Donald Trump signals at Iowa rally that he intends to run in 2024, teases that his campaign slogan will be 'Make America Great Again, Again'

Reuters
New Zealand rejects Cook Islands passport plan
New Zealand has rejected a proposal by the Cook Islands, a self-governing nation in free association with the larger Pacific country, to allow the creation of its own passports and citizenship but said it could discuss independence. A spokesperson for New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters said in a statement late Sunday that a separate passport, citizenship and membership of the United Nations are only available to fully independent and sovereign countries. As such, the Cook Islands could access these things while it remains in free association with New Zealand and would need to become fully independent for it to do so, the spokesperson said.
AFP
Panama rejects Trump's threat to take control of Canal
Panama's president Jose Raul Mulino on Sunday dismissed recent threats made by US President-elect Donald Trump to retake control of the Panama Canal over complaints of "unfair" treatment of American ships."Every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent areas belongs to Panama and will continue belonging to Panama," Mulino said in a video posted to X. Mulino's public comments, though never mentioning Trump by name, come a day after the president-elect complained about the canal on his Tr
AFP
Only 12 trucks delivered food, water in North Gaza Governorate since October: Oxfam
Just 12 trucks distributed food and water in northern Gaza in two-and-a-half months, aid group Oxfam said on Sunday, raising the alarm over the worsening humanitarian situation in the besieged territory.Oxfam said that it and other international aid groups have been "continually prevented from delivering life-saving aid" in northern Gaza since October 6 this year, when Israel intensified its bombardment of the territory.
Politico
Trump taps special envoy to Latin America
The selection is yet another signal of the Trump administration’s intent to focus on the Western Hemisphere.
Reuters
Trump names former staffer Katie Miller to Musk-led DOGE panel
President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday named Katie Miller, who served in Trump's first administration and is the wife of his incoming deputy chief of staff, as one of the first members of an advisory board to be led by billionaire allies Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy that aims to drastically slash government spending, federal regulations and the federal workforce. Miller, wife of Trump's designated homeland security adviser Stephen Miller, will join Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an informal advisory body that Trump has said will enable his administration to "slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies."
Associated Press
Santa braves the sticky heat of the Amazon jungle to bring gifts to children in Brazilian village
Santa Claus braved the sticky heat of the Amazon rainforest this weekend, taking two boats to bring gifts to children in a village near the Brazilian city of Manaus. The visit was arranged by Amigos do Papai Noel, a Brazilian charity that has been taking gifts to children in the Amazon rainforest for the past 26 years. “For the children of the rivers, the people of the countryside, nothing new happens,” said Raimunda Ferrera Vieira a community leader in the village of Catalao, which received Santa on Saturday.
NBC News
GOP congressman says it feels like Elon Musk is 'our prime minister'
Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, on Sunday compared tech mogul Elon Musk to a “prime minister,” praising Musk for speaking out against an early version of a stopgap funding bill last week.
CNN
Retiring Texas congresswoman, who has missed votes since July, experiencing ‘dementia issues,’ son says
Retiring Texas congresswoman and former House Appropriations Committee Chair Kay Granger has been experiencing “dementia issues” in recent months and is living in an independent living facility, her son Brandon Granger told the Dallas Morning News on Sunday.
CNN
Suspect arrested in the killing of a woman who was set on fire on a NYC subway car
New York police have arrested a suspect accused of killing a female subway passenger by setting her on fire Sunday morning, according to police.
NBC News
Trump addresses Elon Musk's growing political influence: 'He's not going to be president'
President-elect Donald Trump dismissed any suggestion that he’s being usurped by his high-profile billionaire ally Elon Musk during a speech at AmericaFest.
CNN
Joe Manchin torches Democrats on the way out the door
As Joe Manchin prepares to leave Congress after nearly 15 years, the West Virginia senator — who left the Democratic Party and registered as an independent earlier this year — is further distancing himself from his former party, calling the Democratic brand “toxic.”
CNN
Suspect in German Christmas market attack had history of troubling social media posts that grew increasingly dark
The man accused of killing five people and injuring more than 200 others by ramming a car into a crowded German Christmas market had a history of making anti-Islam statements, which had grown increasingly dark and threatening towards Germany in recent months.
CNN
Two US Navy pilots eject safely over Red Sea after fighter jet shot down in apparent friendly fire incident
Two US Navy pilots ejected safely after their fighter jet was shot down over the Red Sea on Saturday in an apparent friendly fire incident, US Central Command said in a statement.
AFP
Musk, president? Trump says 'not happening'
Could Elon Musk, who holds major sway in the incoming Trump administration, one day become president?Trump was responding to criticism, particularly from the Democratic camp, portraying the tech billionaire and world's richest person as "President Musk" for the outsized role he is playing in the incoming administration.
Politico
Panama's president and Trump spar over Panama Canal
"The sovereignty and independence of our country is non-negotiable," Panama's president said.
AFP
Trump vows to 'stop transgender lunacy' as a top priority
President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday pledged to "stop the transgender lunacy" on day one of his presidency, as Republicans -- set to control both chambers of Congress and the White House -- continue their push against LGBTQ rights.Transgender issues have roiled US politics in recent years, as Democratic- and Republican-controlled states have moved in opposite directions on policy such as medical treatment and what books on the topic are allowed in public or school libraries.
CBS News
OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji dead at age 26
Suchir Balaji, a former researcher at OpenAI who openly questioned the legality of its data-gathering practices, died by suicide, authorities said.
USA TODAY
'Extraordinarily alarming': Mayorkas condemns social media reaction to CEO killing
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas called language used by some social media users after Brian Thompson's death "extraordinarily alarming."
Politico
Ukrainian drones hit Russian fuel depot for second time this month
The strikes came days after Russia launched sweeping attacks on Ukraine’s already battered energy grid.
Yahoo Finance
The debt ceiling is back on the table for 2025. Here's what happens next.
For about 48 hours last week, it looked like a debt ceiling fight in 2025 would be averted as ideas were floated to push the issue off until 2027 or 2029 (or even forever). But it was not to be.

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