Australia recognizes West Jerusalem as Israel's capital: PM Morrison

Published: 2018-12-15 03:42:57 UTC

[Reuters] Australia formally recognizes West Jerusalem as Israel's capital, reversing decades of Middle East policy, but will not move its embassy there immediately, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Saturday.

Federal judge rules health care overhaul unconstitutional

Published: 2018-12-15 03:37:55 UTC

[Associated Press] WASHINGTON (AP) — A conservative federal judge in Texas on Friday ruled the Affordable Care Act "invalid" on the eve of the sign-up deadline for next year. But with appeals certain, even the Trump White House said the law will remain in place for now. In a 55…

China should free Canadians held after Huawei arrest, U.S.'s Pompeo says

Published: 2018-12-15 03:35:56 UTC

[Reuters] U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday China should free two Canadian citizens who were detained this week after authorities in Canada arrested a senior Chinese technology executive on a U.S. extradition warrant.

Trump’s Push for Trade Win Could Undermine Sanctions Enforcement

Published: 2018-12-15 03:16:24 UTC

[The New York Times] President Trump’s suggestion that he could intervene in the arrest of a Huawei executive could put his sanctions enforcement strategy at risk.

Australia recognizes west Jerusalem as Israel's capital

Published: 2018-12-15 03:15:53 UTC

[Associated Press] SYDNEY (AP) — Australia has decided to formally recognize west Jerusalem as Israel's capital, but won't move its embassy until there's a peace settlement between Israel and Palestinians, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Saturday. He said in a speech th…

7-year-old in good health, border agents said; then she died

Published: 2018-12-15 03:07:07 UTC

[Associated Press] WASHINGTON (AP) — Just 7 years old, Jakelin Amei Rosmery Caal Maquin was picked up by U.S. authorities with her father and other migrants this month in a remote stretch of New Mexico desert. Some seven hours later, she was put on a bus to the nearest Border P…

'Forge Brexit consensus,' Rudd urges MPs

Published: 2018-12-15 03:06:00 UTC

[BBC News] Politicians must compromise and find a plan that a majority in Parliament can support, minister says.

Australia: West Jerusalem is Israeli capital

Published: 2018-12-15 02:27:43 UTC

[BBC News] PM Scott Morrison says Australia will not immediately move its embassy from Tel Aviv.

For Kushner, Criminal Justice Has Been a Personal Issue and a Rare Victory

Published: 2018-12-15 02:19:05 UTC

[The New York Times] Jared Kushner played a major role in moving forward a bipartisan policy that has thwarted lawmakers for years.

North Carolina Republican Says He Chose to Hire Controversial Operative

Published: 2018-12-15 02:19:04 UTC

[The New York Times] Mark Harris, the Republican candidate in the Ninth Congressional District, denied wrongdoing and said he hired L. McCrae Dowless Jr. because of his work on a past campaign.

Federal judge rules Obamacare unconstitutional

Published: 2018-12-15 02:00:52 UTC

[Reuters] A U.S. federal judge in Texas ruled on Friday that the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, is unconstitutional.

Texas Judge Strikes Down Obama’s Affordable Care Act as Unconstitutional

Published: 2018-12-15 01:56:15 UTC

[The New York Times] A federal judge in Texas struck down the entire Affordable Care Act on Friday on the grounds that its mandate requiring people to buy health insurance is unconstitutional.

Federal Judge Rules Affordable Care Act Is Unconstitutional Without Insurance-Coverage Penalty

Published: 2018-12-15 01:52:00 UTC

[The Wall Street Journal] A federal judge on Friday ruled that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional without a penalty for not having insurance, casting doubt on the law’s future.

Mueller: FBI is not to blame for Flynn's false statements

Published: 2018-12-15 01:48:38 UTC

[Associated Press] WASHINGTON (AP) — The special counsel's office pushed back Friday at the suggestion that the FBI acted improperly in its interview of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, saying he "chose to make false statements" and did not need a warning that it…

Trump picks budget head Mulvaney to be next chief of staff

Published: 2018-12-15 01:43:43 UTC

[Associated Press] WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday picked budget director Mick Mulvaney to be his acting chief of staff, ending a chaotic search in which several top contenders took themselves out of the running for the job. "Mick has done an outstanding job …

Trump picks Mulvaney as chief of staff - for now

Published: 2018-12-15 01:43:07 UTC

[Reuters] U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday moved to end speculation that he was having a hard time finding a new chief of staff, naming his budget chief Mick Mulvaney to the top post on a temporary basis.

North Carolina Republican says he hired consultant at heart of fraud probe

Published: 2018-12-15 01:10:29 UTC

[Reuters] The North Carolina Republican embroiled in a vote fraud controversy said on Friday he hired the political operative at the center of a probe into possible absentee ballot irregularities in a disputed U.S. congressional election.

Senators ask FBI to investigate Blackmun for lying to panel

Published: 2018-12-15 01:01:33 UTC

[Associated Press] Two lawmakers are asking the Justice Department and FBI to look into whether former U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun lied to a Senate panel in testimony about the handling of sex-abuse allegations against Larry Nassar. At issue is Blackmun's debunked…

Mueller rebukes Flynn, saying he knew better than to lie to FBI

Published: 2018-12-15 00:50:04 UTC

[Reuters] President Donald Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn knew better than to lie to the FBI and does not deserve sentencing leniency because he was not warned that lying to federal agents was a crime, U.S. prosecutors said on Friday.

Global growth worry hits stocks, but U.S. data lifts dollar

Published: 2018-12-15 00:46:07 UTC

[Reuters] A gauge of global stocks tumbled on Friday after weak economic data from China and Europe intensified global growth worries as investors weighed the broader impact of the trade dispute between the United States and China.