By Genevieve Mills–

United Nations changes Palestine status

In a 138-9 vote, with 41 countries abstaining, the United Nations General Assembly granted Palestine the status of “non-member observer state”. Outspokenly against it, the U.S. and Israel were among the nine counties to vote against this upgrade from Palestine’s previous status of “non-member observer entity”. The vote, which occurred Nov. 29th, gives Palestine the same status as the Vatican, the only other entity in the U.N. with this status. The Palestinians can now gain access to U.N. agencies and international bodies, significantly the International Criminal Court. This status is not full statehood, and Israel has said that statehood will not be achieved without negotiations between Israel and Palestine.

Lindsay Lohan arrested again

Lindsay Lohan was charged with misdemeanor assault early Thursday morning for allegedly punching a woman at a club in New York City.  Witnesses said angry words were exchanged between the two women but Lohan initiated physical contact. In California, four misdemeanor charges were filed the same day by the city attorney against Lohan for her car crash last summer.  She is accused of giving false information to a police officer, obstructing or resisting a police officer in performance of his duty and reckless driving. Lohan is still on probation for shoplifting in 2011, probation that was not due to be lifted until May of 2014.

Clerical workers at Los Angeles ports strike

Over 500 clerical workers at the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports are on strike, shutting down most of the busiest U.S. cargo shipping post. The estimates of the economic impact of this strike, which reached its fifth day on Saturday, are as high as one billion dollars a day. The money lost includes lost wages of dock workers and the value of cargo rerouted by shippers. Negotiations between the Harbor Employers Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union have been ongoing.

CNN names new head

CNN Worldwide announced that former NBC Universal chief Jeff Zucker will become CNN president in January. CNN has seen a decline in ratings in recent years, and Zucker reportedly hopes to help the struggling network.  Jim Walton, the current CNN president since 2003, announced in July that he was stepping down from his position. Zucker, a veteran news producer, will answer to Phil Kent, president of Turner Broadcasting, the Time Warner unit which includes CNN.