KnightViral

Four die in a helicopter crash near the world's longest zipline, in the UAE's northern-most emirate. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2QXx536

Six Iranian migrants are found on the Kent coast as the home secretary cuts short a holiday to deal with the issue. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Ak3q9S

Police escorted Jermaine Massey out of the DoubleTree Portland after he called his mum in the lobby. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Tist3Y

Afro-Argentines often feel like they’ve been written out of history and are mistaken for foreigners in their own country. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2s2fJ6c

Clashes between ruling party and opposition supporters have resulted in 17 deaths. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Sv4fni

Dylema leads us through key events on the continent this year in a specially commissioned poem. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2BZzjVp

Lederhosen and dirndl dresses are making a comeback in Austria. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2AmkSL1

A look at the year's most influential hashtags used by women on social media. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2RntUB7

This Canadian man is being called the world's most extreme grandpa. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2AntDnS

Eli Melki looks for traces of a relative who was killed at 33 during a wave of attacks against eastern Turkey's Christians. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2BMln0I

From the ridiculous to the more ridiculous, here are the weird stories that caught our eye this year. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2s3oDAp

India's decision to decriminalise gay sex has taken the country back to its roots, some historians say. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2ApBWzF

Remembering some of the figures from music, film, TV, radio and literature who died in 2018. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2F03HlD

Are garment factories in Bangladesh safe five years after the Rana Plaza disaster? from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2s3oVat

A selection of the best photos from across and about Africa this year. from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2GIKAyK

No one in the Calais region is sure what has prompted the rise in crossing attempts or whether it will last UK and France pledge drive to tackle people smuggling in Channel Wahid has tried twice so far. Both times, the small inflatable boat that he and about a dozen others were riding in was intercepted by a French coastguard vessel maybe an hour, perhaps two, after it pushed off from the beach. He is a bit vague on the details, for which he apologises. “It was cold, very cold. The sea was calm, flat, but it was frightening. A dark night and, of course, no lights. Dangerous. We all knew it was dangerous. We could die. Instead, we’re back here.” Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Qf84eq

Pilot will redistribute surplus food, with aim of stopping waste going to landfill by 2030 The government has appointed a food waste champion to tackle the problem of 250m meals being thrown away in the UK each year. Ben Elliot, a philanthropist and co-founder of the lifestyle group Quintessentially, will aim to help the government eliminate food waste going to landfill by 2030. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2QcCzl6

The number of British citizens applying for Irish passports has doubled since vote to leave European Union The number of British citizens applying for Irish passports rose by 22% in 2018, Ireland’s foreign office said on Monday, more than doubling the total of annual applications since Britain voted to leave the European Union. Almost 100,000 eligible Britons sought to hang onto their EU citizenship via a passport from their nearest neighbour this year, up from 81,000 last year and 46,000 in 2015, the year before the Brexit vote led to a sharp rise in applications. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Qb4Bxp

Wildlife Trusts report comeback of rare seahorse breed and nudibranch slugs but plastic pollution still poses grave risk A rare kind of seahorse and a rainbow-coloured sea slug with a titillating name are among the creatures making a comeback in UK waters, according to an annual conservation review. The coast around Britain is now home to more than 100 species of nudibranchs – brightly hued, soft-bodied marine molluscs that appear nude because of their lack of external shells. The Wildlife Trusts credited a big conservation push around the coast for their proliferation. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2ApXhJd

Scramble to find survivors after suspected gas blast at apartment building in southern central city Rescue teams are scrambling to find survivors after a suspected gas blast caused the partial collapse of a high-rise apartment building in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk, killing at least two people, news agencies reported. News outlets in the city, which is 1,700 km (1,050 miles) east of Moscow in the southern Urals, said it was unclear how many people were trapped in the debris, but cries for help could be heard from beneath the rubble. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2RnIpVu

Incident on Fulham Palace Road in Hammersmith leaves man in his 30s seriously injured Nearly 40 people have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a stabbing in west London. A man in his 30s was left seriously injured after the incident on Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, in the early hours of Monday morning. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2EWKZff

Survey shows young people struggle to access treatment and face long delays Online CBT is not a therapy substitute but a step to help manage anxiety Nearly all GPs worry that young people with mental health problems will come to harm because of difficulties in accessing treatment on the NHS, according to a survey. The poll of UK family doctors found that 99% said they feared that under-18s would come to harm as a direct result of facing long delays to see a specialist and vital care being rationed. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Sr2lnK

At least 17 people were killed on election day, with claims ruling Awami League rigged country’s first contested election in a decade Bangladesh’s opposition has rejected the “farcical” results of national elections officially declared to have been won by the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, in a landslide. The Bangladesh election commission said early on Monday that Hasina’s Awami League had won a record third consecutive term, taking along with its allies 288 of the country’s 298 parliamentary seats on offer. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2EZwBTA

The storm struck the Philippines shortly after Christmas, with the number of fatalities expected to rise The death toll from a storm that struck the Philippines shortly after Christmas rose to 68 with the number of fatalities expected to climb even higher, civil defence officials said Monday. Fifty-seven people died in the mountainous Bicol region, southeast of Manila, while 11 were killed in the central island of Samar, mostly due to landslides and drownings, the officials said. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2QXQNvw

Amphibian expert says toads were trying to mate with python, as thousands of the invasive pest are flushed out by rising waters in Kununurra A huge storm in Australia’s north on Sunday flushed out a sight which either fascinated or horrified those who saw it – 10 cane toads riding the back of a 3.5m python. Paul and Anne Mock were at home with their daughters in the remote West Australian town of Kununurra, when a large storm dumped almost 70mm of rain into their dam. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2St3U4t

The administration’s base-level awfulness has made this a competitive category but some weeks stood out as truly dire It would be safe to say Donald Trump hasn’t had the best year. From his longtime adviser flipping on him, to inside revelations about the level of his ineptitude, to being named in court filings as having allegedly directed illegal campaign payments, the president has faced a barrage of scandals. Trump also lost the House of Representatives, held a number of bizarre press conferences and demonstrated his lack of familiarity with umbrellas . The president did, however, score one recent success, when his neologism “smocking” proved popular. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2SsV5rz

Liberally scattered with talent from Dominic West and David Oyelowo to Lily Collins, this mercifully song-free adaptation was a rich feast to end the year Andrew Davies’s six-part adaptation of Victor Hugo’s classic novel Les Misérables (BBC One) begins with an explanatory caption. “After 20 years of war, France is defeated and Napoleon is exiled. A new king is waiting to be crowned. The old order is to be restored. The revolution is to be forgotten. And there are no songs.” It didn’t really say that last bit. But it could have, because the USP of this version is that it is not the musical that long ago usurped the novel as What We Mean When We Talk About Les Misérables. “Boo!” shouts the half of the country that also likes fancy-dress parties, board games and other terrible, terrible things. “Hurrah!” shout the rest of us. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2EVzC6t

Isaac Cordal’s 15cm sculptures, part of his project Cement Eclipses, are a social commentary on the spaces they inhabit The Spanish sculptor Isaac Cordal sees the city as his playground. He specialises in miniature street art, producing tiny figures as a social commentary on the spaces they inhabit. “My work is a filter to try to understand and change the world we have created,” Cordal says. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2AhCsjd

A few home truths helped save the standup from a lifetime of misery I was in my mid-20s and living in a house I shared with some old friends and new mice. One night, I was waffling on about something trivial, but giving it great weight. My best friend, Jules, looked at me with pity and disdain and said: “Lou, I can’t bear to be around you, you’re just so negative.” Best thing she ever said! The finality, the rawness, the reality – she saved me from my own silly self. I didn’t know it at the time, of course – too negative to see it, I suppose. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2St4zTv

Growing up with Punjabi cuisine has left Coco Khan dependent on spices for her cooking. Can she learn to cook an ‘English’? Like many British Asians, I grew up in a household full of the smells of spice, the sound of lamb sizzling and the steady beat of a knife chopping coriander and ginger. Punjabi cuisine takes the highest place in my heart. It’s a reminder of my identity and my family, where food formed a huge part of life. When I cook, often cobbling something together from whatever is lying around, I stop thinking. It’s second nature. Which is great until I receive feedback that my shepherd’s pie has a really odd masala vibe, or that I put the wrong kind of “hot” in hotpot when I added a green chilli. The truth is, I have become dependent on spice. I keep chilli flakes on my desk; my spice jar collection is 30-strong. It has become a crutch – I would compare it to someone who slathers every meal with ketchup because they don’t how to create flavour any other way. Continue readi...

PM Narenda Modi weakened after Rahul Gandhi’s Congress ends 2018 with string of regional victories The world’s largest exercise in democracy looms in 2019. In the beachside towns of Kerala state, the mountain villages of the Himalayas and across the dusty cities of the Gangetic plain, an estimated 850 million people will cast their votes in India’s national election sometime between March and May. And the race just got competitive. A few months ago the prime minister, Narendra Modi, looked invincible. His party had followed its thumping national election win in 2014 with a run of victories in India’s largest states. The Congress party, which ushered India into independence 70 years ago and had been its default ruler since, was reduced to a rump, with leaders from Modi’s Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) boasting the country would soon be “Congress- mukt ” (Congress-free). Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2QeupIW

Online freedom has come under sustained assault from Beijing in 2018, with references to Xi Jinping’s new powers among the prohibited phrases China stepped up its campaign in 2018 to control what news and information its citizens can see. While censors continued heavyhanded control for any content deemed dangerous for social stability, including Peppa Pig videos and the letter “n” , regulators also deployed more sophisticated methods, going beyond Chinese social media and working harder to curate and shape what Chinese residents consume. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2EX9sAw

Guardian journalists spell out the potential impact, sector by sector, on national life If Theresa May fails to get her deal through parliament in January, the prospect of the UK leaving the EU without a deal becomes more likely. Here, Guardian journalists examine what a no-deal Brexit could mean for the country, sector by sector. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2CHzWEF

Brexiteers who say we need some collective hardship insult those who lived through the hell of world war two As 2018 limps to a close, senior government ministers are back on parade to remind us how glorious Brexit is going to be – lest, in the gluttonous stupor of Christmas, we had allowed ourselves to forget what marvels lie ahead. In the Sunday Telegraph, Gavin Williamson, the defence secretary, declared that Britain, far from retreating into indigent introspection, will become a “ true global player ” after 29 March 2019, with military bases all over the world. In the Mail on Sunday, meanwhile, Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, invoked the economic success of Singapore since independence in 1965 as a blueprint “for us as we make our post-Brexit future”. Like Williamson, Hunt suggests that the rest of the world is on tenterhooks, longing for Britain to assume a bullish new role once liberated from the tyranny of Brussels: “We may no longer be a superpower but we are still very ...

By abetting the ad industry, universities are leading us into temptation, when they should be enlightening us To what extent do we decide? We tell ourselves we choose our own life course, but is this ever true? If you or I had lived 500 years ago, our worldview, and the decisions we made as a result, would have been utterly different. Our minds are shaped by our social environment, in particular the belief systems projected by those in power: monarchs, aristocrats and theologians then; corporations, billionaires and the media today. Humans, the supremely social mammals, are ethical and intellectual sponges. We unconsciously absorb, for good or ill, the influences that surround us. Indeed, the very notion that we might form our own minds is a received idea that would have been quite alien to most people five centuries ago. This is not to suggest we have no capacity for independent thought. But to exercise it, we must – consciously and with great effort – swim against the social curren...

Proper patrolling of workers’ rights is welcome. If the losers in the gig economy are to be helped, ministers must be tougher The increased level of intervention by the government in the labour market since Theresa May became prime minister is both rational and humane. The UK economy is too reliant on low-wage, low-skilled jobs, many of which are also insecure. While unemployment remains low, and in-work poverty is a serious problem, there is no good reason for ministers not to apply pressure to employers. Figures published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation this month suggest one in eight workers (4 million people) are now classified as poor. Working conditions and low pay are causing real suffering, with ambulances called to Amazon’s UK warehouses 600 times in three years . DPD delivery driver Don Lane died after missing medical appointments because he feared being fined for taking time off work. The review of the gig economy by thinktanker Matthew Taylor last year produced 53 rec...

Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2ApJfHx

Ruth Windle says Sajid Javid should consider the inflammatory nature of his language, Thomas Hodgson calls for better communication with French authorities, Liz Byrne lends perspective and Lucy Gabriel takes issue with Trump and his wall So according to the home secretary, Sajid Javid, 94 refugees trying to cross the Channel is a “major incident” ( Rise in migrants trying to cross Channel declared a ‘major incident’ , 29 December). Tell that to the people of Lampedusa, who have received 400,000 refugees (both alive and dead) on their shores in the past two decades – and whose municipal officials have resisted calling them “migrants” and named them “refugees” (which they are until proved otherwise). The home secretary would do well to consider the inflammatory nature of his language, playing as it does right into the anti-immigrant narrative with its aspersions of illegality. The Guardian might also consider the laxity of its language – 17 uses of the word “migrants” in one articl...

• Arsenal players accuse Mohamed Salah over penalty incident • ‘We don’t have divers,’ says Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp proved far more defiant than Arsenal’s defence as, rather than revelling in a biggest league win over top-six peers for 16 months and Liverpool’s largest lead in this season’s title race , he rejected suggestions Mohamed Salah is a diver by insisting the striker should not have to bleed to win a penalty. Related: Roberto Firmino hits hat-trick as Liverpool rout shambolic Arsenal Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Qgunk4

• Bath 23-16 Leicester • Back-to-back wins send hosts up to fifth All of sudden things are looking up for Bath. Back-to-back victories, the latest gutsy but every bit deserved, put them fifth going into the new year and with a spring in their step, even if Sam Underhill’s ankle injury ensures optimism must be tempered. Related: Sale’s Steve Diamond embroiled in media fracas after win at Gloucester Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2EYfIbV

Towards the end Old Trafford was the loudest in recent memory, Manchester United’s joyous fans singing the “20 times” ditty about their record number of titles. Related: Agüero strikes as City survive Saints scare and return to winning ways Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2ViNPAb

• Van Gerwen seeks third title after easy semi-final win • Smith, seeded 10th, on target 6-3 to reach first final Michael van Gerwen will attempt to win a third PDC World Championship title after sweeping aside Scotland’s Gary Anderson 6-1 in their semi-final on Sunday night. In Tuesday’s final the Dutchman will face the St Helens-born Michael Smith, who played superbly in the other semi-final to end the run of his fellow Englishman Nathan Aspinall 6-3. It will be Smith’s first final. Van Gerwen won the title in 2014 and 2017 and looked every inch the top seed in a brilliant performance against Anderson at Alexandra Palace in London. Anderson, who struggled to find his best form, at least avoided a whitewash by winning the sixth set but that was where his resistance ended. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2BOUWYa

Expect English cricket to thrive, women’s football to have a record-breaking year and more controversy surrounding Russia “It is dangerous to make predictions, especially about the future.” Some attribute that quote to Mark Twain. Others to the legendary baseball player and coach Yogi Berra. Either way it is useful advice for anyone daring to decipher what 2019 might hold. With that in mind, consider what follows as less of a forecast and more of a game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Hopefully, in 12 months’ time, I will not look like an ass. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2AwOSUD

Patriots earn ninth straight playoff bye with win over Jets Texans win division after overcoming losses in first three The Houston Texans clinched the AFC South title as Deshaun Watson threw for 234 yards and ran for a touchdown, and DeAndre Hopkins had 147 yards receiving in a 20-3 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans (11-5) won nine in a row after starting 0-3 to save their season and will make their fifth playoff appearance after winning the division for the fifth time in franchise history. Continue reading... from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Solc2x

Nancy Grace Roman, known as the "mother" of the Hubble Space Telescope and the first woman to hold an executive position at NASA, died on Christmas Day at the age of 93. from FOX News https://fxn.ws/2Thqn4r

Reporters will be the guests of honor at the New Year's Eve party in New York's Times Square on Monday, in what organizers said was a celebration of press freedom after an unusually deadly year for journalists at U.S. news outlets. Two attacks in particular weighed on organizers as they discussed in autumn whom to give the honor of initiating the ceremonial ball drop just before midnight, according to Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance. One was the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi columnist for the Washington Post and U.S. resident, inside a Saudi Arabian consulate in Turkey. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2VfaLQN

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Donald Trump in a New Year letter on Sunday that Moscow was ready for dialogue on a "wide-ranging agenda", the Kremlin said following a series of failed attempts to hold a new summit. At the end of November, the US president abruptly cancelled a planned meeting with Mr Putin on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Argentina, citing tensions about Russian forces opening fire on Ukrainian navy boats and then seizing them. Mr Trump and Mr Putin also failed to hold a full-fledged meeting in Paris on the sidelines of the centenary commemoration of the Armistice. The two leaders held their one and only summit in Helsinki in July. "Vladimir Putin stressed that the (Russia - United States) relations are the most important factor for providing strategic stability and international security," a Kremlin statement said. "He confirmed that Russia is open for dialogue with the USA on the most wide-ranging agenda." Mr Putin also...

With only 2500 miles on the clock, this classic BRAT is in great condition and has just changed hands for more than $46,000 from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2R2W4C7

Prior to becoming an aviation safety consultant, and USA TODAY columnist, John Cox flew a wide variety of commercial airplanes. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2So6icU

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — As Bangladeshis get set to vote in Sunday's parliamentary elections, there are fears that violence and intimidation could keep many away from the polls, including two opposition candidates who said police had barricaded them inside their homes. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2Tlqnkd

Parts of the United States were digging out Saturday from winter storms that media reports said led to at least seven deaths, while warmer regions braced for potential flooding during the New Year's travel period. As storm clouds moved east, they were set to bring heavy rain and probably flooding to the Gulf Coast, and both rain and freezing rain to New England. Flight tracker FlightAware reported more than 129 flight cancellations and 1,006 delays Saturday -- down from more than 500 cancelations and 5,700 delays on Friday -- as the winter storm hit north-central and Midwestern states with up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of snow. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2BKTLsY

Doubtful that Kremlin planners would commit to a full-scale land invasion, Moscow is likely attempting to use the Sea of Azov as a stepping stone to further develop their interests in the Black Sea from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2SrcVLn

General Motors has filed for a trademark on the name Envoy, raising speculation that it will resurrect the once popular GMC SUV. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2CIsMQt

A St. Louis-area man shot to death his girlfriend, her two young children and her mother in the home they all shared, authorities said Saturday. He exchanged gunfire with officers as he fled and was captured several hours later in a convenience store, covered in blood and wounded. from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2EYeeyr

Three hundred sixty-four sunsets ago, when this electronic community assembled to remark upon the commencement of 2018, we invited you to reflect on the many ways you planned to improve yourselves in the year ahead. You may now use the comment thread on this page to discuss your progress, and/or to put forth a plan for 2019, and/or to pursue other points of off-topic, freewheeling discourse. from Stories from Slate http://bit.ly/2EWUAls

The Super Bowl Champions will get a chance to try and do it again. Despite a 4-6 start to the season, the Philadelphia Eagles are tip-toeing into the playoffs after they beat Washington 24-0 on Sunday. A Philly win alone wouldn’t have been enough, and they needed the Minnesota Vikings to lose at home to the Chicago Bears in order to make the postseason math work. Let’s check in on Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins and wide receiver Adam Thielen to see how that game went. from Stories from Slate http://bit.ly/2LI0nwu

In 1998, Congress extended the terms of copyright for works published before 1978 from 75 years to 95 years. In practical terms, this meant that works of art first published in the United States in 1923—which would otherwise have entered the public domain in 1999—got an extra 20 years of copyright protection. On Tuesday, those twenty years will finally be over, and a large number of movies, books, songs, paintings, and at least one work of choreography (Ellen Tels’ Persisches Ballett ) will be entering the public domain for the first time. That means anyone will be able to adapt them, perform them, remake them, or publish them, and we can expect a wave of new editions and free digital versions of a wide variety of Jazz Age art in the new year. There are some real treasures in the mix, particularly in film: work from Buster Keaton ( Three Ages , Our Hospitality ), Cecil B. DeMille ( The Ten Commandments ), and Harold Lloyd ( Safety Last ) will belong to all of us in just a few days. In...

A Women’s March that was due to take place in early 2019 in Northern California has been canceled because organizers feared it would not be diverse enough. The march was scheduled to take place in the town of Eureka, in Humboldt County on January 19. “Up to this point, the participants have been overwhelmingly white, lacking representation from several perspectives in our community,” according to a statement posted on Facebook . “Instead of pushing forward with crucial voices absent, the organizing team will take time for more outreach.” from Stories from Slate http://bit.ly/2TiCsq9

It may be too early to hail Saquon Barkley as the second coming of Barry Sanders, but the Giants running back has spent his rookie season compiling a worthy highlight reel. Appropriately, Barkley’s Sanders-like greatness has been wasted on a middling team, but that shouldn’t prevent us from enjoying his superhuman feats. Who cares if Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys didn’t mean anything? It gave Barkley a stage to show off his anti-gravity cleats. from Stories from Slate http://bit.ly/2CFBJtR

Retired four-star Gen. Stanley McChrystal did not mince words when it came time to talk about President Donald Trump in an interview with ABC’s This Week on Sunday, making it clear he won’t be joining the administration. “I don’t think he tells the truth,” McChrystal said of the commander in chief. When asked whether he seems Trump as “immoral,” McChrystal said yes : “I think he is.” from Stories from Slate http://bit.ly/2EVQrit

Klay Thompson has a surgical-grade jump shot, one that is engineered for consistency and precision. But basketball isn’t surgery (there’s more running involved, for one thing), and a flawless shot doesn’t necessarily guarantee success. The Golden State guard’s career 3-point average is 41.6 percent, but he had shot just 6-31 from deep in the six games leading up to Saturday’s contest against the Portland Trail Blazers. Six games is a long time for a perfect jump-shooter to be laying bricks, and Thompson was the very picture of relief after hitting his fourth 3-pointer of the night in Portland. from Stories from Slate http://bit.ly/2SsMh4W

Listen to Working via Apple Podcasts , Overcast , Spotify , Stitcher , or Google Play . from Stories from Slate http://bit.ly/2Ste2ds

Outgoing White House chief of staff John Kelly gave an extensive interview to the Los Angeles Times in which he reflected on his tumultuous tenure under President Donald Trump. During the two-hour conversation, Kelly, who is officially stepping down Wednesday, said that the White House long ago gave up on the idea of a border wall. “To be honest, it’s not a wall,” Kelly said. And that isn’t a new development. “The president still says ‘wall’—oftentimes frankly he’ll say ‘barrier’ or ‘fencing,’ now he’s tended toward steel slats. But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it.” from Stories from Slate http://bit.ly/2SpIMfq

Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made it clear Saturday she isn’t just willing to stand up to Republicans who criticize her as she responded to comments made by outgoing Sen. Claire McCaskill that essentially repeated many of the Republican talking points against the incoming lawmaker. “Not sure why fmr Sen. McCaskill keeps going on TV to call me a ‘thing’ and ‘shiny object,’ but it’s pretty disappointing,” Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, wrote on Twitter . She went on to criticize the two-term senator from Missouri who lost her seat in November when she was defeated by the state’s former attorney general, Josh Hawley, who received Trump’s endorsement. from Stories from Slate http://bit.ly/2EVu3VJ

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Citi Research cuts estimate for Q1 production of iPhone XS Max by half    Notebookcheck.net Now there's a report of an iPhone XS Max catching fire    TechRadar iPhone 'X' names have nowhere to go in 2019    CNET Another bank makes another cut in its iPhone XS sales forecast    PocketNow This report claims all may not be ‘well’ with Apple’s most expensive iPhone    Times of India View full coverage on Google News from Top stories - Google News http://bit.ly/2Aq3CV3

Outlander brings together Brianna, Jamie, and Claire for a complex reunion    The A.V. Club Outlander Season 4: The Birds and the Bees    Paste Magazine 'Outlander': See the first Fraser family portrait    Entertainment Weekly News 'Outlander' Recap: Season 4, Episode 9 — Jamie and Brianna Meet    TVLine 'Outlander' episode 4.9 recap: Claire and Jamie overjoyed in 'The Birds and the Bees' | GOLD DERBY    Gold Derby View full coverage on Google News from Top stories - Google News http://bit.ly/2BNXLcb

Justin Bieber Apologizes to JoJo Siwa After Bizarrely Shading Her New Rainbow Car    Entertainment Tonight Unpacking the Great Justin Bieber Vs. JoJo Siwa Instagram Crisis of 2018    Jezebel Justin Bieber Reaches Out to YouTuber Jojo Siwa After Shading Car    E! NEWS Justin Bieber Apologizes to JoJo Siwa After Dissing Her New Car    Us Weekly Justin Bieber Just Inexplicably Started a Feud with JoJo Siwa on Instagram    Cosmopolitan.com View full coverage on Google News from Top stories - Google News https://et.tv/2AnXXil

Um, Sofia Richie Is on a New Year's Eve Ski Trip with the ENTIRE Kardashian Family    Cosmopolitan.com Sofia Richie Bonds with the KarJenners — Including Kourtney! — on Family Ski Vacation in Aspen    PEOPLE.com Kourtney Kardashian Is Spending New Year's Eve With Scott Disick and Sofia Richie    ELLE.com Sofia Richie Joins Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian on Family's Aspen Vacation    Entertainment Tonight Kourtney Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Sofia Richie and Paris Hilton Have Fun-Filled Aspen Vacation — Pics!    Us Weekly View full coverage on Google News from Top stories - Google News http://bit.ly/2VjUABW

Birds Reviewing ‘Bird Box’ Are the Only Critical Takes That Matter – Watch    IndieWire Netflix says over 45 million accounts watched Bird Box — here’s what that means    The Verge 'Bird Box' Meme Makes Sandra Bullock the Newest Ninja Turtle    Comicbook.com ‘Bird Box’ Ending Explained: What Happens at End of Netflix Movie    Newsweek ‘Bird Box’ Appears to Have Had the Best Movie Opening Ever    Film School Rejects View full coverage on Google News from Top stories - Google News http://bit.ly/2GKLzyE

NFL Playoff Picture Week 17 standings, updates, bracket: Colts grab final playoff spot, Chiefs get homefield    CBS Sports 2018 NFL Week 17 live - playoff scenarios, schedule, scores, wild-card races, draft order    ESPN NFL: Ravens in, Steelers out of playoffs; Patriots earn first-round bye and Texans clinch AFC South title    Los Angeles Times NFL Playoff Schedule 2019: Dates, times and TV for every round of the AFC and NFC postseason    CBS Sports Ravens will host Chargers in wild-card game at 1:05 p.m. next Sunday; more tickets put on sale    Baltimore Sun View full coverage on Google News from Top stories - Google News http://bit.ly/2EZeQmn

Get Colts-ready for the game tonight!    WTHR Colts defeat Titans 33-17, earn playoff spot    Fox News Colts vs. Titans Week 17 Highlights | NFL 2018    NFL Marcus Mariota not expected to play vs. Indianapolis Colts; stinger puts QB's long-term throwing ability at risk    ESPN 3 Turnovers in the 2nd Quarter is a Bold Strategy Cotton!    NFL View full coverage on Google News from Top stories - Google News http://bit.ly/2EUWHq6

Ron Cook: Steelers complete possibly the worst collapse in franchise history    Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Steelers, fans gather to watch Cleveland heartbreak    Yahoo Sports 2019 Steelers' opponents set    Steelers Wire Steelers beat Bengals but get no help from Browns    Tribune-Review Antonio Brown is “feeling better” and “has a chance” to play    NBC Sports View full coverage on Google News from Top stories - Google News http://bit.ly/2LH5EES

Former LSU CB Donte Jackson caps impressive rookie season with hometown win    NOLA.com Teddy Bridgewater gets golden opportunity to start, and doesn't do much with it    Yahoo Sports Panthers vs. Saints Week 17 Highlights | NFL 2018    NFL Saints looked like team in throes of classic holiday hangover vs. Panthers    NOLA.com Meaningless Carolina Panthers victory had meaning anyway    Charlotte Observer View full coverage on Google News from Top stories - Google News http://bit.ly/2LGO5o9

On eve of New Horizons flyby, Ultima Thule still holding onto its mysteries    Spaceflight Now Nasa's New Horizons: Final commands given to distant probe    BBC News NASA spacecraft to make record-setting flyby on New Year's    Axios NASA Is About to Reach The Farthest Object Yet in The Solar System. Here's How to Watch    ScienceAlert NASA spaceship zooms toward farthest world ever photographed    Channel NewsAsia View full coverage on Google News from Top stories - Google News http://bit.ly/2EVW4fO

NASA pioneer Nancy Grace Roman, the 'Mother of Hubble,' dead at 93    Fox News Hubble telescope 'mother' Nancy Grace Roman dies    Engadget Nancy Grace Roman, 'Mother Of Hubble' Space Telescope, Has Died, At Age 93    NPR Nancy Roman, ‘Mother of the Hubble’ Telescope, Dies at 93    The New York Times NASA's Nancy Grace Roman, Known as the 'Mother of Hubble,' Dies at 93    Gizmodo View full coverage on Google News from Top stories - Google News https://fxn.ws/2Thqn4r

from The Times of India http://bit.ly/2QddDtE

from The Times of India http://bit.ly/2RkQzOx

from The Times of India http://bit.ly/2s1woGT

The Crimson Tide fulfilled expectations in getting past Oklahoma and will face Clemson in the championship game for the third time in the last four seasons. from NYT > Home Page https://nyti.ms/2ETymln

Breaking a silence, Caroline and Maya Ghosn said they suspected that talk of “reimagining the alliance” with Renault had played a role in their father’s ouster on allegations of financial misconduct. from NYT > Home Page https://nyti.ms/2EVL4jt

Sure there are some qualifiers to be made but here are 10 instances in which people and things went into turnaround in 2018, often not for the better from NYT > Home Page https://nyti.ms/2QUJx3k

Through his extended absences, the creative violence of Jon Jones has never waned. Jones regained the UFC’s light-heavyweight belt Saturday night at the Forum, knocking out Alexander Gustafsson in the third round after holding him from atop and crushing him with punches from both hands. “Alexander... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2ESKphI

Amanda Nunes wound up and let her punches rip, and even if the first one missed, the next ones battered Cris Cyborg and resulted in a stunning first-round knockout in the UFC 232 clash of champions Saturday night at the Forum. Nunes (17-4) crushed Cyborg with a devastating right hand to the left... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2LCQXTf

Propelled to victory by a lopsided run Friday night, the Clippers were undone by another during their loss Saturday. The Clippers couldn’t replicate the kind of second-half efficiency that pushed them over the top against the Lakers in a loss to San Antonio one night later at Staples Center. The... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2s1nJV2

The Ducks’ season has swerved between stretches when they were brilliant and times when they couldn’t put two passes together and they abandoned their goaltenders to face barrages of quality shots. Their performance Saturday night followed that zig-zag pattern in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Arizona... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2EXscAp

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — It was only a few days ago that Nick Saban mused about his Alabama football team and the idea of perfection. Though the Crimson Tide were defending champions, had finished the regular season undefeated and were ranked No. 1, the coach refused to get too far ahead of himself. ... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2AiZRAz

James Harden scored 41 points, becoming the first NBA player since Oscar Robertson to record at least 35 points and five assists in seven consecutive games, to power the Houston Rockets to a 108-104 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night. Harden had 26 points in the first half... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2RmoAOb

It was only a few days ago that Nick Saban mused about his Alabama football team and the idea of perfection. Though the Crimson Tide were defending champions, had finished the regular season undefeated and were ranked No. 1, the coach refused to get too far ahead of himself. “We know we can’t win... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2AiZRAz

Richmond Aririguzoh sank two free throws with 24.8 seconds remaining and Princeton held on to stun No. 17 Arizona State 67-66 on Saturday, a week after the Sun Devils had beaten then-No. 1 Kansas on the same floor. The Tigers (7-5) beat a ranked opponent for the first time since a victory over... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2EWsnfk

Clippers reserve Lou Williams is 6 feet 1 and 175 pounds and, in terms of his size and speed, is an everyman in a league of giants and sprinters. But play him in the fourth quarter of a contested game and he becomes an outlier — unguardable and slippery with the ball in his hand. He scored a season-high... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2Q8aefS

from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2VioKp9

from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2Rm9oAH

BURBANK — Pressure came at the Burroughs High girls’ basketball team for the entirety of its third-place game against Mark Keppel in the West Coast Holiday Classic on Saturday at Burroughs. Though the Indians felt the heat, they were able to withstand the incessant defensive barrage the Aztecs... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2RrFHOE

from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2AnSoAj

The only consistent elements in the Ducks’ season are injuries and inconsistency. Their 5-1-1 start faded to a seven-game winless streak, followed by a 3-3-2 stretch. They made a U-turn and pulled off 11 wins in 13 games, which lifted them into playoff position. But they took a four-gamelosing... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2SxHvTT

from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2AnDOc4

In an era where many high school athletes zone out with music in earbuds before a game, the Laguna Beach High girls’ water polo team takes a different approach. The Breakers collectively listen to music out of a speaker given to them last year by program graduate Alex Peros. Goalkeeper Quinn Winter... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2SxHdfL

When it was over, the UCLA crowd’s halftime booing replaced by quiet resignation over another humiliating defeat, Steve Alford and Dan Guerrero walked toward a doorway leading to the locker room inside one corner of Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins coach and his boss were separated by only a few feet... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2AnDM3W

What first arose as a server outage was identified Saturday as a malware attack, which appears to have originated from outside the United States and hobbled computer systems and delayed weekend deliveries of the Los Angeles Times and other newspapers across the country. Technology teams worked... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2BNL0hA

‘Christmas’ present Thank you for the fair and balanced review of Brian Wilson’s concert in Thousand Oaks [“ He Came Home for Christmas ,” Dec. 22]. My wife and I got to sit in the front row. It was quite a show. I paid a lot of attention to the music coming from the back line. Those guys are incredible.... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2TjBk5Q

from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2EZ3kbu

The air inside Staples Center was still chilly from Saturday’s 1 p.m. hockey game between the Kings and Vegas Golden Knights when Clippers players arrived hours later and began their wait to get on the court. Because of the transition from hockey rink to basketball court, the Clippers and San Antonio... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2TfBtaf

from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2AmNqDX

The Los Angeles Times and other newspapers were the victims of an apparent cyberattack. A source with knowledge of the situation said a “foreign entity” launched the attack using malware, which prevented The Times and others from publishing the Saturday print edition on time. Here is what we know: ... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2CF2Q8h

A cyberattack that appears to have originated from outside the United States caused major printing and delivery disruptions at several newspapers across the country on Saturday including the Los Angeles Times, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The attack led to distribution... from latimes.com - Los Angeles Times https://lat.ms/2Ss4bVo

A tilt of the head facilitates social engagement 73 by dnetesn | 29 comments on Hacker News.

Let the Fountain Pens Flow 91 by CaliforniaKarl | 54 comments on Hacker News.

Wildlife officials in Florida celebrated the spotting of a right whale calf, which they said was the first sighting so far this season. from FOX News https://fxn.ws/2ET05lW

A species of duck that was once thought to be extinct for more than a decade has found a new home on a lake in northern Madagascar, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) in the U.K. announced this week. from FOX News https://fxn.ws/2Ssslz2

A unique holiday mystery is unfolding on the storm-battered beaches of the New Jersey shore. from FOX News https://fxn.ws/2SkYDfe

An Asian elephant born to the Columbus Zoo in Ohio in early December has died, zoo officials announced Wednesday. from FOX News https://fxn.ws/2ESLoPQ

A Texas man was shocked to find more than 30 rattlesnakes hiding under a dilapidated hunting cabin at his ranch.  from FOX News https://fxn.ws/2GFx8LX

The National Zoo in D.C. took to Facebook on Christmas Day to share a video of the giant panda Bei Bei rolling around in the snow. from FOX News https://fxn.ws/2BG1RCY

One of the first astronauts to orbit the Moon said on Wednesday that it's "stupid" to plan human missions to Mars.  from FOX News https://fxn.ws/2PZR9wp

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope recently captured a stunning image that resembles a holiday wreath in the cosmos.  from FOX News https://fxn.ws/2AqUYWz

A rogue asteroid shaped like a wading hippo has just skimmed past Earth. from FOX News https://fxn.ws/2SmgWRc

A sexually charged elephant broke into a game park in South Africa and trampled a top safari ranger in a fatal rampage, according to reports. from FOX News https://fxn.ws/2EOP9VU

A former patient has filed the first lawsuit against a New Jersey surgery center that may have exposed nearly 3,800 patients to HIV and hepatitis due to poor sterilization and medication practices. from Reuters: U.S. https://reut.rs/2AnNmnE

A cyber attack caused major printing and delivery disruptions on Saturday at the Los Angeles Times and other major U.S. newspapers, including ones owned by Tribune Publishing Co such as the Chicago Tribune and Baltimore Sun. from Reuters: U.S. https://reut.rs/2VjBR9n

A Hilton hotel in Portland, Oregon fired a security guard and a manager after a black guest captured them on video calling the police to report him for trespassing after he had been speaking to his mother by phone in the lobby, the hotel said on Saturday. from Reuters: U.S. https://reut.rs/2Rm1FCD