AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli/File
Election officials see a range of threats in 2024, from hostile countries to conspiracy theorists
ATLANTA (AP) — For election officials preparing for the 2024 presidential election, the list of security challenges just keeps growing. Many of the concerns from four years ago persist: the potential for cyberattacks targeting voter registration systems or websites that report unofficial results, and equipment problems or human errors being amplified by those seeking to undermine confidence in the outcome.
Maine secretary of state rules Trump ineligible for state's 2024 primary ballot
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has decided Donald Trump is ineligible to appear on the state’s 2024 Republican primary ballot.
Swatting incidents at GOP lawmakers' homes on the rise over holidays
Rick Scott called the incident a "sick attempt to terrorize my family."
www.politico.comMexican officials clear border camp as US pressure mounts to limit migrant crossings
Mexican officials are clearing out a migrant camp next to the Rio Grande as U.S. pressure mounts to limit a surge of people reaching the border.
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Republicans demand Biden family business associate appear for questioning in impeachment probe
The House Oversight Committee wants Michael Lewitt to appear for a transcribed interview. The GOP-led panel reserves the right to subpoena him if he doesn't cooperate.
www.nbcnews.comNikki Haley doesn't mention slavery when asked what caused the Civil War. She later walks that back
Nikki Haley was asked by a New Hampshire voter about the reason for the Civil War, and she didn’t mention slavery in her response.
apnews.com
Justice Department says new Texas immigration law violates Constitution | CNN Politics
A new law that gives local law enforcement in Texas the authority to arrest migrants “violates the US Constitution,” the Department of Justice said in a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday, threatening to sue unless Abbott backs down from enforcing it.
www.cnn.com
Biden administration warns Texas it will sue if state implements strict immigration law
SB4 would allow Texas officials to arrest, jail and prosecute migrants on state criminal charges if they are suspected of entering the U.S. illegally.
www.cbsnews.com
Louisiana joins list of states considering disqualifying Trump from primary ballot
Louisiana is the latest on a growing list of states considering removing former President Donald Trump from the state's primary ballot on the grounds of the 14th Amendment.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Colorado to include Trump on 2024 primary ballot as state GOP appeals to Supreme Court
The Colorado secretary of state is including former President Donald Trump on the 2024 primary ballot after an appeal of the state Supreme Court's ballot ban with the U.S. Supreme Court.
More Ukrainian children from Ukraine's Russia-held regions arrive in Belarus despite global outrage
Belarus' authoritarian leader has attended a meeting with children from Russia-controlled areas of Ukraine, openly defying an international outrage over his country's involvement in Moscow’s deportation of Ukrainian children.
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Trump back on ballot in Colorado while state Republicans appeal ban to Supreme Court
The Colorado Republican Party has appealed that state's Supreme Court decision that found former President Donald Trump is ineligible for the presidency.
www.cbsnews.com
Exclusive: Recordings, emails show how Trump team flew fake elector ballots to DC in final push to overturn 2020 election | CNN Politics
Two days before the January 6 insurrection, the Trump campaign’s plan to use fake electors to block President-elect Joe Biden from taking office faced a potentially crippling hiccup: The fake elector certificates from two critical battleground states were stuck in the mail.
www.cnn.comAs Gaza war grinds on, tensions soar along Israel's volatile northern border with Lebanon
Israeli officials are stepping up threats against the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. They warn that Israel is running out of patience as the two sides continue to trade fire along Israel’s volatile northern border.
apnews.com
'She's toast': Republicans of color disappointed by Haley's slavery misstep
Among other points of frustration is the sense that the GOP candidates still can’t seem to talk about the horrors of slavery.
www.politico.com
Huge surf pounds West Coast and Hawaii, flooding some low-lying areas
Powerful surf is rolling onto beaches on the West Coast and Hawaii as a big swell generated by the stormy Pacific Ocean pushes toward shorelines
Maine secretary of state blocks Trump from 2024 primary ballot
Maine's Democratic secretary of state removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 primary ballot on Thursday.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Liberal mayors push Biden for emergency declaration, additional funding to deal with migrant crisis
Mayors of Denver, Chicago and New York City are again urging the Biden administration to provide more funding and an emergency declaration to help them with the migrant crisis.
Israeli strikes across Gaza kill dozens of Palestinians, even in largely emptied north
Israeli forces bombarded cities, towns and refugee camps across Gaza overnight and into Thursday, killing dozens of people.
apnews.com
Trump blocked from Maine presidential ballot in 2024
Maine's top election official has ruled Trump cannot run for president next year in the state.
www.bbc.com
Migrant crossings at U.S. southern border reach record monthly high in December
U.S. Border Patrol agents processed more than 225,000 migrants in the first 27 days of December, a tally that eclipses the previous monthly record.
www.cbsnews.comRussia covered up and undercounted true human cost of floodings after dam explosion, AP investigation finds
AP investigation finds that Russian occupation authorities vastly and deliberately undercounted the dead in one of the most devastating chapters of the war in Ukraine.
apnews.com
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signs law to safeguard state from EV requirements
Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) signed a new law on Thursday that safeguards Ohio from multiple vehicle requirements, including prohibiting a state agency from adopting the California emission standards for motor vehicles.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
'Living through hell': Biden mourns with family of US hostage killed by Hamas. Live updates
The death of Judith Weinstein, 70, was announced Thursday, days after it was revealed her husband was also killed in the Hamas rampage.
www.usatoday.com
Takeaways from AP investigation into Russia's cover-up of deaths caused by dam explosion in Ukraine
An AP investigation has found that Russian occupation authorities vastly and deliberately undercounted the dead in one of the most devastating chapters of the 22-month war in Ukraine — the flooding that followed the catastrophic explosion that destroyed the Kakhovka Dam in the southern Kherson regio
apnews.com
Paul Whelan marks 5 years in Russian detention | CNN Politics
Paul Whelan marked five years in Russian detention on Thursday – a grim milestone that the ex-US Marine hoped he would never see.
www.cnn.com
Idaho cannot enforce gender-affirming care ban, judge rules
“Parents should have the right to make the most fundamental decisions about how to care for their children," the judge wrote in a preliminary order.
www.nbcnews.comJan. 6 rioter who was sentenced in secret provided information to authorities, court papers say
Court documents unsealed this week say that a Pennsylvania man who was sentenced in secret for his role in the U.S.
apnews.com
Storm batters Northeast after downpours set records in mid-Atlantic
A rainfall record from 1930 was broken Wednesday in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Nikki Haley backpedals amid criticism after omitting 'slavery' from Civil War causes
After a voter said he found it “astonishing” that Haley hadn’t used the word “slavery” at any point in her answer, she asked, “What do you want me to say about slavery?”
www.nbcnews.com
World population up 75 million this year, standing at 8 billion on Jan. 1
The world population grew by 75 million people over the past year and on New Year’s Day it will stand at more than 8 billion people
University porn firing is a reminder: Your employer can fire you for doing legal things
The University of Wisconsin has ousted Joe Gow as UW-La Crosse chancellor, citing pornography he appeared in. What about free speech?
www.usatoday.com
Nikki Haley hit from all sides after omitting 'slavery' from Civil War response
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is facing widespread backlash for comments she made about the U.S. Civil War during a New Hampshire town hall Wednesday.
New weight loss drugs are out of reach for millions of older Americans because Medicare won't pay
New obesity drugs are showing promising results in helping some people shed pounds but the injections will remain out of reach for millions.
apnews.com
Maine kicks Trump off ballot under 14th Amendment
Activists and voters have filed numerous lawsuits around the country claiming the former president is barred from office under the “insurrection clause.”
www.politico.com
DOJ threatens to sue Texas over enforcement of immigration law
The Department of Justice is reportedly warning Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) against enforcing a Texas law that would allow state officials to arrest people they suspect are in the country illegally.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Trump denies bullying his way into Home Alone 2
The former US president angrily responds to comments from the film's director Chris Columbus.
www.bbc.comChain-reaction collision in dense fog on Turkish motorway leaves at least 10 people dead, 57 injured
Turkish officials say a chain-reaction crash Thursday involving seven vehicles on a motorway in northwest Turkey has killed at least 10 people and injured 57 others.
apnews.com
The global economy in 2024: Key clues to watch out for
US interest rates, oil prices and the Chinese economy will determine the global economy next year.
Thousands of Palestinians flee central Gaza as Israeli troops advance
Israeli tanks reportedly reach the outskirts of Bureij refugee camp as the ground offensive expands.
www.bbc.com
New law in Ohio cracks down on social media use among kids: What to know
The law requires companies to obtain parental consent before individuals 16 and younger can use social media platforms.
www.usatoday.com
Nikki Haley and Chris Christie on collision course in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary
Nikki Haley flubbed a question on the origin of the Civil War while Chris Christie says he isn't dropping out.
www.cbsnews.comIndependent lawyers begin prosecuting cases of sexual assault and other crimes in the US military
The U.S. military is now putting independent lawyers in charge of its investigations of sexual assault and other major crimes, what Secretary of Defense Lloyd J.
apnews.com
Israel-Hamas war live updates: Second American hostage in Gaza declared dead as a senior Israeli minister warns the war could expand
Follow NBC News for the latest live updates on the Israel-Hamas war as Benny Gantz warns the war could expand to include Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
www.nbcnews.com
A slew of new conflicts could erupt in 2024, analysts say — while the world is watching Gaza and Ukraine
With the eyes of the world on the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, an unprecedented number of potentially "catastrophic" conflicts are going under the radar, analysts have warned.
Nikki Haley says slavery was a US Civil War cause after backlash
The Republican presidential candidate is facing a backlash after omitting slavery as a cause of the war.
www.bbc.comAmerican-Canadian-Israeli woman believed to be held hostage in Gaza pronounced dead
A hard-hit Israeli kibbutz has announced the death of Judih Weinstein — an American-Canadian-Israeli woman who had been thought to be held hostage in Gaza.
apnews.com
Maine’s top election official removes Trump from 2024 ballot | CNN Politics
Maine’s top election official has removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot, in a surprise decision based on the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban.”
www.cnn.com
Bernie Sanders tests positive for COVID-19 amid nationwide spike
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) revealed Thursday that he contracted COVID-19 during the Senate's holiday break amid an increase in infections nationwide.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Rick Scott among latest swath of politicians to be 'swatted' as hoax proliferates in politics
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) was among the latest swath of politicians to be "swatted" this week after two House Republicans and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu were victims of false emergency calls on Christmas.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Democrats in Biden's home state are leaving for the Republican Party in droves, voter data shows
Pennsylvania Democrats are flocking in droves to the Republican Party, state voter registration data shows.
Alabama plans to execute a man using nitrogen gas. How will it work? Few know.
Kenneth Eugene Smith, convicted in a 1988 murder-for-hire plot, could become the first death row inmate put to death by nitrogen hypoxia in the U.S.
www.nbcnews.com
California beachgoers enthralled by huge waves from storms – but they bring flooding and rip currents, too | CNN
Offshore storms shoved waves toward communities along the California coast, bringing flooding, road closures and fright to nearly 20 people who were briefly swept away on a Ventura beach on Thursday.
www.cnn.comUS companies are picky about investing in China. The exceptions? Burgers and lattes
It was a tumultuous 2023 for the Chinese economy. Some of the world's biggest brands took action or said they were considering shifting manufacturing away from China during a time of unease about security controls and wobbly relations between Beijing and Washington.
apnews.com
Donald Trump stumbled in 2022. How is he leading the 2024 race?
Criminal charges, weak rivals and renewed energy have helped the former US president recover from political setbacks.
Eric Adams says he hasn't met with Biden about immigrant crisis in 2023
New York Mayor Eric Adams revealed he has not met with President Joe Biden for the past year, despite his public pleas for help with an influx of immigrants into his city.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
NYC, long a sanctuary city, will restrict buses carrying migrants from Texas
The new restrictions target buses sent to New York City by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has been shipping migrants to Democratic-led cities.
www.usatoday.com
Nikki Haley defends leaving slavery out as cause of Civil War after backlash
When the New Hampshire voter asked Nikki Haley on why she wasn't mentioning slavery in her response, she asked, "What do you want me to say about slavery?"
www.cbsnews.com
Opinion | Why Was It So Hard for Nikki Haley to Say ‘Slavery’? History Has the Answer
The presidential candidate’s recent (and swiftly qualified) comments about the Civil War helped spread a myth that has warped American history for over a century.
www.politico.com
Lauren Boebert says she'll seek office in a different congressional district in 2024
Boebert said in a Facebook video that she intends to seek office in Colorado's 4th Congressional District -- which covers the Eastern Plains, Douglas County and Greeley -- currently represented by Ken Buck. Buck said last month that he won't seek reelection in 2024.
www.cbsnews.com
House prepares for early 2024 shake-up with slew of special elections
The new year will begin with a slate of special elections that could shift the balance of power in the House — even ahead of the 2024 November elections.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Riley Gaines puts heat on Republican Ohio governor to sign ban on transgender surgery for minors
Former collegiate swimming star Riley Gaines is putting pressure on Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to act on a bill to curb transgender medical treatment for minors.
Some Muslim American advocates express hesitancy to work with the White House on strategy to counter Islamophobia
Several Muslim and Arab American advocates who voiced frustration with the Biden administration's response to the situation in Gaza.
www.cbsnews.com
Gaza has two choices, ‘death or displacement’: Palestine UN envoy
Addressing the Security Council, Majed Bamya says that Israel’s destruction of Gaza is meant to drive out Palestinians.
Recent backlash against Nikki Haley proves 'momentum': Tiana Lowe Doescher
The Washington Examiner's Tiana Lowe Doescher suggested Nikki Haley's opponents see her as a threat in the 2024 election.
www.washingtonexaminer.comUS Supreme Court officially asked to take up Trump's 14th Amendment issue
Colorado's high court ruled Trump was disqualified from the ballot earlier this month.
www.politico.com
Pendulum swings towards tighter measures against transgender athletes
Heading into 2024, there has been a seismic shift in the sporting landscape for trans athletes with the pendulum swinging back toward tighter measures on a divisive issue.
www.nbcnews.com
DeSantis slams Haley for Civil War gaffe but faces tough questions on slavery's legacy
Ron DeSantis said the abolition of slavery was a 'partisan' victory for Republicans. Then he faced a string of tough questions on his own record.
www.usatoday.com
South Korea's top court orders a 3rd Japanese company to compensate workers for forced labor
South Korea’s top court has ordered a third Japanese company to compensate some of its former wartime Korean employees for forced labor.
apnews.com
Former WH comms director admits 2024 looks 'super scary' for President Biden
The former White House communications director under President Obama said Thursday that she would be feeling scared if she was on President Biden's re-election campaign team.
Pierce Brosnan accused of trespassing in Yellowstone National Park
The former James Bond star allegedly left the trail near a dangerous and sensitive hot spring.
www.bbc.com
Venezuela will hold military exercises off its shores as a British warship heads to Guyana
President Nicolás Maduro ordered Venezuela’s armed forces to conduct defensive exercises in the Eastern Caribbean after the U.K. sent a warship toward Guyana’s territorial waters.
www.nbcnews.com
Details emerge in Texas head-on crash that killed 6 members of same family
Six members of the same family were killed in Texas when a 17-year-old pickup truck driver slammed head-on into their minivan, authorities said.
New Hampshire 9-year-old calls Nikki Haley 'the new John Kerry' to her face
Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley was name-called by a 9-year-old boy Thursday in New Hampshire.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Children, women killed in Israeli strike on Rafah residential building
Strike hits near Al Jazeera team; many casualties streaming into nearby Kuwaiti hospital.
Nancy Mace criticizes Blinken's Mexico visit as being 'all about paying lip service'
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) labeled Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to Mexico this week as being "all about paying lip service" rather than addressing problems with the southern border.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Nikki Haley clarifies Civil War 'was about slavery,' and individual freedom was 'the lesson'
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said Thursday that while the Civil War was about slavery, the "bigger issue" was about government intrusion.
A cargo ship picking up Ukrainian grain hits a Russian floating mine in the Black Sea, officials say
Officials say a civilian cargo ship has struck a Russian mine in the Black Sea near Ukraine’s Danube ports, injuring two sailors.
apnews.com
Mexican officials clear border camp as U.S. pressure mounts to limit migrant crossings
Mexico, desperate to get crossings reopened to its manufactured goods, is starting indicate it will crack down a bit on the growing number of people at the border.
www.nbcnews.com
James Carville scoffs at Fetterman's criticism over his Biden comments: 'Never met this man'
Political strategist James Carville responded to criticism from Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., that Carville was not relevant and was unhelpful to President Biden's re-election campaign.
Trump campaign slams Biden on US-Mexico border in ad: 'The world burns'
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign is out with a new ad on Thursday criticizing President Joe Biden’s handling of border enforcement, a topic that has emerged as one of the administration’s largest vulnerabilities.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Billion-dollar scam
A sophisticated criminal network is using modern day slaves to con thousands of Americans out of their life savings
www.cnn.com
Appeals court rejects Trump's request to pause proceedings in E. Jean Carroll case
Trump had asked the court to halt the case for 90 days while he decided whether to ask the Supreme Court to weigh in on his rejected presidential immunity argument.
www.nbcnews.comHaley blames a 'Democratic plant' for Civil War question that tripped her up
The former South Carolina governor also said that the war was, indeed, about slavery.
www.politico.com
What is the ‘zombie deer disease’ that experts warn may spread to humans?
A case of the chronic wasting disease in Yellowstone National Park has raised concerns of spread to humans.
Maine's top election official rules Trump ineligible for 2024 primary ballot
The decision by Maine's Democratic secretary of state is likely to fuel similar efforts in other states after Colorado's top court disqualified Trump from its ballot.
www.nbcnews.comOn foot and by donkey cart, thousands flee widening Israeli assault in central Gaza
Israel launched heavy strikes across the center and south of Gaza, killing dozens, Palestinian health officials said.
apnews.com
Sen. Rick Scott says home was 'swatted' while he was at dinner with his wife
Within 15 minutes of receiving the call, police determined that there was no shooting at Scott's home in Naples, Fla.
www.nbcnews.com
Democrat Jared Moskowitz warns foreign countries have 'infiltrated our kids' minds' over bin Laden poll
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) said foreign countries are infiltrating the minds of U.S. children in response to a poll that found significant favorable attitudes toward former al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
RGA chairman casts doubt on whether abortion has led to recent GOP election defeats
Republican Governors Association Chairman Bill Lee (R-TN) pushed back on claims that abortion has been the sole deciding factor in various GOP losses since the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court last year.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
The University of Wisconsin fired Chancellor Joe Gow. He says it's for making porn videos with his wife.
Former University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow was fired Wednesday for what the system's president called "abhorrent" actions.
www.cbsnews.com
Jewish seminary in Israel: Gaza border reopens following deadly Hamas terror attack
Sderot has been nearly empty since the Oct. 7 terror attacks but a large religious school, called a yeshiva, is again hosting its students, hoping to reinvigorate life in the city.
Live updates | Israel expands offensive as Hamas warns only permanent ceasefire will free hostages
Fleeing Palestinians have packed into areas along Gaza’s border with Egypt and the southern Mediterranean coastline.
apnews.com
How did New Hampshire voters react to Nikki Haley's comments on the Civil War?
New Hampshire voters critical to Haley's 2024 presidential chances say they're not giving much thought to her comments on the Civil War.
www.usatoday.com
They live near San Diego. Migrants pass through their backyards almost nightly | CNN
Brian Silvas’ witnesses dozens, if not hundreds, of migrants crossing illegally onto his land each day. An influx he says has worsened since Title 42, a pandemic-era public health measure that allowed authorities to turn away migrants at the border, expired in May.
www.cnn.com
2023 Review: CNN’s sour ratings and Lemon drop to shuttering Atlanta headquarters
Former CNN host Don Lemon drew his lowest morning show ratings as the year began, but things got worse when he made controversial comments about GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
More Ukrainian children from Ukraine's Russia-held regions arrive in Belarus despite global outrage
Belarus' authoritarian leader has attended a meeting with children from Russia-controlled areas of Ukraine, openly defying an international outrage over his country's involvement in Moscow’s deportation of Ukrainian children
The New Republican Governors Chief Explains the Loss in Kentucky and How to Tackle Trump Tweets
As the new chair of the Republican Governors Association, Gov. Bill Lee has some advice for his party.
www.politico.com
Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, hostage negotiations, Gaza humanitarian crisis
The Israeli military warned residents across parts of central Gaza to urgently evacuate to shelters as its operations against Hamas continue to intensify amid ongoing humanitarian concerns. Follow for the latest live news updates.
Iran holds funeral for a general who was killed by an alleged Israeli airstrike in Syria
Iran has held a funeral for a high-ranking general of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard who was killed by an alleged Israeli airstrike in Syria.
apnews.com
Mexican president says agreement reached to keep US border crossings open
Talks between Lopez Obrador and US officials follow temporary shutdown of some rail crossings.
Progress Report: Here's how EV sales and charging infrastructure fared in 2023
Electric vehicle sales increased significantly in the United States in 2023, but they are still not on track to meet the Biden administration’s ambitious targets by the end of the decade, and range anxiety and limited access to charging infrastructure are some of the primary hurdles to adoption.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Mexico says a drug cartel kidnapped 14 people from towns where angry residents killed 10 gunmen
Armed only with sickles and hunting rifles, farmers in the village of Texcaltitlan chased down suspected gang members amid bursts of automatic gunfire on Dec. 8.
www.nbcnews.com
Colorado GOP asks US Supreme Court to overturn ruling disqualifying Trump from 2024 ballot | CNN Politics
The Colorado Republican Party says it has asked the US Supreme Court to overturn the unprecedented Colorado Supreme Court ruling that removed Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot.
www.cnn.com
Rashida Tlaib calls Israeli PM Netanyahu 'genocidal maniac,' takes shot at fellow Dems who back him
Progressive Rep. Rashida Tlaib is attacking Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and her colleagues in the U.S. who support him.
US applications for jobless benefits rise but labor market remains solid
More Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, but not enough to raise concern about the labor market or broader economy.
apnews.comColorado Republican Party Says It Asked Supreme Court to Keep Trump on Ballot
WASHINGTON — The Colorado Republican Party said it had asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to hear an appeal of the bombshell decision from the Colorado Supreme Court ordering former President Donald Trump’s removal from the state’s primary ballot. The state court ruled that he was...
Chris Christie pushes back on calls to drop out of the race, takes aim at Trump in first major ad blitz
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie pushes back against calls from fellow Republicans to drop out of the GOP presidential nomination race in the first major ad blitz of his 2024 bid.
Judi Haggai: US-Canadian confirmed dead in Gaza
Her body is in Gaza, where her family had thought she was being held hostage, her kibbutz says.
www.bbc.com
Dem vows he will 'not be intimidated' after anti-Israel activists deface office with bloody baby Jesus doll
New York Democrat Ritchie Torres shared pictures of his office vandalized on Christmas Day by anti-Israel activists with a baby Jesus doll covered in red paint.
How major US stock indexes fared Thursday, 12/28/2023
Stocks wavered on Wall Street in muted trading as 2023 nears its finish. The S&P 500 rose less than 0.1% Thursday.
apnews.com
Mexican officials to visit Washington next month to continue border discussions | CNN Politics
Mexican leaders will visit Washington next month to meet Biden Cabinet officials to continue discussions on curbing an influx of illegal migration into the US, according to the US National Security Council.
www.cnn.com
How Boebert's district switch could help Republicans
She's been accused of carpetbagging, but Boebert's controversial past had threatened the GOP's hold on her red-leaning seat.
www.politico.com
Almost 5 million blenders sold at Costco, Target and Walmart are recalled because blades are breaking off
BlendJet has received dozens of reports of injuries from portable blenders sold between October 2020 and November 2023.
www.cbsnews.com
Trump faces 14th Amendment challenges to candidacy before primaries start
Former President Donald Trump may be the current favorite to win the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, but his campaign may not even make it to the GOP convention in the summer if certain advocacy groups have their way.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
The Year in Pictures: 2023
From the Israel-Gaza conflict, to the continuing conflict following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, to the wildfires in Hawaii, the world experienced many significant events in 2023.
Ukraine welcomes latest US aid package as war nears two year mark
The package, valued at $250m, will include air defence system components and artillery rounds.
Judge rules against civil rights groups in Georgia redistricting appeal
A federal district court judge ruled that new maps for Georgia’s House, Senate and Congressional districts will be allowed to take effect in 2024.
www.usatoday.com
American woman believed to be held hostage by Hamas was actually killed in Oct. 7 attack, spokesperson says
Judy Weinstein Haggai's death during the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel was confirmed a week after it was reported that her husband, Gadi Haggai, had died the same day.
www.cbsnews.com
Tony Chung: Student activist flees Hong Kong to seek asylum in UK
Tony Chung told the BBC he felt he had no control over his life, with police scrutinising his every move.
www.bbc.com
Twelve Days of WEX-mas: New round of nuclear proliferation looms over unstable world order
In the spirit of the season, the Washington Examiner has identified 12 issues we believe will shape 2024 — and beyond. These close-up examinations of agenda-setting issues cover everything from the ongoing battle between the Biden family's business deals and Republican Oversight, the emergence of a…
www.washingtonexaminer.comBiden mulls border crackdown in face of Trump’s migrant-bashing rhetoric
President faces pressure from Republican critics and Democratic allies as he struggles to address what both sides agree is a crisis
Closing prices for crude oil, gold and other commodities
Benchmark U.S. crude oil for February delivery fell $2.34 to $71.77 per barrel Thursday. Brent crude for February delivery fell $1.26 to $78.39 per barrel.
apnews.com
Year's worth of schedules show a busy New York mayor — with key details missing
Mayor Eric Adams keeps up a brisk pace of calls, meetings and galas — but much is still unknown.
www.politico.com
Cher files for conservatorship of son Elijah Blue Allman, citing ‘substance abuse issues’
Cher has “worked tirelessly to get Elijah into treatment and get him the help he needs” and “loves Elijah immensely and has always acted with his best interests in mind,” the filing says.
www.nbcnews.comAverage long-term mortgage rates dip for 9th straight week, sliding to lowest level since May
The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate retreated for the ninth straight week to its lowest level since May.
apnews.com
‘Almost naked’ celebrity party at Moscow nightclub sparks fierce backlash | CNN
A host of Russian celebrities who turned up scantily clad at an “almost naked” themed party in Moscow are facing fierce backlash at a time when the country is at war and the authorities are pushing an increasingly conservative agenda.
www.cnn.com
Spirit Airlines fires gate agent who put unaccompanied 6-year-old on wrong flight
Spirit Airlines said it has fired the gate agent who put an unaccompanied minor on the wrong Florida flight last week.
Why ‘California Forever’ is a definite ‘maybe’
Silicon Valley billionaire investors made some mistakes but got some things right with their proposal to build a new city near San Francisco.
www.politico.com
Health authorities across the globe issue warnings about fake Ozempic
Last week, the FDA seized thousands of counterfeit units of the popular drug. Experts say what's happening in the U.S. may be a symptom of a larger, global problem.
www.nbcnews.comHouse where 4 University of Idaho students were killed is demolished
Demolition began Thursday on the house where four University of Idaho students were killed in 2022.
apnews.com
Under the rubble: The missing in Gaza
Finding the 7,000 Palestinians believed buried under collapsed buildings is becoming increasingly difficult.
Tiny magnetic balls sold by Walmart recalled; regulators cite 7 dead and thousands hospitalized
More than 4,200 units of the relax magnetic balls are being recalled, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said.
www.nbcnews.com
Florida GOP senator Rick Scott’s Naples home swatted | CNN Politics
Florida Sen. Rick Scott’s home in Naples was swatted Wednesday night, according to Naples Police spokesperson Lt. Bryan McGinn.
www.cnn.com
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird champions Trump record as caucuses near
Iowa Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird is one of former President Donald Trump’s highest-ranking endorsements in the Hawkeye State, and she believes he is the only, and the best, candidate who can beat President Joe Biden.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Gaza family tries to protect newborn quadruplets amid destruction of war
As Israel continues its deadly bombardment in Gaza, there is new life amid the carnage.
www.cbsnews.comAs pandemic unfolded, deaths of older adults in Pennsylvania rose steeply in abuse or neglect cases
Pennsylvania saw a tenfold increase in deaths of older adults following an abuse or neglect complaint over the past few years.
apnews.com
Analysis: Trump dominates GOP primary as challengers crash into the rules of political gravity | CNN Politics
Republican presidential candidates are diving back into campaigning with time running out to show they can answer the critical question of the 2024 primary race — whether they have a chance of taking down Donald Trump.
www.cnn.com
Missing St. Louis mom’s ex-boyfriend admits to killing her after he's found in her bloodstained SUV
Marquisha Williams, the mother of four children, was reported missing by her family on Dec. 20. Her body hasn’t been found.
www.nbcnews.comStigma against gay men could worsen Congo's biggest mpox outbreak, scientists warn
African scientists warn that discrimination against gay and bisexual men on the continent could make an mpox outbreak in Congo worse.
apnews.com
Congressional retirements sweep away knowledge base on thorny healthcare topics
Reps. Michael Burgess (R-TX), and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) have had significant influence on policy.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Travelers battle bad weather coast to coast on one of the busiest travel days of the year
After several days of weather-related travel issues, the Northeast, the Midwest, the Florida Peninsula and the West Coast will all continue to see unsettled weather Thursday leading to a rocky final week of 2023.
www.nbcnews.com
Analysis: Fears are rising of a widened Middle East war and US troops are in the firing line | CNN Politics
Escalating attacks on US troops and commercial shipping and incidents often involving Iran and its proxies are causing new concerns that Israel’s war in Gaza could widen into a regional conflagration with grave political and economic consequences.
www.cnn.com
End ‘unlawful killings’ in occupied West Bank, UN tells Israel
Latest UN report warns the situation in the territory is rapidly deteriorating and calls for accountability.
5 big funding questions awaiting Congress in January
Unlike more recent shutdown threats, a short-term patch is not an obvious escape hatch this time.
www.politico.comWoman sues dentist after 4 root canals, 8 dental crowns and 20 fillings in a single visit
A Minnesota woman has sued her dentist after receiving four root canals, eight dental crowns and 20 fillings in a single visit that she says led to her disfigurement.
apnews.com
Chinese restaurateur's rap video reinflames San Francisco mayor's race
Black church leaders defended San Francisco Mayor London Breed against charges that she's too soft on anti-Asian crime.
www.politico.com
South Carolina is getting its only civil rights museum thanks to photographer Cecil Williams
Williams’ millions of photographs will form the basis of a civil rights museum marking how Black Americans fought segregation and discrimination in South Carolina.
www.nbcnews.com
'Unspeakable tragedy': Death of pregnant teen and boyfriend now capital murder case
Police said they are seeking two persons of interest in a capital murder case after 18-year-old Savanah Soto is believed to have been found dead.
Trump legal news brief: Maine secretary of state rules Trump is ineligible for 2024 ballot
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, issues a determination that former President Donald Trump is prohibited from seeking office again in 2024 due to Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.
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