Sean “Diddy” Combs To Receive BET Lifetime Achievement Award

AFP
How an ex-inmate of brutal Syria jail overcame trauma by helping others
Riyad Avlar spent 20 years languishing in Syria's jails, including a decade in the infamous Saydnaya prison, the scene of some of the Bashar al-Assad government's most brutal abuses. "I am sure we'll see Bashar al-Assad in court one day," predicted Avlar, who is Turkish.
AFP
South Korea's Yoon vows to fight 'until the very last minute'
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday vowed to fight "until the very last minute", in a defiant address defending his shock decision to declare martial law and deploy troops to the country's parliament last week.Now staring down an impeachment vote in parliament on Saturday, Yoon vowed to "fight with the people until the very last minute".
Associated Press
Oregon lawmakers to hold special session on emergency wildfire funding
Oregon lawmakers are convening Thursday for a special session to discuss emergency funding to pay out millions in unpaid bills stemming from the state’s 2024 record wildfire season. As wildfires still rage in California, Oregon is among several states grappling with steep costs related to fighting wildfires this year. New Mexico lawmakers in a July special session approved millions in emergency aid for wildfire victims, and states including North Dakota and Wyoming have requested federal disaster declarations to help with recovery costs.
AFP
'Alarming' US mystery drones confound officials, scare locals
A rash of unexplained drone sightings in the skies above New Jersey has left locals rattled and sent US officials scrambling for answers.New Jersey congressman Chris Smith wrote to the Pentagon on Tuesday demanding answers.
Associated Press
Fewer U.S. grandparents are taking care of grandchildren, according to new data
Fewer grandparents were living with and taking care of grandchildren, there was a decline in young children going to preschool and more people stayed put in their homes in the first part of the 2020s compared to the last part of the 2010s, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday, reflecting some of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest figures from the most comprehensive survey of American life compares the years of 2014-2018 and 2019-2023, timeframes before the COVID-19 pandemic and during the virus' spread. The American Community Survey data show how lives were changed and family relationships altered by the pandemic and other occurrences like the opioid crisis.
Associated Press
Secretly recorded videos are backbone of corruption trial for longest-serving legislative leader
Hours of secretly recorded videos and phone calls have offered a rare glimpse into how the longest-serving legislative leader in American history operated behind closed doors. As the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan stretches into its third month, testimony has covered his multiple alleged schemes, from kickbacks involving the state’s largest utility company to Chinatown developments benefiting his private tax firm. Jurors have heard from a congresswoman, former state legislators and the government’s star witness: a former Chicago alderman who secretly wore a wire.
NBC News
Trump says he wants Kari Lake to helm Voice of America
President-elect Donald Trump announced that he wants ally Kari Lake to serve as the next director of the Voice of America, a federal network that's part of the U.S.
TODAY
Krispy Kreme's 'Day of the Dozens' offers customers 12 free doughnuts
Krispy Kreme’s "Day of the Dozens" is back, giving customers 12 free doughnuts with purchase. The chain's Merry Grinchmas Doughnut Collection is also here.
Associated Press
Stock market today: Asian shares advance, tracking rally on Wall Street
Shares advanced Thursday in Asia after Wall Street resumed its upward climb, as an update on inflation appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve. The government announced plans to expand trial private pension programs to the entire country, beginning Dec. 15. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index advanced 1.3% to 39,897.13, led by buying of technology shares.
TODAY
12 foods to eat in the New Year for good luck
Looking for luck in 2025? It's time to hit the grocery store.
AFP
Korean Air buys majority stake in rival Asiana Airlines
South Korea's flag carrier Korean Air said Thursday it had bought a majority stake in rival Asiana Airlines for $1 billion, making it the effective owner four years after first expressing its takeover intentions.The European Commission, the bloc's powerful antitrust authority, last year expressed concerns the takeover could restrict competition on routes between Europe and South Korea.
Associated Press
East Coast storm makes a mess at ski resorts as strong winds cause power outages
A storm that swept up the East Coast delivered a blow to New England, packing powerful gusts that knocked out power along with a deluge of rain and warming temperatures that washed away snow and dampened ski resorts. Utility workers were deployed to handle power outages after winds were projected to peak overnight into Thursday. In Maine, nearly 57,000 customers had lost power as of Wednesday night, according to poweroutage.us.
AFP
Australia to force tech titans to pay for news
Australia will force Meta and Google to pay for news shared on their platforms under a new scheme unveiled Thursday, threatening to tax them if they refuse to strike deals with local media.Australia wants big tech companies to compensate local publishers for sharing articles that drive traffic on their platforms.
Associated Press
Migrant workers in Lebanon are trying to return home after alleged abuses and then war
Hundreds of migrant workers in Lebanon are waiting to be repatriated after the ceasefire ending the 14-month war between the Lebanon-based Hezbollah and Israel went into effect last month. Lebanon has long drawn migrant workers dreaming of building better lives for their families. Enticed by promises of stable jobs and decent pay, they enter Lebanon via recruitment agencies under a sponsorship-based labor system known as Kafala — only to find themselves often trapped with confiscated passports, long hours, withheld wages and, for many, abuse.
Associated Press
New Jersey targets plastic packaging that fills landfills and pollutes
New Jersey is aiming to drastically reduce the amount of packaging material — particularly plastic — that is thrown away after the package is opened. From bubble wrap to puffy air-filled plastic pockets to those foam peanuts that seem to immediately spill all over the floor, lots of what keeps items safe during shipping often ends up in landfills, or in the environment as pollution. A bill to be discussed Thursday in the state Legislature would require all such materials used in the state to be recyclable or compostable by 2034.
NBC News
Fire crews make progress in Malibu blaze as thousands remain evacuated
California firefighters made progress Wednesday battling the Franklin Fire, which exploded under high winds earlier this week, although more than 6,000 people remained forced from their homes, officials said.
Associated Press
Rights group accuses Russian mercenaries of abuses against civilians in Mali
Mali’s armed forces, supported by Russian mercenaries, committed abuses against civilians since the withdrawal of a U.N. peacekeeping mission late last year, Human Rights Watch said in a report released Thursday. Malian armed forces and the Russia-backed Wagner Group deliberately killed at least 32 civilians, including seven in a drone strike, kidnapped four others, and burned at least 100 homes in towns and villages in central and northern Mali since May, the rights group said. Human Rights Watch also accused jihadi groups in the region of having summarily executed at least 47 civilians and displaced thousands of people since June.
Associated Press
North Dakota regulators consider underground carbon dioxide storage permits for Midwest pipeline
A North Dakota panel will consider Thursday whether to approve permits for underground storage of hundreds of millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide that a proposed pipeline would carry from ethanol plants throughout the Midwest. Approval from the governor-led, three-member Industrial Commission would be another victory for Summit Carbon Solutions' controversial project, though further court challenges are likely. Last month, the company gained approval for its North Dakota route, and Iowa regulators also have given conditional approval.
Associated Press
New Jersey, home to many oil and gas producers, eyes fees to fight climate change
From the outskirts of New York to the Delaware River shoreline across from Philadelphia, New Jersey is home to numerous oil and natural gas facilities. The measure, to be discussed Thursday in a state Senate committee, aims to create a Climate Superfund similar to the pot of money assembled by the federal government to clean up toxic waste by charging petroleum and chemical companies an extra tax to fund ongoing cleanups. New York, Maryland, Massachusetts and California are among states considering doing likewise.
Associated Press
Turning dusty attic treasures into cash can yield millions for some and disappointment for others
Kaja Veilleux has been hunting New England attic treasures for more than 50 years. Then there was the time, Veilleux said, he was shown a $50,000 gold coin kicking around in a tool drawer — only to have the well-meaning owner destroy much of its value before he could auction it by using a scouring pad to clean it — and scratch it. “It's like a treasure hunt every day," Veilleux said with a chuckle.

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