Shutdown Starts Amid Blame Game as Trump Marks First Year
The U.S. government began a partial shutdown on Saturday as finger-pointing intensified on both sides and members of Congress explored whether there was any hope of bringing it to a quick end.
bloomberg.com
Syria: Turkey war planes launch strikes on Afrin
Turkish war planes have launched air strikes on Kurdish positions in northern Syria, in a move likely to cause tensions with the US.
bbc.com
U.S. May Speed Up Jerusalem Embassy Move to as Early as 2019
The Trump administration accelerated its timetable for moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, weighing a plan to retrofit the existing consulate there by the end of 2019 in order to fulfill a key campaign pledge by the president.
bloomberg.com
China accuses U.S. warship of violating its sovereignty
A U.S. Navy destroyer sailed near a disputed territory claimed by China in the South China Sea earlier in the week, U.S. officials said on Saturday, as China’s foreign ministry said it would take “necessary measures” to ensure protection of its sovereignty.
reuters.com
House Plan for Sexual-Harassment Complaints Would Bypass Ethics Watchdog
A bipartisan House bill to strengthen protection for congressional employees who file sexual-harassment complaints would bar review by Congress’s outside ethics watchdog.
bloomberg.com
NSA erased surveillance data related to controversial G. W. Bush spying program – court documents
The National Security Agency (NSA) has deleted surveillance data about warrantless wiretapping ordered by President George W. Bush to recycle some hard drive space, recent federal court filings reveal.
rt.com
Staff Allege Sexual Harassment, Assault Widespread at United Nations
Staffers at the United Nations, U.N., have claimed that sexual harassment, as well as a culture of impunity for perpetrators, is rife at their offices around the world. The Guardian interviewed dozens of current and former U.N. employees in over ten countries as part of the investigation.
telesurtv.net
Two Koreas Form Single Ice Hockey Team in Show of Olympic Unity=
North and South Korea solidified plans to march together under a unified flag at next month’s Winter Olympics and agreed to compete with a joint women’s ice hockey team in a rare show of unity amid heightened tensions about Kim Jong Un’s nuclear program.
bloomberg.com
'Am I scaring you?': British teen harassed top CIA officials after hacking their computers, court hears
A British teenager hacked the computers of top US intelligence officials and waged an eight-month campaign of harassment and intimidation against them, a court has heard.
ibtimes.co.uk
Waters Near Florida Still Being Considered for Oil Drilling
Despite Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s Jan. 9 declaration that Florida is "off the table" for offshore oil drilling, that activity is actually still on the table.
bloomberg.com
Senator Menendez Will Face Retrial on Bribery Charges
The U.S. Justice Department intends to retry Senator Robert Menendez on bribery charges after a jury failed to reach a verdict last November and jurors said that a majority believed he wasn’t guilty.
bloomberg.com
‘Shoot black kids’ smoking weed, police chief advises recruit
A former assistant police chief in Kentucky advised a recruit to “shoot” black youths smoking marijuana and to have sex with their mothers if he finds them attractive.
rt.com
Facebook to favor ‘trustworthy’ news sources – Zuckerberg
Feeling the pressure from Congress to ‘fix’ his social media platform, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has resorted to crowdsourcing the ratings system for “trustworthy” news sources appearing on users’ feeds.
rt.com
