US News
- Congress to Vote on Refugees
Congress will vote on imposing strict background checks on all Iraqi and Syrian refugees, in a bill introduced by the Republican leadership. Under the new rules, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security would check each refugee for security risk. —Politico
- Mosques Vandalized
In the wake of the Paris terror attacks, US mosques have been threatened and vandalized. A torn copy of the Quran was left covered in feces outside a mosque in Texas, while mosques in Florida have received threatening phone calls. —USA Today
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- Obama Defiant Over South China Sea
President Obama said China must stop land reclamation in the disputed sea, and reaffirmed US commitment to the Philippines' defense. Obama spoke at the Asia Pacific economic summit in Manila, where China's President Xi Jinping will also attend meetings. —Reuters
- Goodbye Jindal
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has withdrawn from the 2016 presidential race, as the long list of Republican contenders finally begins to shorten. "I've come to the realization that this is not my time", said Jindal, who was polling at one percent. —Fox News
International News
- Gun Battle in Paris
Gunfire was exchanged as French police raided an apartment in the suburb of Saint Denis, an operation linked to Friday's terror attacks. Five people were arrested and reports suggest two suspects died, including one woman who blew herself up with a suicide belt. —BBC News
- Bomb Blast in Nigeria
An explosion in Yola's market area has caused several deaths, with reports indicating at least 30 people have died. The city lies in the Nigerian state of Adamawa, one of the worst hit by Boko Haram militants. —CNN
- Bangladeshi Leaders Face Execution
Bangladesh's Supreme Court has upheld death sentences of two opposition leaders. Figureheads from Jamaat-e-Islami and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party were sentenced to death for atrocities committed during 1971's war of independence. —Al Jazeera
Australia's El Nino Problem
Four people have died in bushfires burning in western Australia as an El Nino-triggered heatwave causes havoc across the country. Severe and extreme fire danger warnings are in place, with temperatures expected to exceed 104 degrees today. —[The Guardian](http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/nov/18/wa-fears-four-people-died-bushfires-near-esperance)
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Everything Else
- Dalai Lama: God Can't Help
Buddhism's spiritual figurehead thinks terrorism is a problem made by human beings, so prayer can't fix it. "God would say solve it yourself because you created it in the first place." —The Huffington Post
- 100,000 Women Have Tried to Self-Induce Abortion
According to a new study, Texas' strict abortion laws have forced a staggering number of women with unwanted pregnancies to take matters into their own hands. —Broadly
- Terrorist Photoshopping: Truth Revealed
We've got evidence connecting the doctored photo of a Canadian journalist to Gamergate supporters. Journalist Veerender Jubbal had been falsely portrayed as a Paris suicide bomber. —VICE
- Tumblr's GIF-maker Inspires Yet More Porn
It was only a matter of time. People are already deluging Tumblr with three-second clips of self-produced adult content, thanks to a GIF-making-for-dummies device on the new mobile app. —Motherboard