Longtime Columbus Crew defender Harrison Afful signs with expansion team Charlotte FC

Reuters
NATO command in Germany to assist Ukraine is up and running, says Rutte
A new NATO command in the German city of Wiesbaden has taken up its work to coordinate Western military aid for Ukraine, the alliance's Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday. The command takes over coordination of the aid from the United States, in a move widely seen as aiming to safeguard the support mechanism against NATO sceptic U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. "The NATO command in Wiesbaden for security assistance and training for Ukraine is now up and running", Rutte told reporters at NATO's headquarters in Brussels.
Reuters
Trump says he wants retribution. Some critics fear he will use the IRS to get it
Some prominent critics of President-elect Donald Trump - including three officials in his first administration - are instructing their accountants to safeguard against the possibility of Trump ordering investigations into their tax records after he returns to the White House, according to interviews with Reuters. Several American administrations in the 20th century misused the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. tax collection agency, to target opponents by ordering audits of their tax filings, historians say. Six Trump critics, including two national security officials and one CIA officer in his first administration, told Reuters they fear a malicious IRS audit.
AFP
Zelensky huddles with European leaders as Trump looms
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets NATO chief Mark Rutte and key European leaders in Brussels Wednesday to strategise over Russia's war ahead of Donald Trump's return to power in the United States.But Ukraine's leader has said Trump's arrival could mean the war ends next year, and has called for allies to help secure a peace deal that Moscow cannot violate.
Reuters
Steps to rein in pharmacy benefit managers in US bill "manageable" for firms
The stopgap measure aimed at averting a partial government shutdown includes a healthcare package that prohibits these companies from deriving remuneration based on a drug's Medicare list price. "It is important to note there is no call for the total elimination of rebates in the legislation and the provisions do not go into effect until 2028, which provides time for the industry to renegotiate and restructure contracts," said Mizuho analyst Ann Hynes.
AFP
Notre Dame cathedral unveils controversial new stained glass windows
Designs for six new stained glass windows in fire-damaged Notre Dame cathedral were unveiled for the first time on Wednesday, with contemporary French painter Claire Tabouret chosen for a project intended to add a modern flourish to the 12th-century masterpiece. The new stained glass windows are set to be installed at the end of 2026, while the old ones will be taken down and either placed in a museum or in another church or cathedral, Notre-Dame reconstruction project manager Philippe Jost told
CBS News
Prominent pro-Putin ballet star Sergei Polunin says he's leaving Russia
Ukrainian-born ballet phenom Sergei Polunin was rewarded for backing Putin's attacks on his native country, but he appears to have fallen from Moscow's graces.
USA TODAY
Florida man beat child for nearly 30 minutes over missing couch cushion, deputies say
According to authorities, Lance Rachel, 42, told the boy he would break his jaw. His wife, Kimberly Rachel, was also arrested for failure to report.
Associated Press
Health officials say Louisiana patient is first severe bird flu case in US
A person in Louisiana has the first severe illness caused by bird flu in the U.S., health officials said Wednesday. The patient had been in contact with sick and dead birds in backyard flocks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Agency officials didn't immediately detail the person's symptoms.
USA TODAY
Fingerprints on Aquaphor lotion bottle lead Memphis police to arrest Walgreens theft suspect
A woman was arrested on Tuesday after Memphis police found a Aquaphor lotion bottle that connected her to a theft that occurred in December 2023.
Time
COVID-19 Rates Are Strangely Low This Holiday Season
This may be a mild COVID-19 winter.
USA TODAY
Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz says she won't join GOP Conference, voices support for DOGE
Rep. Victoria Spartz will not participate in Republican committees in the upcoming session. She wants to work with Elon Musk on DOGE.
USA TODAY
Supreme Court to decide if law that could force a U.S. ban on TikTok violates First Amendment
TikTok is appealing a ruling that national security concerns justify a law requiring the app be sold or face a ban. Trump has said he wants to 'save' TikTok.
Associated Press
Cyclone Chido leaves Mayotte reeling. Warmer oceans fueled it
The Indian Ocean archipelago of Mayotte is reeling from Cyclone Chido, the most intense storm to hit the French territory in 90 years. At least 22 people have been killed since Chido made landfall on Saturday, as high winds swept away entire neighborhoods, damaged major infrastructure and uprooted trees. When is cyclone season in southeast Africa?
CBS News
FAA: Lithium battery fires on flights now occur nearly twice a week
FAA data shows that lithium battery fires on U.S. flights have risen 388% since 2015, now occurring nearly twice a week.
Politico
Supreme Court will take up TikTok’s bid to avoid U.S. ban
The high court put the case on an unusually accelerated timeline.
USA TODAY
New attempted felony murder charge for Ryan Routh, accused of attempted Trump assassination
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced an attempted felony murder charge against Ryan Routh for the near-death of a 6-year-old girl.
NBC News
Fed expected to cut rates again — but what happens next is anyone's guess
The Federal Reserve is expected to announce another quarter-point cut to its key interest rate Wednesday, an effort to boost what appears to some to be a steady but cooling economy.
AFP
UniCredit ups pressure on Commerzbank, fuelling German anger
Italian bank UniCredit said Wednesday it had boosted its stake in Germany's Commerzbank, intensifying takeover speculation and sparking condemnation from Berlin of an "unfriendly" move at a time the country is in political limbo. - 'Political vacuum' - The latest move from the Italians comes despite UniCredit Chief Executive Andrea Orcel having stressed last month he did not believe exploiting the political turbulence with a takeover bid would be the "right thing to do".
Politico
Ethics Committee secretly voted to release Gaetz report
It could soon lead to the report’s public release.
CNN
Some parts of Trump’s deportation plan may be ‘Obama-esque.’ There’s a reason for that
President-elect Donald Trump promised mass deportation on the campaign trail, and while the scale of it remains vague, the elements of the plan are an unlikely call back to former President Barack Obama who was billed the “deporter-in-chief” by Democrats and immigrant advocates.

Longtime Columbus Crew defender Harrison Afful signs with expansion team Charlotte FC

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Latest Stories

NATO command in Germany to assist Ukraine is up and running, says Rutte

Trump says he wants retribution. Some critics fear he will use the IRS to get it

Zelensky huddles with European leaders as Trump looms

Steps to rein in pharmacy benefit managers in US bill "manageable" for firms

Notre Dame cathedral unveils controversial new stained glass windows

Prominent pro-Putin ballet star Sergei Polunin says he's leaving Russia

Florida man beat child for nearly 30 minutes over missing couch cushion, deputies say

Health officials say Louisiana patient is first severe bird flu case in US

Fingerprints on Aquaphor lotion bottle lead Memphis police to arrest Walgreens theft suspect

COVID-19 Rates Are Strangely Low This Holiday Season

Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz says she won't join GOP Conference, voices support for DOGE

Supreme Court to decide if law that could force a U.S. ban on TikTok violates First Amendment

Cyclone Chido leaves Mayotte reeling. Warmer oceans fueled it

FAA: Lithium battery fires on flights now occur nearly twice a week

Supreme Court will take up TikTok’s bid to avoid U.S. ban

New attempted felony murder charge for Ryan Routh, accused of attempted Trump assassination

Fed expected to cut rates again — but what happens next is anyone's guess

UniCredit ups pressure on Commerzbank, fuelling German anger

Ethics Committee secretly voted to release Gaetz report

Some parts of Trump’s deportation plan may be ‘Obama-esque.’ There’s a reason for that