Terror and Nationalism: The Paris police officer killed Thursday by a terrorist on the Champs-Élysées was an openly gay man who had been one of the officers to respond to the mass attack on the Bataclan concert hall in 2015. …

Ghost Ship: The Alameda County prosecutor says charges of murder or manslaughter may result from the warehouse fire that killed at least 36 people over the weekend in Oakland, Calif. “It’s too premature to say where the investigation will lead …

The BIG D: Angelina Jolie’s filing for divorce from Brad Pitt is a fade to black for one of the most famous Hollywood marriages of all time. Pitt and Jolie, nicknamed “Brangelina” by the tabloids, have been together for 12 …

Vladimir Trump: Taking sides against his own country in pursuit of the presidency, Donald Trump yesterday said he hoped that Russia had hacked Hillary Clinton’s private email server and gotten possession of her State Department mail. “Russia, if you’re listening, …

Britain Votes to Go: In a shocker for the world and a decision with enormous economic and political consequences, Great Britain has voted 52-48 percent to leave the European Union. Despite pre-election polling that had it too close to call, …

Advice and Dissent: President Obama delivered a political speech yesterday saying the confirmation of a Supreme Court nominee should not be political. The President said, “It is tempting to make this confirmation process simply an extension of our divided politics …

Patriot Games: Ammon Bundy, the leader of the “patriot” group that seized an Oregon wildlife refuge, and seven other people were arrested in a traffic stop that left one person dead. Some reports say the man killed was LaVoy Finicum, …

The Hermit Kingdom: Both the US and South Korean governments say they doubt that North Korea conducted its first test of a hydrogen bomb as claimed by the North. Seismic experts say the shaking felt in South Korea near the …

Middle East Mess: Saudi Arabia abruptly severed diplomatic ties with Iran yesterday after Iranian protesters attacked the Saudi embassy over the execution of an outspoken Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia. Iran’s diplomatic staff was given 48 hours to get out …

Merry Christmas! Let’s dispense for today with the usual mayhem and destruction. It’ll hold and there will plenty for another day. The NORAD Santa Tracker says Santa Claus delivered 7,282,439,471 gifts. The Weather Outside: It’s a strangely warm Christmas, so warm …