China’s Homeless Find Shelter Under McDonald’s Golden Arches

By JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZ from NYT World http://ift.tt/1R2ODUB
via IFTTT In major cities across East Asia, downtrodden people with no better place to sleep have made 24-hour McDonald’s restaurants their overnight home.

Jewish-Arab Love Story Excluded From Israeli Classrooms

By ISABEL KERSHNER from NYT World http://ift.tt/1Ji4FHo
via IFTTT The Ministry of Education decided not to include the novel “Borderlife” by Dorit Rabinyan for high school literature classes, setting off a debate.

Merkel Urges Germans to See Migrants as ‘an Opportunity,’ Not a Threat

By ROBERT MACKEY from NYT World http://ift.tt/1PzGci7
via IFTTT Chancellor Angela Merkel dedicated a New Year’s Eve address to what she said her nation could gain from the refugee crisis.

21 Injured on Air Canada Flight After Sudden Turbulence

By IAN AUSTEN from NYT World http://ift.tt/1Uia6GS
via IFTTT Passengers on a flight from Shanghai to Toronto on Wednesday were thrown from their seats, some hitting the ceiling, as the plane suddenly plummeted. It then made an emergency landing in Calgary.

Site of a Raging Fire in Downtown Dubai

By Unknown Author from NYT World http://ift.tt/1UiEDUY
via IFTTT A 63-story luxury hotel in Dubai caught on fire Thursday evening, interrupting New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Hostage at Bataclan Recalls Terrorists During Paris Attack

By ADAM NOSSITER from NYT World http://ift.tt/1NVcJww
via IFTTT A 23-year-old photographer from Chile described the strange chuckle of one of the terrorists as he continued to fire into the crowd.

Response to Paris Attacks Points to Weaknesses in French Police Structure

By ADAM NOSSITER from NYT World http://ift.tt/1MJvqzb
via IFTTT Accounts from survivors, officials and experts reveal that the terrorists operated for substantial periods with little hindrance, and that France’s top-heavy chain of command contributed to delays.

Iran Denounces U.S. Sanctions Over Missiles, Saying It Will Build More

By RICK GLADSTONE from NYT World http://ift.tt/1OnaDH7
via IFTTT President Hassan Rouhani, responding to American plans for new sanctions over Iran’s tests of missiles, told his Defense Ministry to build more of them.

Fire Engulfs Luxury Dubai Hotel, Forcing Evacuation of New Year’s Crowd

By HALA DROUBI from NYT World http://ift.tt/1kwEQaT
via IFTTT A 63-story luxury hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, burst into flames on Thursday evening. It was unclear if guests and staff had gotten out safely.

China Says It Is Building Its Second Aircraft Carrier

By CHRIS BUCKLEY from NYT World http://ift.tt/1RSP6sd
via IFTTT This vessel, unlike the first, will be produced entirely using the country’s own designs and technology, the Defense Ministry said.

New Year’s Eve Security Bolstered After Terrorist Attacks and Threats

By THE NEW YORK TIMES from NYT World http://ift.tt/22AcKNZ
via IFTTT New York, Paris, Brussels and other cities have increased police presences or scaled back festivities as the holiday unfolds in an atmosphere of heightened surveillance.

Make a Plan to Prioritize Your Scholarship Applications

Organizing awards by deadline and type can help you avoid wasting time.

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A Look at Life as a Criminal Defense Attorney

Jessica Burke discusses her job as a criminal defense lawyer in rural New England.

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Another Arrest by Belgium in Paris Inquiry; 2 Held Longer in New Year’s Plot

By SEWELL CHAN and MILAN SCHREUER from NYT World http://ift.tt/1UhLX2V
via IFTTT The suspect, Ayoub Bazzarouj, was arrested in a house in the Molenbeek section of Brussels, where one of the Paris attackers is believed to have hidden.

Shooting in Dagestan, Focus of ISIS Recruiters, Leaves One Dead

By NEIL MacFARQUHAR from NYT World http://ift.tt/1VpgGwr
via IFTTT A border guard was killed and 10 were wounded on the observation deck of an ancient citadel in Derbent, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee.

Russia Expands Sanctions Against Turkey After Downing of Jet

By ANDREW E. KRAMER from NYT World http://ift.tt/1mRxBMl
via IFTTT The additional measures bar Turkish construction companies from signing new contracts after Jan. 1, and also prohibit Turkish citizens or companies from operating tourism agencies in Russia.

Caetano Veloso Loves Israel, but Won’t Be Going Back

By ROBERT MACKEY from NYT World http://ift.tt/1VqNvZJ
via IFTTT One of Brazil’s most revered singers says his stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been widely misunderstood.

Egypt Officials Stop Facebook Program for Free Access to Internet

By KAREEM FAHIM from NYT World http://ift.tt/1IEXQ2y
via IFTTT The program, Free Basics, began in October and had drawn more than three million Egyptians.

Turkey’s Campaign Against Kurdish Militants Takes Toll on Civilians

By CEYLAN YEGINSU from NYT World http://ift.tt/1OZTBuV
via IFTTT Several Turkish cities are under lock down, hundreds of thousands are displaced, while others are trapped without food or electricity as violent clashes intensify.

Norway: Giant Wave Hits Rig

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT World http://ift.tt/1R9Jbxy
via IFTTT One worker on the drilling rig was killed, and two others were injured.

Muslims on Twitter Say They Have Better Things to Do Than Join ISIS

By JEFFREY MARCUS from NYT World http://ift.tt/22z05eg
via IFTTT Play video games, see “Star Wars,” wash the dishes: Muslims respond to the Islamic State leader’s rallying cry with defiance, opposition and sarcasm.

Cellphone Contacts in Paris Attacks Suggest Foreign Coordination

By ALISSA J. RUBIN from NYT World http://ift.tt/1RS7wcA
via IFTTT Police reports that assailants in Paris were in cellphone contact with at least one person in Belgium during the attacks challenge the assumption that one of them was the chief planner.

Brussels Police Investigate Reports of Police Orgy Amid Terror Alert

By MILAN SCHREUER from NYT World http://ift.tt/1RRKEdv
via IFTTT A newspaper reported an account of an alcohol-fueled “orgy” among soldiers and officers at a police station last month while Brussels was nearly shut down after the Paris massacre.

U.S. Says Airstrikes Killed Militants Tied to Paris Attacks

By SEWELL CHAN from NYT World http://ift.tt/1RQe4IN
via IFTTT An American military spokesman in Baghdad said one of those killed, Charaffe al-Mouadan, was an associate of several participants in the Paris attacks.

Investigators Blame Violent Weather for Yangtze Cruise Ship Disaster

By CHRIS BUCKLEY from NYT World http://ift.tt/1mpCD2e
via IFTTT But a Chinese government inquiry also found fault with the captain and dozens of officials, because of poor decisions and laxity.

Iran Fires Rockets Near U.S. and French Vessels in Strait of Hormuz

By SEWELL CHAN and THOMAS ERDBRINK from NYT World http://ift.tt/1UguUyn
via IFTTT The rockets came close to commercial traffic and three vessels that are part of a military coalition fighting the Islamic State, the United States Navy said.

Turkish Prosecutor: Police Foil New Year's Eve Attack

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT World http://ift.tt/1NVtdCF
via IFTTT Turkish police on Wednesday detained two suspected Islamic State militants who were believed to be planning suicide attacks during New Year's celebrations in central Ankara, officials said.

Turkey Detains 2 ISIS Militants Planning New Year’s Eve Attack

By CEYLAN YEGINSU from NYT World http://ift.tt/1PxchVE
via IFTTT The pair were plotting a suicide attack on Kizilay Square in Ankara, where crowds gather to usher in the new year, a senior government official said.

3 Student Loan Wishes for 2016

Greater borrower transparency tops the list of wants for the new year.

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4 Ways to Use Social Media as an Online Student

Platforms such as Facebook allow online students to connect with classmates and showcase work, experts say.

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Alarm Spreads in Brazil Over a Virus and a Surge in Malformed Infants

By SIMON ROMERO from NYT World http://ift.tt/1ZB55ga
via IFTTT The mosquito-borne Zika virus, suspected of fueling a spike in microcephaly, is at the core of one of the most alarming Brazilian health crises in decades.

Goat Meat, Not Beef, Found in Home of Indian Killed Over Cow-Slaughter Rumors

By SUHASINI RAJ from NYT World http://ift.tt/1PuXhtf
via IFTTT The victim, Mohammad Ikhlaq, was beaten to death after residents stormed his house after a public announcement that he had killed and eaten parts of a cow, villagers said.

Celebrating Victory Over ISIS, Iraqi Leader Looks to Next Battles

By FALIH HASSAN, SEWELL CHAN and HELENE COOPER from NYT World http://ift.tt/1QXVheB
via IFTTT Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi flew to the city to celebrate its “liberation” from the Islamic State, as Iraqis thronged the city’s battle-scarred streets.

French Artists Will Take Their Irreverence to the Grave

By DOREEN CARVAJAL from NYT World http://ift.tt/1NO57vK
via IFTTT Filmmakers, a cartoonist and other artists have banded together to build a tomb in Montmartre’s cemetery; the cactus adorning it looks suspiciously like a raised finger.

South Korean and Japanese Leaders Feel Backlash From ‘Comfort Women’ Deal

By JONATHAN SOBLE and CHOE SANG-HUN from NYT World http://ift.tt/1Pv1xXS
via IFTTT Both Park Geun-hye of South Korea and Shinzo Abe of Japan were branded as traitors by nationalists in their countries.

Book Says Zhou Enlai, Chinese Premier, May Have Been Gay

By MICHAEL FORSYTHE from NYT World http://ift.tt/1YQPbfh
via IFTTT The new book draws on Zhou’s diary entries and letters with his wife, and says his sexual orientation could explain his careful relationship with Mao Zedong.

Vladimir Putin’s Quotes: A Collection for the Discerning Russian Official

By NEIL MacFARQUHAR from NYT World http://ift.tt/1QYbLDt
via IFTTT A book of quotes, compiled by a youth political movement and drawn from the past 12 years of the president’s most important speeches and interviews, is being presented as a gift from the Kremlin.

As U.S. Hails Iraqi Success in Ramadi, Focus Turns to Next Move in ISIS Fight

By HELENE COOPER from NYT World http://ift.tt/1MFhx5f
via IFTTT After the liberation of Ramadi from Islamic State fighters, the military campaign must move quickly to capitalize on its momentum, American officials said.

‘Victory’ in Guinea as W.H.O. Deems It Free of Ebola Transmissions

By SHERI FINK from NYT World http://ift.tt/1MEyRY2
via IFTTT The country now enters a three-month period of heightened surveillance during which the virus could re-emerge, as it has done twice in Liberia after it ended transmission.

Israel and Brazil at Impasse Over Ambassador Appointment

By ISABEL KERSHNER and VINOD SREEHARSHA from NYT World http://ift.tt/1R4pase
via IFTTT Signaling its displeasure, the Brazilian government has yet to approve Israel’s nomination of a former settler leader as its next ambassador to Brasília.

6 Questions to Ask Your Premed Adviser

Being prepared for your first meeting is the first step in building a relationship with this important advocate.

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Ehud Olmert’s Sentence in Bribery Case Is Cut to 18 Months From 6 Years

By ISABEL KERSHNER from NYT World http://ift.tt/1NTDDmc
via IFTTT The former prime minister of Israel was convicted in 2014 of taking bribes, in part to facilitate the construction of a housing complex while he was mayor of Jerusalem.

Belgium Arrests 2 Linked to New Year’s Eve Plot to Attack Brussels

By MILAN SCHREUER from NYT World http://ift.tt/1NTGgEw
via IFTTT In a series of raids, the authorities found Islamic State propaganda and military-style hardware and computer equipment in the homes of the two suspects.

Countries Rush for Upper Hand in Antarctica

By Unknown Author from NYT World http://ift.tt/1OpS3da
via IFTTT For decades to come, Antarctica is supposed to be protected as a scientific preserve. But an array of countries are eager to assert greater influence.

Burundi Crackdown Puts Hutus and Tutsis, and the West, on Edge

By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN from NYT World http://ift.tt/1Sj7s5c
via IFTTT With rebel attacks and government raids raising tensions between ethnic groups that have a deadly history, the hope is that negotiations set to begin this week will defuse this crisis.

David Cameron Defends Flood Record as Northern England Is Drenched

By STEVEN ERLANGER and STANLEY REED from NYT World http://ift.tt/1ROc3gn
via IFTTT Britain’s Environmental Agency warned that the country needed “a complete rethink” of its flood defenses as roads in the north remained under water.

Squeezed by Low Oil Prices, Saudi Arabia Cuts Spending to Shrink Deficit

By RICK GLADSTONE from NYT World http://ift.tt/1ZxSxWT
via IFTTT The official Saudi news media reported that the Finance Ministry would cut spending, adopt new taxes and reduce price subsidies for fuel, water and power.

Venezuela: Murder Rate for Year May Be World’s Worst, Report Says

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS from NYT World http://ift.tt/1PtQaRQ
via IFTTT It is estimated that 27,875 killings occurred in Venezuela this year, pushing the homicide rate up to 90 per 100,000 residents; last year, its count was 82 per 100,000.

Maritime ‘Repo Men’: A Last Resort for Stolen Ships

By IAN URBINA from NYT World http://ift.tt/1R4z8JZ
via IFTTT Thousands of boats are stolen each year, and some are recovered using alcohol, prostitutes, witch doctors and other forms of guile.

The E.U. Migrant Crisis, Told in 2 Startling Numbers

By CELESTINE BOHLEN from NYT World http://ift.tt/1QS13ib
via IFTTT More than one million migrants have made their way to Europe this year, but only 190 of them have been formally relocated.

Iran Hands Over Stockpile of Enriched Uranium to Russia

By DAVID E. SANGER and ANDREW E. KRAMER from NYT World http://ift.tt/1PsTr25
via IFTTT The move fulfills an important step in the nuclear deal struck with world powers, and American officials say that it may now be only weeks before the accord will go into effect.

Syrian Journalist Who Documented ISIS Atrocities Is Killed in Turkey

By KARAM SHOUMALI from NYT World http://ift.tt/1PsAlsO
via IFTTT The death of the journalist, Naji Jerf, on Sunday, came a day before he and his family were to fly to France, where they were seeking asylum.

As China Hungers for Coal, ‘Behemoth’ Studies the Ravages at the Source

By AMY QIN from NYT World http://ift.tt/1NKdQiq
via IFTTT Zhao Liang’s film “Behemoth” depicts the harmful effects of mining on Inner Mongolia’s grasslands, and its people.

China Detains 12 People Over Shenzhen Landslide, Police Say

By CHRIS BUCKLEY from NYT World http://ift.tt/1QWkplP
via IFTTT A former district official whose office oversaw the dumpsite died after jumping from a building, the state media also quoted the police as saying.

6 Questions to Ask About Course Delivery in Online Programs

Interactivity and student interaction are two factors to consider, experts say.

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Attorney Wades Into Commercial Lending

Andy Park talks negotiating and litigating commercial loans for a Philadelphia firm.

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3 Things High School Teachers Plan To Work On in 2016

Some high school teachers plan to work on making learning more student driven.

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4 Tips for Creating a Winter Break ACT, SAT Prep Schedule

Multiple full-length practice tests should be on test-takers' holiday break agenda.

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Iraqi Forces Retake Center of Ramadi From ISIS

By FALIH HASSAN and SEWELL CHAN from NYT World http://ift.tt/1Vm9aCk
via IFTTT The militants fled the western city’s government headquarters, although pockets of resistance remained in the north and east.