PoliticsBusiness InsiderAlan Dershowitz says Texas lawsuit tossed by Supreme Court should tell Trump's allies they 'can't count on the judiciary' to invalidate the election results
Alan Dershowitz on Sunday said the Supreme Court's decision to toss the Texas election lawsuit signaled to President Donald Trump's camp that they "can't count on the judiciary" to invalidate the election results, according to The Hill. Dershowitz said Trump's campaign would need a "perfect storm" 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.
WorldReutersChina urges EU to stop 'irresponsible remarks' after statement on Bloomberg employee
BEIJING (Reuters) -China said on Monday the European Union should stop making "irresponsible remarks" after it called for the release of all those arrested for reporting in China in a statement on a detained Chinese national working for Bloomberg News. China's foreign ministry said on Friday authorities had detained Haze Fan, who works for the Bloomberg bureau in Beijing, on suspicion of endangering national security. The European Union called for authorities to grant Fan "medical assistance if needed, prompt access to a lawyer of her choice, and contacts with her family."
WorldAssociated Press'External source' causes oil tanker blast off Saudi Arabia
An oil tanker off Saudi Arabia's port city of Jiddah suffered an explosion early Monday after being hit by “an external source,” a shipping company said, suggesting another vessel has come under attack off the kingdom amid its yearslong war in Yemen. The attack on the Singapore-flagged BW Rhine, which had been contracted by the trading arm of the kingdom's massive Saudi Arabian Oil Co., marks the fourth assault targeting Saudi energy infrastructure in a month. It also apparently shut down Jiddah port, the most important shipping point for the kingdom, which later said a bomb-laden boat like the remote-controlled ones used by Yemen's Houthi rebels caused the explosion.
WorldThe TelegraphIsrael announces full diplomatic relations with Bhutan
Israel announced on Saturday that it is establishing full diplomatic relations with the relatively isolated Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, the latest in a string of international deals designed to show Israel's growing acceptance abroad. “The circle of recognition of Israel is widening,” said Israeli foreign minister, Gabi Ashkenazi. “The establishment of relations with the Kingdom of Bhutan will constitute a new stage in the deepening of Israel's relations in Asia.”
U.S.INSIDERA man was physically assaulted while supporting Democratic candidates at rally in Georgia, police say
A man was a victim of a physical assault on Saturday while at a rally in support of Georgia runoff Democratic candidates Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock, Atlanta's WSB-TV reported. "A passerby stopped and confronted a supporter with physical aggression," Henry County Police Captain Randy Lee told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in a statement."The supporter suffered wounds to his face and head." A man was physically assaulted while showing support for Georgia Democratic Senate candidates at a rally on Saturday morning.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderAttorney General Barr reportedly instructed prosecutors not to reveal the Hunter Biden tax probes before the election to keep the DOJ out of politics
Attorney General William Barr went to great lengths to prevent prosecutors and senior Justice Department officials from revealing the existence of federal tax investigations into Hunter Biden before the election, The Wall Street Journal reported. The report includes new details of Barr's efforts to keep the investigations under wraps. Monday's report adds to a growing list of frustrations President Donald Trump has with Barr and may catalyze the president's efforts to fire the attorney general weeks before he leaves office.
WorldAssociated PressThe Latest: Nurse is 1st to get COVID-19 vaccine in Florida
THE VIRUS OUTBREAK: — COVID-19 vaccine shipments begin in historic US effort — Tens of thousands of new child brides are being married off as their families struggle amid the pandemic's economic fallout — London and nearby areas will be placed under the highest level of restrictions starting Wednesday — AP PHOTOS: Italian health workers still under enormous strain. One says Christmas I will be here. Just like I had Easter here, just like August here, just like every day.
WorldReutersVietnam leadership wrangling heats up as Communist Party meets
As Vietnam's ruling Communist Party started a week-long meeting on Monday, discussion has intensified over the top leadership that will emerge and set the tone for the next five years in the fast-developing Southeast Asian country. A government statement said the latest plenum would include discussion of "personnel documents" - a euphemism for deciding who holds the most important posts, which will be formally assigned at the Communist Party Congress due in January. The congress will shape policy five years after General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, a party ideologue, emerged to lead an anti-corruption drive after ejecting a former leadership that had closer ties to business.
WorldAssociated PressGermany's heath minister urges EU to approve vaccine faster
Germany's health minister demanded that the European Union's regulatory agency work faster to approve a coronavirus vaccine and bring an end to the suffering on the continent, but the head of the agency said Monday that his team is already working “around the clock.” Other German officials suggested that residents should forgo Christmas shopping and attend Christmas Mass online as a new lockdown loomed that will close schools and most stores. Chancellor Angela Merkel and the governors of Germany's 16 states agreed Sunday to step up the country's lockdown measures beginning Wednesday and running to Jan. 10 to stop the exponential rise of COVID-19 cases.
- BusinessReuters Videos
AstraZeneca shares dip after $39 bln Alexion deal
Shares in AstraZeneca fell around 6% early on Monday morning (Dec 14). That as investors reacted to news from the firm over the weekend. The British drugmaker on Saturday (December 12) announced it is buying Alexion Pharmaceuticals for $39 billion in cash and stock.
U.S.BBCAlfred Bourgeois: Second death row inmate executed in two days
A man who killed his toddler daughter nearly 20 years ago has become the second US federal inmate to be executed in as many days. Alfred Bourgeois' death by lethal injection on Friday comes after Brandon Bernard was put to death on Thursday. Three more executions are planned before the end of Donald Trump's presidency on 20 January.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderWall Street Journal op-ed telling Jill Biden to drop her 'Dr.' title condemned as 'patronizing drivel.' The paper's higher-education reporter was among the critics.
An op-ed article published by The Wall Street Journal on Friday sparked criticism after it suggested that the incoming first lady, Jill Biden, should drop her "Dr." title because she does not hold a doctorate in medicine. The essayist Joseph Epstein urged Biden to "drop the doc" in her name, saying it "sounds and feels fraudulent, not to say a touch comic." A representative for Biden called the article a "disgusting and sexist attack," with many public figures, including Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' husband, Douglas Emhoff, tweeting in support.
WorldAssociated PressIran president says Israel was behind killing of scientist
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Monday claimed that Israel was behind the killing of a scientist who founded the Islamic Republic's military nuclear program in the 2000s in an effort to start a war in the last days of President Trump's administration. Rouhani's comments in a news conference marked the first time he has directly accused the Jewish state of carrying out the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh late last month. Israel, long suspected of killing Iranian nuclear scientists over the last decade, has repeatedly declined to comment on the attack.
U.S.Business InsiderAtlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says she declined a position in Biden's cabinet
The office of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Saturday told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that she declined an offer to serve in the cabinet of President-elect Joe Biden. Bottoms, considered a rising star among Democrats, had previously been considered for the role of Biden's vice president before he ultimately selected Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottom has declined an offer to serve in President-elect Joe Biden's cabinet, her office said in a statement Saturday.
HealthAssociated PressAfter 110K virus deaths, nursing homes face vaccine fears
After 110,000 deaths ravaged the nation's nursing homes and pushed them to the front of the vaccine line, they now face a vexing problem: Skeptical residents and workers balking at getting the shots. “You go get that first and let me know how you feel,” said Denise Schwartz, whose 84-year-old mother lives at an assisted living facility in East Northport, New York, and plans to decline the vaccine. Everyone from members of the military to former presidents have announced their intentions to get the shots, echoing the refrains of others who say the drugs are the product of rigorous review, firm data and independent experts.
WorldBBCIndia farmers: Misleading claims about high-profile support
Protests by farmers in India over new pricing laws show no sign of abating. The dispute has become highly politicised, with many thousands of farmers blocking access roads around the capital Delhi with their tractors and other machinery. Both sides have sought to control the social media narrative, and we've taken a look at attempts to spread misinformation about well-known personalities takings sides in the dispute.
WorldAssociated PressItaly surpasses UK for worst COVID-19 death toll in Europe
Italy on Sunday eclipsed Britain to become the nation with the worst official coronavirus death toll in Europe. Italy, where the continent's pandemic began, registered 484 COVID-19 deaths in one day, one of its lowest one-day death counts in about a month. Counting criteria differ in the two countries, and many coronavirus deaths, especially early in the pandemic, are believed to have gone undetected, including those of elderly people in nursing homes who were not tested for COVID-19.
BusinessBusiness InsiderRanking the most flexible US airlines to book for travelers cautiously planning 2021 trips as vaccines offer hope for a return to normal
American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Alaska Airlines have all eliminated domestic and international change fees, though with some caveats. Luckily, a perfect combination of cheap flights and flexible booking policies is putting consumers in the driver's seat when booking travel for 2021. With multiple COVID-19 vaccines nearing emergency authorization, experts are predicting a return to normal by this time next year and perhaps by the end of summer, opening the door for travel once again.
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.
HealthBusiness InsiderPfizer's coronavirus vaccine should be safe for most Americans, but 5 groups may want to wait for more data before getting shots
Some public-health experts have also questioned whether people who were already infected with the coronavirus should get vaccinated, particularly if they have lingering symptoms. Here are five groups that may want to wait for more data on how the vaccine affects people like them. At least two groups, young children and those with severe allergies to the vaccine's ingredients, will have to wait no matter what.
EntertainmentThe Daily BeastPrince Andrew Misled BBC When He Said He Didn’t Stay at Epstein’s Home in 2001: Report
Prince Andrew's relationship with dead pedophile Jeffrey Epstein was back under the microscope Sunday evening after British newspaper the Daily Mail revealed that Andrew was misleading when he told the BBC he did not stay at Epstein's house when he was in New York in April 2001. He was questioned on camera by Emily Maitlis of the BBC about his movements during the three-day trip because one Epstein victim, Johanna Sjoberg, had previously accused Andrew of a bizarre groping incident at Epstein's home involving a Spitting Image puppet on the trip. Another Epstein victim, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, claims that it was after the groping incident that she was ordered to have sex with “Andy.
PoliticsAssociated PressTrump raises China concerns as reason to veto defense bill
President Donald Trump offered a new rationale Sunday for threatening to veto the annual defense policy bill that covers the military's budget for equipment and pay raises for service members: China. He did not outline his concerns. Republican and Democratic lawmakers say the wide-ranging defense policy bill, which the Senate sent to the president on Friday, would be tough on China and must become law as soon as possible.
CelebrityThe Daily BeastPrincess Diana Letter Praised Martin Bashir and Said He Never Showed Her Fake Documents, Inquiry Will Hear
The extraordinary saga of alleged corrupt practices by journalist Martin Bashir in securing his devastating 1995 interview with Diana, Princess of Wales, took another turn Monday as it was revealed that a missing letter written by Diana apparently exonerating Bashir of using fraudulent documents to secure the interview has been found, and is expected to become an important piece of evidence during a forthcoming inquiry into the affair. Diana's handwritten letter is believed to praise Bashir, the interviewer who has been accused of obtaining Diana's cooperation by deception, and Diana apparently writes in it that she was never shown any documents to persuade her to take part in the interview. According to a report in British newspaper The Times on Monday, Diana apparently wrote in it: “This is to confirm that I gave you the interview freely and was not influenced by any documents.”
CelebrityINSIDERGwen Stefani said she doesn't want her wedding to be a 'COVID situation,' and inviting 'just family' is still too many guests
Fellow "The Voice" judges and singers Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton announced their engagement at the end of October. Stefani said in a recent episode of "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" that she and Shelton have no concrete plans for their wedding, as she wants to wait to be able to safely host her parents at the ceremony. Stefani also told Seacrest that she feels even if the ceremony were to just include family, "it's still too many people for COVID" — echoing a concern other future newlyweds have felt when contemplating risky wedding plans amid the pandemic.
CelebrityUSA TODAYRBG, Kobe Bryant, Little Richard: Remembering notables who died in 2020
The pandemic was barely starting when the deaths at the hands of police of ordinary Americans like George Floyd, 46, and Breonna Taylor, 26, sparked Black Lives Matter protests and helped raise social consciousness. Some deaths shook nations in other ways. Three days of mourning were ordered in Argentina following the loss of soccer superstar Diego Maradona, 60, whose famous “Hand of God” goal – the ball came off his hand into the net but was allowed to stand – helped secure the 1986 World Cup for his country.
“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.”