Headlines:
From Al Jazeera, Associated Press, BBC News, Reuters, The Globe and Mail, New York Times, and Wired
Despite #MeToo, rape cases still confound police – (Associated Press)
NEW YORK (AP) — The #MeToo movement is empowering victims of sexual assault to speak up like never before, but what should be a watershed moment for holding assailants accountable has coincided with a troubling trend: Police departments in the U.S. are becomi…
Wall St falls more than 2 percent after consumer confidence data – (Reuters)
U.S. stocks extended losses on Thursday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average shedding nearly half of its more than 1,000 point gain notched in the previous session after data showed consumer confidence in December fell to its lowest level since July.
How Fox’s 25 seasons of covering the NFL changed the game – (Associated Press)
Terry Bradshaw thought his career as a football analyst was over in 1993 when CBS lost the NFL rights to Fox. But instead of going back to cattle ranching, he has had a front-row seat to the biggest sports broadcasting startup of the past quarter-century. “It…
U.S. jobless claims signal labor market strength after rough patch – (Reuters)
The number of Americans filing applications for jobless benefits fell marginally last week in a sign of labor market strength, with claims appearing to stabilize after drifting higher in recent months.
Trump finally hews to ritual of meeting troops in harm’s way – (Associated Press)
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Maryland (AP) — President Donald Trump once opined that it wasn’t “overly necessary” for him to visit troops in danger zones abroad. But with the lights of Air Force One out and window shutters drawn, the president did just that, slipping …
Scandal involving Brazil president-elect’s son clouds inauguration – (Reuters)
A lingering scandal involving Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro’s son has soured his inauguration next week and tarnished the reputation of a far-right maverick who surged to victory on a vow to end years of political horsetrading.
White House, congressional Democrats see no deal on shutdown – (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Chances look slim for ending the partial government shutdown any time soon. Lawmakers are away from Washington for the holidays and have been told they will get 24 hours’ notice before having to return for a vote. And although the Senate is …
Protesters in DRC’s Beni target Ebola centre over election delay – (Al Jazeera English)
Electoral commission’s decision to delay presidential vote in Beni over the outbreak prompts attack on Ebola centre.
Saudi king demotes Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in reshuffle – (Al Jazeera English)
Former finance minister Ibrahim al-Assaf appointed to lead foreign ministry in first shake up since Khashoggi killing.
Saudi king orders Cabinet shakeup after Khashoggi’s killing – (Associated Press)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s King Salman issued a wide-ranging overhaul of top government posts on Thursday, including naming a new foreign minister, following international fallout from the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi nearly …
Markets roil, futures slump after Dow’s record, one-day gain – (Associated Press)
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — More wild market swings appeared imminent Thursday, with U.S. stocks heading sharply lower after the largest single-day point gain in history for the Dow. Slowing economic growth globally and a partial U.S. government shutdown headin…
Indonesian rescuers struggle against heavy rain to reach tsunami-hit villages – (Reuters)
Indonesian rescue teams on Wednesday struggled to reach remote areas on the western coast of Java amid an “extreme weather” rain warning after a tsunami killed more than 400 people last week.
The Indians saving Italy’s traditional cheese industry – (Al Jazeera English)
From Punjab to the Po river: How Indian farmers are adapting to life in Italy and turning their hand to making Parmesan.
Trump in Iraq: Recognition, fiction, friction – (BBC News)
The US president’s surprise visit to troops in Iraq generated both Christmas cheer and controversy.
Dramatic stock market rally runs out of steam – (Reuters)
A global equity rally fueled by a dramatic surge on Wall Street ran out of steam on Thursday, setting U.S. shares up for a weak opening after a fall in Chinese industrial profits offered a reminder of the pressures on the world economy.
Trump’s presidency has changed Washington, defied convention – (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mr. Trump went to Washington. And he changed it. In his first two years in office, President Donald Trump has rewritten the rules of the presidency and the norms of the nation’s capital, casting aside codes of conduct and traditions that hav…
Pope Francis’ early blind spot on sex abuse threatens legacy – (Associated Press)
VATICAN CITY (AP) — It has been a wretched year for Pope Francis, whose blind spot on clergy sex abuse conspired with events beyond his control to threaten his legacy and throw the Catholic hierarchy into a credibility crisis not seen in modern times. The lat…
AP’s photographers captured a world of awe and beauty – (Associated Press)
Through the eyes of Associated Press photographers, the world of 2018 was always captivating, sometimes comical, often awe-inspiring — and above all, beautiful. They saw beauty in the disarray of clothing left behind by 450 refugees and migrants, rescued from…
How partial shutdown of U.S. government could play out – (Reuters)
A partial U.S. government shutdown was widely expected to continue after Congress reconvenes on Thursday, with lawmakers split over President Donald Trump’s demand for $5 billion in taxpayer funding for a proposed Mexican border wall.
UAE to reopen Damascus embassy after seven years – (Al Jazeera English)
Move seen as boost to Syrian government from an Arab country which once funded opposition fighters.
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From various sources
German company linked with Iran’s rockets stops business with Tehran – (The Jerusalem Post)
“Corporations realize that doing business with Iran means funding the IRGC’s terror strategy.”
Solar start-up seeks to energize Gaza border economy – (The Jerusalem Post)
Utilight is planning to construct two manufacturing plants in Gaza border communities.
High Court overturns ‘texting judge’ expulsion from judiciary – (The Jerusalem Post)
The July panel had decided that despite a strong prior judicial record, her offense was so damaging to judicial credibility that it warranted complete removal from the bench.
Top prison official gets community service for whipping prisoner – (The Jerusalem Post)
Visam Hative beat a prisoner with a baton and whipped him with a belt on October 28 2016.
The Dow drops 400 points, a day after its record-setting rally – (Business Insider)
The Dow drops 400 points, a day after its record-setting rally
The Dow drops 400 points, a day after its record-setting rally – (Business Insider (UK))
The Dow drops 400 points, a day after its record-setting rally
“Speak English”: Video shows guy ranting about 2 Macy’s employees talking in Arabic – (Vice News)
A guy at a Dallas-area Macy’s went lashed out at two store employees for speaking in Arabic while helping him with his purchase.
It’s not even 2019, and Republicans have written at least 17 abortion restrictions for next year – (Vice News)
All 17 were proposed in states where Republicans will control both the state legislature and the governorship in 2019.
Instagram Changed Its Layout From Scrolling To Sideways – (Buzzfeed)
Tap, tap, tap. Is this thing on?
Neither side budging on border wall funding and ending the partial government shutdown as the new Congress nears – (Fox News)
Shutdown expected to stretch into the new year as Democrats prepare to take control of the House; Peter Doocy reports from Capitol Hill.
Indonesian officials raise threat level as volcano threatens to trigger second tsunami – (Fox News)
Growing fears of another eruption after the first triggered a deadly tsunami that claimed the lives of over 400 people; Greg Palkot has the latest.
Instagram accidentally rolled out tap-to-advance feed, removes it – (TechCrunch)
Instagram confirms that a bug this morning mistakenly rolled out a massive change to its feed that replaced the traditional scrolling with horizontal tap-to-advance like with Stories. In October, TechCrunch reported Instagram was testing tap-to-advance for br…
Strategist Jim Paulsen predicts slow growth, rate cuts and bull run in 2019 – (CNBC)
“I think it’s time to lean back towards [a] more aggressive stance in your equity portfolio” because a recession is not looming, the Wall Street veteran says.
Grove Collaborative, a subscription startup selling ‘household essentials,’ has been quietly raising a lot of moolah – (TechCrunch)
Grove Collaborative, a four-year-old, San Francisco-based startup that sells household, personal care, baby and kids, and pet products, has been busy raising money in 2018, shows two new SEC filings that lists representatives from company’s earlier investors,…
3 Britons killed and 4 injured after SUV plunges off bridge in Iceland – (Daily Mail)
Three British tourists were killed and four were badly injured in the accident, in Núpsvötn, south of vatnajökull glacier at around 10am.
Winter Storm Eboni drives blizzard warnings across Midwest; 30 million face flood watch in Southeast – (USA Today)
The storm system that forced cancellation of a football game in Texas due to lightning drove blizzard-like conditions through parts of the Midwest.
Man’s body is found after ‘gas leak’ explosion ‘like a bomb going off’ – (Daily Mail)
Horrifying pictures show the end-of-terrace home in Andover having completely collapsed, with rubble strewn across the road.
Cruise ship dancer was missing for TEN HOURS before alarm was raised – (Daily Mail)
The last CCTV footage available of Arron Hough, 20, showed him heading on to the Royal Caribbean ship’s deck at around 4am when the ship was off the coast of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.
Here’s how to snag the best car deals during end-of-year sales push – (CNBC)
Dealerships around the country are motivated to clear out 2018 models and hit their annual sales goals, the combination of which helps consumers get a good deal.
Nanny hopes to move in with new husband despite STILL living with ex – (Daily Mail)
Paul Edwards, 36, of Chichester, West Sussex, said it had taken him ‘quite a while to get back to who I am’ after he was jilted by Teri Shurety, 29, just four weeks before their wedding in March.
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All about Trump
MSNBC Beats Fox News In Key Ratings For First Time In 17 Years – (The Huffington Post)
President Donald Trump’s favorite cable news network didn’t draw in enough viewers to top MSNBC last week.
Trump finally hews to ritual of meeting troops in harm’s way – (Associated Press)
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Maryland (AP) — President Donald Trump once opined that it wasn’t “overly necessary” for him to visit troops in danger zones abroad. But with the lights of Air Force One out and window shutters drawn, the president did just that, slipping …
CNN slammed for trashing Trump’s visit to troops, criticizing soldiers for bringing MAGA hats – (Fox News)
CNN was slammed for overwhelmingly negative coverage of President Donald Trump’s visit to the troops was on Wednesday night.
How Trump’s secret trip to Iraq became not-so-secret – (CNN)
It was a crisp winter morning in Sheffield, England, when amateur photographer and plane enthusiast Alan Meloy looked out his kitchen window and noticed a large trail in the sky. He didn’t know he was about to accidentally help uncover a highly sensitive, sec…
Giuliani backtracks: Trump will not give Mueller any more written answers – (The Hill)
Rudy Giuliani, who is representing President Trump in the Russia investigation, is walking back on comments in which
Trump scolds Democrats over border wall with no government shutdown resolution in sight – (CNBC)
After he returned to Washington from a surprise visit to U.S. troops in Iraq and Germany, Trump quickly turned his attention back to the immigration fight.
The year in North Korea with Trump and “Little Rocket Man” – (Axios)
Despite agreeing to “complete denuclearization,” negotiations are at an impasse.
Donald Trump returns from Iraq, attacks Democrats over border wall and shutdown – (USA Today)
Minutes after returning to the White House, President Trump takes to Twitter
Lemon calls out Trump lying to troops’ faces – CNN Video – (CNN)
CNN’s Don Lemon discusses President Donald Trump’s surprise visit to Iraq amid chaos in Washington.
Donald Trump pays first visit to combat zone after two years in office – (Financial Times)
President flies into Asad air base in Iraq days after announcing pullout from Syria
U.S. government shutdown will have cost America $1.2 billion by tomorrow – (Financial Post)
Trump stands firm on wall project as 800,000 government workers struggle with loss of pay
Donald Trump accidentally identifies secret Navy SEAL team – (Google News (Australia))
Shortly after his first visit to US troops stationed in a war zone, US President Donald Trump posted a video on Twitter that showed him posing for pictures with service members who appear to be from SEAL Team Five in Iraq — without shielding their faces.
Iraqi lawmakers demand US withdraw troops after surprise Trump visit – (The Guardian (UK))
Politicians from Iraq’s parliament called for vote to expel US forces and promised to schedule session to debate the matter
Shutdown: Trump tweets “most of the people not getting paid are Democrats” – (Newsweek)
President Donald Trump once again urged Democrats to back his demands for wall across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Iraqi lawmakers demand US withdraw troops after surprise Trump visit – (Google News (UK))
Politicians from Iraq’s parliament called for vote to expel US forces and promised to schedule session to debate the matter
Trump congratulates troops on a “big pay raise” they’re not getting – (Vice News)
He said he got them a 10 percent hike, but he was off by a lot.
Trump says most workers affected by shutdown are Democrats – (Google News)
President Trump on Thursday pushed Democrats to support his demands for border security by claiming most of the workers affected by the partial government shutdown belong to their party.
President Trump Showed His Contradictory Foreign Policy Doctrine in Iraq. Call It ‘Hawkish Isolationism’ – (Time)
President Donald Trump waffled over military strategy against ISIS during his visit to Iraq – a reflection of his own chaotic style of leadership.
Trump in Iraq: Recognition, fiction, friction – (BBC News)
The US president’s surprise visit to troops in Iraq generated both Christmas cheer and controversy.
CNN: Trump signing MAGA hats for troops may have violated Pentagon rules – (Google News)
CNN’s Pentagon correspondent said that President Trump signing red “Make America Great Again” hats for troops in Iraq may have violated Defense Department rules.
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