U.N. Security Council denounces Israeli settlements, U.S. abstains

The United States yesterday allowed the U.N. Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements, defying pressure from President-elect Donald Trump, Israel and some U.S. lawmakers who urged Washington to wield its veto. An abstention by the United States paved the way for the 15-member international body to approve the resolution, with 14 votes in favour, prompting applause in the council chamber.

In showdown with Trump, Obama allows anti-Israel resolution in Security Council

United Nations, Dec 24 : The conflicting world views of President Barack Obama and his successor-elect Donald Trump took the global stage on Friday when Obama refused to have an anti-Israel resolution vetoed in the Security Council in a signature departure from US policy of blocking measures critical of Israel. [NK Middle East] The Security Council condemned the Israel building of settlements on the West bank and East Jerusalem in a show of defiance by both the Council members and the Obama administration against Trump who wanted it vetoed.

US lets UN denounce Israeli settlements

A construction site is seen in the Israeli settlement of Givat Zeev, in the occupied West Bank UNITED NATIONS: The United States on Friday allowed the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlement building, defying heavy pressure from long-time ally Israel and President-elect Donald Trump for Washington to wield its veto. A US abstention paved the way for the 15-member council to approve the resolution, with 14 votes in favor, prompting applause in the council chamber.

Blagojevich seeks presidential commutation of prison term

Imprisoned former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is seeking a presidential commutation of his 14-year sentence on a corruption conviction. U.S. Department of Justice spokeswoman Dena Iverson said Friday the department has received a petition for commutation from Blagojevich.

South Koreans to march against president on Christmas Eve

California's attorney general is pursuing new charges against the operators of a website advertising escort services two weeks after a judge tossed an earlier case. California's attorney general said Friday that she was pursuing new pimping charges against the operators of Backpage.com, a website that advertises escort services, just two weeks after a judge tossed an earlier case.

One month out, Trump inauguration lacks star power

On January 18, 2009, the stars turned out in force in front of the Lincoln Memorial at a concert honoring then-President-elect Barack Obama. Denzel Washington spoke to kick off the event, then Bruce Springsteen performed, and then Mary J. Blige, Jon Bon Jovi, James Taylor, Garth Brooks, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Josh Groban, U2, Usher, Stevie Wonder, Shakira, Beyonce and many more.

White House denies UN resolution was swipe at Netanyahu

Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes denied Friday that President Barack Obama was trying to "get back" at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by abstaining from a controversial UN Security Council vote condemning Israeli settlements. "Absolutely not," Rhodes told CNN's Jim Acosta on "The Situation Room."

Trump co-chair wishes death on Obama, calls 1st lady male

A wealthy businessman who co-chaired president-Elect Donald Trump's state campaign confirmed to The Associated Press on Friday that he told an alternative newspaper he hoped President Barack Obama would die from mad cow disease and that the first lady would "return to being a male." Carl Paladino , a millionaire real estate developer who unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2010 as a Republican, made the comments in response to a survey by Artvoice , a Buffalo publication that asked local artists, performers and business owners for their New Year's wish list.

UN condemns Israeli settlements as Obama declines to veto

In a striking rupture with past practice, the United States allowed the U.N. Security Council on Friday to condemn Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem as a "flagrant violation" of international law. In doing so, the outgoing Obama administration brushed aside Donald Trump's demands that the U.S. exercise its veto and provided a climax to years of icy relations with Israel's leadership.

Obama accused of ‘shameful’ anti-Israeli move at UN

An Israeli official has accused US president Barack Obama of colluding with the Palestinians in a "shameful move against Israel at the UN". An Israeli official has accused US president Barack Obama of colluding with the Palestinians in a "shameful move against Israel at the UN".

Photo credit: epa european pressphoto agency b.v. / Alamy Stock Photo

For all eight years of the Obama administration, Democrats have made believe that Barack Obama is a firm and enthusiastic supporter and defender of the Jewish state. Arguments to the contrary were not only dismissed but angrily denounced as the products of nothing more than vicious partisanship.

US Senator Graham says Obama policy on Israel ‘flat-out reckless’

Senator Lindsey Graham said on Friday that US foreign policy under President Barack Obama "has gone from naive and foolish to flat-out reckless" after the United States abstained from voting on a UN resolution condemning Israeli settlement activity. The senior Republican senator, in a note on Twitter after the vote, said: "With friends like these, #Israel doesn't need any enemies."

CIA chief warns against in-kind retaliation for Russian hacking – NPR

Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan has warned the U.S. government against a tit-for-tat response to Russian hacking during the presidential election. "I don't think we should resort to some of the tactics and techniques that our adversaries employ against us.

Trump: U.S. must a greatly strengthena nuclear capability

President-elect Donald Trump has re-opened the debate over nuclear proliferation, calling for the United States to "greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability" until the rest of the world "comes to its senses" regarding nuclear weapons. His comments Thursday on Twitter came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin said strengthening his country's nuclear capabilities should be a chief military objective in the coming year.

Cotton: Say, Why Did Obama Reject Republicans’ Proposal to Fight Russian Disinformation?

In light of the Left's fresh obsession with combating the alleged crisis of "fake news," as well as getting to the bottom of Moscow's malign influence and meddling, the Senator from Arkansas raises a rather interesting point , doesn't he? Via Politico : The White House opposed a Republican-led push earlier this year to create an executive-branch task force to battle Russia's covert information operations, according to a document obtained by POLITICO.