Daily News Summary
Thursday December 25, 2014
Last updated around 1pm, CST (GMT-6)
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Sony's "The Interview" out in select theaters and for rent online: Google Play, YouTube, Xbox Video, and SeeTheInterview.com.2 more men arrested in NY for threatening police, total of 6 since two NYPD killed.White Christmas: snow expected across the US West, Midwest, and Appalachians.Studying Ebola samples, Centers for Disease Control researcher possibly exposed.
Unions push to recruit illegal immigrants protected from deportation by Obama.Despite slowdown, China creates 13 million jobs in 2014, meeting government targets.Plagued by worldwide airbag issues and car recalls, Takata's president resigns, replaced by company founder's grand son.Subaru cancels plans to move their Crosstrek production to the US (cost and capacity of Indiana plant reportedly caused the decision).Russian finance minister assures that ruble volatility is now under control (country's sovereign debt currently near junk status).Compared globally, Australian stock market one of worse performers: softening economy, tumbling oil and iron ore prices.Increase in wages much more visible for job switchers vs. those who don't change job.California regulation to increase hen cage size by 73% takes effect on January 1.Despite renewable growth, US electricity providers shedding jobs, mostly due to nuclear reactors closing in CA/WI/FL.Russia openly offers public sympathy to North Korea, saying country's outrage about Sony movie was "quite understandable".
Blood-pressure measuring apps can be dangerously wrong, particularly 7 Android apps that use data from pressed finger.Research team across Japanese universities prototype sticky sensors that can attach to live tissue; strong medical implications.Facebook to face class action lawsuit for scanning its users messages' content for advertising purposes (stopped in 2012).Rackspace DNS down on Monday from distributed denial-of-service attacks; issue fixed, investigation ongoing.Another 14 tracks from Madonna's latest album leaked online, from an album not due for release until next March on iTunes.Following Sony hack, Japan hardens cyber defense mechanisms; expects to be North Korea's next target, since "The Interview" movie was released after all.Apple not interested in offering Sony's "The Interview" on iTunes, despite Sony going through White House as "mediator".Guardian's yearly roundup: the best mobile apps of 2014 for iOS and Android.
Hong Kong police arrests 12 pro-democracy protesters for blocking traffic.Sweden: mosque arson in Eskilstuna (~75 miles west of Stockholm), five injured.Libyan foreign minister: without help, country could become the next Syria.Japan: PM Abe's militarist defense minister pick, Gen Nakatani, sure to anger China.India deploys 5,000 additional paramilitary troops in north-east Assam state after civilian killings by Bodo Muslim separatists.Israel: father and daughter injured by fire bomb thrown on their car while driving in the West Bank, next to Palestinian villages.Chinese university bans Christmas, calls it "kitsch" foreign celebration; threatens sanctions for students not attending mandatory, three-hour propaganda film screening, with teachers standing guard to prevent early exits from the room.Russia: president Putin takes on increasing vodka prices that encourage consumption of illegal and potentially unsafe alternatives.