"The U.S. military will deploy a new special operations force to Iraq to step up the fight against Islamic State militants who are unleashing violence and are determined to hold territory they have seized in Iraq and Syria, Defense Secretary Ash Carter told Congress on Tuesday." The force will be a "standing one" that could number in the hundreds. [AP]
The couple announced the creation of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, along with the birth announcement for their first child, baby girl Max. And here's a list of other billionaires who have decided to give away their fortunes. [Damon Beres, HuffPost]
"The Islamic State claims to be more than a militant group, selling itself as a government for the world’s Muslims that provides a range of services in the territory it controls. But that statehood project is now in distress, perhaps more so than at any other time since the Islamic State began seizing territory in Iraq and Syria, according to a range of interviews with people who have recently fled." [NYT]
Costs could run as high as $600 million to build a replacement prison within the United States. [Reuters]
The more than 185,345 checks meant two background checks were run per second. [AP]
"Most of the 1,000 or so Marshall Islands, spread out over 29 narrow coral atolls in the South Pacific, are less than six feet above sea level -- and few are more than a mile wide. For the Marshallese, the destructive power of the rising seas is already an inescapable part of daily life." [NYT]
You can blame your holiday lights and baby monitors. [CNN]
Over 100 cases of the mosquito-borne disease have been reported. [CNN]
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WHAT’S BREWING
"When opportunity arrives, it highlights a grim bargain: Jobs come at great cost but offer only a slightly better version of a hard life. The region’s weaknesses -- a low-skill workforce that doesn’t expect particularly high wages -- become its competitive strengths." [WaPo]
Say goodbye to the hated Adobe Flash -- it's officially biting the dust. [HuffPost]
The high-speed travel of the future may very soon become a reality. [WSJ]
"Some companies are hiring first and figuring out jobs for these recruits much later. Amid a fierce market for college recruits, companies like Facebook Inc. and Intuit Inc. are making offers to dozens of hires without having a particular job waiting -- or even, sometimes, a starting salary." [WSJ]
Who thought that was a good idea? [HuffPost]
In the latest Stuart Weitzman ad, which features a naked Gigi Hadid, Joan Smalls and Lily Aldridge. [HuffPost]
We will check back daily until we get to see the real action on December 24. [Google]
For all your holiday newborn needs. [HuffPost]
WHAT'S WORKING
"Hospitals have cut down on deadly medical errors, saving around 87,000 lives since 2010, according to a new government report." [HuffPost]
For more, sign up for the What's Working newsletter.
ON THE BLOG
"COP21 is not just about the weather; it is a unique opportunity for the world's leaders to address global inequity. It is an opportunity for powerful people and nations to acknowledge that their environmental wellbeing, their security and sustainability, is dependent on the wellbeing, security and sustainability of others." [HuffPost]
BEFORE YOU GO
~ As world leaders hash out how to stop climate change in Paris, here's where 2016 GOP candidates stand.
~ NATO has invited Montenegro to join its ranks.
~ A look at America's most lethal police force.
~ Chicago has fired its top cop over allegations he buried the horrific video of Laquan McDonald's death.
~ The bank that "hijacked the highway deal."
~ Congrats to the Philadelphia 76ers, who finally won their first game of the season, against the LA Lakers last night.
~ We have no idea what to do with this heart-wrenching Christmas ad.
~ Google's data on what your kid probably wants for the holiday season.
~ Robert De Niro verbalized everyone's thoughts and called Helen Mirren a "MILF."
~ Inside the tech race for driverless cars.
~ Forget the hello -- Lionel Richie and Adele are definitely, sort of, maybe working together.
~ How to escape from holiday party chatter this week.
~ Will Smith credits his ex-girlfriend when he was 15 for making him want to become a world famous actor when she cheated on him. Must have been some girl.
~ Way too many people are naming their children after Instagram filters.
~ Meet the "shidu" families, parents in China who have lost their only child.
~ The fate of Yahoo will be decided this week.
~ Starbucks has pulled its turkey sandwiches over an E. Coli scare.
Send tips/quips/quotes/stories/photos/events/scoops to Lauren Weber at lauren.weber@huffingtonpost.com. Follow us on Twitter @LaurenWeberHP. And like what you're reading? Sign up here to get The Morning Email delivered to you.