Dec 27 Past decade has seen human rights ‘backlash,’ UN official says By Edith M. Lederer, Associated Press The outgoing assistant secretary-general for human rights said the regression of the past 10 years hasn’t equaled the advances that began in the late 1970s — but it is serious, widespread and regrettable. Continue reading
Dec 27 Amy McGrath files to challenge Mitch McConnell in Senate race By Bruce Schreiner, Associated Press As the most powerful Republican in Congress, McConnell enters the race as a strong favorite in his pursuit of a seventh Senate term in 2020. Continue reading
Dec 27 Russia will appeal 4-year Olympic ban By Associated Press Next year's Olympics in Tokyo will be the third consecutive edition of the games preceded by a legal battle over Russian doping issues. Continue reading
Dec 27 Court upholds Obama’s creation of national monument in Atlantic By Associated Press Fishing groups had sued over the creation of Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, a 5,000-square-mile area that contains fragile deep sea corals and vulnerable species of marine life. Continue reading
Dec 27 Israel’s Netanyahu shores up base but obstacles remain By Joseph Krauss, Associated Press Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won a landslide primary victory announced early Friday, but he will need a big win in national elections in March if he hopes to stay in office and gain immunity from prosecution on corruption charges. Continue reading
Dec 27 Syrian opposition calls on the world to aid rebel-held Idlib By Associated Press Opposition leader Nasr Hariri told reporters in Istanbul that the international community "should turn on the red lights because there is a humanitarian catastrophe inside Syria."… Continue reading
Dec 26 Netanyahu declares victory in primary election By Joseph Krauss, Associated Press Official results were expected later Friday. Continue reading
Dec 26 Pop culture in the 2010s put a spotlight on diversity and inclusion By Jocelyn Noveck, Associated Press This was the decade of #OscarsSoWhite. But true racial diversity in entertainment remains an elusive goal. Continue reading
Dec 26 Iraq’s president offers to quit after rejecting PM nominee By Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Associated Press President Barham Saleh said in a statement issued by his office that he would not name the governor of the southern Basra province, Asaad al-Eidani, as the country's next prime minister “to avoid more bloodshed and in order to safeguard… Continue reading
Dec 26 How did markets behave in 2019? Record stocks, lower rates, so-so IPOs By Alex Veiga, Associated Press Through it all, the U.S. economy and consumers' appetite for spending remained resilient, supporting the market's record-shattering, year-end rally. Continue reading