NASA’s New Horizons Will Visit Ultima Thule on New Year’s Day

By KENNETH CHANG from NYT Science https://nyti.ms/2RqYh9J

Shopping for Tumblers

By TIM McKEOUGH from NYT Real Estate https://nyti.ms/2s0yg2z

The Origins of the Times Square Ball Drop

By RAILLAN BROOKS and ALEXANDRIA SYMONDS from NYT Reader Center https://nyti.ms/2CGuZvr

N.Y.’s New Attorney General Is Targeting Trump. Will Judges See a ‘Political Vendetta?’

By JEFFERY C. MAYS from NYT New York https://nyti.ms/2QcY5Gh

Castro Takes Manhattan: Vintage Pictures of the Cuban Conqueror as Tourist

By BILL KELLER from NYT New York https://nyti.ms/2QcY5WN

A Little Bit of Excess in a Sensible Package

By GENEVIEVE KO from NYT Food https://nyti.ms/2EVkExw

‘Help, My Boss Has Breasts!’

By CHOIRE SICHA from NYT Business https://nyti.ms/2QZlss9

Superb Oddities: Robert Gottlieb Reviews a Biography of Edward Gorey

By ROBERT GOTTLIEB from NYT Books https://nyti.ms/2Vk7ccd

2018: The Year in Visual Stories and Graphics

By THE NEW YORK TIMES from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2GLlDTy

Bangladesh’s Leader Wins a Third Term but Opposition Contests Results

By JULFIKAR ALI MANIK and MARIA ABI-HABIB from NYT World https://nyti.ms/2CI02qY

Congratulations on the Promotion. But Did Science Get a Demotion?

By AARON E. CARROLL from NYT The Upshot https://nyti.ms/2RoLapw

Mother of the Hubble: Tributes paid to Nasa scientist

Dr Nancy Grace Roman, the first woman to hold a senior leadership position at NASA, has died at 93.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2SoZ7kp

Russia detains American in Moscow over suspected spying

Russia's domestic security service (FSB) said on Monday it had detained an American citizen suspected of spying in Moscow.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2VhO6U0

Four terrorism suspects to appear in Dutch court

Four men suspected of belonging to a terrorist organization will appear in court on Monday, two days after being arrested in Rotterdam, a prosecution spokesman said.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2QamOew

Russian security agency arrests 'US spy' in Moscow

The FSB security agency says a US man named Paul Whelan has been charged with spying.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2CHzCFI

Duterte: Outrage as Philippines president says he touched a maid

Rights groups call Rodrigo Duterte's comments "repulsive" and "unworthy of his position".

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2VjtESU

Russian apartment block blast kills three, dozens missing: agencies

Russian rescuers were on Monday searching for people still trapped under the rubble of a city apartment block that partly collapsed in a suspected gas blast, killing at least three, RIA said.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2RqSEbw

Iran says Afghan Taliban arrived in Tehran, held peace talks

Iran said Taliban representatives from Afghanistan negotiated with Iranian officials in Tehran on Sunday, as the Islamic Republic seeks to advance peace talks in the neighboring country to curb the influence of other Islamist groups.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2RkjGBu

Deadly blast ruins Russia housing block in Magnitogorsk

At least three people died in a suspected gas explosion in the city of Magnitogorsk.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2EYqvTq

Bangladesh's PM Hasina wins third straight term; opposition cries foul

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has won a third straight term, sealing a landslide with almost all the seats in parliament, officials said on Monday, while the opposition rejected the result as rigged and called for a fresh vote.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2VkO9P2

Lion kills young worker at North Carolina wildlife sanctuary

A lion at a North Carolina private wildlife sanctuary fatally mauled a 22-year-old worker on Sunday before being shot and killed by local law enforcement, officials said.

from Reuters: U.S. https://reut.rs/2Thb1wY

Republican Senator Graham says Trump receptive to shutdown deal idea

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said on Sunday he was optimistic that Republicans, Democrats and President Donald Trump could reach a deal to end a government shutdown that includes border wall funding and legal status for some illegal immigrants.

from Reuters: U.S. https://reut.rs/2QV4XgM

Border patrol chief defends agents in child deaths

The head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Sunday defended his agents' handling of two sick children who died in their custody, saying they did everything they could to get medical help for them in difficult circumstances.

from Reuters: U.S. https://reut.rs/2EWPS7p

An American Photographer’s Pilgrimage to the Italian Village of Luzzara

By JOSEPH SCIORRA from NYT Lens https://nyti.ms/2Qd6cCI

Congo opposition, ruling coalition both say they've won chaotic election

Democratic Republic of Congo's opposition said on Monday it expected one of its candidates to win the presidential election based on early vote tallies, but the ruling coalition said it was confident its candidate had won the chaotic contest.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2LEK1VF

Russian apartment block blast kills three; rescuers search for survivors

Russian rescuers were on Monday searching for people trapped under the rubble of a city apartment block that partly collapsed in a suspected gas blast, killing at least three, RIA said.

from Reuters: World News https://reut.rs/2EXt9Ja