and while providing essential services’
‘Enough madness’: can playing it safe win Michael Daley the NSW election? – (The Guardian (AU))
The new Labor leader lays out his vision for Australia’s biggest state, saying he wants to be the man to ‘calm Sydney down’
18 Cozy Subscription Boxes To Curl Up With This Winter – (Buzzfeed)
Honestly just a bunch of excuses to stay at home all winter and cancel having a social life.
It is only a knock – Sarri plays down Hazard injury fears – (FourFourTwo)
Eden Hazard went off with an injury late on in Chelsea’s win over Brighton and Hove Albion.
HQ Trivia and Vine co-founder Colin Kroll reportedly dead at age 35 – (Axios)
TMZ is reporting that he died from an apparent drug overdose.
Electric scooters need to toughen up — and stay out of lakes — if they are going to survive 2019 – (The Verge)
The explosive growth of dockless scooters and their contentious reputation was the surprise transportation story of the year. But as they head into year two, investors are losing interest while the business is growing increasingly expensive to operate.
***
All about Trump
Donald Trump Hires Prominent Bitcoin Supporter Mick Mulvaney to White House Staff – (Crypto Coins News)
U.S. President Donald Trump has hired the prominent Bitcoin supporter Mick Mulvaney to be his new White House Chief of Staff. Donald Trump is one of the most polarizing people on Planet Earth and whether you
Which agencies would a government shutdown affect? – (CBS News)
Ben Domenech, Kelsey Snell, Ed Wong and Margaret Talev discuss the possibility of a government shutdown and President Trump’s new chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.
Barrasso hopeful Trump would sign bill to avoid shutdown – (CBS News)
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming, joins Margaret Brennan to discuss the negotiations Congress is undertaking to avert a government shutdown.
Davis: Cohen wouldn’t take a pardon from Trump “if it was handed to him” – (CBS News)
Michael Cohen’s former attorney Lanny Davis tells Margaret Brennan that Michael Cohen wouldn’t take a pardon from President Trump if he offered one.
How much longer will the Mueller investigation last? – (CBS News)
Trevor Potter, the former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, and CBS News correspondent Paula Reid help us make sense of where we are in the investigations into President Trump and his associates.
2019 is the year the Supreme Court will make or break Trump – (CNN)
The court is facing requests from an aggressive Trump administration to weigh in early on many of its most controversial policies in areas including immigration, LBGT rights, asylum and reinstating the citizenship question on the census.
Most Americans Think Trump Has Been Dishonest in Russia Probe – (Fortune)
A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll finds that most Americans think President Donald Trump has been dishonest about the Russia investigation.
Giuliani on whether Trump will sit down with Mueller: ‘Good luck — over my dead body’ – (Google News)
Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani told “Fox News Sunday” that President Trump will sit down one-on-one with Special Counsel Mueller “over my dead body.”
Giuliani: ‘Over my dead body’ will Mueller interview Trump – (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — With a number of probes moving closer to the Oval Office, President Donald Trump and his attorney unleased a fresh series of attacks Sunday on the investigators, questioning their integrity while categorically ruling out the possibility of a…
‘Over my dead body’: Giuliani dismisses prospect of Trump interview with Mueller – (The Washington Post)
Giuliani also criticized former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, calling him a “serial liar.”
Stephen Miller: Trump will “absolutely” shut down government over border wall – (Axios)
“We’re going to do whatever is necessary to build the border wall to stop this ongoing crisis of illegal immigration.”
Trump says he’ll review case of Matt Golsteyn, a Special Forces veteran who faces murder charge – (The Washington Post)
Army veteran killed a suspected Taliban bombmaker in 2010 and was charged by the Army last week.
Blue-Collar Voters Are Up for Grabs in 2020 – (The Wall Street Journal)
President Trump easily won Michigan’s Macomb County in 2016, but then Democratic candidates for the Senate and governor prevailed in the midterms, suggesting blue-collar voters are very much back in play for 2020.
Giuliani indicates Trump Tower Moscow discussions took place up until November 2016 – (The Hill)
Rudy Giuliani indicated Sunday that President Trump’s former longtime attorney, Michael Cohen, may have pursued discussions about a possible Trump Tower Moscow development up to November 2016.
Trump ‘took drugs’ and treated pageant contestants ‘like meat’ claims TV insider – (Mirror)
Noel Casler, who worked on Celebrity Apprentice while Donald Trump was host, claims the reality TV star who went on to be US President was a ‘speed freak’ and acted inappropriately around contestants in his Miss Teen Universe pageants
‘Over My Dead Body.’ Rudy Giuliani Says Robert Mueller Will Never Interview President Trump – (Google News (Canada))
Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump’s attorney, is ruling out the possibility of an interview with special counsel Robert Mueller.
Trump lowering pressure on N.Korea weakens negotiation position with Iran – (The Jerusalem Post)
Trump announced Friday that he is in “no hurry” in negotiations to get Pyongyang to give up its nuclear program.
Giuliani on whether Trump will sit down with Mueller: “Good luck — over my dead body’ – (Fox News)
Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani told “Fox News Sunday” that President Trump will sit down one-on-one with Special Counsel Mueller “over my dead body.”
Pelosi faces pressure to act on Saudi Arabia – (The Hill)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is under pressure to quickly challenge President Trump on Saudi Arabia once she is elected Speaker and Democrats take back the House majority in January.
Rudy Giuliani on Michael Cohen’s prison term, Flynn memos – (Fox News)
President Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen is sentenced to prison; reaction from President Trump’s lead attorney Rudy Giuliani on ‘Fox News Sunday.’