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Turkey, Russia airstrikes destroy Daesh targets in al-Bab, 22 killed: Twenty-two Daesh terrorists have been killed in the north Syrian cities of al-Bab, Bzagah and Tadif in the last 24 hours as part of the ongoing Operation Euphrates Shield, Turkish military said

Airstrike kills at least 8 jihadi militants in Syria: An air raid has struck several cars in northwestern Syria, killing at least eight people, including al-Qaida-linked fighters and a senior commander with a Chinese Islamic militant faction

Russian forces prepare to retake Syrian city of Palmyra from ISIS: FOOTAGE of Russian soldiers deployed near an ISIS-controlled area in Syria has been released as Vladimir Putin’s forces prepare to eradicate the brutal terror network from Palmyra.

Baghdad suicide car bomb blast kills 35; Sixty-one other people were injured by the blast in the predominantly Shia Muslim eastern district of Sadr City. Another car bomb later exploded in the car park of the nearby Al-Kindi hospital, killing three people.

4 soldiers killed in ISIL attack in western Iraq: Four Iraqi soldiers were killed and five others injured in a suspected ISIL attack in Iraq’s western Anbar province, military sources said early Monday.

Iraq forces have retaken over 60% of east Mosul: commander: The eastern side of Mosul, which is split by the Tigris River, is the larger of the two, but more civilians live in the west, he said.

Bombing, air strikes kill 25 in Yemen; An air strike by the Saudi-led coalition hit yesterday a house in the province of Marib, east of the capital Sanaa, killing five members of the same family.

Saudi soldier killed by Houthi fire on Yemen border : The soldier was the third to have been killed by Houthi fire since last week

Yemen's children starve as war drags on; During the best of times, many Yemenis struggled to make ends meet. Now they can barely feed themselves.

Police suspect Netanyahu took gifts worth hundreds of thousands of shekels: If the evidence is true, it would mean Netanyahu heedlessly fell in the same hole that has swallowed his predecessor.

Istanbul nightclub gunman shooting at people caught on CCTV (GRAPHIC VIDEO) : A horrendous video has emerged online, showing an attacker armed with a rifle shooting directly at people at Istanbul’s Reina nightclub.

Gunman opens fire on an Istanbul mosque: Two people have been taken to hospital following the shooting at the Hasan Pasha Mosque in Algeria mosque in the north of the Turkish city.

3 killed as massive blast hits near Mogadishu airport: Police say three people killed after suicide bomber rammed car into a checkpoint close to city's international airport.

2 key ISIS commanders arrested, 10 killed in East of Afghanistan: Two top commanders of the loyalists of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group were arrested and at least ten others were killed during the counter-terrorism operations in East of Afghanistan.

Duterte seeks 'strategic shift' from US to China: Envoy; The Philippines is tilting away from its traditional ally the United States towards China in a bid to "normalise" relations following a longstanding territorial dispute, the country's incoming ambassador to Beijing said today.

Plane carrying expelled Russian diplomats leaves US: Relatives of the diplomats are also onboard the plane flown specially from Russia, for a total of 96 passengers onboard.

War criminal: Senator McCain says U.S. 'must stand up to Vladimir Putin'; "We will strongly urge our colleagues toward more meaningful and stronger sanctions against Russia because of their attack on the United States of America," McCain told reporters in Georgia's capital Tbilisi.

Russia Sells $11 Billion Stake in Rosneft to Glencore, Qatar: Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund agreed to buy a 10.2-billion euro ($11 billion) stake in Russia’s largest oil producer from the state in a triumph for President Vladimir Putin over sanctions imposed by the West.

Finland to pay unemployed basic income of $587 per month: Those 2,000 unemployed chosen will receive 560 euros every month, with no reporting requirements on how they spend it. The amount will be deducted from any benefits they already receive.

Dozens killed in Brazil prison riot: At least 50 killed in rebellion at Anisio Jobim penitentiary complex in Amazonas state, government says.

Zapatistas Celebrate 23 Years of Resistance, Forge New Strategy: The Zapatistas have announced plans to put forward an Indigenous woman candidate for Mexico's 2018 presidential elections, marking a break in strategy.

Jeremy Corbyn and Lopez Obrador Meet in Mexico: “We talked extensively about the beautiful dream of realizing a world government based on justice and fraternity,” the Mexican politician wrote.

The Guardian’s Summary of Julian Assange’s Interview Went Viral and Was Completely False: This article is about how those false claims — fabrications, really — were spread all over the internet by journalists, causing hundreds of thousands of people (if not millions) to consume false news.

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40 insurgents, soldiers killed in Yemen anti-rebel offensive: Army: At least 28 Houthi insurgents and 12 Yemeni soldiers were killed on Tuesday in the southern province of Shabwa as government forces pushed to capture a rebel enclave, military officials said.

Iraq: Airstrikes on IS hideouts in Kirkuk, 15 militants killed: Peshmerga Official Kamal Kirkuki revealed on Monday, that international coalition aircraft carried out extensive airstrikes on the hideouts of the Islamic State, based on accurate intelligence information.

Iraq; Islamic State executes 7 civilians east of Mosul: A Counter-Terrorism Officer announced on Tuesday, that the self-proclaimed Islamic State group executed seven civilians for collaborating with security forces, east of Mosul.

13 Daesh killed in Syria's Al-Bab: Turkish military: : Fifteen people, including 13 Daesh terrorists and two Syrian opposition fighters were killed during clashes in Syria’s Al-Bab on Monday, the Turkish military said in a statement Tuesday.

U.S.-backed fighters approach ISIS-held dam in Syria: Kurdish-led fighters are approaching a strategic dam controlled by the Islamic State group in northern Syria after days of fighting that killed a senior ISIS military commander, a spokesman for the U.S.-backed forces and others said Tuesday.

'It would be worse than a nuclear bomb:' Allied troops and ISIS to battle for collapsing Mosul Dam that would spew out 4.4million Olympic size swimming pools of water and kill 1.5MILLION people if it breaches

U.S.-backed Syrian force hopes to get anti-aircraft missiles; A U.S.-backed alliance of militias fighting Islamic State hopes a U.S. decision to ease some restrictions on arming groups in Syria will lead to them getting anti-aircraft missiles, its spokesman said on Tuesday.

‘US not serious about fighting ISIS, it raised terrorists & wants them to stay’ – Iran Def Min: Washington appears unready to play a serious role in fighting Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), as it has fostered terrorists itself and now wants them to remain in the Middle East

SYRIA VIDEO: 'Gift from Qatar' Discovered in Eastern Aleppo!: The Syrian army conducted a sweeping operation in the Al-Madares district in Eastern Aleppo and found two huge warehouses of weapons and military equipment labeled as 'Gift from Qatar'.

Russia says will boost cooperation with Turkey, Iran on Syria: Interfax: "We will further build our cooperation with Ankara, Tehran and other countries in the region on the Syrian question," Lavrov was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.

Aleppo: The truth that the western media refuses to report: Andrew Ashdown is a Church of England priest studying Christian-Muslim relations in Syria. In the last few days he has visited East Aleppo. This is the report of his visit.

A mass grave, mutilated bodies, landmines and other moderate atrocities; A mass grave has been discovered in Eastern Aleppo. Mutilated bodies and mines in children's toys are just some of the atrocities committed by the people the west calls 'moderate'

Israel to approve 100s of new homes in occupied East Jerusalem in defiance of UNSC resolution – reports : The Committee might approve as many as 5,600 homes in response to the United Nations Security Council resolution which condemned illegal, Israeli settlement activities

Israeli ambassador: We’ll give Trump proof Obama drove UN vote: Israel’s ambassador to the United States said Tuesday that the country will present President-elect Donald Trump with “evidence” that the Obama administration orchestrated an anti-settlement resolution at the UN.

Defiant Israeli culture minister: ‘Obama is history, we have Trump’: Miri Regev tells ceremony no country has as solid a link to its land as Israel, including those that supported the UN Security Council’s anti-settlement resolution

The UN settlement resolution is too little and too late: Palestinians know that they have been offered only stale crumbs from the UN Security Council's table.

New York Times runs an article saying Zionism is racist: Liberal American Jews have “identified themselves with Zionism, a political agenda rooted in the denial of liberal politics.”

Thirty feared dead after Uganda boat capsizes: Nine bodies found after tragedy strikes football team and fans in Africa's seventh largest lake, Uganda news media say.

Russia urges Libya leadership role for UN-defying military chief: Russia threw its weight behind a powerful Libyan army commander, Khalifa Haftar, who's in conflict with the UN-backed government there, saying he must have a role in the leadership of the crisis-wracked state.

Death Toll Surges in Afghanistan as War Enters 16th Year: Thousands of Afghan soldiers, civilians and Taliban fighters have been killed in one of the bloodiest fighting seasons of the 15-year U.S. campaign in the country, a sobering harbinger of what may come in the longest war in American history.

US Ignores Afghanistan Sending Foreign Donors' Money to Abusive Militia Leaders: US authorities have ignored the fact that Afghanistan's authorities sometimes send money allocated to the country's spy agencies by foreign donors to militia groups that violate human rights

Russia, Pakistan, China warn of increased Islamic State threat in Afghanistan; Officials in Kabul and Washington have said that Russia is deepening its ties with Taliban militants fighting the government, though Moscow has denied providing aid to the insurgents.

U.S. was No. 1 worldwide in weapons sales in 2015 at $40B: The figure represents 31 percent of all arms sales globally. France was far behind in second place at $15.2 billion. Qatar's deals were worth $17.5 billion, and Egypt followed with $11.9 billion in arms and Saudi Arabia at $8.6 billion.

South Korea: Ruling party splits over Park scandal: Dozens of MPs quit Saenuri Party and vow to start new party that observers say might try to recruit outgoing UN chief.

Black box of crashed Tu-154 plane found in Black Sea: Device that could help identify cause of military plane crash is found as search for dozens of bodies continues.

Romania : President rejects Muslim PM candidate: Sevil Shhaideh, a politician of Turkish origin, could have been EU nation’s first female and Muslim prime minister.

Christmas in Chicago: 11 killed, 50 wounded : Seven people were killed on Christmas Day alone, more than on the holiday the past three years combined.

Amazon Echo and the Hot Tub Murder: Be careful what you say around your Amazon Echo. Your words may be recorded and used against you in court.

Massive brawls break out as shoppers descend on malls across the country; SWAT teams dispatched, families flee from 'gunfire' and dozens are arrested... all for the sake of a few holiday bargain

Fights break out at malls across United States: Video - Disturbances that included gunfire, massive brawls and food-court fights played out at more than a dozen malls across the country in what proved to be a chaotic day after Christmas.

Growing number of Americans retiring outside the US: The percent of American retirees living abroad rose 17 percent between 2010 and 2015. Countries they've chosen most often: Canada, Japan, Mexico, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Tesla, Panasonic to make solar cells in Buffalo, New York: Production is due to begin in mid-2017. Tesla said it will create 1,400 jobs in Buffalo. New York state has committed $750 million to build and outfit the plant at Buffalo's RiverBend site

U.S. Consumer Confidence Jumps to Highest Level Since 2001; Measure of Americans’ expectations surges to a 13-year high. More households expect better economy, labor market in 2017

Obama signs annual defense policy bill into law; The NDAA authorizes a total of $618.7 billion in spending, including more than $67 billion for a war fund known as the overseas contingency operations (OCO) account. That’s $3.2 billion more than Obama requested.

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Turkey-backed rebels kill 68 Islamic State fighters near Syria's al-Bab: military; Rebels supported by Turkish troops have laid siege to the Islamic State-held town for weeks under the "Euphrates Shield" operation launched by Turkey nearly four months ago.

Turkey Accuses IS Of Killing 30 Civilians In Syria : The civilians were killed with mines and homemade bombs as they tried to flee from the town, located near the Turkish border, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on December 25.

Syria: 21 Civilians Killed by Terrorists in Aleppo: Syrian authorities are currently trying to identify 21 bodies of civilians killed by terrorists before the city of Aleppo was evacuated.

Russian troops find mass graves of people tortured, killed in Aleppo: Konashenkov said some of the bodies have been mutilated and some had gunshot wounds.

Two Free Syrian Army leaders assassinated in Idlib: Two commanders of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) were reportedly killed in the Idlib Governorate on Sunday after unknown gunmen opened fire at the rebel group's headquarters.

Russian jets step up raids on rebel-held Idlib and rural Aleppo; Russian jets stepped up strikes on several towns in Syria's rebel-held Idlib province and rural Aleppo two days after the evacuation of rebels from their last pocket in the northern city of Aleppo

Erdogan says Turkey will never allow a new state in northern Syria; President Erdogan also said that he will discuss a no-fly zone in northern Syria with Trump when he takes office in January.

Iraq: Coalition airstrikes on IS hideouts; “International coalition air strikes destroyed a hideout belonging to the Islamic State in Kawaz Arab area, and killed two IS militants, as well as wounding others.”

Saudi-led Coalition Bombs Yemeni Provinces as 15 Militiamen Killed in Nahem; Saudi-led coalition warplanes threw on Monday cluster bombs on Hared directorate in Hajja province, and launched two strikes over Amran and two others over Al-Malaheet in Saada.

Yemeni army claims snipers shot dead six Saudi soldiers: The official Saudi press agency released a report on Sunday that appeared to contradict the claims, saying just one soldier had been killed by Yemeni sniper fire.

Palestinian land owner preparing to take settlers to ICC: ‘When I heard that a settlement had been built on my land, I felt as if my hand had been cut off,’ he says, vowing not to give up.

Israel Tantrum Continues, Slashes UN Funds After UN Vote: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, as reported by The Sun, “I have already instructed to stop about 30 million shekels (US$7.8 million) in funding to five U.N. bodies that are especially hostile to Israel … and there is more to come.”

Liberman orders army to cut civilian ties with PA following UN vote: According to Army Radio, Liberman ordered the IDF, to cease all contact with political representatives of the Palestinian Authority

Israel plans additional retaliatory moves against UN over resolution: With the help of the new Trump administration, PM Netanyahu plans to target UNRWA, the Palestinian committee at the UN and anti-Israeli UN employees, as well as cut funding for UN agencies.

Rabbi draws parallels between the Obama administration and terrorists for not stopping the UN vote against Israeli settlements: Shemtov was motivated by the UN vote held on December 23 that condemned as illegal the settlements created by Israeli citizens in the West Bank.

US envoy to Israel summoned over UN settlement vote: The resolution demands "Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem".

UK ‘disappointed’ Netanyahu scotched planned meet with May: Deputy ambassador Tony Kay says UN anti-settlement resolution was ‘sufficiently balanced’ to warrant London’s support

Israel's Defense Minister Blasts French Peace Summit as 'Modern Dreyfus Trial': Lieberman urges French Jewish to come to Israel, says Paris peace summit is a 'tribunal against the people of Israel.

Trump vows changes at the UN after Israel vote: "At a time when the Security Council does nothing to stop the slaughter of half-a-million people in Syria, it disgracefully gangs up on the one true democracy in the Middle East, Israel, and calls the Western Wall 'occupied territory'."

Militia kill 34 in eastern Congo; Attacks have surged across the country in the past week alongside violent protests over President Joseph Kabila's failure to step down at the end of his constitutional mandate on Tuesday.

7 Pakistanis among 14 ISIS loyalists killed in East of Afghanistan: At least 14 loyalists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group were killed during the operations in eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan.

Russia plane crash: terrorism not thought to be cause, say authorities: However, the cause of the crash is still unclear: the main possibilities under consideration are pilot error, technical malfunction, poor quality fuel or an unidentified object lodging in the engines.

Highlights of Putin's Marathon Press Conference; From the outset, the presser went straight into prescient issues, with the Russian economy, Crimea, doping, a possible new arms race with the U.S. and the fall of the “old (political) elites” in the West all topics raised within the first hour.

Nine Nations Have Nukes — Here's How Many Each Country Has: the United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea — possess approximately 16,300 nuclear weapons. in total.

Serbia arrests three after 77 migrants found hidden in vehicles; Serbian authorities arrested three men on suspicion of people trafficking after 77 migrants were found hidden in cargo vehicles, the defence ministry said on Monday.

Balkan countries illegally push back migrants: UNHCR: Illegal deportations of migrants seeking to reach western Europe along the so-called Balkans route have been on the rise, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) warned Monday.

Finland to begin paying basic income to unemployed citizens: Two thousand unemployed people will be given €560 (£480) every month for two years, without any restrictions or conditions attached. Leaders hope the move will improve life quality, reduce unemployment and create jobs.

U.S. sues Barclays for alleged mortgage securities fraud; The Department of Justice sued British banking giant Barclays plc (BCS) and several of its U.S. affiliates Thursday for allegedly deceiving investors who were sold mortgage securities in the years leading to the financial crisis.

Goldman Sachs ordered to pay $120m for deliberately manipulating global benchmark for interest-rate swaps: The alleged manipulation centered on the US Dollar International Swaps and Derivatives Association Fix, or Isdafix, which is used to set prices for interest-rate swaps.

Americans are now in more debt than they were before the financial crisis: The average household with credit card debt owes $16,061, up 10% from $14,546 10 years ago and $15,762 last year, according to a new analysis of Federal Reserve Bank of New York and U.S. Census Bureau

Corporate America Is Drowning in Debt; Economic inequality isn't just about the plight of American workers.

Horrifying video shows police TASERING 91-year-old Alzheimer's sufferer in his nursing home: Ottaway County Undersheriff Russ Thornton was filmed discharging his stun gun at the distressed man then handcuffing him on the ground as he writhed around in agony.

US Army blew up bodies that were donated for medical research: Biological Resource Centre (BRC), a company that claimed to donate bodies for research purposes, actually sold each body to the military for $5,893 (£4,800) each.

Massive brawls break out in malls across the US: 'I just seen a bunch of flying fists and I seen the security guards getting punched and anyone that was in the way getting punched,' she said.

Visitors to US to 'volunteer' social media account details : Foreign travelers arriving in the United States, participating in the visa waiver program, are being asked by US customs and border guards to volunteer “information associated with your online presence

CNN Ratings Hit All Time Record Low; CNN was beat out by channels such as The Cartoon Network and Home And Garden TV Network. Viewers obviously decided The Cartoon Network is closer to reality than what CNN pumps out.

Obama Quietly Signs The "Countering Disinformation And Propaganda Act" Into Law; With the US population oblivious of most news emerging from the administration, Obama quietly signed into law the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which authorizes $611 billion for the military in 2017.

Julian Assange gives guarded praise of Trump and blasts Clinton in interview; WikiLeaks founder said there are opportunities for the US to change under the Trump administration – ‘change for the worse and change for the better’

Donald Trump says he intends to dissolve controversial charitable foundation : An investigation is underway in New York to determine if the funds were used improperly, and a spokeswoman for the state’s attorney general has said the foundation cannot simply shut down overnight.

Trump to begin presidency by repealing 70% of Obama’s legacy – Newt Gingrich: “I think in the opening couple days, he’s going to repeal 60 to 70 percent of Obama’s legacy by simply vetoing out all of the various executive orders that Obama used"

Robert Reich: Trump’s Attack on the Freedom of the Press Op-ed - (Video): Historically, tyrants have tried to control the press using 4 techniques that, worryingly, Donald Trump is already using.

Trump’s Jewish confidant named representative for international negotiations: Jason Greenblatt, supports the two-state solution but believes settlements are not an obstacle to peace. He visits Israel several times a year with his own family.

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Syria; 152 killed: army; Clashes between Turkish-backed Syrian rebels and Islamic State militants intensified around the northern Syrian town of al-Bab on Wednesday, killing 14 Turkish soldiers and 138 jihadists, the army said

UN to send 20 observers to east Aleppo: "Access to people in need to provide them with life-saving humanitarian assistance is also urgently needed," he added.

Jubilant Syrians gather for Christmas celebration in west Aleppo : Video - Hundreds of residents gathered at Al Azizieh Square in western Aleppo on Tuesday, to watch the Christmas tree lights being turned on.

5 Arrested After Egyptian Police Bust Staged Photo Shoot Of "Wounded Aleppo Children": Police arrested five people for making staged "wounded children" photos, which they were planning to use to misrepresent on social media as photos of destruction and injured people in Syria's Aleppo

Iraq; Federal Police shells IS camp near Guzlani, kills dozens of terrorists; “Heavy artillery shelled a camp belonging to the Islamic State in the German Hospital in front of Guzlani camp, in southern Mosul, killing dozens of the Islamic State’s members.”

10 killed in ISIL attack in Mosul: At least 10 civilians were killed and 34 others injured Tuesday when mortar shells struck homes here amid an ongoing offensive to oust ISIL from this northern Iraqi city, a medic told Anadolu Agency.

Bombs Kill 7 Near Iranian Kurdish Party Head Quarters In Iraq: Twin bombings near the headquarters of an Iranian Kurdish opposition party killed seven people on Tuesday, a rare attack in Iraq's relatively secure autonomous Kurdish region, a senior security official said.

CIA apologises to Turkey over ‘false claims’ of links to Daesh; The United States main intelligence service, the CIA, had apologised to Turkey in a written statement for making “false claims” about alleged oil trading between Turkey and Daesh, Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah reported

‘Ludicrous claim’: US denies involvement in assassination of Russian envoy to Turkey: Just hours after Ambassador Karlov was shot dead in Ankara, top Turkish officials claimed the trail of the shocking attack leads to the US.

More Jordanians killed in new clashes: Four policemen were killed Tuesday in an exchange of fire with wanted men in a central Jordanian province where assailants had killed 10 people in a series of ambushes earlier this week, state media said.

US kills three alleged Al-Qaeda members in Yemen: Drone strike, likely by US forces, incinerates vehicle containing three suspected jihadists in southern Yemen, say security sources.

Official: 75% of Yemenis in need of humanitarian aid: “Coup forces in Yemen do not care about the fact that three-quarters of Yemenis, one-third of them children, are in need for the simplest humanitarian assistance, mainly food and medicines,” He said.

With Donald Trump, Netanyahu sees opportunity for 'historic changes' for Israel: Donald Trump’s presidency will enable Israel and the United States to advance joint moves on several diplomatic and security issues that weren’t possible under U.S. President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said

At Least 26 Killed in Congo Protests ; Security forces in Congo have killed at least 26 demonstrators and arrested scores more amid protests against President Joseph Kabila's hold on power, Human Rights Watch said

Libya’s Ganfouda may be another Aleppo: The Benghazi neighbourhood of Ganfouda is another Allepo in the making as militias and foreign forces have laid siege for months, depriving 130 families of food, water, and medicine.

Defiant Gambian president refuses to step aside: Yahya Jammeh reiterates he won't hand over power to President-elect Adama Barrow despite growing international pressure.

7 killed in new Med migrant boat tragedies: Seven bodies were recovered from or around stricken migrants boats in the Mediterranean on Wednesday, Italy’s coastguard said.

13 Taliban including group commander killed in North Afghanistan: Some 13 Taliban militants, including a group commander, have been killed in operations in the northern Kunduz province, China's Xinhua news agency reported quoting an army spokesman in the province on Wednesday.

Attack on MP house kills 5 in Afghanistan:

Philippines to get $21m worth of Chinese arms; China is providing the Philippines with US$14.4 million (S$20.8 million) worth of guns and equipment to aid President Rodrigo Duterte's war on criminals and terrorists.

Russian diplomat is shot dead at his home in Moscow : The shooting disclosed by Ren TV came soon after news broke of the assassination of Russian ambassador to Ankara, Andrey Karlov

Kremlin says almost all communication channels with US are frozen: RIA: The Kremlin said Wednesday it did not expect the incoming U.S. administration to reject NATO enlargement overnight and that almost all communications channels between Russia and the United States were frozen

Russia condemns Netherlands over U.S. military cooperation: "It looks like the Dutch authorities have started to get a taste for deliberately destroying relations with Russia," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

Berlin truck attack: police 'seeking Tunisian man': Investigators are said to have found identity document in name of Anis Amri under seat of truck used in attack on Christmas market.

Police hunting Berlin Christmas market killer are stumped: A senior police officer told die Welt newspaper: 'We have the wrong man. The true perpetrator is still armed, at large and can cause further damage.'

Report: Polish trucker, first Berlin attack victim, 'fought for his life': The trucker's body had both stab and gunshot wounds, according to Ariel Zurawski, the victim's cousin and the owner of the transport company the murdered man was working for.

Germany to allow increased security video surveillance: Germany will allow more video surveillance in public places, under a draft law passed by the cabinet on Wednesday, reflecting growing security fears in a country that has for decades been wary of police intrusion.

European Court of Justice rules against mass data retention in EU; The ECJ has ruled that governments cannot force telecom firms to keep all customer data. The ruling, which says the laws violate basic privacy rights, comes as governments call for greater powers for spy agencies.

Switzerland fines banks including JPMorgan and Barclays $97.3 million for Libor rigging; Barclays was fined 29.8 million francs for participating in a cartel in euro interest rate derivatives, COMCO said.

Christine Lagarde avoids jail, keeps job after guilty verdict in negligence trial; Judges opt not to give any punishment to head of International Monetary Fund, who was given support of IMF board after the verdict

36 Killed, Dozens Injured in Mexico Fireworks Market Explosion: Some 300 sellers and at least 2,000 buyers were in the San Pablito market when the blast took place in the makeshift, open air market.

Canada defends record $11bn arms sale to Saudi Arabia in court : “To give arms to a country that uses them to violate human rights is to contribute to that violation,”

Concern as Brazil's Coup Government Moves to Scrap Environmental Regulations: If approved, the changes are expected to have devastating consequences for Brazil's Indigenous people and efforts to mitigate climate change.

Donald Trump's cabinet bodes ill for the planet: The president-elect's appointments make it clear that we cannot rely on the government to protect the planet.

Russia Missing from Trump’s Top Defense Priorities, According to DoD Memo: Meanwhile, Pentagon brass say Moscow is the No. 1 threat to the United States.

What Obama Said to Putin on the Red Phone About the alleged Election Hack: "International law, including the law for armed conflict, applies over the Red Phone on Oct. 31, according to a senior U.S. to actions in cyberspace," said part of a message sent official. "We will hold Russia to those standards."

Will Trump Play Spy vs. Spy?: During the Nixon administration, the Joint Chiefs of Staff grew so distrustful of the White House that they planted a spy on the staff of the national security adviser.

FBI director under pressure to explain Clinton bombshell: Democrats, still smarting from the Nov. 8 loss, have lashed out at Comey as the architect of the Democratic nominee's defeat. “James Comey cost her the election," former president Bill Clinton has said.

SoftBank's First U.S. Investment After Trump Talk Generates 3,000 Jobs; SoftBank Group Corp. Chief Executive Officer Masayoshi Son told President-elect Donald Trump this month he would create 50,000 jobs in the U.S. Money for the first 3,000 positions was announced on Monday.

U.S. Economic Confidence Surges To The Highest Level That Gallup Has Ever Recorded: Gallup’s U.S. Economic Confidence Index has never been higher than it is today. The “Trumphoria” that has gripped the nation ever since Donald Trump’s miraculous victory on election night shows no signs of letting up

Trump's commitment to infrastructure vow is being questioned: It's not at all clear that President-elect Donald Trump's plans to spend massively on infrastructure are going to unfold as he promised.

VIDEO: Arab American YouTube Star Kicked Off Delta Flight for Speaking Arabic: Adam Saleh, was kicked off a Delta Airlines Flight for speaking Arabic on the phone with his mom earlier today. Him and his friend Slim were kicked off after more than 20 passengers complained

Social Security Checks Are Being Reduced for Unpaid Student Debt: Government report says thousands of recipients are left with below-poverty incomes

California secession organizers say they've opened an embassy -- in Moscow; California gained an embassy in Russia last weekend, at least in the eyes of those who have promised to seek a statewide vote on secession, nicknamed "Calexit," in 2018.

Missouri is going to to start treating schoolyard fights as felonies: The school-to-prison pipeline is about to get worse.

Headlines Continued