10 Things to Know for Today

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:1. GEORGE MICHAEL DIES OF HEART FAILURE AT 53He was blessed with sensual good looks and an exquisite voice, attributes he used to become first a teenybopper heartthrob and then a mature solo artist.2. WHAT RUSSIA’S JET CRASH PROBE FOCUSES ONAs the nation holds a day of mourning for the 92 victims, a minister says a pilot error or a technical fault — not terrorism — is likely to be the cause of the tragedy.3. WHY U.S. ELECTIONS ARE STILL VULNERABLE TO HACKINGPaperless electronic machines make it almost impossible to have a meaningful recount. They also raise the possibility that attackers could rig polls in ways that might not ever be detected.4. a href=’https://apnews.com/5510ee5c9e89429a94565dd107cba9a5/Trump’s-pick-for-ambassador-to-Israel-has-all-sides-on-edge’TRUMP’S PICK FOR ENVOY TO ISRAEL HAS ALL SIDES ON EDGE/aDavid Friedman has no diplomatic experience and his beliefs clash sharply with core canons of U.S. policy.5. FROM OBAMA, A FINAL CHRISTMAS TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS HE’S LEDHe tells marines at a base in Hawaii that serving as commander in chief has been the privilege of his life.6. WHICH PROBLEMS AWAIT CUBAN PRESIDENT IN 2017Raul Castro faces a possible recession and a new U.S. administration promising to undo measures that gave many Cubans expectations of a better future.7. FLEEING WAR, SOUTH SUDANESE CREATE BOOMING CAMPS IN UGANDAMany local Ugandans who were once refugees themselves see the newcomers as welcome.8. CHINA RESUMES TIES WITH SAO TOMEThis is a triumph for Beijing over rival Taiwan after the African nation abruptly broke away from the self-ruled island last week.9. HOW SMALLER SKI RESORTS TRY TO STAY COMPETITIVEFrom baking doughnuts for skiers to displaying local art, they rely on personality to compete with megaresorts.10. WNBA OFFERS PLAYERS SECURITY APP FOR SAFETY OVERSEAS”It’s great the league is doing that and showing they care,” Indiana Fever star Marissa Coleman says.
Source: AP