Judge fines Trump and his lawyer almost $1 million over 'frivolous' lawsuit targeting Hillary Clinton and others

Reuters
Ghana President-elect Mahama names anti-corruption team
Ghana's President-elect John Dramani Mahama has named an anti-corruption team to gather information on suspected graft, his transition team said in a statement on Wednesday. Mahama, the main opposition candidate in a Dec. 7 presidential election he won with around 56% of the vote, has promised to recover corruption proceeds and hold perpetrators accountable when he assumes office next month. An anti-graft team has been set up in preparation.
Associated Press
Injured spelunker carried to safety in northern Italy after being trapped for 75 hours
An injured cave explorer in northern Italy was carried to safety Wednesday, 75 hours after she fell while attempting to map an unexplored branch of the Bueno Fonteno cave, alpine rescuers said. The last leg of the rescue operation proceeded more smoothly than expected, and workers carrying 32-year-old Ottavia Piana strapped into a stretcher reached the cave’s mouth in the early morning hours. The Bueno Fonteno cave is located some 500 meters (yards) below ground, with the mapped area reaching some 19 kilometers (nearly 12 miles).
AFP
Israeli demolitions rip through Palestinian area of Jerusalem
Tired and sad, Palestinian activist Fakhri Abu Diab stood amid the rubble of his home in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, just a narrow valley away from the famed domes of the Old City.Israel conquered east Jerusalem, including the Old City, in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, and swiftly annexed the area.
AFP
Asian markets mixed ahead of Fed news, Nissan soars on merger reports
Asian markets swung Wednesday ahead of the Federal Reserve's much-anticipated policy announcement, while shares in Japanese car titan Nissan soared more than 20 percent after reports said it was in merger talks with rival Honda.Tokyo closed down, although Nissan scorched 23.7 percent higher soon after opening in response to reports it was in preliminary merger talks with Honda, adding the move would help them better compete against Tesla and other electric vehicle makers.
TODAY
The best exercises to tone your legs – no weights required
The legs are made up of the glutes, quads, hamstrings, hips, adductors, abductors and calves. These are the best leg exercises for strength using bodyweight.
USA TODAY
Russia says suspect detained in killing of senior general in Moscow
Russia's Investigative Committee said that the unnamed suspect had told them he had come to Moscow to carry out an assignment for Ukraine.
CNN
Small, tight-knit community in Madison, Wisconsin, reeling from school shooting as authorities continue to seek answers
Hundreds gathered outside Wisconsin State Capitol on Tuesday night despite the freezing temperatures to remember victims of a private school shooting that left one teacher and a student dead and wounded six others.
TODAY
Dermatologists share their no. 1 tip to get healthier, glowing skin
To start the new year with healthier skin, dermatologists have one major piece of advice for you. How to change your skin-care routine for better skin in 2025.
Reuters
US repatriates two Guantanamo Bay detainees to Malaysia
The U.S Department of Defense on Wednesday announced the repatriation of two Guantanamo Bay detainees to Malaysia, where the government said it was planning a reintegration programme for the two men. Mohammed Farik bin Amin and Mohammed Nazir bin Lep had each pled guilty to multiple offenses before a military commission, the defense department said in a statement. "In consultation with our partners in Malaysia, we completed the requirements for responsible transfer," the department said in a statement.
Associated Press
UK inflation increase solidifies expectations interest rates will be kept on hold
Inflation in the U.K. rose to its highest level in eight months during November, official figures showed Wednesday, a development that has cemented market expectations that the Bank of England will opt against cutting borrowing costs this week. The Office for National Statistics said consumer price inflation rose by 2.6% in the year to November, up from 2.3% the previous month. It said stubbornly high inflation in the crucial services sector, which accounts for around 80% of the U.K. economy, and an increase in fuel prices was largely behind the overall increase.
AFP
Rescuers hunt for survivors in Vanuatu quake, nine dead
Rescue teams dug for survivors trapped in crumpled buildings in the Pacific nation of Vanuatu on Wednesday after a powerful earthquake killed at least nine people, burying some in rubble and landslides.A string of aftershocks has since shaken the Pacific island nation.
AFP
Shares in Japan chipmaker Kioxia jump 10% on Tokyo debut
Shares in Japanese chipmaker Kioxia closed 10 percent higher in Tokyo on Wednesday after an initial public offering that valued the firm at more than $5 billion.Its shares closed 10 percent higher at 1,601 yen.
TODAY
What is gray divorce? 6 things to consider before leaving your spouse later in life
While divorce rates in the U.S. may be declining a new trend is emerging in how people approach long-term relationships: a phenomenon known as gray divorce.
CNN
Russia detains Uzbek national over bomb assassination of senior general
A 29-year-old Uzbek citizen has been detained for allegedly planting the bomb that killed senior Russian general and his assistant, the Russian Investigative Committee said Wednesday.
TODAY
16:8 intermittent fasting is one of the most popular plans. Everything to know before trying it
Some experts say intermittent fasting is better than dieting. Here is what to know before you start.
NBC News
Luigi Mangione indicted on first-degree murder charge in UnitedHealthcare CEO's killing
Luigi Mangione was indicted on first-degree murder and other charges in the ambush killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson this month, the Manhattan district attorney's office announced Tuesday.
CNN
Hamas expresses optimism for Gaza deal even as obstacles remain
Hamas has become the latest party to the Gaza hostage and ceasefire negotiations to voice optimism about the prospects of reaching a deal, amid a flurry of diplomatic activity in the region.
AFP
France mass rape trial triggers soul-searching in Spain
France's notorious mass rape trial has generated an enormous echo in Spain, a pioneer in the fight against gender-based violence, and highlighted the often overlooked scourge of domestic sexual violence.Spain passed Europe's first law specifically aimed at gender-based violence in 2004, and in 2022 it reformed the criminal code to define all non-consensual sex as rape.
AFP
Syria ex-rebel military chief says to dissolve armed wing
The military chief of Syria's victorious Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham said on Tuesday it would be "the first" to dissolve its armed wing and integrate into the armed forces."In any state, all military units must be integrated into this institution," Murhaf Abu Qasra, known by his nom de guerre Abu Hassan al-Hamawi, said in an interview with AFP, adding that "we will be, God willing, among the first to take the initiative (to dissolve our armed wing)".
Associated Press
AP PHOTOS: Majdal Shams, Israeli-controlled home to the Druze, perches uneasily at the edge of war
High in the mountains of the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, the town of Majdal Shams is home to members of one of the Middle East’s most insular religious minorities: the Druze. With its roots in 10th century Ismailism, a branch of Shiite Islam, the roughly 1 million-strong minority is spread across Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the Golan Heights.

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