Greetings! Happy National Fruitcake Day to those celebrating.

Let’s get into today’s top stories.

🇸🇴 Somaliland recognition draws a diplomatic pile-on. Somalia says Israel’s pledge legitimizes secession and invites escalation. More than 20 countries worldwide and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) rejected the move. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi in Jerusalem, while Foreign Minister Gideon Saar pitched trade and security across the Gulf of Aden. Somaliland has sought recognition since its 1991 break from Somalia. Mogadishu warns the shift will rattle Red Sea shipping and Horn of Africa politics.

🇽🇰 Kosovo heads back to the ballot to break political deadlock. President Vjosa Osmani called a snap election after governing math turned brittle. Prime Minister Albin Kurti says rivals obstructed; the opposition says he overreached. The European Union (EU) keeps urging de-escalation as tensions linger in Serb-majority areas. Budget votes and reforms stalled while parties fought for leverage. Candidates now rebrand old grudges as fresh mandates. Turnout will show whether fatigue outweighs fear.

🕯️ Kwanzaa started yesterday, built as a cultural homecoming. Activist-scholar Maulana Karenga created it in 1966 after the Watts riots. It runs seven nights to January 1st around the Nguzo Saba (Seven Principles). Families light a kinara candleholder and reflect on Umoja, unity, and other themes. Gifts called zawadi are meant to be purposeful, not pricey. Many celebrate alongside Christmas without mixing religions. The aim is practice, not performance: think of it as recalling heritage with a daily plan.

🗞️ As newspapers fade, the odd little uses fade too. About 3500 American newspapers closed in 20 years, and about 1200 stopped printing. Montana’s Colleen Elliott saved clippings to teach her daughter Robin Gammons. Elsewhere, Nebraska Wildlife Rehab uses old newsprint to cradle 8000 injured animals yearly. Director Diane DeBlois says substitutes could cost $10,000+ a year. Iconic investor Warren Buffett, via Berkshire Hathaway Inc. ($BRK.B), once treated papers as civic glue. Evidently, it is time now the glue dries, and everyone improvises with screens, smartphones, and scraps.

❄️ Winter storm turns holiday trips into reroutes and regrets. Snow and wind hit the Northeast and Great Lakes, snarling roads and rail. Flight tracking site FlightAware logged about 1500 cancellations by Thursday afternoon. New York City braced for about 4 inches, with Catskills totals near 10 inches. The National Weather Service (NWS) forecaster Bob Oravec warned of slick travel into Friday. Detroit and Cleveland saw bursts that slowed commutes to a crawl. The only reliable upgrade was patience.

🎭 Tyler Perry faces a $77M sexual-assault lawsuit. Actor Mario Rodriguez, who appeared in “Boo! A Madea Halloween,” filed the civil claim. He alleges Perry dangled roles, sent explicit messages, and assaulted him. The suit also names Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. ($LGF.A) as a defendant. Rodriguez cites a $5K payment and says pressure continued over time. Perry’s attorney denies the allegations and calls it a money grab. The courtroom will sort facts; the internet already queued opinions.

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That’s all for today!

Much obliged and many thanks for reading and sharing today’s newsletter.

See you tomorrow!