Syrian rebels take control of majority of Aleppo, observers say

The US Senate has passed a budget deal to prevent a government shutdown, with overwhelming support, after the House of Representatives approved the legislation. The bill, which does not include President Trump's demand to increase federal borrowing limits, now awaits President Biden's signature. The deal averts a shutdown that would have impacted federal services and employees, showcasing the limits of Trump's influence over his party. Full Article

Notre Dame made history by winning the first home College Football Playoff game, defeating Indiana 27-17 with key plays by Jeremiyah Love and Riley Leonard. Despite Indiana's late efforts, Notre Dame's strong performance led to a Sugar Bowl matchup against Georgia on New Year's Day in New Orleans. Full Article

St. John’s struggled with free throws in their 72-70 victory over Providence, going 11-for-26 at the line, with Ejiofor and Luis missing 11 free throws. Despite the poor performance, Coach Pitino remains confident in their abilities and attributes the misses to mental pressure. Richmond's patellar tendonitis limited his playing time, but Pitino expects him to be ready for the next game against Delaware. Full Article

Executive chef Scott Davies from the Old Manse of Blair reveals that the key to achieving perfectly crispy roast potatoes is adding cornflour to boiled spuds before roasting them in animal fat, such as goose or duck. This method, also favored by Mary Berry and Nigella Lawson, involves shaking the potatoes in the pan with cornflour, basting them in fat every 20 minutes, and adding thyme and garlic for a golden-brown finish. While some chefs...

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has been warned by former Tory minister Sir John Hayes about the lack of safeguards in obtaining abortion pills following Stuart Worby's conviction for poisoning his partner. Worby administered the pills under the guise of "kinky sex" resulting in the victim's inability to conceive. Worby obtained the pills through a friend posing as a woman seeking an abortion, prompting concerns about the need for stricter regulations to prevent similar crimes in...

Israel's military failed to intercept a "projectile" launched from Yemen that landed in Tel Aviv, resulting in 16 people being lightly wounded. The Iranian-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen have been launching missile attacks at Israel, with most intercepted. In response, Israel has targeted various sites in Yemen controlled by the rebels. Full Article