US News
President-elect Donald Trump has selected Peter Navarro, a well-known critic of China, to lead a new body called the White House National Trade Council. The University of California professor has authored several works on China and was behind a documentary called Death by China in which a Chinese knife is seen stabbing a US map. – The New York TimesNorth Carolina Republicans Keep Bathroom Bill
Republican lawmakers in North Carolina have declined an opportunity to repeal HB2, the state's controversial bill requiring transgender people to use public bathrooms corresponding to their birth certificate. Governor-elect Roy Cooper, a Democrat, said: "The legislature had a chance to do the right thing for North Carolina today, and they failed." – ABC News
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Uber Forced to Stop Self-Driving Car Tests
Officials in California have revoked registration for Uber's autonomous cars, forcing the company to pull tests in San Francisco. Uber argued it did not require special permits since a driver would have still been monitoring behind the wheel. But the California DMV insisted the company required self-driving test permits for the 16 cars. – ReutersDemocrats Desperately Want New Face for 2020
A new USA TODAY / Suffolk University Poll suggests the most favored Democratic candidate for the 2020 presidential race is "someone entirely new." Some 66 percent of Democrats and independents opted for a theoretical newcomer when shown a list of possible candidates. Only 23 percent wanted Hillary Clinton to run again. – USA TodayTunisian Truck Attack Suspect Had Been Monitored
Anis Amri, the 24-year-old Tunisian fugitive suspected of carrying out the Berlin truck attack, had been on the radar of German counter-terrorism officials earlier this year. Amri was suspected of planning a robbery for the money to buy guns for a possible attack, but surveillance was lifted because of lack of evidence. Prosecutors have put forward a reward of $104,000 for information leading to Amri's capture. – Al Jazeera14 Turkish Soldiers Killed in Clashes with ISIS in Syria
The Turkish army said over a dozen of its soldiers were killed and 33 wounded in fighting with ISIS in al-Bab, northern Syria, on Wednesday. It is the largest number of casualties the army has suffered in a single day since joining the Syrian conflict in August. The Turkish army claimed 138 ISIS militants were killed in the clashes. – BBC News
Officials in California have revoked registration for Uber's autonomous cars, forcing the company to pull tests in San Francisco. Uber argued it did not require special permits since a driver would have still been monitoring behind the wheel. But the California DMV insisted the company required self-driving test permits for the 16 cars. – ReutersDemocrats Desperately Want New Face for 2020
A new USA TODAY / Suffolk University Poll suggests the most favored Democratic candidate for the 2020 presidential race is "someone entirely new." Some 66 percent of Democrats and independents opted for a theoretical newcomer when shown a list of possible candidates. Only 23 percent wanted Hillary Clinton to run again. – USA Today
International News
Anis Amri, the 24-year-old Tunisian fugitive suspected of carrying out the Berlin truck attack, had been on the radar of German counter-terrorism officials earlier this year. Amri was suspected of planning a robbery for the money to buy guns for a possible attack, but surveillance was lifted because of lack of evidence. Prosecutors have put forward a reward of $104,000 for information leading to Amri's capture. – Al Jazeera14 Turkish Soldiers Killed in Clashes with ISIS in Syria
The Turkish army said over a dozen of its soldiers were killed and 33 wounded in fighting with ISIS in al-Bab, northern Syria, on Wednesday. It is the largest number of casualties the army has suffered in a single day since joining the Syrian conflict in August. The Turkish army claimed 138 ISIS militants were killed in the clashes. – BBC News
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Ukraine Says US Surveillance Drones Don't Work
Ukrainian officials are miffed that super pricey US surveillance drones have been mostly useless in their battle against pro-Russian separatists, with the local Air Force command suggesting rebels have been able to interfere with the mini-drones remotely. – ReutersFinal Evacuation of Eastern Aleppo Set to Begin
The last civilians and rebel fighters holed up in eastern Aleppo are set to leave the Syrian city Thursday. Although a snow storm had delayed things again, the few thousand who remain should be taken to the safety of rebel-held areas on 40 buses and hundreds of cars, according the International Committee of the Red Cross. – APWes Anderson Offers Fan the Chance to Join Isle of Dogs Cast
Wes Anderson has revealed details about a new animated movie called Isle of Dogs, starring Bill Murray, Greta Gerwig, and Yoko Ono. He also announced a fundraising contest in which one fan gets the chance to be a voice in the movie. – Rolling StoneIKEA Tells Teens to Stop Holding Sneaky Sleepovers
Furniture giant IKEA has warned teenagers holding illegal sleepovers at its stores around the world to keep away. The lust for hiding and staying overnight reportedly began with two Belgian YouTubers, but a spokesman says "the fun in it is overrated." – BBC NewsProportion of Young Adults Staying at Home Hits Post-War High
Almost 40 percent of US millennials are now living with parents, grandparents, or relatives—the highest share of young people 1940, according to a study by analytics firm Trulia. Student debt, low wages and high housing costs seem to be part of the problem. – CBS NewsBjörk Accuses Music Media of Sexism
Musician Björk issued a Facebook post about sexism after criticism of her DJ set at Houston's Day for Night festival. She says male musicians are treated more seriously while women are expected "to be singer songwriters singing about their boyfriends." - ThumpCops Spends Millions on Phone Cracking Tech
American police forces and highway patrols have collectively spent millions of dollars on phone cracking technology from Israeli firm Cellebrite, according to documents obtained by Motherboard. The company can help law enforcement pull data from most cell phone brands out there. - Motherboard
Ukrainian officials are miffed that super pricey US surveillance drones have been mostly useless in their battle against pro-Russian separatists, with the local Air Force command suggesting rebels have been able to interfere with the mini-drones remotely. – ReutersFinal Evacuation of Eastern Aleppo Set to Begin
The last civilians and rebel fighters holed up in eastern Aleppo are set to leave the Syrian city Thursday. Although a snow storm had delayed things again, the few thousand who remain should be taken to the safety of rebel-held areas on 40 buses and hundreds of cars, according the International Committee of the Red Cross. – AP
Everything Else
Wes Anderson has revealed details about a new animated movie called Isle of Dogs, starring Bill Murray, Greta Gerwig, and Yoko Ono. He also announced a fundraising contest in which one fan gets the chance to be a voice in the movie. – Rolling StoneIKEA Tells Teens to Stop Holding Sneaky Sleepovers
Furniture giant IKEA has warned teenagers holding illegal sleepovers at its stores around the world to keep away. The lust for hiding and staying overnight reportedly began with two Belgian YouTubers, but a spokesman says "the fun in it is overrated." – BBC NewsProportion of Young Adults Staying at Home Hits Post-War High
Almost 40 percent of US millennials are now living with parents, grandparents, or relatives—the highest share of young people 1940, according to a study by analytics firm Trulia. Student debt, low wages and high housing costs seem to be part of the problem. – CBS NewsBjörk Accuses Music Media of Sexism
Musician Björk issued a Facebook post about sexism after criticism of her DJ set at Houston's Day for Night festival. She says male musicians are treated more seriously while women are expected "to be singer songwriters singing about their boyfriends." - ThumpCops Spends Millions on Phone Cracking Tech
American police forces and highway patrols have collectively spent millions of dollars on phone cracking technology from Israeli firm Cellebrite, according to documents obtained by Motherboard. The company can help law enforcement pull data from most cell phone brands out there. - Motherboard