Everything you need to know in the world this morning, curated by VICE.
US News
- Republican Voters Love Trump
Donald Trump's plan to ban Muslims entering the country has not dented Donald Trump's standing among Republicans, as a new poll shows his lead over GOP candidates increasing. It puts Trump's support at a new high of 38 percent ahead of tonight's debate in Las Vegas. —The Washington Post
- Bergdahl To Face Court Martial Trial
Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, the US soldier who walked off his base in Afghanistan and was held captive by the Taliban for five years, will be court-martialed on desertion charges. Bergdahl's case is the ongoing subject of the latest season of podcast Serial. —VICE News
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- Uber Drivers Can Unionize in Seattle
Seattle has become the very first city to allow drivers of app-based ride-hailing companies such as Uber to unionize over pay and working conditions. City councillors voted to allows drivers to be represented by a nonprofit organization. —USA Today
- Small Counties Drive Prison Growth
City jails get more attention, but prisons in small counties have driven the incarceration explosion, according to new analysis. The Vera Institute of Justice found that smaller counties hold 44 percent of the total prison population, up from 28 percent in 1978. —AP
International News
- Saudis Form Anti-Terrorism Alliance
Saudi Arabia has announced a new military alliance to fight terrorism made up of 34 mainly Muslim nations. A joint operations centre is to be established in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. —Al Jazeera
- Europe Plans New Border Force
The European Commission is proposing a new border force with a stronger mandate to curb the record influx of migrants. It wants a new agency to be able to police borders in non-member states like Serbia and Macedonia without the consent of those countries. —BBC News
- Air Strikes Kill 15 Before Peace Talks
Air strikes by an Arab coalition targeting Houthi militants in Yemen killed at least 15 people, coming hours before a ceasefire was due to take effect. UN-sponsored peace talks are set to begin in Switzerland today. —Reuters
- Man Faces Prison for Insulting Thai King's Dog
A Thai factory worker, already facing up to 37 years in prison for insulting the country's military rulers, is now being investigated for a "sarcastic" post about the king's dog Copper. Strict laws make it a crime to criticize the Thai royal family. —The Guardian
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Everything Else
- Star Wars Reviews Flood Twitter
Reviews are officially embargoed until tomorrow, but that didn't stop everyone at the world premiere of The Force Awakens from tweeting about it. Rainn Wilson (Dwight from The Office) thought it was "epic, awesome and perfect." —Variety
- Amazon Disappears Hoverboards
Amazon has removed some brands of hoverboard following reports of the devices catching fire. Swagway and Phunkeeduck have disappeared from the site, with Amazon citing new safety standards. —The Huffington Post
- Cosby Countersues
Bill Cosby has filed a counter lawsuit against seven women, believing they have ruined his reputation. He called their sexual assault allegations against him "malicious, opportunistic, and false." —CNN
- Why SantaCon Sucks
The founder of SantaCon now hates SantaCon. He says he had "no intention of creating some giant, stupid wave of marauding crimson that was going to sweep across the planet." —VICE