PoliticsBusiness InsiderAlan Dershowitz says Texas lawsuit tossed by Supreme Court should tell Trump's allies that they 'can't count on the judiciary' to invalidate election results
Alan Dershowitz on Sunday said that the Supreme Court's decision to toss the Texas election lawsuit signaled a message to President Donald Trump's camp that they "can't count of the judiciary" to invalidate the election results, according to The Hill. Dershowitz said that Trump's campaign needed a "perfect storm" in order to invalidate the election results, with courts, governors, and state election officials aiding his cause. "I suspect on Monday we will see the electors…elect Joe Biden," he said.
WorldThe Telegraph'We have no oxygen': First journalist to access Yemen after Covid discovers major cover up in country of her birth
Like many others in March I was spending my days locked down in my London flat, listening to reports about how overwhelmed the NHS was and the struggle to get essential supplies. If the UK was struggling to cope, I thought to myself, just how would the authorities in Yemen fare? From London I set about trying to find out what was truly happening, but it was near impossible.
WorldThe WeekRussian report claims Putin is secretly working at a duplicate office in seaside resort
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been a visible presence during Russia's COVID-19 pandemic, but only on TV, shown working from his office at his official residence outside Moscow. Few people have seen Putin in person since March, and those who are allowed into his office have to first quarantine for two weeks then walk through a tunnel that sprays a fine mist of antiseptics, Russian journalists say. Putin, a former spy, has actually been working at an identical office set up at his residence in Sochi, a resort town and popular vacation destination on the Black Sea, Proekt reports, citing anonymous sources plus presidential plane flight logs and other circumstantial evidence.
- WorldAssociated Press
China confirms detention of Bloomberg news assistant
China's Foreign Ministry confirmed on Monday that an assistant for the financial news service Bloomberg has been detained on suspicion of activities endangering national security. Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Haze Fan's case is currently under investigation and that her “legitimate rights and interests have all been fully guaranteed. Bloomberg issued a report last week saying Fan had been out of contact since Dec. 7 and that it only received word of her detention after days of asking government departments in Beijing and the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. The European Union and the association of foreign reporters in Beijing have issued statements expressing concern over Fan's...
U.S.ReutersGunman shot dead by police at NYC church after concert; no one else wounded
A gunman shouting "Kill me!" opened fire from the steps of New York City's Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine just after an outdoor choir performance there on Sunday, and was himself shot dead by police, according to police and a Reuters photographer at the scene. No one else was struck by gunfire thanks to quick action by three officers on the scene who confronted the suspect, New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea told reporters following the late-afternoon violence on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The shooting occurred outside the landmark cathedral for the Episcopal Diocese of New York, located at Amsterdam Avenue and West 112th Street, about 15 minutes after the conclusion of an outdoor choir performance on the church steps attended by about 200 people.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderGeorgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler posed for a photo with a former KKK chief - but says she didn't know who he was
Sen. Kelly Loeffler has been photographed with Chester Doles, a former head of the Ku Klux Klan and member of the neo-Nazi National Alliance. Doles posted a selfie of them at a rally for Loeffler in Dawsonville, Georgia, on Friday, on the Russian social-media site VKontakte. The image was reshared on Twitter by a Jewish advocacy group, which criticized Loeffler.
PoliticsThe WeekJudge appointed by Trump heard his case to overturn Biden's win, wholly rejected it on the merits
President Trump told Fox News' Brian Kilmeade on Saturday, in a clip broadcast Sunday, that no judges have had "the courage" to allow his lawyers and allies to argue his baseless claims that the election was "stolen," specifically criticizing the U.S. Supreme Court for declining to "go into the evidence" on his cases because of "little technicalities, like a thing called standing." In fact, several courts have offered to hear pro-Trump lawyers argue their case, and U.S. District Judge Brett Ludwig in Wisconsin shot down the latest of those cases on Saturday. "A sitting president who did not prevail in his bid for reelection has asked for federal court help in setting aside the popular vote based on disputed issues of election administration, issues he plainly could have raised before the vote occurred," wrote Ludwig, a Trump appointee.
HealthThe TelegraphFather who 'begged' GP for an MRI scan dies from cancer after Covid backlog
A father-of-two who had to "beg" to get an MRI scan because of the coronavirus crisis has died of cancer, his family have revealed. Sherwin Hall, 27, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, went to hospital on March 23 suffering from leg pain but despite repeated visits he was only given a course of antibiotics for a misdiagnosis of prostatitis. After "begging for a scan" and 13 hospital visits in four weeks, Mr Hall was finally given an MRI on May 26 which revealed a 14cm malignant tumour in his pelvis and 30 small tumours on his lungs.
WorldAssociated PressFamilies marry off daughters to ease finances amid COVID-19
Before long, Marie was seated on a floor mat in a new dress as his family presented hers with 500,000 leones ($50) inside a calabash bowl along with the traditional kola nut. The day they paid for me was on a Friday and then I went to his house to stay," she says flatly, adding that at least now she gets to eat something twice a day. Many countries had made progress against such traditional and transactional marriages of girls in recent decades, but COVID-19's economic havoc has caused significant backsliding: The United Nations estimates that hardships resulting from COVID-19 will drive 13 million more girls to marry before the age of 18.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderHunter Biden told to disclose information related to Ukrainian energy company Burisma as part of his tax investigation
Hunter Biden has been asked to provide information related to his work at the Ukrainian energy company Burisma as part of the DOJ tax investigation, a source involved in the process told the Associated Press. The president-elect's second son has also been asked to provide documents relating to his business dealings with China and other financial transactions. It is not clear whether the younger Biden's work at the Ukrainian company is a central part of the tax investigation.
U.S.The WeekNational Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, wife are reportedly making Europe event a holiday vacation
National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien is heading to Paris on Monday as head of a U.S. delegation to the 60th anniversary of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Convention, the White House announced Sunday. His wife, Lo-Mari, is accompanying him on the lame-duck trip, which will double as "a holiday tour of the romantic Mediterranean and European capitals, including seeking a private tour of the Louvre despite it being closed because of coronavirus restrictions," Axios reports. Most Americans are barred from traveling to France or other European countries, and U.S. citizens already in Paris are supposed to leave their homes only for grocery shopping or work.
WorldThe TelegraphSouth Korea shuts schools and warns of 'greatest crisis' since pandemic began
South Korea has ordered schools to close from Tuesday in the capital Seoul and surrounding areas as it battles its worst outbreak of novel coronavirus since the pandemic began, surpassing the previous peak in February. Schools in the capital region will move classes online until the end of the month, in the latest ratcheting up of social distancing measures which so far have failed to reverse the spike in infections. The head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Jeong Eun-kyeong, predicted that daily daily cases will rise to between 950 to 1,200 in the near future, up from 718 new infections declared on Monday.
U.S.INSIDER2 Ohio girls who ran away from home together were located states apart - but only one was found safe and alive
The Ohio police are investigating a case involving the death of a 15-year-old girl who was reported missing last month, Fox News reported. Kathryn McGuire, 15, and Haylie Vance, 15, are thought to have run away from their homes with a 19-year-old named Aaron Larkin, according to a news release from the Painesville Police Department. McGuire died in a hospital in Nevada four days later, according to the police.
U.S.USA TODAYMan climbs on wing of Alaska Airlines plane departing Las Vegas airport, takes off shoes and socks
Police have arrested a man who managed to climb the wing of a departing Alaska Airlines plane at Las Vegas's McCarran International Airport on Saturday. Passengers watched in shock — and filmed — inside Alaska Airlines flight 1367 from Las Vegas to Portland when they saw the man climbing onboard the wing, sitting down and eventually taking off his shoes and socks during his estimated 45-minute stint. "WTH did I just witness?" passenger Erin Evans asked on Twitter, posting video of the incident.
PoliticsLA TimesMcManus: Trump has changed tactics in his election fight. His new approach is more dangerous
President Trump's initial challenge to the outcome of the presidential election annoyed supporters of Joe Biden, who won the vote. But Trump's early actions weren't outrageous. A candidate — any candidate — has the right to challenge results, ask for recounts and investigate charges of wrongdoing.
- PoliticsFOX News Videos
Rudy Giuliani on Trump election fight: We have ‘1,000 affidavits from witnesses in 6 different states’
President Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani provides insight into the strongest piece of evidence he will present for legal challenge.
U.S.Miami HeraldTwo inmates who escaped a Tennessee prison arrested in South Florida
The two inmates wanted by the who escaped from a prison in Tennessee were arrested in Pompano Beach Sunday night, officials said. According to the Tennessee Department of Corrections, Robert Lee Brown and Christopher Osteen were arrested by the Broward County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Marshals Service after the two absconded from Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville on Friday. Brown, 36, was serving an 18-year sentence for aggravated rape and Osteen, 34, was serving an 8-year sentence for burglary.. Brown's sentence was set to expire in 2022 and Osteen's was set to expire in 2023.
BusinessBusiness InsiderTesla is reportedly shutting down Model S and X production for 18 days, forcing staff to take unplanned, unpaid time off - or they can 'volunteer' in other parts of the business
Tesla is suspending production of two of its Model S and X electric vehicles for 18 days from December 24, according to a Friday staff email seen by CNBC. Affected staff have to take five unpaid days off work, but Tesla said they could seek limited paid opportunities, or even "volunteer" elsewhere in the business. Tesla is suspending production of its Model S and Model X vehicles for 18 days from late December, according to an email to factory staff seen by CNBC.
PoliticsLA TimesOn eve of electoral college cementing Biden victory, Trump says he won't give in
With his efforts to overturn election results now fueling violence and injury, President Trump this weekend again promoted debunked claims in an apparent attempt to undermine an electoral college vote Monday that will officially cement his defeat. Speaking to Fox News, Trump asserted the election dispute was “not over.” President-elect Joe Biden won the electoral college 306 to 232, the identical margin by which Trump secured the White House in 2016 and had hailed as a "landslide."
PoliticsUSA TODAYDonald Trump, Mike Pence, Congress, Supreme Court will be offered COVID-19 vaccine in coming days, officials say
President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and other top federal office-holders will be offered COVID-19 vaccines over the next week-and-a-half to guard against an outbreak that could cripple the functions of government, officials said Sunday. The shots will be offered to officials across all three branches of government, including leaders at the White House, in Congress, and on the Supreme Court, officials said. White House staff members who work in close proximity to Trump are also expected to get early vaccines.
U.S.Business InsiderAn Arizona ER doctor who was fired for tweeting about COVID-19 is set to go back to work this week - but he says healthcare workers still need more protections
An emergency-medicine doctor in Arizona said he was fired from his position at Yuma Regional Medical Center over posts he made on social media about the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Cleavon Gilman, an Iraq War veteran, said he was told not to return to his job after tweeting about Arizona running low on available ICU beds. He told Business Insider doctors everywhere are afraid to speak out about their experiences during the pandemic for fear of retribution, and that healthcare workers generally need more protections.
PoliticsAssociated PressWith his star dimmed, California's Newsom could face recall
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has had a rough year. The next one might be even tougher as a recall effort appears to be gaining momentum, fueled partly by outrage over the first-term Democrat dining with friends at an opulent restaurant while telling state residents to spurn social gatherings and stay home. It's not uncommon in California for residents to seek recalls but they rarely get on the ballot — and even fewer succeed.
LifestyleUSA TODAYCOVID-19 gave this Ohio family a 'sucker punch.' Powerful family emails show how tragedy unfolded.
The day Frank Malinowski was admitted to the hospital for treatment of COVID-19, his 36-year-old son, Frank "Keith" Malinowski, began to write. Over three weeks in October and November, the virus became a plague on the Malinowski family. For Keith Malinowski, an avid deer hunter from Canal Fulton, Ohio, who works in railroad construction, his emails were his way of coping in a time of high stress.
PoliticsThe Daily BeastProud Boy Leader Says He Was Invited to White House. White House Says It Was Actually a Public Xmas Tour.
Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio said on Saturday that he had been invited to the White House, ostensibly while he was in Washington, D.C. to attend a series of rallies protesting the results of the 2020 election. His posts, which were made on the Trumpian social media site Parler, set off alarm bells over the possibility that a top figure with a far-right, neo-fascist movement had been granted an audience with top government officials. But the White House says that he was not, in fact, invited at all and was merely on a public Christmas tour of the complex.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderBill Gates said the transition between presidential administrations is 'complicating' the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, but 'we'll get through this in a positive way'
Bill Gates said that, while the transition of administrations "is complicating" the vaccine distribution process, he believed "we'll get through this in a positive way," he said during a segment of CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday. Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine was approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration on Friday. Moncef Slaoui, the head scientist of the federal vaccine initiative Operation Warp Speed, said on Sunday that Moderna's vaccine will also "likely" to be approved by Friday of the upcoming week.
“The prospect of a 2024 run is politically significant. It’s also a complete fiction.”
“His flirtation with a 2024 bid ensures he’ll remain the dominant force in the Republican Party.”
“He shouldn’t run for president again. There’s a better job and life for him on the horizon.”
“Trump is in for years of scandals and humiliations…He’ll have to devote much of his energy to trying to stay out of prison.”
“If Trump himself passes on the opportunity, his two very political children could also potentially pick up the mantle.”