TOP STORIES
OBAMA DEFENDS COUNTERTERRORISM LEGACY AS TRUMP LAYS OUT HIS MILITARY PLANS “In his last planned speech on national security, President Barack Obama warned his successor against rolling back several of the reforms he made to the way the U.S. wages war against terrorist groups.” President-elect Donald Trump laid out some of his military plans at a rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina. [Jessica Schulberg, HuffPost]
PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES FLIGHT CRASHES IN NORTH OF THE COUNTRY Up to 47 people were reportedly on board. [The Guardian]
MEET OUR NEW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF A huge welcome to Lydia Polgreen, a New York Times “rising star” who will take over the reins at The Huffington Post. [Michael Calderone, HuffPost]
PEARL HARBOR, 75 YEARS LATER Take a look at Hawaii in the immediate aftermath. Here’s how FDR ended up with the “infamy” line. And survivors gathered to “mark the moment that changed the world.” [Carla Herreria, HuffPost]
DEATH TOLL RISING FOLLOWING INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE The earthquake in Indonesia’s Aceh province killed scores of people. [Reuters]
GOOGLE PLANS TO BE FULLY SUPPORTED BY RENEWABLE ENERGY As early as next year. [Ryan Grenoble, HuffPost]
ANGELA MERKEL SUPPORTS PARTIAL BURKA BAN “The full-face veil is not acceptable in our country,” the German chancellor said. [Willa Frej, HuffPost]
‘THE FBI IS INVESTIGATING BECAUSE I TWEETED A JOKE ABOUT FAKE NEWS’ Seriously. [Nick Baumann, HuffPost]
WHAT’S BREWING
DONALD TRUMP NAMED TIME’S PERSON OF THE YEAR Makes sense. [Hayley Miller, HuffPost]
THE EMERGENCE OF DRUG-RESISTANT HIV Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania and South Africa are facing a growing threat. [HuffPost]
TIM ROTH SPEAKS OUT ABOUT HIS ABUSIVE GRANDFATHER The actor disclosed that he and his father were both sexually abused by his grandfather. [HuffPost]
MCSWEENEY’S NAILS IT WITH THIS ONE “Why I am changing the name of our puppy-burning movement to ‘alt-warmth.’” [McSweeney’s]
OF COURSE THE QUEENS CLEANED UP WHEN IT CAME TO GRAMMY NOMINATIONS Beyonce and Adele have 9 and 5 respectively. And here’s who got snubbed. [HuffPost]
HOW TO SORT THROUGH MOVIE HYPE Besides believing all of The Morning Email’s opinions, obviously. [FiveThirtyEight]
‘THE PROGRESS AND PITFALLS OF TV’S DEPICTION OF RAPE’ “Many writers cited the first season of ‘Jessica Jones’ as the gold standard in this arena: It sustained a variety of explorations of the emotional and psychological ramifications of rape, and the story was told from the point of view of the survivor.” [Variety]
BEFORE YOU GO
~ Naomi Judd opens up about her “debilitating” depression.
~ Winter (TV) is coming.
~ Donald Trump said he would sue the women who accused him of sexual assault. He hasn’t.
~ This sneaky squirrel has stolen over 150 Christmas lights.
~ Has the speed of light slowed?
~ Note to self: don’t post mannequin challenges while holding serious firearms if you’re not licensed to hold such firearms.
~ Everything is a lie: the “quintessential French pastry,” the croissant, isn’t French.
~ “Feel the sticker shock of someone living in poverty.”
~ Of course Madonna twerked on “Carpool Karaoke.”
~ Amy Schumer shuts down the body shamers who were unhappy about her casting in the Barbie reboot.
~ Giphy’s top 12 pop culture moments of the year ― in gifs.
~ The best gifts for news junkies (ahem, Mom, this list has merit).
~ When to be alarmed about your forgetfulness.
~ Happy Wednesday ― here are a bunch of penguins in holiday outfits.
The Huffington Post’s Morning Email team aims to get you the top news, along with entertainment, lifestyle stories and other absurdity that you need to get through your workday — all with a dash of signature Morning Email snark.
Like The Morning Email? Send it to a friend! Does somebody keep forwarding you this newsletter? Get your own copy. It’s free! Sign up here.
Check out HuffPost Politics and HuffPost Breaking News newsletters for more of the good stuff.