1. Trump says he is waiting for Democrats to 'come on over and make a deal'
"I am in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security," President Trump tweeted Saturday. "From what I hear, they are spending so much time on Presidential Harassment that they have little time left for things like stopping crime and our military!" The military is fully funded and has not been affected by the partial government shutdown. Most law enforcement in the United States is conducted at the state or local level and thus is also not affected. Trump forced the shutdown to obtain funding for border wall construction.
Donald J. Trump The Hill
2. Trump blames Democrats for migrant children's deaths
"Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally," President Trump tweeted Saturday. Trump claimed the father of Jakelin Caal Maquin, the 7-year-old Guatemalan girl who died this month, admitted he did not give her water. In reality, a Guatemalan consul said the father did not fault U.S. Customs and Border Protection for her death, but the father's lawyers said he made sure she had food and water and wants her death investigated.
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CNN The New York Times
3. Trump freezes federal workers' pay for 2019
President Trump issued an executive order Friday canceling a 2.1 percent pay raise for all federal civilian workers that was scheduled for January, instead freezing their pay for the duration of 2019. The order also cancels a January "locality pay increase," an annual adjustment of federal salaries tied to local cost of living, but it does not affect a 2.6 percent raise planned for military forces. The raises may well be reinstated by Congress in whatever spending package is eventually approved to end the partial government shutdown.
CNN The Washington Post
4. Putin's New Year greeting to U.S. says Moscow is ready to discuss a 'wide-ranging agenda'
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his annual New Year greetings Sunday, writing to world leaders including President Trump, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. To Trump, Putin "stressed that [U.S.-Russian] relations are the most important factor for providing strategic stability and international security," said a statement from the Kremlin. "He confirmed that Russia is open for dialogue with the U.S.A. on the most wide-ranging agenda." Last year's letter likewise hoped for "pragmatic cooperation" between Moscow and Washington on the basis of "equality and mutual respect."
Reuters NBC News
5. Kim Jong Un wants more summits in 2019, South Korea says
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants to meet frequently with South Korean President Moon Jae-in next year, South Korea's Blue House reported Sunday, citing a new letter from Kim. "Chairman Kim said he is willing to meet often with President Moon next year to move forward discussions on peace and prosperity and resolve the issue of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," said a statement from Moon's office. Kim expressed regret he has not yet visited Seoul after Moon came to Pyongyang in September.
Reuters BBC News
6. Computer virus stops publication of major newspapers
A malware attack on software used by Tribune Publishing prevented a number of major newspapers from printing their weekend editions. The affected papers are current and former Tribune properties including the Chicago Tribune, the New York Daily News, The Baltimore Sun, and the Los Angeles Times. The virus was discovered Friday after it "impacted some back-office systems which are primarily used to publish and produce newspapers across our properties," said a statement from Tribune. The Los Angeles Times reported a "foreign entity" was responsible, and the Department of Homeland Security is investigating.
NBC News ABC News
7. Bangladesh, Congo vote in contentious elections
Voters in Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of the Congo went to the polls for controversial elections Sunday. In Bangladesh, turnout was low and more than a dozen people were killed in clashes linked to the election. The government deployed military forces to police the streets and shut down high speed internet access during voting hours. Congo's election was delayed by two years, and further delays in three districts where opposition to the ruling party is high are expected to prompt fresh unrest.
BBC News CNN
8. Oregon hotel fires employees who called police on black guest
A DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday announced it has fired two employees who called the police on a black guest who was talking on his cell phone in the hotel lobby. The guest, Jermaine Massey, said he on the phone with his mother when the employees reported him for trespassing. Massey filmed much of the interaction and posted it to Instagram. "Our hotel is a place of hospitality, and [the employees'] actions were inconsistent with our standards and values," Hilton said in a statement.
Reuters The Associated Press
9. Conservative journalist dies at 26
A conservative journalist named Bre Payton died Friday in San Diego after a sudden illness. She was 26. A staff writer for The Federalist, Payton was found "unresponsive and barely breathing" Thursday and rushed to the hospital. She was diagnosed with the H1N1 flu and meningitis, and her condition quickly deteriorated. "Bre brightened the lives of everyone around her," said a memorial post by Federalist staff. "She was joyful, hard-working, and compassionate, and she leaves behind friends and colleagues for whom she brought nothing but sweetness and light."
CNN The Federalist
10. Alabama bests Oklahoma to face Clemson for the title
The University of Alabama's Crimson Tide beat the University of Oklahoma Sooners 45-34 in the college football playoffs Saturday. The win means Alabama will advance to the championship game, where the Tide will face the Clemson University Tigers from South Carolina. Ranked first and second in the nation this season, respectively, Alabama and Clemson also met for the title games of the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 seasons, and Alabama edged out Clemson in the semifinals of last year's event. The final game is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 7, at 7 p.m. Eastern.
The Associated Press NBC Sports
