Happening Today: Heather Nauert, Eiffel Tower, Pearl Harbor, Romaine, Tris Pharma, Kevin Hart, Golden Globes

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What to Know

  • Trump is expected to announce he’ll nominate Heather Nauert to be the next U.S. ambassador to the UN, officials familiar with the plans said

  • The CDC says nine more people have been reported sick in the E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce since the agency’s last update

  • Kevin Hart said he has stepped down as host of this year’s Academy Awards

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Trump Expected to Nominate Heather Nauert for UN Ambassador

President Trump is expected to announce he will nominate State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, officials familiar with the plans said. Two administration officials confirmed Trump’s plans. A Republican congressional aide said the president was expected to announce his decision by tweet on Friday morning. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly before Trump’s announcement. Trump has previously said Nauert was under serious consideration to replace Nikki Haley, who announced in October that she would step down at the end of this year. If Nauert is confirmed by the Senate, she would be a leading administration voice on Trump’s foreign policy. Trump told reporters last month that Nauert was “excellent,” adding, “She’s been a supporter for a long time.”

Eiffel Tower to Be Closed as Paris Braces for More Protests

The Eiffel Tower in Paris will be closed as French authorities tighten security to prevent another outbreak of violence following three weeks of anti-government protests. In addition to the 8,000 police forces that will be deployed in the French capital, the Paris police prefect has identified 14 high-risk sectors that will be cleared out. Fearing protesters could target street furniture or construction sites, Paris police will remove all the glass containers, railings and building machines set up in the identified sectors which include the world-renowned and glitzy Champs-Elysees avenue. Across the country some 89,000 police will be mobilized, up from 65,000 last weekend when more than 130 people were injured and over 400 were arrested in the worst street violence seen in the country in decades. And authorities have also cancelled six French league soccer matches this weekend around the country.

Pearl Harbor Attack Survivor Remembers the Day from Afar

Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Don Long was alone on an anchored military seaplane in the middle of a bay across the island from Pearl Harbor when Japanese warplanes started striking Hawaii on December 7, 1941, watching from afar as the bombs and bullets killed and wounded thousands. The waves of attacking planes reached his military installation on Kaneohe Bay soon after Pearl Harbor was struck, and the young sailor saw buildings and planes start to explode all around him. When the gunfire finally reached him, setting the aircraft ablaze, he jumped into the water and found himself swimming through fire to safety. Now 97, Long will remember the 77th anniversary of the attack from his home in Napa, California.

9 More Sickened in E. Coli Outbreak Linked to Romaine, CDC Says

The CDC says nine more people have been reported sick in the E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce since the federal agency’s last update on Nov. 26, and New Jersey is one of the worst-hit states. Fifty-two people in 15 states have been sickened since October, the CDC said. Nineteen of them have been hospitalized, including two people who developed a type of kidney failure. No deaths have been reported. New Jersey has seen 11 cases of romaine-linked E. coli, making it the one of the hardest hit states alongside California. New York has seen six cases, and Connecticut saw one case. The E. coli outbreak announced just before Thanksgiving follows one in the spring that sickened more than 200 people and killed five, and another last year that sickened 25 and killed one.

Tris Pharma Issues Recall on Infants’ Liquid Ibuprofen

Three lots of Infants’ Ibuprofen Concentrated Oral Suspension, USP (NSAID) have been recalled by Tris Pharma, Inc., due to potentially higher concentrations of ibuprofen found in the product. Used as a pain reliever and fever reducer, the recalled products were packed in 0.5-ounce bottles and sold by Wal-Mart stores, CVS and Family Dollar, according to a news release. There is a possibility that infants who may be more susceptible to a higher potency level of the drug may be more vulnerable to permanent NSAID-associated renal injury, the news release said.

Kevin Hart Says He Will Step Down From Hosting Oscars

Kevin Hart said he has stepped down as host of this year’s Academy Awards. “I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year’s Oscar’s….this is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists,” Hart wrote in a tweet. “I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past.” The news came shortly after his response to criticism over earlier homophobic tweets further inflamed a backlash to the comedian two days after he was named host of the upcoming awards show. Hart wrote on Instagram that critics should “stop being negative” after years-old tweets surfaced in which he used gay slurs. In an accompanying video, a shirtless Hart lounging in bed warily said he wasn’t going to “let the craziness frustrate me.”

Golden Globes Diversity Takes 2 Steps Forward, 1 Back

While it would be going too far to say the upcoming Golden Globes ceremony could be branded #GlobesSoDiverse, the nominations for the annual award ceremony announced are at least a step in the right direction. Still, many are criticizing the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for their lack of nominations of females in the motion picture directing category. The annual award season, which includes the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes, has been accused of a lack of diversity for years, with criticism reaching its peak in 2016 when #OscarsSoWhite became common usage across social media platforms. Of this year’s nominees in the best picture categories, four of the 10 films were helmed by non-white directors, a first for the Globes. John M. Chu’s “Crazy Rich Asians” earned its place in the comedy/musical category, while Barry Jenkins’ “If Beale Street Could Talk,” Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman” and Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther” were all named in the drama category.





Source : Nbcnewyork